The Houseguest A Pride and Prejudice Vagary (13 page)

Chapter
10

Thursday morning Elizabeth awoke feeling equally rested and famished. She
quickly washed up, dressed in her yellow sprigged morning dress, twisted her
hair up simply and went downstairs to breakfast. 
Mr. Darcy sat at the head of the small table, pretending to read the newspaper
as he waited for Elizabeth to arrive. He had come to look forward to having her
to himself at breakfast.
“Good morning, Mr. Darcy!” Elizabeth entered the breakfast room cheerfully.
She headed to the sideboard to fill her plate as he lowered his paper. “Good
morning, Miss Bennet. Did you sleep well in your cloud?” 
“As a matter of fact I did,” she answered with a smile. “And you sir? Are you
still sleeping better than usual?”
He made a face and she interjected, “I hope your shoulder didn’t bother you too
much. Does it hurt 
very
 badly?”
she asked tentatively, making a slight wincing gesture.
“Only minimally, Miss Bennet; do not trouble yourself. My valet applied a salve
and I am feeling much better.”
“I am glad to hear it. I would hate to be the cause of your discomfort.” She gave
him a relieved smile.
They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes before Darcy’s resonant
voice filled the air. “Miss Bennet?”
“Yes, Mr. Darcy?” Did she know what she did to him when she looked up at him
like that? 
“Have you given any thought to coming to Pemberley this summer?”
“A little. Derbyshire is very far from Longbourn. How long is the trip?”
“Two days in good weather and no trouble with the carriage, plus several horse
changes. Three if it’s muddy or raining. Four if it is particularly bad.” He
looked at her thoughtful expression. “I assure you, the destination is worth
the trouble.”
She gave him an arch smile. “Is that because Pemberley is the most wonderful
place in the world?” she teased. 
“Come to Derbyshire, Miss Bennet, and see for yourself.” Something in his eyes
made Elizabeth blush and look down.
Suddenly, he stood and held out his hand to her. “Come. I wish to show you
something.”
She looked at his hand as if it might bite her, then slowly took it. He helped
her from her chair, and without letting go of her hand, led her down the hall
to a door she’d never gone through before. He released her and opened the door,
gesturing for her to walk in before him. 
As she stepped through the tall doorway, she realized that this was the room
she had originally mistaken as the library. The far wall was covered in
bookshelves from floor to ceiling with a large double window set in the center.
On the left was a large fireplace flanked by two leather chairs and a small
leather divan facing the fire. To the right was a massive mahogany desk, a
large dark leather chair behind it and two smaller chairs in front. There was
another window behind the desk and plush oriental carpets on the floor. The
room was at once intimate and intimidating. 
“This way.” He motioned for her to follow him and walked over to a painting to
the left of the door. “This is Pemberley.”
Elizabeth stepped closer to view the painting. It was a more intricate oil
version of the watercolor Georgiana had done, filled with rich colors and warm
light.
“When you first emerge from Pemberley Woods, you will be on a ridge. There will
be trees blocking the view until you get to a bend in the drive and you come
upon this spot. There is a clearing in the trees and you can see straight down
to the house over the lake.” He was standing slightly behind her, reaching over
her shoulder to point to the painting. 
Elizabeth couldn’t stop looking at the grand house. If Pemberley were this
beautiful in a painting, how much greater would it be in person? 
“So what do you think, Miss Bennet? Will you come to Pemberley?” He spoke
quietly over her left shoulder; she hadn’t realized he was so close. Feeling a
mischievous impulse, likely from her nervousness at his proximity, she said the
first thing that came to her mind.
“It is tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me.”
Mr. Darcy’s face went from shocked and angry, to hurt and confused, and finally
to understanding as her words sunk in. The words were no sooner out of her mouth
than Elizabeth regretted them. She watched the changing expressions on Mr.
Darcy’s face, her hand clapped over her mouth in embarrassment.
“I am so sorry,” they both said at once. He meant to continue, but Elizabeth
beat him to it.
“I am so sorry, Mr. Darcy! I don’t know why I said that!”
“I would imagine, Miss Bennet, that you are angry with me. Please allow me to
apologize for what I said at the assembly. I never meant for you to hear it,
and indeed, I was unsure you had until now.” He was beginning to look guilty
and his voice faltered a little as he spoke. “Even so, I never should have said
it as it was most untrue and more a reflection of my bad mood and annoyance
with Bingley than your appearance. I do apologize, Miss Bennet.” 
