Chapter 41 Resolution #3
"You are definitely your father's daughter. He would not be stopped yesterday either, although I know he has paid for it."
"Yes, he is hurting this morning. He will retire to his study soon and I doubt he will be moved from it until late in the day. When we spoke this morning, he told me I should ask you about the discussion with Colonel Forster but would not explain why. Do you know?"
"I think so. We had to resort to rather drastic measures to gain the Colonel's cooperation and your father felt I should tell you about it. Perhaps, though, I should start from the beginning..."
He told Lizzy about arriving and having to convince the aide to let them in. She was surprised when he told her of Colonel Forster's animosity towards Richard. "I would have thought two military men of similar rank would get along better," she said.
"There is a difference between the regular Army and the militia.
Because they do not fight outside the country, the militia is not as highly regarded, and their officers are often on the receiving end of comments about their cowardice or laziness in choosing what is considered an easy form of service.
It seems Colonel Forster is particularly sensitive to those differences, and he appeared to think Richard was trying to, well, to pull rank, I suppose.
He had also been prejudiced against us by crafty half-truths from Wickham and he was stubbornly determined to defend the honor of his own man in the face of all proof to the contrary. "
"How did you finally convince him to listen?" she asked.
"We offered a practical demonstration," Darcy said. "He asked straight out if we had interrupted and misinterpreted a situation that you had consented to."
"Why that..." Lizzy began but subsided as Darcy gestured with his free hand for her to calm down.
"I know. I was furious at the implications as well, but Richard knew how to handle the question.
He asked me to play your part while he played Wickham's in a little demonstration.
He put me in a choke hold very similar to what Wickham used on you, although being gentler about it, and threatened the rest of the room with the pistol.
Sir William stepped in and approximated his daughter's actions, with Richard pretending to strike him and knock him aside with the pistol.
Then Richard let me go and simply asked Colonel Forster if he really thought that was something to which you had consented. "
Darcy saw that Lizzy was shivering enough to cause her drink to slosh in the cup. The memory of the previous day's events was obviously difficult for her. He gently placed his free hand on the wrist of her left hand, which held the drink.
"It was frightening," he said softly. "Even though I knew Richard would not hurt me and we were only acting a part, I could not breathe and it was frightening."
"I tried to get away," she said with a slight sob in her voice. "He held me too tightly and I just could not get any purchase to free myself. Everything was turning gray and I could not breathe."
"I understand," he said. "I think that is why your father wanted me to tell you.
I understand you did everything you could, but he put you at a disadvantage.
I understand what it felt like to struggle for air and balance and freedom.
You cannot know how glad I am that I arrived in time to help you. "
He left his hand placed comfortingly on her arm as she lowered her cup to rest on her lap. Lizzy took a few deep breaths and soon the shaking stopped. "I am glad you arrived just then as well," she said. "How did you?"
His coffee and pastry forgotten, Darcy told her about the express from Anne, the trip to Rosings Park and the ruse they had played to sneak Anne to her wedding.
He described the zig zag path they took, heading south to go north, and the delay at the downed bridge.
Finally, he told her of arriving at Longbourn, talking with her father and learning that she and Miss Lucas had gone for a walk.
"Richard and I were already rushing to meet you when we heard Miss Lucas cry out," he said. "Richard seemed very intent on catching up with you before you and Miss Lucas parted ways."
"Oh, I hope he is finally going to say something to her," Lizzy wished aloud.
"I cannot tell his secrets," Darcy replied, then prompted a smile from her as he added, "mainly because he has not fully entrusted them to me.
I can say that he is in the process of resigning his commission.
Soon he will just be Mr. Fitzwilliam, owner of whatever estate he and his father decide is a good purchase for him. "
"That is the best of news," Lizzy said excitedly. "I have been very worried about him."
"As have I," Darcy admitted. "He is the nearest thing I have to a brother."
"I feel the same about him," she told him, smiling. "He once told me that having Lady Catherine as godmother to both of us and my father as his godfather made us siblings of a sort. I have always looked on him as the older brother I never had."
"That sounds like him," he paused and then added, "Miss Elizabeth, I know our acquaintance did not have the best beginning.
Even so, there are so many events and people that are drawing us together, entwining the future course of our lives, and I would hope we can, at least, be friends.
In fact, I hope for more, but friendship is a start.
Do you think we can forget the foolishness of last autumn and try to build a friendship based on common interests and goodwill? "
She looked at him seriously. "I think I would be a fool not to try," she said.
She looked down at his hand, which had rested lightly on her wrist during the whole conversation and remained there comforting her, then she looked over at his left hand, with the nearly untouched drink in the cup he held.
"Mr. Darcy, I think your coffee must be cold."
"I think yours is as well," he replied. "Did you want to go in for a fresh cup?"
She smiled at him. "No, I think there is plenty of morning left for us to enjoy out here. We can always refresh our drinks later."
They lapsed back into silence, feeling the warmth of the sun on their faces as they listened to the singing of the birds and the light hiss of the breeze in the leaves of the rose bushes. Both thought it was a perfect morning.