Chapter 5
Captivated
Darcy remained in the company of Elizabeth until Mr. Gardiner returned home.
During this period, they engaged in diverse conversations about family, literature, poetry, politics, and societal conventions.
Neither of them was cognizant of the passage of time, nor did they take notice of the several occasions when Mrs. Gardiner briefly left the room to attend to queries from her housekeeper or relay messages to her children’s nurse concerning their well-being.
Throughout most of their conversation, Mrs. Gardiner remained in the room, albeit at a slight distance, occupied with her sewing.
The sudden sound of Mr. Gardiner’s voice prompted Elizabeth and Darcy to glance at the wall clock. “Goodness, the time,” Elizabeth exclaimed. “I apologise, Aunt; it appears we completely lost track of it.”
Noting Elizabeth’s concern, Darcy inquired, “Is there something amiss, Miss Elizabeth? Have you missed an appointment?”
She sighed. “Not an appointment, per se, but I had promised to read to the children before their father arrived home. I am sure my aunt had to make excuses for my failure to do as I said, and while I will likely be able to read to them later, I do hate to disappoint them.”
“Might I go with you to read to your cousins while their parents greet each other?” Darcy asked. “My sister is much younger than I, and she always enjoyed it when I read to her. She was particularly pleased when I would do the voices in the story.” He grinned at the memory.
Elizabeth grinned in reply. “I think the children would enjoy that,” she replied. “That is if my aunt and uncle would not mind.”
The Gardiners had heard the discussion, and after glancing between them, Mrs. Gardiner nodded her agreement. “Please ensure the nurse remains with you and keep the story short. Their supper will be up shortly.”
Elizabeth led the way up the stairs. Nearly as soon as they were out of view of the Gardiners, he reached in front of him and took her hand. “Here, it is easier for you to lead me this way,” he said thoughtfully as the now familiar jolt of … whatever it was … ran up his arm straight to his heart.
She laughed lightly at his comment. “I am not certain it is easier, but I will not complain,” she teased as she led him to the nursery.
They arrived all too soon, and he reluctantly dropped her hand.
The children gathered around them, and after introductions were made, the two adults sat on a small settee with the children around their feet.
The eldest boy, a young lad of about eight years old, handed Darcy a book.
“This one, please, Mr. Darcy,” he asked.
Darcy looked at the book and smiled. “I read this to my sister when she was young,” he told them, then he opened the book and began reading.
The children were enthralled, especially as he altered his voice to mimic the different characters in the story.
They begged him to read a second, but their supper arrived, ending their allotted time.
Darcy and Elizabeth left the nursery to return downstairs, allowing the gentleman to depart.
Once outside the nursery, Darcy again took Elizabeth’s hand in his, bringing it to his lips to kiss it briefly. “That was fun,” he said quietly.
Elizabeth blushed brightly, though she attempted to sound composed. “You did very well with them,” she replied. “I enjoyed listening to you reading, and my cousins did too.”
“Miss Elizabeth,” he said, hesitating for a second before continuing.
“When I asked your uncle for permission to call on you, he, um, well, he gave me his permission to court you, should you agree. I, um, I would like to obtain your permission to court you, with an eye toward marriage, one day, perhaps not too far distant.”
They had moved toward the steps, and he was standing on the step just below her, enabling them almost to look each other in the eye. “Are you asking my permission?” she whispered.
“I am, although perhaps I did not say it as well as I could. Would you permit me to court you, Miss Elizabeth? I would very much like to know you better,” he whispered back.
“Yes,” she breathed.
Darcy brought the hand he held to his lips once again. “Thank you, Miss Elizabeth,” he replied.
“It may be rather forward of me, but … do you think you might be willing to call me Elizabeth when we are alone?” she whispered.
He nodded. “If you will address me by my Christian name,” he said.
“Fitzwilliam?” she asked.
“Yes. It was my mother’s maiden name, and she insisted upon naming me such after they named my elder brother after my father,” he replied as they began to walk down the steps.
“Fitzwilliam,” she whispered, causing him to stop and turn back to her. “Thank you.”
His brow creased. “For what, Elizabeth?” he whispered.
“For wanting to know me better and for asking to court me,” she replied.
“Ahh, but it is I who is gaining a gift with your acceptance,” he told her, his eyes communicating something Elizabeth did not quite understand but knew she wanted to.
