Chapter 16 ~ A Chilling Walk
5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? 8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well. (James 2:5-8, ESV)
Walking in the grove on her eighth day in Kent, Elizabeth smiled, struck by the thought that she had now seen for herself all of Rosings most vaunted attractions. Her cousin had so well described them in December, she feared that her own poor efforts, when with her pen she boasted of having the privilege of viewing them herself, would pale in comparison. She had seen Rosings from various aspects: first admiring its prospect from the garden, then from the parsonage windows she counted its chimneys, and from the lane, windows glazed with large, even, panes of glass were admired. When they were invited to dine by the great lady who was mistress to that grand house, she viewed one of its many staircases, marvelled at no fewer than five of the marble monstrosities serving for mantelpieces and was shown great favour when Lady Catherine herself took such an interest in her that she was interrogated most minutely.
After hearing her cousin pontificate from the pulpit on Sunday she considered that there was little left for her to fill her letters with. The beauties of early spring on a tree lined walk would only be appreciated by Jane. This happy thought was interrupted by the appearance of the folly where natural beauty had been set aside to make way for a structure that served no purpose whatever. She never entered the tall Grecian temple that had been strangely dropped in the english countryside and was on the point of turning back when Mr. Darcy's tall form emerged from within it. She affected not to notice him and began her return when he called to her and civility demanded that she turn to him.
"Miss Bennet, I am so very pleased to discover you! This seemed the very place to lure you out of doors."
She made no response but he was soon at her side and drew her arm within his own and walked with her. "I have been calling in Gracechurch Street hoping you would soon join your sister."
"That is very kind but I had believed your motives better still – that you would cheer my sister when her other friends abandoned her. If I was your only motive my family could have informed you when I was expected."
He smiled at her, "You see through me so easily. I wished for more than information; I wished to gain their good opinion in the hopes that we could reclaim our former friendship and perhaps turn it into something even more valuable."
"That is a very pretty speech you did once tell me that you always meant what you said. It has puzzled me that your behaviour afterwards suggested the opposite."
"I cannot deny the truth of your words. I must confess my weakness, vanity and family pride to are my only defenders. Defend is too honourable, to explain is all that I can offer. I was driven almost mad with my passion for you, yet, you cooly disregarded my ardour. I thought if you wanted none of me I could learn to forget."
"I never rebuffed you, sir, what do you mean by this?" She looked about her, they had progressed further than she usually walked.
"You seemed to value another man's words above my own. Let us say no more on that topic. It was impossible to forget you and I can not wait for you to return to London. To woo you here would be madness indeed. My family, you see, Lady Catherine most especially, expect me to marry my Cousin Anne. But I cannot do without you, my darling Elizabeth. Come walk a little way into the wood with me. There is a charming little meadow only a few steps from the path." He spoke of what he wished to give her until she stopped. She looked about her and could just make out the way to the parsonage.
"Mr. Darcy, I have heard enough and I will not accuse you of insincerity. I am most flattered but I will require time to consider."
"There is no time my dearest-"
"Sir, your aunt expects me to tea and I must dress. I will see you in a very little while, at Rosings." but as she turned he held her fast.
"I already told you that is impossible. I could not hide my feelings and to allow my aunt to guess them would be madness indeed. Walk with me for just a few minutes more, I beg you, you have not even allowed me to make my offer- -"
"But if I do not leave now I may be late and that would distress my cousin and dishonour your aunt."
"Hang my aunt!" He cried and then apologized before pleading "My dear girl how can you hesitate, think of all that I can provide for you. Come I want to show you something, only a few steps more and you will see my chaise, there are sheep's skins, warm bricks, wine, a basket of lovely cheeses, – raspberry tarts. Elizabeth let me whisk you away tonight, right now my love. Let us taste our future happiness, in truth if we do not go now I shall be forced to marry my cousin. You cannot wish such a bride for me. Will not you play that part? Will you not rescue me from that misery?"
As sweet as honey his words fell but that pitiful helpless look in his eyes. What sort of man with an independant fortune must fly from scheming relatives like the heroine in one of the novels Mrs. Wollstonecraft ridicules. Oh he did such a thorough job of lying but, thank God, she thought that he had not fooled her. Moving away he pursued and in another moment was in front of her, he looked stricken rather than threatening but his actions made her bold.
"Mr. Darcy I am not prepared – Sir, I must protest that this is not the behaviour of a gentleman you must let me go." And with more force than was at all proper she pushed past him continued towards the wider path. His size and speed easily caught her up. But his quick movements and the wind that had suddenly blown in deprived him of his hat. He took no notice of it but grasped her shoulders and held her securely in place. Standing behind her, his words were in her ear.
