Darcy's carriage clattered to a stop and he climbed down, glancing cautiously around the small coaching inn and wandering, absently, if his companion had arrived before him.
Was it a stalling tactic, as Richard had asserted, when he told him of his plans for the day? He had feigned ignorance, insisting that his visit to the Pale Horse had everything to do with escaping the confines of Rosings and that it was sheer coincidence that it would bring his path across a certain gentleman. His cousin had not been convinced, but he had at least taken the decision not to quiz him any further, but leave him to his folly, if indeed it was folly.
"Mr Darcy."
His companion had not only arrived before him, but decided on a seat, ordered a drink and noticed his arrival before Darcy had chance to walk more than a few steps across the threshold of the quiet inn. He turned towards an older man, comfortably ensconced in a leather-backed chair in one comer of the room. Feeling a sudden flare of anxiety he did his best to swallow, Darcy crossed the room in a few long strides.
"Mr Bennet." He greeted Elizabeth's father with a warm handshake. "Thank you very much for agreeing to meet me."
"You are welcome," Mr Bennet said, gesturing to the empty seat beside him and indicating Darcy might take it. "I cannot pretend I am not glad of an excuse to leave Longbourn for half a day." He glanced over the top of his spectacles. "Although I also cannot pretend I am not intrigued. Tell me, why the cloak and dagger? What was of such great importance it could not be spoken of in a week or more, when my family and I will join you in Kent for Mary's wedding? Why the necessity of meeting on such neutral ground?"
"The inn does not displease you?"
"On the contrary." Mr Bennet drained the contents of his glass and looked expectantly at Darcy, who took a moment to recognise the significance of the look and summon a serving girl to bring fresh drinks for the both of them.
"As I say, I am glad to escape Longbourn, where there is such weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth that even my study is no barrier to disturbance."
Darcy blanched.
"I hope your daughters…Mrs Bennet…I hope they are all well?"
"Well, yes," Mr Bennet grimaced. "Well occupied with bemoaning their future if a certain marriage is not agreed upon before the month is out."
Darcy paused before responding.
"I cannot speak for Mr Bingley, of course, but I believe him to be fond of Miss Bennet," he began, striving to reassure the gentleman before him that, in this case at least, all might be well.
"I am not concerned about Mr Bingley!" Mr Bennet exclaimed. He took a sip of his drink. "I assure you, if my only concern was Jane and Mr Bingley's future happiness I would be happy indeed! They are both as innocent as babes and may take a little cajoling to reach an agreement, but there can be no doubt of their affections for one another." He paused. "No, my concern is for Elizabeth. Tell me, Mr Darcy, doe she fare well at Rosings?"
Mr Bennet's voice had grown serious and sad and when Darcy looked at him it was as if the fellow had aged two decades in a moment.
"I believe her to be quite content," Darcy said, in as gentle a tone of voice as he could manage. "She has formed a friendship with my cousin, Anne, and with Mary, of course. The three young ladies are often together." He paused, before warming to his topic. "There is a fine library at Rosings, and many pleasant walks, which I have had the privilege of introducing Miss Elizabeth to. In a group, you understand -" he said, hurriedly, eager that Elizabeth's father might not misread some nefarious interest in this comment."
"Good." Mr Bennet nodded. "Good. The house is…quiet without her." He seemed so bereft that Darcy felt a flash of sympathy for the older man.
They lapsed into semi-companionable silence, both men nursing their drinks and their thoughts without need of conversation. At length, Mr Bennet spoke again.
"Well, Mr Darcy, whilst I am fond of silence, I am sure you did not summon me here merely that we might ignore one another." He looked expectantly at Darcy, and he knew he could delay the inevitable no longer.
"Actually," he cleared his throat. "As we have already skirted the topic, I wished to speak to you about Miss Elizabeth. About - the future." He clenched his hands into fists, then lay them flat on his knees, then, at last, picked up his glass. His mouth was dry but he did not dare to take a sip, and instead merely occupied one hand in twirling the glass on the palm of the other, watching the light ripple over the surface of its contents.
"Mr Bennet," he began again. "I am generally a man of few words, and so I shall speak my mind and trust you will not mistake the importance I place on this question, or on your answer."
Mr Bennet raised his eyebrows but said nothing. Darcy took this as an invitation to proceed, and continued.
"I invited you here, sir, to ask you permission to ask Miss Elizabeth to marry me."
There was no immediate response, but Mr Bennet looked taken aback by the suggestion.
"You know, I am sure, that she does not intend to marry Mr Collins."
"I am aware," Mr Bennet replied, drily. He took a slow sip of his own drink before continuing. "In fact, I cannot blame her. I do not think them well-suited and were it not for my wife's interference…" He trailed off, dismissing the rest of his sentence with a shrug. "I gave my permission for the marriage assuming she wanted it, or would at least be willing to accept it." His eyes fluttered closed and he grimaced as if recalling something that brought him pain. "I now see this was a mistake on my part. If she holds to her refusal I will of course not pursue the matter." He opened his eyes and fixed a watery stare at Mr Darcy. "You feel assured of her acceptance - you have already asked her?" There was a mild note of surprise in his voice.
"Not directly," Darcy admitted. "I wished to secure the approval of her family before I raised the question of marriage with her."
Something that may have been amusement glinted in Mr Bennet's eyes.
"Well, Mr Darcy, in that case, you may have my approval, but not my assistance, for I was of little enough help the last time. Recall, however, that desire to please her family was not inducement enough to cause Lizzy to marry a man she did not already care for. What makes you think you will be any different?"