“Thank you for everything, Mr. Darcy,” said Miss Bennet warmly. “I know we have expressed our thanks too many times already, but we are in your debt, sir.”
“I am glad I could be of assistance,” he said, falling back on formality.
Then there really was nothing more to say. He signaled to Georgiana, turned, and walked away, his footsteps firm on the marble floor. That was that.
Still, as the door shut behind him and he went down the steps of the townhouse, he could not help wishing it was otherwise.
“I enjoyed the visit, William. I do hope we will be calling again. They are very amiable people.”
“They are certainly amiable people,” said Darcy, looking up at the drawing room window and wondering if Miss Bennet was watching him depart. Was the curtain twitching, or had he imagined it? “Unfortunately, we have no reason to continue the acquaintance,” he added, in a tone that put an end to the conversation.
Georgiana looked unhappy, but, for once, he could not take her feelings into consideration. At this point, he could only pay attention to his own. Much as he disliked the idea, he had to be ruthless with himself.
It was too much of a risk to visit Miss Bennet again.
As the door downstairs shut behind the Darcys, Mrs. Gardiner allowed the children to go back upstairs.
“Oh, look,” she said. “Mr. Darcy’s footmen have forgotten the goblets. We will have to send them back tomorrow. Did you not find the ices delicious, Mr. Gardiner?”
“The best,” replied her husband. “It appears he has a very good pastry chef.”
Elizabeth stared at the empty goblets, thinking of Mr. Darcy’s kindness. She had never imagined he would keep a promise made in a desperate moment. It was not difficult for his chef to procure ice at this time of the year, but strawberries were a miracle, even in a hothouse. She could only imagine the expense involved in procuring them.
A gentleman who kept his promise under those conditions was a noble gentleman indeed.
“What did you think, Lizzy?” said Mrs. Gardiner.
“The ices were excellent, and Mr. Darcy was kindness itself. It just felt very awkward.”
“You thought it awkward?” said Mr. Gardiner. “I did not. You must not forget, Mr. Darcy started off on the wrong foot with you, Lizzy, and he does not quite know how to extricate himself.” He rose to his feet. “I must be gone now. I have business to attend to.”
As her uncle left the room, she was left with a strong sense of disappointment.
“I expected him to mention that we would be meeting again, but he did not,” she said to her aunt. “Do you think he intends to call on us again?”
“It is impossible to tell,” said Mrs. Gardiner, “but I am very grateful to him for his kindness to Maggie. It is rare to see a man who will do so much for a child who is not his own.”
Naturally, her aunt’s main concern was her daughter.
“Though I must say, Lizzy, you have been very sly. You did not tell me Mr. Darcy was so handsome.”
“I had other concerns,” she said.
“And I would also like to know why you hid your embroidery from him,” said her aunt, waving her pathetic work in front of her face.
“The answer is simple. I was embarrassed.”
“I do think he likes you, Lizzy.”
“If he does,” said Elizabeth, blushing, “why would he not mention the prospect of meeting again?”
“I cannot answer that,” said her aunt, considering the matter. “I may be wrong, but I have a feeling you will be seeing him again.”
Chapter 9
The visit to the Gardiners affected Darcy more than he expected, and it did not help that Georgiana seemed determined to relive every moment of it over dinner, prattling cheerfully about how sweet the Gardiner children were, and how happy Margaret had been when she saw the rocking horse, and, to his dismay, how well Miss Bennet looked. Georgiana was not normally so enthusiastic. He had, in fact, never seen her quite so inclined to chatter as tonight.
He would have liked to change the subject, but he did not want to dampen her enthusiasm. Besides, he was interested in seeing the situation from her point of view. The whole thing had been unsettling, though he could not quite put his finger on thereason. Perhaps Georgiana might help him shed light on the matter.
