Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
“What is this? Were you eavesdropping?” Mr Darcy glared at Elizabeth, his nostrils flared.
Affronted by his commanding tone, any thought of apologising disappeared as she retorted. “Of course not! I was taking a walk. I had no intention of overhearing your conversation. You were shouting. Anyone could have heard you.”
“A walk? At this hour?”
“No, I—”
“Who’s there?” Another male voice echoed through the woods. Mr Lucas! How did I forget about him? Suddenly all thoughts of their argument disappeared from her head; she could not meet Mr Lucas like this, not half-covered in mud, and in the presence of Mr Darcy, too.
“I must hide,” she said quickly. Without another moment’s hesitation, she once more ducked behind the large tree trunk, this time concealing herself from the path, leaving Mr Darcy to face Mr Lucas alone.
“Did you hear a man’s shout?” Mr Lucas sounded breathless as he approached Mr Darcy.
“Have you seen a gentlewoman, hereabouts?” Mr Darcy shifted his weight, coming slightly more into Elizabeth’s view, and glancing fleetingly at her.
She gave a tiny, pleading shake of her head, no longer feeling equal to her intended rendezvous.
Mr Lucas did not seem to notice Mr Darcy’s silence, and so continued, “A woman of her wealth—” He caught himself.
“A woman of her breeding and elegance should not be alone in the woods.”
Again, Mr Darcy’s eyes briefly flickered over Elizabeth, this time his gaze falling upon her mud-splattered hands and clothing.
“I have encountered no woman matching your description,” he replied drily.
He then gestured vaguely at his rumpled clothes.
“I tripped and called out—I should imagine this was the sound you heard.”
This necessary falsehood appeared to reassure Mr Lucas.
As Mr Darcy gave no further invitation for their conversation to continue, Mr Lucas hastily took his leave, muttering something about unreliable women, his heavy footsteps disappearing from earshot.
Mr Darcy waited for some moments, until all was quiet, before saying, “You may reveal yourself, Miss Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth’s knees ached from where she had been crouching, but she did not wish to give Mr Darcy the satisfaction of seeing her discomfort.
Chin high, she ignored the shooting pain running up her legs and stood, assuming an expression of airy unconcern, as though concealing oneself in woodland was a perfectly acceptable occupation for a well-bred gentlewoman.
Mr Darcy did not say anything, rather he stood still, taking in her unseemly appearance, his lips tugging with unmistakable divertissement.
Insufferable man. That he found any of this entertaining was insupportable.
Still, courtesy demanded that she show her appreciation, and she checked her temper. “I must thank you for your assistance.”
He accepted her gratitude with a nod of the head. “Does Mr Lucas pose some threat to you?”
“Why, no! Whatever made you think that?”
“I am trying to account for your desire to seek refuge behind a tree.”
She took his words to be a slight and replied icily, “Given all that I have just seen and heard, I do not think you are in a position to cast any judgment over my conduct.”
Her words found their mark. Mr Darcy scowled, and Elizabeth braced herself for one of his haughty set-downs.
To her very great surprise, his expression subsequently softened, and he took a step closer.
“I must apologise for my previous ill-humour, and for any offensive language you may have heard. I only asked the question to ascertain how best to aid you.”
Quite unprepared for this display of gallantry, Elizabeth answered quickly, “Please do not trouble yourself. I do not need your help.”
His gaze lingered over her ruined dress. “I see.”
Heat rose to Elizabeth’s cheeks at his doubtful tone.
Instead of replying, she pointedly cast her eyes across his broad chest to the moss and tiny leaves still stuck to his usually immaculate greatcoat.
“Are you certain I cannot be of assistance to you? It appears to me that you have strayed far from the path.”
Mr Darcy pointedly ignored her remark, choosing instead to hurriedly brush his hands down his wrinkled clothing.
“I am not lost, Miss Elizabeth. I know precisely where I am. I only wondered at you being here alone and at such an early hour. I must agree with Mr Lucas’s concerns.
Allow me to accompany you back to Longbourn. ”
The firmness of his tone informed Elizabeth that this was not an argument she was likely to win.
She bit back a sigh. “I thank you for your kind offer, but I cannot return yet. It would be remiss of me to leave Mr Lucas waiting. Naturally you can guess that I am the woman he is referring to.” Mr Darcy raised an eyebrow, and even though it was none of his concern, she felt compelled to offer him an explanation for her conduct.
“He wishes to ask for my hand in marriage.”
Mr Darcy’s mouth fell open. “You are to marry him?”
“I mean to refuse him,” Elizabeth countered, bewildered by Mr Darcy’s vehement response. “Although when I heard him approach, I must admit, my courage failed.” She gave a rueful smile. “There, now you have the explanation for my walk at this hour. I only ask for your discretion.”
“You have my word.” If she did not know better, Elizabeth would have said that Mr Darcy looked relieved.
He continued, “But could this conversation wait until another time? I must insist on escorting you home. If it pleases you, I will return to tell Mr Lucas I had encountered you after all. I could say that you tripped and needed to change your clothes.”
