Hello everyone.
I was stuck for a while. I was thinking… D and E are now courting… so what is next? Get them married quickly, then "the end"? LOL. Almost there...
Thank you for continuing to read. I would not have made it this far without your help. I am also glad some of you liked Lizzy's portrait. Thank you!
Special thanks to these reviewers:
Colleen S, Lisa, Rosehyon, Guest, Deanna27, liysyl, ChrisM0519, LC-elsie, RHALiz, Levenez, Motherof8, Jansfamily4, nigrumDraco1, PDS1, Mystylight, Maria Teresa C
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It had been a few days since Darcy and Elizabeth began their courtship and everything seemed to be progressing smoothly. The Netherfield party called at Longbourn each day, with the men evidently wishing to spend time with the objects of their affection, while Georgiana and Anne delighted in having female companionship and being able to observe and participate in the wedding preparations.
"How are the arrangements for Mary's wedding coming along, Mrs Bennet?" Mr Bennet asked as he stood by the entrance to the parlour.
"Everything is in order, Mr Bennet. There is not much left to do now, thanks to the help of Miss Darcy and Miss de Bourgh. We will prepare the flowers a day before the wedding so they are fresh," replied Mrs Bennet, feeling proud and surprisingly calm considering the much anticipated event was fast approaching. She smiled at the two female guests to show her appreciation, thinking how modestly and graciously they behaved despite their high station.
"Oh, flowers! I love flowers! May we help in picking them? We can make garlands together!" Georgiana shared her suggestion enthusiastically, and the other young ladies expressed their agreement.
"If you wish, Miss Darcy, and if your brother will allow it. I do not want Mr Darcy to think that we are asking you to help in domestic work," Mrs Bennet answered.
"I am sure he would have no objections, Mrs Bennet. He is very happy that I spend time with my new friends and can be of assistance," assured the young lady.
"And while you are thus occupied, Mr Darcy is with Lizzy," grumbled Mr Bennet.
"Oh, you really need not worry about those two. Mr Darcy is an honourable gentleman. Let them enjoy each other's company and get better acquainted," encouraged the mistress. "Where are they anyway?"
"In the study," her husband replied in a flat tone.
"You left them to themselves?" Mrs Bennet looked at him, slightly alarmed.
"Yes, I did. I left the door wide open. Watching those two play a game of chess is not something I would like to do all day," Mr Bennet said as he settled into an armchair.
"But --"
"Remember, you said to give them time together and that is exactly what I am doing. You should be glad that I am acting like a dutiful husband. Besides, while Lizzy is taking the game seriously, all her opponent does is study her face. He must know how many freckles Lizzy has and where each one is found," Mr Bennet remarked.
Georgiana and Anne turned to each other and giggled. They were both eager for Elizabeth to become part of their family and could not wait for Darcy to gain her acceptance.
"La! If I had any money, I would wager that Lizzy will win," declared Lydia.
"I think everyone expects that outcome now, given what papa said. The question is, how long will it take?" Kitty smirked. Soon after, each of them made a guess and waited to see whose answer would be the closest.
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"Your move, sir," Elizabeth prompted Darcy. They had started the match not half an hour ago.
The man tore his eyes off the enchanting lady and examined the pieces on the chessboard. He was aware that he was not really focused on the game but remained confident that his skill and experience in playing the game would result in a victorious outcome for him.
"Check," he challenged, looking Elizabeth in the eye.
Furrowing her brows, Elizabeth considered her options.
Should I move my king to get out of check?
Should I eliminate the attacking chess piece?
Or should I place another chess piece between my king and the attacking chess piece?
She took her time before making her move, then waited for Darcy to take his turn. With the tiniest hint of a smile, he picked up a bishop and knocked another piece over.
"You captured my queen!" Elizabeth gasped and appeared crestfallen as Darcy twirled her queen with his fingers.
"All part of the game, Miss Elizabeth," Darcy caressed her name with his silky voice.
