Chapter 7

It was with great joy, three months after their time in Kent, and one month after the Darcys' heart to heart, that Elizabeth alighted from her uncle's carriage to spend a week of her trip to the peak district in the company of her dear friend Georgiana.

When her uncle had first suggested the trip to the peaks, she had mentioned it to Georgie in her very next letter, but unsure whether their trip would take them nearby had not mentioned any further. Little did she know that Mr Darcy had been scheming with her uncle. On the pretence of learning more about the trading markets, and specifically about the Gardiner company he was about to make a significant investment in, they had spoken about the prospect if an in-person meeting, and it had not taken a great deal of persuasion to convince Mr Gardiner to join him at Pemberley. Mrs Gardiner was easy to convince, her love of Pemberley so evident in her reminiscence of happy childhood memories bordering that estate.

Elizabeth had joyfully accepted the proposal of a tour of the wilder counties with her aunt and uncle. She was excited to embark upon a great adventure such as those she had read about in her novels, and the tantalising prospect of seeing where her dear friend grew up was a certain inducement to partake. She had petitioned her uncle for a stay in Lambton, near to her friend's estate in Pemberley, and was thrilled to learn that they had in fact been invited to spend a whole week staying with her friend at Pemberley itself. He let it slip that they had been invited by the master himself after some rather spirited letters about forthcoming investments. Her uncle was looking forward to further intelligent business conversation and other more pleasurable pursuits under the shades of the great house and its land.

Lizzy wasn't sure how to respond to the idea that the invitation had come from Mr Darcy, rather than her friend Georgiana. And she struggled to think of him as genial and spirited, for it so contrasted her first impression of him from that uncomfortable half hour in her aunt's drawing room. Indeed, the gentleman had been so rude in her presence, and here he was not two months later entertaining tradespeople in his ancestral home. She knew the impact that such a sympathetic business connection would have for her uncle's business, so she could not well say no. As it was, she had no inclination to. Indeed, any confusion she felt at the prospect of seeing Mr Darcy was more than made up for with the excitement she felt about being reunited with her dear friend Georgiana and seeing the verdant delightfulness that she had heard so much about in Georgiana's letters.

~:~

They arrived at Pemberley on the third day of their trip to Derbyshire. Lizzy was overjoyed to see her friend there to welcome her to the Darcy home. She was pleasantly surprised to see that Georgiana had encouraged her brother to attend their guests. He looked the picture of politeness in his smart attire, though perhaps a bit more at ease than when she had last seen him. She reasoned that fresh air and the fine trimmings that such an estate must surely provide clearly worked wonders for the man.

There was no sign of Georgiana's new companion, whom Elizabeth understood from her letters to be a pleasant sort of woman. She was visiting her sister whilst Georgiana had her friend's company.

Mr Darcy graciously handed Elizabeth down from the carriage, after Mr Gardiner had helped his wife to gain the gravel of his driveway. He was astonished to feel the warmth of Miss Elizabeth's delicate fingers and to hold their weight in his hand. She had foregone gloves due to the summer heat and humidity, and he felt her touch as a physical force. The gentle give and take of skin where hers pressed into his to support her weight emptied his thoughts momentarily, so lost was he in the sensation of touching her. Their eyes met briefly over their joined hands, and she offered him that arch look that had been cast into his brain after their first meeting.

He coughed, let go of her hand and tried to ignore the burning as he flexed his fingers to shake off the ghost of her hand lingering in his.

"Miss Elizabeth, it is a pleasure to see you again," he opened, with a confident deep tone. He then addressed her aunt and uncle, "we are very pleased that you chose to spend some of your trip with us."

Elizabeth thanked him for his hospitality and their eyes met with that same intensity. Soon, Lizzy broke their staring contest when she sought out her friend. Hence, the heated moment was quickly followed by a tremendous ruffle of skirts as Elizabeth and her dear friend Georgiana launched themselves into a friendly embrace. Such delight was shared by all members of the party at the prospect of a whole week of enjoyment.

