The Old Steine Gardens lay only two blocks from the town home where Lizzy remained a guest of the Forsters. A carriage ride would take longer than the short ramble there as they were able to walk through two short back avenues with variations of the word Pool on the signs.
Pedestrians took advantage of the custom in the shops along the way, and Elizabeth felt more at ease in the unassuming integration of men and women of numerous classes passing by each other without incident. Unlike neighborhoods of London priding themselves on keeping the aristocracy, gentry, and merchant classes separated, Brighton felt more like Meryton to her, with a few distinct differences. One was certainly the sea air and the other, the massive presence of the Marine Pavillion, or Royal Pavilion as it was now called since the Prince Regent frequently stayed. Everything in Brighton, including the town itself, seemed intent on new naming schemes.
"Did you know this area was originally called Brighthelmstone?" she asked Miss Darcy. They waited to cross the major thoroughfare to the garden proper that served as an island of refuge in the bustling neighborhood of the Old Steine.
Miss Darcy shyly shook her head but smiled as though she would like to know more.
Mr. Darcy offered Elizabeth his arm to cross the road by the same name as the gardens. Nervous, Elizabeth recounted the facts of the dry tome she had read cover-to-cover many times. Next to them, Miss Georgiana linked her arm in Mrs. Annesley's and the merry party safely entered the fenced-off green pasture lined with trees.
Shortly, the walking party divided with Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth walking in front of Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley behind them. A few times, Elizabeth looked over her shoulder to see that the young woman and her companion were gradually increasing the distance, though nothing so far as to become improper.
The gardens were sparsely populated at the early afternoon hour, and Elizabeth supposed the lure of the seaside was a greater draw. The shape of the garden resembled a large tear-drop, with the bulbous stretch at the most southern end. Halfway up the longer sides, another road cut the garden into two uneven portions. They elected to circuit the lower portion, and Elizabeth gasped when she recognized the largest house with two flat, stone-faced wings off a central hall matched the description in her guidebook.
Mr. Darcy turned and looked in the direction of Elizabeth's gaze. He chuckled to hear her reaction.
"My sister and I also find the architecture to be grotesquely simple," he commented.
Confused, Elizabeth tried to explain she was not criticizing the house. "It's larger than my home," she commented.
"Large and empty, I assure you. The spartan rooms leave one feeling more lonely than advisable."
"I imagine it was designed for large parties to reside and enjoy the sea. Together," she said.
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth exchanged glances in an easy companionship so they both understood they were saying much more.
After another half circuit around the garden, which sadly did not offer any flowering plants or greater interest than a gazebo in the middle and a few peddlers, Elizabeth began to worry that she would run out of time to speak to Mr. Darcy about the previous evening.
Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed that Mrs. Annesley and Miss Darcy stopped to admire the wares of a man selling music sheets. She stopped walking and initiated for them to turn around.
"Should we walk back?" she asked, worried for Mr. Darcy's sister.
Mr. Darcy squinted as the sun was now in his eyes, but they were not twenty paces from his sister. He tipped his hat lower to grant him a better view. "No, Mrs. Annesley is with her," he pointed out.
Still, they waited and watched until Georgiana completed her purchase and she held up the rolled piece of paper in triumph to her brother. Elizabeth giggled.
"I have a sister who also loves to procure new songs to play on the pianoforte," she said, thinking of Mary.
Mr. Darcy agreed and turned them back around to continue walking before his sister and companion could catch up.
As though they were of one mind, Elizabeth realized that by the time they finished the next circuit, it was appropriate for them to make their way back to King's Road.
"Mr. Darcy, it was wrong of me to speak so brazenly about our past dealings. I can only say that I believed after what passed between us in Kent, and what I had said, you would despise being in my presence."
"Miss Elizabeth—"
"No," she said, cutting him off, so she could finish the pretty speech she had practiced numerous times in her head. "I see now that my impertinent question about your feelings left you with no choice but to make a polite reply in the moment."
Mr. Darcy waited to see if she would speak more, but as she fell quiet, it was clear that she was finished. He looked down to try to catch her gaze, but she stubbornly refused to look his way. Unable to stop their progress, he diverted their path up one of the spokes leading to the center of the garden to buy himself more time walking with her.
"If you believe my reply to have been politeness, I am glad to hear I have not offended you, as I was in the habit of doing before. But it is I who should be apologizing to you. I spoke more candidly than wise and placed you in an uncomfortable position last evening."
"I was uncomfortable in your presence, but it was not for anything you said or the conduct of your behavior," she explained. But alas, they reached the point of the rounded part of the garden where it was most appropriate to cross over the road again.
Elizabeth managed a smile that he returned, but nothing further could be said as Mrs. Annesley and Miss Darcy were too close for privacy.
"Brother, look, I have a new piece of music to memorize!" Georgiana unrolled the complicated score and Elizabeth complimented her ability to play such a difficult piece.
The party crossed the road and Georgiana finally came out of her shell to talk about music with Elizabeth. She recounted how her brother had said she played at their Aunt's house in Rosings and Elizabeth laughed.
"I should practice more often, but I fear your brother had to listen to my fumbling fingers butcher a country dance."
Georgiana looked at her curiously. "But he said you didn't make a single mistake, your hands never stopped."
Elizabeth smiled and leaned in a conspiratorial fashion to her new friend. "That is my secret. If I play as though that's how the music was written, hardly anyone in the room knows any better," she confessed.
Georgiana appeared shocked, but then her face brightened. "Please, I believe there is an instrument at Marlborough House. If I send an invitation for an afternoon, will you come and play duets with me?"
"Georgiana," her brother interjected, "it is impolite to ask someone to accept your invitation before you send one."
Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't mind at all," she said, then seeing Georgiana's expression of disappointment, she realized the young woman was reading her negative response to be towards her. Quickly, Elizabeth nodded profusely and reinforced her response with words. "It would be my pleasure to spend an afternoon playing music with you, Miss Darcy. Send an invitation whenever it's convenient for you."
They arrived shortly after at Elizabeth's King's Road residence. Instead of walking her in, the butler opened the front door and it was clear the Darcy carriage had waited in the exact same spot since they arrived a little over an hour ago. After Mr. Darcy handed his sister and her companion into the carriage, he lifted his hat to give his regards to the Forsters and farewell to Miss Elizabeth.
Just as she was turning away, he called out.
"Miss Elizabeth, would I have your permission to call on you again?" he asked, suddenly worried he had grossly misunderstood her interest in his presence.
She hesitated, looking up at the butler. "Yes, Mr. Darcy, you may call on me. But please remember that my time may not always be my own here, I am a guest."
Both nodded understanding to one another and the moment Elizabeth stepped into the house, she felt despondent. No matter what her feelings were for Mr. Darcy, there was one clear obstacle in her path and that was Lydia.
Removing her bonnet, she asked the butler if her sister had risen.
"Miss Lydia and Mrs. Forster left half an ago, Miss Bennet," he said, bowing his head to politely dismiss himself.
Hearing men's voices in the Colonel's office, Elizabeth decided against interrupting the man. She hurried upstairs to put away her things and halted the moment she stepped into the room. Reorienting herself by where the sea was, she grinned broadly at the position of the window in her room. It still overlooked the back alley, but it was the same alley she walked with Mr. Darcy to the gardens. And if she imagined none of the buildings in the way, and turned slightly to look out the window at an angle, she could have an unobstructed view of his residence in Brighton, less than a quarter-mile away.