Chapter 8 - Sunday, September 20, 1812

The assembled troupe took quite a while to get moving in the morning. It was past nine by the time they were all breakfasted and ready to depart the White Gull Inn. They would not normally travel on a Sunday, but Darcy felt it was best to get Miss Elizabeth back to her family as soon as possible. Georgiana and Elizabeth's meeting in the morning was a bit awkward, but the two ladies soon fell into their usual good humor. Elizabeth thanked the Darcys prodigiously for recovering the items that she had sold and for bringing them to her as well as her luggage from Pemberley. The more time she spent with them, the more comfortable she became with the possibility of joining their family.

Darcy decided to ride next to the coach to allow the ladies time to chat. He had mentioned to Elizabeth that he hoped Georgiana would not see this escapade like some romantic knight in shining armor from a novel and think that fairy tales did come true, even if they did this time. Elizabeth assured him that she would impress upon Georgiana how idiotic her flight was, how the protection of family meant everything in this world and that you had to rely on your friends to help you through life. Georgiana was still very young, only 15, and she had some growing up to do before she was allowed to determine her own path in life.

Just as they were starting to move in the coaching yard, another coach and two outriders had come to a stop across from them and the two men inside dismounted from the coach. Elizabeth had looked up when their groom yelled to the horses. All of a sudden she cried out, "Uncle! Uncle Edward! Stop the coach! Oh stop the coach!" The coachman pulled the horses up short and Mr. Darcy dismounted to see what was alarming Elizabeth.

"That's my Uncle Gardiner! The one you were to send an express to, the one who was to meet me in London. What is he doing here? Uncle! Uncle Edward! It is me, Lizzy." and she ran across the coaching yard to the older man who had just departed the coach. He folded her into a tight embrace as if he would never let her go.

Darcy followed her with his eyes and was astonished to recognize the other man standing there. "Bingley!" he shouted, "What are you doing here?" as he strode across the yard and shook the man's hand vigorously.

"Darcy! It is you. I thought I recognized the coach, but I could not fathom how you would be here! This is where all correspondence about our search for Miss Elizabeth has been coming while her uncle and I searched for her from Leichester to York and back. You found her! How did you ever find her?"

"Elizabeth had been in a post coach accident near Pemberley and we took her to recover there. It is a long story about how she came to be here. Let me introduce you then we will get a private dining room to discuss the particulars. I take it Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner did not receive the express letters I sent almost two weeks ago?" Mr. Gardiner had noticed Darcy's inappropriate use of his niece's Christian name, but decided not to mention it, just yet anyway.

"No, there was no word. Jane was beside herself with worry when Mr. Gardiner sent word that she was missing. I had to come. I had to do this for Jane." Darcy raised his eyebrows at his friend's informal use of his finacée's name, but said nothing. They were engaged after all.

The entire group moved into a private dining room and refreshments were called for. By a mutual look, Darcy and Elizabeth decided that this was not the right time to bring up their courtship. That would wait until he talked to Mr. Bennet. The rest of the story, the accident, her midnight ride atop the mail coach, his chasing after her, how Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley were present, were all discussed. Darcy may have skipped the part where he and Elizabeth had their private tête-à-tête first atop the coach, then in this very same room. No one but Elizabeth had to know what was spoken then.

Mr. Gardiner recounted the two leads that they had discovered and dismissed, the accident that took place at first and Miss Elizabeth getting on top of the mail coach. If they had not met up with Darcy's group here, they were going to just check for letters at the White Gull Inn and head back to Meryton. They were ecstatic that their endeavors had not been in vain. The men decided to send an express to Longbourn since it was still ninety miles to Meryton which would require an overnight stay on the way. Bingley was especially emphatic that Miss Bennet would want to know her sister was safe as soon as possible.

