Chapter 26
Elizabeth felt as if she were in the middle of a dream in which everything was perfect. Mr Darcy’s kisses filled her with immeasurable joy. But she knew she had to return to reality and bring that magical moment to an end.
“Mr Darcy, I need to ask you something important.”
Mr Darcy felt a little disappointed when he realised he could not continue kissing Elizabeth, and he feared that he had offended her.
“My dear Elizabeth, you may ask me whatever you wish. But first, let me assure you that my intentions towards you are serious and honourable. Indeed, I wish I could speak to Mr Bennet and ask his permission to court you.”
“That is precisely what I want to discuss with you. I must ask you to leave the area tomorrow and, for the present, not to return,” Elizabeth explained, visibly distressed.
Mr Darcy could not help feeling disappointed.
“I thought that, after accepting my kisses, you had finally accepted me. At least allow me the opportunity to show you that I have changed. But if you believe you can never love me, do not worry; this time, I promise I shall stay away from you forever.”
Unable to conceal how deeply hurt he felt, Mr Darcy rose to his feet.
“Mr Darcy, how can you say such a thing? If I ask you to leave, it is not because I do not wish to see you, but because I do not want to give Mr Bennet any reason to be angry. Please go to London and speak to General Sinclair. I shall explain to him that you know everything. Then, once I am finally living with my parents in London, we shall have time to think about the future.”
“Oh, good. So you are not rejecting me! I had feared that what had just occurred was too good to be true,” cried Mr Darcy, visibly relieved.
Elizabeth spoke with Mr Darcy for almost an hour and calmed him, although it was not easy; she finally persuaded him to return to London.
“That you speak of a future that might include me fills me with hope, but…Elizabeth, I do not wish to leave you alone at the mercy of that man.”
“I am not alone. Mr and Mrs Taylor are keeping watch over me. According to my father’s last letter, he and my uncle will come to fetch me in a few days.”
Mr Darcy kissed Elizabeth’s hand once more and looked at her with quiet determination.
“Elizabeth, I know not how long we shall have to wait, but I give you my word that I shall wait for you, however long it may be. Whether it is weeks or months, my feelings will not change.”
Elizabeth smiled through the tears that threatened to fall.
“You have already given me more than I ever expected, Mr Darcy. Knowing that you believe in me gives me strength.”
“My place is by your side. If I cannot be there now, I shall at least be waiting for the day when I may stand beside you openly.”
“You must not lose hope,” Elizabeth replied softly. “I shall be thinking of you every day, and I shall look forward to the moment when we meet again.”
Mr Darcy raised her hand once more and pressed a lingering kiss upon it.
“Then I shall count the days until that happy moment.”
“And I shall do the same,” Elizabeth whispered.
Reluctantly, they parted. Mr Darcy watched Elizabeth until she disappeared behind a curve on the path.
While he watched, she turned back more than once to look at him before continuing towards Longbourn.
Every backward glance from Elizabeth, her eyes sparkling and her smile of approval directed only at him, filled his heart with joy and a greater happiness than he could recall ever having felt before.
He uttered an involuntary sigh of rapture at the sight of her.
He felt his hand clutch into a fist just in front of his heart as the only way to demonstrate the intensity of his feelings for her.
Elizabeth’s smile brightened even more on seeing that.
After she walked out of sight, Darcy glanced around to be sure no one had been watching his rather obvious and uncharacteristic demonstration of affection. After all… he did have a reputation to maintain.
Mr Bennet suspected that something was amiss because Elizabeth had been unusually quiet, so he asked her to come to his study after dinner.
“Lizzy, I want to congratulate you. Over the past few weeks, you have managed the estate’s finances remarkably well and ensured that every debt has been paid.
However, you have seemed rather distracted by that man’s constant visits.
I do not wish to interfere, but I believe I ought to warn you that men like him do not seek out ladies such as yourself with marriage in mind, and I should be very sorry to see you suffer. ”
Elizabeth could not help feeling uncomfortable, but she quickly replied, “Do not worry, Papa. Mr Darcy came today to bid me farewell. He has finished his business in this part of the country, and tomorrow he will return to London.”
