Dear readers: Please keep in mind that this story has 28 chapters and an epilogue. Once I've finished rewriting it, I'll leave it for two days and remove it from this site.
Chapter 20
Mr. Darcy had been listening to Professor Baker talk about the research for his new book for over half an hour. He was so interested in the subject that he had almost completely forgotten about his sister's situation until Elizabeth appeared back in the drawing room.
Immediately, he rose to speak to her, and her tense gaze did not go unnoticed by Professor Baker. He understood that something was happening with Miss Darcy, and to allow his host to speak privately with Elizabeth, he found an excuse to leave them alone for a moment.
"Darcy, knowing you, I imagine you must have a library with more than one interesting book. Would you allow me to explore it? I need to find some information to confirm or discard an idea."
"Of course, Professor Baker. Please allow me to show it to you," said Mr. Darcy.
"No, it is not necessary. Tell me where it is, and I can manage to find it. I would like to have some time to see if there are any books that I have not had the opportunity to read before." Mr. Darcy called the butler and asked him to accompany Walter to the library to ensure he had everything he needed.
When Professor Baker left, Elizabeth told Mr. Darcy what had happened with Georgiana. "When she discovered Miss Bingley was here, she became very nervous and asked me to accompany her to her bedroom. She is calmer now, but I would like you to reassure her that everything is alright."
"Of course, but first, allow me to thank you for acting so promptly. Thanks to your timely intervention, my sister did not go through the humiliation of facing Miss Bingley." Mr. Darcy could not help looking at Elizabeth with admiring eyes as he said that. At that moment, he would have hugged and kissed her to show how much he admired and loved her.
Elizabeth had to avoid Mr. Darcy's intense gaze. When he looked at her like that, he looked even more handsome than he already was. "You have nothing to be thankful for. After everything that has happened, I regard Georgiana as a true friend."
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth went to Georgiana's bedroom. She was still nervous, and Elizabeth gestured for Mr. Darcy to explain everything. "Georgie, the Bingleys left without seeing you, and they have no idea what happened to you. Please get that out of your head."
"Thank you, William, thank you, Lizzy. I do not know what would become of me without you," Georgiana said, on the verge of crying again.
But Elizabeth immediately intervened and started discussing more pleasant topics until Georgiana forgot about the Bingleys and other disturbing thoughts. At that time, Mr. Darcy admired the wonderful Elizabeth even more. With her charm, she had not only bewitched him but could also lift his sister's spirits.
"So Jane is visiting the fair with the Daniels and Mr. Reed?" Georgiana asked.
"That is right; it is such a wonderful place. I am glad Jane had the opportunity to visit it," Elizabeth replied.
"I wish I could go, of course, when I feel better," Georgiana said. "Furthermore, I look forward to meeting Mr. Reed and the Daniels. William and I met Miss Daniels, but we did not have the opportunity to know her well." Georgiana remembered that they barely spoke to Emily when they went together to the museum.
"They are all very friendly people, especially Mr. Roger Daniels. He is a gentleman who has traveled many places and is amusing," said Elizabeth.
"And Mr. Reed?" Georgiana asked with a knowing smile. "I have heard so many wonderful things about him."
Mr. Darcy immediately felt uncomfortable, and Elizabeth misinterpreted his discomfort into thinking he despised Mr. Reed for his profession. So, to tease him, Elizabeth decided to tell her friend some interesting information.
"Georgiana, do you know that your brother and Mr. Reed were not only university classmates but also always competed for who was the best in every class?" Seeing how uncomfortable Mr. Darcy was with the subject, Elizabeth added with a smile. "You cannot deny it, Mr. Darcy; uncle Walter was the one who told me."
"Indeed, William," asked Georgiana in amusement.
"I do not know, Georgie. At least, I have never competed with him or anyone else. You would have to ask Reed why he was persistent in trying to prove his superiority over me," added Mr. Darcy.
"I have a feeling that if we asked Mr. Reed, he would give us a very similar answer," Elizabeth told Georgiana, smiling.
