“Aunt, I mean no disrespect, but I can only introduce you to Elizabeth if you are planning to be kind to her.I cannot have a repeat of last night’s performance.I simply cannot.”
“Of course, Darcy.What do you take me for?”She smiled and rose, signaling an end to their interview.“When you have your answer, send me an address and I will meet you at Miss Bennet’s uncle’s home.”
“I would be happy to escort you, Mother.”
“Very well, but you must leave with Darcy for I will attend Lady Mayberry afterward.”
Darcy and Fitzwilliam thanked her and bowed, then swiftly walked back to Darcy House.
“Well that was unusual,” said Fitzwilliam.
“I am surprised she agreed to it.Do you think it will work?”
“Do you mean will she convince Miss Bennet your entire family is not determined to chase her off?”
Darcy nodded.
“I can only hope so.”
There was a note awaiting Darcy when he stepped into his house.“Thank you, Parker.Were the flowers well received?”
“I believe so, sir.The maids were going on about how happy the ladies were.”
“Wonderful.Thank you, that will be all.”
Darcy led the way to his favorite sitting room overlooking the garden and opened his note.
Fitzwilliam,
It is sweet of you to offer to stay away while I regain my equilibrium, and likely wise as well, but I find that I am already missing you.It is terribly ungentlemanly of you to cause such feelings in a lady and not assuage them, so I must ask you to wait on me at your earliest convenience.I have offered to walk in the park with my cousins.I would be happy for you to join us if you like.
Thank you for the flowers—they are lovely and smell delightful.My aunt and sister send their thanks as well.The shawl is particularly pretty.If you join me at the park today, you shall see me wearing it.
I hope to see you soon.
Yours,
Elizabeth
Darcy folded the letter and put it in his breast pocket with a smile.“Care for a walk in the park, Fitz?”
Elizabeth was hiding behind a large oak tree, one hand over her eyes as she counted aloud.The breeze caught on her shawl and raised the fringe up to tickle her skin.She raised her voice as she came to the last three numbers, then shouted, “Here I come!”
The Gardiners’ nurse sat on a nearby bench with eighteen-month-old Sarah Gardiner on her lap, but the three older children were nowhere to be seen.The nurse gestured towards a copse of trees a few yards away and Elizabeth nodded and made her way thither.She studied the trees, looking for the flutter of a skirt or the bright blue of her cousin’s jacket.Seeing something behind a small tree, she picked her way to it and was nearly close enough to reach out and tag young John when she stepped on a twig and the snap echoed off the trees.
John took off like a shot, running for the oak they had deemed as home base, and Elizabeth tore after him.He ran across the small meadow, darting around his nurse on the bench, and up the short hill toward the tree.Elizabeth knew his destination and cut him off just before he reached the tree, grabbing his arm in her outstretched hand.The motion made young John spin around until he smacked into Elizabeth and the two of them fell to the ground in a heap.They panted for breath between gasping laughs, until John yelled for his brother and sister to come out of hiding, for he had been caught.
Elizabeth smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of the grass along her back and the sunshine on her face.
“You certainly look comfortable.”
Elizabeth’s eyes flew open to behold Mr.Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam standing over her, smirking.John scrambled up and ran to join his brother near the pond.Elizabeth shook her head and held her hand up to Mr.Darcy.
“Be a gentleman and help me up.”
He grasped her hand with a smile and pulled her up so forcefully she smacked into his chest and said, “Oh!”
Fitzwilliam rolled his eyes.“Let her go, Darcy.We are in a public park.”
