“In addition to your cruelty, I received some correspondence later that day which distressed me,” said Elizabeth.
“What was it?” asked Darcy, unthinking.
“I begyourpardon?” Elizabeth responded in amazement.
“I am sorry. I did not come here expecting this to happen, and I have reacted to it rather poorly.” Darcy scratched his head.
“Mr Darcy, you are not making any sense,” Elizabeth said in confusion. “What did you not expect to happen?”
Darcy hesitated, and then blurted out, “I did not expect that when I came to my godmother’s house party, that I would meet the most beautiful woman, with the finest eyes I have ever seen. I did not think I would meet someone that I would want to know, and I did not expect to find someone I might spend my life with. It was a shocking experience, and again, I reacted poorly to the revelation. My surprise caused me to insult you, which is the last thing in the world that I meant. Will you forgive me?”
“Oh,” Elizabeth said in shock. Whatever he might say, she had not expected him to saythat. “I suppose it would be churlish of me to refuse.”
“Churlish is the word formybehaviour, and I regret it most profoundly. I now wish to acknowledge that I am interested in you, Miss Elizabeth, and whatever other shenanigans are in the air at Ever After End, I would like to court you properly.”
“Your behaviour is improving by leaps and bounds,” Elizabethacknowledged. “I agree that it would be nice to get to know you better.”
“You are a careful woman. An intelligent and prudent one in addition to being beautiful and kind. I admire that about you.”
“Thank you,” Elizabeth said as she finally took his arm and he joined her on the path.
“So will you tell me?” he asked as they walked with his stallion following behind.
“Tell you what?” she asked, her mind rather unfocused from the surprise of his apology and subsequent request.
“Will you tell me about the correspondence that upset you.” He smiled down at her.
“Oh,” Elizabeth said, wishing that she could forget about it. But they had agreed to get to know each other, and so the story tumbled out, about the lottery, and Charlotte’s defection, and John Lucas asking her to marry him after her being right under his nose her whole life, and his father, Sir William of all people, asking for money to educate Henry Lucas, and how Charlotte and all of her old friends had turned against her, and told terrible lies about her, and how her oldest friend had compromised Elizabeth’s poor cousin before the entail was ended, and that now she wished for Elizabeth to forgive her and visit Kent when herlark in Somersetwas over.
“She does not ask for much, does she?” Darcy said in amazement. “What will you do?”
“I suppose that when I return unwed, I will eventually visit my cousin in Hunsford, and begin the journey of healing with my old friend. My cousin was so distressed at the thought that his wife might estrange him from his family.”
“You are too good. I hope your family and friends give you credit for it.” Darcy thought intently for a moment. “Did you say Hunsford? Is your cousin’s patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh?”
“The very same.” Elizabeth laughed. “Do you know her?”
“Know her?” Darcy tightened his hand on hers and said, “Do not run away, but if our courtship reaches its natural conclusion, she will be your aunt one day.”
“Oh! However will I pass muster with such a woman?” Elizabeth said in dismay.
“I have no idea, no one has ever accomplished it,” Darcy said in laughter. “She will be displeased if I marry anyone but her daughter, and I have no intention of doing that, so pleasing her is impossible anyway, I assure you.”
“That does not comfort me very much,” Elizabeth observed.
“No, but this might,” Darcy said wickedly. “If, as I stated before, our courtship meets with success, when you visit Hunsford, you will not be obliged to accept Mrs Collins’s hospitality. You will be staying at Rosings.”
“My cousin will perish from the excitement,” Elizabeth giggled, getting into the spirit of their light flirtation.
“Was that all?” Darcy asked.
“Was what all?” Elizabeth repeated.
“Is that all that upset you?”
“Was it not enough?” she asked.
“Of course it was, but if there was anything else that I could ease your mind about…” Darcy insisted.