“Your suggestion is not so very far from the truth.” She held up her sodden dress with an embarrassed laugh. “You must be quite shocked at my appearance.”
“No, indeed. Your petticoats were far muddier when you walked to Netherfield to nurse your sister.” She glanced sharply at him, expecting to see derision in his expression, but his dark eyes were filled with a good-humoured warmth.
“I suppose it would surprise you more if I looked presentable. Yes, please could you reassure Mr Lucas that I have returned home?”
“A wise decision.” Mr Darcy offered her his arm, and she took it meekly, if not entirely willingly.
They walked back through the woods together.
Mr Darcy remained silent and whenever Elizabeth stole a glance at him, his expression was one of deep contemplation.
She wished that he might say something. It was not in her nature to remain quiet for long, yet it was impossible for her to converse easily, as though she had not witnessed his earlier altercation.
After many moments of prolonged awkwardness, they reached the stile.
“It is not much further after this,” she said, eager for their encounter to be over. “It would be better if you do not accompany me to my door.”
“Do I have your permission to call upon you later at Longbourn? I wish to be reassured that you have returned home safely.”
She stared at him, astonished by his request. “I will be perfectly well. It is scarcely any journey at all. I survived the woods—a country lane poses less of a risk to me and my clumsy feet.”
“But the risk does not come from woods, rather the people who walk within them. I would not feel easy knowing there was a chance you might encounter Wickham alone.”
“You believe him to be dangerous?”
“Only to beautiful young women.” The words escaped Mr Darcy’s mouth, and he grimaced at his indiscretion. “Forgive me, Miss Elizabeth. I chose my words ill.”
“If Mr Wickham is of a disreputable character, then surely it would be prudent to warn everyone against him?”
“I cannot reveal everything without harming another.” His face, normally so impassive, creased with vexation—or perhaps worry—a fleeting gesture, yet so revealing as to his true feelings that Elizabeth’s heart could not help but give a tug of compassion. He must be thinking of his sister.
Elizabeth hoped he heard the sincerity in her voice as she replied, “I understand. Please accept my reassurances that I will not disclose anything of what has happened this morning. You have my word.”
“Your discretion was never in doubt.” He gave a low bow, before adding hesitantly, “I shall return to Mr Lucas presently to let him know of your whereabouts.”
The delicate nature of this conversation was not lost on Elizabeth. “And now it is my turn to thank you for your discretion. I only hope Mr Lucas has not been waiting long.”
Mr Darcy paused, before saying quietly, “A man in love would wait forever.”
Elizabeth gave a bitter laugh. “What a shame he is not in love.” She caught his eye, aware now that it was she who had revealed more than she had intended. “What time shall I expect you at Longbourn?”
“I am guided by you, Miss Elizabeth. What is the earliest I may call?”
“My mother will be receiving calls from midday. I shall ensure that our tea caddy is suitably stocked. There can be no better way to repay your chivalry than a hot drink and our cook’s finest sponge cake.”
Mr Darcy’s mouth curved into a small smile, and he held out his hand to help her up the stile.
As Elizabeth stepped on the first plank, her face drew close to his, and suddenly she became aware of how very tall and striking he was.
Making every effort to sling her leg over the wood as gracefully as possible, Elizabeth clambered to the other side, her muddy boots landing firmly on the stones below.
She straightened her spine, wishing she had attended her mother’s lectures regarding elegant deportment, and bid Mr Darcy a hasty goodbye.
He nodded a simple farewell and she hurried away, ignoring the uncomfortable wet flap of her dress against her legs.
As the lane curved towards Longbourn, her curiosity got the better of her and she glanced over her shoulder.
Mr Darcy was still waiting there, his impressive figure dark against the green trees, his body faced towards her, rigid like a sentry soldier.
Elizabeth gave him a little awkward wave to which he bowed again, only this time turning back to disappear into the woods.
Once he had gone, she let out a loud groan and continued on her way.
What conspiracy was it that the most disapproving man ever to visit Hertfordshire should discover her in the midst of such unbecoming behaviour!
She caught herself. No, Mr Darcy was not so very bad.
A little serious perhaps, but there had been moments just now where she could have almost thought him civil.
And he would not reveal her whereabouts, for to do so would only inspire questions about his own conduct that he would not want to answer.
What was the full history between himself and Mr Wickham?
Elizabeth supposed she would never know.
She walked past the last hedgerow, and the house came into view.
The window to the kitchen was open, the fresh smell of bread filling the air.
Upon arriving at the door, she quickly slipped off her boots, treading quietly up the back stairs and down the corridor to her bedchamber.
As luck would have it, she encountered no one, the scullery maids presumably occupied with preparations for breakfast. She resolved not to tell Jane anything of the morning’s events.
When she told Mr Darcy she would keep his meeting with Mr Wickham a secret, she had meant it.
And what of Mr Lucas? She had managed that business very ill.
Somehow Elizabeth would need to find the opportunity to discreetly refuse his offer of marriage.
She only prayed that she would make a better job of it next time.