Update ch 18

Elizabeth held onto Mr. Darcy's arm for the short tour of the glass house. He described the details of construction, the time it took to build, and the various uses of the glass house. Nothing was beneath his notice. Elizabeth replied and added her own questions here and there, but for the most part was content to listen to him speak.

Adding the glass house had been his idea, supported and completed by Sir Lewis de Bourgh before his passing. "We wrote quite frequently while I was at Cambridge of our ideas, and on our annual visits, I would explain how glass houses had been used there to enhance their meals though winter. That was when my uncle really decided to give the glass house a chance. The thought of growing healthier food for Miss de Bourgh was a real bonus to him."

"Of course, it would be." Elizabeth gave a short reply. Chastising herself for her short reply, she continued, "Miss de Bourgh has not mentioned the glass house. Does the family still attend to it?"

"Because of the need for heat and moisture for the different plants, the walk is more taxing than Anne can manage most of the time. Her mother believes that tending to plants is the job of servants. Therefore, neither of them visits." He paused to rub his hand over a large-leafed plant. "I am attempting to convince them to expand to build an orangery. I have one at Pemberley, but the cost in the Northern climate is exorbitant to keep it heated in winter. It takes four times the wood used to heat all of Pemberley to keep twenty orange trees alive. If they could grow here, we could put the orangery at Pemberley to a better use and conserve some wood and time."

"So, you are attempting to convince them to aide you in your quest to grow tropical trees. What is their opinion of the matter?"

Mr. Darcy huffed. "Anne does not care either way. My aunt is less than pleased at the expense of building a larger glass house with little benefit. However, there are benefits to planting citrus trees. The smells of the flowers is divine." He paused to take a deep breath of her scent which had been intoxicating him. "The fruit is very healthy. There are many reports of better breathing and focusing from people who regularly eat oranges. My trees make enough oranges to share with the tenants, and many have reported fewer illnesses in winter. I should like to expand to reach more of my tenants, but I do not wish to expand in Derbyshire."

"I suppose Anne could help you," Elizabeth paused to see if he reacted when she mentioned Anne by name. She was tired of saying Miss de Bourgh every time. He had used her name once, so she assumed they were on such intimate terms as family. When she felt safe that he was not concerned, she continued, "If you marry Anne, you would become master of Rosings and not need their opinions."

Mr. Darcy was about to protest vehemently, but he turned to see the laughter in her eyes. She had teased him. His heart soared as he changed his response to a lighthearted, "I would prefer to buy my own property."

Elizabeth laughed, "Oh, to simply buy new property to create a solution that inconveniences no one. That seems very like you." She rolled her eyes.

"I am blessed with the ability to consider such solutions. Purchasing property is less risky than marriage as I can back out or sell out as necessary without hurting anyone."

Elizabeth nodded and turned to observe an interesting plant. He watched and waited patiently for her curiosity to be sated before asking her questions about her father's plans to build a glass house.

"We have had some plans drawn, but the expense is something that we cannot get past. There is no option to purchase only some of the material. It would not be financially feasible at such a small scale, or it would not work with half the walls missing." She paused as they went into a different chamber where Elizabeth had to lean into Mr. Darcy to avoid a tree covered in very thin leaves as soon as she entered. The humidity felt excessive, and she wished they had not entered.

"This is the final chamber. There is a fire in the center with water boiling above it to keep the humidity high. Otherwise, the fire would dry out the plants."

Elizabeth looked around skeptically, wondering which plant was worth the expense of boiling water. Not seeing much of note, she turned back to Mr. Darcy.

"When the bromeliads bloom, it will take your breath away. The colors are so vivid. They are not much to look at the rest of the year." He pointed to the trees which Elizabeth could see were actually dead limbs covered in tiny plants that had been attached to the branches with wire. After she had observed the plants enough, she turned around and Mr. Darcy showed her a wall with many pieces of wood hung along it. It was interesting to see the plants thriving on pieces of wood, and she remarked on it.

"In their natural state, they are found growing on trees in the forest, so they do not like soil."

Elizabeth looked up into one corner and found a blooming orchid with bright yellow blooms hanging. "Oh, my, the flowers come from the roots!" She exclaimed.

"Not exactly, but it appears that way. This room was constructed by my uncle for my mother. She loved orchids, and he wished to show her special blooms whenever she would visit. He bought enough plants that something would almost always be in bloom."

