Chapter 5
Chapter 5
The next morning when Elizabeth woke up, she felt much more cheerful than she had the previous day. She turned her head to look out of the window and smiled; the sun had just made its appearance and even through the misted glass of the window she could see that the sky was blushing prettily in various hues of pink. The vision was a sight for sore eyes and as she gazed out, she released a happy sigh. Not wanting to leave the warmth of her bed just yet, she pulled the coverlet up to her chin and engaged herself in contemplating the events of yestereve.
Her smile widened as she thought about the visit to Aunt Phillips’s. To be honest, while she had been grateful to Mr Darcy for attempting to undo the damage to her reputation, she had not been very optimistic about the success of his efforts. The evening had therefore been a bag full of surprises both for the outcome and the insight she had gained into the man she was about to marry.
In all the time Elizabeth had known Mr Darcy, he had presented a rather aloof and serious mien; so, it was a big surprise to discover that the man had a wicked sense of humour along with an admirable ability to improvise. The manner in which he had convinced Lady Lucas and Mrs Goulding of a longstanding attachment between himself and her had left her slightly stunned.
He had been waiting outside when she, Jane, and their parents had reached Aunt Phillips’s house yesterday and they all had gone inside together.
Their aunt seemed to have remembered Mr Darcy’s request to continue protesting their innocence, because when the housekeeper opened the parlour door to announce them, that good lady could be heard cautioning her guests, “I saw Fanny and her family getting down from their carriage just now. Emily, please do not mention anything about yesterday’s events in front of them. If I have told you once, I have told you a thousand times—there is nothing between Lizzy and Mr Darcy and...”
Mr Darcy had interrupted her aunt as he walked into the parlour. “Mrs Phillips, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for adhering to my request to keep the matter quiet until I informed my uncle. But it is futile to hide the truth anymore. Mrs Goulding is far too clever for us, madam. She could discern my feelings for my dear Elizabeth when no one else could.”
Elizabeth shivered as she remembered the look of adoration that he had bestowed on her as he had pulled her to his side. If she did not know that he was doing this to quell the ugly gossip in their midst, even she would have started wondering about his feelings for her! It was therefore hardly surprising that Mrs Goulding and Lady Lucas were so easily deceived.
“Since only you could discover our secret, madam, it is only fair that you should be the first of our friends to wish us happy.” Mr Darcy had stopped in front of a disconcerted Mrs Goulding. It was clear that the lady was uncomfortable facing the newcomers, especially the couple she had been maligning with such enthusiasm.
“Your s-secret? Wish you h... happy?” Mrs Goulding stammered uncertainly as she tried to make sense of Mr Darcy’s words. Standing nearby, Elizabeth could literally see the wheels turning in her head.
“Ooh. You and Elizabeth are betrothed!”
Suddenly an expression of glee replaced the hesitation and discomfort on the lady’s face, and she turned triumphantly to Lady Lucas. “Do you remember, Margaret, the moment Mr Darcy had paired with Elizabeth for the quadrille, I had said that he must be sweet on her. After all, she was the only girl from the neighbourhood he deigned to dance with. But you were not convinced then, and you also demurred when I said that there was something... umm... different in the way he was holding the girl yesterday. Now tell me, am I not vindicated?”
Lady Lucas sighed, then nodded reluctantly. “Yes, Emily, you are.” She then addressed Elizabeth and Mr Darcy, “I wish you both very happy, dear Eliza and Mr Darcy.”
Elizabeth was gratified to know that she had been right about Charlotte’s mother—the good lady had at least tried to stem Mrs Goulding’s gossip. But what had impressed her the most was Mr Darcy’s ability to guide the conversation in the direction he wanted. It seemed that he was a man of many talents. He could come up with plausible stories for totally implausible situations, he could play act to make Mr Kemble insecure, and he could successfully hide an honourable and kind man behind a dour and arrogant exterior.
