A/N - updated to correct grammar and spelling. Let me know if you continue to see any issues. This story will be published at some point once it is finished.
Chapter 1
It was on the second instance that Elizabeth met Mr Darcy as she walked the grove at Rosings Park that she determined to take the opportunity to ask the question she had been pondering for some time. At the ball at Netherfield, Mr Darcy had alluded to the fact that Lieutenant Wickham was good at making, but not adept at keeping, friends. Since she had seen a little of this come to pass in the months that had passed, she wanted to ask for more details and hoped he was willing to answer her questions.
"Mr Darcy," Elizabeth began haltingly, turning to the quiet man walking beside her, "I wondered if I might ask you about something you said to me at the ball Netherfield."
He hesitated briefly, remembering very well what they had discussed during their dance, before responding quietly. "I would be happy to answer any questions you have, Miss Bennet."
"It is about Mr Wickham," she began and noticed the slight jerk of his arm and the clench of his jaw at the mention of the man's name. "Since that night, I have been considering what you said about him making friends but not keeping them. I have noticed of late that several of the officers he was initially friendly with have become increasingly hostile and distant toward him. Additionally, I have heard rumours that many of the shopkeepers in Meryton have begun to refuse him credit, which has also led me to wonder about his habits." She paused there before continuing, somewhat reluctantly. "It has also occurred to me that he swore that he would never discredit you due to the love he had for your father, but I later realized the entire town was aware of the story of the denied living, and Mr Wickham himself even spoke openly of it, but only after you were gone." She trailed off, unsure of how to continue.
Hearing this and noting the hesitation in Elizabeth's voice as she spoke, Mr Darcy paused to consider what she was asking him and how to respond. While, initially, the mere mention of that scoundrel's name set his teeth on edge, he took several deep breaths to calm himself and gather his words. It would not do to anger her as he had at the ball, so he resigned himself to sharing his entire dealings with Wickham in an effort to protect her. Elizabeth watched the play of emotions over his handsome face, and the look on his face before he spoke merely served to confuse her further.
"I do not know exactly what Mr Wickham may have said to you, but yes, he was close to my family when we were boys and we played together. Among his other habits, he has a tendency to run up debts that he has no intention of paying. It was remiss of me not to warn the shopkeepers in Meryton of his habits; however, I hesitated to speak ill of him at the time." He sighed deeply and rubbed his hand across his face before continuing.
"Just as he attempted to discredit me in Meryton by telling partial truths, he could potentially do greater harm to those I care about by spreading other half-truths." As Elizabeth had done earlier, he once again paused to consider his words before blowing out a deep breath. "Miss Bennet, I would like to tell you about my whole history with Wickham, and then you can judge his character based on the entire story, but there are parts of this story where I must beg your discretion as if it were known, it could harm those in my care."
She nodded, looking him in the eye. "You may be assured of my discretion, sir," she replied. "However, do not feel you must tell me anything that would cause you pain, sir." He just smiled at her and patted her hand before offering his arm to her. She gingerly accepted it, and they both began to walk again.
"Since you mentioned a denied living, I would assume he has shared with you some of our history," Darcy began. "The senior Mr Wickham was an excellent man, and he served as my father's steward for some years. When the elder Wickham asked my father to stand as godfather, he agreed and even promised to sponsor him in school as he grew older. My father intended for his godson to become a rector and left a living for him conditionally in his will. However, at school, Wickham's behaviour was in no way becoming of a clergyman. When my father died, he had not yet taken orders, a requirement in the will for the position, and when he came to claim his inheritance, he declared that he had no intention of ever taking orders. Instead, he asked for and received the sum of three thousand pounds, expressing that he intended to study the law. He signed a document giving up any claim to the living, and I paid him the full amount, plus the additional legacy of one thousand pounds my father had left him outright. However, when the incumbent passed on several years later, he wrote to ask for the living, and it was then that I refused him. The money I had given him was gone, I supposed, and he needed more. He swore revenge on me, but I ignored it, believing it to be an idle threat."
He stopped walking, and Elizabeth turned to look at him once again. She was surprised at the pain etched on his face. "You do not need to continue if you do not wish. He has clearly lied about the living; I can only assume he hoped to seek some form of retribution by impugning your character to all and sundry. I am sorry that I played a role in that in Meryton," she said to him. She looked down at the ground, appalled at herself to have believed the man who was so obviously a scoundrel. "Not only did I spread the story of your slight at the assembly, but I also commiserated with Mr Wickham and denounced you as heartless."
