Good morning! I'm sorry I've been away so long. I had to look at the calendar twice to realize that it's been four weeks since my last post instead of three. I hope you'll forgive me for the delay!

Chapter Twelve

"Elizabeth!" Darcy exclaimed, his astonishment plain. Then he remembered his manners. "Miss Bennet." He gave a formal bow. "What are you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same thing." Elizabeth's voice was disbelieving, but she also felt a rush of relief. After wondering about his absence for weeks here he was, alive and safe and seemingly well. Not a hair on his head was out of place. His clothes were as fine as ever, he was even more handsome than she remembered, and she realized that she was glad to see him again.

"I have been traveling," Darcy said, stepping towards her. "I only returned to Paris earlier this evening."

"I see," she answered, as a cool wave of remembrance swept over her. Darcy had been gone for weeks. He could have sent a message at any time yet there had been no word. There could be no good reason for his oversight. She moved as if to step by him.

"Wait!" Darcy stepped in front of her to block her way. "I was planning on calling on you tomorrow; indeed I was."

"As you wish, but I beg you to let me by." She looked behind her. Wickham had not spied her yet, but he was headed her way.

Darcy did not move, his eyes fixed on her face. "Shall I see you tomorrow?"

"My aunt and uncle will be pleased to receive you at any time." He flinched as though the words struck a chord. "Now I must go through; truly I must."

"That is not good enough; there is so much I want to say. May I have the privilege of this dance?"

Elizabeth looked behind her again, then at the gentleman in front of her. Here was a way of escape. Wickham could not claim her if she were dancing with another gentleman. At this moment she would rather be almost anywhere else, but fate, it seemed, had a different plan. "You may." She placed her hand in his.

They were late to the set and barely had time to bow and curtsy before the steps began. As they approached each other to briefly clasp hands Darcy was the first to speak. 'It is a pleasure to see you again, Miss Elizabeth. A tremendous pleasure indeed." His eyes were warm and glowing.

How charming he could be when it suited him! "It is a pleasure you have somehow managed to do without for the past several weeks," she said, archly.

Their steps separated, then came together again. Darcy asked, "How is Jules?"

"Very well, thank you."

"Has anything been discovered regarding his family?"

"I do not believe so." Even now, with the two of them finally speaking together, Darcy was giving no reason for his absence., "What a pity that you have not seen him for yourself. He probably thinks you have lost interest in him."

She heard him inhale sharply. "Please let him know that I have not stayed away by my own design. There have been circumstances entirely outside my control."

"You may tell him so yourself when next you see him."

"I would prefer to explain to you." When Elizabeth did not respond he added, "Do you still enjoy taking walks in the park?"

Was he asking her for an assignation? She could think of no other reason for such a question. Such conceit! Wickham's words came back to her mind. "Pride, you see, is Darcy's great fault. He can please where he chooses. When he believes there is something to gain, nobody will be more charming. . . The rich always have what they want, while those of us who are poor struggle every day."

A rash mood came over her. "We visit the park whenever the weather holds." She added impulsively, "The last time we were there I met someone who claims an acquaintance with you."

"Oh? Who might that be?" Darcy looked at her warily.

"Mr. Wickham."

He frowned. "I see."

"We had an interesting conversation. He seems to have known your family well while he was growing up."

Darcy made no response, but a muscle in his cheek twitched.

"He also claimed to be acquainted with your sister."

"Did he?"

"I must say, he gave you quite a character. I hardly knew what to think."

When he spoke this time, Darcy's voice was stern. "Wickham has a great talent for making friends. Whether he has as great a power to retain them, however, remains to be seen."

"He said nothing about you that I have not seen for myself."

"You take an eager interest in that gentleman's affairs."

"Who that knows his history would not?"

"His history!" There was no mistaking the scoffing tone in his voice now. "Please enlighten me, so that I may defend myself. What does Wickham accuse me of this time?"

Somehow she was enjoying this exchange more than she had expected. Darcy had paid her every attention for weeks and then disappeared from her life, and now seemed to think that he could pick her up again like a child returning to a neglected play thing. Her pride demanded a response. "He said that you are like most men of fortune- used to getting your own way and arranging things as you like."