Elizabeth blushed red in mortification.
“It is I who should be apologizing, Mr. Darcy. I am a guest in your home and I
never should have spoken so out of turn. Please accept my deepest apologies.”
She was looking quickly from him to the floor and back to the painting. “It
really is a lovely painting. I can imagine it is even more beautiful in
person.”
He looked at her silently for a moment, his expression unreadable, then
answered evenly, “It is. And I would still wish for you to see it, if you’d
like to.”
“I would, thank you,” she whispered to the floor. She finally looked up, first
making it to his cravat, then his chin, on to his nose, and eventually to his
eyes. 
They looked at each other for a long moment, Elizabeth’s cheeks flaming red,
and finally Mr. Darcy spoke, “Shall we say all is forgiven and move on to more
pleasant topics?”
“Yes, let’s be friends again,” Elizabeth agreed willingly, relief written all
over her face.
“Shall we set a date for your visit?”
He led her to a chair in front of his desk and moved to sit behind it.
Elizabeth regarded him from her small seat and noticed how very formidable he
appeared in his large chair behind his enormous desk in his oh-so-masculine
study. She felt almost like a child about to be disciplined. 
“If we weren’t friends, Mr. Darcy, I believe I should be a little frightened,”
she teased.
“Whatever do you mean, Miss Bennet?”
“Surely you see how sitting across from such a gentleman, behind his large,
important desk, might be intimidating. But I shall not be afraid.”
“I know you well enough to know, Miss Bennet, that I could not frighten you,
even should I wish it. Which incidentally, I do not.” He smiled at her easily.
“Now, I suggest you come in mid-June and stay through summer’s end. We will be
just leaving town, so you will be able to journey with Georgiana and Mrs.
Annesley, which I hope will be more convenient for you. We can easily stop in
Hertfordshire to collect you. The grounds are particularly nice that time of
year, which I believe you will enjoy. My Aunt Preston and cousin will be coming
up from Somerset in the beginning of July. Colonel Fitzwilliam usually comes
for a few weeks every summer and Lord and Lady Matlock will likely come for a
short stay, as Matlock is only twenty-five miles away.”
“It sounds like it will be mostly family. Will I not be in the way?”
“Not at all, Miss Bennet. They will likely not all be there at the same time,
anyway. Everyone is considerably older than Georgiana. I’m afraid she often
feels out of place and I’m sure she would appreciate having a friend with her.”
“I see. Well, it sounds like you have thought of everything, Mr. Darcy. Are you
always this prepared?”
“I do what I can, Miss Bennet,” he said with a modest smile.
“I shall speak to my father when I return and let Miss Darcy know as soon as I
am sure, but I believe it’s safe to say I will be seeing you at Pemberley this
summer.” She smiled and rose to leave. He stood behind his desk, resting his
hands on the warm wood. As she reached the door, he called out to her.
“Miss Bennet.”
“Yes, Mr. Darcy?” she said looking over her shoulder. She was framed perfectly
in the doorway and looking at her, his breath caught slightly.
“You are much more than tolerable,” he said seriously. She smiled and looked
down, a light blush on her cheek, and turned to walk away. 
Darcy sank into his chair and let his head roll back, his hand over his eyes.
He couldn’t believe he had been caught in so uncomfortable a position. She had
overheard him at the assembly! He had wondered at the time if she had, but she
had been friendly and polite to him and didn’t behave as if she were angry. And
here in town they had actually become friends. She seemed to be of a forgiving
nature, at least after he apologized, and she was sorry for her spiteful comment.
All would be well, he decided; and so he resolved to think on it no longer.

~

“Oh Jane! It was horrible! I don’t know what made me say that to him. I half
expected him to demand I leave his home directly!”
“Dearest Lizzy, it cannot be as bad as you say. He still asked you to come to
Pemberley, did he not? That must be a sign of his forgiveness.”
Alone in the back sitting room of the Gardiner’s town house, Jane and Lizzy
were sitting side by side, hands clasped together earnestly.
“I do not know. He didn’t seem very angry; well, he was at first, but it passed
quickly. He then apologized for insulting me in Meryton and said he’d never
meant it.” She looked away and said quietly, “Before I could leave he said I
was much more than tolerable.”
Jane regarded her sister for a moment, noticing the light pink on her cheeks,
and said carefully, “I believe Mr. Darcy meant his apology and is truly sorry
for what he said. He does not seem to hold your comment against you. It sounds
as if you have become friendly.”