"Your uncle loved his wife's sister?" Elizabeth asked, staring at the yellow blooms, entranced.

"She was always kind to Anne on her visits and was Anne's favorite visitor. Therefore, my uncle did everything he could to ensure my mother loved visiting."

"I cannot imagine that being necessary." Elizabeth said as she turned so that they could leave the room. Their exit was still warm, but the reduced humidity made it much more comfortable.

"It was not, but my uncle loved spending money on anything that would please Anne." He paused and added to himself, especially if it would annoy his wife. He remembered very clearly the unspoken animosity between his aunt and mother.

"What did Lady Catherine say about that? Does she have a favorite room here?"

"She was not pleased, to put it mildly."

Elizabeth laughed, causing him to wish to explain himself further. The colonel told him to trust Elizabeth with his secrets, and he wished to do so. "My mother was originally being courted by Sir Lewis. Their families had arranged the marriage. However, when she met my father, she begged Sir Lewis to release her from the arrangement. He had agreed easily enough, but her family was more difficult. Lord Matlock, her father, was not happy, and it was not until my mother threatened to elope in the night that he relented. Not wishing to lose the connection, he arranged for Sir Lewis to marry Lady Catherine instead. He was not rich enough to refuse, though my mother and aunt are very different people. My uncle respected Lady Catherine but she knew she was not his first choice."

"So, he loved your mother." Elizabeth stated calmly.

"No, I do not believe he ever truly loved her. He needed money to keep Rosings solvent as his father had been a gambler. Sir Lewis had accepted their marriage as inevitable and found her intelligence and beauty pleasing."

"I suppose gentlemen cannot always marry where they please."

"No, they often cannot." Mr. Darcy remembered his previous struggles. "Marriage is often more of a business arrangement to improve either your social status or income. I am relieved to need neither money nor social status from my marriage."

Elizabeth laughed outright, then blushed as she noticed his stricken appearance. "No, I cannot imagine you wish to be more sociable than you are now," she said slyly.

Mr. Darcy relaxed a little from her reply. She was not precisely laughing at him. "I do not try to be unsociable," he defended.

Sobered by the realization that she had hurt his feelings, Elizabeth leaned into his arm as they exited the final room of the glass house. "Of course, you do not," she agreed, though not entirely believing him.

Mr. Darcy turned them away from the front of the house. He did not wish to end their conversation on this note, and he had no desire to allow others to hear them. Instead, he moved them to the billiard room, being careful to keep the doors open for propriety.

Elizabeth, wondering what his motive could be, gave him time to gather his thoughts.

"I was wrong to be so unsociable in Hertfordshire. I see that now. Your family and friends are deserving of my respect and attention." He leaned over a chair to gather his thoughts. He knew if he looked at her, he would see her annoyance. "There is no excuse, but I should like to explain myself, if I may."

Elizabeth nodded before she realized he could not see her and replied that he should continue.

"My parents were wonderful people, and they loved each other very much. They taught me to be proud of our family. As the most prominent family in the neighborhood, they encouraged me to think well of our station and situation in life. As the grandson of an earl and coming from a family with plenty of money, there were few above me in rank. I lost my mother very early, before I could benefit from her guidance on how to behave in society. My father was more reclusive and rarely went out in public, especially after my mother died. He showed me how to be a good landlord and manage Pemberley. He remained at Pemberley while my uncle, the new Earl of Matlock, helped me enter society when I finished school. I have heard my wealth and position bandied about for years.

"It grew worse when my father died. I wished to hide at Pemberley, but my uncle would not allow it. With no parents, my eligibility increased. No one even cared about what I had lost, only what they would gain. Only Richard and Georgie would mourn with me."

He paused and hunched over the chair again. Elizabeth watched silently as the pain of loss overcame him. She wished to comfort him but knew not how, so she stood there silently and gave him time to recover. Eventually, he moved to the window and looked out, master enough of himself to continue.

"My uncle only allowed me one year to mourn my father before he insisted it was time for me to continue in society. I grew to hate it. I refused to dance unless my aunt, Lady Matlock, insisted I dance. I never spoke during the dance after the first time I tried to compliment a woman's dress and she left announcing that we were courting. Lady Matlock set her right for me, but I was determined not to make that mistake again. My only comfort was that I made a few good friends, Mr. Bingley one of them, who made these appearances bearable. I was so sought after that I suppose it went to my head. My pride went unchecked.

