Copyright 2023 Elizabeth Frerichs
Cross-posted on elizabethfrerichs dot com and wattpad
Tuesday, November 26, 1811
A wide smile danced on Elizabeth's lips as a sliver of sunshine peeked through her window, proclaiming the lack of rain even before she left her bed. The weekend had been intolerable. Everyone else had been in raptures over the upcoming ball at Netherfield, and she was excited for it, but the rain had kept them all trapped indoors for four entire days. Complicated emotions jabbed at her at every turn: the grief over her father's indifference, frustration with her mother's unwillingness to listen to her concerns, fear for her sisters and annoyance with them. Not to mention that she had been unable to escape Mr. Collins's persistent attentions. Yesterday, she had given serious consideration to climbing out her window and fleeing into the cold rain. At least all she had to worry about with Mr. Collins was his prosiness—unlike Mr. Blake, not once had he tried to take liberties.
Underneath it all, though, Mr. Darcy's absence was a background hum of wrongness that made her teeth itch and her temper border on waspishness. They had not gone this long without seeing each other in months . . . which was why they needed to re-adjust to living in the real world again before she could accept his proposal.
If only the rain had waited until after the ball to separate them. He would be leaving for London tomorrow, and she had no idea how long he would be gone.
Flinging off such morose thoughts along with her bedcovers, Elizabeth reminded herself that today would be a good day. Today she would see Mr. Darcy and escape Longbourn and everyone in it, at least for a few hours. With a spring in her step, she got dressed in her nicest old dress and set out.
Her breath bated, she reached the end of the drive and turned towards Oakham Mount. The uphill path would be a drier walk even if Mr. Darcy was not waiting for her.
Mr. Darcy stepped out of the trees ahead of her. "Elizabeth," he said, bowing and smiling widely.
Elizabeth curtsied. "Mr. Darcy," she said, her lips tugging up in an answering smile.
"May I accompany you on your morning constitutional?" he asked.
"Provided you are content to walk to Oakham Mount; the path to the creek would be far too muddy today," she said primly.
Mr. Darcy gestured to the path in front of them. "Whatever the lady wishes, although you know that a horse would—"
"Yes, yes, a horse would keep me from getting quite so muddy," Elizabeth said, waving aside his comment. She cast him a sideways look. "Someone has already convinced me of the benefits of riding. Not all of us have ready access to horses—at least not without causing unnecessary talk," she added as he opened his mouth, no doubt to offer, yet again, to bring Belle with him some morning. It was strange. She did find herself missing Belle and riding.
"Well, then, I shall not try to repeat that wise person's persuasions and we shall do our best to avoid the larger puddles."
They could not avoid puddles entirely and Elizabeth's shoes and stockings were thoroughly soaked, but she cared little. Not when they could simply be together. They walked for some time in silence, merely enjoying each other's company.
"How have your past few days been?" Mr. Darcy asked.
Elizabeth shrugged. "I have been confined to Longbourn with my family and Mr. Collins."
"I expect it was a trying time."
"Indeed." She hesitated, attempting to decide how much to disclose to William about Mr. Collins's intentions. "It has been difficult to discourage Mr. Collins."
"Oh?"
Elizabeth kept her gaze fixed on the marshy landscape. Water still dripped from the trees, and several birds splashed enthusiastically in a puddle off to her right. "He wishes to offer an olive branch in order to make up for the entail, and my mother has informed me that she desires me to accept said olive branch as Jane is unavailable."
Darcy came to an abrupt halt. Mr. Collins? Offer for Elizabeth? Never!
"I cannot exactly tell her the truth," Elizabeth said pointedly.
Darcy shook himself. "No, but—" Mrs. Bennet would consider Mr. Collins an eminently suitable husband. Keeping the land in their family was of paramount importance to their future. Elizabeth marrying Mr. Collins would solve that problem. "I see. What do you intend to do?"
Elizabeth's eyebrows shot up. "Do? Are you asking if I will accept him?"
"No! Well, maybe, but—"
"I would not marry Mr. Collins even if I had never met you. I refuse to be leg-shackled to such a fool. The man is a menace. Perhaps not intentionally. But my ears would bleed after less than a fortnight as his wife." She crossed her arms.
"I cannot see you thriving as his wife, but—what will you do? Your parents will not force you to accept?"
Elizabeth's arms fell to her sides as she resumed her cautious walk. "I do not think so. Things between my father and I have been somewhat off lately. My mother will likely try to force me to accept, but my father—" She huffed. "I do not know. I thought I knew him well enough to predict his reactions before but now, after spending weeks trying to change his mind, I am no longer certain I ever knew him."
Darcy squeezed her hand. "I will speak to your father if it becomes necessary." He smiled at her, hoping to distract her from the evident pain the rift with her father had caused. "If worse comes to worst, we could always elope."
Elizabeth chuckled. "What an example that would set for our sisters!" She shook her head. "We shall simply have to take things as they come." Elizabeth glanced up at him. "What of you? Were you able to endure being confined to Netherfield for hours?"
Darcy grimaced. "If you mean to ask whether I was able to avoid Miss Bingley's attentions, no. Bingley and I spent a great deal of time in the study, but Bingley's sisters insisted that we emerge regularly, and if we did not do so frequently enough for their taste, they came to fetch us."
"I imagine that was uncomfortable."
"It was indeed. I shall be quite glad when I am married and no longer have to persuade anyone that I am not interested in them." He checked, realising that what he had said could be misinterpreted. "Of course, that is only true if you marry me. In all the years my aunt has been pressing me to wed, I have never looked forward to entering the married state."
"I, too, look forward to the day we wed." She gave him a cheeky smile. "It will fend off all my persistent suitors."
A/N: I love that they're to the point of talking about when they marry instead of if, even if there are still concerns with how they'll both feel post-London. It's so nice when characters make little subconscious shifts like that :D
Thanks for reading and reviewing and following and all that jazz! I really, really appreciate that you guys are sticking with me :) We'll probably be on shorter chapters until I can catch up on my editing, just FYI. As always, if you notice something that can be strengthened, please pass it along! See you guys on Tuesday!