Hi all. I am back!
Thank you for your continued readership. Many thanks to the lovely people who took the time to leave reviews (really, really, really appreciated):
A couple of guests, loritahubbard, S, ArnettinCA, Levenez, pemsnowy, eelarahs, Gaeilge, Kiwipride, Jansfamily4, ChrisM0519, Gedoena, Maria Teresa C, PDS1, Motherof8, lpinney, Deanna27, more guests, Melodie MLB, Colleen S, Shelby66, mahtra, Ali, liefje27
I have not had time to read this chapter through after writing so I apologise in advance for any mistakes. I will edit soon.
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To everyone's relief, the downpour of the last few days finally ceased. The villagers were all eager to resume their regular activities. Bingley rose earlier than usual, but was surprised to find that Darcy was already in the breakfast parlour.
"I see that you are keen to start the day," Bingley greeted his friend.
"I am," was all Darcy could say. The gentleman smiled as he filled his plate, very much looking forward to be able to leave the confines of the house and call at Longbourn. Well, to see Elizabeth. Being in her presence was infinitely better than imagining her vibrant eyes and her impish smirks, and puzzling over how many adorable freckles she had on either side of her face. Before his mind turned into more… romantic and less… gentlemanly thoughts, which occasionally happened when he admired her pleasing figure, he shook his head and tried to focus on the food offered on the buffet. Hot rolls, sausages, eggs…how would her hair feel to the touch... luscious curls, no, cakes, coffee!
"I am going around to inspect the estate and visit some tenants this morning, Darce. I must see if there is any damage or if the tenants require any assistance after the heavy rains. I hope you will accompany me," said Bingley.
"Are you not intending to call upon your lady, Bingley? It has been a few days since you saw her smiles," Darcy asked, internally wondering why Bingley chose this time to be a responsible master.
"Of course, I am, but we can head to Longbourn after we do our rounds. It is still too early for morning calls," Bingley declared. Ever since he had secured a courtship with his angel Jane, he felt more determination to become a diligent master and become a man worthy of her hand. If he was fortunate to gain her acceptance, it would make for a good start of their life together to have his estate affairs managed well.
Noticing that his friend did not appear too enthusiastic about his suggestion, Bingley added, "Do not worry, I will not take up your entire day, Darce. You should have plenty of time to see your Elizabeth."
"She is not my… Elizabeth," he quietly replied. How he loved saying her name so informally. If only he could claim she was his Elizabeth.
"Perhaps not yet. But I tell you, Darce, the way she behaves with you has changed. She may not have welcomed your suit ten days ago, but I really think she regards you with more respect now. Surely, she has discovered that you are an honourable man after all this business with Wickham. I would even hazard to say that she admires you," Bingley said encouragingly.
"How do you know?" Darcy wanted to be assured.
"In the early days of your acquaintance, she hardly glanced at you. And when she did, it was like she was studying your character with a critical eye. Unlike the ladies of the ton who openly fawned over you. But now, she observes you with a certain softness in her expression, and she does this when you are not looking. I once caught her after she hurriedly tore her eyes off you, and she blushed and bowed her head," Bingley explained.
Without shame, Darcy beamed like a little boy who had been rewarded with an extra helping of pudding.
"Hurry up with your breakfast, Bingley. The sooner we finish inspecting the estate, the more quickly we can get to Longbourn," Darcy said as he consumed his food voraciously.
"Be careful not to choke, Darce." Bingley watched his friend with amusement. "How about the colonel? Are we not waiting for him?"
"He can fend for himself. He will be more than happy to help Hurst devour the cakes."
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Elizabeth had always been an early riser, and today was no different. After peering through the curtains in her bedroom, she was relieved to see that it was brighter and drier than the past few days.
I wonder if Mr Darcy is going to call today. I hope he really does not hold any grudge against me or my family.
Sensing her sister's nerves, Jane took greater care in styling Elizabeth's hair.
"You look lovely, Lizzy. Mr Darcy will not be able to stop staring at you," Jane said. "He will fall even more in love with you."
"Jane…" Elizabeth started to reply.
"No, do not even think of protesting, Lizzy. Anyone can see that he cares for you. I think he is just being very cautious, given that you did not welcome his suit before. No man would want to be rejected twice. Perhaps you may give him a little bit of encouragement," Jane advised.
"Oh no, I cannot do that, Jane. He would think less of me for being too forward," Elizabeth answered.
"You do not need to do anything drastic. Maybe smile at him when he looks at you. Or talk about something other than books and Mr Wickham. Ask him about his sister," Jane suggested before they went downstairs.
During breakfast, Mary asked their father if he intended to inspect the estate and enquire after the tenants. With some hesitation, he responded in the affirmative. To everyone's surprise, Mary then asked if she could join him, explaining that she wanted to learn more about managing Longbourn.
The hours passed by and there was still no sign of Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy. Before long, Lydia proposed that she and her sister Elizabeth go into Meryton to buy the items they needed for Mary's wedding presents. Elizabeth reluctantly agreed, losing hope that Mr Darcy would come today.
Eventually, the men made their appearance, apologising for the lateness of their call. Mrs Bennet dismissed their speeches and stated that they were welcome anytime. Mr Bingley naturally sat next to Jane, while Mr Darcy wondered where Elizabeth could be.
"Mr Darcy, Lizzy has gone shopping with Lydia. You just missed them. She had been looking out the window all day," Mrs Bennet intimated, noticing that the gentleman was inattentive. "Do not worry, sir. We will all be at church tomorrow morning. You can see her then," she said with a sympathetic smile. She needed to meet with Cook immediately to purchase fine cuts of meat, plan menus to please sophisticated palates, and prepare delectable condiments and jams.