"When the season ended, I gratefully returned to Pemberley, inviting only Richard, Bingley, and a few others whose company I enjoyed. They did not see me as my income. They overlooked my temper and preference for solitude and reminded me that I could be happy with the right people. They continue now to support me in this fashion."

He turned to look at Elizabeth, who was eyeing him thoughtfully. She did not appear angry or sad, though there was a small tear on her cheek. Moving closer to her, he offered her a handkerchief to wipe her tear. "It was some time ago. I have come to terms with my grief. Apparently, I still need to come to terms with my arrogance and conceit."

Elizabeth smiled as though she thought of a way to tease him, but she stayed silent, sensing that he had more to say.

"In August, my world was upturned in the worst method possible. Despite not being out, as she was only fifteen, my sister, Georgiana, met many women at school who wished to use her to bring up their social position. Women like Miss Bingley, who care for no one apart from themselves. She was particularly upset after a meeting with her so-called friends, so her hired companion convinced me to rent a house for them in Ramsgate. The air did my sister good, and she wrote to me of her rejuvenated spirits, but we were deceived by her hired companion."

Feeling overcome, he returned to the window and stared out as he attempted to regulate his emotions. His poor sister. "Georgie met someone in Ramsgate, and Mrs. Younge encouraged their romantic connection."

Elizabeth gasped as she realized what he was about to reveal. "But she is so young!" She exclaimed.

"And naïve, as she had the example of love from our father during her most impressionable years." He paused as he took a deep breath to prepare for his biggest confession. He had never spoken of this to anyone other than Richard. In disgust, his breath rushed out as he hurriedly explained, "Wickham knew exactly what to tell her to make her love him. He convinced her that they were in love and only my pride stood in their way. He told her that I would not allow her to marry the son of a steward, despite how much my father loved him and treated him as an equal. He had convinced her to elope with him." He laughed in disgust before he turned to see how Elizabeth bore the news. To his surprise, she stood beside him, clutching her handkerchief to her eyes as tears flowed freely.

"She is too young. Tell me you saved her," she squeaked out.

He wished to hold her close, but he satisfied himself only by relieving her distress by finishing the story. "I came upon them the day before they intended to elope. She told me everything, and I acted accordingly. He was given enough money to keep him quiet and leave us alone. Mrs. Younge was dismissed without reference."

Elizabeth nodded and took a deep breath. She remembered Colonel Fitzwilliam's explanation. "She will recover. She has a good brother and cousin who will protect her and see to her care, even if she is dejected and unsure of herself." He looked at her quizzically, so she explained what Colonel Fitzwilliam had told her.

"Ah," he replied as he turned to stare out the window.

After a few minutes of silence, Elizabeth pushed his handkerchief into his hand which had been hanging limply at his side. When he turned to face her again, she said, "I assume your sister was feeling stifled by your constant company. There is nothing worse when you make a mistake and must live with the one who fixed it for you, and you feel you must make amends every day to be worthy of their company. Did she urge you to accept Mr. Bingley's invitation to Netherfield?"

Mr. Darcy nodded. How had she read his sister better than he had when he was the one living with her? His surprise must have shown on his face, for she continued, "I have four sisters. While we are all different, some feelings never change. So, you arrived at Netherfield in time for the assembly and had no choice but to attend despite feeling completely lacking in your ability to care for your sister. And within minutes your wealth and circumstances were bandied about. You must have been miserable and wanted nothing to do with us."

Elizabeth would have continued, but a noise in the hall alerted them to the fact that they had been alone for some time. Blushing, Elizabeth stated, "Miss de Bourgh shall be ready soon. I should go."

Mr. Darcy could only nod to her. The feeling of elation that she had understood him flowed through his chest and warmed his fingers and toes as nothing had before. He was more certain than ever that marrying Elizabeth, if he could manage to garner her love, would be the best thing that could happen to him. Five minutes later, his valet found him still in the same room and gave him his outerwear so that he was ready to escort the ladies shopping.

AN: Next chapter should be up soon, as it is already written and only needs edited. Thanks for the many reviews to the last chapter. You really got my fingers typing.