Chapter 9
"Patience man," Col. Fitzwilliam admonished Darcy as the two man sat atop their horses looking out toward Longbourn.
"Elizabeth should be here by now," Darcy said grimly. "She always walks at this time."
"And she usually does not have her sister accompanying her," Col. Fitzwilliam pointed out. "When I suggested to Miss Bennet while we were watching you two in the garden after dinner that she join her sister for her morning walks to watch over her, she told me she was not as great of a walker as Lizzy."
"You invited Miss Bennet to meet with us?" Darcy said with a frown.
"No. I merely suggested that her sister would enjoy her company and she could provide whatever protection or guidance she thought her sister might need as she wandered alone and unchaproned. Miss Bennet eventually took my meaning and told me she would be accompanying her sister on her walks from this morning onward. The look she gave me, I felt quite chastised. I assured her that since Elizabeth walked frequently and you rode every morning it just seemed a wise precaution incase anyone else was out and that I expected to join you on your morning rides. She of course did not buy it and was perfectly aware that you were attempting to accidentally meet up with her sister."
Darcy let out a hearty laugh and said, "Once Bingley returns we shall be come quite the merry walking party. I do believe you have just hit upon a new method to get Bingley up at a more reasonable hour."
"I daresay," Col. Fitzwilliam said dryly.
Before Darcy could respond though he caught sight of Elizabeth and Jane. "Elizabeth," he breathed softly.
"Miss Bennet! Lizzy! Well met!" exclaimed Col. Fitzwilliam has he hailed them once they were within calling distance.
"Mr. Darcy, Col. Fitzwilliam," Elizabeth exclaimed impishly as they drew closer. "You are still in the region after last night?"
"It would be impossible for me to leave the region until I have what I seek," Darcy declared boldly.
"And what do you seek good sir?" Elizabeth asked playfully raising her eyebrow at him.
"My heart and happiness," he said with a smile lurking around his mouth.
"I am no medical expert, but does not your heart reside inside your chest? And do not some of the philosophers say we may make our own happiness?" Elizabeth responded archly.
"Alas my heart does not reside within me. Perhaps if I were to describe it to you, you could tell me if you have seen it?"
"Describe away," Elizabeth said gaily.
"It stands about this tall," he said indicating with his hand Elizabeth's heigth. "It has uncommonly intelligent sparkling green orbs, dark choclate curls and a penchant for the outdoors. I have even heard it called a great walker. Have you seen my heart this morning? I assure you, I am bereft without it next to me."
"Oh," Elizabeth said blushing.
"Will you allow me to walk with you this morning, Miss Elizabeth," Darcy asked her softly.
"I should like that very much," Elizabeth responded just as softly.
With Elizabeth lightly grasping his arm, the two walked and talked as Jane and Col. Fitzwilliam trailed them. Darcy wished to cover her hand that rested on his arm with his own but was occupied holding his horse's reins and leading him. Tommorow, he decided, he would walk rather than ride so he could enjoy the feel of her hand on his arm and under his own.
…
Darcy glared at the clock. If his own timepiece had not reflected the same time as it, he would have considered it to be obviously broken. As it was, the clock moved slower each time he consulted it, it seemed. The socially acceptable calling hour was still not upon them. He drummed his fingers on his leg, as he willed the clock to move faster. Elizabeth had allowed him to walk with her this morning, but it had only whetted his desire to spend more time with her further. He was committed to his cause and wanted to make it clear that he intended to court her with the dedication and devotion she deserved.
As pleasant as her company was this morning, he had sensed her doubt. Doubt that he was serious in his intentions. When she had refered to herself as an anomaly he was momentarily amused by because her lack of deference to him, he had wanted to grasp her delicate shoulders in his hands and explain to her with explicit actions that she was not a momentary amusement and show her just how he wished to worship her. He was a gentleman though and he had no intention of kissing her into submission, as appealing as the thought was. He was relatively certain even his stubborn, adorable, confused Elizabeth could not misunderstand his feelings if he did so. He was experienced to recognize what he felt for her was not simple lust and was confident that even with her lack of experience she would not be able to miss the tender adoration, reverence and love that lived within him for her and her alone.
His cousin had advised showing his consistency and if the blasted clock would move along, he would head to Loungbourn and do just that, he thought with irritation. A noise from the hall had him swiveling his head to see cousin.
