Chapter 12

Anne de Bourgh told her mother what had happened the day before with her curricle, and patiently listened to all the complaints her mother made about the problems that a wheel could have.

In a shy voice, Anne told her mother that she wanted to go to the parsonage to thank Miss Bennet and her cousin for the help offered. Lady Catherine was enraged that Mr. Collins had not informed her that he had an extra guest in the parsonage. When she asked why that man was in the Collins' house, Mrs. Jenkinson told her that he came on behalf of his company to close some deals, and that Mrs. Collins being his friend, had invited him to stay with her family and cousin.

"I'm sorry Anne, you know it's not good for your health to go out in the morning. Also, I don't want you to relate to a tradesman. But I do not want them to think that we am ungrateful, for which I will go to thank on behalf of us".

Anne asked one more time if she could accompany her mother, and she said one more time no, that a distinguished and refined woman like her, should not stoop to talking to people so far below her social rank. Anne felt very sorry that she could not see Mr. Gardiner again, but as always, she said nothing and accepted her mother's decision.

An hour later, Lady Catherine arrived at the parsonage, and was received in the parlor by Charlotte and Elizabeth. Mister Collins upon hearing the voice of his benefactress, appeared immediately and began to talk about the deference that the grand lady made in visiting them. Lady Catherine thanked Elizabeth for the help that she and her cousin had given Anne in an authoritative and condescending voice.

"Miss Bennet, tell your cousin to come, so I can thank him and leave" said the lady.

"I'm sorry Lady Catherine, but my cousin is not here at this moment, but he must be coming back soon. He's busy with his business", Elizabeth explained.

Lady Catherine looked scornfully and said, "Fine, I have to go and I can't wait for your cousin, the tradesman, anymore. Tell him that I came to thank him".

Just as Lady Catherine was leaving for her carriage accompanied by Mrs. and Mr. Collins, Jonathan arrived at the parsonage. The lady looked at him with interest, and Jonathan approached Mrs. Collins said hello, and she introduced Johnathan to the lady. Jonathan bowed and greeted Lady Catherine very politely, and asked if Miss de Bourgh and Mrs. Jenkins were all right.

Lady Catherine ,who always had something to say, this time answered almost with monosyllables to the pleasantries interchanged, and said goodbye, looking intensely at Jonathan. When she was seated in her carriage heading to Rosings, she thought that it was not fair for a tradesman to look like the most elegant and attractive of the gentlemen. That could confuse some and promote the mixing of the higher classes with the lower classes. She felt seriously displeased just thinking about that fact, and was happy that her daughter was safely engaged to Darcy, and safe from the pernicious influence of men like this one.

Jonathan and Elizabeth, after luncheon, decided to go for a walk and complete the route that was left unfinished by previous day's events. When they reached the garden near the little lake, they found Miss de Bourgh and Mrs. Jenkinson sitting on a bench under the shade of a tree.

When Anne saw Jonathan and Elizabeth, she approached them and said, "I am very happy to see you, and want to personally thank you for the help you gave me yesterday", she said in a soft, and obviously nervous voice.

Elizabeth did her best to make her feel comfortable, and after several minutes, Miss de Bourgh relaxed and was able to establish a more fluid conversation, but she still was nervous. Mrs. Jenkinson was looking at her as if encouraging to say what she wanted to say.

Anne took a deep breath and with a flushed face she looked at Jonathan and asked, "Mr. Gardiner, I would like to know if you can tell me…" suddenly she fell silent and looking at the floor she continued... "tell me about your travels", and she could not continue speaking and looked desperately at Mrs. Jenkinson.

Mrs. Jenkinson stepped in and explained to Jonathan and Elizabeth that Miss De Bourgh had a fondness for writing stories of adventures set in different locations. That she had for years studied maps and read about places that most people did not know, and felt that being able to talk to someone who had personally known so many places, would make her stories more interesting. Elizabeth for her part, congratulated Miss de Bourgh and said that she found it to be a very interesting pastime.

"And for whom do you write your stories, Miss Bourgh?", asked Jonathan curiously.

She, still looking at the floor, replied "I write them for me, for the pleasure it gives me to write them, and because when I do it, I feel like I'm in other places, and the truth is, I don't go out much, and I know very few places" and she added while looked and smiled to faithful friend, "Mrs. Jenkinson always reads my stories".

Jonathan did not know what to think about Miss de Bourgh. Sometimes she looked so fragile and helpless, and at other times, full of energy. He decided it would be entertaining to tell his adventures to someone who was so eager to hear them.

"Of course, Miss de Bourgh, I will tell you the places I have traveled, and you will tell me which ones you want to hear about", Jonathan said trying to look at her face without being able to do so, because she always avoided him.

Then they all sat on the bench under the shade of the tree, and Jonathan began to talk about all the places Anne asked him. Elizabeth and Mrs. Jenkinson listened attentively, but without wanting to interrupt.

