He was standing before her, a branch clutched in his hand and dangling there like the pendulum of a clock. Mary did not know what to do so she looked down at the thick grass underneath her feet. A tickle on her chin brought her head back up with a snap and she drew away. The young man's hand was retreating along with the branch. Mary gave a shy smile.

"That's more like it, Miss Bennet," he said softly. He flung the branch off to the side and looked expectantly at the young woman before him whose face was infused sweetly with crimson.

Mary fidgeted nervously. She flashed the man a glance and then asked the one question that she had been burning to ask. "Who are you?" It seemed silly asking the question; Mary felt as if she already knew the person standing impishly before her. She'd only met him once, and then it had been only a brief meeting at that. Ever since he had kissed her hand so tenderly, Mary's thoughts for the last three months had strayed in the handsome stranger's direction. She'd be fanning her mother after a nervous fit, and a thought would flit over her mind of the young man standing silently behind her. She would look behind her surreptitiously, imagining him there even though in all probability he wouldn't be there. He never was. But now, standing together—alone—in the secrecy of the trees, he was there.

"I am called Aubrey Wayland, and I am most charmed to make your acquaintance," he said, bowing deeply so that his dark hair flopped into his eyes. To her own surprise, Mary found herself responding by curtsying deeply—though rather clumsily for she was never good at it.

"Now that we have officially introduced ourselves, Miss Bennet," Aubrey said, "might I purpose a walk through the park? It is a rather delightful afternoon."

Almost startled into silence, Mary nodded and then replied, a shade of hesitancy coloring her voice. "Yes," she said breathlessly, "I think a walk is a fine idea."

"Then, shall we?" He gestured in a direction opposite Pemberley and looked to Mary for approval.

"Yes, but not too far, please, Mr. Wayland," Mary said, "it would not be proper."

The two began walking, and as time passed their pace slowed to a leisurely stroll. They had not said one word since they had started, and the silence between them was weighing heavily on Mary. She was not used to the company of the opposite sex, thus her skills in conversing with said gender were somewhat lacking. Mary found herself many times looking over at Aubrey, about to say something, but then deciding against it.

Aubrey caught Mary in one such moment, and he decided to break the silence. "You needn't feel compelled to speak, Miss Bennet. I will talk of myself if you wish."

"Don't feel like you have to, Mr. Wayland. I am sure my company is tedious enough as it is…"

Aubrey paused by a low-hanging branch. "No, your company is superb." He flushed when Mary looked incredulously at him. "Truly, I do not mind your presence. I did, after all, ask you to join me."

After a few more halted words from Mary, the silence that had pervaded their walk once more resumed, though this time more genial and agreeable. Every now and then Aubrey would comment on their surroundings, and Mary would shyly reply.

Mary wondered how she would ever get to know the young man walking beside her without making a fool of herself. She even tripped up her own words at home before her family. Her family. Oh lord, Mary thought to herself. One chance meeting with her tactless mother would surely set Aubrey running. How she would hate that!

While walking she was given the chance to gaze liberally at her companion. She was pleased with what she saw…except perhaps for his nose. It was a bit large.

While Mary contemplated the size of his nose, Aubrey was savoring the fact that Mary was there beside him. He had heard from the Darcys how shy she tended to be in front of those she did not know. When he followed her from the house and then drew the tree branch down her pale arm, Aubrey had been expecting Mary to refuse his company. He was broken from his reverie with the sound of Mary's voice.

"…know the Darcys very well?" she was asking, while twirling a lock of her disarrayed hair with her fingers.

"I wouldn't say very well. I met them in Bath last season, and they invited my family to a few dinners before business took us elsewhere. My mother and sister stayed behind, though," replied Aubrey readily. "Are you great friends with Georgiana Darcy?"

"We are becoming close. Why do you ask?" Mary ventured, looking quizzically at him.

"Only that my sister took to her quite well when we were in the Darcys' company. She wrote constantly of her."

"I would too if I was in correspondence with anyone. She has such a sweet air to her that is most refreshing, and it is no mystery to me why she is popular with—with the young men." Mary bit her lip, hoping she wasn't sounding jealous of her dear friend. She truly wasn't, for such attentions on her would make her uncomfortable.

"Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that she is a Darcy?" Mary didn't have an answer to that, so she stayed silent.

Thus their conversation went, each talking safely on the subject of people they knew. And they continued in such a manner until they found themselves back in sight of Pemberley. They stopped reluctantly at a tree, hidden from the sight of the door to the room where everyone was gathered. Both looked at each other: Mary flushing, as she was wont to do lately, and Aubrey half smiling.

"Perhaps I'd better go in first, Mr. Wayland," Mary said.

"Yes…of course." The sound of the birds in the tree above them dominated the quiet, except for Mary's nervous, semi-quiet breathing.

"I thank you for the walk, Mr. Wayland," Mary said.

"I am thrilled that you found pleasure in it, Miss Bennet." Aubrey bowed once more, though this time not so comically and not so deeply, though sincerely enough. With a bobbing curtsy Mary nodded once and turned to go. Aubrey watched as she patted her hair into an impression of neatness, and he admired her trim figure as she delicately made her way to step onto the verandah.

Thank you to all those who have reviewed. Your comments have helped me, and I hope that you will continue reading my short story. By the way…hint, hint…reviews are so nice…