Chapter 7
After enduring several days of confinement indoors, Elizabeth yearned for a refreshing walk. Upon waking that morning to find the rain had ceased, she donned attire suitable for traversing the fields. Despite the lingering dampness, an inconvenience for most women, Elizabeth was undeterred by the prospect of mud. Her keen anticipation was heightened by the possibility of encountering Mr. Darcy during her stroll, as she was curious about his activities during the recent rainy spell.
Though typically indifferent to dampness and mud, Elizabeth found herself making a slight extra effort that day to sidestep puddles. Although she anticipated her hems might end up muddy, she resolved to present herself with some degree of composure when encountering Mr. Darcy once more. Amid these thoughts, she chuckled at her own concern. "What difference can it make?" she mused aloud, only to be taken aback when a voice unexpectedly responded.
"I would imagine that it depends on what it is," a low, resonant voice replied.
"Mr Darcy," she turned, her hand going to her her heart in her surprise. "I did not see you there."
He grinned at her. "Might I persuade you to join me atop my horse as you used to do, little Ellie? It would undoubtedly keep your skirts and boots from getting so filthy as you walk."
"Scandalous, sir," she quipped with a grin but raised her hands toward him as he approached.
He grinned back as he leaned down and helped her scramble up to sit on the horse. She settled herself in front of him and wrapped her arm around his waist. "This is the most improper thing I have ever done," she admitted, hiding her face in his chest for a moment.
"Me as well," he replied huskily in her ear. "This was perhaps not my best idea, but it is too late to reconsider now."
She looked at him in surprise. "I am not certain I take your meaning, sir, but perhaps that is for the best. I am glad you came today; I worried you would not. I have missed speaking to you and found I have much to say."
"I apologise; I know that I told you I want to court you, but until matters are a little more settled, I cannot yet ask. I should not have asked you to ride with me, yet I relish the closeness this allows us. I have also missed speaking with you, Miss Elizabeth. Netherfield felt like a gaol, but I must speak to you about some things that happened there. I will depart for London on the morrow; had I not wanted to speak with you, I would have departed on horseback as soon as the rain stopped," he told her.
"Are you well? Your family?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.
"I am, but things have happened at Netherfield that necessitate I depart sooner than planned. I am afraid these things have led to Bingley and I parting ways," Darcy replied coolly.
"That sounds rather ominous," she replied. "But, my news is that I am also to depart for London. I wanted to see my Aunt Madeline…" She stopped speaking abruptly and put her hands to her mouth. "Oh," she cried and buried her face in his chest.
"What is it, dearest?" he asked, slowing the horse and wrapping her more firmly in his embrace.
"I did not mean to startle you. It just occurred to me that my Aunt and Uncle Gardiner are not truly my aunt and uncle. Mr Gardiner is my … is Mrs Bennet's brother. I am not related to them at all. They are … were my favourite relatives. Though, truly, I suppose, I have never been truly related to them." He felt her shoulders slump.
"As you say, they are still related to you through your aunt, and while they may not be related by blood, they will likely not change their treatment of you because of these new revelations. If they held in you in affection before, the fact that you are related to your uncle's sister rather than his brother should not change matters. I do not understand why Mr and Mrs Bennet were not more open about the relationship from the beginning and why no one ever explained matters to you. Mr Elliott wrote further of what he knows, and none of it makes sense," Darcy crooned as he held her.
For a few moments, she relaxed into him as she sobbed; she had never felt so cherished nor protected. However, after the tears abated, she felt suddenly bashful and a little foolish for giving in to her emotions.
"I am sorry," she said as she pulled away and used her handkerchief to dry her eyes. He offered her his own, and she dabbed at his waistcoat. "Have I ruined it?"
He looked down at the damp spot on his chest. "Not at all, and even if you had, I would not be upset at the opportunity to demonstrate my care for you. I do, you know, and I am pleased you could let down enough in my presence to express your emotions. You have had many changes suddenly come upon you, and I think you must wonder who, if anyone, in your life you can trust."
"I do. I cannot speak of this with Jane, as she would be troubled and unable to hide it from her parents. I am not ready to face the Bennets—they should have been honest from the beginning and not made me feel as though I was a penniless orphan who imposed on the family. They obviously knew I would learn about it someday. Why could I have not always been a niece of his sister and her husband, and not made to feel worthless? What purpose was there in claiming me as a Bennet? After we spoke, I remembered attempting to correct the Bennets as to my name when they first arrived at Longbourn, but I was told I was wrong to claim any other name. I was told I was Lizzy Bennet and that I was to forget any other life I thought I may have lived before.