Occasionally, Anne would write down a few things in her notebook, especially the places with difficult names, so she would not forget them. And so, an hour of pleasant and lively conversation passed. Anne looked like another person when she was animated and smiling, her pale complexion was flushed and her green eyes seemed to illuminate her face revealing that behind that severe hairstyles and those puritan style clothes, there was a pretty woman with a nice personality, kind, loving and intelligent.

"It's time to go miss de Bourgh" said Mrs. Jenkinson, "you know your mother doesn't like us to be late".

Anne deeply thanked the two cousins for a wonderful afternoon. She spoke so fast because she was so excited that she couldn't contain her emotions. It seemed that she wanted to ask them something, but couldn't bring herself to do so.

For his part, Jonathan couldn't stop looking at her, there was something in that nervousness and in those emotions that she showed so openly, that fascinated him, and without thinking he told her.

"For the next three days, I have all the afternoons free, if you wish we can meet here and I will continue to tell you about my travels.

She looked him in the eyes for the first time for a few seconds, and looking down immediately, she told him with a voice full of emotion. "I would love Mr. Gardiner, and Miss Bennet. Thanks for being so good to me".

Jonathan helped Mrs. Jenkinson get on the curricle first, and then Anne, and they all said goodbye. When Jonathan and Elizabeth were walking home, she told her cousin that she felt a bit guilty because when she first met Miss Bourgh, she assumed she was just like her cousin Mr. Darcy. But having met her today, she realized that they had nothing in common.

For the next three days, the same group met, and while Elizabeth was walking around and Mrs. Jenkinson was dozing, Anne and Jonathan were talking about his travels. He told her about his business and how he wanted to become an industrialist and she listened, and looked at him with so much admiration when she thought he didn't see her. He couldn't help but think that this sickly-looking woman at first glance, was one of the most wonderful women he'd ever met.

For her part, Elizabeth watched the interaction between Jonathan and Miss de Bourgh, and she thought she knew what was happening. It was obvious that Miss de Bourgh admired her cousin and looked at him with devotion, and that her cousin was attracted to her too. She did not know what to say, she did not want to be indiscreet, and decided to respect Jonathan's privacy. Also, her cousin was leaving the next day, and he would just return the day that she was leaving, so probably they would never see each other again.

On the last day of their meetings, and before saying goodbye to Jonathan forever, Miss de Bourgh told him that she wanted to give him one of her stories that was based on everything he had told her, as a way of thanking him for sharing a little of his life with her.

Jonathan accepted it, and thanked her, and told her that he would treasure that story as one of the most special gifts he had ever received. He wanted to say so many other things, but he was not able to say anything else because he felt a great emotion that did not allow him to express what he wanted. They finally said goodbye, and each one returned to their life.

The moment Jonathan left the parsonage, Lady Catherine invited Mr. and Mrs Collins, and Miss Bennet to dine with them. As always, she monopolized the conversation, criticized everyone and gave advice that no one asked for. She also told them that her two nephews, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy, were arriving the next day. Elizabeth hoped she would not have to run into such an unpleasant man and hoped the other cousin was more like Miss de Bourgh.

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"Darcy, you have been very quiet all the way, you are very thoughtful, do you have any problem? asked the colonel.

"No Richard, I am a little tired. This has not been an easy year, I have had a lot of work to do, and you know that solving Lady Catherine's problems in two weeks is not easy", Darcy said very seriously.

"I understand, tell me, what did you do the days you were in London, or did you just dedicate yourself to work? Did you see Bingley at the club? Does he still have problems with the ladies that you have to resolve?" added Colonel Fitzwilliam making fun of the situation.

I do not know, I have not seen him, and although it seems strange to you, yes, I only dedicated myself to work. One day I accompanied Georgiana to the Invention Fair, and another to the bookstore", said Darcy as calmly as he could without trying to relive the events of that day in his mind.

The colonel continued to lead the conversation until they reached Rosings. They immediately went to freshen up, changed clothes and joined Lady Catherine and Anne in the drawing room.

Darcy and Richard greeted their aunt and cousin, they sat down and Lady Catherine began questioning her nephews, to Darcy she asked Darcy about Georgina and the colonel about her parents and brother. Richard was looking at Anne and couldn't help but see something different about her.

"How have you been, Anne?", Richard asked his cousin.

When she was about to replied her mother interrupted her, and answered for her, and with that any possibility of interaction between the cousins was ended.

Then they went to the dining room to have dinner, and while they ate, Lady Catherine told Darcy that the day before, some people who knew him had dined with them.

"That's right, those people know you from a trip you made to Hertfordshire with that friend of yours, the son of a tradesman, Mr. Collins and his wife, and Mrs. Collins's friend".

I know that Mr. Collins is your parson, and I met him in Herefordshire, but I don't know who his wife or the friend of his wife", said Darcy, not wanting to follow the conversation.

"I understand, when you met Mrs. Collins she was Miss Lucas and her friend, Mr. Collins' cousin is Miss Elizabeth Bennet", said her aunt.

At that moment he thought that someone had cursed him. It couldn't be that he met that woman everywhere he went. While he thought his aunt continued… "Miss Bennet's cousin also spent a few days with the Collinses, he helped Anne one day when she had a problem with her curricle. A tradesman, son of a tradesman, I must say that he looks like a gentleman, a quite handsome and well-groomed man", concluded the lady.

