Chapter 11
In the pre-dawn grey of early morning, Elizabeth found her resolve with defiant clarity. If the rumour-monger wished to see her humbled and driven from society, she would not, could not, give him the satisfaction. It was against her every belief to capitulate to an unknown enemy.
She had not cowered from discomfort when Mr Collins proposed to her. She had not fled the Meryton assembly when Mr Darcy had declared her not handsome enough to dance with. No, she would face this directly, as she was accustomed to.
In the long hours of the night, Elizabeth’s mortification had sharpened into purpose. Retreat would only confirm what the scandal-monger desired to prove. Her silence would be mistaken for guilt, and her absence would invite all manner of untoward speculation.
Elizabeth rose and readied herself. “I will not vanish,” she told her reflection, lifting her chin. “Not for liars and cowards.” Her decision lent her a strength she feared she’d lost.
She found Mrs Gardiner straight away to plead for her aid.
Her aunt was in the breakfast room, and Elizabeth was relieved to see that the table was bare of any fresh scandal sheets.
She had expected to see the cheaply printed ink besmirching her and Jane’s outing to the shops yesterday, but the gossip must have found their errands insufficient to whet the appetite of a scandal-hungry ton.
Its absence gave her hope that her approach would succeed.
“Good morning, Lizzie,” said her aunt, with all her usual warmth and fondness.
“Good morning. I have given much thought to what you said, Aunt.”
“Oh? Pray, share your thoughts with me. You must know that I only spoke from a desire to help you.” She set down her teacup, giving Elizabeth her full attention.
Elizabeth took the seat next to her aunt. “I do. And my reception of your concern was born only from my frustration with the gossip, never you or Uncle. I apologise.”
Mrs Gardiner patted Elizabeth’s hand affectionately. “There is nothing to forgive, dear.”
Elizabeth smoothed her skirt and prepared to make her request. “There is a public assembly tomorrow. I would like to attend.”
Mrs Gardiner’s concern was immediate. “Lizzie, I had thought…You cannot think it wise. The talk —”
“Will not cease because I am invisible,” Elizabeth replied. “Indeed, it will only grow more fanciful. I would rather face it than flee from it.”
Her aunt studied her closely. “You have been much tried. I would spare you further pain if I could.”
“I know you would, as I would for you. But hiding feels too much like surrender, and I am not yet prepared to concede defeat.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Mrs Gardiner nodded. “If you must face the world, I will stand beside you.”
Elizabeth stood and wrapped her arms around her aunt. Her gratitude was immense. “Thank you.”
“What of Jane? Will she attend?” Mrs Gardiner asked.
“I will ask her, but I do not expect her to continue to throw herself to the wolves. If she elects to stay behind tomorrow, as much as I would like her by my side, I will accept her choice.”
“I think that is wise.”
Elizabeth thanked Mrs Gardiner once more, finished her breakfast, and made for the parlour as the Gardiner children descended upon the breakfast room in a tumble.
Once alone with her thoughts, Elizabeth turned her attention to the next day’s assembly, and what she would say to Mr Darcy.
∞∞∞
The public assembly rooms glittered with the usual excess of finery, light, and music. However, beneath the polished surface, Elizabeth sensed a keen undercurrent of anticipation and scrutiny. She bore it with as much composure as she could muster, leaning upon her aunt’s arm as they entered.
Heads inclined together as they passed, accompanied by the sharp sting of whispers.
Elizabeth scarcely noticed. Her attention had already found a tall, stoic figure standing against the far wall.
Mr Darcy was in close conversation with Mr Bingley, but at the sight of Elizabeth, his posture shifted. Whatever hesitation had once restrained him vanished. He excused himself, crossed the floor toward her with a purpose that quickened her pulse.
Elizabeth waited, schooling her expression into cool composure.
He bowed deeply. “Mrs Gardiner. Miss Elizabeth.”
They returned his greeting in unison. “Mr Darcy.”
For a moment, neither of them spoke, as though each feared to begin. Elizabeth felt her aunt’s grip tighten ever so slightly on her arm, mirroring the apprehension she felt in her own body.
Mr Darcy broke the silence first. “May I speak with you, Miss Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth did not hesitate. “Very well.”
They withdrew to a quieter alcove at the edge of the room, leaving Mrs Gardiner to join a party of her good friends, though they stayed firmly within her sight.
When they had reached their corner, which afforded them a modicum of privacy, Darcy looked at Elizabeth with uncharacteristic earnestness. “I owe you an apology. Or, at least, an explanation.”
Elizabeth lifted her eyebrows. “I believe you owe me both.”
He bowed his head in contrition. “When I failed to keep my appointment, I believed I was acting in your best interest. The rumours have grown more malicious, and I feared that my continued presence in your life would only provide further fuel for them.”
“So you withdrew and left me to contend with them alone,” Elizabeth said coolly. “And not only that, but you made a decision on my behalf without first consulting me.”
“I see now that I have acted in error,” he replied solemnly. “I did not consider how it would affect you. My intention was to shield you from harm, not to abandon you to it. And I would never seek to control your actions. I suspect I would find myself incapable of such a feat.”
Elizabeth studied him, searching for falsehood and finding none.
“I thought,” he continued quietly, “that if I stepped back, your name might be spared further entanglement with mine. It was a mistake. I see that now.”
A hundred sharp retorts rose to Elizabeth’s lips. He had acted badly, but she could not remain angry with him. Not when there was no malice in his actions.
“You should have trusted me with your concerns,” she said. “You chose for me when you had no right to do so.”
“You are correct. I regret it and I apologise.”
The sincerity of his tone softened any remaining ire. “I came here tonight because I refuse to be frightened into silence. And because I believe, despite everything, that our alliance is not yet beyond repair.”
Mr Darcy’s expression brightened considerably. “If you are willing to continue it, Miss Elizabeth, I will devote myself to it entirely.”
She inclined her head. “Then let us turn our attention to it now.”
Mr Darcy nodded. “The mystery remains unresolved, but I believe we are nearer the truth than our enemy suspects.”
In her surprise and excitement at the hint, it took all Elizabeth’s self-control to stop herself from grabbing his arm. “Have you learned something?”
“Enough to know that our adversary watches us closely and feeds upon our reactions. I propose we give him something worth reacting to.”
“A trap?” asked Elizabeth, with a glint of mischief lighting her expression despite the gravity of their situation.
Darcy nodded. “If he thrives on rumour, let us supply one of our own. A false report. One so tempting, he will not be able to restrain himself from attempting to capitalise on it at once.”
“An excellent stratagem. If we can prompt him into immediate action, we may be able to catch the villain.”
Darcy’s mouth curved into the faintest smile. “You think as I do.”
“Let us hope,” Elizabeth said dryly, “that our enemy is not thinking as we do.”
They bent their heads together, lowering their voices as music swelled behind them. When they had finished refining their scheme, they parted. The stage was set, their audience ready.
As Elizabeth left to rejoin her aunt, she felt an encouraging momentum. With Darcy alongside her once more, she was confident that their plan would work.