He drew a breath. "As much as I would not like to, I think I must tell you the rest, Miss Bennet." He looked around him and, spying a fallen tree trunk, he gestured toward it. "Might we sit?"
At her nod, he removed his large handkerchief from his pocket and spread it on the log to protect her dress as much as he could. Once they were both seated, he began speaking again. "This is the part that requires your discretion, Miss Bennet. This summer, Wickham once again intruded on my family's notice. My younger sister, who is just fifteen, was in Ramsgate with her companion for a holiday. Unbeknownst to me, Mr Wickham was in league with her companion, and the two concocted a plan to convince Georgiana to elope so they could obtain her dowry, which is thirty thousand pounds. I arrived a day before the intended elopement, and Georgiana confessed all to me. Mrs Younge was promptly dismissed, and Wickham disappeared, but not before ensuring that Georgiana knew that he had no interest in her outside of her dowry. He told her she was boring and plain, and that her fortune was his only inducement for trying to wed her. She was, of course, broken-hearted, since he had convinced her to fall in love with him, and she has taken his words to heart. She still believes she has little to offer outside of her dowry, and no amount of trying to convince her otherwise has worked. It has been above six months, Miss Bennet, and she is still convinced that her dowry is all she will ever have to offer anyone."
Tears welled up in Elizabeth's eyes. She reached out to gently touch his arm and spoke quietly. "He is truly a terrible man, and I am sorry that I ever listened to a word he had to say. And I am truly heartbroken for your sister and the disappointment and hurt she must have experienced. I am so sorry for believing his vicious words."
He placed his own hand over hers, relishing the opportunity to touch her hands. "Thank you, Miss Bennet. I am afraid she needs the company of another young woman, one who would be sympathetic to her difficulties, but she is painfully shy and, like me, has struggled to make friends. She has a new companion, who is very motherly, and of course, Richard and I have done our best to try and convince her of her worth, but she needs companionship of someone near her age. We have not wanted to share her story outside our small circle, but I find myself increasingly unsure of how to help her."
Elizabeth was slightly startled at this. "Then why, sir, have you shared this with me since you have kept it so closely within the family circle until now?"
It was Darcy's turn to start. "Miss Bennet, I do apologize for burdening you with this story," he said haltingly. "I had not considered …" he paused again, unsure of how to go on. Seeming to come to a resolution, he picked up the small hand from atop his arm and enclosed it in his much larger ones. "Since knowing you in Hertfordshire and again here at my aunt's, I have come to admire you very much, Miss Bennet. I have been wondering these last weeks if you would be willing to be a friend to my sister. I do not know if you intend to spend any time in London after you leave Rosings, but I would like to introduce my sister to you while there, that is, if you would allow it."
Drawing in a sharp breath, Elizabeth considered his words. He seemed to be implying far more than what his words were saying. And she was not unaware of, nor was she unaffected by, her hand tightly grasped in his. Glancing down, her cheeks colouring brightly, she replied. "I had intended to spend only a day or two in London before returning to Longbourn. Perhaps my aunt and uncle would allow me to extend my stay a few more days so you might introduce me to Miss Darcy."
"If it would help, I could offer to convey you to London myself and then to Longbourn after a few days with my sister. Unfortunately, with Wickham and the militia still in Meryton, my sister would not be able to visit there," Darcy offered.
"Yes, I can understand that," she replied, suddenly feeling nervous around him.
"Miss Bennet," Darcy blurted, his resolve firming even as he formed the words, "Would you be willing to allow me to court you?"
She stood abruptly, removing her hand from his. She did not speak but walked several steps away and stopped, turning to look at him. "I do not understand, sir," she murmured. "I have heard it stated several times by both my cousin and your aunt that you are engaged to your cousin, plus I know that you find me merely 'tolerable' and 'not handsome enough' to dance with. How can you want to court someone who is merely tolerable? Last autumn in Meryton, you held yourself above our company, and while I must admit my opinion of you has changed with our talks here in Kent, I have trouble believing that you would ever really want to align yourself with myself and my family."
"I am not now, nor do I ever intend to be, engaged to Anne," Darcy said, having stood up as she did and flushed brightly, first in anger, then in mortification, as he comprehended her words. "And I apparently have much to apologize for. But please tell me, why would you think I find you 'merely tolerable'?"
"Because you said so, sir, at the assembly in Meryton, before we were even introduced. Mr Bingley approached you to convince you to dance, and you looked at me coldly before pronouncing me 'merely tolerable' and 'not handsome enough to tempt you'. I was standing only a few feet away and heard every word you spoke that evening as you did nothing to moderate your voice," Elizabeth said heatedly.