"Darcy!" Col. Fitzwilliam said with a chuckle. "If you glare any harder at that clock, you may owe Bingley a new one. I am surprised you haven't broken it with your impatience."
"I am not impatient," Darcy started to say but caught himself and said, "Now that I have determined what I wish my future to be, I am eager to begin making strides toward achieving it."
"I believe you began making those strides yesterday."
"Elizabeth, I can tell, doubts my affection. I need to show her that my heart beats for her alone. That nothing her family may do can change that. I cannot do that from this infernal place. I can only do that at her home, where she is," Darcy said with a scowl.
"Are we certain Lizzy will be home?" Col. Fitzwilliam asked.
"Where the deuce else would she be?" Darcy asked in exasperation. "This morning she made no mention of going out when I mentioned calling at Longbourn today. She said we would be welcome."
"Her mother wishes to throw Miss Lydia at you and sees Miss Elizabeth's presence as hampering that. Do the math, Darcy. Mrs. Bennet will be anticipating our call. Do you think she will have your Elizabeth waiting demurly in the parlor for you? Or do you think she will send her off on an errand? And endeavor to have Miss Lydia entertain you instead in an attempt to garner your attention? And she will likely spread it around the neighborhood you are calling on her youngest daughter."
Rising Darcy strode toward the dooway and called over his shoulder to his cousin, "Luckily I have an idea of how to counter such measures."
"What is that?" Col. Fitzwilliam asked curiously after Darcy requested their horses be called for.
"Sir Wiilliam Lucas," Darcy stated grimly. "And Lucas Lodge."
"Where Aunt Catherine's clergy removed to?" Col. Fitzwilliam asked.
"Can you not see the vindictive Mrs. Bennet punishing Elizabeth by forcing her to appear at Lucas Lodge where her scorned suitor is?"
After considering it, Col. Fitzwilliam exclaimed in disgust,"How mortifying for Lizzy! Does the woman expect that Collins will think she has come begging for his attentions and renew his suit? Or that Lizzy could possibly be prevailed upon to accept him? Or does she just wish her daughter to be mortified to please her own warped senses?"
"At this point I am willing to believe anything of Mrs. Bennet. Which is why we are for Lucas Lodge. I intend to retrieve my Elizabeth and escort her home making my preference for her clear at Lucas Lodge and Longbourn. With any luck we will come across Elizabeth before she arrives at Lucas Lodge and we can afford her our protection. Lady Lucas and her husband can set tongues awagging with a contradiction to Mrs. Bemnet's proposed narrative."
"And the neighborhood will rush to offer entertainments in hopes to gauge if either gossip is correct?" Col. Fitzwilliam said quirking an eyebrow. "Allowing you the opportunity to show Miss Elizabeth publicly that you are committed to your course, even has her mother and youngest sister engage in vulgar behavior."
"In for a penny, in for a pound," Darcy said grimly. "When I do not turn tail and run when her mother and youngest sister act at their worst in front of the whole neighborhood, she will realize I am in earnest."
"Extreme measures."
"Extreme circumstances," Darcy countered. "I would rather avoid allowing her family to expose her to further humiliation, but I do not know how else to make her see that I have no intention of running. That I am in earnest. That I love her truly to the exclusion of all else. Besides, I see no way to avoid their further humiliation of her, no matter what my actions with her mother and youngest set on such a ridiculous course."
"It is a bold strategy," Col. Fitzwilliam observed.
"Fortune favors the bold," Darcy said grimly as he pulled himself into his saddle.
"Hopefully it does not favor Miss Lydia and Mrs. Bennet," Col. Fitzwilliam commented as he pulled himself into his saddle. "They are certainly bold enough."
…
Darcy grimaced, when he saw Elizabeth's flushed face as her cousin appeared to be lecturing her when him and his cousin were admitted to the Lodge's sitting room. As the parson's words penetrated his ears, he felt his whole body stiffen. Without further thought he burst out, "How dare you! How dare you speak to Miss Elizabeth in such a manor! Need I remind you of the consequences of you not treating all your cousins in a respectful manner! Miss Elizabeth has no need of your condemnation. Get out! Get out now!" Darcy finished with a roar as he strode across the room.
"I suggest you listen to Mr. Darcy," Charlotte said cooly. "The aspirations you have cast on Eliza's character are untrue and unwelcome here."
