Darcy sighed and placed the letter he had just received from his solicitor upon the mahogany desk. He knew that he could not no longer postpone his journey to London. He was compelled to meet with several acquittances interested in buying Pemberley's goods to finalize the details and sign binding contracts.
He found himself reluctant to depart from Ramsgate, mainly because he was unwilling to be parted from Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
As he thought of her, a gentle smile formed on his lips. It had been three weeks since they unexpectedly crossed paths on the beach, and since then, he had been fortunate enough to spend time with her every day. The initial attraction he felt for her when he departed from Hertfordshire had evolved into a profound and tender affection. While he could not deny her physical beauty, with her captivating eyes and graceful figure, what truly drew him to her like a moth to a flame was her character. She possessed a rare combination of intelligence, loyalty, kindness, and vivacity. Added to this, she fearlessly defended her opinions when they disagreed.
Lately, he had found his sister more joyful than ever before. Over the past few weeks, Georgiana and the three Miss Bennets quickly formed a close bond and began addressing each other by their first names. Additionally, the fresh sea air had noticeably enhanced Georgiana's overall well-being.
He was deeply engrossed in his thoughts, so much so that he was startled when a noise at the door signaled the arrival of his cousin in his office. Irritated by the interruption, he admonished, "Has not Lady Matlock ever taught you the importance of knocking before entering a room?"
"I knocked and waited a few seconds. When I did not hear anything, I decided to enter the room."
Darcy nodded, and the Colonel added, "I wanted to let you know that my superior approved my request to extend my leave for another month. I shall return to London in early August."
"I am glad to hear it. I have observed that while you have made significant improvements in the past few weeks, you still seem to exhibit a slight limp."
"I will surely have it for life." After a pause he sadly added, "I cannot complain about my lot, Darcy. Several of my men died in the last battle; most of them were very good men, and some had wives and children. It weighs heavily on my heart knowing that their families are now without husbands and fathers."
"Richard, what happened it was not your fault. You were just following the orders of your General, and you risked your life for it."
"I wish it were that simple, Darcy! I knew that if I followed the General's orders, my men would likely die. He was sending us as a 'distraction'. We were a small group, only 10 men, going up against more than 20 well-armed adversaries. It was clear to me and all of them that the odds were heavily stacked against us, and I agreed to lead them into such a perilous situation."
"You followed orders…"
The Colonel vehemently shook his head and interrupted him, "No, Darcy. You should have seen the look on my men's faces when I explained the General's plan to them. Everyone knew they were going to die… I should have refused, and faced the consequences!"
Darcy gazed at his cousin with a deep sense of sadness, fully aware that no words could assuage the burden of grief and guilt weighing heavily upon him. To everyone else, including their family and acquaintances, Richard's silent suffering and the haunting nightmares that tormented him remained concealed, knowing only to Darcy and Richard's Batman. that there was nothing more he could say to ease his cousin's grief and conscience. The rest of the family, and even most of the people who knew them, were unaware of his suffering and the nightmares that plagued him daily.
After a poignant moment of silence, Richard looked Darcy in the eye, and with a small, wistful smile playing on his lips, inquired, "At what time do we depart for Canterbury?"
Unbeknownst to himself, Darcy smiled, and his thoughts drifted back to Elizabeth. In particular, he recalled the conversation they had shared when Georgiana had displayed her drawings from the previous year to Elizabeth and her family, including a beautiful depiction of the Canterbury Cathedral.