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As he was nearing Netherfield, Mr Darcy was almost tempted to wander into the shops in Meryton just to catch a glimpse of Elizabeth. Before he could broach this subject to his friend, he slowed down his horse as he studied the carriage outside the front steps of the property. Bingley rode ahead of him and reached Netherfield first.
"At long last! You have returned!" Colonel Fitzwilliam greeted his cousin.
"Why is the Matlock carriage here? Is there an emergency?" Darcy worried.
"Do not be alarmed, cousin. We have more of our family here, thanks to Bingley's hospitality," the colonel hinted, nodding to Bingley who grinned widely.
"Who--" Darcy was then interrupted by the sound of the door to the parlour bursting open. An exuberant Georgiana ran towards him, while his aunt Eleanor followed at a slower pace.
"I have missed you, brother," Georgiana said as she gradually released her hold of him.
"I have missed you more, Georgiana. I cannot believe you are here! And aunt! What brings the two of you here?" Darcy was still somewhat shocked.
"We thought it might be a good idea to visit the country, and perhaps meet some of your friends," the countess said meaningfully.
Darcy turned to Georgiana, unsure of what she knew.
"When will you introduce us, Fitzwilliam?" asked his sister.
Darcy then glared at Richard, who merely shrugged his shoulders.
"I cannot wait to meet her. Richard has already told us so much about Miss Elizabeth Bennet. She sounds so delightful. Is there a chance we can visit her today? Please?" Georgiana pleaded.
"Georgiana, it may be too late to call now. They might think we are seeking an invitation to dinner. We should wait for a more appropriate time," the countess said.
"Mrs Bennet said that they will be attending church in the morning. She is a generous hostess and could possibly invite us for refreshments after the service. However, she has obviously no idea that there are more people in our party," Darcy replied.
"Tomorrow it is then. I am so excited to make her acquaintance!" Georgiana could hardly contain her glee.
"I am not sure what Richard has told you, but--" Darcy started to explain.
"Oh, he has told us so many wonderful things about Miss Elizabeth. I really feel like she is going to be the best --"
"Georgiana, I think your brother may want to freshen up first. We can talk more later," the countess remarked.
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Due to the presence of the Hursts, Darcy and his relations refrained from discussing Elizabeth during dinner. Fortunately, the Hursts expressed a desire to retire early. Soon after, Bingley also excused himself to afford them some privacy.
"Brother, please tell me everything! Are you going her to ask for a courtship soon?"
Darcy took a deep breath, preparing himself for a long conversation. "Georgiana, it is not as simple as you may think. Miss Elizabeth is indeed a delightful young lady, but she is formidable. She conducts herself as a gentlewoman does, but she is fierce, loyal, passionate and principled. I have never met another woman who possesses such a unique combination of natural beauty, inner strength, and quick wit. She is spirited and full of compassion."
"In short, Georgiana, Miss Elizabeth is not going to put up with nonsense. She is not going to accept your brother just because he is rich and handsome. She could not care less if he owns half of Derbyshire, and could easily secure her future," Richard explained, making Darcy wince at hearing his honest but harsh words.
"Oh? But my brother has many other admirable qualities. She would not find him lacking. What else could she want?" Georgiana defended her brother.
"I am afraid I have made a huge blunder even before we were introduced. I insulted her quite openly and loudly in a public assembly…" Darcy admitted, then recounted his history with Elizabeth to his younger sibling.
"But you said you have cleared up your misunderstandings and she has forgiven you, right?" Georgiana said in a hopeful tone.
"Yes. She is quite civil, even friendly to me now. But just ten days ago, to tell the truth, she almost despised me. I do not think it is reasonable to expect her sentiments to reverse in so short a time. I would rather take my time and be more secure in her reception, than to rush in and make another enormous error in judgement. Another miscalculation may prove to be insurmountable," Darcy replied.
"I think you need not be overcautious. She may think you have no interest in her and view you as only an unremarkable acquaintance. You probably know what she values and enjoys doing. Use that knowledge to gain her favour," his aunt wisely advised.
"Oh, brother! In your letters, you wrote that she likes reading, walking, intellectual discussions, and music. She sings and plays. Find ways to spend time with her and engage in activities that she likes. She will appreciate that and recognise that you have some things in common," Georgiana added.
"And do not rile her up. Bingley says you always argued with her when she stayed here to tend to her ill sister," Richard teased.
"But when her eyes flash in anger, she looks so radiant. Her cheeks flush so becomingly and she makes a pretty sight…" Darcy stopped before he embarrassed himself more in front of his relations. They shared meaningful smiles, happy that he had finally found a woman to love. Now they just needed to make Miss Elizabeth realise how good a man Darcy was.
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Sorry, I had to stop there as it is past 2am here. Next up… the Bennets meet the Darcy relations. Yes, there will be a good dose of ODC in that one. I thought that would happen in this chapter but sorry, I am quite slow… and also tired now.
Thank you for all the replies to my previous question. I loved reading all the responses. Some very good explanations too. Glad to know many of you also love ODC.
I must admit I am impressed with the response given by mahtra. Wow. I am not so well-versed as to be able to write cross-overs between JA's other books. I will have to re-read the other books one time. A thought just popped into my head… imagine Emma the matchmaker meeting Darcy the un-matchmaker. ;-)
Next question:
What are some of your favourite genres/tropes, including the ones that are common enough and some you wish there were more of?
I would like to see more thriller/spy type stories. I love seeing a good enough rival for Darcy (not just Mr Collins, or Wickham, or the colonel who sometimes gets killed off). I probably should not mention them all as there are so many that I like.
I will try to update again this May, maybe even this weekend. ;-)