“Yes, we have. It is strange; when I first met him I disliked him, and the more
time I spent with him and the more I heard of him, I only disliked him more.
Now, seeing him with his sister and in his own home, I find him quite
different.”
“I always saw value in him and never understood why you disliked him so
heartily, besides his comment at the assembly. Then, of course, there is the
story of Mr. Wickham.”
“Oh, Jane! There is something I must tell you!” Elizabeth retold the story of
Wickham’s seducement of Georgiana, only leaving out her name and saying it was
a woman the Darcy’s were close with.
“No wonder they did not wish to see each other! But perhaps Mr. Wickham is
sorry for what he did and is anxious to re-establish his character.”
“Jane, you are too forgiving. Now the question remains on what I should tell
our family and whether his reputation should be made known. He is frequently at
our Aunt Phillip’s and with our younger sisters. We must warn them somehow to
his true character.”
“Yes, I believe we should, but not publicly; we do not wish to make him
desperate if his intention is to begin anew.” Elizabeth smiled at her sister’s
forgiving nature. “Perhaps we could send a letter to Father so that he might
more carefully watch our younger sisters?”
“Perhaps. Though you know as well as I that such a step may not produce the
desired result.” The sisters shared a look of understanding of their father’s
indolent nature and continued to ponder the problem at hand.
“Perhaps Mary can be alerted and keep an eye on Kitty and Lydia?” Jane
suggested.
“I thought about that as well, but they are not likely to listen to Mary, nor
is she likely to be discreet. Mother and Aunt Phillips are definitely out of
the question. Perhaps Uncle Phillips? We could ask him not to mention it to
Aunt. As an attorney, he is certainly accustomed to being discreet. And he may
know something of Wickham’s habits in the village, which would allow us to know
if he has truly mended his ways.” 
Which
I doubt.
“You may be right, Lizzy. Though, I cannot believe something so terrible of Mr.
Wickham. He has such a look of goodness about him. Gaming and seducing young
girls!” Jane blushed and put a hand to her cheek. 
“Sweet Jane! I wish it were not true, but I assure you, it is.”
They went on to talk of more pleasant things, agreeing that Elizabeth would
send a letter to her Uncle Phillips straight away.
While having tea with her Aunt Gardiner and Jane, Elizabeth mentioned her
invitation to Pemberley. “Do you think I should accept? I suppose I have in a
way, but I am not committed yet if I want to change my plans.”
“I see no reason not to accept, as long as Mrs. Annesley is there to
chaperone.” Elizabeth rolled her eyes. She had always thought the rules of
chaperones to be a bit ridiculous and overly restrictive, especially to one of
her independent nature. “It is necessary for propriety, my dear. Do not look so
glum. As a matter of fact, your uncle and I have been planning a pleasure tour
this summer. We are not sure how far it should take us, but perhaps to the
Lakes, and we were set to invite you. Now we may at least offer you a way home
at the end of our journey.”
“The Lakes! I have always wanted to see them! Oh Aunt, when do you travel?
Perhaps I might do both? You will be passing through Derbyshire, will you not?”
Mrs. Gardiner smiled at her niece’s excitement. “Yes, we will be spending a few
days in a village where I spent many years of my youth; it is called Lambton
and is but five miles from Pemberley. Perhaps we could collect you and continue
on our journey, or carry you home so you do not have to travel so far by post.”
“I will speak to Miss Darcy and see what she has to say. Oh, I do hope it can
be arranged! I have always wanted to see the Lakes!”
“I’m sure you would like to see Pemberley as well. The grounds alone are worth
the visit. They are said to be some of the finest in the country. Yes, Lizzy,
you should accept the invitation and go to Pemberley. You will have a wonderful
time, and I see no reason why your father should not allow it; we can grant you
permission in his stead. You should go ahead and tell the Darcys so they may
make proper arrangements.”
In the carriage on the way back to Darcy House, Elizabeth reflected on all she
had discussed with Jane. They had carefully avoided the topic of Bingley,
though it was clear to her that he was on her sister’s mind. She had hoped to
broach the topic with Darcy this afternoon, but given her outburst this
morning, she thought it best to wait. 
Maybe
Bingley will be at the ball
, she wondered. Lady Matlock had said it
was to be a small gathering, but Elizabeth did not know what exactly
constituted small for the lady, nor did she know whether she was even
acquainted with Bingley. She would have to ask Georgiana.