Darcy quitted Mr. Bennet's office and handed James a stack of letters to be posted, then took himself to the sitting room. Elizabeth's gaze fell upon him as he entered.
"Mrs. Bennet, may I have your leave to take a turn about your lovely grounds with my wife?"
Mrs. Bennet could not give her permission quickly enough, and the two were soon strolling along the path. For some time, they walked in awkward silence, each not knowing what to say. Finally, Elizabeth could take the silence no longer. She stopped and turned to him.
"Mr. Darcy, I am so sorry that I did not save you from falling from the ship. I feel every pain that I did not do so, and I hope you can forgive me."
Darcy was all astonishment.
"Why, but there was nothing you could have done! Why should you feel it? It was my own careless clumsiness that sent me into the water."
"No, indeed. I saw you reach for me, and I thought for a moment that I could have saved you."
Darcy took her hands.
"I grasped for the rail. I would not have risked pulling you over with me. I could never endanger you."
Elizabeth colored and turned away, and Darcy continued.
"It is I who should apologize for my treatment of you. And that my carelessness hurt you. Your father said that you have suffered during my absence. I cannot say why you did not rejoice in thinking me dead, for you would have been perfectly excused to do so. But I am glad."
With her face still averted, Elizabeth told him that she had read his account of Wickham's treatment of Miss Darcy and had been mortified by how deceived she had been in the young officer's character.
"He is expert in such deception, as I'm afraid all too many people will discover to their own detriment."
Darcy attempted to look at her face, which attempts she confounded.
"Please, will you not look at me?"
She continued to look down.
"I cannot. I know not what to think, what to feel. I am all confusion."
Darcy put a finger under her chin and guided it up so that he gazed into her face.
"My dear Mrs. Darcy, I cannot blame you for any hard feelings you have toward me. I have treated you in an unforgivable manner. I only hope to be able to show you that I can do better, and will do better."
Elizabeth began to cry and hid her face once more.
Soon after they returned to the house, Darcy excused himself and took himself to Netherfield, where Bingley had just returned.
"Darcy!" Bingley embraced his friend. "You cannot think what I felt when I heard you had been lost at sea. And so soon after I received your letter about Miss Bennet. It would been a cruel joke on me indeed if I could never discuss it with you."
"I'm afraid that I will have much to make up for, but I am glad that at least one person is glad to see me among the living."
Bingley started.
"Do you mean none of the Bennets were glad to see you?"
"It could not be but a mixed blessing to them, to be sure."
"Darcy, you are too hard on yourself. They must have been shocked when you and Miss Elizabeth ran off — I dare say there was no one who was not shocked — but it is still a most eligible match for their daughter. How could they object to that, or to you?"
Bingley grinned and hit his friend on the shoulder.
"And so, congratulations, man! Married to Miss Elizabeth. What a match for you, she'll be sure to keep you on your toes. Not handsome enough to tempt you, indeed! She proved handsome enough, right there, old man?"
Darcy let Bingley sit him down and pour him a drink. He could not wholly resist the cheering influence of his friend's demeanor.
"Might I trouble you to have your man fetch my luggage from Longbourn, Bingley?"
"No trouble at all, but aren't you staying with the Bennets? You a newly married man." But he promptly called a servant and gave the order. As soon a the man had quitted the room, Bingley sat down next to Darcy, all concern.
"What is it, Darcy? Will you not tell me what's the matter? You know I'm delaying my own call on Miss Bennet on your account."
Waving away Darcy's admonishments to go about his own courtship, Bingley insisted on being of service to his friend.
"After all, I'll never be able to repay you for the look on Caroline's face when we heard about your elopement. I swear she's had her cap set at you for years, and to have the prize snatched away — it was priceless."
Darcy sighed and took a drink.
"First, Bingley, you got my letter and are renewing your addresses to Miss Bennet?"
"Of course. If you and Louise — and Caroline — hadn't been so dead set against it, I would have proposed by last Christmas and the banns would have already been read. I've never met a sweeter, more wonderful girl."
Darcy smiled.
"I'm glad of it. I was terribly wrong to persuade you otherwise."
"I'd say I was surprised to hear you admit it, but on a day when you rise from the grave, I'd have to say anything is possible."
Darcy gave a ghost of a laugh at that, but his smile soon faded.
"Bingley, I have a confession to make to you, for I need your counsel and you cannot give it without knowing the full circumstances of my elopement with Miss Elizabeth. But I fear you will hate me after."
"Don't be ridiculous, Darcy. I could never hate you."
"Wait until you hear my full story, and then you may tell me that."
"Darcy, I would not have believed it of you! I do confess to being shocked."
Darcy looked pale but unshaken.
"Of course you are. My behavior was reprehensible. I cannot imagine that she will ever forgive me."
"It would serve you right if she did not. And when she had already refused you. My God, man, perhaps your getting knocked into the Channel was no accident. Are you sure she didn't shove you in?"
"I deserved nothing less," Darcy admitted.
Bingley paced in short strides, and Darcy was disheartened if not surprised to witness his disapprobation. Bingley turned to him.
"I should throw you from this house this instant, but I suppose you must stay in Hertfordshire to finish your arrangement with the Bennets. You do intend to do something to their benefit?"
On slightly firmer ground, Darcy outlined his plans. Bingley was pleasantly shocked at his friend's generosity.
"You need not worry about a dowry on Jane's account. I don't need any such inducement to marry her."
Darcy smiled wanly.
"I never though you would." Bingley began pacing again.
"This is all very well, but I do not think money will be sufficient inducement to win Miss Elizabeth's forgiveness. Even I know her too well to think that."
"I know, Bingley. That was the least of it, fulfilling a promise made. But what shall I do? Do I accept that my wife will hate me forever?"
"I don't know, old man, I've never gotten a woman so angry at me. How could you have done it? How did you persuade your servants to take part in it?"
Darcy shook his head, pressing his lips together in mental pain.
"Has she said anything about it since?"
"How could I bring it up? We have avoided each other almost entirely since then, except for two dinners with others, the wedding itself and a walk yesterday." Darcy related the particulars of his talk with Elizabeth.
"She thought she could have saved you? My God, man, you don't deserve her."
"I know it."
"It sounds that she is being perfectly honest with you. How could she know what to think of you? On one hand, generosity, on the other —"
"But what am I to do? Shall I make her an allowance and leave her with her family? Install her in Pemberly and keep to town? Install her in town and keep to Derbyshire? Try to live with her at Pemberly?"
"I can't imagine she'd be happy in town, being snubbed by Caroline and who knows else. Has she expressed a preference?"
"No, and it does not seem right to put the weight of such a decision on her. I see no good options for either of us."
"You have a point there. Listen, why don't you give her those choices and see what she makes of them? She has a level head on her, you know."
"That's true. Thank you."
"It's not much of an answer."
"But it was more than I was able to decide upon to do."
Bingley clapped his friend on the shoulder and gave a sigh.
"I suppose you are suffering enough, and I shall merely have to sentence you to gaining Miss Elizabeth — that is, Mrs. Darcy's pardon — before I can pardon you myself."