He paled and nearly stumbled at both her ire and his shame over own recollection. "I am appalled at my words and behaviour, Miss Bennet. I owe you my sincere apology for ever speaking such a blatant untruth," he said apologetically. "I confess that I was in a foul mood that night – I had not wanted to attend the dance and had said as much to Bingley beforehand. Since I could not stay at Netherfield without Miss Bingley remaining behind, I unwillingly went along to the assembly.
"At some point, long before this autumn, I promised Bingley I would advise him when he took an estate. He reminded me of this promise in September and insisted I come with him to Netherfield to teach him how to run it. I believed that Georgiana still needed me – we had not been back from Ramsgate a month – and I did not want to leave her. However, she insisted I fulfil my promise to my friend, ensuring me she would be well with her companion. She also felt she needed time alone to get to know her companion better and to recover from her injury. Admittedly, I investigated this companion much more thoroughly than the last, plus I knew Richard would be nearby while she would be staying with my other aunt. No fortune hunter could get near her, but I worried for her in more than just that. I knew I had failed her, and I wanted to stay near her."
He took a step nearer to her while she watched him intently. "I am most dreadfully sorry that I ever spoke those words and more so to know that you overheard them. You must know they were and are still false. You are far from merely tolerable, Miss Bennet, you are everything lovely and, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman I have ever had the privilege to know," he said, reaching instinctively toward her hand, but quickly let his hand drop before he could reach her, afraid she would not allow his touch.
She coloured slightly. "In Hertfordshire, you stared at me often, but I had believed you only looked to find fault. And we argued so frequently."
Darcy looked aghast. "If I looked – or stared – at you in Hertfordshire, Miss Bennet, it was to admire you, not to find fault. I even admitted to Miss Bingley one night at Lucas Lodge that I had been enraptured with your eyes, which she teased me about frequently after. However, I did not realize I had stared quite so frequently nor so obviously; I certainly did not mean to make you uncomfortable with my gazing at you. Nor do I not recall any arguments. I felt we often debated, and I thoroughly enjoyed those debates. If I recall correctly, you even won most of them. I admired the way you did not alter your opinions to match mine, which happens frequently in London society. There, I could make five contradictory statements in the same conversation, and most ladies would simply agree with every one of them."
"What of the conversation about what makes an accomplished woman? That was clearly an argument, Mr Darcy. Who won that one?" she inquired archly.
He laughed, taking her by surprise. She had to admit that he was most handsome when he smiled and laughed, and Elizabeth was not certain she had ever seen him look so before. "You did, most decidedly," he said. "But I did not argue with you in that – Miss Bingley argued and was the very clear loser in the debate. I said I only knew a few accomplished women, then Miss Bingley recited her list of so-called accomplishments, to which I added the statement that extensive reading was required to make one accomplished. You replied that you were surprised we knew any, causing Miss Bingley to state she knew many very accomplished women, completely contradicting her early statement. She went from knowing only a few to knowing many without even realizing it. And I still stand by my comment that only a few women have worthwhile accomplishments, the most important of which is to enrich her mind by extensive reading."
Elizabeth's mouth dropped open at his recounting of the conversation. After a moment, she spoke, head slightly bowed. "Again, sir, it appears that I have misunderstood and misjudged you. I believed you agreed with Miss Bingley's list of accomplishments and found my own wanting."
"It was perhaps a clumsy attempt, Miss Bennet, but I confess, I was attempting to offer you a compliment," Mr Darcy said, dismayed at her admission of how she had viewed the conversations he had so enjoyed. After a moment, he spoke again. "Miss Bennet, I do admire you, but it seems that we perhaps have not understood each other very well. Is there a way we could start again? I would still like to court you, but under the circumstances, I realize that may not be what you would prefer. Perhaps we could get to know each other better before you agree."
Elizabeth stared at him for several moments. "I would like the opportunity to start over and to get to know you better. It seems I have allowed your comment at the assembly to colour my opinions of you unfairly throughout our acquaintance. Might I consider your request to court me and give you an answer tomorrow?"