"And you believed him?" He held her hand overhead and let her twirl before bringing her back to his side again.

"History is full of examples that bear him out. Men of fortune do tend to get whatever they want in the end."

"That is not what I meant. Do you believe me to be one of those men?"

"I am sure I could not say."

Darcy's face flushed. "I suppose I should be relieved to hear there is some doubt in your mind," he said sarcastically, as they joined hands to walk around the circle together. "In the past Wickham has made some outrageous accusations. There is no limit to his imagination."

"I did not say that was the only accusation he laid at your doorstep."

"Then tell me the rest. I would like to know the worst now instead of later."

"Very well. If you insist on knowing, he accused you of pride, great pride."

"What is seen as pride in some may be only a grave dignity in others."

"And he said that you cheated him out of his inheritance."

Darcy stopped in his tracks. "I deny that! And I deny being anything less than a gentleman to those beneath me."

"Yet you have given his words some confirmation by your own behavior. Was your behavior not intolerable on the evening we met? And there is more. It is not gentlemanly to be a guest in another man's home, to experience his hospitality time after time, and then give him the cut directly without a word of explanation. Would you behave that way towards someone of your own set? My uncle has been greatly concerned for your welfare!"

"Your uncle!" Darcy exclaimed. "Your uncle would- " He recollected his surroundings and resumed his steps. "Your uncle would be the last person to condemn me," he finished in a more controlled tone.

"Your influence has also separated Bingley from my sister." She had not meant to say that last, but it was out now.

"Bingley is his own man. He does as he wishes."

"Which is whatever you wish."

Darcy was silent for a minute. At length he finally said, "I suppose Wickham has injured me very materially in your eyes."

"You must not blame Mr. Wickham. I came to my own conclusions, based on my own observations from the first time we met until now."

The dance was coming to an end. Darcy and Elizabeth faced each other to perform their final bow and curtsy.

"You have said quite enough, madam. I perfectly comprehend your feelings, and have now only to be ashamed of what my own have been. Forgive me for having taken up so much of your time, and accept my best wishes for your health and happiness." He turned and walked away haughtily without waiting for a response.

Elizabeth fled in the opposite direction, seeking some place she could be away from the press of people. Jane discovered her in the cloak room half an hour later, leaning her warm forehead against the cool glass of a window.

"Lizzy, are you unwell? Our aunt is wondering where you went."

"I think the press of the crowd and the noise are giving me a megrim."

"Truly? What a shame. Mr. Bingley is here, and he says that Mr. Darcy is too."

"I saw him."

"Then you must be relieved to know they are both safe and well. Mr. Bingley found me in the crowd after the last set, and we have been speaking together ever since."

Elizabeth managed a weak smile. "Did he give a reason for his absence?"

"He apologized for having to leave town abruptly, and said that due to the circumstances of his departure he was not able to send word to our uncle. Oh Lizzy! It feels almost as though he never went away; he has not changed at all. He is such a pleasant man, so amiable in every way. I have never enjoyed anyone's company, except for yours, as much as I enjoy his."

Jane would forgive anyone, even an errant admirer, no matter how flimsy the excuse. For a moment Elizabeth wished she had her sister's more generous nature. Then perhaps she could have welcomed Darcy's presence in the same way.

Jane frowned. "You do not look well; truly you do not." She placed a delicate hand on her sister's forehead. "Should I ask our aunt to take us home early?"

"No! I would not want to shorten the evening, not while you are enjoying yourself so thoroughly. I shall recover in my own time."

Jane, however, would not be dissuaded. She would not rest until she had spoken to Mrs. Gardiner and brought her to see Elizabeth. Her aunt took one look at Elizabeth and declared that the evening had gone on long enough. She made their excuses to their hostess and the Gardiner party departed. Jane's concern was all for her sister, and she only once expressed any regret over not being able to dance with the gentleman she had longed to see.

Elizabeth and Darcy are up to their usual behaviors, aren't they? Letting pride and prejudice, along with a serious lack of communication, interfere with a beautiful relationship! You'll have to read the next chapter to see how they manage to move past this. Have a good weekend and see you again soon! -Elaine