Dear readers: I will frequently post chapters of this story. Stay tuned because once it's complete, I'll remove it in a few days.
Chapter 17
"I am so glad you are finally here; I was waiting for you," Lawrence said, a little calmer as he put on his jacket. My love, there is a fabric with a color that I think will look beautiful on you, although I must say everything looks beautiful on you," Lawrence said as he kissed an absent Jane on the cheek.
Mrs. Gardiner and Mrs. Clark tried to distract Jane while looking at the fabrics, but she could not hide her sadness from them. Finally, after twenty minutes, she said, "I am not feeling well. I should go home."
"My dear, are you alright? I can call the doctor to make sure you and my child are well," Lawrence said, very concerned.
"It is not necessary. I just want to go home and rest," said Jane. She could not help shedding a few tears. Lawrence looked at her very puzzled; she looked pale and ill, and he was scared for her and their child.
"Ms. Gardiner, if you do not mind, you can accompany Jane. I need to speak with my son," Ms. Clark explained.
Jane and her aunt left, and Mrs. Clark accompanied her son to his office. So when they were there, and he closed the door, she spoke.
"What were you doing in this office with that woman in the red dress?" Are you mad, son? Neither your father nor I raised you to be immoral, especially now that you are married."
"What do you mean, Mother? I have been working all day, and when I came to my office, that woman was here..." and distraught, he asked, "Mother, what lie did she say to Jane? I swear, Mother, that I have not done anything wrong. Please, you know better than anyone how much I love my wife."
"So, tell me what occurred here."
After calming down, Mrs. Clark listened to her son's explanations. He told her all about Lady Isabella, from the first moment he had met her, how she had invited him to a private room at her husband's social gathering, and what had happened an hour ago.
"Son, you have to converse with Jane and tell her everything you have told me. Also, I think you should be prepared because I am sure that woman will want to harm you somehow. Women like her do not take well when a man rejects them.
"Thank you, Mother. I shall talk to my assistants to tell them what to do for the rest of the day. After that, I shall go straight home to talk to Jane."
P&P
Jane had gone home with her aunt. She lay back on her bed for a few minutes, but it did not help her stop thinking about what had happened in her husband's office. She was so confused that she asked her maid to accompany her for a walk in the park near her house. When she lived in Longbourn and felt sad or just needed to think, she always walked around the garden and felt better.
When Jane left the house accompanied by Sarah, she did not notice that someone had begun to follow her. However, when she finally reached the park, a voice spoke nervously.
"Mrs. Clark, how nice it is to see you. May I accompany you for a walk in the park?" He offered her his arm with a big smile.
"Mr. Bingley, what a surprise," replied Jane curiously.
Then, after a few seconds of awkward silence, Jane told Mr. Bingley he could accompany her, but she did not agree to walk while holding his arm.
They walked for a few minutes, talking about trivial things until Mr. Bingley dared to say what he had planned.
"Mrs. Clark, I want you to know that I admired you very much and that I was not brave enough to understand the valuable woman that you were. Today, I realize that I was a fool to allow myself to be manipulated by my sisters and to follow the advice of others. I want you to know that I am very sorry if my actions hurt you, and I want you to know that I have learned from my mistakes."
Jane smiled at Mr. Bingley. "All that is in the past, Mr. Bingley; please do not worry. I wholeheartedly hope that you meet a woman who can make you happy in the future." Then, not knowing how she began to cry, Mr. Bingley was concerned and invited her to sit on a park bench.
Mr. Bingley was very concerned and asked several times how he could help her, but Jane continued crying.
"Mrs. Clark, allow me to accompany you to your house."
"Mr. Bingley, I do not want to be at my home now."
"Why?"
Jane did not realize how she began to tell Mr. Bingley everything that had happened in her husband's office that morning. "I feel terrible for not trusting my husband, but..."
"I am sorry to speak ill of a lady, Mrs. Clark. But you should ignore a woman as malicious as Lady Isabella. I have known her for many years and know how cruel she was. I saw how your husband looked at you, and it is easy to see that he deeply loves you. No man in love would change a woman like you for one like her. Without wanting to interfere, I want to advise you to listen to your husband; I am sure he must have a good explanation."