"I have so many questions, Mr Darcy, but I am concerned about how they might react if I were to ask them. Mrs Bennet has become so much more hateful of late—I think she despises me and only tolerates my being in their family because of the stipend they receive for my care. I think she fears it not continuing but she despises me for it nonetheless."
"Do you fear for your safety at Longbourn, Ellie?" he asked, his worry causing him to address her again as informally as they had done as children.
"I do not think so," she replied. "Besides, Mr Bennet has permitted me to visit London, and I may stay there for some time. Is Mr Elliott in London? Might we be able to speak with him there? I would like to visit Briarwood and begin to learn more about it. I do not ever want to return to Longbourn."
"Some of the estate's books are actually at my townhouse," Darcy responded. "I make a point to visit a few times each year, and a competent steward is in charge. The house itself is in excellent condition, though it's currently rented out. An Admiral of the White leased it for the summer and decided to extend their stay into the autumn. Luckily, they have no children, which I found to be an ideal situation when my solicitor presented the offer. The estate generates an annual income of approximately six thousand pounds and operates on a four-crop rotation system. I have noticed that the stewards of Longbourn and Netherfield follow a similar approach."
"Yes," Elizabeth confirmed. "I managed to persuade Mr Bennet to adopt this system several years ago, and the tenants at Netherfield followed suit once they saw its success at Longbourn. Convincing Longbourn's tenants was quite an effort initially, but after a few of them agreed to give it a chance, and found it successful, it became easier to sway the others."
"I am not surprised to learn you led that charge," he teased. "What else have you done to improve Longbourn?"
As they made their way to Oakham Mount, they continued to speak of the estates. She was a fast learner and asked good questions, which impressed Darcy as he was unfamiliar with women taking such an avid interest in such typically male pursuits. He said as much to Elizabeth, accidentally offending her.
"I meant it as a compliment, Miss Elizabeth," he quickly replied. "I am impressed with the breadth of your understanding in these matters. Many of the women of the ton would never dream of speaking or thinking of such matters, and I am pleased that you are unlike them. I always hoped for a wife who would be concerned about more than fashion and the weather."
"Oh," she replied, realising she had misunderstood him, and blushing at his implication. They had reached the base of the mount, and he helped her dismount. After offering her his arm, they approached the top to watch the sunrise. "Forgive me for assuming you meant it differently," she said after several moments. "I supposed I am not used to being paid compliments. Mrs Bennet was more likely to scold me for my interest in such things even though I have increased the estate's income, although not significantly. Of course, she does not realise that."
She paused briefly. "I have been assisting Mr Bennet with the estate's accounts for years and frequently noted the quarterly payments. I am well aware of where it goes—books for Mr Bennet and dresses and other fripperies for Mrs Bennet and the girls. My allowance is on par with my … my cousins', and I do not hold any ill feelings towards them for it. However, I do wonder, are there any stipulations on how that money should be allocated? Is there any recourse to recover the misspent funds? I would not want to injure my cousins, especially Jane, by bringing any legal action against them, but I do wonder what can be done to hold Mr and Mrs Bennet accountable."
"I have pondered the question over the last few days. It is quite apparent that the money has not been spent for your benefit as it should have been. Did you receive any of the instruction he claimed you did? I have heard you play a little, and it is delightful, but what about the other things he claimed, the languages and other accomplishments," Darcy inquired.
"We had a governess up until the time I turned twelve. Lydia objected to being instructed in anything, and Mrs Bennet insisted she go. After that, I would receive piano instruction from a neighbour of the Gardiners whenever I would visit. I insisted on being taught French and Italian—Mrs Gardiner spoke both languages tolerably well and would help me when I visited, and I would hone those skills further with Mr Bennet. He would not teach me, but he would speak to me in the languages. He did help me learn a smattering of Greek and Latin, mainly because I think he enjoyed practising those skills himself. I was terrible at sewing, and so never bothered learning any more than the most basic of skills, and of course, Mrs Bennet did insist that we all learn dancing from a dancing master. Once I turned fifteen, I was considered 'out' in society and, according to Mrs Bennet, no longer needed such instruction and was forced to spend more time on my sewing and other pursuits she felt were important for a lady. My time in the library, and even at the Gardiners, was shortened, although, after some time, she loosened those restrictions. I believe she preferred me to be away from her drawing room," Elizabeth explained, with a hint of bitterness in her tone, Darcy thought.
