“I would recognize that crest anywhere. The Darcys own a large estate near Lambton, where I grew up. They are an old and noble family.”
It was as Elizabeth suspected. Mr. Darcy was in possession of both fortune and breeding.
“This is all very fascinating, I am sure, Madeline,” interrupted Mr. Gardiner, “but I have more immediate concerns. Where is Maggie? Is she ill?” He peered into the carriage. His eyes widened. “What happened to her clothes? Why is she dressed like a maid?”
Mrs. Gardiner pushed past her husband. “Maggie!” she said, in dismay.
“Hush,” said Elizabeth, putting a finger to her lips. “Do not wake her.” She signaled for the footman to take Maggie upstairs. “She needs to rest, that is all,” said Elizabeth, as Mrs. Gardiner came forward to inspect Maggie for injuries. “Please have them put her to bed.”
“What is the meaning of this?” asked Mr. Gardiner.
“There is nothing to worry about,” said Elizabeth, calmly. “I would welcome a cup of tea, and then you will know everything.”
Briefly, Elizabeth considered taking a coward’s way out by downplaying what had happened but discarded the idea. Maggie’s parents needed to know all the details. How did one tell a parent that they almost lost their child? She felt horribly guilty. They had put her in charge of her cousin, and she had let her fall into the river. If it were not for Mr. Darcy…
It did not bear thinking about.
They went inside quickly and into the parlor, where Mrs. Gardiner rang for tea. Seeing the anxiety on their faces, Elizabeth did not wait for it to arrive. She took a deep breath, then recounted the events of the morning as steadily as she could, though her mind was a whirl of emotions. She told them of Mr. Darcy's timely intervention and how he had ensured their safety. Her uncle and aunt listened attentively, their expressions shifting from horror to relief and then to a deep regard for Mr. Darcy's actions.
"How fortunate it was that Mr. Darcy was there to aid you," said her aunt. "We owe him a huge debt of gratitude."
Mr. Gardiner came to his feet and began to pace around the room. “So we owe everything to Mr. Darcy! How can I possibly repay him for what he has done? We must call on him at once to thank him.”
“I am not sure he would welcome our visit.”
“Why not?” It was obvious her uncle would not take no for an answer.
"I do not think we should presume in making the acquaintance of Mr. Darcy and his sister. They were both very agreeable, but Mr. Darcy certainly gave the impression he would not encourage any further contact. He did not even ask for my name."
“It is natural for gentlemen such as him to prevent people who wished to take advantage of his status in society,” said Mrs. Gardiner. “His father was not at all arrogant, but perhaps the behavior of a fine gentleman in London is very different from his behavior in the isolation of Derbyshire.”
“I understand his reluctance,” said Mr. Gardiner, “and I certainly would not wish to cause offence. However, I would not wish to cause more offense by neglecting to thank him. I can write a letter of thanks and ask if we could call on him. If he does not wish it, he may simply ignore the letter.”
Elizabeth was of two minds on this. There were practical matters to deal with. Miss Darcy’s fashionable dress and other garments needed to be returned, as did the maid’s dress which Maggie was wearing. Yet her instinct told her that Mr. Darcy would prefer to be left alone.
“I do not think it is a good idea, Uncle.”
“He saved Margaret,” said Mrs. Gardiner. “We are forever in his debt.”
“I do not see any harm in writing a letter.”
Elizabeth felt that even a letter would be embarrassing, since Mr. Darcy had made his sentiments abundantly clear, but her uncle was determined, and in the end she had to concede that a letter could not do any harm.
Her uncle excused himself to write the letter and left the room. Elizabeth availed herself of the hot tea, the events of the day returning.
“I wish my uncle would not write.”
“You might be right, Lizzy. The Darcys of Pemberley have always been proud landowners, though they have a reputation for being both honorable and generous to their tenants. I would not like to impose on Mr. Darcy, but it might be worst if we did not at least thank him for what he has done.”
Elizabeth sank back in her chair, too weary to argue.
Her aunt noticed at once. “You are looking pale, my dear. Poor Lizzy! You look exhausted. You must have been terribly frightened.” She rose and went to sit down next to Elizabeth. She put her arms around her and embraced her tightly.
“I cannot help feeling it was all my fault,” she said, into her aunt’s shoulder. “I should not have let her go towards the water.”
Mrs. Gardiner released her niece and leaned back to look at her. “Children do foolish things. Sometime just looking away for a moment can be enough for them to get into trouble. You cannot blame yourself for this. In any case, it all ended well, with Margaret none the worse for it. Do not be so hard on yourself.”
The words were reassuring, even though Elizabeth could not help thinking of how it could all have gone very differently if not for Mr. Darcy’s intervention. She did not like the snub he had delivered, but after all, how could she dwell on his hurtful words when he had done so much for Margaret? He had showed them nothing but kindness. He had the right to refuse to further their acquaintance. No doubt he was inundated with people seeking his attention.
