A week had gone by and Bingley had left for Scotland. Their dinner on New Year Eve had gone remarkably well, probably because Miss Bingley had been sent ahead to their uncle's by her brother.
As it was, he was fidgeting with his cup of tea in front of a bemused Mr Gardiner, in the latter's office at Gardiner Emporium in Cheapside. Darcy had just invested an important sum in the man's next importation. He had heard of it in Elizabeth's last letter which came only a day ago. The lady herself had invested quite a lot, and had offered sound arguments and quite some researches on the goods that would be brought from the journey. She hadn't even been trying to convince him to invest, but only shared her joy on what she believed to be a fruitful affair.
To say Mr Gardiner had been surprised to greet him at his office door upon opening was the understatement of the year if anything. Darcy had quickly been offered a sit and a cup of tea. He had offered little information on how he had heard of the tradesman's coming adventure, but Mr Gardiner used to the eccentricity of the ton had accepted to dive straight into it without much explication.
Again Darcy was showed how wrong he had been to look down upon Elizabeth Bennet for her uncle was an amiable, polite and intelligent man with both conversation and manners. He had enjoyed talking to the man and had even asked to be informed of his next trips.
"I have to be honest Mr Darcy, I have already heard from you."
"Oh ?" He answered hiding a wince by taking a sip.
« I mean you are a famous man here in London, but I heard of you from close relatives, » he chuckled tidying up the papers spread on his desk. « My sister is married to a gentleman from Hertfordshire, they own Longbourn, does it sound familiar ? »
«It does, » he said meeting the man amused gaze straight on. He knew. He had heard of his horrid behavior and bad manners. « I had the pleasure of enjoying the Bennet's company. »
The silence stretched between them as the older man contemplated him. After a few minutes, he couldn't take it anymore and hurriedly took his leave. It was still early and he wasn't eager to go back to his paperwork, moreover his affairs were going particularly well since his correspondance with Elizabeth. They exchanged thoughts and advices, and every time her wisdom amazed him. When he thought back on the time when he had believed her lack of dowry to be an issue, he felt like hitting himself, for she had already, just through word of advice, helped him gain the same amount as his sister's own dowry. Now he really didn't want to go back to his lonely office. Georgie was busy with their aunt today and he didn't feel like being alone. Mind made up, he went toward the gentlemen club he was a member of.
It felt weird to come back without Bingley. Of course, he knew most of the other members, and even used to consider some his friends, but he had slowly grown apart from almost everyone as he spent less and less time in London society.
One of said old friend was sitting at the bar sipping a cup of tea while reading newspaper. The Duke of Everlone was a handsome, wealthy, nice and smart fellow who had been a friendly acquaintance of his up until two years ago. They were of the same age and had gone to school together. They weren't as close as he and Bingley, but he was a good fellow with whom he had shared many good memories. The Duke also known as Lord Eric Grath used to be very popular, but he was shunned out after wedding a woman from a far lower class. He had disappointed many women from equal and higher standing by choosing the daughter of a bookshop owner. Darcy himself had taken his distance after such a disgrace, or rather what he used to consider a disgrace. Now looking at the man sitting on his own, coming to the club way too early in the morning to avoid the sight of his peers, Darcy felt ashamed of his behavior. How wrong he used to be, how conceited and shallow.
« Good morning my lord, » he greeted unsure of himself. It had been a long time since they spoke to each other.
« Good morning, » the duke answered, eyes wide in shock at being addressed. He may have been titled and nowhere near poor, though his own wealth was lesser than the Darcy's, but people poorer and richer than him have grown used to ignoring him since his marriage.
« How are you ? » Darcy said awkwardly nodding at the boy behind the bar for a cup of tea.
« Do you need something ? » he asked after pondering for a moment.
« Excuse me ? » Darcy asked surprised by the forwardness.
« Darcy, we used to be good enough friends for me to be direct. You haven't sought me out for nearly two years, what is it ? »
He wanted to feel angry, insulted even. He wanted to take back his greetings and go away with his shame, but he couldn't. He wasn't that man anymore. A man worthy of Elizabeth would acknowledge his wrongdoings and apologize.
« I apologize for my behavior. It was unfair of me to cut ties because of my imaginary superiority to your wife, » he said honestly looking straight into the duke's eyes, absorbing the shock and disbelief.
« Are you dying ? » he asked most seriously.
« No, » Darcy chuckled taking a sip of his steaming tea.
« The Darcy I know has layers upon layers of pride on his skin, he would never apologize, and even less in that way ! »
« I met someone who made me see the errors of my way, » he mumbled black as an answer.
« Ahh ! It is a woman then, » the duke smiled, fully turning to his former friend. « Am I to congratulate you ? »
He didn't know why, but suddenly he felt the need to be honest to his friend, well who he hoped to become friend with again. Darcy had been too much of a coward to marry a landed gentleman's daughter, whereas the duke had the courage to turn his back on the whole ton for the hand of a working class woman. He envied and admired him now.
« I ruined it before it even started, » he smiled self-deprecatingly.
And just like that, their old camaraderie was rekindled. They spent the rest of the morning and a good part of the afternoon catching up, both happy for the other's success and disheartened by the other's failures. When the club started filling, the duke looked nervous, he looked at Darcy as if the second someone caught them together, he would run away from him to avoid being tainted by association. But after seeing how natural Darcy stayed, how he proudly met the disbelieving stares, he calmed down. By the end of their meeting, they both felt lighter.