“Very good. I am glad he is leaving. Had he continued disturbing you, I should have been obliged to tell him that he was no longer welcome in my house or on my estate. Before you retire, please review the list of supplies we must purchase next week.”
Mr Bennet was pleased. Apparently, Mr Darcy’s interest had been only temporary, sparing him the necessity of having a serious conversation with that proud gentleman.
Elizabeth did as her father asked. Yet she could not help worrying about the future of Longbourn’s tenants and servants. What would become of them once she had gone? Who would look after them? What would become of Longbourn itself?
◆◆◆
“Lo sentimos mucho, mi senora, pero perdimos la pista de don Mateo. Sabemos que está fuera de la ciudad, pero no sabemos dónde. El senor James Andrews retornó solo a la ciudad.” So the servants explained to Dona María Alta Gracia, while she wondered where her grandson could be.
**We are deeply sorry, my lady, but we have lost track of Don Mateo. We know he is out of town, but we do not know where. Mr James Andrews returned to the city alone.
Fortunately for the servants, at that moment, a maid informed the Marquesa de la Pena that her husband wished to see her.
“María, necesito hablar con Mateo lo antes posible. ?Por qué no ha venido a verme? Me siento peor cada día y no deseo irme de este mundo sin haber resuelto todo con él.”
**María, I must speak with Mateo as soon as possible. Why has he not come to see me? I grow weaker with each passing day, and I do not wish to leave this world before everything between us has been resolved.
The marchioness was deeply distressed to see her husband growing weaker while she remained unable to fulfil the promise she had made to him.
“No te preocupes, querido. Estamos tras la pista de Mateo; te prometo que muy pronto vendrá a hablar contigo.”
**Do not worry, my dear. We are close to finding Mateo. I promise you that he will come to speak with you very soon.
“Mateo tiene que entender que yo no puedo ser el último de la Garza. él tiene una obligación con su herencia y su linaje. Si no desea hacerlo por mí, que lo haga por Rosita. Sé que a nuestra hija no le gustaría saber que el futuro marqués de la Pena fuera un hombre de la familia Ruiz.”
**Mateo must understand that I cannot be the last de la Garza. He has a duty to his inheritance and to his family line. If he will not do it for my sake, then he must do it for Rosita’s. I know our daughter would never have wished the future Marqués de la Pena to come from the Ruiz family.
“Por favor, descansa, Pedro. Guarda tus energías para hablar con Mateo.”
**Please rest, Pedro. Save your strength for your conversation with Mateo.
Dona María told her husband about the ball she would attend the following evening, where she would make her debut in London society. She described the gown and jewels she intended to wear, and in doing so she succeeded in keeping his mind occupied and easing his worries.
“María, cuando hables con Mateo, dile que estoy dispuesto a todo. Que aceptaré sus condiciones con tal de que asuma el título de futuro Marqués de la Pena y sus responsabilidades como tal.”
**María, when you speak with Mateo, tell him that I am prepared to accept whatever terms he may set, provided he agrees to become the future Marqués de la Pena and to assume the responsibilities that accompany that title.
Don Pedro was exhausted and soon fell asleep, while his wife silently promised that he would speak with his grandson very soon.
“Me cansé de tus juegos, Mateo. Si no apareces en dos días, yo iré personalmente a hablar con James Andrews y le rogaré que me ayude. Estoy dispuesta a rebajarme a hablar con ese hombre que nos robó a nuestra Rosita si es necesario.”
**I have grown weary of your games, Mateo. If you do not appear within two days, I shall go myself to speak with James Andrews and beg for his assistance. If necessary, I am prepared to humble myself and speak to the man who stole our Rosita from us.
The marchioness kissed her husband upon the forehead before leaving the room to instruct her men to establish contact with James Andrews.
◆◆◆
Jane and Matthew were enjoying the last day of their honeymoon.
Those days had been exceedingly happy for them both, yet Jane had noticed that Matthew became uneasy whenever night fell.
He had suffered a nightmare on their first night at the beach house, just as he had on their first night at the inn.
On the second night, after they had shared their love, Matthew had attempted to sleep in another room, but Jane had begged him not to leave her alone.
Fortunately, he had not suffered a nightmare that night.
The following night, however, the same thing happened.
As soon as he fell asleep, he awoke once more in great distress, shouting words in Spanish.