Chapter 25 #5
Before they parted, Elizabeth invited him to tea the following afternoon.
Mr Darcy remained in Meryton for the entire week and called at Longbourn every day. They talked for hours, strolled through the gardens, played chess, laughed together, and gradually came to know one another far better than they ever had before.
"You know, Mr Darcy, besides being well read and interesting, you are also fairly adept at chess."
"Thank you, Elizabeth, I do love the game for the fact that one must rely entirely on one's own wits. There is no element of chance."
"I have to let my sisters win occasionally, or they lose interest in ever playing against me," said Elizabeth.
"Do you not dare ever do that with me, Miss Elizabeth. For I find myself as equally attracted to a woman for her intelligence as for her beauty."
"Oh dear, Mr Darcy, I fear I have insufficient amounts of either of those qualities! I am sure you have far too high an opinion of me.”
"Miss Elizabeth, your modesty becomes you, but I am certain that you could not possibly be more mistaken."
"Thank you, but Mr Darcy, please stop! You are making me blush!" stammered Elizabeth, blushing.
"What? And miss an opportunity to see your cheeks even rosier and prettier?" he said, turning towards her.
"You know,” she said, looking him straight in the eyes, “I believe I liked you better when you were the stern Mr Darcy. At least then I had some idea of how to manage your behaviour!" said Jane with a laugh.
"As I recall, Miss Elizabeth, it was you who requested, nay demanded, a change in me."
"Oh, dear! I believe you are right. I suppose I have only myself to blame. Oh well, go ahead, be charming... if you must." With that Elizabeth put her arm to her forehead and released a dramatic sigh of resignation.
With that, Mr Darcy took her arm and said, "But, for now, you are in luck as I believe I have entirely exhausted my supply of charm for the present time.
You, of all people, Miss Elizabeth, must know how very difficult it is for me to be charming.
So, perhaps we can simply walk together…
in silence?" he queried. He turned and offered his arm.
"That, Mr Darcy, is an excellent plan," said Elizabeth approvingly.
With that said, Elizabeth took the arm that Mr Darcy proffered and, with a contented sigh, she walked by his side, sharing the beauty of the woods silently with him by her side.
Indeed, she realised that everything looked a little bit prettier and seemed a little bit more magical when there was someone with you who shared your appreciation for such things.
Since they were deep in the woods, with no one else to see them, she drew gently on Darcy’s arm to draw him a little bit closer to her and laid her head on his shoulder for just a few brief moments.
She had to admit… that it was a very nice feeling.
She sighed, ever so softly, afraid he might notice.
She did not look up and see Mr Darcy’s vastly contented smile at that moment. Of course he had noticed what she had just done, and it warmed him to his very bones.
Mr Bennet watched these daily visits with increasing irritation. Seeing Elizabeth genuinely enjoy Mr Darcy's company convinced him that, if matters continued in that direction, he would have to intervene once more.
That evening, during dinner, he addressed his daughter as casually as he could.
“Lizzy, I cannot imagine why you choose to waste your time with so proud and disagreeable a man.”
“He is not nearly so disagreeable as you believe, Father. Once you know him better, you realise he is not truly proud either. He is simply reserved and finds it difficult to converse with people he does not know well. Besides, he is intelligent, courteous, and wonderfully entertaining to talk to. He is also an excellent chess player.”
Mrs Bennet listened to the exchange in silence. She knew her husband was planning something, though she had no idea how to help Elizabeth. Since Jane and Lydia had left Longbourn, she had felt unusually lonely.
Mr Bennet said nothing further, yet Elizabeth could not shake a growing sense of unease. Knowing what he was capable of, she made a difficult decision.
She would ask Mr Darcy to return to London.
The following morning, Mr Darcy waited for Elizabeth in the same place where they had met the day before. He had resolved, once again, to confess his love and beg for another chance.
So preoccupied was he with gathering the courage to speak that he scarcely noticed how troubled Elizabeth looked.
As soon as they had exchanged greetings, he spoke before his resolve deserted him.
“Miss Bennet, I know I do not deserve a second chance. Nevertheless, I want you to know that I love you as deeply as ever. These past few days in your company have been among the happiest of my life. If you believe there may come a day when you could return my affection, I beg you to allow me to court you.”
Elizabeth felt both joy and sorrow.
“Mr Darcy, my feelings towards you have changed completely. I do not yet know whether what I feel is love, but I cannot deny that I admire you greatly and I must admit that I do find myself enjoying your company. However, I cannot be honest with you unless you know who I truly am. Before you decide whether you still wish to court me, there is something you must hear.”
Elizabeth's hands trembled, and Mr Darcy immediately understood that what she was about to reveal was of the greatest importance.
Together they sat upon a fallen log, and Elizabeth began to tell him the story of Marcus and Eleanor—how they had fallen in love, become engaged, and the cruel circumstances that had separated them. Trusting him completely, she concealed nothing.
As Mr Darcy listened, countless mysteries were suddenly explained. The general's protectiveness, Lady Campbell's anxious expressions, and the strange atmosphere surrounding Elizabeth all finally made sense.