Elizabeth gave a rueful shake of her head as she recollected the rest of their visit at her aunt’s. By the time they had all been seated and the maid had brought tea and refreshments, Mrs Goulding was patting herself on the back for being the only one to guess the truth. Lady Lucas on the other hand kept marvelling at how Elizabeth and Mr Darcy had hidden their true feelings for each other—for so long and so successfully—under a cloak of dislike.
When the time came for them to leave, it was evident to Elizabeth that the topic of the neighbourhood gossip had irrevocably changed and Mr Darcy had successfully managed to salvage her... their reputations from the shambles Mrs Goulding had created.
Elizabeth came out of her reverie with a sigh of satisfaction and glanced at the beautiful ormolu clock on the table. It was nearly half past eight; Mr Darcy would soon be leaving for London. The stab of disappointment she felt at the realisation that she would not be seeing him today disconcerted her for a brief moment.
He has been compassionate and supportive during one of the most difficult periods of my life. It is only natural that I will miss the reassurance that his presence has brought me.
Having rationalised her feelings to her satisfaction, Elizabeth decided to go down for breakfast. It cheered her to discover that she could now walk unaided and without discomfort. Perhaps Papa will tell me what happened at the inn yesterday, she thought as she entered the dining room.
∞∞∞
Mr Bennet was reading the newspaper when Elizabeth entered the dining room.
“Good morning, Papa,” she said as she went to the sideboard to fill a plate.
“Good morning, my dear. I hope you slept well?” Mr Bennet lowered the paper and asked cheerfully.
Once again Elizabeth noticed that her father had become much more cheerful since his conversation with Mr Darcy yesterday.
“Yes, Papa.” She nodded.
“So how was your foray into the public rooms of the Meryton Inn?” she asked curiously.
“Oh, it was quite diverting for me, although not so much for your poor Mr Darcy,” Mr Bennet replied with an amused smile.
Elizabeth prevented herself with difficulty from snapping, “He is not my Mr Darcy!” She knew it was unfair to take out her lingering resentment on her father when circumstances and Mrs Goulding were to be blamed for her predicament. While Mr Darcy’s unexpected kindness had significantly reduced her resentment, it still reared its ugly head now and then as the unfairness of the whole thing continued to prey on her.
“So, did he glower at one and all?” she tried to speak lightly.
“Oh, no, he did not. He had gone there to salvage both of your reputations. For that, he had to pretend to be happy and carefree, which he did with tenacity, even when he was uncomfortable. I could recognise his discomfort only because I happened to notice that he plays with his signet ring when he is agitated.”
Elizabeth suddenly felt ashamed of her abiding resentment. Mr Darcy was working tirelessly for her good name without complaint, despite the fact that he was as much a casualty of circumstances as her, and unlike her, he had had a choice. He could have easily left Meryton and her; but he had chosen not to do so.
“Papa?”
“Yes, my dear?”
“May I ask you something?”
Instead of responding, Mr Bennet raised an enquiring eyebrow.
“Ah... I have noticed that you have been very much at ease with... the situation ever since you spoke with Mr Darcy.”
Mr Bennet could not help but smile at his daughter’s ability to accurately read his countenance. “You are correct, Lizzy. I have been much more sanguine since my conversation with Mr Darcy. To be honest, the unfolding events had already convinced me that a marriage between you and him was unavoidable. I was extremely concerned because not only did you dislike the man, but what I knew of him did not inspire much confidence in me.” Mr Bennet paused to gather his thoughts, not wanting to say or do anything that would rekindle Lizzy”s dislike for Mr Darcy or her marriage.
He continued after a moment. “However, when I spoke with him yesterday, he struck me as a very honourable man with a hyper-developed sense of responsibility. It did not take long for me to realise that the impression I had of him was completely flawed.”
Mr Bennet chuckled as he recalled his conversation with Mr Darcy. “When he arrived yesterday, he did not know whether we expected him to make you an offer or whether you would accept if he did. Still, he came because he believed that his honour required him to protect you and your name. And he had come prepared with a piece of paper on which he had written not only the details of the marriage settlement but also how he intended to provide for your offspring.”