When Darcy heard Collins tell his Elizabeth that after spurning his own generous offer a headstong girl like herself could expect no more than to come to a bad end and that he was not surprised she had realized her grieviour error but men only had one use for a female of her disposition and as a virtuous man she could not tempt him, he had lost his temper.
His cousin's face was also angry. Col. Fitzwilliam took a menacing step toward the suddenly white faced parson after Darcy's outburst, as Darcy planted himself between Elizabeth and Collins, his back to the man. Col. Fitzwilliam grabbed Collins and began to bodily haul him out while Darcy asked Elizabeth in a tight controlled tone, "Are you okay?" searching her face for signs of distress and stealing himself against the urge to gather her protectively in his arms. Elizabeth gave a shaky nod in response. Her cousin's vitriolic had been extensive and his accusations had left her shaken. She had assumed him to be a ridiculous man, but the maliciousness in his verbal assault had shocked her as he denounced her morals and claimed she was a loose woman to the audience that watched his overly theatrical performance thunder struck. There had been a brief moment before Darcy's intervention that she had feared the vengeful man would strike her. As he had towered over her she had for the first time felt physically vulnerable.
Darcy tentatively held out his arm to Elizabeth and when she quickly grasped it, his body surged with elation. He covered her delicate hand with his own and noticed how her small hand trembled slightly.
"Eliza, Mr. Darcy," Charlotte said smoothly stepping forward. "I think some fresh air would do us all some good." With a nod to her mother, sister and the Longs she lead them outdoors, avoiding the direction the colonel had dragged the hapless parson. "My father will not suffer Mr. Collins presence to remain after this Eliza. You are to dear to him for him not to act," Charlotte promised.
"I thought he would strike me," Elizabeth confessed softly, her voice uncharacteristically timid.
Darcy's features, if possible, hardened even further at her admission and headless of Charlotte's prescence he gathered her closer to him, pulling the arm she held tight against his torso, leaning down, mummering that he would never allow anyone to harm her. As Elizabeth calmed down, he reluctantly stepped away to a more proper distance. Charlotte though chose to say nothing about his near embrace of Elizabeth. She had long suspected that Darcy admired her close friend and after the last few minutes she confirmed in her own view that his admiration had grown to an abiding love. She was pleased to note how absolutely at ease Elizabeth appeared to be as he soothed her. She was positive that Elizabeth had not realized how at ease his presence made her but she had instinctively turned toward Darcy when she was distressed.
"You have now stepped in thrice for me, sir. I do believe there is a message there," Elizabeth said archly.
"And that would be?"
"That I am quite a bit of trouble," Elizabeth said with levity, "or that you truly are not as bad as your previous manners indicated," she finished softly.
"It would appear I have had much to atone for. Perhaps the fates have decided to give me ample opportunity to redeem myself, though I would rather you not be made to suffer while they do so. But I will never again sit back and allow another to disparge you."
Again?" Elizabeth asked latching onto the relevant word. Charlotte recognizing the need for the two to have a private exchange stepped away queitly to allow them to speak openly.
"I preformed rather poorly in public and in private previously. I am ashamed to admit that Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst spoke poorly of you in my hearing and I said nothing to defend you," Darcy admitted.
"Did you join in their critique?" Elizabeth asked him.
"I wish to God I could say no, but I abhor deception. The ironic part is that I now realize that I was attempting to deceive myself every time I did so, much like I did that night at the assembly. I am truly sorry. I regret every harsh word I ever spoke."
"So you where looking at me to find fault. I knew it," Elizabeth said triumphantly taking perverse satisfaction to know that she was not entirely wrong in her perception.
"I may have intended to convince myself you were not as enchanting as my soul had assured me you were, but with each glance I admired you more. I was a fool and fought against it, but I hope to convince you of my regard. My soul felt instantly connected to you and in my pride, my arrogance I acted like a brute. I want to earn your forgiveness and your good opinion," Darcy said softly. Silently he added that he wanted to earn her heart and all that went with it.
Taking a deep breath Elizabeth said, "If you wanted to dissuade yourself from an instant connection you clearly went about it the wrong way sir. A much more effective method would have been to take undue umbrage at a small insult, one that some may say is not an insult but a fact. I am not as pretty as Jane, I have known this all my life. I should not have allowed it to insult me so. If you looked for success I can assure you that you had ample success dissuading me from considering the connection I had felt to you the moment I saw you until yesterday. So it would appear your strategy was very effective at least for one of us. After your harsh words I was determined to not see any good in you and to regard you as my nemesis."
