She made sure the wooden gate was well secured. No one wanted a repeat of the pigs getting into the vegetables again. She turned to the west and struck out towards Netherfield Park at an even faster pace.
By going over the fields and not through Meryton, it was a little more than two and a half miles, which to Elizabeth was a short walk. When she drew parallel with Oakham Mount, she looked at it wistfully. It was, after all, one of her favourite destinations on her morning jaunts, especially when it was a clear day.
She crossed over each stile she got to without too much of an effort, never caring or noticing if she landed in a puddle or a muddy patch on the other side. As she walked, she did not seek out the puddles and mud, but neither did she actively avoid them.
The only thing Elizabeth cared about was arriving and seeing Janey. After about forty minutes of fast walking, Netherfield Park’s manor house was in sight.
Chapter 5
Of all the people she had no desire to see, the first person Elizabeth saw when she arrived at Netherfield Park was Mr.ProudandInsufferableDarcy. Evidently he was walking back to the manor house from the stables. She cursed her bad luck which put her in his company. All she could hope was he would keep walking as if he had not beheld her and she would not have to interact with the man.
Lady Luck did not smile on her, but strangely enough, Mr. Darcy did. ‘Oh my,’ Elizabeth thought to herself. ‘How much more handsome he is when he smiles.’
“Miss Elizabeth,” Darcy intoned in greeting as he bowed to the woman who had invaded his heart. “I assume you are here to see Miss Bennet?”
‘Of course, she is, come now William, you are more articulate than that,’ Darcy chastised himself silently. ‘There is no putting it off, you know what you must do.’
“Your perspicacity does you proud,” Elizabeth riposted archly.
“Miss Elizabeth, if I may have a minute of your time, will you allow me a few words before we enter the house?” Darcy requested.
Even though she knew it would be churlish of her, Elizabeth was about to refuse his request when she stayed the words which were about to be unleashed. It had been a request, not a demand and his tone had been rather conciliatory.
She stopped and turned to the man who was watching her intently. Up to now, she had assumed it was his way of looking at her to find fault, but now she was no longer as sure as she had been when she had mentioned her thoughts to Jane and Charlotte who had both disagreed with her.
“The fact is I owe you a very heartfelt apology for my untrue and ungentlemanly words at the assembly,” Darcy began.
If she had been confused before, now Elizabeth was at sixes and sevens. Mr. Darcy was making an apology to her, and furthermore, he sounded sincere.
Seeing her surprise at his words struck Darcy deeply. It seemed Miss Elizabeth had believed him so deficient in his manners she had never expected him to beg her pardon. “It does not pardon my words, but that evening I was in bad humour and I would have remained here if it were not for my hostess threatening to remain and keep me company. That being said, as my aim was to cause Bingley to stop importuning me to dance, that is what I should have articulated.
“The insult, which was completely false on a number of levels, should never have passed my lips. All I can do is throw myself on your mercy and ask you to forgive this fallible man.”
Elizabeth’s head was swimming. Was she wrong about Mr. Darcy? It was disconcerting as she had always believed her character sketches were perfectly accurate. Here was an example of her not having the right of it. She would have to begin to sketch Mr. Darcy’s character all over again.
“You have my forgiveness, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth granted. “Please, show me to my sister’s chamber.”
Darcy saw Miss Elizabeth relax and as she did he realised until now she had been tense in his company. “Please follow me.” As he needed to remove his riding boots, he led Miss Bennet to the kitchen door, but he explained why he needed to use that entrance.
The last thing he wanted was right after his apology for Miss Elizabeth to think he was directing her to the kitchen entrance for any other reason.
For her part, Elizabeth appreciated Mr. Darcy’s explanation. She had to admit to herself even though he had apologised, her prejudices would have led her to assume the man was leading her this way to insult her.
While Mr. Darcy removed his riding boots and donned a clean pair of hessians, Elizabeth scraped the mud off the soles of her half boots on the piece of metal for that purpose just outside the door. Soon they were on their way up the stairs.
Miss Bingley’s grating and nasal voice could be heard from the breakfast parlour. Darcy cringed. He knew he would have to at least greet his hostess before he went to change, which meant Miss Elizabeth and her fine eyes, glowing from the exercise of the walk from Longbourn would have to do the same.
Until a few days previously the cloying shrew had kept Town hours giving Darcy some peace and quiet in the morning without her constantly trying to gain his attention. Unfortunately, she had decided she needed more time to be in his presence so Miss Bingley had begun to appear early to break her fast.
“Mr. Darcy,” Miss Bingley cooed when she saw the object of her desires. Her look instantly soured when she saw who followed her intended into the room. “Miss Eliza, I did not hear a carriage.”
“That is because I did not come in one, I walked,” Elizabeth retorted. “How is my sister?”
“She had a slight fever yesternight, I am sure it will be better today,” Miss Bingley stated dismissively. “My sister and I will visit Miss Bennet after our meal.”
“Caroline, Mrs. Nichols told me Miss Bennet had a high fever but you told her not to call the apothecary,” Bingley reported.
“Well yes, that was because ourdearJane should be seen by a qualified physician from London,” Miss Bingley prevaricated.