Elizabeth blushed and said rather faintly, “You are teasing me, Papa!”
“Oh, I am not—not even a little bit. He had written in great detail about how he would provide for at least the first four of your children. Two boys and two girls! I must add that he has enough properties to keep you all in comfort,” Mr Bennet added with an amused glance at her.
Despite her embarrassment, Elizabeth burst out bitterly, “So, it is all about the money? I should have known! Well, he is certainly wealthy, if that is what you find comforting.”
She was disconcerted to see her father stare at her with disapproval.
“I sincerely wish that you would refrain from this habit of jumping to conclusions, Lizzy. No, it is not about money; rather, it is about honour and responsibility.” Mr Bennet”s anger was palpable in his words, and he paused to regain control of his emotions.
He added more gently after a while, “Mr Darcy could have easily left this place without offering for you, Lizzy. After all, he did nothing for which he needed to be ashamed. But he did not leave; he stayed back and came to offer for you because he is a man of honour! And, while I initially found it amusing that he had come with that paper, in truth, it actually showed how serious he is about his responsibilities.”
There was a brief silence in the room as both father and daughter became preoccupied with their own thoughts. “You know, for a little while after he handed me that paper, I felt a strong dislike for him,” Mr Bennet revealed and smiled ruefully when his daughter raised surprised eyes to his.
“For one insane moment, I hated him, because he had exposed my inadequacies. Without even trying, he demonstrated how lackadaisical I have been towards the children I already have and how responsible he is towards those he hopes to have,” Mr Bennet added, almost to himself.
Silence once again descended in the room. Mr Bennet did not tell his daughter that, in his anger, he had insulted Mr Darcy.
“You have already made plans for four children, Mr Darcy. You hope to keep yourself very busy.”
Although Darcy had flushed an angry red at the insult, he remained silent. He could very easily have responded in kind or left in a huff. For he was the one who had come to do a good deed and was being mocked for it. But he ignored the insult and stayed back. All he had done was to rotate the signet ring on his finger a few times and then respond quietly. “I just want you to know that I am capable of looking after your daughter and any children we may have.”
Mr Bennet had been ashamed of his pettiness and only the realisation that Mr Darcy was almost certainly in love with his Lizzy had made him set aside his embarrassment and offer the man a drink as a peace offering. His attempt at an apology had been waived away in favour of devising a strategy to counter the gossip.
Mr Bennet came out of his reverie and looked at his daughter. He considered telling her about his suspicions about Mr Darcy”s feelings for her, then decided against it. Guiding Lizzy in any direction usually sets her back up. Even as a child she had preferred to muddle her own way to conclusions.
“Lizzy?”
“Yes, Papa?” Elizabeth asked in a small voice.
“I understand that this is not how you expected to enter into matrimony. No one does. But let me tell you something—I could not have found a better man for you if I tried. It”s understandable that you do not love or admire him right now. But do you at least respect him for how he has conducted himself in this trying situation?”
Mr Bennet was pleased when his daughter nodded. “Then listen to me carefully. I married for love, but it all withered away in the absence of mutual respect. Sometimes, respect for one another can provide greater hope for marital felicity than love. Please, I beg you, Lizzy, do not close your mind to happiness, hmm?”
Elizabeth found herself quite unable to say anything after her father shared this unexpected piece of advice and could only nod in response.
Before they could continue their conversation, Hill entered the dining room to announce Mr Darcy”s arrival.
“Darcy! What on earth is he doing here? He was supposed to leave for London at first light!” Mr Bennet exclaimed in puzzlement. “Show him in, Hill.”
Elizabeth could not figure out why she should suddenly start feeling more cheerful, but she did.
∞∞∞
Mr Darcy appeared a little sheepish as he came inside the dining room and wished them both a good morning.
“I apologise for barging in on you so early, sir, but I needed to speak with Elizabeth before I left for London.”
“It is not a problem at all, Darcy. You know you are always welcome at Longbourn. Come, join us for breakfast,” Mr Bennet said expansively.