Mr Darcy found himself uncharacteristically cheerful in spite of the noisy kerfuffle. He delighted in the return of his sister's cheerful chatter, and her clear happiness at being able to host her closest friend at their ancestral home.

Thus, the reintroduction of the Gardiners to Mr Darcy was much warmer than for most guests to Pemberley, as both gentlemen had been enjoying a cautious friendship through their correspondence, and both were very much looking forward to pursuing their collective interests.

Mrs Gardiner, for her part, enjoyed the happy scene in front of her. She was quite content to remain unpartnered as an interested observer, as she was quite intrigued to see how Mr Darcy would behave towards her relatives. Yes, it would be a very interesting week indeed.

~.~

There was a general hubbub in the below stairs that afternoon, fuelled by curious speculation as to why Madeline Gardiner, whom many of them knew from their respective childhoods to be of no particular importance, was being given the particular distinction of a personal tour by the Master of Pemberley and his sister. They knew she had married a well spoken and generally amiable tradesman - in fact a number of them had attended the delightful wedding from Lambton Church. But they could not understand how such a relatively equal match had raised her consequence to the notice of their master and the first circles.

When word returned downstairs carrying news of a pretty young woman, the rumour mill gained pace. Mrs Reynolds, the housekeeper, successfully calmed and quieted her staff even though she herself was maddeningly curious about the small party. She had come to understand that the young lady was Georgiana's particular friend - the one they had all heard tell of after she had returned, dejected, from her trip to Ramsgate. From the snippets of third-hand information that had passed her way, Miss Bennet had made an excellent first impression on her and her staff. There was a general perception that it would be a pleasant and interesting week for them all.

Of all of the interest that their presence had piqued among the serving staff, the party from the south were completely unaware. They were delighting in the many beautiful rooms that Mr Darcy was extremely proud to show them. Georgiana provided a running commentary, sharing moments from her childhood as though they were ripe strawberries on a warm summer's day. And the small anecdotes and insights into her youth were consumed as rapidly and enthusiastically as if they were sweet treats.

There was the spot in Mr Darcy's study where her mother had snuck her a boiled sweet when her father was upbraiding her for running along the wide wooden hallways. It brought to mind a similar occurrence from Lizzy;s childhood - when her father snuck her a chocolate pudding that her mother had been saving for their evening guests, upon her pleading with him in such a way that young girls are able to get away with. It had caused such unrest that her mother had refused to speak to her for a week. Both of the Darcys enjoyed this insight into life at Longbourn, even if it did reveal some silliness on behalf of the mother.

Georgiana seemed to have such a delightful anecdote for each of the rooms they walked through. Not least, there were amusing stories almost every time they walked past a portrait. Contrary to Georgiana's original introduction, where she had Lizzy believing that she and her brother were completely alone in the world, there were many Darcys and Fitzwilliams in their wider circle, and Georgiana was able to humanise them all to her friend. They laughed at the ridiculousness of her Aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourg, who was all that was pompous and eccentric. And they smiled at the warmth with which Georgiana spoke about her Aunt and Uncle, the Lord and Lady Matlock, who were the closest thing they had to parents. Their younger son, Georgiana's cousin Richard, seemed to be a funny sort of fellow too. Georgiana weaved an enchanting tale of tree climbing escapades in the gardens of Pemberley when he would stay as a young child. Mr Darcy could be heard chuckling, chuckling, softly as he indulged her sister in her stories. They had had their intended effect on the party, who were all full of the joys of spring as they made their way into the gallery itself.

~.~

Elizabeth's footsteps echoed against the cool tiles of the large gallery floor. There was no shortage of paintings along the walls - sourced from various artists, masters and local painters alike. The frames were ornate, but not overstated, which spoke to the general good taste that they had seen replicated throughout the house. And the sculptures that were elegantly organised throughout the space were nothing short of extraordinary. The marbles were such fine quality they must have originated from the continent. She was transfixed at the beauty of it all.

