"The window," cried Elizabeth. "I am climbing out the window."
"What?" exclaimed Darcy in horror.
"Well, you won't fit. The window is too small for you. I will climb out. Between the stones and the ivy, it should not be too difficult."
"You are not climbing out the window," said Darcy firmly. "It's been raining, and the stones are likely slippery. It's probably thirty feet or more to the ground. I will not allow you to do that."
"You won't allow me?" asked Elizabeth with a raised eyebrow. "You have no authority to allow or disallow me to do anything."
"Elizabeth!" Darcy said with exasperation as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"It is Miss Bennet to you. We are not betrothed and I am attempting to ensure we do not become so."
"Miss Bennet," Darcy corrected, "before you risk your neck, can we please try something else? Do you have a hairpin?"
"Very well," said Elizabeth, seeing the sense in what Darcy proposed.
She took a pin from her hair and handed it to him. She was taken aback when he didn't move towards either of the main doors, but instead pushed the settee aside to uncover a small door.
"It has been a long time since this has been opened, assuming me and my cousins were the last to use it. The lock is older and less complex than the ones on the doors," explained Darcy as he worked the lock.
Darcy grinned as the lock gave and he opened the door. "I think my aunt must have forgotten about it."
"Where does it lead to?" asked Elizabeth as she peered down the long tunnel.
"It comes up in one of the outbuildings," Darcy answered.
With one hand holding a branch of candles, Darcy crawled into the passage and closed the small door behind him. Elizabeth repositioned the settee to its original spot. She then picked up the book she had selected when she and Lady Shillingford had first entered the library, but found she was unable to read for her anger. How dare they! To attempt to compromise her in such a way! To force a marriage between her and Darcy!
If Elizabeth was honest with herself, she did like Darcy a great deal. Yet, she did not think she could ever marry him, not unless forced. After all that he had said about her family, if he still held such opinions, she would never be happy with him. She would not give up her family for any man, even one so handsome as Mr. Darcy.
It was nearly an hour before Lady Shillingford and Lady Melbridge arrived to let her out of the library. She had tried the bellpull several times once it had occurred to her that there was no scandal in being locked in the library alone. However, either the bell had been disconnected, or the servants had been directed not to answer, as no one came. By the time they arrived, Elizabeth was glad to see them despite her fury, for she desperately had to use the chamber pot.
As Darcy walked down the tunnel, he sent the wine bottle further each time, testing to see how far it could go. The tunnel was likely a reminder of the days when they were all younger and had spent time here, drinking too much alcohol and smoking his uncle's tobacco while talking about things they had never actually done with women, though they pretended they had. They were careful not to mention any names, not wanting to ruin any reputations, yet they bragged of their exploits, all of which seemed far beyond the capabilities of any boy their age.
He continued to walk, the bottle clanking against the ground with each step, until he reached the stairs leading upwards to the sheep barn. He ascended the stairs and employed the hairpin to unlock the exit door. He opened the door just enough to check if anyone was there, listening to the silence before slipping out. He shut the door firmly behind him so no animals would escape.
It was now hailing in addition to the rain, so Darcy could not go in and let Miss Bennet out of the library. He righted and dusted off his clothing before settling down on a bale of hay; the hay crunching beneath him as he did so. He was met with disgruntled stares from the animals when he sat on their food. He moved to the far-right side of the bale, allowing the sheep to eat on the left. One of the older lambs stepped up to him, gently pushing its head against his leg. The animal was clearly accustomed to being petted by the farm hands, so Darcy obliged and began to gently stroke its head.
"It doesn't get much worse than a lady being willing to risk her life rather than marry you, does it?" Darcy asked the lamb. The lamb did not answer.
"AUNT!" Darcy cried as he entered Lady Melbridge's study.
"Darcy! We have been worried about you! Where have you been?" Lady Melbridge answered.
Darcy raised his eyebrows. "In the sheep barn, and before that, in one of the tunnels."
"We weren't going to allow you to be compromised. We cleared the area of servants and Lady Shillington and I were ready to have one of us enter if someone came into that area of the house. We just thought you and she needed to talk."
"She was ready to climb out the window — in the rain — to escape being forced to marry me. We assumed that you had arranged a compromise. If I had not got that door open, I would have had a bloody hard time keeping Miss Bennet from risking her neck."
"Headstrong girl," said Lady Melbridge in a tone that conveyed both exasperation and admiration. "We just thought you both needed to be forced to be alone and talk. If a kiss and a proposal came out of it as well, all the better."
"You had no right to meddle! Imagine what could have happened, what could still happen if anyone learned of it!"
"Which is why you must lower your voice." His aunt looked at him expectantly.
Darcy did so, but continued to chastise her.
"I was only trying to help," said Lady Melbridge finally. "I think you and Miss Bennet would be very good for each other, if only you both would see it."
"That may be, but it is not your place to force things. I daresay Miss Bennet will no longer wish to remain at Brawnstead, so you have now made things worse," replied Darcy.
Miss Bennet did indeed wish to remain no longer at Brawnstead. She sent a note to the Vanstones and departed that day, using the excuse that the Vanstones needed her assistance in caring for Annalise while they ran their shop.
"Pray, believe me, Miss Bennet," said Mr. Darcy when Elizabeth was preparing the depart. "I had nothing to do with the scheme of my aunt's and Lady Shillington's. I do admire you, but I would never wish to force anything you did not want."
"I know, Mr. Darcy. Thank you," she answered.
The carriage arrived, and the footmen began to load Miss Bennet's things onto it. When she made to enter, Darcy reached out and grasped her hand.
"Miss Bennet, I…," he began. She looked at him expectantly. "I wondered if I might call on you."
"I do not know, Mr. Darcy. I need some time to consider all that has happened." Elizabeth picked at a thread coming loose from her gloves as she spoke.
"Will you let me know when you have decided?" asked Darcy.
"I will. I shall still wish to continue a friendship regardless, both with you and your sister. That is, if you wish it as well," she answered.
"Of course," said Darcy with relief. "I am again sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen."
Elizabeth nodded and allowed him to hand her into the carriage. Darcy watched as the carriage drove away, wondering how on Earth he was going to convince Miss Bennet to accept his suit after all that had occurred.