Elizabeth’s brow furrowed at the easy manner in which her father was speaking to Mr Darcy. She glanced at her betrothed to see whether he was bothered by Papa’s casual manner and found him smiling broadly even as he politely declined the invitation.
Her heart performed the same trick as yesterday as she realised, yet again, that Mr Darcy’s smile rendered him impossibly handsome. How come I am noticing it only now? Did the man never smile in all the time he has been here? she wondered as she stared at him.
“Lizzy?” She came out of her abstraction to find her father looking at her, puzzled.
“I... I am sorry, Papa. I was wool-gathering. Did you want something?”
“I asked you where you and Darcy would prefer to speak. In the parlour, or in the garden like yesterday?”
“In the garden,” Elizabeth replied immediately, then turned to Darcy. “If that is all right with you, sir?” she enquired.
“I, too, prefer the outdoors, Elizabeth, but before we go, I would request that you get a thicker shawl or a redingote. It is quite cold outside.”
Mr Bennet, who was gathering the sheets of his newspaper, smiled to himself as he listened to Darcy’s solicitous concern.
Elizabeth nodded. “I will be back directly,” she said as she left to get her shawl.
∞∞∞
The couple remained silent as they made their way to the garden next to Mr Bennet’s study.
When they arrived, Elizabeth cast a glance at Mr Darcy, who appeared deep in thought. “Mr Darcy?” she called out as the silence between them stretched.
“Yes?”
“Th...Thank you,” she said awkwardly.
“Whatever for, Elizabeth?”
“For... wishing to undo the damage to my reputation and then working hard to do so. To be honest, I was not very hopeful of our success when we went to my aunt’s yesterday. But the way you brought Mrs Goulding around to your point of view was nothing short of extraordinary. I... I am sincerely grateful.”
“I do not want your gratitude, Elizabeth. I believe I have already told you that we are in this together. It is a matter of our reputation, not yours or mine. As far as convincing the two ladies is concerned... well...”
Darcy paused for a moment before adding, wryly, “I never imagined that I would use a lesson I learned from a scoundrel, especially since I abhor deceit. But I have recently realised that you need a diamond to cut another.” Darcy found it beyond ironic that he had to employ Wickham’s modus operandi to save a woman’s reputation.
Elizabeth looked at him curiously. “Would you mind telling me what the lesson was?” she asked.
“Hmm... I do not think it is in my best interests to teach you such stratagems, Elizabeth,” Darcy replied playfully. On seeing a look of disappointment flit across her face, he added, “However, from what I have learned of you in the time I have known you, I believe I can safely let you in on the secret.”
Elizabeth swallowed hard when she realised that he had indeed made a study of her character, as Papa had suggested. As she stood there gazing at his smiling countenance, she noticed that his eyes were the colour of the warmest sherry, and they glinted with gold flecks when he was being mischievous, like now. Frankly, it was quite unsettling to become so aware of the man so suddenly.
She cleared her throat in the hope that it would clear her mind of its strange affliction. “I am still waiting to be enlightened, Mr Darcy.”
“So, the modus operandi is to pick up an easily verifiable fact or two and wrap them in a web of logical half-truths and out-and-out lies. Make sure to do that so intricately that the listener cannot easily distinguish one from the other, and voilà, you have successfully sold the half-truth and the lie with that one measly truth.
Elizabeth recalled the story he had told Mrs Goulding and smiled when she realised the accuracy of his statement. “Now that you have spelled out your strategy, I can but marvel at its simplicity and thank you for this very useful lesson,” she said with a playful smile.
He looked down at her smiling face and dancing eyes. This Elizabeth was so unlike the sad, shattered one he had encountered the day before that, for a moment, he could only stare at her silently and a little helplessly.
“Did I just commit the biggest mistake of my life?” he asked huskily after a while.
“Only time will provide you with the answer to that, sir,” came the pert response.
“Hmm.”
“Mr Darcy?”
