"Brother!" Georgiana greeted her brother warmly when she noticed his presence, with that smile he had so dearly missed. The two ladies rose in salutation. Darcy soon drew the attention of Elizabeth, and she was quite drawn to him; his fine, tall person, handsome features, and noble mien conspired against her. I like his appearance very much, indeed. Elizabeth blushed at her musings and lowered her wandering eyes.
Darcy's thoughts, however, were far less agreeably engaged as he regarded the woman – the stranger – standing before him and beside his sister so recently heart-broken. The longer he looked at her, the more irate he became.
"May I introduce to you Miss Elizabeth Bennet?" Georgiana continued in good humour. "Miss Bennet, this is my brother, Fitzwilliam Darcy."
Darcy's scrutinising gaze fixed on Elizabeth fiercely as she curtsied, but just as she lifted her eyes to meet his, he quickly averted them with a curt nod. Not allowing his new acquaintance the opportunity of engaging him in conversation, Darcy abruptly turned away and with long strides crossed the room to a small table beside a settee upholstered with cream stripes. Upon the table was a small, silver bell, and Darcy rang it without ceremony.
Elizabeth's eyes widened at his rudeness. Never had she encountered such an unconcealed exhibition of discourteousness. And in front of his dear sister! At this thought, Elizabeth turned her attention to the lady to determine her feelings on this matter. It appeared to Elizabeth that Georgiana was undecided, and perhaps conflicted, about her brother's response, for she loved her brother and held him in high esteem, and thus she could not fathom an explanation for his sudden turn in conduct.
At length a footman entered the room. "James," Darcy said in a restrained voice, without looking directly at the boy, "would you please find Mrs. Reynolds and inform her that we have located Miss Bennet. We will meet her and the remainder of the party in the Entrance Hall. Then, have the carriage they arrived in sent for." James glanced sideways at the ladies and, perceiving their expressions, swiftly bowed and withdrew.
Darcy turned his expressionless face back to the other occupants of the room and his eyes, so full of scorn, anchored on Elizabeth who, feeling her courage rise at his attempt to intimidate her, stared back defiantly nonchalant. Noting the futility of the exercise, Darcy returned his gaze to one of indifference.
"Georgiana," Darcy addressed his sister drily, but all the while looking at her acquaintance, "shall we escort Miss Bennet back to the Entrance Hall to meet her friends?" Darcy did not linger long enough to hear a response, leaving Elizabeth and Georgiana to follow behind him in silence as they navigated the relatively short walk to the house's entrance. Although the distance was not long, the time taken to traverse it seemed to be impossibly so, as Elizabeth watched the tense back of Mr. Darcy. Eventually, they arrived. They had hardly waited a minute in the Hall when Mrs. Reynolds and the Gardiners approached.
"Miss Elizabeth," Georgiana whispered urgently, "please allow me to apologise on behalf of my brother. He has had a great deal on his mind of late. I know he does not wish to show it, but I can see that it burdens him. Truly he is not himself!"
"Do not distress yourself, Miss Darcy." Elizabeth replied softly, "I was faintly disconcerted, but I assure you, I am not offended."
"Oh, thank you, Miss Elizabeth! I cannot tell you how relieved I am to hear that." Elizabeth smiled to see Georgiana relaxed once more.
"Ah, Elizabeth!" Her uncle called, "You have been discovered at last! Shall we depart?" Elizabeth nodded smilingly to her relations, glad to be in familiar company again.
The Darcy siblings escorted the visitors outside, across the courtyard and through a grand stone archway, on the other side of which awaited their carriage. While Mr. Gardiner assisted his wife into the carriage, Georgiana and Darcy stood a few paces behind.
"I do wish you had spoken to Miss Elizabeth," Georgiana quietly remarked, but loud enough for Elizabeth to overhear it and feel her ears burn with curiosity. "She has such lively and intelligent conversation, excellent manners, and a pretty face. I do believe Miss Bennet would make a fine match for you, Fitzwilliam." Such a statement after so short an acquaintance could hardly be interpreted as anything but an impish pronouncement between siblings, as that form of relation often has a propensity for these jokes. However, as Georgiana expressed it, there was sincerity in all her looks. Elizabeth's heart quickened and she lowered her eyes to the ground to conceal the roses blooming on her cheeks.
