Consequences (30 page)

“Undoubtedly,” agreed Fitzwilliam, “and you eventually will have to resolve this with her, Cousin, but since she
has
accepted you, it would appear that you at least will have the opportunity to do so. It could have been worse, you know. Much worse!”

“Too true, Cousin,” Darcy replied with a bit more cheer in his expression. “And now, with the explanations completed, I would like to ask a favour of you, Richard . . .”

***

Elizabeth was just sealing her letter to Jane when a servant brought a message from Charlotte informing her that Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam were visiting to make their farewells. After thanking the girl, Elizabeth carefully placed both of the letters she had written within one of her books, looking at it from several angles to make sure the folded letters did not show when the cover was closed and clasped. She had written the letters in a careful hand to fit everything on a single side of paper and had then folded them carefully to make sure they were each as thin as possible.

Satisfied, she quickly descended the stairs to the front room with the book in her hand. When she entered the room, she almost believed her conversation with Mr. Darcy that morning had not taken place. Colonel Fitzwilliam was sitting in a chair along the wall with Charlotte and Maria, engaged in a lively discourse that had smiles on the faces of all concerned. However, as had been his wont on many occasions, Mr. Darcy was not at all involved in the conversation, having walked across the room to look out the window with his back to the room and its occupants.

It was only when Mr. Darcy turned briefly toward her and gave her a quick bow that she understood why he stood as he did. She was used to seeing the mask he usually presented to the world, and it was, therefore, disconcerting to see stark and conflicting emotions on his face, emotions seemingly beyond his ability to control. His smile, when he first turned toward her, was one of pleasure and surprising warmth, but it was quickly replaced by a look of concern and apprehension. Elizabeth’s eyebrows knit as she wondered what troubled him, and
her
expression then caused a look of alarm to appear on Darcy’s face. Darcy completed his mumbled greeting and returned to his previous stance at the window as quickly as possible, leaving Elizabeth bemused at what could be troubling him. She was the only one in the room so puzzled since everyone else was seated along the wall to his left where they could not see his face when he turned.

“My dear Miss Bennet,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam cheerfully after Elizabeth took her seat, “I was quite afraid you would not be able to join us. When we first arrived, Mrs. Collins thought you might still be walking about the Park, and I would have been devastated to have left Rosings without an opportunity to express my enjoyment of your company during our visit.”

“You are too kind, sir. It is we women who are grateful for your many kind visits during your stay with your aunt. It helped pass the hours with cheerful conversation.”

Elizabeth noted Colonel Fitzwilliam’s amused glance toward his cousin at the window, and she was sure she saw Mr. Darcy flinch at her comment.

Oh, bother!
she thought in exasperation.
Now Mr. Darcy will think I am criticizing him because his cousin is capable of amiable conversation and he is not!

Since she had spoken no more than the truth and had not intended to censure Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth put her worry aside, determining it was a topic to be discussed at a future time when there were not so many inquisitive ears.

But Colonel Fitzwilliam was under no such obligation, and he had years of experience in teasing the reserved Darcy. “I hope my Cousin Darcy was able to provide at least some companionship on your walks about the Park. Or was he as silent and uncommunicative as he has been during the rest of our visit?”

“I believe Mr. Darcy is fond of exercise, as am I,” Elizabeth responded to his teasing jab at his cousin. “It does not necessarily follow that conversation is required at those times.”

“Indeed?” said Colonel Fitzwilliam, with an amused lift of his eyebrows. “Perhaps it is as you say, Miss Bennet, though I must confess that I had often considered summoning my aunt’s apothecary. I thought the administration of a stout purgative might provide relief of whatever ails my cousin, for he has been uncommonly
afflicted
with some unique
condition
during this visit—one from which I hope he may speedily recover in the near future. I believe he has missed his usual riding, and he mentioned he immediately planned to rectify that situation as soon as he returns to London.”

Elizabeth could see Darcy was almost squirming with agitation as he stood at the window, and Charlotte was looking at Colonel Fitzwilliam and his cousin with calculation in her gaze. Maria, on the other hand, had no idea the exchange had a hidden component, and she simply looked confused. Elizabeth decided Mr. Darcy needed to be rescued from the deft jabs by his cousin, so she presented the book to him.

“I thank you for the loan of your book, Colonel. It is one of my favourites, and I always enjoy rereading it.”

“You are most welcome, Miss Bennet. I am glad I was able to be of service.”

From the look of suppressed amusement on Colonel Fitzwilliam’s face, Elizabeth was certain he had been informed of their engagement and was more than happy to cooperate with Darcy’s subterfuge.

“Where will you go after you leave us, Colonel?” asked Elizabeth.

“Back to the Dragoons, Miss Bennet. I cannot afford to stay away any longer—my superiors might start to believe I was not essential to the smooth functioning of the regiment, and that could be disastrous. We younger sons must look to our employment, you know, and—”

Darcy snorted in derision, Elizabeth smiled, and the rest of the visit passed in easy and enjoyable conversation, though Darcy kept his position at the window.

When it came time to leave, Colonel Fitzwilliam made his farewell to Elizabeth as amiable as ever, even though he could not pass up the opportunity to tease his cousin one last time. “Miss Bennet, I cannot tell you how much my cousin and I have enjoyed your conversations as well as your excellent musical exhibitions. I would be devastated if I thought we should not meet again. You
must
promise me you shall visit again. I shall not be able to leave until I have your assurance!”

“The future is not known to us, sir,” she laughed, “but I believe it would be safe to assume that we shall meet again at some place and some time. I shall have to follow your aunt’s advice, however, and practice more before I perform again. I should not want to disappoint you.”

“That is hardly possible, Miss Bennet. So, I shall leave it, until we meet again.”