Elizabeth was drawn to a large frame on the far wall, which portrayed a wild country scene which she found herself getting lost in. Her Aunt and Uncle were deep in conversation with Georgiana about other family portraits, in particular one of the late Mr and Mrs Darcy. Through her quiet contemplation of the delightful scene in front of them, she heard Georgiana gushing about her parents, how much they loved each other, and how happy their childhood had been. It made her smile to see Georgiana behaving more like herself again.

Listening distractedly to her friend's conversation, she heard Mr Darcy's footsteps before she registered his presence behind her.

"I believe you have found one of my favourites, Miss Bennet," his deep voice broke the quiet.

"Well, sir," she replied, "I must commend you on your fine tastes. Whilst I have enjoyed your whole collection - indeed it is a marvellous thing to behold - this piece in particular speaks to me."

"And what is it saying to you?" He asked, finding himself curiously desperate, and desperately curious, to hear her response.

"It reminds me of the walks I enjoy from time to time at home in Hertfordshire. In particular, a few miles' amble to Oakham Mount, where I often wander before dinner. The light hitting the trees at that angle echoes the time just before dusk, when the air feels golden and I dream that I might float away into it."

It was an incredibly honest answer, and he felt a little entranced by it.

"I have struggled to articulate that feeling, but I must say I am in full agreement with you. The masters call it the golden hour. The piece is a painting by a local artist, of a truly arresting part of this county - the view from the peaks near Eyam. Perhaps we can arrange a trip should you wish to see it for yourself this week?"

Elizabeth declared that to be a wonderful idea, and her infectious smile surfaced a similar response in her companion.

"What are the pair of you smiling about?" Georgiana asked as the party rejoined each other. She delighted in the way that her friend and brother were warming to each other. She was not an expert in unspoken signals, but it did not take a genius to see they were a lot more comfortable in each others' presence than when he had handed her down from the carriage earlier that morning.

"Mr Darcy has made an excellent suggestion for an excursion this week, a hike near to Eyam. Doesn't it sound wonderful, Georgie?"

Georgiana and the Gardiners all agreed that such a trip would be enjoyable, and talk turned to the next stop on their tour of the house. And it was a very enjoyable tour, indeed.

~.~

As they were reaching the end of their abridged tour - abridged, Lizzy had thought, they hadn't seen the family wing or any of the gardens and it had still taken over an hour - Georgiana paused the party at the entrance to the ballroom to share a story of a ball shortly before their mother passed away, when she had managed to sneak past the serving staff to get a glimpse of the revelry. Her brother had found her peering in through a side door to enjoy the music and the graceful dancing. He stayed with her for a full five minutes before encouraging them both to bed, lest their father catch them roaming the house in their nightclothes. Now, that would've caused them a real upbraiding. He had been such a serious child.

Mr Darcy didn't comment on his sister's story, but Elizabeth noticed a wistful look crossing his eyes. He hadn't told Georgiana, but at the time he had known more than she about his mother's illness, and was savouring the seconds of seeing her so joyful and radiant as she had always been when they were small. It was a delightful moment of pretending, where time was suspended. He cleared his throat and waved them on towards the gallery.

Elizabeth had noticed the sadness that had encroached on their host, and felt a strange compulsion to remove it from his person. Her arms ached to comfort him, a feeling which confused her, for she did not think herself partial to the man who had been generally rude and unpleasant when they had last met. He was handsome, it had to be said, and she was willing to make excuses for him - the circumstances under which they met for the first time had not been particularly ideal. She had promised to approach this meeting as if the previous had not occurred, upon Georgiana's written persuasion. It was proving easier than she had imagined to forgive his earlier slight of her and her family when he was so affable in her presence now, and when his sister had so recently had a run in with Mr Wickham when they last met.

Having decided to lean towards being amiable with Mr Darcy, Lizzy wasted no further time concerning herself over his rudeness when they had first met, and instead focussed her mind on the delights they would collectively enjoy this week. Not least, she thought errantly, the delightful figure of a certain gentleman. She was glad when Georgiana ushered them towards the parlour for tea, and she stepped away from the confusing, handsome Mr Darcy.