Darcy did not delay replying to his sister in a deliberate and guarded tone. "It takes an intolerably impertinent and careless kind of person to become lost in a stranger's home, and then to converse with its residents, with whom she is not formally acquainted. This account does not signify a presence of 'excellent manners', nor does it suggest intelligence enough for desirable conversation. And as for her face," he looked for a moment at Elizabeth, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said, "I suppose it is tolerable, but that is all I can say in her favour. In any case, I would not – do not – wish to have such a person in my circle of acquaintances, and neither, dear sister, should you."
Elizabeth, attempting to conceal her indignation, swiftly joined her aunt and uncle in the carriage. Her relief could hardly be expressed in words when the carriage pulled away from the great house and followed the road toward Lambton. How quickly her mood had transformed: from delight to embarrassment in mere moments, and by an arrogant and disagreeable man, no less! The notion was laughable, and if Elizabeth wasn't preoccupied by fears that her new friend would believe the opinion of her character so decidedly attested by this man, she may have been inclined to laugh.
"Brother!" Georgiana exclaimed, her brother glaring at the Gardiner's carriage as it crossed the bridge. "Miss Bennet has been very kind to me. When I was…" she cast her eyes down in embarrassment, "not feeling quite myself." She then assertively met his gaze, "Miss Bennet was anxious that I not be so. Indeed, she did ignore the rules of polite society, but she only did so to comfort me in my sorrow and see me well. You may perceive it as impertinence, and perhaps it was, but greater than that, it was… compassion. And if such behaviour is to be abhorred rather than admired, then I would prefer not to come out into society at all."
Georgiana, clearly finished with the discussion, turned and walked briskly back to the house and to her rooms, while Darcy remained staring after her slack-jawed, as he puzzled over what he could have possibly said to offend her.
Elizabeth departed from the place with no very cordial feelings towards him, and despite her natural inclination, as they travelled back to Lambton, dined, rested, breakfasted, and explored the town the following morning, she brooded over his words. However, when they had returned from their excursion through the town, she told the story over tea to her relations with great spirit; for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous.
"I cannot believe he would say such a thing!" laughed Mrs. Gardiner, "And so close to where you were standing!"
"And after you had consoled and befriended his sister, whom, according to the housekeeper, is very dear to him." Mr. Gardiner added, diverted by the tale.
"Ah, but perhaps that is the reason for his conduct," returned his wife. Her husband and niece silently encouraged her to continue, and she accommodated, "Well, if his sister does mean a great deal to him as we are lead to believe, then perhaps discovering her conversing with a stranger whom, as far as he could surmise, only has mercenary motivations for doing so, is it not comprehendible, and even expected, for him to be vigilant?"
Elizabeth conceded, albeit reluctantly, to her aunt's argument. "Pemberley is a very fine house, and definitely signifies a wealthy proprietor."
"Oh, yes!" agreed Mr. Gardiner. "Mrs. Reynolds informed us that Mr. Darcy is in receipt of ten thousand pounds a year; maybe even more. Quite the eligible bachelor, do you not think, my dear?" Mrs. Gardiner light-heartedly nodded her concurrence to her husband's teasing as she took another sip of tea.
"He is also handsome," said Elizabeth; "which a young man ought to be, if he possibly can. But he is at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious, and his manners, though well-bred, are not inviting. He is so proud!"
"One cannot wonder," Mrs. Gardiner countered, "that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, everything in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud."
"That is very true," replied Elizabeth, "and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine."
At that moment, Bessy, a servant at the inn entered the room. Bessy was a simple, modest kind of girl, and though she was quite a small, young thing, she was amply proportioned with a sweet, friendly face. However, as she stood just inside the doorway to the parlour, her features were rendered rather urgent and breathless.
"Excuse me, sir and madams," said she, "A young lady and a gentleman are below to call upon you. The gentleman is Mr. Darcy." The name had an immediate affect on the room. Mr. Gardiner curiously looked to his wife, who was all astonishment. They searched their niece's face for an explanation, but found her as perplexed as them.
"Fetch them directly, Bessy," Mr. Gardiner instructed, and she did not delay quitting the room to fulfil the charge. Setting his cup of tea aside, he rose to meet the guests. "Well, well, well, Lizzie! Perhaps you were too hasty in your disapprobation of this Darcy character."
Before Elizabeth could answer her uncle, or compose herself, Bessy announced timidly, "Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy."