Chapter 1 #2
The formidable presentation took place, and Elizabeth dared to shift her gaze to Miss Darcy.
With astonishment, she noticed that the young lady’s embarrassment and uneasiness were greater than her own, and her long silence was not due to aloofness or pride—as she previously had been led to believe—but to profound shyness.
The girl managed with difficulty to say a few words to Mrs Gardiner, and when her brother introduced her to Elizabeth, she forced a smile while curtseying elegantly.
These efforts garnered Elizabeth’s good opinion immediately; with an open smile, she returned the curtsey, expressing her delight.
“Miss Darcy, I am honoured to meet you. I have heard so many wonderful things about you.”
“And I about you, Miss Bennet. I have long desired to make your acquaintance.” Georgiana’s tentative smile and the deep blush that accompanied those few words were further indications of how unaccustomed she was and how uneasy she felt to have a conversation with strangers.
Elizabeth’s cheeks coloured, wondering what Miss Darcy had been told about her and from whence came the wish to make her acquaintance.
In a desperate attempt to control her emotions, Elizabeth tried to lighten the tension and, consequently, her spirit. “Thank you for your kind words, Miss Darcy; I can only hope that not everything you have heard about me was frightfully bad.”
She smiled fleetingly, as the effect of her words seemed to be the opposite of what she intended. Miss Darcy instantly frowned, and she looked with visible worry from her brother to the colonel. The latter started to laugh and finally intervened.
“Well, Miss Bennet, to be completely honest, Georgiana did hear some mixed things about you, which is understandable considering the various sources of her information. However, I assure you that nothing she heard was ‘frightfully bad’.”
Elizabeth laughed softly. Miss Darcy, however, obviously not accustomed to this kind of teasing exchange, startled at her cousin’s statement, which sounded offensive, and turned to her brother as if silently asking for his assistance.
Elizabeth was about to say something to alleviate her distress when Mr Darcy’s voice settled the situation; and indeed, a moment later, the young lady’s face lightened in relief.
“Georgiana, our cousin speaks in jest. I am also certain Miss Bennet knows that neither the colonel nor I could have done anything but praise her. As I said some time ago, no one with the privilege of knowing Miss Bennet could find anything wanting.”
His words made Elizabeth reel while her cheeks coloured and her eyes locked on his. She tried to catch her breath for a moment, shocked to hear him declaring his admiration so publicly in front of his relatives and hers.
Of course, he had told her almost the same thing one night at Rosings as he stood near the piano while she played, the colonel at her side.
Nevertheless, to reiterate the statement after everything that had happened—to admit his continued admiration in front of her and the others—what could he mean by this?
Was she perhaps wrong in her judgment again?
That night at Rosings, she failed to understand the true meaning of his words.
Was she presuming too much again? Was it possible he only meant to relieve his sister’s discomfort by repeating in jest one of their earlier debates?
“My brother is right, Miss Bennet. I have heard nothing but wonderful things, I assure you.” Miss Darcy’s voice sounded more confident and managed to return Elizabeth’s thoughts to the present. Avoiding Mr Darcy’s gaze, she smiled at his sister while trying to control the tremor in her voice.
“I thank you, Miss Darcy, and I thank you, gentlemen.”
She noticed from the corner of her eye that both Mr Darcy and the colonel returned her smile, and she hoped the entire incident had ended. Decidedly, she kept her attention focused on her new acquaintance, sharing a few more polite exchanges.
“Miss Bennet, Mrs Gardiner, do you have an appointment to attend or were you just enjoying this beautiful day in the park?” asked the colonel as the group started to walk toward the exit.
Miss Darcy was on Elizabeth’s left, holding tightly to her brother’s arm while the colonel politely offered his arms to both Mrs Gardiner and her niece.
“No appointment, sir—merely concluding a morning of shopping with a pleasant walk,” answered the elder lady.
Their conversation turned to the warm weather, and they discussed the advantages of leaving London at that time of year.
The colonel’s conversational skills perfectly matched those of Mrs Gardiner, and they easily conducted and sustained the discussion.
Still not completely at ease, Elizabeth remained less talkative than usual, rather listening to the conversation than contributing to it.
“Miss Bennet, I hope your family is in good health?”