"Elizabeth, you lovely fool, you must allow me to tell you how long I have wanted you. Do not pull away. You are far enough from the lane that it is hopeless. Do you not yet understand why young ladies should not go on long walks alone. I shall protect you if you stay with me."
Though it was a brisk afternoon in early March it was not the wind that gave her chills.
"I would be grateful for your escort back to the parsonage-"
Just then it began to rain and once begun it fell in full, fat, drops. Mr. Darcy turned her to face him as the rain poured heavily on them, running in bluish gray streaks down his face.
"My dear girl, you must come with me willingly or otherwise."
He pulled her to him and forced a kiss that was meant to be persuasive. She stood passively and would not respond at first until at last she made herself surrender. When he released her she hid her shame in his chest as she said,
"Quite willingly, Mr. Darcy."
He pulled away and looked in her face then leaned forward to say, as quietly as the rain would allow, "It is much pleasanter this way."
He turned again towards his chaise but Elizabeth smiled an uncomfortable smile,
"I would not be expected to go to tea after returning in this state. Allow me to return to the parsonage and when you see Charlotte and Mr. Collins leave, you may come back for me. I will change into dry clothes and pack a small bag.
"That is foolish, it may still be raining. I cannot risk being seen here. You would need to walk back to the grove and will only get another dress wet. You do not need anything. I will purchase a fine new wardrobe for you."
"If it does continue to rain I will have dry clothes in the bag at the very least. Do you not see that this brief delay will give us time? Mr. Darcy only think, if I do not return now they will begin a search for me. If I go back in this condition they will leave me behind to recover my health and no one will expect to see me until morning."
"Very well, I will watch for you in the grove, but I am desperate for you and if you do not come I will return to Hertfordshire to seek you out. If I were a devious man I could ruin your reputation nonetheless. You are too clever to play me false, I must be your only choice."
His threats brought real tears that gave her next speech the appearance of candour. "How can you talk so? What woman would dare to refuse you anything you condescended to ask of her. I will come to you as soon as I can leave without being seen." His cravat was quite gray now and his face was host to rivers of blues and grays. But she would not be revolted and to further prove her sincerity she stood on her toes and kissed his chin.
The innocent gesture startled and pleased him. "You are altogether charming. Do not tarry, I beg you."
Looking up at him her smile was genuine before she turned and ran towards the parsonage.
Mr. Darcy recovered his hat once Elizabeth returned to the parsonage he approached closer to the parsonnage with a clear view of the lane. It would be an hour before he could expect her return and rather than trudge to the coach only to trudge back again he decided to wait in the grove. One sprawling oak provided a branch low enough to make a bench. There he was sheltered from much of the rain and being a creature who was fond of comfort he made the best use of his rustic setting. He had played a long game. Ladies in a small village with few prospects could not be immune to his charm and his fortune. For a lady to resist him at all was novel, she had to learn her vulnerability so he left her to pine for his attentions. Miss Elizabeth Bennet was a stubborn minx, shaking his head he smiled, she tried to resist him nonetheless.
Leaning back against the tree he was thankful for the great coat protecting his clothes from the dirt and rain. On his perch he was conveniently situated to watch the border between Husford and Rosings. He would not miss her when she passed. Darcy considered how everything had gone amiss in London. Jane seemed so gentle and he supposed she must be hurt, she must be eager to believe herself beloved and should have surrendered sweetly to his coaxing but she was too timid and he had frightened her. He smiled thinking of how excessively useful Bingley had been. Modest and easily persuaded he had been willing to abandon that fetching creature.
Bingley's tractability was one of the reasons Darcy had rusticated at Netherfield. intending to make Miss Bingley his mark. Her family was not yet fully accepted in the highest circles. Her brothers would be no protection at all: Hurst was useless, Bingley too trusting. Caroline would have come to him willingly enough and after a time she would have been delighted to entertain the bon ton. Undoubtedly she would make a difficult mistress, but some men preferred that.
There now, he oberved the chaise leave the house; he waited.
He began considering a different course at the Meryton assembly. Jane Bennet, a true gentlewoman, completely unknown in London immediately drew his notice as well as his friend's. Where Caroline was rather handsome, Jane could rival the beauty of any town favourite. To add to her physical charms even a cat like Caroline praised her sweetness of temper and gentle nature. She would make a very fine mistress – so fine a mistress that he considered actually marrying her. She was the kind of lady who would make home a desirable place, she would not shame him, and she would sweetly forgive him for his 'mistakes'. The trouble was that with four sisters, most of them quite pretty, and a father with neither the will nor the resources to protect them, they were far too valuable to marry. Besides just now he wanted funds and would not give up Rosings to marry a penniless country girl.
It had been fifteen minutes since the carriage left for Rosings. Eliza Bennet would be entering the grove and very soon they would be cosily settled in his coach traveling to London.