“Darcy, what nonsense is this? I hope you do not place Miss Elizabeth in the same category as that woman—”
“Not the same category, no. But both are women who do not belong to this age—”
“You are mistaken. Miss Elizabeth is accomplished and ahead of her time, while Lady Olivia belongs to the past. There have always been women like her in every age—not progressive, merely calculating. Do not make me give you examples.”
“You are right, but after all that has happened—beginning with Kent—I now wish for a different kind of woman.”
“And have you found her?”
“I have reflected a lot, and I believe Anne is the perfect wife I need. I have seen her change in recent months—from what Lady Catherine destroyed in the young girl with her neglect, to what Lady Matlock succeeded in bringing out with her style and patience.”
“She is merely well-dressed, Darcy, and fortunately enough, Anne is a fairly handsome young lady. But clothing or allure alone do not make a woman into the wife you need.”
“I know. Lady Matlock created the outside, and with patience, I shall shape the inside into what I desire.”
“I doubt Anne is capable of such a transformation.”
“And I desire peace. I want life to return to how it was before Kent and, why not, before Hertfordshire.”
“That is not possible. You have changed deeply. Try once more to reconnect with Miss Elizabeth and only then make a decision.”
But Darcy shook his head, resolute.
“Have you told Lady Catherine what you intend?”
“Not yet. I shall speak to her when I return to London in the autumn. But please, let us now put an end to all interest in my love life fromyour family.”
The colonel hid his face, but Darcy did not see his embarrassment as he was busy refilling their glasses.
“I know that you acted out of affection for me, but it is time to resolve my problems by my own.”
And at that moment, the colonel saw on Darcy’s face the determination he knew he could not undo.
He lowered his head, sorrowful, for he was certain his cousin was making a grave mistake. But there was nothing more to be done. The family, and even Miss Elizabeth, had done all that was within reach.
Chapter 40
“Would you like to talk to me?” Mr Bennet asked Elizabeth.
Elizabeth nodded without a word, but then she smiled, finally in need of his advice, which she had avoided since her return from Bath.
They were in the library, her father’s favourite place, where he spent almost all mornings and most of the afternoons. She looked around the room she so dearly loved, her gaze filled with pleasure. It was there she had spent the most cherished moments of her childhood and adolescence, listening each day to her father’s lessons, engaging in spirited discussions with him—often in disagreement—or simply reading together in comfortable silence.
With her eyes, she caressed the maps, worn in places from so much use, and the books, passed down through generations, from which they had learnt history, geography, and mathematics. Her father had taken great delight in testing them with problems he himself had once solved at Oxford, though he had studied philosophy and classical studies.
“Yes, I am ready to speak to you. You once advised me to fight for my love—”
“More or less!” Mr Bennet replied, his usual smile tinged with affection yet retaining a hint of sarcasm. “I do not remember speaking about fights and wars, but yes, I think you should try to convince Mr Darcy that you may have a future together.”
But Elizabeth did not seem to be attentive to her father’s words, instead she asked, “Why is it that men possess all the privileges in this world, and nothing can tarnish their reputation, while women are forever ostracised for the slightest indiscretion?”
“It is a valid question, my dear, that lacks a logical answer, unfortunately. These irrational and unjust rules reveal the inequities of our society. If your question pertains to whether you have the right to challenge the rules that men routinely flout, my answer is an emphatic yes, as long as it does not harm you. Disregard the version of morality that men have constructed solely for their benefit. Do as you please but be cautious not to hurt yourself or your reputation.”
“So, you believe I should go to Derbyshire?” Elizabeth asked, looking into her father’s eyes.
“You like travelling and encountering the unknown,” Mr Bennet answered ambiguously.
“It is not about travelling this time,” Elizabeth replied, determined to speak frankly and not in broken sentences or riddles.