"I would be happy to walk again with you tomorrow, and any other day you would allow me to do so. Please, take as much time as you need to answer – I would prefer to leave a better impression than I have currently. Besides, it would be best if my aunt were not aware of any understandings between us before you leave for London," Darcy said, then, again, sighed before continuing. "My aunt refuses to listen to any opinion besides her own in regard to my marriage to her daughter. Neither Anne nor I desire to wed the other; Anne because she prefers to never wed, and, well, I, um, prefer another, obviously." He coloured as he said the last. "Aunt Catherine will be livid when I announce an engagement to anyone other than Anne. I would ask that you not mention my request at the parsonage for now so it will not accidentally get back to her until things are more certain between us."
"I can agree to that," Elizabeth said. "I will not write of it to Jane either. There have been a few instances since I arrived where I have wondered whether Mr Collins has been reading my mail."
Darcy scowled at that comment regarding Mr Collins. "How is your sister enjoying spring in Hertfordshire?" Mr Darcy asked, changing the topic to what he hoped would be a more pleasant one.
"She is in London, sir, and has been rather disappointed," Elizabeth's voice was sharper as she recalled how disappointed Jane was still at the loss of Mr Bingley's company.
"Disappointed?" he asked.
"Yes, Jane visited Miss Bingley briefly when she first arrived in town, but those two ladies claimed to have had an appointment, and Jane was not able to stay long. They waited three weeks to return the call and only stayed a few minutes, making it obvious how displeased they were to be calling. Jane believes the connection severed after their behaviour and has made no additional attempts to visit them. She is disappointed because she believed Mr Bingley cared for her as much as she did for him," Elizabeth explained.
Darcy paled slightly. "She cared for him?"
"Yes," Elizabeth said, eyeing him carefully and wondering what about that made him turn pale.
"Then I am very sorry for her, for Bingley will not marry her," Darcy said, then hurried to explain at the angry look that was growing in Elizabeth's eye. "It has little to do with her, and entirely to do with him and his family. Bingley is betrothed and has been for some time. It is not widely known because the girl is not yet out. His father and hers made the match several years ago and signed the settlements on their behalf. I am aware of it because I knew Bingley when the arrangements were made and had tried to warn him against the match then. It did not make sense for him to engage himself when neither would be prepared to marry for several years.
"On several occasions, I have warned him to be careful and to not raise expectations, but he is personable and, quite frankly, a bit of a flirt around women. I did this while staying at Netherfield, but it was not until the ball that I realized nearly the entire neighbourhood was anticipating a betrothal between your sister and Bingley. I pulled him aside at the ball and suggested he take his leave of the families in the area before departing for the holiday season to allow talk to die down. I also encouraged him to at least subtly hint to your sister at his attachment after the attention he paid. However, I did not think her heart touched and believed she would easily recover."
Elizabeth's eyes flashed with anger. "I would not have expected it of him given his openness and amiability," she said. "He has used my sister very ill. May I tell her of his betrothal to see if it will ease her heartbreak?"
"I am not certain, Miss Bennet," he replied slowly. "I have broken a confidence to tell you, but perhaps it would be for the best if she knew. It may help your sister to know that he is promised elsewhere and could not break that attachment regardless. However, to be completely honest, Bingley has broken faith with more than just your sister, so mayhap I should not feel quite so badly to have broken a promise to him."
She eyed him cautiously. "Whatever do you mean, sir?"
He grimaced. "I have not seen Bingley since we left Netherfield. During the ball, my valet overheard a conversation between two maids that Bingley and his sister had intended to compromise me that very night. When I returned to my room just after the ball had ended, he informed me of what he had overheard, and I left for London immediately to avoid the situation. My valet followed the next day with my luggage, and I have not spoken to Bingley since. I left a letter in my room explaining my actions before departing. He has attempted to contact me, and Miss Bingley has attempted to contact my sister, but my servants know to deny them entrance to my homes. Bingley sent a letter attempting to explain himself, and while I did read it, I did not respond."
Elizabeth looked at him aghast. "But I believed him to be your friend?"
"I did as well, Miss Elizabeth," Darcy agreed sadly. "However, I have come to realize that he was more avaricious than I had known. He and his sister planned to trap me into marriage to hide the fact that her dowry is nearly gone. He had hoped our friendship would have allowed me to overlook it and accept her without it, even though I have told him for years I would never marry her regardless of the reason."
"How could it be gone?" Elizabeth cried. "She spoke frequently of her dowry of twenty thousand pounds."
"She constantly overspends her allowance, and I have heard whispers that Bingley is gambling frequently now. I do not know when that began, but it is something I have made a habit to avoid places where men are drawn into such vices and tend to avoid those who gamble heavily," Darcy explained.
