Chapter 41 Resolution #2
"An ideal son-in-law, then," Bennet joked.
"Well, if you are not going to get me," Richard replied, "you will need someone jovial and fond of a good joke. Will, here, is good for teasing, but he is far too serious to make fun of all the time."
"Thank you for the recommendation, Richard," Darcy said.
Mr. Bennet's steps wove a little as they reached the top of the stairs and headed down the hall to his room. Darcy wondered if it was the pain or the medicine but thought it might be both. A short, stout man met them near the door to Mr. Bennet's room.
"Ah, Hill," Bennet said. "I will need your help, I think."
"Very good, sir. Sir William told my wife you might," the man replied.
Darcy and Richard stepped back as Mr. Hill took over supporting Bennet. "You lads head off and rescue that horse," Bennet told them. "Take all the time you need, so long as you return in time for dinner." He chuckled as he disappeared into his rooms.
"Back stairs," Richard said, pointing to a small door located where the corridor turned. Darcy followed his cousin down the servant stairs, through a few rooms and into the hallway he recognized as leading to the side door. Clearly Richard was taking no chances on being caught by Mrs. Bennet again.
~o~
Dinner was not nearly as difficult as Darcy had feared.
Yes, Mrs. Bennet talked a great deal while making very little sense, but she rarely needed more than a few words of encouragement here and there to keep her happy.
Richard and Darcy took turns paying attention to her so the other would have the chance to talk with one of the three Bennet daughters present at the meal.
There was great excitement when Darcy told Kitty and Lydia that Mr. Bennet had extended an invitation for Georgiana to come visit for a month or two and that Darcy hoped his uncle would be able to bring her when he came to the wedding.
Richard raised an eyebrow in his direction, even as he listened to Mrs. Bennet speak of the flowers she hoped to use for decorations, and Darcy knew he would be in for some teasing over his change of heart later.
He did not mind. Kitty and Lydia seemed bright and cheerful girls, not to mention very well-behaved, considering the example they had in their mother.
Darcy thought Miss Parks must have been a very diligent and dedicated governess to have so successfully counteracted the influence of Mrs. Bennet.
He remembered Mr. Bennet mentioning that they had learned to play chess, so he challenged each of the younger girls to a game after dinner.
He told them he had a few more of the miniature chessboards, like the one in their father's study, at Pemberley and if they each won at least one game against him, he would have Georgiana bring two along with her as prizes.
From their responses, he expected he would have a few challenging games that evening.
Instead of separating after dinner, Richard and Darcy borrowed the chessboard from Mr. Bennet's study to supplement the one that already occupied a corner of the parlor.
That way, while Darcy played against one of the younger sisters, Richard could play against the other.
Mrs. Bennet could not understand the draw of the game, but Jane distracted her with more discussion about the wedding, and the evening passed away swiftly.
Darcy only had to overlook one potentially losing move of Kitty's to ensure she won her board, and Lydia won her game with him without any help at all, although she fared less well against Richard.
It was only as he climbed into his bed that Darcy realized how eventful the last few days had been, and how much he had changed in response.
Learning the identity of his mystery woman, dining with the Gardiners, defying his aunt, visiting the Bennets, fighting with Wickham and playing chess with young ladies was only a part of what he had experienced and done.
He fell asleep wondering what events and changes were to come.
~o~
As was his usual habit, Darcy woke early the next morning.
He dressed quietly, wondering about the habits of the house and how soon he could go down for some breakfast. Pulling a chair to the window, he sat and looked out over the well-tended landscape, watching the sunrise and listening to the sounds of the day beginning.
Finally, he heard some boards creak in the hallway and thought he might venture out.
After checking to make sure he was completely presentable, he quietly headed downstairs.
He was surprised to find Bennet already seated in the breakfast room. "Another early riser," Bennet said by way of greeting.
"Yes, sir. It is a habit of long standing. How do you feel today?" Darcy asked.
"Stiff and sore and not a little woozy, but I will make do.
You, however, have better things to do than make polite conversation with an old man.