Darcy didn't know what to think, but for fear of attracting the attention of his perceptive cousin and nosy aunt, he preferred not to ask anything. He continued eating in silence for a few minutes, until he asked his cousin if he could come with him to make a call to the parsonage tomorrow morning.

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After breakfast Darcy and Richard headed off to make the call. On the way Colonel Fitzwilliam asked Darcy, "Miss Bennet is the nice, but not so pretty woman, who put Miss Bingley in her place?"

Mr. Darcy said nothing and started talking about other things to distract his cousin. When they arrived, they were shown into the parlor and Mrs. Collins received them, luckily her husband was not there. Darcy introduced his cousin to Mrs. Collins and then to Miss Bennet. Only then did he dare to look at her, and realize that she was even prettier than he remembered.

Then they all sat down and started talking. His cousin, the colonel monopolized the conversation with Elizabeth, and he looked from time to time at Darcy, as if to tell him that they would talk later and that he would have to explain many things to him.

Mr. Darcy was dying to ask some questions to Elizabeth, and after waiting for the right moment, and in a voice as calm as it could, he intervened. "Miss Benet, are you enjoying Rosings? Have you had the opportunity to tour the park? I remember that you liked walking", he finally asked.

"Yes, I really like to walk, and since my cousin was with us and he also likes to walk, he accompanied me and we could find many beautiful landscapes to admire" Elizabeth said. "My cousin has always lived in the city, so he enjoys the countryside when he has the opportunity to visit it".

Then Mrs. Lucas began to comment that it had been a pleasure to see Jonathan after a long time, that he had lived many years traveling, but that she always remembered him because when he was younger, he visited his cousins in the summer and they all had fun together", said Charlotte.

And Lizzie added, "Jonathan is like my older brother, we are very similar in temperament so we get along very well".

"Only in temperament Lizzie because physically, Jonathan looks pretty much like Jane. If it weren't for the age difference you would think they were twins", Charlotte finished.

Darcy listened to all this with amazement, apparently the man in the library was Elizabeth's cousin and not her betrothed or her husband. At that moment he felt like a fool, and didn't know what to say when he heard Elizabeth added, "My sisters and I have been in London at my uncle's house to have the opportunity to spend more time with our cousin. Unfortunately, my sister Jane has had the misfortune to meet some very unpleasant people…" Charlotte, knowing where Lizzie was going, interrupted her to avoid a tense moment saying that she would serve tea.

Darcy felt so lost that he didn't realize what Elizabeth was saying. If that man was her cousin, who is like her brother, she was once again the beautiful, intelligent, and innocent woman he so admired. At the same time, she was still the daughter of a vulgar woman, the sister of two scandalously flirtatious girls, and the niece, and now cousin, of men in trade. Maybe it was better for him to believe that she belonged to someone else, but just thinking about it made him so unhappy. What was he going to do now?.

On their way back to Rosings Richard told Darcy that it had been a long time since he had known such a pretty and charming woman as Miss Bennet.

"Let me tell you cousin that I totally disagree with you, I think Miss Bennet is very pretty, but I suppose you prefer women like Miss Bingley "said the colonel laughing, while Mr. Darcy glared at him.

Mr. Darcy, also told him with a severe voice, that she was poor and did not have a dowry, which confirmed what Richard intuited when he had seen how his cousin looked at Miss Bennet.

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The first days of his stay at Rosings, Darcy avoided Elizabeth, and he shut himself up to work on his aunt's affairs with the conviction that it was best to stay as far away from her as possible.

Unfortunately, his aunt invited the Hunsford party to have dinner with them and he could not avoid her anymore. Elizabeth looked more beautiful than ever that day, and she flirted all night with him. First challenging him when he came over to hear her play the piano, then singing his favorite song while looking at him as if dedicating it to him, and later with a defiant look, but full of sweetness, when suggested that he should be more sociable.

When he finally retired to his room, he felt his head spinning, he was so happy to know that she remembered him, that maybe she had missed him as much as he missed her. He felt so foolish for having thought that she might have forgotten him, that she was with another man when it was clear that they both were in love.

The following days he called on her at the parsonage, and he gave her clues of his interest and saw how she looked at him confused. Surely, she had lost hope that he would decide to court her, and like him, she could not contain her emotions every time they were together.

Also, he walked through the park hoping to see her, and when he finally found her, he offered his company. She informed him what was her favorite path, so he could meet her daily. He was so happy to know that she also needed to see him everyday. They talked, but not much, silence was not a problem between them.

It was that night when he decided that no matter what society said or how it judged him, he was going to make her his wife. He was going to explain well why he waited so long to make her an offer and all his reservations regarding her family. He knew it would be difficult for him to unite his life to someone so below his social standing, but he also knew that he could not be happy without his beloved Elizabeth.

He was completely decided, tomorrow a new stage of his life would begin where Elizabeth Darcy would occupy the most important place.