"And who was better, William, you or Mr. Reed ?" Georgiana asked, very intrigued.
"I always beat him in fencing. I guess that is why he always tried to beat me in other disciplines, although I think we were both good students," Mr. Darcy replied casually.
"And in boxing, Mr. Darcy?" Elizabeth asked as she winked at Georgiana.
"I do not know; I do not remember," replied Mr. Darcy, smiling.
"You do not remember, or do you not want to remember?" Elizabeth asked cheerfully.
"Perhaps I wish not to remember," replied Mr. Darcy in the same tone.
"Your bad memory always comes at a convenient time, do you not think?" Elizabeth challenged him with her question.
"Maybe, but I think we should talk about other more pleasant matters with Georgie, do you not think?" Mr. Darcy said.
"I suppose you are right. However, I must tell you that I do have an excellent memory, so I can remind you of those things you seem to forget so easily. If you wish to remember, of course, " Elizabeth added.
"I shall keep that in mind, of course, if I remember you saying it. Although, I prefer to continue without remembering anything related to Reed," Mr. Darcy completed with a smile. He enjoyed each of the banter with the charming Elizabeth.
Elizabeth smiled sincerely. Mr. Darcy had always been a good opponent in each of their banters. But she recognized that exchanging opinions with him was much more pleasant when he seemed comfortable and not as severe as he almost always was.
Georgiana was in awe seeing her brother relaxed, conversing and jesting with Elizabeth. He seemed like a different person, less formal and severe. At that moment, she remembered what Richard had told her a few days ago when he mentioned that Elizabeth and her brother would be compatible because of their very different personalities.
So, she had an idea and immediately decided to put it into action. "William, should we invite Miss Elizabeth and her uncle to dinner with us?" Looking at Elizabeth, she said, "Please, Elizabeth, say yes. I would be delighted if you would spend more time with us. What do you think of my idea, brother?"
"I think it is a wonderful idea, Georgie," replied Mr. Darcy enthusiastically.
"It all depends on what my Uncle Walter says," Elizabeth replied. She saw Georgiana's happiness and did not want to reject her invitation.
"I shall go talk to Professor Baker immediately. If he accepts our invitation, I shall personally take both of you back to the Gardiners' home," Mr. Darcy explained.
Professor Baker gladly accepted the invitation. Mr. Darcy sent a message to Cheapside informing the family that Elizabeth and her uncle would be dining with them.
Motivated by the excellent news, Georgiana decided to leave her bedroom. She felt very comfortable with the guests, so much so that she even dared to play the piano for them after dinner and had forgotten about the scars on her face.
As soon as Mr. Darcy learned that Elizabeth would be staying for dinner, he spoke to the housekeeper and told her that he wanted the best dinner that could be prepared in a short time. Mrs. Evans noticed the nervousness and enthusiasm of her young Master, and she knew that probably everything was related to Miss Darcy's young and lovely friend.
"Mrs. Evans, we shall have dinner in less than two hours in the main dining room, not the small one. So please, make sure you prepare everything there," said Mr. Darcy, explaining a few other things to his housekeeper.
"Do not worry, sir. Everything will be ready as you ordered it," said Mrs. Evans, leaving to take care of everything.
Mr. Darcy and Georgiana chatted animatedly with Professor Baker and Elizabeth, and time seemed to fly by with such pleasant company. Once more, he reflected on everything he had believed and thought until not long ago and realized how wrong he was. Without a doubt, Elizabeth was an exceptional lady, and beyond her circumstances, she was worthy of his love.
When the pleasant evening ended, Mr. Darcy was happy to learn that he would escort his guests home. That way, he would have the chance to spend a few more minutes with Elizabeth. He wanted to be near her for as long as he could.
As they rode the carriage back to Cheapside, Elizabeth thought how entertaining the day in the company of the Darcys had been. If someone had told her that this pompous and conceited man could be so pleasant a week ago, she would not have believed it. But she had to recognize that he was different from everyone she had known. Also, she could not deny that she wanted to unravel who the real Mr. Darcy was.
