AN: Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has so kindly commented! Due to the advice of a friend, I've published this on Amazon since she said there's a lot of interest in it! I'm definitely going to finish posting it here, though I may take it down soon after the last chapter is published in case of plagiarism. I've read every single comment and I'm so grateful that JAFF readers are such awesome, knowledgable folks!
They rode to Longbourn early afternoon. Colonel Fitzwilliam rode with them with plans to separate at Longbourn and continue on to explore the countryside. The Colonel and Bingley were becoming fast friends at Darcy's expense as they laughed and chatted about Darcy's poor prospects and what they needed to do to improve them. Darcy remained quiet. He'd had an idea while in his room, Richard's teasing words on his mind. Be not who you are.
Darcy's shyness had never negatively affected him in this manner before. Those people in society who thought him a proud, uneasy fellow were easily ignored as his fortune came into the conversation. Having grown up to walk into rooms and hear the sudden cease of murmurings and find a half dozen genteel gazes upon his person, Darcy had hidden behind his shyness to avoid the unwanted attention of fortune hunters.
Darcy no longer wanted to be shy with Miss Elizabeth. More than anything, he wanted to wrap her in his arms and kiss her until she forgot her playful manner entirely. If his shyness—not to mention his pride—had lost him a chance at happiness, today he would endeavor to correct himself going forward. He would insist, mind and body, not to be the gentleman who had spoken in such a crass manner at a public assembly, no matter how many people there were beneath his notice in rank and station. He would seek to be a gentleman of a different sort.
Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth were in the yard picking flowers when the three men rode up the drive. Miss Elizabeth wore a fetching pale blue dress and blushed prettily as she looked up to see him watching.
"Good day," cried Bingley as he swung down from his horse. Darcy followed suit, his boots hitting the gravel with a satisfying crunch. Bingley continued, "The two prettiest sisters in Hertfordshire. Miss Bennet. Miss Elizabeth."
Introductions made, the Colonel stated that he would be on his way. Darcy couldn't help but look at Miss Elizabeth to see if she felt negatively by the Colonel's absence and could tell nothing from her face. Though Richard had assured him that he meant not to become a nuisance to his potential relationship with Miss Elizabeth, Darcy found that it was not so easy as that to forget his jealousy.
"Pardon me, Colonel, if you have important plans, but you are more than welcome to stay for lunch," Jane said. "Mama has ordered more than enough for our spread this afternoon."
"You are very kind," the Colonel said with a tip of his hat, "but I must go to Meryton after this. Mister Darcy's sister, my cousin, is expecting a birthday gift soon and I have neglected my guardian duties most egregiously."
Darcy started at this. Richard had more than enough time to pick out Georgiana's present. Her birthday was more than two months away. However, it would not be right to question his cousin in front of their acquaintances, so Darcy merely furrowed his brow and turned his head away. With the movement, he found Elizabeth watching him with a queer half-smile.
"Our cousin arrived today and the house is in a state of excitement," Jane warned the men.
"This is your cousin the parson?" asked Bingley.
"Yes, and he is an interesting character." Elizabeth's expression made Darcy think that this parson fellow would be more of an amusement to Elizabeth. Considering that Elizabeth and her father had a particular sort of fondness for the simple-minded and obnoxious, Darcy did not have high hopes of meeting an individual with good sense.
The door to the house opened as they walked up the drive and Darcy's fears were confirmed when a tall, heavy-looking young man greeted them with an unctuous, self-important bow before any greetings were made by the sisters.
"I am esteemed to meet the great nephew of my patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh of Rosings," he told the gravel beneath his feet. "I humbly and profusely apologize upon not seeking you out first thing this morning upon hearing of your presence in Hertfordshire to tell you the news you undoubtedly would like to hear about the state of your most generous aunt."
"What aunt would that be again?" he heard Elizabeth whisper behind him, and then an aborted giggle.
Gritting his teeth at the rude display by Mr. Collins and his desire to turn his back on the man, Darcy waited for the man to straighten and gave a short bow. "You filled the vacancy at the Hunsford parish, I take it?"
