The Very Essence of Love Page 13

  “What?” Elizabeth exclaimed, then stopped in shock as she saw Mr. Darcy’s face appear over the edge of the pit.

  “Miss Elizabeth,” he said solemnly, while Elizabeth felt embarrassment creeping up her neck, “I shall get you out of there. I am going to hand you some rope to pull you out.”

  Elizabeth wished she could protest that she did not require his help, for she was mortified to be seen like this, but the circumstances were not in her favour. When Mr. Darcy reappeared, he was holding a long rope, which reached the bottom of the pit.

  “Now, Miss Elizabeth, you shall have to do exactly what I tell you.”

  Mr. Darcy’s instructions were clear; Elizabeth tied the rope around her waist, took Jasper in her arms and breathed deeply. She struggled to grab at roots and branches to help her rescue, but when she reached the edge, she had no other choice but to take Mr. Darcy’s hand. He pulled her with force and she almost fell upon him when her feet felt solid ground again.

  Jasper jumped from her arms to greet Eve and Annabella, who were now crying with joy.

  “Are you well, Miss Elizabeth?” Mr. Darcy asked when she was once again able to speak. She nodded, flushed with embarrassment to be standing in front of him caked in mud, not just on her petticoat, but on her face and hands as well. She tried to arrange her appearance, but it was in vain. She looked as savage as one would expect under the circumstances. At the same time, him being here was an exceptional surprise, which gladdened her immensely.

  She strove to look elsewhere to avoid Mr. Darcy’s direct gaze and her own glee.

  “I think you should go home, Miss Elizabeth.”

  “Yes, I believe I should,” then she added, “Thank you for your help, Mr. Darcy!” Mr. Darcy stepped out of her way, allowing Elizabeth and the twins to pass by. Elizabeth turned her head once more towards him as she left the wood, but saw him no more.

  Back at the house, Elizabeth wished to be alone for she had a multitude of questions regarding Mr. Darcy’s appearance and needed time to think about the meaning of it.

  “I feel I shall die of shame next time I meet Mr. Darcy. I never expected to see him again, least of all under these circumstances. What will he think of me? How imprudent of me to think I could rescue the dog without any real help. Silly girl!”

  Elizabeth’s thoughts were interrupted by the twins’ laments. They had been reprimanded for their insubordination and confined to the house for the next few days. During dinner, when all of them were calmer, other subjects were discussed. A letter in the afternoon from Netherfield Park had been sent to inform them that Mr. Bingley was requesting a private meeting with Mr. Bennet. The consensus was that from that moment on there was no turning back and the bells of the upcoming wedding rang loudly in everyone’s imagination.

  When Mr. Bingley came on the following day, things happened as expected. Mr. Bennet gave his consent readily and a date for the wedding was set. Jane and Mr. Bingley took a short walk around Longbourn to allow them to spend some time together, as lovers often require, accompanied by Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner, who happily partook in the couple’s contentment.

  There was one absence notable in all the happiness, and it was mainly felt by Elizabeth, who had not seen Mr. Darcy since their encounter in the woods. She knew, of course, that he was staying at Netherfield Park along with his sister, who had insisted on accompanying him to assist Jane on her happy day, but she saw nothing of him.

  Elizabeth wished to see Mr. Darcy again, but did not fully understand her reasons for doing so. She felt envious of Miss Bingley for enjoying his company daily and she suffered at night with the thought that he was so near to her and yet so distant, and of not knowing what he truly thought of her. She suddenly realised that she wished to know his thoughts, to be part of his world. Oh, she wished so much and dreamed so often of it that even her mother remarked on her preoccupation. Elizabeth gave a feeble excuse, unable to share with anyone what was really on her mind, and tried to be much more attentive to other people.

  As the days passed, other remarkable things of a different nature occurred. On Sunday afternoon, they learned that Mrs. Phillips had been robbed. The jewellery she had been given by her late husband had disappeared after one of her weekly soirées.

  Suspicions could not be pinned on any particular individual – all her guests had been either honourable officers of the militia or families she had known for years - and hard as she tried, she could not imagine a person who would be capable of such villainy. Not even the magistrate could offer a resolution to the case, for he found no evidence that could direct him to a guilty party.