"Then I am glad Jane will not marry him," she said heatedly before her face turned downcast. "That is two men I have met recently who appeared to be everything good, but that appearance of goodness has hidden a black heart. I am very sorry to have misjudged you, especially as it begins to appear as though I have been completely wrong in several instances. I have been accused before of putting too much faith into appearances and first impressions." Elizabeth paused and drew in a breath. "Mr Darcy, I have decided that I would like to accept your offer of courtship. It may have to stay quiet while we are here in Kent, but I will ask my aunt and uncle to let me stay with them in London for a few weeks after I return. I will have to ask my father for permission as well, but I do not think he would protest too much."
"Since you are concerned about your mail being read at the parsonage, if you would give me your notes tomorrow morning, I will see them posted for you," he offered. "I promise not to read your letters and that would allow you to make the arrangements before you leave. If you like, you can have them send their replies to me, so it does not come into the parsonage and risk exposure."
"I will give you notes to send to my father, Jane, and my uncle and I will request they not mention anything directly in their response," Elizabeth said. "Just as you prefer your aunt not to find out yet, I prefer my mother not to know anything until things are more settled as well. Mama was terribly upset when I refused Mr Collins's offer last autumn and was equally upset when Mr Bingley and his company departed Netherfield without a word. She would be tempted to throw me off entirely if nothing were to result from our courtship. In her mind, my refusing the heir of Longbourn was a terrible offence, and if I did not 'secure' you, who she would believe is worth infinitely more, she would never let me hear the end of it."
"Mr Collins proposed to you?" Darcy asked incredulously.
"Is it so surprising?" Elizabeth responded, her brow arched in challenge.
"It would not have been a good marriage. I cannot imagine you encouraged him, nor can I imagine you marrying a man such as he. I am sorry to say that my aunt frequently chooses people to be around her who would kowtow to her every demand, and you could not have been happy married to such a person as that. Nor could I imagine you complying with her every demand and whim, which would have made your existence here difficult, to say the least," he replied seriously, but then his lips curved into a slight grin. "I believe a marriage to Mr Collins and being under the thumb of my aunt would have made you either commit murder or become bound for Bedlam."
She laughed, amazed to discover that Mr Darcy was capable of teasing. "I believe you are correct, sir. I did refuse his proposal, although I had to do so multiple times before he would believe me, and afterwards, he still applied to my father to overrule me. Thankfully, he supported my refusal, although, Mama still bemoans that fact. She has threatened her refusal to support me when she is 'thrown into the hedgerows' upon my father's passing."
"Is your father in ill-health?" Darcy asked, worried for her.
"Not at all, Mr Darcy; he is in excellent health. Mama simply does not understand the entail and believes it unfair and perhaps unlawful and is convinced that Mr Collins will toss us all out immediately upon inheriting," Elizabeth explained. "She viewed my marriage to the heir as her salvation. Because I refused him, she is even more convinced he will toss us out as retribution for his injured pride; The man simply could not imagine anyone turning down such an eligible prospect as he."
"Did she not consider how miserable you would have been in such a situation?" he asked again.
"That is of little importance in her mind, sir. I hate to speak ill of anyone, least of all my own mother, but I must admit that she is of mean understanding and thinks of little beyond her own comfort. I am also her least favourite child and the least understood, so it seemed fitting to her to toss me to the wolves, so to speak, to procure her own eventual comfort," Elizabeth replied. There was a mixture of her typical archness along with sadness in her tone. "My happiness would have meant little in comparison to the thought that she would always remain at Longbourn. However, she also does not realize that had she forced me into a marriage with such a man, I would have been tempted to toss her into the hedgerows myself upon my father's passing."
Darcy was quiet for several moments considering all she had said. Finally, he spoke, caution tingeing his words. "May I ask a question without offending?" he inquired. "I want to know something, but I am not certain how to word it without potentially upsetting you."
"How did I end up so very different from my mother?" she asked with a lift of her eyebrow. His eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded sheepishly. She laughed at his expression.
"It is a simple enough explanation," she explained. "Papa educated me as he would a son. I have read most of the books in his library, and I could easily manage Longbourn. In many ways, I do run the estate. I am the one to speak with the tenants and the steward and handle most of the issues, although occasionally, I have to ask Papa's advice or permission. He is, quite frankly, rather indolent and prefers to spend time reading in his book room. Additionally, I have spent considerable time with my aunt and uncle in London. They exposed me to a broader culture than we have in Meryton, and spending time with them allowed me to see and experience a different type of home. Unlike my parents, who often struggle to find common ground, they not only genuinely like each other but also share a deep and profound love. They are the example I seek to emulate in my own future marriage. Sadly, with my own parents, I am uncertain if they even like each other most of the time, and their love for each other seems to have dwindled over the years if it ever existed."
