Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Elizabeth returned to the present when she found herself joining in the applause for the musicians without knowing what she was doing, just as she had performed two dances with little attendance on her surroundings.
With a quick look to confirm Mr. Bingley had not minded her inattentiveness, she went to drink some lemonade and then spent the next half hour more focused on the dance and on her partner, Mr. Lucas’s younger brother John.
She barely reached Mary after the set when Mr. Darcy appeared.
With no words and a piercing look, he extended his hand as though he were owed a tribute and expected it in the form of Elizabeth.
Frustrated with the man anew as she had gone over in her mind the way she had felt at missing the museum exhibit and subsequently being abandoned by another person who claimed to be a friend, this act of superiority did nothing to endear him to her.
Still, she had agreed to this set, so she placed her gloved hand in his and allowed herself to be gently pulled toward him and escorted back to the dance floor.
Mr. Darcy was a remarkable dancer. This was not news to Elizabeth, as she had partnered him before in London, but this time seemed different.
Elizabeth wanted to ask him what had happened in June.
Why had she been left out of the museum excursion?
Had he any hand in it, or was it Miss Bingley’s doing?
Why had he not come to speak to her personally, as she felt sure she was the reason he had obtained the tickets in the first place?
Why had he not formally revoked his invitation if her words of the morning before had bothered him so much?
Elizabeth could ask none of these questions, however, as Mr. Darcy’s eyes bored into her own with an intensity she had never seen from him in all the years she had known him. For once, she was utterly speechless. It was not until the second dance of the set that she found her voice.
“You left rather abruptly in June.”
“I did.”
Elizabeth shook her head lightly and resumed her silence, focusing instead on the way he shifted through the figures more expertly than any other man she had ever danced with. After a few more minutes of effortless movements together, Mr. Darcy finally spoke again.
“I heard positive reviews of the Egyptian exhibit. I trust it was all you hoped it would be?”
“How should I know? I was not so fortunate as to attend.”
At this Mr. Darcy broke from his careful reserve. “What do you mean? I obtained the tickets specifically for—Did you fall ill?”
“No, sir. The Gardiners and I waited outside the museum for nearly two hours, but neither you nor Mr. Bingley ever came. Three days later, I learned that the meeting place had changed to Mr. Hurst’s home and that you were not of the party.”
At his obvious surprise, Elizabeth realized what she had long hoped but had not let herself quite believe. Mr. Darcy had not been the one to exclude her.
“Miss Elizabeth, I do not know what to say. I am stunned, appalled. I had thought Bingley…”
“So, you did leave me a ticket?” Elizabeth heard the tremble in her voice.
“Of course I did. You must know I obtained the tickets because you told me of your interest. I only wish I could have been there to experience it with you. I do not understand what happened, but if I had been in town, I would have ensured you were not excluded.”
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth said. “I am gratified to be assured it was not by your design.”
“Certainly not! I told Bingley specifically to ensure you enjoyed yourself, and I asked him to give you my regrets. I will ask him later what happened.”
“It is no matter. Only a month or so before the museum incident, Miss Bingley apologized to me for her past behavior, so I had wondered if she had not been sincere and had told her brother I did not wish to see the exhibit. I suppose it was nothing more than a miscommunication as to the meeting place, after all.”
Still, Mr. Darcy looked as though Miss Bingley would be in danger of his wrath were she in the neighborhood.
To everyone’s satisfaction, she and the Hursts had opted to remain in London until the wedding drew nearer.
Elizabeth had not seen Miss Bingley even once since she had apologized at the end of April, so she was slow to trust her former friend’s frankness.
“Thank you again for procuring the tickets, Mr. Darcy. Even though I was unable to view the exhibit, it was very kind of you, and the days of excited anticipation I felt almost made up for my disappointment. I am now relieved to find you were never the one to cause that blow. You had every reason for it, I know.”
She said that last almost in a whisper, and it was clear he had not heard her over the music. She would speak to him of that at another time, when they would not be overheard. For now, he did not seem troubled by their final conversation in June.
Mr. Darcy’s visage had cleared, and for the remainder of the dance, he questioned her about her past week in Hertfordshire. By the time they moved to the dining area, she again thought he may consider her a friend. She would not count on it lasting, but she would accept his company tonight.
For supper, they sat near Mr. Bingley and Jane, while the rest of the Bennets were on the other side of the room. After exchanging a few words with the other couple, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy attempted a companionable conversation.
“I never did hear why you left London so precipitously in the summer, Mr. Darcy. I hope your aunt was not unwell.”
Mr. Darcy did not immediately answer, so Elizabeth looked up from her plate to take in his expression. He was looking at his meal, but his hands had stilled where they had been cutting his beef.
“Sir?” Elizabeth asked gently.
“Er, no. That is, my aunt is in good health, as far as I am aware. I did not go to see her. It was my sister. She needed my assistance, and I took her home to Pemberley.”
“I see. I hope Miss Darcy is well?”
“Yes, yes, as well as can be expected and close by in town again. Forgive me, Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy finally looked at her. “I apologize for departing London so quickly. I had wished to take my leave of you, but haste was required.”