"Thank you, Mr. Bingley; I shall talk to my husband," replied Jane more calmly. They continued conversing for a few more minutes. Finally, Mr. Bingley told Jane he would travel north the following week and visit his friend Darcy.
"I shall have the opportunity to see Mrs. Darcy in her new role. Pemberley is a lovely estate but has always been quiet and peaceful. With your sister as Mistress, I have no doubt that it will be much more lively."
"Lizzy has told us how beautiful her new home is," Jane replied.
Mr. Bingley got the impression that Jane did not wish to talk about Mr. Darcy or Pemberley and that she replied something that sounded neutral. "Do you have any plans for the summer?"
"Nothing in particular. I am with a child, and my husband has a lot of work to do these coming months."
"My sincere congratulations to you and your husband. You will be a loving mother."
Meanwhile, Lawrence arrived at his house. He was informed that Jane had gone for a walk in the park with her maid. Once there, he saw Jane's servant chatting with another maid and got worried. "Sarah, where is Mrs. Clark?"
"She is chatting with a friend on that bench, Sir," Sarah replied.
When Lawrence saw Jane speaking to Mr. Bingley, he walked towards her immediately. He could not understand why that man was with his wife. "Good afternoon," said Lawrence very seriously.
Mr. Bingley stood up and replied warmly, "Good afternoon, Mr. Clark," looking at Jane, he added, "Thank you for your time and company, Mrs. Clark. Now I have to go. I hope you have a pleasant day."
"Thank you for your company and much success in all your future endeavors," Jane replied.
Mr. Bingley bowed and left, satisfied to have closed a part of his life, knowing his angel was happy and with a man who would love and protect her.
Once Mr. Bingley was far enough away, Lawrence sat next to his wife, took her hands, and began to speak in a trembling voice as tears rolled down his cheeks. "Jane, I love you; I do not know why that woman ..."
Jane wiped away his tears with her hands and said. "Please, tell me everything from the beginning, my love."
"Yes, of course. My dear, that evening at Lord Fleming..."
Lawrence explained everything, particularly the events of that day at his office. "My dear, I do not know why that woman was in my office, but I swear I have done nothing to arouse her interest. I do not wish to speak ill of a lady, but a woman like her could never..."
"I know, my dear, and I beg your pardon for being jealous and doubting your honour. You know? I know I should not believe anything from that lady. Please, Lawrence, do not worry. I would not allow that woman's lies and intrigues to destroy our beautiful relationship."
"Thank you, my love." Lawrence kissed her wike's delicate hand. He was content and much calmer because he thought Jane would be furious with him. He even thought she would want to leave him, which made him feel miserable, even more so now that he would be a father.
"Why Mr. Bingley was here, Jane?"
"He wanted to apologize. Mr. Bingley is a good gentleman, Lawrence. He is beginning to mature and become aware of all his mistakes. He helped me to understand what Lady Isabella is like and advised me to listen to you."
"Indeed?" Lawrence was a bit surprised, although he did not like Jane talking about something so private with Mr. Bingley. However, he was fair and thanked him for intervening on his behalf and telling Jane about the kind of woman she was.
"It is time to go home, my love," said Jane to her husband. She took his arm, and they walked, happy to be together and having cleared up all the misunderstanding.
P&P
That afternoon, Lady Isabella went to Mrs. Peterson's house to share some news. Everyone in London knew that the lady was the biggest gossip in the city, and she would be in charge of spreading the story that she wanted everyone to know. Lady Isabella created a story in which she had had a torrid romance with Mr. Clark. But she had to leave him because he had become obsessed with her, which could jeopardize her relationship with her husband.
But what Lady Isabella did not know was that Mrs. Peterson realized that she had spoken with too much passion. She indeed seemed more spiteful than concerned. So she spread the rumor that the young tradesman had left Lady Isabella because he had found a new lover, another married woman but much younger and more attractive than her. In a few weeks, everyone wanted to meet the man who had despised the lady who had been considered one of the most beautiful women in the first circles. Also, everyone desired to meet the attractive woman who had displaced the malicious and hateful Lady Isabella.