"Oh, do not even think about distracting me, sir!" she replied with a pout. Once again, her expression turned into that of full concentration. Darcy did not mind waiting for a few minutes. It gave him time to admire her loveliness without interruption. Hearing Elizabeth clearing her throat, the gentleman glanced at the board and quickly analysed what had changed.
"Your bishop took a pawn. A pawn?" he questioned.
She nodded and simply said, "Check."
Darcy frowned and stared at the remaining pieces for some time. Shaking his head, he slowly picked up his king and moved it forward to get out of check.
"I am not going to win," he muttered.
With a deliberate motion, Elizabeth picked up a knight and positioned it strategically.
"Checkmate," she whispered, looking directly at Darcy with a twinkle in her eye.
"Brilliantly done, Miss Elizabeth," he gallantly conceded defeat.
With a smile on her face, the young lady admitted,
"Thank you, Mr Darcy. You played very well. I found it quite hard to concentrate."
"Oh? And why is that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I… ahhh… I mean… you see… after papa left the study… that left the two of us here… and--" she stammered.
"Did I distract you, madam?"
"Well… I… ahhh… you kept staring at me, and it made me feel very conscious of your presence…" she replied, blushing profusely. Darcy observed her reaction with pleasure, hoping this meant he was making steady progress with her.
"It only seems fair as you are always a distraction to me. I stare at you because… you are everything lovely. I apologise if this unsettles you, but I do not think I can help it. My eyes are always drawn to your person," he openly stated and reached for her hand. He gently stroked her fingers and raised them to his lips.
"I do not mind losing to you, Miss Elizabeth, especially if I get to kiss your hands afterwards," he spoke softly and bestowed several light kisses on one hand, then did the same with the other. His display of affection left the lady speechless for a while.
"And what is my prize as the winner?" she asked once she had recovered, her hands still joined with his.
"Whatever you wish for, madam," he answered.
"Be careful, sir, for I might ask for something grand," she laughingly cautioned him.
"If it is within my power to award your chosen prize to you, then I will," he repeated his sentiment.
"Oh, really, sir? Are you saying that if I ask for a fancy bonnet, or a rare first edition book, or a collection of sheet music, or a pianoforte, or Pem—" here she stopped herself and looked positively mortified.
Pulling her hands away, she continued, "Pardon me, sir. I was only speaking in jest. Believe me, I did not really mean to—"
"As I said, anything, Miss Elizabeth," he said meaningfully. If she agreed to marry him, she would become mistress of Pemberley and all his properties.
"Mr Darcy, I… I… I would not dream of asking you for anything. Truly. I was only teasing. I am sorry to speak so--" She bowed her head, still embarrassed by her silly choice of words.
"I know. You do not need to apologise. But… you must name a prize. You have quite generously allowed me to kiss your hands, yet I was the one who lost to you," he insisted, taking her hands again.
"Well… if I must… then… perhaps… you can bring a treat… something to eat… like an apple… for our morning walk…" she struggled to suggest something that did not require him to spend any money.
"Is that all? I was quite ready to buy you—" he started to say.
"Yes, sir, that is my choice. I do not wish my prize to incur you any cost," she asserted.
"Very well. A treat for tomorrow then," he agreed, and kissed her hands once more before they joined the others in the parlour. The more time he spent with her, the more he appreciated her worth. Any other lady would have asked for something of far greater value.
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"There you are! Finally! I take it the chess game is over," Mr Bennet greeted the pair.
"Yes, sir. Your daughter won," Darcy announced.
"Oh, we all predicted that," Lydia firmly stated.
"How many minutes was it on your watch, papa?" Kitty asked.
"I make that to be… sixteen minutes from when the business was brought up," he answered.
"So who won? Who had the closest answer?" Lydia pressed.
"Miss Darcy. She said a quarter-hour," Mr Bennet declared. "Well done, Miss Darcy. You know your brother well."
"What are you speaking of, papa?" Elizabeth wondered.
"Oh, nothing of import. While waiting for the pair of you to conclude your match, we took turns in guessing how long it would take for you to win. Just for amusement," her father answered, while Elizabeth could only shake her head.