“By all means, Colonel. Until we meet again.”

As Colonel Fitzwilliam turned to bow to Charlotte and her sister, Elizabeth called after him, holding out the book he had left on the chair. “Colonel Fitzwilliam! You have forgotten your book.”

“Yes. Yes, I did. Thank you, Miss Bennet,” he said, taking the book from her fingers before turning back to Charlotte.

Elizabeth turned to Darcy, who seemed to have his emotions better under control now, but he still appeared somewhat apprehensive, at least to her eyes. She was not sure what worried him, but it was fairly obvious it concerned her somehow. While she could not inquire as to the basis of his worry, she could encourage him in other ways since maintaining his regard for her was necessary to her hopes for the future. Accordingly, when Darcy started to bow, she surprised him by holding her hand out. Automatically, Darcy took her fingers and started to bow again. His eyes opened a bit wider as he felt Elizabeth give his fingers a brief squeeze.

“I pray you a safe journey, Mr. Darcy,” she said quietly, “and good fortune at the end of it.”

Darcy stood motionless for just an instant as he digested her unexpected farewell, and Elizabeth was pleased to see the impact her encouragement had on him. His features smoothed, and he visibly relaxed. His ability to control his expression also seemed to return, and he made the remainder of his farewells to the ladies in a perfectly polite and composed manner. As his cousin preceded him through the door, Darcy turned and gave all the ladies one last bow, taking the opportunity to fix the sight of Elizabeth firmly in his memory.

Chapter 18

“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”

—William Shakespeare,
“Mid-Summer Night’s Dream”

Saturday, April 11, 1812

The ride to Hertfordshire was most pleasant and passed quickly since Marlborough was inclined to stretch his legs. Several times, Darcy gave in to the horse’s obvious desire to move from a canter to a gallop, for he felt wonderful himself. The apprehension he felt on his leave-taking at the Parsonage had been dissipated by the manner in which Elizabeth bade him farewell. He still needed a chance to speak to her about his interference between her sister and Bingley, but he now felt confident she would at least listen to his explanation. His self-honesty granted her justifiable reason to hate him for his intrusion, yet she had still accepted his suit. He squirmed in discomfort at the memory of his temerity in intervening on behalf of Bingley, his casual assumption as to the certainty of his observations. Surely, an accommodation could be reached, and she would grant him an opportunity to confess his error, especially since their engagement essentially guaranteed that Bingley and her sister would meet again. If he had been wrong about Jane Bennet’s indifference—and Richard’s information as to Elizabeth’s anger made that seem increasingly likely—then there would be a chance to right that wrong, for he intended to ask Bingley to stand up for him, and he was certain Elizabeth would ask the same of her sister.

Despite his cousin’s grumbling, he and Fitzwilliam had boarded his coach at Rosings very early that morning, since he wanted to get back to his London home in time to ride to Hertfordshire and hopefully make a call at Elizabeth’s uncle’s Cheapside home in the late afternoon. They made excellent time to London, and after hurriedly changing to riding clothes, he descended to the mews where his groom had Marlborough ready. With a meal packed at his direction, he mounted and started his journey, Marlborough’s ground-eating stride making quick work of the journey from London. He ate in his saddle, so it was only just past noon when he reached the front door of Longbourn. A stable boy darted from the paddock as soon as he turned in the gate and was already waiting to take the reins before he dismounted.

“How long will you be staying, sir?” the lad asked in a high tenor. “Shall I leave the saddle on? And perhaps the feed-bag? With a little bit of oats in with the grain?”

Darcy had not previously visited Longbourn, though Bingley described it as a somewhat small but comfortable estate, and he could find no fault with his reception. Certainly, the lad appeared more familiar with fine horses than he would have expected. He had simply assumed that the stable held mostly farm animals, but that was clearly not the case.

Here is another thoughtless assumption I made,
thought Darcy contritely.
With no actual knowledge, I assumed Longbourn was nothing in comparison with Pemberley. When did I become so carelessly arrogant? I had best restrain these slipshod habits before I make some monumental blunder with either Elizabeth or her family!

This last thought made Darcy squirm inside again as he turned over the reins to the stable boy.

“I should not be much more than an hour before I return to London, so it is not necessary to unsaddle him, though you can loosen the girth somewhat. And some grain with oats would suit him quite well. Marlborough was anxious to run this morning, and I may just have to let him have his way on the return.”

The lad grinned widely at the name of Darcy’s horse and obviously considered it was entirely appropriate to the quality of the animal. He knuckled his forehead in salute before he led the stallion away to the stables, and Darcy turned to the front door of Longbourn, which opened before his knock was completed.

Obviously, my arrival was noted,
he thought with amusement as he handed his card to the butler and asked to speak with Mr. Bennet.
But does anyone have any idea why I have come? From what Elizabeth told me, it is most unlikely. She almost certainly informed her family of what she believed was my contempt and disapproval of her—and, likely, by extension, her family.

With that thought in his head and knowing that the forthcoming interview with Mr. Bennet might present certain difficulties, Darcy’s amusement quite vanished, and he concentrated on the task at hand. While he did not expect any insurmountable impediments, it would not do to make matters more troublesome than they need be. While the butler was taking his card to Mr. Bennet, Darcy saw Mrs. Bennet cautiously descending the stairs from the upper floor. She was obviously curious about who had called, and Darcy, without thinking, automatically prepared to address her with his usual curt bow and a terse greeting.

Barely in time did he remember he might have some fence mending to do with Elizabeth’s family as well as with Elizabeth herself, all due to his previous behaviour. Accordingly, he instantly changed his intention and stepped toward Mrs. Bennet to greet her most civilly.