“Yes?” Darcy was taken aback to see that Elizabeth suddenly appeared quite sombre.
“Uh.... Will... will there be a lot of resistance from your family about your unexpected betrothal? E-especially to someone they would hardly consider a suitable bride for you.” Elizabeth finally asked what had been running through her mind since she had accepted his proposal.
Darcy sighed as he observed her solemn demeanour. He knew the truth would undoubtedly hurt her, but he could not lie to her outright. She was far too intelligent to be fooled by platitudes. “Well... there will, of course, be some. My aunt, Lady Catherine, will...”
“Oh!” He stopped at her dismayed cry.
“What is it, Elizabeth?”
“Mr Collins informed us that you and your cousin, Miss Anne de Bourgh, are betrothed! Oh, no... did I...” Elizabeth’s voice trailed off as she struggled to consider the possibility.
Darcy was horrified at the thought. What if he had been truly betrothed to Anne? His moral code would not have permitted him to injure one woman in order to protect the reputation of another. If that had been the case, how would he have helped Elizabeth? he wondered.
I am sure I would not have allowed myself to be enamoured of Elizabeth while I was promised to another, and none of this would have happened, he told himself firmly, if somewhat foolishly. But as he gazed at the lovely countenance in front of him, he swallowed uneasily. He was not really sure of anything when it came to Elizabeth; she tested his self-control like never before.
He deliberately pushed away the disconcerting reflections. “Please excuse me, Elizabeth, but your cousin Collins is more of a buffoon than I thought.”
Darcy had been appalled to know that the ridiculous parson had the temerity to ask for Elizabeth’s hand, and now to learn that the foolish man had been spreading falsehoods about him was unbearable.
“I am not betrothed to my cousin or anyone else. Although, to be fair to Mr Collins, my aunt keeps repeating her own wishes on the subject so often that one could easily be forgiven for believing her.” He shook his head resignedly. “It was for this reason that I was trying to tell you that Lady Catherine would be unhappy to learn of my betrothal... but... then that would always be the case if I offered for anyone other than her daughter.”
“Oh.” Elizabeth was so relieved to learn that he had not been promised to his cousin that she did not give much thought to the implications of Lady Catherine”s opposition to their marriage.
“And I can assure you that my sister Georgie, cousin Richard, and his mother, my aunt Susan, Lady Matlock, would be rather pleased that I have finally decided to get leg-shackled and bid goodbye to my sad, lonely existence,” Darcy said, even though he felt a twinge of doubt about the last name on his list.
“So, I will request that you not worry your head too much about all this. Hmm?”
Elizabeth nodded. And I will do my utmost to be a good wife to you, to ensure that you are indeed as happy as your relatives expect you to be. The fierceness of her emotions took Elizabeth aback.
“Elizabeth?”
“Yes, Mr Darcy?”
Darcy had come to Longbourn today to reassure Elizabeth that he was willing to make amends for his previous rudeness. To tell her that he was prepared to wait for their marriage to be a union in its true sense until the discomfort she felt in submitting herself to another—to him—had disappeared. However, as he gazed into the green depths of her beautiful eyes, he suddenly found it difficult to put his feelings into words.
“Ah.... regarding the matter of... the mutual dislike you mentioned yesterday...” he began but came to a halt as he saw those green orbs widen in dismay. He raised his hand when Elizabeth opened her mouth to respond. “Please give me a moment, Elizabeth. I just want to let you know that I understand how... how difficult this decision to marry has been for you and that...”
“As if it is any easier for you,” Elizabeth interrupted with an impatient roll of her eyes.
“Er...” Darcy stared at her in surprise, then smiled inwardly as he understood her meaning. His foolish Elizabeth believed that he disliked her as well, and being a scrupulous person, she was putting his imagined woes at the same level as her own trials.
I wonder what she would do if I told her that I love her to distraction and... and kiss her as I have been wanting to for so long? He contemplated the pleasant scenario for a few moments before remembering that it might not be very pleasant for her, given her feelings for him. The thought sobered him immediately. If only he had not been such an arrogant ass during his stay at Netherfield. But he had been, and as a penance, he would now have to wait to confess his heart.