P&P
At Cheapside, the Daniels and Mr. Reed stayed for dinner with the Gardiners. When they escorted Jane to their house, Mrs. Gardiner insisted that they spend the evening together, and everyone was happy to oblige. Because of Betty's illness, Madeline had spent several days at home and needed some company and distraction.
When Albert learned that Elizabeth was visiting Georgiana Darcy, he could not help feeling uneasy. But the curious thing was that he was not jealous to think she could be with Mr. Darcy; instead, he felt angry and did not understand his emotions. He was still unwilling to admit that he was not jealous that Elizabeth might be attracted to the arrogant Darcy but rather that he could not win her affection, which would mean he lost.
His father, but especially his uncle Albert, had always told him how men from the first circles, without working a day in their lives, managed to acquire wealth and power. At the same time, the tradesmen worked twice or three times more, and it seemed they were never good enough. That is why he always decided to be the best and show those arrogant people that it does not matter where one was born because personal effort would always be above birth. Everything had always worked for him until he met Darcy in Cambridge. He was not the typical heir to a great fortune and estate who dedicated himself to a licentious life. Mr. Darcy was as hard-working as he was, and no matter how hard he always tried, he could never beat him in fencing, which still hurt him. That sport symbolized the landowning gentlemen, and his dream was to win against one of them at their own game. Whenever he lost, he felt he was failing his family, class, and himself.
Jane, Emily, and Peter were speaking to Mr. Gardiner about the magnificent fabric display when Mrs. Gardiner received a note from the butler. "Well, I think we shall have dinner in ten minutes. Lizzy and Walter will not be dining with us today, so we do not have to wait any longer."
"Excuse me, Mrs. Gardiner, but where will Miss Elizabeth and Professor Baker have dinner?" Albert asked impulsively and without measuring the force of his words.
Everyone was shocked by Albert's question, but no one dared say anything. Mrs. Gardiner responded with her natural sympathy but did not like being questioned by a guest so abruptly. "Mr. and Miss Darcy invited them to dine."
"I am glad because that means Miss Darcy is feeling better," Jane added to defuse the atmosphere.
"Reed, Roger wants to know how we get a new warehouse in Liverpool," Mr. Gardiner told Albert to change the subject.
Albert understood that everyone wanted to speak about something else and felt embarrassed by his attitude. Hence, he began to tell Roger Daniels about his contacts in the northern port until it was time to move on to dinner.
Albert tried to be as cordial as he could during dinner but could not hide his unease. He even tried to speak with Emily, but unlike other times, she seemed uninterested in chatting with him, and he did not like it.
After dinner, Mr. Gardiner invited the men to have a brandy with him in his study, and the ladies went to the drawing room for tea. Emily preferred speaking with Jane to think about Mr. Reed's constant mood swings. She had noticed her brother's growing interest in the lady and wanted to help him.
When the men finally joined the ladies, Albert calmed himself and forgot about Miss Elizabeth and Darcy. With his good humor, Roger distracted him enough to make him forget his silly worries. In this way, he engaged in an exciting conversation with Roger, Mr. Gardiner, and Emily, who seemed to know his grandfather's business perfectly. But half an hour later, that peace of mind was disturbed when Albert saw Professor Baker enter the drawing room without Elizabeth.
Mr. Darcy escorted Walter and Elizabeth to the Gardiners' entrance. Walter said goodbye affectionately and went to the drawing-room, assuming everyone was there. Elizabeth also said goodbye to Mr. Darcy, but before she could leave, he asked her to give him a few minutes. "Miss Elizabeth, I just wanted to thank you again for all you have done for Georgiana and this wonderful afternoon and evening. Especially since I know I do not deserve your deference because of how I treated you in this very place days ago," said Mr. Darcy with a voice full of emotion.
"Why did you come to this house that day making those accusations so out of place, Mr. Darcy?" asked Elizabeth curiously.
