Chapter 24 #3
“The changes that I have affected are not for your benefit, they are for my own. Regardless of the success or lack thereof of my suit, I will NEVER return to be the man that I was. It would shatter my heart into a million shards if you were to ultimately deny me; I will not lie about that, but I will never cease striving to be a better man either way.” He shuddered at the thought of life without her but was sincere as he made this point clear wanting to explain that while she was the catalyst, he saw the need to better all aspects of his behaviour.
“I believe you, William. I am not ready to give you an answer yet. The answer is very close. You must know that I would never toy with your affections. Had I not believed that there was a better than good chance that I would accept a proposal from you at the end of it, I would not have agreed for you to court me.” As she reassured him, she rested her hand on his arm gently and both felt the frisson caused by the touch.
“It is safe for me to promise that you will know what I have decided before Anne’s wedding. ”
Both felt a lot better about the course of their courtship and for the first time Lizzy openly acknowledged to herself that it was all over bar the open admission. She was falling in love with Fitzwilliam Darcy, of that she was no longer in doubt.
After all had their fill, they mounted their horses and made a slow walk into an open field, then those that were accomplished riders gave their mounts their head, riding at full gallop from one end of the field to the other.
They cantered back so as to not overtax their mounts to where Helen, Kitty, and Lily were awaiting them.
The next stop for the group was Meryton.
Although the Bennet’s wealth and elevation was now common knowledge, none of the residents had ever thought to see so many thoroughbreds together ridden by so many members of the first circles.
The group dismounted in the centre of the town, passing the care of their horses to the grooms. They broke into groups to explore the town.
By the time they were done, the townspeople had discovered what Lady Lucas now knew, that the elevation had not changed the Bennet girls and none of the highborn friends with them looked down on any they encountered. All found them to be very pleasant.
The denizens of the town thought that they were in an alternate reality.
The proud, taciturn, and arrogant Mr Darcy from Derbyshire was pleasant to all with whom he crossed paths!
With warmth he greeted anyone that greeted him, and even initiated greetings with some he remembered from his first visit to the area.
They began to understand why Lady Elizabeth had agreed to let the man court her.
The merchants were ecstatic at the biggest single day increase of sales that any of them could remember for a long time.
Except for items that were not available locally, the Bennets were purchasing what they needed from the local merchants.
As more of the wedding guests started to arrive, the volume of sales in Meryton increased.
Those guests new to the town could now understand why the Earl of Longbourn wanted to stay in the area and left the townsfolk very impressed with them as they rode the final two miles back to Bennet Park.
Helen in particular was keen to get back as she was sure that the courier would have returned with more letters for her from her Papa and brother.
Every day she felt more at home with the Bennets.
She had two families and she loved them both.
She was waiting to hear the answer to her request that they be allowed to visit Janet’s Well a few days before Miss de Bourgh’s wedding.
It would not be much out of the way as Rosings Park was not far from the border that was common to Kent and Surrey, and the estate that she grew up on was but ten miles from that border.
She knew that it would be difficult for both her Papa and herself, but she was sure that if she were not able to say goodbye in person, she would regret it for the rest of her life.
There was the added benefit that she would see Tim again and be able to introduce some of her new family to her birth family.
When they returned, there was, in fact, a letter from her father.
As soon as she was able, she repaired to her bedchamber where her new lady’s maid, Miss Janet Jeffries, assisted her to change out of her riding habit and into one of her new day dresses.
As soon as she was dressed, she dismissed her maid and tore open the seal.
She scanned the missive and let out a very unladylike ‘whoop’ as she read the words that she had been hoping for.
‘Thank you, Papa, I do not think you know just how much this means to me!’ He prepared her, explaining that he had shed a lot of his weight and that he looked quite gaunt, though he assured her that other than some pains he was well most of the time.
Unless she told him otherwise, they would be expected on the final Wednesday in July.
A very excited girl found Mr Darcy, she was not used to calling him William yet as he intimidated her somewhat, sitting and talking to Georgie, Tiffany, and Lizzy.
Once she explained her request to him, he told her that as long as her guardians agreed, they would arrive at Janet’s Well on the appointed day.
The sought permission was granted with alacrity and the plans were set.
Helen also requested of Lizzy that she travel into Surrey with them so that she may see Janet’s Well.
After a little consideration, and to the delight of everyone concerned, Lizzy acquiesced to Helen’s request.
In addition to Lady Lucas and Hattie Phillips, Mrs Long, Mrs Goulding, and their nieces and daughters had been invited to afternoon tea.
As soon as he was excused, John Lucas was joined by James Gardiner, with a maid in tow, and they went to play outside where they had spied some ideal trees to be climbed.
The local ladies who had not seen Fanny Bennet since her elevation, felt trepidation about the manner in which they would be received, especially because it was known that Fanny was not the only Countess at the tea.
There would be a number of titled personages present.
If they had asked Lady Sarah, they would have known there was no reason to fret and soon found out that Lady Longbourn was as friendly as she always had been and did not want them to use her title when speaking to her.
After they were introduced to Ladies Matlock and Hilldale, it was easy to see that those ladies were open and friendly and did not look down their noses at them in the way a certain Miss used to when she had been a tenant of what was then Netherfield Park.
The two Long nieces and two Goulding daughters were welcomed by all of the younger ladies and girls that they were introduced to. The two suitors and one betrothed man were back at Bennet Fields and would return an hour or so before dinner.