Since no one knew why the express letters Mr. Darcy had sent never reached their intended recipients, he decided to send the letter with Timothy and one of Bingley's outriders instead of hiring an express rider. Timothy assured him that he could press on and arrive at Meryton by tonight. He would await Mr. Darcy at Netherfield after delivering his missive to Longbourn. Bingley went to see if any letters had arrived for him or Mr. Gardiner. There were none. The innkeeper was tasked with returning any mail received for Mr. Gardiner or Mr. Bingley to Longbourn, Meryton, Hertfordshire. Bingely was glad they were no longer chasing a spirit and he wrote a letter of introduction to his steward for Timothy to take with him.

It was a merry party that departed the White Gull Inn later that morning. They were determined to make good time today, stop at a good inn that night and press on to Meryton as soon as possible the next day. When they stopped to rest the horses, or for a meal, Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth always seemed to stroll together, away from the remainder of the group. Mr Bingley and Mr. Gardiner both noticed this and Mr. Gardiner wondered if he was going to have to have a talk with the young man. He could see regard on both sides and wondered if there was an understanding between them. If not, he thought there would be soon. He had been a young man in love at one time.

They stopped at a very nice coaching inn in Bedford. After a good meal, the ladies retired to their rooms while the gentlemen sat over port. Mr. Darcy had noticed Mr. Gardiner watching him closely, especially when Miss Elizabeth was close to him. He had observed their quiet talks and strolls around the coaching yards today. Once Bingley excused himself, he knew this conversation was coming and thought it best to get it over with.

"Mr. Darcy," Mr. Gardiner began, "we must thank you for taking such good care of our Lizzy. I shudder to think what would have happened to her if you had not come upon the damaged coach so fortuitously."

"I was happy to be of help, Mr. Gardiner. Your niece is a delightful woman, she and Georgiana got along very well. I hope they will continue to be friends."

"Yes, yes, your sister." he waved his hand dismissively at Mr. Darcy. "I am going to be straightforward with you sir. What has happened between you and Lizzy? Why did she leave Pemberley on her own? The truth now, if you please."

Darcy paused to consider the best way to tell the story. "Sir, your niece is an astute, and honorable woman. While she was at Pemberley, she purposely kept her distance from me. She would not even let my sister tell her stories about me. She did not want to spend time with me. I was almost insulted that she was friendly to my sister, my staff, even my physician, but barely civil to me. I could not figure her out. She felt that she could not ask anything more of me and had to make her way home on her own; she felt that she did not belong at Pemberley. I certainly would have put her, with a maid, in my best traveling coach and sent her home as soon as she was well enough, if she had but asked. I was still awaiting word from you or Mr. Bennet, I did not know that you had not received my express letters."

"The morning that we found her gone, I had determined to send my own rider to Meryton and London. Once we found out that she was gone, I had to follow her. I had to see that she was safe. I could not allow her to ride to London on a mail coach! I could not stay at Pemberley and do nothing! When I caught up with her, I made sure a maid was with her at all times. I would never do anything to harm her reputation, sir." Mr. Darcy had gotten a bit loud by this point.

Mr. Gardiner motioned for him to calm down. After a pause, he asked, "Do you love her?"

Mr. Darcy's eyes shot up to the older gentleman. "Yes, I do. I do love her and I have told her that, just last night. I have told her that I do not believe she is beneath me, that we could not marry, as she had asserted. I think she now sees the possibility of us suiting, at least I hope so. She has agreed to a courtship. I will talk to Mr. Bennet when we reach Meryton and I will stay with Bingley at Netherfield at least until his wedding."

Mr. Gardiner laughed and slapped the younger gentleman on the back and said, "I think you will do, sir; I think you will do nicely for our Lizzy. We best get some sleep, it will be an interesting day tomorrow. Oh, and a word of advice, my sister, Elizabeth's mother, is a bit, shall we say, matrimonially obsessed, where her daughters are concerned. I would watch my step with that one, sir."

"Yes, sir, thank you for the warning." With that the men retired to their rooms. They both slept very well indeed.