“Yes, I suppose you must be correct.”
“If you will pardon my impertinence,” said Elizabeth, uncertain she should say anything on the subject, “did you not make a similar decision? After all, you ran away from your home intending to marry Mr. Wickham when your mother has always insisted that you are engaged to Mr. Darcy. Is the thought of marrying him so onerous that you would put yourself in the power of a man you do not know well?”
Anne grimaced though she did not dispute Elizabeth’s assertion. “I suppose you are correct, though I will say that the notion of Darcy as a husband is not onerous.”
“Then what provoked you to accept Mr. Wickham’s overtures?”
At this, Anne became tight-lipped, saying only: “Matters at Rosings dictated my interests were better served by departing at once.”
The meaning of Anne’s statement was not clear, though Elizabeth could make one or two educated guesses. As it did not seem prudent to pursue a subject Anne did not wish to discuss, she changed tack.
“I hope we can notify your family at once, for I am certain they must be frantic with worry for you.”
Again, Anne ventured little, except to say: “I shall write to my uncle when we arrive at your father’s estate.”
This further confirmed Elizabeth’s conjecture, though she refrained from saying anything more. For the next several moments they strode toward Longbourn in the distance, Elizabeth now able to make out the church’s spire rising from the trees. It was interesting, she thought, that Anne had forgotten all about her peevish annoyance at being forced to walk to Longbourn. She also did not appear to be so winded as Elizabeth might have suspected for one who had never walked so much as a mile. Perhaps she was not so frail as Lady Catherine had always insisted.
“We appear to be approaching a place of some prominence,” observed Anne, catching sight of the spire as Elizabeth had.
“That is Longbourn church,” said Elizabeth. “It is part of the village just outside Longbourn’s gate. We should arrive within a few moments.”
Anne considered this. “Thank you, Elizabeth. While you might not credit it, I believe I have never enjoyed a walk so much as I have today. The life to which you are accustomed differs from my experience, but I do not think it is less worthy for all that it is unfamiliar to me.”
“That is the spice of life, is it not?” said Jane. “To experience how others live gives us some insight into them.”
“I suppose you must be correct,” replied Anne, again beset by her thoughts.
“And yet,” said Elizabeth, “having visited Rosings, I cannot say our lives are all that different from yours. Whether high or low, gentle families the kingdom over manage their properties, tend to their tenants, visit and socialize, and if we are fortunate, perhaps we may even attend an assembly or two. We are far more alike than a gentleman is to a laborer.”
Anne turned to Elizabeth and smiled. “It seems you are much more than my mother ever allowed, Elizabeth, for you have given me many things on which to think. If you will consent to it,I believe I should like to continue our acquaintance when I must leave your home.”
“I would like that, Anne,” said Elizabeth, meaning every word. “Will your mother approve do you think?”
“Perhaps she will not,” confessed Anne. “But if I am honest, I care less for what my mother thinks than I did only this morning. Should matters proceed as I hope they will, my mother will not be an impediment.”
“Then let us call it settled,” replied Elizabeth warmly.
By then they had made the village, the gates of Longbourn appearing at the end of the street. They hurried down the boulevard, eager to reach the safety of the house against the possibility of Mr. Wickham discovering their flight and entered the drive with no sign of pursuit.
Determined to inform her father of their doings, Elizabeth beckoned to Anne and stepped through the door into the vestibule, where Mrs. Hill met them. She said nothing about Anne’s presence, contenting herself with welcoming her and accepting her gloves and spenser. When they had doffed their outside accoutrements, Elizabeth beckoned her friend to follow her into the house.
Chapter X
After a time, even Fitzwilliam grew weary of Lady Catherine’s constant complaints, such that he agreed to depart before he might have liked.
“We can receive any updates on the road,” said he, “so long as we do not outrun the searchers.Andprovided we do not deviate from our path.”
“I am glad you have finally seen sense,” retorted Lady Catherine, a sense of triumph filling her. “We shall make for the Great North Road and proceed at all possible speed. We shall retrieve them by nightfall, I am certain.”
Fitzwilliam regarded Lady Catherine for several long moments though in the end, he chose not to reply. Instead, he turned to Darcy.
“Will you see to your carriage?”
“It already awaits us,” said Darcy, “as I had it removed before you arrived. The stable hands only need to secure the horses in their traces, as I did not wish them to wait with the carriage for however long it would take before we were ready to depart.”
“Good man,” said Fitzwilliam. “You would make a fine officer, Darcy.”
“What has become of my horses?” asked Lady Catherine. “Given the speed at which I traveled, they require rest.”
