Chapter 20 #2
The riders circumnavigated the park and ended up on the banks of the Serpentine.
The three Bennets were accomplished horsewomen riding on magnificent horses.
Elizabeth’s Mercury was a stallion while Mars and Callisto, who belonged to Jane and Mary respectively, were mares.
The second Bennet informed Darcy that not many months ago the two youngest sisters had no interest in riding.
That had changed with Kitty becoming quite proficient over the last months of lessons and Lydia had just started hers.
The Earl had purchased two docile mares for his youngest girls, Venus for the older of the two and Titania for the youngest.
Each couple sat on a bench near the small lake that a manmade tributary of the Serpentine fed. So far, none had mentioned the unceremonious removal of Miss Caroline from Bennet House’s cellar that morning, but they now had the privacy to do so.
“Are you sad that your ex-friend has been exiled from the Kingdom?” Elizabeth asked Darcy softly.
Darcy contemplated the question as she expected him to.
She had noticed as their acquaintance deepened that he always thought before he spoke, or at least he did so since Hunsford.
“If he had not come to my house the very day after I told him that I would never offer for his younger sister, even if she managed to compromise me and for his own selfish reasons asked me to marry that, that…woman, then possibly I would have felt remorse for what had befallen him and his family. But the truth is that I find that I have no regrets. I tried to help and advise him,” he gave his bench mate a chagrined look, “even if that advice was sometimes based on false beliefs.”
“Unfortunately, he never evaluated what was said to him and blindly followed what I and others suggested so he would not have to accept responsibility for his own decisions and actions. I think I knew long before the break that it was going to happen; not if but when. He had once been a very good friend and I tried to hold onto something that was no longer there.”
“Will you allow me to speak with candour?” Elizabeth asked with her eyebrow arched.
“I would never suspend any pleasure of yours, Lady Elizabeth,” he replied with a tease of his own, immensely pleasing the lady because he bantered with her, which was something that he had not previously done.
“You are a loyal and diligent friend. Just like you told me in Hertfordshire that your good opinion once lost is lost forever, I believe that you endeavour to be the same the opposite direction as well. In other words, you do not like to give up on a friend, which is not behaviour that should engender censure. It is my belief that you broke with Mr Bingley when he crossed a line that you could not countenance. You are too quick to be derogatory about yourself and you take far too much on yourself, as some things are beyond your control. You need to learn not to obsess about that which you cannot change, Mr Darcy,” she concluded with a peroration.
“That is my opinion, do with it what you will.”
“Having learnt the hard way that you are more often right than wrong and that I should heed your sage words, I will certainly think on what you have said, Lady Elizabeth.” As he spoke, he lifted her very dainty gloved hands in his much larger ones and kissed each on the underside of her wrist. She found that she did not object to this liberty that he took.
Two benches over, Lord Birchington was contemplating the question that he wanted to ask.
‘There is no need to delay, you know that she is the one that you love and will suit you in every way,’ he berated himself.
‘I am fearful of being denied, but if I do not ask, I will never know.’ He took a deep calming breath and then took one of the lady’s gloved hands in his own.
He was encouraged when she did not attempt to withdraw it from his gentle grasp.
Thus emboldened, the Marquess took a slow breath and faced the woman he was quickly learning he could not live without.
“Lady Mary, we have known each other just a few short months, but in that time, I have come to feel for you what I have never felt for any other lady of my acquaintance. What I am about to ask you now is not impulsive. Impulsive would have been the first time I wanted to ask you but was certain you would have found my doing so the day we met nonsensical. So, believe me when I tell you that I have considered this for some time now. I have sought the wise council of my esteemed parents, and have written to ask the advice of my older sisters. All of my relations told me that I would know when the time was right and to follow my heart.” He paused as he searched her eyes to see if she was in any way discomforted and thankfully saw no sign that she was, though he was amused at her surprise.
“You are well read, intelligent, and have a dry wit that I find that I like very well. The fact that you are beautiful is appreciated, but not a factor on which this decision was made. Do not look at me so sceptically, my Lady. I have heard that in the past you made yourself look like you were less attractive than your sisters on purpose, but even you could not hide the gem that is plain for all who are not blind to see. If you will grant it, I would like to request a formal courtship. It can be as long as you desire until we know each other well enough; when you know my heart is irrevocably yours and you are willing to grant me the gift of yours, and then if it is what you desire, I intend to ask for your hand in marriage.” He held his breath.
“B-but you are the son of a Duke!” Mary stammered breathlessly.
“One day you will ascend to the Dukedom. H-how will I ever be good enough to be a Duchess? It was not long ago that I spouted nonsense from Fordyce’s Sermons like a parrot,” Mary admitted as she hung her head in shame.
With his free hand, he slowly lifted her chin so she could see the truth in his eyes.
“Lady Mary, Mary, I am not interested in who you were, I am only interested in who you are.
I care not for your reputed massive fortune.
The Rhys-Davies are not as wealthy as your family, but behind the royals we rank in the top few families in wealth so you can see that it is not that which attracts me.
Your connections are mostly the same as mine, so you cannot assign that as the reason for my attraction to you either.
I am attracted to you, Mary, and you alone.
For you as you are and as you will be, hopefully with me beside you to make all my years richer and better than any amount of money could buy.
“Do you not think that in my youth I said and did things that I still reproach myself for?
Neither of us can change who we were in the past, so dwelling on those things will not gain for us a future to look forward to.
Who you were, Lady Mary, helped you become an example any woman would be wise to follow.
Yes, I am the son of a Duke, and you are the daughter of an Earl.
But even if you were still Miss Mary, I would be requesting a courtship from you today.
As for being a future Duchess, I hope that will be many years in the future and long before then you will have learnt, even mastered anything that you need to know.
“You always speak of Elizabeth’s intelligence and wit, yet you sell yourself short.
You are much closer to your sister in both looks and intelligence than you allow yourself to believe, and it comes out when you are focused or not aware that you are being watched.
You should stop holding yourself back for fear of reproach, Mary, you are truly a treasure.
” He let go of her chin and retook her hands in his.
Mary sat and contemplated the words that the Marquess had spoken.
‘Perhaps what he says is true? Should I allow my insecurities to destroy my future happiness? I never expected addresses from any man, never mind the vehemence of the opinions that he has. Yes, I believe it is time to let the past live where it belongs, in the past.’
“If you desire a courtship Hugh, then yes, I would be honoured to be courted by you, as long as my father consents.” Mary felt unbridled euphoria for the first time, but it would not be the last; that promise she could read in his eyes.
Her feeling of bliss only increased when he kissed the top of each hand.
Mrs Chandler cleared her throat and he released her hands before he crossed the bounds of propriety, realising he had almost lost himself in her enough to have done so.
This courtship was going to feel like an eternity to him, he was certain, but anything and all was to be endured if she was the gift God granted.
They stood and asked the other couples if they would agree to return to Bennet House with them.
Having witnessed the scene as it played out, none of the others teased them by objecting to return to the townhouse.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Lady Sarah Lucas was a very unhappy lady.
She believed in her heart of hearts that she was supposed to get the better of Fanny Bennet, not be well below her in wealth and consequence.
Not only was Fanny a Countess, her family reportedly wealthy in the extreme, but even worse her triumph that her daughter would one day be the mistress of Fanny’s home, Longbourn, had turned to ash.
To make matters worse, her widowed daughter was back home with them!
Even if Charlotte was with child, and that child were male, it would matter not as the idiotic late Mr Collins had broken the entail!
Lady Lucas was not aware that her oldest widowed daughter was wealthy in her own right thanks to the breaking of said entail.