  In a matter of hours, the mystery thickened to such an extent that Lady Lucas was heard stating that Mrs. Phillips had even imagined the robbery to have the attention of the neighbourhood on herself again. In vain, Mrs. Phillips protested against such accusations, as two days later the majority believed the hypothesis and the unfortunate woman was led to seek refuge at Longbourn, where she was well taken care of by Mrs. Hill.

  Chapter 20

  Three days after Mrs. Phillips came to live at Longbourn, Mr. Bennet and his family received an invitation to dine at Netherfield Park. Mrs. Bennet was most proud and happy, living in constant agitation to procure all that was necessary and – unfortunately – less necessary for such an event. She urged her husband to get the family the best carriage he could find and all the girls received new dresses for this special occasion. No expense was spared, for the circumstances required it.

  “Oh,” she would say to anyone who would listen, “can you imagine our Jane with such luck… 5,000 pounds a year! I have always said Jane has been blessed not only with beauty but also with good luck! With her married so well, I expect all our daughters will follow!”

  Jane and Elizabeth tried to temper their mother’s enthusiasm for speaking her mind so freely, but they had little success. Elizabeth, in particular, was aware that there was a possibility her words could reach Netherfield Park and was even more fearful that the event itself would make Mrs. Bennet even more determined to show off her lack of self-restraint in expressing her every thought.

  She even attempted to imagine what Mr. Darcy would think of it and knew the answer perfectly; even though it pained her to admit, he was correct in his opinion of her family. There was little she could do to correct it, all she could do was bear it.

  Lydia was another of Elizabeth’s troubles. She was still upset about being denied her trip to Brighton because of her sister’s wedding and was even more rebellious than usual, driving Kitty to behave as imprudently as she did. More than once, Elizabeth had caught her telling Kitty things no gentlewoman should speak of freely. When questioned about it, Lydia boasted to have learned it from Mrs. Forster, who was a lady she was in great confidence with. Sensing the danger of her youngest sister’s inappropriate behaviour, Elizabeth sought her mother’s advice on the matter, explaining the nature of her worries as delicately as she could. Mrs. Bennet, for once, seriously seemed concerned about this new turn of events and promised to speak to Lydia as soon as she found an opportunity.

  It was with these thoughts in mind that Elizabeth accompanied her sister Jane, the rest of the family and the Gardiners to Netherfield Park. When she descended from the carriage, she saw Mr. Darcy at once; he was standing next to Mr. Bingley who allowed himself to be delighted at the sight of his beloved. Mr. Darcy’s countenance was serious, yet serene, and Elizabeth could not contain a smile. Her gaze lingered on him for a few seconds more while she felt her breath quicken with emotion.

  Mr. Bingley exchanged short civilities with Mr. Bennet and soon the ladies were introduced into the drawing-room, where Elizabeth recognised the figures of Miss Bingley and Miss Darcy. The Longbourn party were introduced one-by-one and conversation soon began to flow.

  To Elizabeth’s surprise, Mrs. Bennet spoke only when necessary, easing Elizabeth’s worry of a disastrous night. She gave Mr. Bingley the preference over Mr. Darcy, a fact that Elizabeth found unfair, for he
was making every attempt to remedy the impression he had created of himself when he was last at Netherfield Park.

  Miss Caroline Bingley was on friendlier terms with Jane, although she reserved the majority of her attention for Miss Darcy, whom she entertained the most. Jane was particularly content to see Georgiana again and stayed in her company for the first part of the evening, until they all were invited to the dining-room.

  The dinner was lavish. The servants brought several courses and each dish was praised accordingly by Mrs. Bennet, not forgetting to recommend Jane’s abilities in housekeeping as well. It was a tolerable amount of audacity that caused no harm, Elizabeth thought, admiring at this point even Lydia’s restraint in doing anything foolish.

  During dinner she sought Mr. Darcy’s gaze several times and realised he also sought hers. Happiness filled her soul as never before.

