“What a small world,” Elizabeth marvelled. “Yes, Mr Gardiner is the youngest of my mother’s siblings. He and his wife are excellent people.”
“I have not had word of – Mrs Gardiner you say? Since her father passed away, but her sister, Mrs Picton, still lives nearby, I believe. Please, give my regards to Mr and Mrs Gardiner,” he insisted.
“I will, and I am certain that they will be touched and honoured to receive them,” Elizabeth promised. “So… I cannotcontain my curiosity, Mr Darcy. Why did you say that you were so happy to have encountered me this morning?”
Darcy froze. Then he visibly shook himself, took a deep breath, and said, “Miss Elizabeth, it would be the greatest honour, and give me the greatest pleasure, if you would consent to enter a courtship with me.”
Elizabeth was shocked to her core. Whatever she thought Mr Darcy might say. It had not beenthat. “But… Why on earth should you wish to courtme?”
"You are the first lady of my acquaintance that I have ever felt safe asking for a courtship. You have an authenticity, a sincerity about you that I am drawn to. It is so different from other ladies of my acquaintance," Darcy attempted to explain.
"I do not follow your meaning, sir," Elizabeth said uncertainly.
"Miss Elizabeth, think of Miss Bingley and her behaviour in my presence. Have you ever heard her disagree with me?" Darcy asked.
"I am certain Miss Bingley would sooner cut out her own tongue," laughed Elizabeth musically.
"That is precisely what I mean! I could declare that my skin was green, and she would agree. She and every lady I have ever met," explained Darcy. “I apologise for this, but I confess that I overheard your conversation with Miss Lucas last night without intending to, and your words about only marrying for true affection. They affected me profoundly. I believe you may be the first lady I have ever met who I might come to really know. Every other lady of my acquaintance would have me believe we were compatible in every way no matter her true feelings. I have no desire to marry a stranger, and receive an unpleasant shock after my wedding.”
"In addition, Miss Elizabeth, I find you quite the handsomest woman of my acquaintance. I am quite captivated by your fineeyes and your conversation. You are also a well read lady, which I appreciate very much," he concluded.
Elizabeth huffed and crossed her arms. "Fine eyes, indeed! Mr Darcy, if you value my sincerity, I must demand the same. For did you not, at the assembly, in my own hearing, declare me tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt you?" she demanded insistently. The man went white at her words.
"Miss Elizabeth, I must beg your pardon for those words. That must be the most untrue speech I have ever made in my life. I am sincerely grieved that you heard it," Darcy explained again but in more detail about his reserve, discomfort in company, and his speaking without looking at her on the evening in question. "Indeed, you have just proved my point again. Another lady would never have admitted to hearing those words in my presence. She would have still hoped I would marry her for her dowry or connections, and she would allow me to flatter her without ever bringing it up. I cannot face such a marriage. With you, when I say something displeasing, your resolve remains. You do not sacrifice your convictions in order to win my approbation. The sincerity of your character would never allow it.”
"So you wish for an open and honest courtship, to discuss our true preferences and opinions openly, without fear of injuring or displeasing one another, in the hopes that we may together come to a mutual accord?" Elizabeth asked him.
Darcy smiled beautifully. "That is precisely what I wish for, Miss Elizabeth! You have bewitched me, not with mere beauty, which you radiate with abundance, but with your mind and heart. I long to be the man worthy of your regard.”
Elizabeth blinked against the radiance of his smile, which she had never seen shown to such advantage. The man was ridiculously handsome, quite the most striking person she had ever seen. It was lucky he smiled like this so infrequently, orshe and every lady for miles might be in some danger. She considered for a moment. It was true that she disliked him thoroughly, but perhaps shehadmisjudged him. There was a great deal to overcome, such as his appalling manners in company, his ability to tolerate her family, and her concern over the matter with Mr Wickham. That gentleman had not impressed her by his behaviour with Lydia the night before, but he had made a serious allegation, and Elizabeth must know the truth of the matter. All of these concerns and more must be satisfied before she could consider allowing her heart to be touched, but she could not be so stupid as to turn her back on such a chance for an honest and forthright courtship with a wealthy man of consequence who, like her, sought a true affinity. She had always hoped to meet a gentleman who sought such an arrangement, but never thought it might happen. She decided to be forthright from the very beginning.
"Mr Darcy, were you aware that Jane and Charlotte Lucas always say that my tendency to prejudice is my greatest fault? I tend to make very swift judgments of people, and I can be very stubborn about changing those opinions, once they are set."
Darcy answered that he was not aware of that fact, and Elizabeth continued, "Were you aware also that up until this morning, I had very mixed opinions about you, sir, but that my sentiments mostly centred around dislike?" His face fell as she continued, "You have confounded me at every turn since I have met you, Mr Darcy. I cannot decide if you are an honourable man or a cruel one, whether I admire you, trust you, or despise you. I hear such different accounts of you as puzzle me exceedingly. I have fought this since we met, and the claims of a new acquaintance have not endeared me to you further. I cannot understand why it vexes me so dreadfully that your manners are not what they ought to be, and that frustrates me. However, I admit that I have not made enough of an effort to knowyou properly, sir, and I am troubled that my vanity may have encouraged some of my unfriendly thoughts. I don't like to think of myself as a vain or prideful woman. Your offer of an honest courtship where we might build a sincere attachment is very attractive to me. I never thought to have such an opportunity with any gentleman. I have reservations, sir. But as you say, this would be a chance to come to know one another properly. I believe I may have been mistaken in my first impression of you, and I would like to accept your offer of a courtship in the spirit in which it was offered, in the hopes that we may find a truly mutual accord. If that does not come to pass, I hope that at the very least, we might become good friends."