P&P
After returning to Pemberley, Mr. Darcy had to handle many estate matters. The winter could be very harsh in Derbyshire, so much of the necessary repairs must be completed during summertime. He was always personally involved in everything, even working side by side with his tenants when required. That was one of the reasons why he was so appreciated and respected by everyone. Even though he was a young gentleman, he had always taken all responsibilities seriously.
Elizabeth had also begun to fulfill her duties as a mistress of a great estate like Pemberley. She began to interact with the tenants' families more frequently. Everyone who knew the new Mrs. Darcy had an excellent opinion of her. She was diligent and generous like her husband but kind and friendly. In contrast to her husband, who was so serious and formal, she had a natural openness to relate to others. Elizabeth still did not know the local gentry because her mourning period was not over yet. Still, she planned to organize a ball for the end of the summer and invite the most influential families in the surrounding area to meet them and for them to meet her.
Elizabeth deeply admired Mr. Darcy's dedication. He spent hours in his study reading about how to resolve conflicts and apply new technologies to improve production and his tenants' quality of life. Her husband was so different from his father. Mr. Bennet had rarely spent time working on matters related to Longbourn. He had always left everything in his steward's hands.
The three weeks after returning to Pemberley were fantastic for Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth was even more affectionate than before. The nights they spent together were passionate, and he spent all day thinking about her. Whenever he had time, he would take her to secret or hidden places because he knew how much she enjoyed nature. He even convinced his wife to let him teach her to ride so that he could better show her all the beauties of Pemberley.
Elizabeth had managed to find peace with her situation. She had accepted that her two families would always be apart and that she could do nothing about it. At least her husband had kept his promise and never said anything improper about her relatives. For Mr. Darcy, it was as if they did not exist, and she preferred that, to hear his disapproving remarks.
P&P
Elizabeth had been waiting for letters from her family for many days. However, she had been waiting to hear from them for more than three weeks, and the last week had been especially rainy, cutting off many roads and delaying the mail for several days. So, as soon as the letters arrived, she went to her favorite place with Dante to read them.
"Dante, Mary has returned from her honeymoon and will visit Liverpool for a few days with her husband. How exciting all the places she will see. Besides, Jane and the babe are very well."
Kitty and Lydia, as always, informed her about the health of her mother, her uncle, and Aunt Phillips. Besides, they told her everything that transpired in Meryton. Mr. Collins had been living in Longbourn for a few months and had troubles with the tenants. He insisted on doing things as Lady Catherine had told him, even though everything he proposed was unproductive. Elizabeth could not help but laugh; apparently, her cousin was still obsessed with Lady Catherine.
Finally, he read Aunt Gardiner's letter and was glad to learn some important news. "Dante, my aunt, and my uncle Gardiner will arrive in Lambton in two days. What a great surprise. I want you to meet them; they are wonderful!"
The Gardiners were invited to the wedding of Mrs. Gardiner's cousin's daughter. They were unsure if they would attend, but Jane offered to care for their two children and Lawrence to oversee Mr. Gardiner's company if necessary. They had not gone on a trip alone for many years, and they decided to take the opportunity to see part of the family and have a pleasant vacation together.
Fortunately for Elizabeth, Georgiana was spending a few days in Matlock, and Mr. Darcy was very busy with the construction of the new levee, so there was little going on in the house.
Three days later, a message arrived from the Inn in Lambton informing that Aunt and Uncle Gardiner were there. Elizabeth immediately decided to visit them. The problem was that she did not want to attract attention; if she traveled to Lambton in the Darcy carriage, everyone would recognize it, and rumors would circulate. People would ask why Mrs. Darcy had to meet friends at the Inn instead of inviting them to Pemberley. For this reason, some would even doubt her uncle's honorability, and she would never expose him to something like that. Therefore, she had to devise a plan to do what she wanted and avoid gossip.
