“Fitzwilliam received word from his father this morning—he has arranged for Wickham’s transportation to the penal colony. We will depart two days hence to escort him to London and the ship awaiting him.
“When I return, I mean to escort my sister to Netherfield, as Bingley has offered an invitation to her to join us. I should like to introduce Georgiana to your acquaintance and that of your sisters at the first opportunity, if that is agreeable.”
“Of course, it is!” exclaimed Elizabeth, the feeling of being flattered again suffusing her breast. “We will be happy to make her acquaintance. I only wonder if your sister is ready to meet girls such as my youngest sisters.”
Mr. Darcy laughed, a tension Elizabeth had not noticed releasing him from its grip. “Georgiana has informed me, both by letter and before I departed London, of her eagerness to beintroduced to so many agreeable ladies. She is quite anticipating it.”
“Then we shall not disappoint her. If you bring her around, we will welcome her with open arms.”
“Thank you, Miss Elizabeth.”
With that and a few more words of farewell, Mr. Darcy bowed over her hand and mounted his horse, kicking it into a canter soon thereafter. Soon, man and steed proceeded around a corner and left Elizabeth’s sight, though Mr. Darcy turned back to regard her and wave several times before he was gone.
Now alone, Elizabeth turned her footsteps back to Longbourn in the distance, considering the day’s meeting and what it meant for her future. The little niggling thought in the back of her mind told her that Mr. Darcy had made an excellent start in his campaign to alter her feelings. If he continued in such a manner, Elizabeth could not imagine he would not be successful in the end.
Chapter XXIII
His senses full of Miss Elizabeth, Darcy wended his way back to Netherfield Park, wondering how he would endure even a single day away from her. The need to see to Wickham’s disposition was real and Darcy would not shirk it, to say nothing of the opportunity it would give him to retrieve Georgiana. Yet it was to come at a most inauspicious time, though Darcy supposed he would have no more desire to part from her after one or two weeks than he did two days hence.
Now he had gained a greater understanding of her character, he could not help but wonder how he had entered Hunsford parsonage expecting her to fall at his feet and proclaim her undying love. That thought was more than a bit of fancy, but it was not far removed from the truth. He was Fitzwilliam Darcy, scion of an ancient family, possessed of every worldly advantage. What he had told her was the simple truth—there were no more than half a dozen women in the kingdom outside the nobility who would not accept him the moment he deigned to offer himself.
It was to Darcy’s great advantage she had proven to be one of them, for the episode had taught him invaluable lessons. Where he had thought he was being generous for offering for such a woman, it was she who had proven who was the better person between them. Insufficient were all his pretensions—Darcy knew that now. Such a woman was beyond the worth of any worldly goods, her good opinion the most prized possession to which any man could aspire. It humbled Darcy to receive another chance, for no other woman could be as generous as she. The determination to succeed burned within Darcy’s breast.
With such thoughts in his mind, Darcy rode the distance ofNetherfield’s drive, stopping near the stables and handing his mount over to the groom’s care. Darcy usually cared for his horse himself, for his father had given the beast to him as a young man. That day, however, he had little head for it, for his mind was engaged on other subjects most beauteous and fair. Thus, Darcy strode into the house, to make for his room and change to rejoin the others. Now that he must go to London, he wished to be done with it and return as expeditiously as possible.
Later, when Darcy had time to consider the events that would ensue, he would acknowledge how fortunate it had been that he had reached his room unmolested. Snell, his man, waited there for him, assisting his master from his riding clothes into his usual attire, all the while giving nary a hint he saw anything unusual about his master’s behavior. Snell suspected something was afoot, of course, though he was not aware of it all. Darcy had offered his assurance he wouldnotoffer for Miss Bingley, and the man had passed the information to the rest of the servants. At least, Darcy assumed he had. Given Miss Bingley’s behavior on the occasion she had visited Pemberley and the way she regarded everything with covetous eyes when she entered his house in town, his servants did not wish to endure her as their mistress. Darcy would offer them a woman Miss Bingley’s superior, a woman kind and considerate, one who would treat the servants with respect and dignity.
When he changed, Darcy made his way down the stairs, the notes of a piece Georgiana often played for him echoing in his head amid the urge to whistle along with it. As he was not much of a whistler, it was for the best that he did not. What he had not expected was to be waylaid before he ever reached the rest of the party.
“Mr. Darcy,” came a voice as he walked through the halls.
Darcy had seen motion from the corner of his eye immediately before the voice assaulted his ears, warning him of the presenceof someone nearby. It was Miss Bingley, of course. Darcy might have expected her to pounce on him from an adjacent room, try to claim a compromise, but she only stood in the door, watching him, her expression for once unreadable.
“Miss Bingley,” said Darcy, greeting her with a bow, determined not to say anything else.
“It seems you were out this morning.”
It was almost an accusation. Then before Darcy could respond, she seemed to recollect something of her manners, for she added: “I hope a sense of ennui has not forced you from the house this morning to seek amusement.”
“Not at all,” replied Darcy. “Everything at Netherfield is excellent. This morning, I felt the need for fresh air and exercise, so I went out riding.”
“Ridingisa worthy pastime,” replied Miss Bingley. “As it is not London and Hyde Park, I cannot imagine one could spend hours in the saddle.”
“It was not hours, Miss Bingley,” said Darcy. “I was gone for perhaps ninety minutes, or even a little less.”
“And do you find the country to your taste?”
“Not as much as I appreciate Pemberley, of course.” Darcy allowed the image of a beautiful woman with dark, fathomless eyes to enter his thoughts. “But Hertfordshire possesses hidden treasures aplenty, such that I find myself well entertained.”
The woman was unreadable that morning, unusual in Darcy’s experience. While she considered herself the height of mystery and sophistication, Darcy had never found her especially difficult to understand.
“It is surprising, to say the least.”
Darcy frowned at hernon sequitur. “I am afraid I cannot understand your meaning, Miss Bingley.”
The woman huffed in exasperation, closer to the behavior Darcy expected of her. “Disguise is beneath you, Mr. Darcy. Itwas clear you were thinking of...heras one of the local beauties. As I recall, there was a time when you would have as soon called her mother a wit.”
“Is a man not allowed to change his opinion?” asked Darcy rhetorically, not expecting an answer. “My mistake was to say what I did before I saw for myself what sort of woman she is.”
