“Yes, Lady Catherine. Now, if you will excuse me, I have estate matters to attend.” He bowed briskly and strode out the door, resigned to his fate.
* * *
It had beenfour days before the doctor allowed Miss Elizabeth to venture out of bed. The roads had cleared and Lady Catherine and Anne had returned to Rosings to prepare for the wedding ceremony. Darcy had not spoken to Anne alone since his conversation with Lady Catherine, and Anne reluctantly acceded her attempts to dissuade him were fruitless.
The snow had begun to fall again in Derbyshire, not stinging snow which had trapped them in the unthinkable situation five days previous, but soft powder which cast a fairy-like wonder around the whole estate. Miss Elizabeth was sitting in the library staring out the window wrapped in a large down blanket when Darcy walked into the room. He had not expected to see her and stopped short.
“Miss Bennet…I did not know you were in here, or I would not have presumed to interrupt your solitary repose.”
“Think nothing of it, sir. This is your house, your library. I am merely an invalid who Mrs. Reynolds does not trust to travel up or down the stairs alone.”
He smiled at her feisty remark, a sure sign of her return to health. He had instructed Mrs. Reynolds to keep him abreast of the lady’s condition and had met with the doctor after every examination, questioning the progress of his guest. “You are looking in quite well.” He enjoyed seeing the color bloom in her cheeks.
“The doctor says I should be ready to travel in two days’ time. I have instructed my maid to begin packing, and Kitty and I will leave for Longbourn.”
“So soon?”
“Yes. We must leave as you will be departing shortly thereafter for Kent to prepare for the wedding.” The last words were spoken with conviction, not hesitantly or with any sign of sadness.
“Yes, yes, I must leave, but that does not signify that you must depart if you are still unwell.”
“No, sir. That will not do as I received a letter only two days ago that I must hasten to Longbourn. My mother requires my assistance on matters significant to my own future.”
“Yes…yes…and might I wish you joy as well?”
“I thank you, Mr. Darcy.”
The room fell silent, engulfed by the ticking of the clock and the battle of unspoken words.
“Good day, Miss Bennet.” He bowed quickly before turning to leave the room and attempted to convince himself he did not hear her soft reply.
“Good day, William.”
Chapter 21
Looking backout the library window, she wondered how she could leave him. Yet, she knew she must. Even to dwell on such thoughts were sure to undo all the work she had done to forget his kiss; his arms around her; his love drunk words of affection. Those brief, tender moments she would never forget,couldnever forget.
Blessedly, Georgiana and Kitty assisted her to the music room, where they regaled her with silly duets they had been practicing to lighten her spirits. By the time they were supposed to begin to dress for dinner, her mood had lightened and she was prepared in temperament to sit across the table from him. However, as Kitty helped her climb the stairs to her room, she heard a voice she could never mistake and both girls recoiled. Lizzy held onto the bannister with both hands at the shock.
“Where is my Lizzy? How is my dearest girl?”
Kitty squeezed her sister’s hand in sisterly solidarity and both Bennet girls descended the stairs to greet their mother. They were not surprised to see their father one of the party but Lizzy gasped at the sight of their companion.
“Mr. Hamilton! Why, what are you doing here?”
“That is a fine greeting, Elizabeth,” he chided, amiably. “I have come to retrieve you, my dearest.” He then bent over her hand for a lingering kiss, as Mr. Darcy and the colonel walked in.
Mrs. Bennet beamed, and Mr. Bennet raised his eyebrows at the gallantry of the man who was not quite his daughter’s fiancé. She was vexed at her father’s smirk, knowing he was enjoying the idiosyncrasies and charades that were sure to come.
“Welcome, Hamilton. Mr. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet. This is a pleasant surprise.”
Mr. Hamilton extended his hand to his old friend. “Darcy, please forgive our intrusion but when the Bennets received your express, we determined to leave post haste to retrieve the girls ourselves.”
“Might I present my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam? Mr. and Mrs. Bennet of Longbourn.”
Had her mother found Lizzy in any present danger, she knew Mrs. Bennet would have been miserable, but being she found her nearly recovered, she said, “If not for such good friends, I do not know what would become of her. What business she has about always going here and there, with no consideration for my poor nerves. And leaving me all the worry that she is being properly cared for.”
“Mama!” Lizzy cried shamefully. “Mr. Darcy and his staff have been nothing but obliging, seeing to my every comfort. The doctor has been here every day, and Mrs. Reynolds has offered me every possible attention to ensure I would have a quick recovery.”