Mr. Darcy felt very uncomfortable knowing he could not tell her the whole truth, at least not yet. "I think the only answer I can give you is because I was apprehensive about my sister, and due to my family history, I have gotten used to mistrusting everything and everyone. I know I did wrong because today, I know I can blindly trust you and your family."
"I understand," Elizabeth said, visibly flustered beside such a handsome gentleman. She was extremely nervous and uncomfortable but did not want to end their conversation.
Suddenly, Mr. Darcy took Elizabeth's hand and kissed it more than once. Elizabeth felt her heart pounding, and she could barely breathe. She did not understand what was happening to her. That man had always provoked powerful emotions in her, but never of that nature.
With Elizabeth's hand still in his, he looked into her eyes and said, almost in a whisper, "I believe it is time to return home. Although, Miss Elizabeth..." Immediately, he felt such great happiness that he did not wish that moment would ever end, and he could not express his feelings with words. "My dear Miss Elizabeth, maybe tomorrow I …."
"Miss Elizabeth, how good to see you are finally here. I have many interesting things to tell you," said Albert, approaching the couple. When he heard Elizabeth's voice, he immediately searched for her. However, as soon as he entered the entrance, he saw Mr. Darcy close to her and immediately interrupted the intimate scene.
Upon hearing Albert's voice, Elizabeth immediately withdrew her hand from Mr. Darcy's and nervously greeted Albert, "Mr. Reed, I did not know you were here."
Mr. Darcy cursed his bad fortune and wondered why that man insisted on interrupting and intervening whenever he wished to converse with Elizabeth. "Well, it is time for me to leave. Thank you again for a wonderful afternoon, Miss Elizabeth. Reed. Good evening."
"Good evening," Elizabeth said and went to the drawing room, where she assumed her aunt and the rest of the guests were conversing. Albert also joined the rest of the group, and they chatted for about twenty more minutes until, finally, everyone retired.
P&P
Mr. Darcy could not read the documents his attorney sent him because his head was elsewhere. Also, Richard had sent him a message saying he would be coming over at lunch to give him some news about Wickham's whereabouts. Furthermore, the investigator he hired, Mr. Smith, had arranged to come to report the progress of his investigations. He did not feel safe with Wickham still free. Mr. Darcy knew him and knew that if he felt cornered, he could try to do something outlandish that would harm his sister.
"Mr. Darcy, a gentleman wants to talk to you," said the butler, interrupting his thoughts.
"Harris, I am busy. Is it that someone I know?" asked Mr. Darcy.
"He is the same gentleman who came a few days ago," Harris explained.
The butler was speaking about Albert, and Mr. Darcy thought he was referring to Mr. Smith.
"Tell him to come in," ordered Mr. Darcy. He stood, and even though he thought it was too early to drink, everything related to Wickham always put him in a bad mood, so he poured himself a glass of brandy.
Albert came into the office when he was in that process and suddenly said, "I have come to demand that ..."
Mr. Darcy turned around when he heard Albert Reed speak to him threateningly in his own home. "Reed, what are you doing here? You have no right to demand anything from me and less at my house."
"Then, let us go to my house, the club, the park, or wherever you want, but you will listen to me. I do not want you near Elizabeth, do you understand?"
"Why do you speak with that familiarity of Miss Elizabeth and come here to forbid me to befriend her?" asked Mr. Darcy, almost on the verge of losing control.
"Once I leave this house, I shall speak to Mr. Gardiner, and tomorrow, I shall go to Hertfordshire to speak to her father. With that right, I come here to tell you that I do not want you near her," Albert concluded and looked triumphant to his eternal rival.
Mr. Darcy felt panic and despair. He was losing Elizabeth and did not know how to avoid something that seemed inevitable.
P&P
Many thanks to everyone who leaves supportive comments and enthusiastically follows the story.
In the next chapter, Richard will explain to his cousin that it won't be so easy to catch Wickham!
Saludos,
Yo