It was decided that he had taken the position with great joy and humility for his position. When Elizabeth slyly mentioned that he was very fortunate in his patroness the man waxed eloquent. It was only when Darcy reminded the man that no formal introduction had been made that he learned the obsequious man was named Collins and Collins made an overture of welcome to Bingley, who had been ignored so far.
There was not a second that Collins was not bowing and scraping in Darcy's presence, and not a second went by during that dreadful lunch that Darcy did not want to run out of Longbourn and straight to Pemberley. He gave credit to Jane and Elizabeth for attempting to release him from his mortification of their relative's poor manners; however, they did not prevail and Mr. Collins waxed eloquent on the furnishings of Rosings, Lady Catherine's generosity of spirit and the grace of deigning to look upon his little house next to Rosings Park, and her daughter Anne's carriage rides past his humble abode. Even Mr. Bennet's amused gaze had grown flat as the end of the meal approached at Mr. Collins's display of humble servitude, and finally, Mr. Bennet ordered his eldest daughters to take their visitors from Netherfield away from the house. Mrs. Bennet, seeing that Collins intended to follow the foursome and what that might mean for her eldest's match with Mr. Bingley, whose gentle manner had been replaced with a frown, successfully endeavored to entertain the bumbling parson with help from her remaining daughters.
"I say! What a…" Bingley said as they walked in an awkward silence from the house. He caught Darcy's expression and ducked his head.
"That, gentlemen, is the future heir of Longbourn," Elizabeth pronounced gravely. She saw their expressions and pressed her lips together in a grimace of a smile. "I do not jest, unfortunately. It is in keeping with the entail."
Darcy frowned. "One could ignore the lack of manners if he wasn't such a twit."
Jane and Elizabeth both burst out into giggles, their expressions shocked as they sought to cover their mouths. Darcy relished the attention that Elizabeth gave to him, delighted that he had managed to take a step around her dislike of him. Perhaps he had been mistaken? Perhaps she had spoken those words out of hurt and not dislike?
Darcy returned to thoughtful silence as Charles and Jane decided they would walk around the garden. As was customary, Darcy and Elizabeth lagged behind the betrothed couple out of hearing distance. He offered Elizabeth his arm and his throat contracted as she took it, jogging him from his thoughtful silence.
They had walked around the house twice before Elizabeth spoke. "Forgive me, but I noticed you had a perplexed face after Colonel Fitzwilliam mentioned a birthday present for your sister. May I ask… have you had trouble finding her a present yourself?"
He looked down at her. He intended to tell her that he had plenty of time to make such a purchase. However, seeing only curiosity in her eyes, without scorn or judgment, and remembering what Colonel Fitzgerald said about being himself, Darcy reconsidered. Elizabeth took her sisters—well, one of them—seriously.
He swallowed. He hated petty lies, but if he spoke in the right way, it would not be a lie at all.
"I haven't had trouble so much as I have a difficult time finding a gift that would help her move past the discomfort I put her through this year." They walked in silence a few more steps as Darcy arranged the words in his head. "She had a… difficult year, with her companion being an unfit woman, and moving suddenly back into London society with little forewarning. I am at fault for both of these things and so the difficulty of choosing a present grows higher."
"Nay, you sound like a good brother," Elizabeth said with a soft voice. "I hear your affection for your sister in your tone and I am sure you will pick the right gift for her."
"Speaking of gifts, I have brought one for you," Darcy said. Elizabeth's dark eyes widened as he took a small volume of poetry out of his pocket and passed it to her.
"For me?" she said, opening the cover. "Wordsworth's poems about the Lake District. What a thoughtful gift."
He smiled to see the pretty flush on her cheeks that belied her calm, polite tone. "It is from my collection at Pemberley. I only hope his words can tide you over until your trip to the country, Miss Elizabeth."
Her gaze swept up to meet his as the flush grew darker on her cheeks. "Thank you, sir. I have always wanted a personal copy of this volume. Now I have no doubt that you will find the perfect gift for your sister."
And with that, it was time for Darcy to duck his head. Hope welled in his heart as Elizabeth insisted on opening to the first poem and reading in her lilting, pretty voice, "I wandered lonely as a cloud…"