Darcy's heart lifted as she spoke, elated that she had accepted, but understanding that she had been deceived by Wickham. She was telling him, in her way, that she was concerned about what she had heard, and that he must overcome whatever lies Wickham had told her. Darcy decided to tell her everything. He knew she could be trusted. "Miss Elizabeth, in each conversation we share, I find new reasons to admire you. However, I can see that before we go much further, I must acquaint you with my dealings with Mr Wickham. I can only imagine what he has told you. Typically his lies are wrapped in a small kernel of truth that gives them a ring of authenticity. Will you sit and share a small repast while I acquaint you with the matter?”
Elizabeth acquiesced, and sat on a bench that her father had built there for her many years ago, when she had begun to visit Oakham Mount each morning. He took a seat next to her after retrieving the scones, apples, and cider from his saddlebag.
When they had both eaten for a moment or two, Darcy began speaking. “My father loved Mr Wickham as a son. His father was a great man, and had served Pemberley faithfully. My father rewarded his steward by standing godfather to his son,and when Mr Wickham's father passed, he was invited to live with us at Pemberley. My father was excessively attached to Mr Wickham, and sponsored him at Eton and later Cambridge.
"George was not the happy boy my father knew; there was something sinister in him, but my father would not hear a word against him. At length I ceased telling my father of Wickham's misdeeds, for I ended up taking the blame for many of them. Wickham used my name when he ran up debts with merchants at Cambridge, and interfered with their daughters. My father insisted that I was the spoiled heir, casting blame on a poor servant's son. Wickham believed he had my father quite set to make him his heir and bypass me entirely, having become his firm favourite. When my father died leaving Wickham the most valuable living in his gift as well as one thousand pounds, the man was outraged, having believed he would be the new master of Pemberley. He vowed against ever taking orders, and demanded the value of the living, which I gave him gladly. I knew Wickham ought not be a clergyman. I was already supporting three of his illegitimate children by the time my father left us, and there were whispers of others that the families of young girls had hushed up on their own. Wickham claimed to wish to study the law, and though I rather wished, than believed him to be sincere, I agreed.”
Darcy sighed and shook his head before continuing. “Wickham signed a document giving up all future rights to the living, and with a bank draft for four thousand pounds, he left us. I heard nothing from him until two years ago, when the incumbent of the living in question died. Wickham materialised immediately, and demanded the living as his right. Not only had he sold his rights to the living, but in addition, he had never even taken orders. I refused his demands, and he abused me abominably, threatening revenge. He was turned out ofPemberley, and told never to return. How he lived since then, I know not.
"He intruded upon my notice again this summer, when he colluded with my sister's companion to convince her to agree to an elopement. She was saved, but her heart has been broken. She is but fifteen years old," Darcy trailed off as he turned his troubled gaze to Elizabeth. "I believe you will be good for Georgiana. She needs sincere friends, badly. The society of authentic ladies she can trust. I look forward to introducing her to your acquaintance."
Elizabeth was in shock as she heard it all. Poor Miss Darcy! And poor Mr Darcy! To have his own father disbelieve him – how disheartening! "I can see now why sincerity is so essential to you, sir. You have experienced a horrifying lack of it in those you should have trusted. I am ashamed of myself now for even listening to such a man. You were correct when you said he would have told lies in a kernel of truth. He told me that you had vindictively denied him your father’s bequest out of jealousy and spite. Even my father saw through it immediately, and asked me why a man would tell such a story to strangers he had only met moments ago, but I was so caught up in the injustice of his story, I would not listen! How could I have been so blind! Wretched, wretched mistake! So much for my study of characters!"
"Surely you could not have expected such dishonesty," Darcy reassured her. "He has fooled many into believing his lies, even shrewd men of business, with education, and great intelligence."
The two talked for another ten minutes or so before Elizabeth had to take her leave or be missed at breakfast. Her family had slept in – so had she a bit – in fact, after the late night at the ball. However, none of the Bennets were in the habit of sleeping very late, and so Elizabeth expected them to be breaking their fast soon. Darcy promised to visit her father after breaking his fast at Netherfield. They could not attempt to court in secretwith family like Mrs Bennet and Elizabeth's younger sisters about. One of themwouldnotice something, say the wrong thing publicly, and Elizabeth's reputation would be in tatters.
By the timeDarcy returned to Netherfield, Bingley should already have left for London, but instead, he waited in his study for Darcy to return. Bingley was fuming, pacing about, and plagued by aggravation. Caroline and Louisa had attempted to waylay Darcy for an important discussion with Bingley as he had left for his ride, but sensing that they wished him to interfere in Bingley's affairs with Miss Bennet, he had avoided them, and quickly taken his leave. After the excesses of the ball the night before, the ladies being awake at such an early hour could not bode well, and Darcy had no desire to be part of their scheming.
"Darcy! I cannot believe I am asking your opinion about this, but what do you think of Miss Bennet?" demanded Bingley.
Before Darcy could even answer, Bingley raved on about his sisters’ insistence that Jane Bennet did not love him, and eventually stopped abruptly, and asked, "And where the devil have youbeenall morning, man?"