"Good morning, Mrs. Darcy." Mr. Darcy was very tired of working so hard and not being able to spend more time with Elizabeth. So before getting up and going to breakfast, he wanted to give her the good news. "My love, I want to tell you that I must travel to Scotland at the end of next week and I want us to go together. I have a small estate there that I want you to see it. I promise I shall only work a few days, and then we shall dedicate ourselves to travel. I plan to take you to the Lake District on our way back. I know you want to see it so much."
Elizabeth, who was waking up, was pleased with the news. "Thank you, Fitzwilliam, it is a wonderful idea. You deserve a holiday, and it will be good to spend time together now that my mourning period is almost over."
"How do you feel about that?"
"I cannot deny that I miss my father very much, but I am resigned. Now I want to think about the future, and... They say the Lake District is very beautiful."
"It is! I am glad to know that you are resigning. I shall never forget my parents; I just get used to living without them." Mr. Darcy felt very sorry to see his wife unhappy. He sensed something was bothering her, even though she did everything possible to hide it.
Mr. Darcy kissed his wife and was very sorry to leave. But he knew he had many things to do during the day. So, after breakfast, he went to work, saying he would be back in time for dinner.
Elizabeth went to her room to change clothes. She needed to dress appropriately. She decided to walk to Lambton so no one would notice her presence in town. She had studied the route well, and it was only a little over four miles. She planned to stay with the Gardiners for lunch and return before dinner.
"My dear Dante, are you ready to walk? Let us go to meet my aunt and uncle," Elizabeth said.
Dante accompanied her favorite human, and they reached the Inn before noon. The journey felt much shorter in the company of her faithful friend. Elizabeth loved her dog because he was the only one in Pemberley who loved her unconditionally.
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were waiting for their niece. They and the rest of the family were concerned about her situation and wanted to see if she was well.
"Lizzy, it is so nice to see you," said her aunt and uncle as they hugged her affectionately.
"It is a wonderful surprise that you could travel to Derbyshire," replied Elizabeth, very happy.
They talked for almost two hours in the parlor of the Gardiners' room. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were very tired because they had traveled for many days.
"How wonderful that you have been able to see so many beautiful places during these few days of travel."
"It has been a wonderful opportunity, Lizzy. It has reminded me of my younger years when I had to travel to sell my products," replied Mr. Gardiner.
"And what do you plan to do this summer, Lizzy?" asked Mrs. Gardiner.
"We shall travel to Scotland with my husband, and then I shall assume all my duties as Mistress of Pemberley."
Elizabeth told the Gardiners of her many duties as the Mistress of such a large and important estate. However, despite her attempt to sound cheerful, they noticed a hint of sadness in her voice.
After having lunch, Elizabeth said goodbye, hugged and kissed them, and headed back to Pemberley to arrive before dinner. That evening, Elizabeth was a bit sad and dull. It hurt her not to be able to invite her relatives to her supposed home, and she had begun to rethink many things. The following day, it was the wedding of her aunt's niece, so she would not visit them. However, she had arranged to see the Gardiners again the day after tomorrow.
That night, Elizabeth was exhausted, so when her husband went to her room, she did not feel content with his presence as she had been on other occasions. Instead, she just wanted to be alone and cry.
"My love, you are very quiet," said Mr. Darcy while he hugged and kissed her cheeks.
She knew what he wanted but could not be with him that night. She had walked almost ten miles and only wanted to sleep. "I am sorry, Fitzwilliam, but I am exhausted and want to sleep."
"It is alright, my dear. I'm exhausted, too. Good night, Elizabeth," said Mr. Darcy, sensing something was wrong with his wife.
He did not want to ruin the harmony they had achieved, so he preferred to hug her and sleep next to her, hoping she would be in a better mood the following day.
But Elizabeth would never be the same again. Something had happened inside her as she walked back to Pemberley. The grief over her father's loss had lessened, and her mother and sisters were secure and protected by two remarkable men. She had begun to contemplate whether a life in which part of who she was had no place was worth living.
P&P
P&P
Thanks to everyone who leaves supportive comments and enthusiastically follows the story.
We are approaching the end of the second part of the story and the Hunsford moment!
In the next chapter, Caroline Bingley arrives at Pemberley, creating many problems for our dear Lizzy.
See you soon!
Saludos,
Yo