Chapter 40
Darcy was riding hard through the storm; Elizabeth was out with only a coachman and a maid, and the weather had considerably worsened.
He prayed that she had reached the coaching inn just outside Hampshire but could not be certain.
All he could see was the still form of Margaret lying in the ditch and feared finding Elizabeth in the same state.
She was a courageous young lady but that did not mean the situation was ideal.
The rain was slowing down, but there was high wind and it had darkened considerably.
He had been riding for over an hour, and hoped to reach the coaching inn in another hour.
He could not shake the fear that Elizabeth may not have stopped at the coaching inn.
He pressed on, haunted by the idea of Elizabeth standing at the side of the road, stranded in this weather, desperate for help.
At long last, the inn was in sight and Darcy rode towards it as fast as he could.
He dismounted his horse, tossing a coin at the nearest groom who obligingly took the animal away, as he entered the establishment.
The common room was full of people with barely any space left.
There were some unfortunate souls who were even sitting on the floor.
He prayed to God that Elizabeth had managed to get some accommodation.
Unable to locate her, he enquired of the man at the front desk.
“Miss Bennet, you say?” He scratched his head trying to recall the name.
“I will have to check with my father. He must be around,” he said, as he looked around trying to find the man.
“It is all such a blur, so many people and this storm out of nowhere. Perhaps you might look around—the lady may be here in the parlour, but do try to be near the fire, sir, until you locate the lady. You are quite wet,”
Darcy was frustrated; he did not wish to waste his time at the inn when Elizabeth may be in need of help somewhere else.
He moved to look through the crowd, trying to navigate between the crush of men, women and children when he finally saw her descending from the stairs.
She was unharmed and the relief that spread over Darcy made him forget all sense of his surroundings.
“Elizabeth!” he exclaimed, catching her attention as well as that of all the people in the room. He walked towards her as if in a trance while she descended towards him. Before she could have said anything, he had pulled her in a tight embrace much to the shock of the lady and all the onlookers.
“Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth whispered, her voice trembling.
For the first time in all his eight and twenty years of life, Fitzwilliam Darcy had no concept of time or place or propriety.
His relief on seeing his beloved was so great that nothing else registered.
He pulled away from Elizabeth, took her face in his hands and before she could have realised, pressed a fervent kiss on her lips.
Elizabeth stood frozen in shock. The inn had gone completely quiet and then the murmurs started.
“Is that not Mr. Darcy of Pemberley?” someone whispered, and then there was another whisper, “To kiss a lady in the middle of an inn—unconscionable.”
“I thought the gentleman was considered most honourable and upright. The lady looks extremely uncomfortable.”
Thus the whispers continued and to the lady’s credit, no one blamed her for the compromise.
Elizabeth had been at the inn for the past two hours and had entertained many of the travel-weary children with tales of adventures.
She had arrived weary, and somewhat lost in thought, but as the weather had worsened and the inn had filled up, she had risen to the occasion and helped settle several disagreements.
She had good-naturedly advised that since they were all stuck in the unexpected weather they may try to bear it with good cheer.
Some had listened, some had scoffed, but then the wailing of children stuck in the oppressive room had shattered all semblance of peace.
Elizabeth had stood up, gathered her shawl, and her maid and went around getting all the children to sit down together and had then sat in the middle and had proceeded to tell them the most outlandish stories with even more amusing voices.
The atmosphere had changed and soon it was not just the young ones who were listening.
Half an hour earlier, the innkeeper had announced that he would be serving dinner, but everyone had to take it in the common room only and gently asked Miss Bennet if she would like to refresh herself.
Elizabeth had gone upstairs with the innkeeper’s wife to help her and it was then that his son had arrived from the stables where he had been helping manage the rush of animals and the servants.
When Darcy had entered, the young man had just taken charge of the front desk.
He, therefore, had no idea about Miss Bennet or the popularity that she had attained.
Had Darcy asked anyone else, he would have known Elizabeth’s whereabouts and would have had time to compose himself before she had appeared.
As it was he had acted completely on impulse and all eyes were now staring at them. Darcy had no clue how to proceed whatsoever. He looked at Elizabeth with a pitiable expression and opened his mouth to apologise when she stopped him.
“Do not dare apologise.” Then she turned towards the crowd and said in a louder voice, “I hope you will forgive my betrothed for his improper greeting, Mr. Darcy was, I am sure, overcome with immense relief to see me unharmed.”
This seemed to start another set of murmuring.
“Did she say betrothed?”
“Well, there is not much else for her to say, is it?”
“The poor girl, I am sure she was running away from Mr. Darcy and his unwanted attention and now she is compromised.”
“Whatever can you mean? He has ten thousand a year, why would any woman refuse him.”
“She is such a cheerful soul and Mr. Darcy is considered a most haughty individual.”
Thus the gossip continued, which would soon take over the whole of London society for in the midst of the crowd was Lord Greystone with his wife on the way to Briarwood.
The couple were one of the worst gossips in town and were quick to write to their acquaintances in London with this news and send it express in the night.
The weather and the well-being of the servant were all considered unimportant in the face of such a scandal.
While this alone would not have been sufficient to create a believable scandal against one of the most proper gentlemen, there were others returning to town from Hampshire who would readily corroborate the gossip.
Miss Bennet in the end did not retire to her rooms, preferring to doze off in a chair in the common room next to her proclaimed fiance.
She judged it better for her reputation or whatever was left of it to stay in a crowded room than a private chamber.
Darcy was filled with guilt at his actions but there was hardly anything that he could do.
He could not even convey Margaret’s condition for he did not wish to add to her distress when she could have done nothing about it until the weather cleared.
He wished to have even a moment of privacy from prying eyes so he could understand Elizabeth’s thoughts but all he could do was wait.
The morning came, and with it the sun once more shone brightly. Elizabeth stepped outside with Darcy hoping to finally leave the inn.
“Mr. Darcy, I hope you understand that I cannot return to Willowmere, my aunt would not permit it.”
“I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Miss Elizabeth but Margaret met with a mishap yesterday. The girl was desolate at your departure and had run from the house and was later found in a ditch near the newly constructed drainage. In her feverish state she has been asking for you and I am sure your aunt would be obliged to have you back.”
Elizabeth was shocked and questioned Darcy to get all the details.
She realised that Mr. Darcy had come to know of her departure after Margaret had started asking for her.
The weather by then had considerably worsened, and he had immediately ridden to search for her.
She was embarrassed at all that had happened last night but could not regret it.
If she still had any doubts as to Mr. Darcy’s feelings, they had all been laid to rest after his rather unprecedented behaviour.
“Miss Bennet, I will ride in the front with the coachman once we are a little ahead on the road. Mr. Darcy can sit inside. His horse may very well be tied to the back of the carriage,” her maid interrupted her thoughts as the carriage was brought around.
“I could hardly be inside the carriage alone with Mr. Darcy. It would be highly improper!” Elizabeth exclaimed.
“I hope you realise, miss, that there is not much propriety left though I agree that if you got into the carriage alone with the gentleman just outside the inn would only add to the gossip. I will move to the front once we are clear of the inn. The gentleman would, I am sure, prefer to speak to you in private,” the maid answered with a smile.