“I thank you.”
She sang for him for the next three quarters of an hour as he leaned over her to turn the sheet music.She smells of lavender…lavender and sunshine. These musing and stirrings in his chest distracted him from his task and he was grateful that she seemed to play from memory.
After another quarter hour, Darcy hesitantly laid his hand on her milky-smooth shoulder. “Miss Bennet, I fear the late hour and music has lulled your poor maid to sleep.” She looked to the girl whose head rested back against the wall.
“Poor thing. We left so unexpectedly this morning, neither of us was well rested.”
“How did you come to Ashby Park, Miss Bennet?”
Miss Elizabeth blushed. “I was only recently made aware of an appointment with Mr. Hamilton’s housekeeper this morning. We came on a moment’s notice.”
“Yes, yes, of course.” Clearing his throat and hating the words coming forth from his mouth, Darcy said, “Might I…wish you joy?”
“Sir, since our last conversation at Netherfield, my situation remains unchanged.” The tone of her voice was tremulous.
“Pray, excuse me. It is only that Hamilton informed me of his intentions toward you and his plan on seeking a formal courtship before he departed for town. I had only assumed…” He looked at her with hesitation as her face did not bespeak happiness.
“Mr. Hamilton has not asked for a courtship, and there is no understanding between us. Though the expectation…”
Darcy tried to maintain the same manner of decorum as if he was sitting through tea.Is James mad? Has he lost his senses! Assuming she will wait until he is ready to act.Darcy’s own emotions were bubbling to the surface but to what purpose? Elizabeth Bennet would never be his, whether she was Hamilton’s or the blacksmith’s. She was not his cousin Anne.
“—but I thank you for your words. I know they were kindly meant.” She looked around the room awkwardly as Darcy sat down on the chair across from her still at the piano. “Were you able to see your betrothed in Town?”
“Anne? Oh, yes. I was able to spend the day with her and my aunt. Lady Catherine was my mother’s sister.”
“How lovely for you to still have your aunt.”
“She is the eldest of the three Fitzwilliam children: my aunt Catherine, my uncle, Lord Matlock, and then my mother, Lady Anne.”
“How wonderful for your mother to have had a sister. I know that I can always rely on my dear Jane.”
“Yes, well, my mother and my aunt were very different.” He rested his chin on his knuckled fist. “My mother was all that was good and kind. We were her everything, and she did all she could to ensure our happiness in the future.” He paused before finishing his thought. “She died days after Georgiana’s birth and there has been a hole at Pemberley ever since.” He looked in Miss Elizabeth’s face and saw patience and understanding. “I cannot explain why I keep sharing these melancholy tales with you.”
“Mr. Darcy, a conversation between two friends is no imposition. I believe, if I may be so bold to conjecture” —he nodded— “we are very much alike in that manner. Only Jane knows my inner joys and turmoil, and even then, I share my heart with no one. Just me and the moonlight.” Darcy looked away quickly lest she discover his guilt.
“Well, Miss Bennet, hopefully your confidant will see fit to show through these miserable clouds so that the roads are passable tomorrow.”
Miss Elizabeth nodded. She woke her maid and took Darcy’s arm. He gently held her hand before he bowed before her at the bottom of the staircase then slowly trailed behind her.
Upon reaching her door, she faced him and said, “I thank you, sir. Such a lovely and unexpected evening.”
“It was my pleasure, Miss Elizabeth. Goodnight.” He gently raised her hand to his lips. “Pleasant dreams,” he quietly whispered.
“Good night, Mr. Darcy.” Her voice faltered slightly as she turned to enter her room. He strode down the corridor to escape the maddening feelings welling up in his heart when he heard her jiggle the handle violently. “Mr. Darcy, I must impose upon you a little longer. It appears my door is locked.”
“Locked?” He walked back the few steps before reaching for the handle and jiggling it himself. “How did that happen?” he asked looking at her and then at her maid.
“Sarah often locks our rooms from the inside while she is lighting the fire and preparing our night clothes.” He raised his eyebrows. “Sir—” she laughed “—in a house with four other sisters, it is often when one’s door is unlocked, our most prized bonnets and baubles go missing. Sarah will often lock our door when she is inside so she does not have to face the wrath of our youngest sister when she refuses to hand over our items.”
A deep chuckle rumbled from his throat. “I will bow to your knowledge of thieving sisters, Miss Bennet. Georgiana has never attempted to steal any of my effects. But, if you would be so kind as to extract one of your hair pins, I will have this door open in less than a minute.”
“Sir?”
“My cousin Richard Fitzwilliam and I used to play hide and seek at Pemberley when we were boys. Richard’s favorite place to hide was the tack room in the stable. He would take the key and lock himself inside. I eventually figured out that if I had a pin, I could pry it open from the outside and find him. After that, it was more evenly matched.”
“You would ask me to let my hair down, sir, solely for the use of a pin? Scandalous, Sarah, just scandalous.” She winked at her shocked maid.
Darcy laughed. “I hope you know, madam, I would never do anything to damage your reputation nor your chances for future felicity.”