"Elizabeth," Darcy said hoarsely.
Ignoring his entreaty she continued, "I assumed you leveled a constant barrage of insults at me and I can now admit that that belief has caused me to labor under a burden I did not comprhend. I usually would have managed to find the amusement in Mr. Collins today, but frankly I had no reserves left to do so, from dealing with the fracas at home from is er offer, the revelation of what a fool I was yesterday morning and then my mother last night, on top of what I now realize was emotional stress that had been building since the assembly. When you came into the neighborhood my family went from being an amusing embarrassment at times to an all out humiliation all the time. I can admit that I fought what I felt for you as well, insulting you to any who would listen. Neither of us have acted in an exemplary manner. I suggest that we put the unpleasantness off the past behind us and use the present to explore the connection between us to decide if we would suit."
"I am in agreement, Miss Elizabeth," Darcy said, drawing closer then was proper. "I now know exactly where my heart lies. You have not said it outright but I know you believe that your family's manners will cause me to retreat."
"What sane man wouldn't give pause when confronted with them?" Elizabeth scoffed. "What intelligent man would not run? A handsome man in possession of his own estate, with more consequence and wealth then my family can even imagine, with a superior education, that can likely have his pick of ladies from the ton? By reason you should not even have given any of us, beyond Jane, a second glance."
"As a gentleman of the ton, experienced in the world, with an estate of my own, and a claim to sense and education, I should have been able to recognize the gem I had unwittingly found. An intelligent, compassionate, stunning, playful young lady who captured my heart with a single look. I, who had found every woman previously wanting because they lacked your attributes, was to absorbed in myself to act as I should have. A second glance madame? It should have only taken a single glance for me to recognize you as what I had been searching for. I am a gentleman of sense and education with experience in the world and now that I have finally found you I have no intention of being driven away by anything or anyone, other then if you expressed a true heartfelt desire to never lay eyes on me and then I would retreat and pray for a sign from you that you would allow my return to your side, where I belong."
"My family," Elizabeth began to say.
"Let us make our way to your mother's drawing room. Test my resolve. I have no wish to give you pain but-"
"My mother will be at her worst with you in her sights for Lydia," Elizabeth said knowingly.
"She has the wrong daughter in her sights. It is you, her most beautiful, intelligent, compassionate daughter I want as my partner in life."
"Mama has sent me to request a recipe from Lady Lucas, in an attempt to insure I was not home when you called on Lydia today, " Elizabeth said mischievously.
"Richard suggested as much this morning, so I determined you would likely be here at your mother's insistence. And if I was wrong I intended to search you out until I found you before offering my escort to Longbourn. Would you allow me to escort you home?"
"Mama and Lydia will not be dissuaded that easily. They will conclude that I coerced you into escorting me, taking advantage of your desire to be in Lydia's company," Elizabeth said with a laugh as she gave his arm a reassuring squeeze.
"I believe you can leave disabusing them of that notion to me," Darcy said dryly.
"Let us take our leave of the Lucas's," Elizabeth said.
...
With Charlotte, Mariah who intended to walk to Meryton to make calls, and Col. Fitzwilliam accompanying Darcy and Elizabeth, the group set off in the direction of Longbourn after spending a quarter hour in the Lucas drawing room, plenty of time for those present to conclude that Darcy's defense of Elizabeth was far more than a man acting as a gentleman should and defending a local favorite from an interloper's unsubstantiated insults and potential physical local populous had been content to hold Darcy in contempt for his manners and his previous insult to Elizabeth, but his staunch defense of her had them quickly changing their opinions. The ruckus had garnered Sir William's attention when a servant had come to him terrified that the parson intended to physically assult Elizabeth, a well liked and respected young lady. In his drawing room he had discovered the ladies in an uproar about the parson's behavior and he had lost no time in demanding Collins removal from his property. Lady Lucas was in complete agreement with her daughter and husband, no man that acted in such an unstable way was a suitable prospect for a husband. Sir William, the usually jovial man, reminded all just why he had been a successful tradesman that had never been cheated as he personally saw to Collins' removal.