"We know a portion of the funds should have been spent on you—your allowance should have been four times what it was—but it is obvious to me that other things were ignored and Mr Bennet claimed to do more than he did. Longbourn will suffer significantly when you gain your majority and come into your inheritance, as they will lose those additional payments. Surely, Mr and Mrs Bennet cannot expect you to choose to remain with them given all they have kept hidden from you," Darcy replied.
"I begin to think they hoped to keep me ignorant of the facts and that my trustees would continue to be uninvolved or unconcerned. They will be unhappy when they discover I know the truth. I would like to go to London before they find out—does Mr Bennet have a right to force me to return to Longbourn before I reach my majority?" Elizabeth asked, suddenly worried about the next year.
"It is another question we will need to ask Mr Elliot. I confess I have done what I was tasked with regarding Briarwood and the investments because it was one of the responsibilities passed down by my father, but I have not paid careful attention to the particulars that did not come under my direct oversight," Darcy said. "Now, I have a vested interest in learning all I can. I will also have to speak to Mr Elliott about us, and what will need to be decided so we might court. I hope you know I intend to marry you one day, Ellie."
Elizabeth blushed brightly at both his words and the address, but neither spoke for several minutes as they considered all that had been discussed. Suddenly, Darcy turned to Elizabeth with a question. "How do you intend to get to London, dearest?" he asked.
She blushed again at the endearment. He had used it several times that morning, and she admitted to herself that she enjoyed hearing it from his lips. "Normally, Mr Bennet sends me in his coach halfway, and Mr Gardiner sends his to convey me the rest of the way. I intended to ask if you had an alternative plan and vaguely wondered if I could somehow travel with you, that is, if you would not mind taking me."
He grinned broadly. "My carriage is at your service, madam," he said with a courtly bow, causing her to laugh. "I would enjoy travelling with you, and if we can find a companion, someone who can be trusted, we can continue to speak of matters as we ride."
"I had the same thought. I wondered if Mrs Hill, the housekeeper at Longbourn, could be spared, but I am uncertain Mrs Bennet would allow her to go," Elizabeth offered.
"What about Mrs Nicholls?" Darcy suggested. "She apparently likes you and seems trustworthy."
Elizabeth laughed. "She and Mrs Hill are sisters and are both wonderful women," she replied with a wry curve to her lips. "Do you think the Bingleys would mind sparing her for a day or two to accompany us to London?"
"I need to tell you about the Bingleys," he said and proceeded to tell her what had happened at Netherfield during the two days of rain. When he finished, he said: "Mrs Hurst would agree to anything I suggested at this moment as she does not want to risk my displeasure. I do like the Hursts, and I appreciate how they acted in my interest during my brief stay. I will ask Mrs Hurst and Mrs Nicholls what can be arranged for today or tomorrow. Could you be ready to leave as soon as this afternoon?"
"I can, but how can we explain how things were arranged for you to convey me to London?" she asked, then looked at him again. "Mrs Hill," she stated, answering her own question.
"Mrs Hill?" he asked, confused.
"Mrs Hill wrote a note to her sister including information about my trip, and Mrs Nicholls has some errand or another to complete in London. You offered to convey Mrs Nicholls to town since you were already planning to go, and Mrs Nicholls suggested I go along. This would save both my … Mr Bennet and Mr Gardiner the expense of using their own carriages. Uncle Gardiner cares not about the expense, but Mr Bennet would be pleased not to have to use his funds or his carriage. You can come to Longbourn later this morning with the offer, stating that it was Mrs Nicholls' suggestion, and Mr Bennet will surely not turn it down."
"That is an excellent idea, dearest, and I will see what I can arrange as soon as I return to Netherfield. You are brilliant," he replied, kissing her forehead, causing them both to blush with his impromptu gesture. After a moment, he regained his composure and offered to escort her back to Longbourn atop his horse. She blushingly agreed and once again rode in front of him with her arms wrapped tightly about his waist.
He dismounted and let her down just before they reached Longbourn. He helped her down, and this time, he held her slightly longer than he had earlier. Slowly and deliberately, he bent toward her, pressing a light kiss to her lips, retreating almost before Elizabeth realised what he had done. "I will see you soon, sweetheart," he whispered before he mounted the horse again and took off quickly.
Elizabeth was a little dazed as she walked the rest of the way to Longbourn's garden. She spoke briefly to Mrs Hill about what had been planned before retreating to her room to pack for her stay in London.