"Darce, the young ladies expressed a desire to take a leisurely stroll. Miss Lydia and Miss Kitty are quite excited to show your sister and cousin some of the shops in Meryton. Would you and Miss Elizabeth like to join us?" Mr Bingley proposed.
"Miss Elizabeth?" Darcy deferred to the young lady.
"Of course. I am very fond of walking," she readily accepted. "Miss Darcy, Miss de Bourgh, Meryton is about a mile away from Longbourn. Do you wish to walk, or would you prefer to take the carriage?" She asked, unsure as to whether the ladies were accustomed to walking such a distance.
"Anne, I would be quite happy to join you in the carriage if you do not wish to walk that far," Georgiana addressed her cousin, concerned for her health. She was grateful, as was her brother, that Elizabeth considered their preferences.
"I would like to walk, Georgiana," Anne replied, resolved to engage in more outdoor activities. Having spent the majority of her life confined in Rosings, she was keen to exercise her newfound freedom.
Soon afterwards, the walking party was organised. Darcy walked with Elizabeth, Bingley with Jane, Lydia with Georgiana, Kitty and Mary with Anne. The men felt honoured to accompany the brightest jewels of the county, and the locals received them warmly, thankful for the service they had rendered in Wickham's capture. No longer was Mr Darcy viewed as the haughty, disagreeable gentleman from Derbyshire.
Much as he wished to pay for Elizabeth's purchases, the lady declined any such offer. Knowing Lydia did not have any pin money, Elizabeth allowed her to choose an item or two within a budget as recognition for the significant improvement in her behaviour.
"I thank you, Lizzy. I am glad that you have noticed my efforts to change. But I do not really need anything for myself at the moment," Lydia replied discreetly.
"Are you quite sure, Lydia? I think you deserve some small reward, and I also do not want you to feel left out," her sister said.
"Yes, I am sure, Lizzy. Although… I noticed that Miss de Bourgh has a slight cough. Kitty claims that the lemon drops from the confectionery help in soothing her throat. Maybe they could provide Miss de Bourgh some relief too. Can we perhaps buy a selection of candies for everyone to share?" Lydia suggested.
"Certainly. That is very thoughtful of you, Lydia. We can ask our new friends what they fancy," Elizabeth smiled and squeezed her sister's hand.
To their surprise, the shopkeeper did not want to accept any money from them, maintaining that 'it is the least I can do, to repay Mr Darcy". The latter stressed that he was not expecting any form of compensation for his actions, material or otherwise. In the end, the shopkeeper was persuaded to take the payment, but he gave them an extra portion of sweets.
On their approach to Longbourn, they heard a male voice calling their attention. As they drew nearer, they recognised the man to be Mr Collins, who was sitting atop a horse, but just barely.
"Oh, my dearest Miss Mary! I have returned! I know I am a day earlier than expected, but I had to come. Mr Darcy, there is something I need to tell you. It is a matter of urgency! Mrs Bennet informed me that you all went to Meryton so I hurried out immediately," he spoke as he attempted to dismount the horse. Unfortunately, he slid off it rather clumsily which resulted in him falling to the ground.
"Oh! Oh, my backside! Oh, I do beg your pardon. Dear ladies… please forgive me," he apologised as he scrambled to his feet, aided by Mr Bingley. "Thank you, kind sir. Thank you… for your timely assistance. Allow me to… just catch my breath…"
"Mr Collins, I think it would be better if we all return to Longbourn first. Whatever it is you need to tell me, we can discuss there," Darcy stated in a serious tone, unimpressed with the parson, who was, in all likelihood, the source of the reports that his aunt Catherine had received. If he were not Elizabeth's cousin, and soon to become Miss Mary's husband, he probably would not restrain his reaction to the man.
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"Mr Darcy! I must tell you, your aunt, Lady Catherine, did not attend church yesterday! And her daughter, Miss de Bourgh was not there either," Mr Collins started.
