Jest Chapter 16, a pride and prejudice fanfic

~~J~~

The following morning Darcy again went for a walk, in the hope of encountering Miss Elizabeth.

His effort was rewarded. Not only that, but she was alone.

'Good morning, Miss Bennet. Might I join you on your walk, or is my request too improper, since you are today without a chaperone.'

'Good morning, Mr Darcy. I would be pleased to have your company, as long as you do not fear this would compromise you.' She gave him a teasing smile. 'I am my friend is feeling unwell this morning, but she insisted that her indisposition should not interfere with the enjoyment of my morning walk.'

'I hope that there is nothing seriously wrong with Mrs Collins. I could ask Doctor Humphries to look in on her if you should feel it necessary.'

'Charlotte assured me that the condition is temporary.' Elizabeth carefully worded her reply. She did not wish to discuss such a delicate subject with any gentleman, and most particularly with this gentleman.

Instead, she changed the subject. 'I hope your family are well this morning?'

'Since they are all still asleep, I expect they are.'

'I suppose they keep town hours.'

'My uncle certainly does, and my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, likes to get as much rest as possible whenever he can, since there are times when he gets very little sleep.'

'It must concern you greatly when the Colonel is on campaign. I have noticed that you two seem very close.'

'Richard is as close to me as a brother would be. I keep wishing that he would quit the army, but his pride would not allow him to take what he perceives as charity, when I invite him to live at Pemberley. He has even rejected managing the estate I own near Newmarket, which is predominantly concerned with breeding horses.

'As a cavalry officer he must know a great deal about horses.' Elizabeth carefully considered how to phrase her next question. 'When your cousin and I spoke the other day, he mentioned that he needed to marry an heiress. It seems strange to me that he would consider your offer to be charity, but it is quite acceptable to marry a woman for her money. I never understood that attitude, which appears common amongst members of your circle.'

'I suppose there is a certain quid pro quo in such a marriage. The husband gets the money, and the woman and her family get a connection to the nobility. For many of the nouveau riche, that is an acceptable trade.'

'So, I was right. Marriage amongst the first circles is about business.'

For many it is. It is also about conserving the wealth for future generations.'

'And the more wealth a family has, the more power they have.' Elizabeth shook her head. 'Having grown up amongst the gentry, rather than the first circles, may have made me naïve, but I have seen what a marriage without respect and affection can do to a couple. I have no wish for such a marriage for myself.'

'What kind of marriage do you wish for yourself?' Darcy had to know.

'I have always insisted that only the deepest love could entice me into matrimony, although in recent years I also added the need for mutual respect. I always felt that it was better to be happy in a cottage, than miserable in a castle.'

'I confess that I find your attitude rather admirable.' He sighed. 'I wish I had known about your attitude while still in Hertfordshire. I might not have made the mistakes I did make.'

'Mr Darcy, what is done is done. You cannot change what happened. Perhaps you should adopt my philosophy. Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.'

'Miss Bennet, for you that may be a simple thing, but considering how many mistakes I made, and how may people I have hurt with my previous attitude, I cannot be as sanguine as you.'

'Year ago, my father taught me that if you discover that you made a mistake, then you should apologise and try to make amends. Once you have done that, and you have learnt the lesson from that mistake, you should move on with your life and stop dwelling on it.'

'That is excellent advice, although perhaps difficult to follow. What else did your father teach you?'

For the next hour, the couple wandered the paths around Rosings, exchanges memories of their fathers' teachings.

Elizabeth learnt that Mr Darcy Senior was the major reason for Darcy's attitudes of pride and arrogance. He had been taught from an early age to consider himself superior, and to think meanly of anyone who showed human weaknesses.

Darcy, meanwhile learnt that although Mr Bennet was a lackadaisical landowner, husband and father, he was intelligent and had encouraged Elizabeth's education.

Shortly before they reached the parsonage, Elizabeth commented on the Earl's questioning on the previous evening.

'My uncle is very perceptive. Once Anne's problems were sorted out, and he stopped focusing on her, he immediately noticed my interest in you. Which is why you had to endure yet another inquisition.'

'I am afraid that I made a bad showing, since he asked many of the same questions as your aunt did, I simply could not resist to give him impertinent answers.'

'I know. Remember, I was there. You did not flatter or fawn, but answered him without making excuses for your background. Even challenging his preconceptions once or twice. But knowing my uncle as I do, I believe that was the main reason he was so favourably impressed by you.'

Elizabeth looked uncomfortable at the compliment. 'The Earl's opinion means much to you, does it not?'

'Yes, it does, but even if he did not approve of you, it would not change my mind. Although I will admit, I am pleased that he likes you.'

Since they arrived at the parsonage, Elizabeth was saved from having to respond to that comment.

~~J~~

Later that day, the Earl and his companions returned to London, since the situation at Rosings did not require their presence any longer. Even Daisy was up and about, and had returned to her duties.

Anne met with her senior staff to discuss the changes she planned to make to the house. Afterwards, accompanied by the butler, she started a tour of the house, and with a piece of chalk marked all the items of overly ostentatious furniture, which she wanted to be moved into storage, until she could arrange to sell them.

To her delight, she discovered that some old furniture was stored in the attic. Upon inspection, she found that these items had been too old fashioned and plain for Lady Catherine's taste, but were much more to the liking of Anne. She gave instructions to gradually replace Lady Catherine's furniture with her choices.

At dinner, she told her cousins, 'I will have to buy a few new pieces of furniture, but with the sale of the current items, I can achieve a comfortable house and have money left over to make the repairs to the tenant cottages.'

One of the footmen, whose father was one of the tenant farmers, could hardly wait to spread the good news.

~~J~~