“Of course I forgive you. Do not mention it. I know you had no cause to alert me to your plans,” Elizabeth said, thinking something quite different.
He was not as open as she was accustomed to him being, so she could not speak of her real concerns, either.
“I have merely been disappointed all these months about missing the exhibit and not understanding why it was so. I am now satisfied.”
“Good, good,” he said absently, returning his gaze and his attention to his plate.
As Elizabeth ate in silence, she again heard the gossip about Mr. Darcy that had surrounded him since his arrival at the assembly.
Although she had known him for years, the local community was getting its first glimpse of the tall, handsome, and very wealthy gentleman.
She heard whispers of “ten thousand a year,” “eligible bachelor,” and “far above Bingley” and wondered that he could endure it.
Then she heard her own name combined with his and “upstart girl” and “fortune hunter” and found herself turning toward the source of the gossip with indignation.
Mr. Darcy must have heard Aunt Bennet, as well, for he stood and glared at her until she stuttered to a halt.
“Miss Elizabeth,” he said, looking down to her and extending his hand for the second time that evening. “If you are finished eating, may I escort you from the dining room?”
Elizabeth reached up to take his proffered hand, which felt more gently given this time, and allowed him to pull her close to his side as they removed themselves from the vulgar company.
At that moment, she remembered he had always made her feel safe.
Even when she had despised him, he had never given her cause to be alarmed by him.
He had been away for so long, though.
“Who was that woman?” Mr. Darcy asked, with clear disdain in his voice, once they had crossed the near-empty dance floor and approached the doors to the balcony.
“Mrs. Bennet,” Elizabeth said with some mortification.
“Your aunt? But…does she…I know you told me about her, but how can she behave so in public when she raised you from the time you were a young child?”
“She never wanted to take me in. I am nothing but a poor relation, after all—”
“Do not degrade yourself so, I implore you.” Mr. Darcy stopped and looked at her for a moment before opening the balcony door and leading her outside.
“It is true, though. You know my mother was my Uncle Bennet’s sister, and he loves me for her sake, but Aunt Bennet has found no such reason to treat me well.
She finally got her wish to send me away when I turned fifteen.
My birthday gift was to remove from my home and cousins to live in London, with Aunt Bennet’s brother and his family. ”
“I know, but…it is different actually seeing your aunt behave so callously. The Gardiners are good to you, at least.”
“Yes. They have been nothing but kind. Far better than I could have expected from people not even related to me by blood.”
They now stood side by side, their arms almost touching as they rested on the railing of the balcony, gazing out at the dark night.
The lack of light was of no consequence, as little of interest lay behind the inn.
They themselves were illuminated well enough by the glow from the ballroom at their backs.
For several minutes, they listened to the whinnying of horses and chirping of crickets.
A cool breeze blew past them, but Elizabeth could feel the heat from the man beside her, and she was not at all chilled.
“Will you stay at Netherfield until Mr. Bingley’s wedding?” she finally asked.
“Yes, I intend to remain until the day after. When do you return to London?”
“I cannot go back until after Christmas, when the Gardiners come for their annual visit,” she said, hearing the distress in her voice.
“You cannot go back because the Gardiners will not be in London or because you are expected to stay at Longbourn?”
“My uncle is too occupied with his business at this time of year to come for me. They do not think they will be able to come for Jane’s and Mary’s nuptials, as an important customer has made certain demands that could not be ignored.”
“Could your aunt not come without your uncle?”
“They had considered it, but it would be so short a stay that my aunt chose not to undertake it with her four young children. I would of course have helped with them on the return trip, but she was not up to the task on the way here. My cousins’ nursemaid recently left her post unexpectedly, and my aunt fears she will not have hired and trained a new nurse well enough by next month to risk the journey. ”
Mr. Darcy remained silent for some time more before finally speaking.
“I do not wish to presume, but might I be of assistance?”
“How, sir? Do you have a recommendation for a reliable and capable nursemaid?”
Mr. Darcy chuckled. “I am afraid I do not. I do, however, have a carriage at my command, and I would be gratified to convey you to London at any time after the wedding.”
“Oh!” Elizabeth had not imagined he would make so generous an offer. “That is exceedingly kind. I did not bring a maid with me to accompany us, however, so it may not be possible…”
“Let me make the arrangements, Miss Elizabeth. You need only tell me when you wish to depart.”
“Thank you. I will consider your offer. It may also be possible for me to return with the Hursts, so you need not trouble yourself.” Elizabeth only now realized they had turned toward each other at some point in their conversation and were standing as close as they had been the first time he had approached her that evening.
She was arrested by the look in his eyes as she essentially rejected his offer of help.
Was he hurt? Why should he be? Only because he could not control every situation?
“Lizzy. Come here, child.” Uncle Bennet’s voice cut through the strangely charged atmosphere.
Elizabeth stepped back and, keeping her eyes on Mr. Darcy’s, replied, “Yes, Uncle. I am coming.” She curtsied to Mr. Darcy and returned to the ballroom.