Standing alone and motionless, Darcy watched the carriage roll down the hill toward the village until it was out of sight. He remained still for a long moment even then, looking at nothing, but that was only foolishness. Shaking his head at himself, Darcy went inside, only to find Georgiana in the drawing room, gazing forlornly out the window. Looking at his sister, Darcy smiled crookedly. He believed he knew exactly how bereft Georgiana felt, for he, too, could not wait until the day he might see Elizabeth again.
One sentiment was highly encouraging — that Elizabeth had seemed so expressive when he told her they would soon benear Longbourn. She had been very eager indeed to continue the acquaintance. Might she even have some tender feelings toward him, as he had developed for her? He could only hope.
“It is a pity that we could not have travelled together on the journey home.” Georgiana sighed listlessly. She smoothed the silk skirts over her knees and looked into the fire. “I suppose they will travel a little slower than we will, with Mr Bennet’s joints.”
“Yes, I suppose they will. But we need not trouble ourselves too much. We will see them again soon.” Darcy tried to be cheerful, rather than matching Georgiana’s moroseness, but it was a difficult task. “We should ready ourselves quickly and be on our way. I am sure Mr Campbell will want to start making preparations to hand things over to Mr Bennet and ready the estate for his next visit.”
“I do hope they can come here every summer, as Elizabeth alluded to. From everything she told me, I think Miss Mary Bennet will be a very good mistress of this house, if she were to come here and fall in love with Mr Campbell.”
“Let us not get too far ahead of ourselves, Georgiana. We shall simply have to wait and see what happens. You must not voice such sentiments aloud, especially where Mr Campbell might overhear you.”
“Elizabeth seems confident that they would suit each other. But I suppose you are right. I would not want to ruin anything unwittingly.” Georgiana rose with a sigh. “If you will excuse me, Fitz, I should like to play the piano a little and try to cheer up.”
“An excellent idea,” Darcy said.
She exited the room, and he was left alone with his thoughts. How quiet the house seemed now that Mr Bennet and Elizabeth were gone. A gentle drizzle had begun almost as soon as they had departed, adding to the day’s melancholy.
He had just risen from the chair when Mr Campbell entered the room. “Ah, Mr Darcy. Do you have a moment for me?”
“Yes, of course,” Darcy replied, wondering what he had in mind.
“Excellent,” Mr Campbell said. He held a book in his hand, offering it to him. “I thought you might like to keep this. I found it in the library on one of the tables. Likely Miss Bennet was able to solve the riddle with it and forgot to replace it on the shelves in her haste to find the key.”
Darcy turned the book over and read the title aloud. “The Works of Robert Burns.” He looked up at Mr Campbell. “Thank you, I should be glad to have it. Are you sure Mr Sinclair wouldn’t mind me taking it out of his library?”
“Not in the slightest. He would be glad to know it was getting some use somewhere.” He looked at the tome, then back at Mr Darcy. “And I think he would be especially glad if he knew it had helped two young people find their way toward each other.”
Darcy looked at him in surprise. “Is it that obvious?” he asked quietly.
“Perhaps not to Miss Bennet, but to me, it is,” Mr Campbell said. He chuckled. “I have observed you all carefully, for the character of the next owners of Strathalt House will be of great importance to the community. Then too, it is always easier to see clearly when one has no personal stake in a matter. Do youknow, Mr Darcy, Mr Sinclair had a bit of a romantic bent. He would have been glad that my riddles were taken from the books he loved so much, and in a small way, that perhaps it brought you and Miss Bennet some happiness. Do you fear she would not be amenable to your addresses, were you to pay them?” he asked.
It was a personal question, especially for a steward. But as he was unlikely to see Mr Campbell again, he saw no harm in taking a more familiar tone with the man. “I do not know. Sometimes I think I discern her feelings, but at other times, it is very difficult to know for sure. I confess I am not adept at courting or matters of the heart.”
“I believe she will be. If it is of any help, I think she would be very glad to receive you when you are in Hertfordshire,” Mr Campbell said. “Mind you, that is only an assumption, from watching her closely.” He gave a wry smile. “She is not adept at concealing her true emotions, which may well work to your advantage.”
Darcy laughed along with Mr Campbell. “One can only hope.” He stood with a sigh. “Well, I should see to the rest of our packing and ensure we are ready to depart on schedule. Thank you for all you have done for us, Mr Campbell.”
They shook hands. “It was my pleasure. I am sorry if it seemed you came to Scotland for nothing. But I hope it has not been a total waste.”
“It was not a waste at all,” Darcy said honestly. He would have travelled much farther for the change Elizabeth had worked in Georgiana.
And for the change she had effected in his own heart, he would have gone to the ends of the earth.
Chapter 19
The journey back to England seemed to last an eternity. Elizabeth tried to distract herself from the boredom and jolts of the carriage ride in vain, for her thoughts were as uncomfortable as her body. Her heart ached in a way she had never experienced before, and while she tried to persuade herself otherwise, she knew it was her longing for Mr Darcy that left her no peace. Not even her books could bring her solace, for Elizabeth found herself reading the same page over and over, unable to remember the last sentence her eyes had passed over. In the end, she gave up and spent much of the long journey home simply looking out the window and thinking.
When they arrived back at Longbourn’s gates, they knew they were in for an uproarious welcome. Lydia and Kitty were the first to come bustling out of the house and wave to them from the porch, then Mrs Bennet, Mary, and finally Jane. Her father climbed down from the carriage and handed her out. Almost immediately, they were surrounded, and a thousand questions were thrust upon them.
“How was the journey?”
“What is the estate like?”
“Have we inherited the house after all?”
Elizabeth hugged each of her younger sisters and her mother. Her heart clenched to see that Jane held back and would not come off the front stoop to greet them. Elizabeth was dumbfounded. She had not expected such treatment from her beloved eldest sister. Poor Jane! Something must weigh on her terribly to keep her so aloof.
Her father held up his hands and called for quiet. “I can report with gratitude and humility that we have been granted the house, though only after a long and arduous test. But the other potential heir was indeed the best of gentlemen, and we did not have occasion to see the Darcys as opponents for long. Indeed, we have come to see them as the best of friends.”
