Chapter 2: Pemberley.

At last Pemberley! He thought when he caught sight of his natal home. He was hot and decided to take a swim in his lake. A quarter of hour later, he scolded himself. Get out man, your business awaits you! He motioned one stable groom to take his horse to the stables and stepped determinably towards his house. When he saw a form he recognized to be the lady of his thoughts, he stopped dead short. That is not possible! I must be dreaming! She cannot be in my house!

"Mr Darcy!" cried a very surprised and flustered Elizabeth Bennet.

"Miss Bennet!" he echoed equally surprised. She is real, my god! And she talks to me!

"I did not expect to see you...sir! We understood all the family were from home, or we should never have presumed..."

"I returned a day early" And I thank God that I did! Remember Darcy; be polite and civil to her! "Excuse me; your parents are in a good health?"

"Oh yes, they are very well. I thank you, sir"

"I'm glad to hear it. How long have you been in this part of the country?"

"But two days, sir" Why did I not come back early?

"And where you are staying?"

"Lambton Inn, sir" Not five miles from my own home! Luck seems to be with me thus far!

"Ah, I'm just arrived myself... And your parents are in good health and all your sisters?" Darcy, you idiot, you had already asked this question!

"Yes they are all in excellent health, sir," said Elizabeth with a small laugh.

Suddenly Darcy realised one cause of her discomfort might be his disheveled appearance. So he hurried into his house to change his clothes. Fortunately, he succeeded in catching Elizabeth before she reached the carriage. He asked her opinion about Pemberley. And she likes it very much! I hope Pemberley will become your house one day, dearest Elizabeth! Then realising she was not alone, he asked if she could introduce him to her companions. Remember her censure that you snubbed her and her relations. That is time to make amends.

"Certainly" she said "Mr and Mrs Gardiner, Mr Darcy. Mrs Gardiner is my aunt, my sister Jane stayed in their house in Cheapside when she was lately in London."

Darcy was surprised to discover that the Gardiners were not only people of fashion but also intelligent and cordial. His conversation with Mr Gardiner about fishing proved very interesting. Mr Gardiner was well informed, and educated and a pleasure to talk to. His pleasure increased when Mrs Gardiner came to take her husband's arm leaving Darcy to walk beside Elizabeth. She was at first very uncomfortable and tried to excuse her intrusion upon his privacy. How I did mind that! He reassured her when he said that no one was aware of his change of plans. As they walked, Darcy recollected one sonnet that he read several times in despair of his seeing her again.

So are you for my thoughts as food to life,
Or as sweet'season'd showers are to the ground,
And for the peace of you I hold such strife
As' twixt a miser and his wealth is found:
Now proud as an enjoyer, and anon
Doubting the filching age will steal his treasure;
Now counting best to be with you alone,
Then better'd that the world may see my pleasure;
Sometime all full with feasting on your sight
And by and by clean starved for a look
Possessing or pursuing no delight,
Save what is bad or must from you be took.
Thus I do pine and surfeit day by day,
Or gluttoning on all, or all away. (*)

When it was time for Elizabeth and her relations to depart, Darcy handed Mrs Gardiner in the carriage then turned to Elizabeth who gave her hand to him to help her. He could almost hear his heartbeats resonating everywhere inside him when he felt the warmth of her hand and her body. Stop that, man! And she thanked him quite kindly with the most beautiful little smile. When they're off, she turned to look at him with approval before she disappeared. Oh dearest Elizabeth! I feel no delight when you are away! Why you can not stay with me? I want you to become part of my life! To know that you approved of me "feasting on your sight".
"Don't be so optimistic Darcy" he scolded himself "To know she no longer despises you doesn't mean she is in love with you but I will do anything I can to win her."

But at last, he will see her soon. She had agreed to meet his sister. He was sure Georgiana would be very happy to meet her. She is exactly what she needs to be more confident in society. Darcy sighed happily and returned to the house.

(*) Shakespeare's Sonnets: Sonnet LXXV (75)