Hi again! Another update!
Kindly check if you have read the previous chapters. I posted one two days ago…
Thank you all for reading and special thanks to these reviewers:
merefj, Motherof8, Mimsy2021, Saralee, Lisa, Jansfamily4, Guest, midnitewanderer, Rosehyon, Strawberry, Water Flower 2009, Deanna27, RHALiz, PDS1, Colleen S, ChrisM0519 , Levenez, Maria Teresa C, Shelby66
merefj: Thank you for the recommendations. I feel like they were trying to make the new Persuasion film look cute or funny. Not sure about their use of the concept of "breaking the fourth wall" either. I have always thought Persuasion to be more melancholy, deep yet still sweet… perhaps a reflection of a more mature JA.
Strawberry: I always love an "innocent" Darcy ;-) It may not always sound realistic, and maybe it will not work for all stories… but for this story, he is.
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Similar to the past Sundays, the Netherfield party was invited to partake in refreshments at Longbourn after the church service. Mr and Mrs Gardiner, along with their four children, had arrived at Longbourn the previous afternoon, and they were now introduced to the neighbours of the Bennet family.
The children were initially hesitant to interact with Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley, wary of seeing new faces and perhaps even their tall stature. The two girls, Emma who was 9 and Isabella who was 7, played and chatted with their cousins quite happily, and soon warmed up to Georgiana and Anne. The eleven-year old twin boys, James and Robert, were content to listen and observe from where they were sitting during the first half-hour. Robert was later tempted to join his sisters, while James opted to read a book.
"Ah, Mr Darcy! Here is the man I want to talk to!" Mr Gardiner opened as he approached the gentleman. "I have just finished my interrogation of your friend over there, and he has come through with flying colours! Mr Bingley, he is a fine man. Sensible, amiable, lively, and such happy manners! Yes, he will do quite nicely for Jane." With a twinkle in his eye, he watched Mr Darcy nervously adjust his cravat.
"Mr Darcy, I apologise if my husband is being troublesome. He dearly loves to laugh, a trait he seems to have passed on to Lizzy," Mrs Gardiner remarked, coming to stand beside her husband.
"I would not call myself 'troublesome', dearest wife. This man is after our niece's heart. We should get to know him better, and see if he and Lizzy would suit," Mr Gardiner winked at his wife.
"The courtship is between the two of them. Now be on your best behaviour or we may never set foot in Derbyshire again," his wife countered.
"Ah, yes. I did promise you a tour next summer…"
Following this conversation left Darcy quite perplexed. He could not make out whether or not he should take the words that had been exchanged between the couple seriously. Mrs Gardiner eventually noticed his confused state and said,
"Do not worry, Mr Darcy, my husband is only teasing you."
"Half-teasing," her husband corrected.
"Are you going on a tour in the summer then?" Mr Darcy enquired.
"Oh, that is not part of the teasing half. My lovely wife would like to see her relations and friends in Lambton. That is where she hails from, you see. Enroute we plan to stop at Oxford, Blenheim, Warwick, Kenilworth, and Birmingham. We hope to spend a few days in Derbyshire, perhaps visit Chatsworth, Dovedale and the Peak. We have yet to ask my brother Bennet which of our pretty nieces might be able to accompany us," Mr Gardiner shared.
"Have you been to Pemberley? It is not five miles from Lambton," Mr Darcy said.
"I myself have not, but wife has, I believe," Mr Gardiner turned to his wife for confirmation.
"That is correct. I remember being very impressed with the elegance of the house. It was a delightful experience to tour the grounds and take in the stunning views," she spoke sincerely.
"Our family has been fortunate to have diligent staff who work for us. They keep the property well-maintained," Darcy humbly acknowledged.
"Your housekeeper at the time spoke very highly of your parents as master and mistress of the property, and in fact, of you and your sister too. She declared that both of you were sweet and good-tempered, that you never caused any problems," she recalled.
"That would be Mrs Reynolds. She is still our housekeeper," Darcy stated with fondness. "If you have time, we would be happy to host you in Pemberley." He looked towards Elizabeth, wondering if she would want to travel with her relations. With a longing gaze, he thought – Would I be so lucky as to have her accept my hand and perhaps, she would be my wife and the mistress of Pemberley by then?
"Mr Darcy?"
Mr Gardiner seemed to be waiting for a reply, yet Darcy had no idea what he had asked.