  When they returned to the drawing-room for coffee, Miss Darcy was asked to entertain the guests on the pianoforte and she chose to play a lively tune which prompted Mr. Bingley to invite his future bride for a little dance. It was a merry atmosphere, for Mr. Bingley and Jane’s happiness induced others to do the same and even Lydia did not bemoan the lack of male suitors and asked Kitty to be her counterpart in the dance.

  Elizabeth was extremely surprised how well Lydia had behaved during the first dance and thought with much delight, “For once, Lydia has heard reason; maybe I was mistaken, I must admit that I do not know all the facts and indeed, Mama can be quite convincing when it comes to the well-being of her daughters.”

  During the second set, Elizabeth was invited to dance as well. Mr. Bingley invited Mr. Darcy to join the fun and since they were quite at leisure, Mr. Darcy asked Elizabeth for her hand. She gave it happily.

  “It is quite a merry party, is it not?” Mrs. Bennet asked her sister Gardiner, as she watched the dance.

  “It is a lovely evening!” Mrs. Gardiner replied.

  “And how I have suffered, not knowing if I should ever see my daughters married.” Mrs. Gardiner smiled, hoping her sister Bennet was not overheard by others in the room, “You shall know it soon, for you have two daughters of your own.”

  “There is plenty of time till I shall have my suffering,” she replied and looked at Elizabeth who acknowledged her efforts. “Lizzy looks splendid, does she not,” she continued, not being able to take her eyes off her favourite niece, who was now dancing with Mr. Bingley. Mrs. Bennet accepted the compliment, but as she gave no preference to her second daughter, she expressed a more moderate opinion.

  “Lizzy is the witty one, her father always says it, but I find it so stubborn of her to reject any attention from decent gentlemen. First, it was Mr. Collins as you well know, he was a good match, but unfortunately, she turned him down for the silliest of reasons, and I have learned that she refused Mr. Wickham’s attention as well. And they used to like each other; I have seen it often at my sister Phillips’ house. But now she has no interest in him; they barely greeted each other when we saw him last.” She sighed and added, “But then I suspect that Mr. Wickham found little appeal in Lizzy’s meagre dowry.”

  “Well,” Mrs. Gardiner said, “I do believe that Lizzy is fortunate enough to have a mind of her own. God knows what it has saved her from.”

  Mrs. Gardiner turned to place her empty cup down and only then noticed Mr. Darcy’s proximity to them. When she would later tell Elizabeth of it, Mrs. Gardiner swore that she had seen him smiling.

  Elizabeth returned home with a peaceful mind. Nothing of what she had dreaded had come to pass. Dinner had been a success, the company a delight. She could not remember a time when she had felt more at ease among so many pleasant people. Even Miss Bingley could not ruin her spirits, although she had maintained her reserve towards Jane and herself all evening.

  Elizabeth rested her head on the pillow as she listened to Jane confess how excited she was about her wedding. To Elizabeth it was a surprise, for she had never heard Jane so openly express her feelings about anything before.

  “Do you think one can really be so happy? I fear to fully believe it. I fear that if I enjoy it, something terrible will happen and it will all disappear.”

  “It shall not happen. You will be happy, Jane. Mr. Bingley loves you. Enormously. I saw it on his face this evening and I have never seen another person so in raptures with another being.”

  Jane wept with happiness and held her sister’s hand, saying, “I only wish for you to be as happy as I am.”

  Elizabeth did not reply, but she fell asleep thinking for the first time that she wished it too. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy visited Longbourn the following day. Mr. Bingley’s impatience grew with each visit, counting the days until the wedding. Nothing of substance was talked about between the people present, but Mr. Bingley asked for permission to take Jane for a walk and Elizabeth and Darcy agreed to follow them.

  They walked in silence at first, Elizabeth feeling overwhelmed by all the things she wished she could tell him. She tried to guess his humour, but could not. Mr. Darcy began to speak of generalities, as though he was struggling with something he wished to say but could not. At one point, Elizabeth felt Mr. Darcy’s hand on her arm.

  “Look, Miss Elizabeth, I do believe summer is almost upon us,” he said pointing to a pair of goldcrests playing in the air. “They are about to start a new life together after the cold winter.”