"It is interesting how you speak both of liking and loving each other," Darcy said. "Can you explain what you mean by that?"
"We can love people without necessarily liking them," she explained. "I love my sister Lydia because of our familial bond, and I genuinely want the best for her. However, I must admit that most of the time, I find it challenging to genuinely like her. Our interests and values are very dissimilar, making it difficult to connect on a deeper level. Lydia's silly and undisciplined nature often worries me, as I fear it could have detrimental consequences for herself and our family if left unchecked."
Darcy nodded. "That makes sense," he replied thoughtfully.
They had been wandering along the path as they spoke, and they both looked up when they heard a voice call. "Darcy!" Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam cried. "Where have you been?" He stopped abruptly when he saw them together. "Miss Bennet! What a surprise to find you here with my cousin." Fitzwilliam glanced at his cousin with a wry grin.
"Good morning, Colonel," Elizabeth said.
"Richard," Darcy nodded.
"I was on my way to call at the parsonage, Miss Bennet," the Colonel said. "Might I escort you back that way? Darcy, Aunt Catherine is looking for you and insists you attend her right away."
"I will attend my aunt after I see Miss Bennet back to the parsonage," Darcy insisted, offering her his arm once again. She smiled up at him as she took his arm, and he felt his heart lighten a little. He smiled at her in return, showing his dimples, both of them ignoring the Colonel's presence for a moment.
The Colonel grinned as he fell into step with the couple, unconcerned at being forgotten. "It seems I am de trop, but I will accompany you, nonetheless. Have you both enjoyed your walks this morning?"
"The grove is lovely," Elizabeth replied. "I so enjoy spring and seeing the flowers bloom. The gardens at Rosings are lovely, but I prefer less formal gardens typically. There is so much … order here and not enough of nature."
"Pemberley's gardens are much wilder," Darcy informed her. "My grandmother and my own mother also preferred less formal gardens. While the gardens are not fully wild, they have been allowed more freedom than the gardens here. There are many beautiful walks there as well, and the park is a full ten miles around." She heard the pride in his voice as he spoke of his home, but she recognized it was not a haughty pride but a pride of accomplishment and in his heritage.
"My aunt and uncle are taking a tour of the Lakes this summer, and I hope to join them. My aunt also intends to visit her former home in Derbyshire while we are there," Elizabeth told them. "I have heard much of the 'wildness' of that county and look forward to seeing many of the Peaks while I am travelling through the area."
"Where in Derbyshire did your aunt reside, do you know?" Darcy asked, considering how he might be able to invite this unknown aunt and uncle to his home while they travelled.
"My aunt grew up in Lambton, sir," she replied.
"That is only five miles from Pemberley," Richard exclaimed. "Will you pass through Matlock as well, do you think? Matlock is the seat of my own family."
"I do not know yet; it will depend on my uncle and the length of our visit," she answered. "My aunt and uncle will set the itinerary, and I will just accompany them." She smiled brightly at both of them as she spoke.
Darcy smiled. "If your uncle can let me know when you will pass through Lambton, I will invite you to Pemberley," he told her, smiling down at her in return. "When I bring Georgiana to visit, I will speak to him to pass on the invitation."
Richard's eyebrows flew to his hairline at the invitation, but he said nothing. He gave Darcy a strange look but continued walking. A moment later, they all arrived at the parsonage.
Both gentlemen bowed to Elizabeth before taking their leave. Holding her hand a moment longer than strictly allowed, Darcy murmured to Elizabeth, "It was remiss of me not to tell you how much I appreciate your agreement. I look forward to meeting you again in the morning, if not sooner," he said, wishing he had taken the opportunity to at least kiss her hand while they had been alone.
Elizabeth watched the gentlemen depart before returning inside. Her return had gone unobserved, so she slipped upstairs to consider what had happened that morning on her walk, especially the fact that she had accepted a courtship with Mr Darcy. "I am courting, Mr Darcy," Elizabeth thought in her room. "He said admires me and has asked to court me and thinks me beautiful." Laughing to herself, she sat down to compose several letters that she would hide to pass to Mr Darcy on the morrow. She suspected a maid was the one helping Mr Collins to read her mail and intended to keep these letters a secret.
Copyright 2023 by Melissa Anne