Update ch 13

Elizabeth was playing at the pianoforte when Mr. Darcy sought her after his arrival. She was alone, and he listened in the doorway and eagerly watched her. He had missed her. Her song ended, and she shuffled the pages as she picked another song to practice. This time, she sang, and he was enthralled. Without thought, he moved toward her until he stopped at the other side of the pianoforte. He was close enough to see her blush as she sang a particularly pleasant verse about kissing your love. He hoped she thought of him as he did of her. Feeling parched at the thought, he licked his lips.

Unfortunately for him, Elizabeth happened to look up and noticed him at that time. Her fingers splayed over the keys, startling him from his deep observation and reminding him that sneaking up on a maiden was not very gentlemanly.

"Mr. Darcy! I had not noticed your return." She breathed heavily as she recovered from her shock. Tentatively, she resumed playing, but she did not sing. He felt the void created by the loss of her voice. He sat beside her and watched her hands gracefully move over the instrument. He did not attempt to fluster her by brushing her arm when he turned the pages. He simply enjoyed her presence. When her song ended, he thanked her for letting him listen before he pulled out Jane's letter.

"She almost did not give me this, for she was afraid that it would give me too much trouble."

"Jane!" Elizabeth snatched the letter, immediately recognizing her sister's penmanship, thrilled to have news. She clutched the letter in her hand, and tears rose in her eyes. She blinked them back and attempted to calm herself once again. "I have longed to hear from her. My letters were burned in the fire." As she looked up at him, a tear fell down her cheek.

He gently swiped it away with his handkerchief and lowered his hand before the temptation to cup her cheeks overpowered him. He knew he was not as necessary to her as she was to him. "I know you wish to read your letter post haste. Do not let social niceties keep you here." He placed his hand back in his lap and watched her dart from the room. In the hall, he heard her run into Mrs. Collins. By the time he reached the door, they were disappearing up the stairs, laughing in their happiness to have news. He smiled. Never had he been eager to return to Rosings before, and half an hour in Elizabeth's presence had renewed his aching heart.

His cousin's voice rang out, startling him from his reverie. "You eye those stairs as though the secrets to life's great mysteries are contained in them."

"Hello Richard." Mr. Darcy joined his cousin's side and they walked to the library. They knew better than to continue speaking in the hall. Lady Catherine might overhear and interrupt.

"Were you successful?" The colonel began as soon as they were ensconced safely in the library.

Mr. Darcy's eyebrows cinched as he replied, "I have mended the break I had orchestrated. I could not have been more wrong. Miss Bennet was astonished to see Mr. Bingley, and she could barely look at him without blushing profusely. Mr. Bingley could not stop staring at her. Yet, by the end of the visit, they seemed very much ready to love each other again. I doubt they will wait too long to enter into an engagement."

"That will put you in the path of the Bennets every time you visit your friend."

"Yes, it will." He poured the two of them drinks. "What happened in my absence?"

The colonel snorted into his drink. After recovering, he said, "In an attempt to help you woo your lady love, I learned more about your time in Hertfordshire." He set his drink down to give all of his attention to his cousin. "How could you have ever thought Miss Elizabeth Bennet merely tolerable and not handsome enough to dance with?"

Darcy stared pensively at his drink, but no memories returned. "I would not have ever described her as such."

"And yet, you did just that before you had met, at an assembly."

Darcy sighed in defeat, finally recalling the moment. "I was exhausted from our dealings with Wickham and all I had heard at that blasted assembly was my income bandied about by all the matrons." After the release of a few choice words, he added, "Bingley was pestering me to dance. I recall looking at someone he had suggested and saying the worst thing I could think of to get him to leave me alone. I saw Elizabeth for the first time that night, and I didn't care enough to even be civil." He hung his head in shame. "I should have refused to attend, but I worried that if I did, Miss Bingley would offer to keep me company."

"So, you never attempted to fix your mistake?" The colonel prompted after a decent pause.

"I did not think anyone listening worth my concern." After a pause, he added, "Just as I decide my future, I realize my past made that future impossible. A strange twist of fate, except it is of my own making." He took a long swig of his drink out of hopelessness.

The colonel took a seat next to his cousin and patted him on the back. "Not impossible, my friend. You are a good man. You have much to recommend yourself to her."

"I doubt she would want Pemberley so much that she would consider me."

"Not Pemberley, you daft curmudgeon!" The colonel nearly shouted in his exhaustion at this conversation. "You! You are honest, loyal, intelligent, interesting, and handsome. If Miss Bennet is worth the earning, then you have no option than to show her the person you are when strangers are not around. Speak with her. Walk with her. Woo her. Apologize for your terrible remark. If you think she is trustworthy, explain why you were in such a mood that horrible evening. If she is to become my cousin by marriage, she ought to know."

Mr. Darcy looked up at this thought but quickly hung his head again. "Wickham has already turned her head with his lies, I could…"

"How does she know Wickham?" The colonel shouted.

Mr. Darcy turned to the door, hoping no one heard them. The colonel took a few calming breaths and sat back in his seat. Mr. Darcy then explained that Wickham had joined the regiment, and although he doubted Wickham had told many his story, for he had not heard it bandied about while he was there, however, he had evidently told Elizabeth. "She accused me of destroying his hopes and future. I was enjoying our only dance together, and she regretted ever having met me."

"No, cousin, if he has filled her with lies, it is because he is the only one talking. Speak with her and make her understand your version. The true version. She is intelligent and will see you speak the truth."

Mr. Darcy looked as though he had never truly seen his cousin before. "You wish me to reveal what happened to Georgie!"

"Only if you trust her to keep the secret. You would not have fallen in love with her if you had not gotten to know her well enough to know that you could trust her. Do you wish to marry her?"

Without having to think about it, Mr. Darcy replied that he did.

"Tell her the truth." The colonel rose from his seat and began to pace the floor. "I have wanted to know where that scoundrel has been hiding. He is in the militia, you say?"

Mr. Darcy had avoided telling his cousin where Wickham had been, for he knew the colonel wished to fight Wickham for what he had done. After a pause, he explained that Wickham had joined the militia in Meryton and was likely still stationed there, adding, "Though Elizabeth would be able to give you better information on that score."

The colonel studied his cousin for a moment. It was true that he wanted to thrash Wickham to within an inch of his life, but his cousin's dilemma was more important. Taking a deep breath to set aside his anger, her reclaimed his seat, only for the agitation to build quickly, requiring him to pace again. Finally, he realized that there was no more to say to his cousin. "You should go for a walk. The exercise will clear your head, and perhaps you will see Elizabeth and begin to speak with her."

"She undoubtedly has already walked today, and I just saw her run upstairs." Mr. Darcy pointed out the obvious. "Tea shall be served soon, but perhaps a walk will do me good." He nearly reached the door before he turned back to add, "Will you remain here, or will you go chase Wickham?"

The colonel replied that he had yet to decide but would remain for the present. "You have need of my expertise."

Mr. Darcy huffed. "You have been married as many times as I have, my friend. We are in uncharted waters here." He turned and strode out the door with determination. He had reached the foyer when he heard his aunt shout to a servant to fetch him. Tossing a coin to a footman with a promise of four more if he delayed any servant fetching him for at least 20 minutes before looking outside, he headed outside for a breath of fresh air.

AN: Thanks for reading!