All of a sudden, he knew exactly what he wanted to say to her. He reached out and took hold of her hand in his own. “Elizabeth, I am aware that my behaviour since my arrival at Netherfield has left much to be desired. However, I assure you that I am perfectly capable of being a gentleman. I also know that you will find it hard to believe my assertions until you know me better,” he said, pausing to take a breath.
Elizabeth had held this grudge against him for a long time, but now she wanted to protest his words. His actions since her accident had gone a long way towards melting her resentment. She wanted to tell him so; however, his thumb rubbing sinuously over her wrist and the intensity in his eyes distracted her, and all she could do was stare at him in wide-eyed silence.
“I had hoped to court you before our marriage in order for us to get to know each other better. But now that we do not have enough time before our wedding, I came here today to seek your permission to court you after our wedding,” Darcy said quietly.
“Oh.” Elizabeth’s mouth dropped open at the unexpected request. As she slowly wrapped her head around his suggestion, she found that she rather liked the idea of being courted by the charming man standing in front of her.
Charming! Mr Darcy? she wondered in amazement. But it was true that she had found him very likeable since yesterday, and his honourable behaviour had forced her to respect him. So yes, she would very much like to be courted by him and get to know him better. They might be marrying due to compulsion, but he had just offered her a chance to achieve something much more convivial than a forced union.
As she stood ruminating without a response, Darcy hurried to explain further. “And I assure you there will be no... er... pressure on you during our courtship to... ahem... I-I mean, we will be like any other courting couple before their marriage.” Oh Lord, who knew this would be so difficult? Darcy thought in embarrassment even as he had to force himself from mopping his brow.
Elizabeth blushed when she finally understood the meaning of his garbled words, even as her admiration for him went up another notch. He could rightfully expect her to fulfil her marital duties in every sense once they were married, but he was willing to be patient—for her and for their happiness.
“I thank you for your patience, Mr Darcy, and I am very pleased to give you permission to court me,” she replied with a smile. It was one of the broadest and warmest smiles that Darcy had seen on her face, and for a moment, he could only stand and stare at her. Then he smiled back. “Thank you, Elizabeth,” he murmured, raising her hand to bestow a heartfelt kiss exactly on the same spot where his thumb had run innumerable circles moments ago.
Elizabeth could feel the heat of his lips on her skin like fire. She shivered and stared at her hand in puzzlement.
“Well, now that it is decided, I will take your leave, Elizabeth, and will see you in a se’nnight,” Darcy said as he bowed over her hand. Since he had already said his farewell to Mr Bennet, he decided to leave directly.
Still bewildered by her reaction to his kiss, Elizabeth accompanied him in silence as they walked towards the stables.
When she saw the groom bringing his horse up to him, she asked him suddenly, “And how long is this courtship going to last?”
He turned to her after exchanging a coin for the reins with the groom. “It will last as long as it takes, Elizabeth. The courtship will last until you feel that you know me well enough. It will continue until you no longer feel that you are married to someone you do not like or respect,” he replied as he mounted his horse.
“But I already respect you, and I am very grateful...” Elizabeth started to object.
“Elizabeth!” he interrupted, a little harshly. “And the courtship will last as long as it takes you to feel something more for me than gratitude,” he added more softly. “When that happens, please do let me know at once, for I am most eager to submit myself to you,” he said as he rounded his horse towards the exit.
Elizabeth’s mouth fell open in shock at his totally unexpected words, which were clearly in response to her tirade from yesterday. Although he was a lean man, Mr Darcy was very tall and broad-shouldered. He towered over her, nearly by a foot. To hear him speak of submitting himself to her sounded utterly absurd and, at the same time, quite scandalous. She let out a nervous giggle at his words. He turned to look at her at the pleasing sound and grinned in response.
“So long, Elizabeth. I will see you soon.” He raised his hand in salute, and then, with a flick of his crop, he was gone.