“Perhaps we both will gain something through our courtship,” she offered.
He smiled. “That may be very true, Elizabeth.” Once again, he kissed her hand. “I would like to kiss you,” he whispered.
“Why do you not?” she inquired.
“Because we are standing outside your cousin’s nursery, and I respect you and your uncle too much to steal what is not yet rightfully mine to take,” he replied.
She sighed. “You are entirely too principled, Fitzwilliam,” she teased. “You have the perfect argument not to give in to our desires, and I cannot argue with what you say.”
“My brother would merely take what he wanted and not worry about the possible consequences to his reputation or yours or how his actions might impact others,” Darcy told her seriously. “He would think mainly of the immediate rewards.”
“Immediate rewards?” she inquired.
“Yes,” he said, taking a deep breath to calm his wayward heart, “I can imagine kissing you would be extremely rewarding.” He stared into her eyes before closing them briefly and once again breathing deeply.
“Come, Miss Elizabeth, let us find your aunt and uncle before I embarrass myself or do something I should not.”
She merely raised an eyebrow but followed him nonetheless. “I think kissing you would be rewarding, as well, Mr. Darcy,” she whispered as she walked past him and into the drawing room where the Gardiners sat.
Letting out an audible groan, he stood in the hall to take a few deep breaths before entering the room behind her. “Darcy, would you like to join us for dinner tonight? Or do you have plans with your mother in town?”
“Mother asked me to join her and Georgiana for dinner tonight, and I am afraid I will be late if I do not leave soon. But, if it is not an imposition, I could come another night,” he offered.
“Are you free tomorrow evening?” Mrs. Gardiner asked.
Darcy nodded. “Yes, I will be able to come then. Um, Gardiner, might we speak for a moment?”
Gardiner scrutinised the young man and then glanced at his niece, looking at her hands in her lap. “Come,” he commanded. Standing, he led the way to his study.
As soon as he entered, he turned and faced the younger man. “Well?” he began.
He stalled momentarily, blurting: “Miss Elizabeth agreed to allow me to court her. I know you gave me your permission last week when we spoke, but I wanted to tell you I had asked, and she has accepted.”
Gardiner could not stop the grin at the young man’s enthusiasm. “Well, I am pleased to hear it, Darcy. Is there anything else?”
Darcy sighed. “I would like to invite you to Darcy House soon so my mother might meet Miss Elizabeth. I must make the arrangements, though I will mention it tonight. Perhaps Mother will be willing to invite Miss Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner to tea one afternoon and then dinner another night?”
“Darcy,” Mr. Gardiner began thoughtfully, “I know you have only been calling on my niece for a week, and now you have asked to court her, but if I may ask, what exactly are your intentions toward Elizabeth?”
Gulping down his nervousness, he took a moment to steady himself before he spoke.
“I believe I would like to marry her,” he stated, meeting the elder man’s eyes.
“I know I have only known her a week, but I … I feel I know her well. While I am not quite ready to offer for her or even to say I am in love with her, I feel I am well on my way to being so. I am not one to act hastily, and I wonder about the rapidity of our connection, but I know I feel a … connection to her I have never experienced before.”
Gardiner smiled. “I understand exactly what you are feeling, my friend. It was much the same when I met my wife. We met and married within six weeks and, as you can see, are still happy more than a decade later.”
“Then I am not as mad as I had begun to believe,” Darcy laughed. “I felt thunderstruck the moment I saw her.”
“I noticed,” Gardiner laughed as he indicated the gentleman should sit across from him in front of the fire.
“I have taken the liberty of writing my brother about your suit, and he has permitted me to take care of all the arrangements. As far as he is concerned, there is no reason for Lizzy to return to Longbourn even to wed. He suggested his next daughter, Miss Mary, can take Lizzy’s place with us after she weds since he has the idea we asked her here to act as governess to our children.
While I cannot deny that Lizzy does assist in the nursery, we asked her here for herself and to separate her from her family.
I am frequently amazed at how callously her parents treat their children. ”
“Elizabeth has mentioned something of that and a letter she received from her sister Mary,” Darcy agreed.
Gardiner raised his eyebrow at the gentleman’s informal use of his niece’s name. “I do wonder, Darcy, if you and Lizzy will not make it to the altar even quicker than Madeline and I managed it.”