Mr Darcy’s deep voice startled her, and she lifted her eyes to meet his for a moment. “Yes, thank you; they are in excellent health.” She did not feel easy enough to say more.
“When did you leave Longbourn?”
“Only a week ago, sir.”
“Yes, you already told us that. Forgive me.”
She only smiled as did Miss Darcy.
“Will you remain in London long?” This time their eyes met and locked briefly, but it was enough for her to see that he was as embarrassed as she was by his direct question.
She could not read in his glowering countenance whether he was truly interested in her plans or merely being polite, and she answered as neutrally as possible.
“I am not certain at the moment. Our plans are not fixed. At least a few more days, I imagine.”
The colonel intervened. “Only a few more days? Such a pity! I do hope we will have the pleasure of seeing you again.”
Elizabeth made no reply as Mrs Gardiner answered, “Indeed, sir, we would be very pleased to enjoy your company again. However, we cannot make any plans for the moment and Elizabeth even less so. She is entirely at our mercy—a prisoner of our busy schedule.”
Following the colonel’s polite but curious inquiry, Mrs Gardiner explained the delay in their plans for departing London and their hope that they would be able to start the journey as soon as possible. The mention of the Lakes as their destination animated the conversation once more.
“I hope you will enjoy the trip, Miss Bennet. In fact, I daresay I am certain you will.” More than Darcy’s words, the tone of his voice and their implication only disconcerted and confused Elizabeth more.
He was addressing her with more warmth than ever, and he even suggested that he was certain she would be pleased with the trip.
Did he presume to know or take a sincere interest in what would please her?
Happily, she had not much time to remain mired in her confusion as Miss Darcy suddenly became daring enough to share her opinion about the new topic.
“I have always liked the Lakes very much. My brother has been so kind as to take me there twice, and except for Pemberley, it is one of my favourite places.” She paused a moment, smiled to Elizabeth, and then continued, slightly embarrassed.
“Oh…Forgive me, Miss Bennet, I should have told you; Pemberley is our home.”
“I know,” answered Elizabeth, smiling back. “From what I have heard, it is a most wonderful place.”
“Oh, did my brother tell you of Pemberley?” Her innocent question made them lift their eyes at the same time; their gazes met, a deep redness spreading over both their faces.
“No, Georgiana; unfortunately, I did not find the opportunity to tell Miss Bennet much about Pemberley.”
“I…I had the pleasure of spending a few days in Mr Bingley’s house when he resided at Netherfield, and during that time, I heard both Mr Darcy and Miss Bingley talking of Pemberley.
Miss Bingley was very generous in her praise and showed the deepest admiration for the beauties of Pemberley; I am sure she was not exaggerating. ”
Elizabeth did not waste the opportunity to search Miss Darcy’s face with great attention when she mentioned Mr Bingley and his home in Hertfordshire, trying to find a sign of emotion; she found none.
However, when she mentioned Miss Bingley, Georgiana’s lips unconsciously lifted in a slight grin.
Elizabeth’s smile grew more open, and she almost chuckled.
“Miss Bingley is very generous in her praise,” added Darcy somewhat neutrally, “though she has visited Pemberley on only three occasions. To my recollection, many of its beauties remain unknown to her.”
His statement increased Elizabeth’s amusement, as she was certain it was meant to clarify Miss Bingley’s pretensions of being intimate with the Darcys and their home.
She rejoiced in the newly discovered pleasure of talking with him without quite talking, the others not fully understanding the hidden implications of their exchange.
Mrs Gardiner then offered, “I did not have the pleasure of talking to Miss Bingley about Pemberley, but I can well testify that her praise could not have been exaggerated. Indeed, I do not think I have ever seen a place more happily situated and more beautiful than your home, Mr Darcy.”
Mr Darcy’s surprise was even greater than his sister’s was, and he turned to the lady without concealing his eager curiosity. “Mrs Gardiner, thank you for your approval, but may I dare ask when you visited Pemberley? I do not remember having the pleasure of meeting you before.”
“Indeed we did not meet before, sir. I cannot say I actually visited Pemberley, but I did see it various times when I was younger. And I had the honour of meeting Lady Anne a few times—the most wonderful lady I have ever met.” At their wondrous looks, she smiled and added, “I grew up in Lambton, which is only five miles from Pemberley.”