Pour yourself a cup of the coffee, put one or two of those pastries on a plate and head out to the bench in the rose garden.
It is time for that conversation you have been waiting to have. "
"I have your permission, sir?" he asked, not quite believing Bennet meant what he thought.
"I would not have suggested it if you did not. I trust you will behave as a gentleman. Also remember you will be in full view of every window on that side of the house. Propriety will be satisfied by that."
Darcy bowed. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." He only just remembered to follow the instructions to provide himself with coffee and a pastry before he headed to the side door with which he was becoming so familiar.
He saw her before she saw him. Lizzy sat on a bench, obviously enjoying the same sights and sounds he had enjoyed from his room not long before.
The early morning sun glinted in her hair, illuminating bright gold highlights in the otherwise dark mass of curls arranged in a simple hairstyle.
The effect was only marred by the bar of dark bruising he saw on her throat as he came around to the front of the bench to greet her.
He saw she was nursing a cup of some hot drink and had a plate with part of a pastry placed on the bench beside her.
"Mr. Darcy!" she said in surprise when she finally noticed his approach. Her voice was low but did not sound as hoarse as the day before.
"Miss Elizabeth," he greeted her, bowing as well as he could while holding his breakfast.
After a slight pause, they both spoke the same words almost in unison.
"I want to tell you how sorry I am..." they stopped, both smiling as they realized what they had done.
"I know why I am sorry," Darcy said, "I acted badly and even though my intentions were good, I did not behave as a gentleman should.
I have wanted to apologize to you for so long, but words do not seem to be enough.
I will do whatever is needed to show the depth of my remorse.
I cannot help but wonder, however, what you feel you need to apologize for? "
"I am sorry for being overly sensitive, for running away and hiding from you when I could have resolved your confusion months ago.
I am even more sorry for not allowing you the chance to apologize even though I knew you were seeking me out for that very purpose.
I behaved childishly and I let you suffer for far too long. "
"The mistake about your name was my fault," Darcy said humbly.
"I was eavesdropping, and as a result, I only heard part of your conversation with Lord Sheldon.
I felt so sure of the information I had overheard that I did not even think to confirm it during all the confusion that happened during our introduction.
Honestly, I was too delighted to have finally met you to truly notice anything at all beyond your agreement to dance with me. "
Lizzy looked away, slightly embarrassed, then she realized he was still standing there awkwardly, with a mug in one hand and a plate in the other.
She moved her own plate and scooted to one side of the bench, gesturing for him to take a seat.
He carefully settled into place, balancing his plate with the pastry on one thigh.
He took a sip of his coffee, and they enjoyed the morning air in silence for a moment.
"You are now aware that Rose is Lord Sheldon's family name, are you not?" she asked after a time.
"Oh, yes," Darcy chuckled. "Richard took great pleasure in informing me of that fact. He also informed me of your identity and nearly fell out of his chair laughing as he did."
"How did he know?" she asked.
"Your necklace – the shields and roses. He asked me if there was anything special that distinguished my Miss Rose from all the other young women with dark hair and fine eyes who graced the ballrooms of London. I described your necklace and he knew it was you at once."
"Well, as I told you, I wear it to every formal event." She colored at the compliment he had offered but did not address it in her speech.
"We immediately rushed to the Gardiner house in hopes of finding you there. I knew Bingley was to have dinner that evening with your sister and the rest of the family. You were not there, but I had the pleasure of meeting all the others when we joined them for dinner."
"Mary sent me a letter about it the very next morning. She thought well of you. Of course, it did not hurt that you are a close friend of Mr. Bingley."
Darcy chuckled again. "It is funny," he said, "when Richard recommended Bingley to me as a friend several years ago, he said that Bingley would provide me with good company and I would help him along in society in return.
Now, it seems that Bingley is the one helping me in society, at least the society I care about. "
Miss Elizabeth chuckled softly as well. It turned into a cough, and she took a few sips of her drink to calm her throat.
"Does talking hurt a great deal?" Darcy asked.
"More than I would like," she said, "but that will hardly stop me."