"Do you care for fishing, sir?" Darcy hoped they did not notice his previous inattention.
"Fishing?" Mr Gardiner knitted his brows, puzzled with the abrupt shift in their discussion.
"Yes. Pemberley has a well-stocked trout stream. We also have carp, tench, and pike in our lake. You are most welcome to fish there should you be in area. I could provide you with rods and tackle. It would be my pleasure to show you the best spots," Darcy issued the generous invitation.
"That is very kind of you. Thank you, sir. I would be delighted, if we do get the chance to visit," Mr Gardiner accepted. "I suppose Mr Darcy would do very well for Lizzy, do you not agree?" he asked his wife with a grin.
The three continued their conversation, and Mr Darcy was suitably impressed with the couple's positive demeanour and extensive knowledge about various subjects. Much to Elizabeth's relief, Mr Gardiner eventually released Mr Darcy from the informal interview. She knew her uncle was a good-humoured man, but she was unsure what her suitor would think of her connections in trade.
"Your uncle and aunt have easy and pleasant manners," Darcy reported to Elizabeth as he sat beside her. The rest of the party were engaged in their own conversations and the children were also occupied with their own entertainment.
"I hope my uncle did not pester you with questions," Elizabeth sounded worried.
"He wanted to know about a few things. It is no bother, really," Darcy reassured her.
"What did you talk about?" Elizabeth was curious to know.
"Pemberley, fishing, their plans of touring in the summer, the places they wish to see… a few other things of little consequence," he supplied.
"My aunt has been longing to visit the town where she grew up. They have had little time to travel in the past due to business and the children being so young then."
"I have invited them to visit Pemberley," he revealed, observing her reaction. "You look surprised," he continued when she did not respond.
"I am. I guess… I did not expect that you would welcome them so readily," she admitted.
"And why is that?"
"Well… you only met them today. You know almost nothing about them… except that they come from trade…" her voice trailed.
Even though Darcy wanted to reach for her hands, he could not. There were too many people around them.
"Miss Elizabeth, it is evident that your uncle and aunt are people of good sense. They behave in a very respectable manner. I can see how they adore their children and nieces. It does not signify if your uncle works in trade."
Elizabeth studied his expression, and all she could discern was sincerity. There was no trace of snobbery, arrogance or improper pride. Her lips slowly formed a smile and her eyes filled with wonder. She was amazed that, as the days passed, she continued to discover more qualities to admire about this handsome man.
"I want to take your hands in mine," he whispered, holding her gaze and moving his hand to graze her fingers.
"Not now," she hissed back, then cast her eyes down.
"Do you think anyone will notice if I steal a kiss from you?" he asked, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Do you need to ask?" Looking sideways at him, Elizabeth could not believe he would even consider doing that here.
"If I could steal a kiss?" he said, his smile widening.
"No! I mean, you should not really ask that question." She shook her head.
"You mean I can just kiss you?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Mr Darcy!" She pretended to scold him.
"Is that a yes or a no?" He continued in a bewildered tone, still teasing her.
"No!" She could not help but laugh at his persistence.
Sighing in mock resignation, Darcy mumbled, "Very well, I shall have to wait then." As he scanned the room, his eyes met those of the eldest child of the Gardiners. He smiled at James, who simply stared at him for a few moments before returning to his book.
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When Mrs Gardiner expressed a desire to visit the shops in Meryton the next morning, the young ladies did not need to be persuaded to join her. Elizabeth volunteered to mind the children while they were away, and consequently, Mr Darcy elected to stay with her at Longbourn.
"The children are very fond of you," remarked Darcy.
"As I am of them. Jane and I have grown close to the children, having visited their home in Cheapside several times. But they also enjoy being with Kitty and Lydia. They really are sweet and adorable, if a little energetic on occasion," Elizabeth spoke warmly.
Darcy felt some uncertainty after catching James glancing at him.
"James seems to be… a little… different to the others," he added.
"James? He takes on the role of 'big brother' rather seriously. He is older than Robert, but only by minutes. He can be shy and reserved, but he is quite intelligent. It just takes him some time before he could converse easily with people he has never seen before," Elizabeth explained. Perhaps a little bit like you in that respect, she thought.
"Hmm. He keeps staring at me. Perhaps he does not like me," he mumbled.
Elizabeth then laughed and said, "Sir, he is but a boy! Maybe is trying to make out your character. Staring does not necessarily mean disapproval. You should try to engage him in conversation," she suggested.