"Is that why you rushed to Hertfordshire? To tell me that my aunt and cousin missed attending church?" Darcy frowned.
"You see, sir, your aunt always attends Sunday services. At times, her daughter may be absent due to illness, but Lady Catherine never misses my sermons," the parson explained.
"So that is what you came here to tell me. My aunt missed your sermon," Darcy said in a dry tone.
"Sir, let me continue. As I found her ladyship's absence quite peculiar, I made some enquiries with the staff at Rosings and discovered that she had left unexpectedly a few days ago. Then her daughter allegedly followed suit, with her companion, but in a separate carriage! How odd indeed!" the other man exclaimed.
"Is that all, Mr Collins?"
"No, there is more! No one can tell me exactly where they had gone, and I did not know what to do next. But then I remembered, the day before they supposedly left Rosings, your aunt summoned me and asked me some questions. About you and my cousin Elizabeth," he revealed.
"What did she ask?"
"Her ladyship asked if you were engaged, and I said no, then she asked if you were courting, and again, I said no. Then she asked me if I knew a Miss Caroline Bingley, and I said she was your friend, and your friend Mr Bingley's sister, who would naturally be called Miss Bingley. Your aunt asked why Miss Bingley would write to her about your impending union with cousin Elizabeth if there was no truth to the matter, and I said I had no idea. I answered her truthfully, sir."
"Miss Elizabeth and I are now courting, Mr Collins. Of course, when my aunt asked you, we did not have such an understanding yet. And even if we did, you would not have known," Darcy explained.
"You are courting! That is a surprise…a good surprise. Splendid! But… sir, I must warn you… about your aunt. I heard that her ladyship was quite furious after reading the letter from Miss Bingley. I fear that she will come here to confront you or my cousin Elizabeth about the news. You must be prepared, sir. That is why I came here as soon as I could, after completing some important duties in my parish. Miss Mary will soon be my wife, and cousin Elizabeth is her sister, and they will become my family. Well, we are already related, but you know what I mean. I do esteem her ladyship... but my loyalty should be to my future wife and her family. I do not want any harm to befall them," Mr Collins voiced his concerns.
"I thank you for letting me know about all this. My aunt had already spoken to me and Miss Elizabeth. She is now staying at Matlock House but will return to Rosings soon, My cousin Anne is currently at Netherfield, along with my sister and their companions. You did not see them with us because they took the carriage back after the trip to Meryton."
"Is that so? I hope all is well, sir."
Darcy nodded in response, not wanting to disclose the particulars of his aunt's visit and state of mind.
"So… you are saying... that you were not the one who told my aunt about me and Miss Elizabeth? That she received a letter from Miss Bingley?"
"No. I mean, yes. Yes, that is what I am saying. And no, I was not the one who supplied the information," Mr Collins clarified. "Now come to think of it, you might become my brother! And Mr Bingley! We shall all be brothers--"
"I shall let Mr Bingley know about his sister's involvement in this. We are to take our leave from the Bennet family shortly. You probably wish to get some rest after travelling from Kent."
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I did not expect this chapter to be longer than my usual.
I am just trying to tie up loose ends and give ODC a few more "moments" before the story concludes.
Thank you for your replies to the last question. Always a pleasure to hear from you.
Next one: What Regency "accomplishment" would you like to have?
e.g. play the pianoforte like Georgiana, sing like Mary, paint tables, net purses, cover screens, dance, draw, mend pens, learn more languages, acquire the "air and manner" of walking ala Caroline, ride horses, develop your mind by extensive reading, faint gracefully, climb trees, walk three miles without muddying your hems, recite Fordyce's sermons by heart, fence ala Colin Firth…
You may already have all of these talents, so please feel free to add your own.
On another note, I watched "Man vs Bee" and I enjoyed it. Shows how shallow my sense of humour is. ;-) Anyway, just a couple of things: Rowan Atkinson's character is named Trevor Bingley hahaha, and… 2005 Charlotte Lucas has a role in it too!
Till next chapter!