  Elizabeth stopped to listen to their song, as did Mr. Darcy; she had rarely heard the music of nature as she had done at that moment. She laughed softly and continued to watch the dance of the little birds in the sky. Turning her head to Mr. Darcy in surprise, she encountered a smile on his face as he watched her.

  Her face coloured highly, but, surprisingly to her, she allowed herself to enjoy his gaze upon her. It was an intimacy she had not known before. She resumed walking and said simply, “I am content that summer is on the way. It is my favourite season.”

  “What exactly do you like about it, Miss Elizabeth?” he enquired with real curiosity, as though everything about her was of interest to him.

  “The invitation to move, to see new things. Perhaps it is because I genuinely like to spend time outdoors. When I was a child, I would spend my summer travelling with my aunt and uncle. I wish I could see the north,” her voice trailed away, realising suddenly that her words sounded like a request for an invitation.

  “Have you been to Derbyshire?”

  Elizabeth shook her head gently, “No, we talked of a visit this summer but plans changed. I have heard it is beautiful though.”

  “It is. Perhaps one day you shall be able to visit Pemberley as well. I have always thought it to be one of the most wonderful places in the world.” It was Mr. Darcy’s turn to smile and Elizabeth delighted in his attempt to hide it. They were standing face-to-face and Elizabeth took a deep breath, hoping to control the sensations inside her. She struggled to maintain the beating of her heart at a normal pace, as she saw his hands reaching for hers. She had no strength to say anything, nor any wish to put an end to it. More so, she longed to be touched more, to feel his hand on her face as she had that day in Kent. She closed her eyes in expectation. When he did take her hand into his it felt as intimate as a kiss, full of tenderness, hidden from the rest of the world.

  Elizabeth returned home elated, unable to collect her thoughts. Even her father teased her for her clumsiness and she certainly raised Mrs. Gardiner’s suspicions when she could not find a good excuse for her behaviour. She retired to her chamber, claiming a migraine and avoiding even Jane’s questions. In the morning she was the first one to wake up, her mind still churning with thoughts. With the house in silence, she decided to take a walk, as it always helped her clear her mind.

  Elizabeth took the path to the pond, towards the road to Netherfield; her pace, determined by the cold of the dawn, was quick. Somewhere in the distance, the fog partially obscured a figure standing at the crossroads, as though it were a statue. Elizabeth was not startled, merely surprised at su
ch a presence so early in the morning.

  As she approached the figure, Elizabeth saw that it was indeed a young lady, and one she knew well. Miss Georgiana Darcy.

  Chapter 21

  The stupor on Miss Darcy’s countenance upon seeing Elizabeth Bennet was evident. It was painfully clear that she had not expected to meet anyone that morning, nor was she prepared for explanations. Elizabeth was equally perplexed by this encounter; Mr. Darcy’s sister alone and unattended at such an early hour could be hardly justified or explained, no matter how much reason she had tried to apply.

  “Miss Bennet…,” Miss Darcy uttered before she stopped, suddenly realising she had no convincing explanation to give.

  “What are you doing here? Are you alone?”

  Miss Darcy nodded, without looking at Elizabeth.

  “Your hands are freezing, and you are shaking. Allow me to take you back to Netherfield Park.”

  “No!,” Miss Darcy cried, astonishing Elizabeth with the vehemence of her answer. “I… cannot return. At least, not now,” she added in a subdued voice. “Do not ask me to explain my presence here, but I do have a good reason. I beg you to trust me. Please, Miss Elizabeth!” The words made Elizabeth pause, sensing a determination on Miss Darcy’s part to be left alone. For the first time, a possibility arose in Elizabeth’s mind, but it was so incredible that it was surely impossible.

  “Are you waiting for someone to arrive?” Miss Darcy shifted her gaze to avoid Elizabeth’s and in doing so, she revealed the truth. Elizabeth did not know what to make of it, for Miss Darcy knew no one else in the neighbourhood other than Jane and the party she accompanied. She wished to say something, but she did not know what was sensible for her to say.

  After a minute in which neither of them spoke, Elizabeth enquired, “Who are you waiting for, Miss Darcy? I believe this is the first time you have visited Hertfordshire and I am at a loss to understand who you might know…”