"What shall I talk about with him?"
"Perhaps start with books. An interest you have in common."
"Very well. Your wish is my command," he declared gallantly.
Following her advice, he moved to the other side of the room and sat across from James.
"I read that book when I was younger," he started, recognising the bestiary, "A Description of Three Hundred Animals", that James had on his lap. The boy looked up at him and nodded, but did not say a word.
"My late father gave me a copy as a present. I spent countless hours studying its pages. I even tried to copy the drawings of the animals, which did not always turn out well," Darcy made another attempt at engaging him, but the boy continued to keep a straight face.
"My leopard looked like a fox. My curlew looked like a duck. My spaniel looked like a horse. And my unicorn had two horns," he said, somewhat exaggerating in the hopes of eliciting a reaction from James. He inwardly rejoiced when the boy's lips curled into a smile.
"That is awful," James said.
"One of my favourite creatures is found on page… nineteen… or twenty, if I remember correctly. It is between the hyena and the antelope. Can you guess what it is?" Darcy tried to recall the contents of the book, which he had also shared with Georgiana a few years ago.
"The manticora! Is it the manticora?" the boy answered, his eyes wide with excitement.
The pair then went into a lively discussion of the various beasts, serpents and insects, real or mythical, which were depicted in the book. They took turns in reading out some sections, and together they compared each description with its corresponding illustration.
"You like my cousin Lizzy, don't you?" James asked when there was a pause in their conversation.
"I - I like all everyone in your family," Darcy answered safely.
"But you like Lizzy most of all," came the statement from the boy.
"I suppose so… she is a very good friend," the man said.
"Just a friend?" the boy continued.
"For now, yes. She is a special friend. Miss Elizabeth and I are courting, which means we are getting to know each other better, spending more time together—" Darcy was not sure how to explain their current relationship to someone so young.
"And then you will marry her?" James pressed.
"That is a possibility. It is what courtship usually leads to," Darcy replied.
James looked like he wanted to say something else but stopped himself. Soon after, the members of the shopping party arrived. The house was suddenly filled with animated chatter about their purchases and the festive decorations they were planning for Christmas eve, which was the following day.
"Miss Elizabeth, are you going for a walk tomorrow morning?" Darcy asked in a quiet voice while the rest of the household was preoccupied with other matters.
"I have not been able to do so the past couple of days. It has been quite busy here with my uncle and aunt visiting. There is always something to do, especially with the children," Elizabeth related.
"I see," Darcy replied, sounding disappointed.
"Is something the matter, sir?" Elizabeth wondered, noticing his frown.
"This may sound selfish… but I miss being with you. I mean, just you. Just the two of us. I have not been able to hold your hands… or kiss you. It has been two days."
"Very well, I will see you in the morning then," Elizabeth whispered.
"You will?" Darcy perked up.
"Yes. Seeing a very handsome man first thing in the morning is an excellent way to start the day," she beamed at him.
"Oh, God! You do not know how much I want to kiss you right now, Miss Elizabeth," Darcy groaned.
"Good things come to those who wait," she stated, before she was pulled away by her relations.
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Okay, I doubt I can finish this in 2 chapters. Outlines NEVER seem to work for me, and I am sure I have changed it over 100 times. Never mind… I will finish this!
Thank you for your answers to the last question. Loved your ideas, some unique ones too. Wow!
Shelby66: Pole-dancing for Caro? Erm…
Water Flower 2009: I have not personally seen yarn bombing. But it sounds cool!
Jansfamily4: Family trees! That is fantastic!
Next question: If you were to organise/play a game/sport with any PnP characters (could be more than 1 if teams are needed), what activity would you choose and who would be the players? Regency or modern games are allowed.
e.g. chess with Mr Bennet, boxing between Darcy and Wickham, fencing between the Colonel and Wickham, pin the tail on Caro (everyone can have a go), sumo wresting between Hurst and Sir Lucas, marathon with Mrs Bennet, Lady C and Caro (in stilettos), figure skating with Lydia and Collins…
RHALiz already suggested some in her last review.
Just an alert: My 2016 iPhone SE is dying… it is what I use to upload and edit stories on the FF app. Yes, it is tiny and ancient! I cannot do it on my work laptop as certain sites are blocked on it, including FF. I will try to find a solution...
Till next time!