“I owe you a great debt, sir, and not only for the money you must have put out. This could have ruined us.”
“Are we not all on the brink of ruination at times?” Darcy asked rhetorically. “I have recently come to understand how difficult the raising of young ladies really is. I cannot imagine how it might be if I had five of them.”
“Five like Lydia would kill a man,” said Mr Bennet drolly. “It is only the ladies like Lizzy and Jane that make any of it bearable.”
“In any case, you owe me nothing,” Darcy told him. “I am well pleased to be able to provide assistance.”
“We will see about that,” said Mr Bennet. He then drummed his fingers against the arm of his chair, looking pensive. Darcy was about to rise when he said, “What is he like, this fellow who has proposed to my Lizzy?”
Darcy sat back in the chair. A multitude of degradations raced through his mind, but it would not do. “He has a good income and the promise of a fine estate,” he said. “And they are great friends. I think they will do well enough together.”
“So you think I ought to give the fellow my blessing?”
No, I think you ought to run him off your property.“Yes,” said Darcy simply. “I daresay it is what Miss Elizabeth wants.”
Melancholy stabbed at him, forcing him to rise quickly to his feet. This was how it would be, and as happy as he was for Bingley to be happy with Jane Bennet, it meant he would hear of Elizabeth, regularly. When she married, how it was between her and Hartham thereafter, when she bore him a child. When Hartham inevitably went off to the Continent and left her to be alone in whatever manor house he had put her in. He swallowed hard as he bade Mr Bennet good morning.
Bingley stopped him on the way out of the house and urged him to stay at Netherfield. “I confess I had hoped to stay there,” Darcy said. “I had no idea you were in residence but had planned to beg the housekeeper to permit me a cot somewhere.”
Bingley laughed. “I daresay I can do better than that, but forgive me, I believe I must remain here for a time. Will you join us? We plan to walk to Oakham Mount shortly.”
“Perhaps I might return later,” Darcy said, knowing well he would do no such thing. “Two days of travel has quite exhausted me.”
“Of course, of course. Go then. I shall see youlater.” Bingley clapped him on the back. “But before you go, Darcy—you are well? Your health, I mean.”
“Perfectly so.”
“You seem rather thin.” Bingley smiled apologetically then said, “When we are back to London, I must take you to a cream ice shop that Caroline discovered. Benjamin’s, I believe it is called. They will have you fattened up nicely before long!”
Darcy only laughed at that.
He was walking down the hall towards the front of the house when he heard a little sound. “Psst!”
Looking around him, he saw no one.
“The stairs!” someone hissed and he turned, seeing Miss Lydia peering down at him from the landing. She beckoned him to come up, and he ascended two stairs.
“What is it?” he asked in a voice of usual volume.
“Shh! Here.” She thrust a folded piece of paper towards him, whispering, “I almost forgot! Lizzy would have killed me!”
Darcy felt a jolt, though of what emotion he knew not. A few more stairs allowed him to extend his hand and receive the page. He muttered his thanks as he turned to leave, curiosity burning him from within.
The carriage door had barely closed behind him when he unfolded the page and read the brief missive with eyes greedy for more.
Mr Darcy,
Firstly, allow me to express my deepest gratitude for the mortification you undertook for the sake of Lydia’s rescue. I am deeply ashamed to know that she has involved dear Miss Darcy in one of her follies and can only pray it will not make you think less of her or my family. She has been in Brighton largely unchaperoned, and I am myself only justcoming to see how time by the sea can be dangerous for any gently bred person.
Secondly, I understand now why you said Mr Hartham could never love me; he explained it himself, and it answered a great many questions. But I beg you would believe that it does not signify. When you kissed me, I knew one truth: that somehow in the course of our complicated acquaintance, I have come to ardently admire and love you.
I thought after seeing you with Miss Larkin on the Steyne that all hope was lost, and perhaps it is. But if it is not, if you still feel for me the way you once did, then pray know my heart is in your hands.
Yours,
E
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