Chapter 33
Darcy sat in his study. A glass of the finest French brandy in his hand. He lifted it to his lips and gave a contented sigh. Elizabeth was here. The evening at the Matlocks’ had gone better than he could have hoped. Elizabeth appeared to not be holding any resentment towards him. And for that he was very grateful. Now he needed to work to move that from not hostile to in love. He gave himself a derisive smile. He had a mountain to climb. But he meant to reach the summit whatever it took.
He had managed to wrangle an invitation to visit number five Grosvenor Street on the day after tomorrow. Lord Matlock and he had been invited to play chess with the Bennet ladies. His Uncle had been rubbing his hands in glee as Bennet gave the invitation. Richard had managed to get himself included in the invitation as well. Owning that he was not much of a chess player. But he would salivate at seeing his father beaten at chess by a slip of a girl. And so Lord Meryton laughingly added him to the party.
“Would you honour me with a game, Lady Elizabeth,” Darcy asked.
Lord Matlock had been introduced to Lydia. The chess board had been set up, and Lydia had shook his hand and wished him look as she took her seat. Much to the amusement of Lord Matlock. Richard had taken a seat beside Lady Mary. And Darcy drew in his courage and approached Elizabeth.
She nodded in assent and a second board was set up for their game. Darcy indicating that she should take white, as was only gentlemanly. He heard the assembled company laugh as Lydia insisted that the Earl take white for their game. He had agreed in good, if slightly condescending humour. Darcy was sure that his Uncle would go easy on the girl.
They played for some time without speaking a word; and she began to imagine that their silence was to last through the whole game, and, at first, was resolved not to break it; till suddenly fancying she ought to oblige him to talk. She searched her brain for some inconsequential topic without luck.
Mr Darcy was the one to break the silence in the end.
“One must speak a little, you know. It would look odd to be entirely silent for half an hour together,” he observed.
And Elizabeth was surprised to hear the teasing note in his voice. It was but a moment before she recalled that these had been her exact words to him, when they had danced together at Netherfield.
“Do you wish to speak of novels?” she suggested.
“Oh we could never speak of novels while holding a game of chess. We could speak of poetry perhaps?” he suggested.
“Ah, you are to recite poetry to me then?” she asked her tone also teasing. Until the cruelty of her words struck her. Mr Darcy had asked for her hand and been refused. To make fun of his trying to court her with poetry was very wrong. She turned sad eyes on him in apology.
His face had turned serious and in a voice barely above a whisper he asked. “Did you know of your father elevation when you were in Kent?”
Elizabeth did not understand the import of the query and merely replied that she had not. Mr Darcy shook his head. Elizabeth wondered if he thought she had refused him knowing that the position of her family had changed.
“Why was there no talk to the Prince Regent’s stay with your family in circulation when the Bingleys and I were in Hertfordshire?” He asked.
Elizabeth gave a little laugh. “My mother had spoken so much of it in the months before your arrival, that the whole town was heartily sick of the topic. And my father had forbidden her from mentioning it herself. He had made that decision, on knowing there were young men in your party. It was also make clear to my Mama that there was no rush in marrying any of his daughters off. As Mrs Fitzherbert had invited us all to town for the season.”
Another bout of laughter filled the room from both the Earl and those observing his game with Lydia. The attention and mirth of the party watching that game, had the benefit of allowing Darcy and Elizabeth to speak quite privately. Their quiet conversation totally unheard over the noise.
Mr Darcy frowned, “why then at the Netherfield Ball did I hear your mother say that, “Jane marrying Bingley that will throw you girls into the path of other rich men.” He asked.
Elizabeth gave him a direct and disapproving look. “It is impolite to eavesdrop,” she said. “I had seen you listening to the conversation.” She went quiet for a moment. In Kent after his proposal she had made the decision not to correct his misheard comment. She gave herself some time now to consider whether she wanted to now.
No matter what Mr Darcy had said in his disastrous proposal. The truth was that for a man of his wealth to offer marry to the daughter of a country squire, was almost unheard of. Any other lady would have been honoured and accepted him immediately. Never mind the insults thrown at her family. It should have been an honour to be asked for her hand by such a man. This being the case, Elizabeth decided to tell him what had actually been said by her mother.
“You actually did not hear correctly and misunderstood what you did hear. What my Mama actually said was, “there was no need for Jane to marry Mr Bingley as we were all to go to town for the season. And that would throw us into the path of other rich me.” She explained and Mr Darcy gasped.
“It is perhaps not the most politic of statements. But the reality was that as girls with little dowries, my Mama only wanted the best for her daughters.”
Darcy had to agree with this sentiment. He knew it was no different to anything he had heard from the mothers with daughter who were part of the ton. As the Bennet girls were now too. Darcy almost went to jump to his feet, but he forestalled himself.
“I must tell Bingley,” he said instead of running out the door immediately to go tell his friend that he had been wrong.
“I pray that you would not,” Eliabeth said and Darcy was surprised at this, raising an eyebrow in query.
“My sister Jane was most disappointed in Mr Bingley’s desertion. He had paid her marked attention and then left without even an adieu. She mourned for two weeks and would have continued with her heartbreak where it not for my father. He told her to not waste her heart on a man who would not stand for her. He also told her that it mattered not if Bingley returned. He informed her that he would refuse to release his most kind and gentle daughter to such a man.”
Darcy found himself unexpectedly impressed by Mr Bennet.
“But she is one and twenty,” he said. “She is free to make her own choice.”
“True,” Elizabeth acknowledged “but Jane is most obedient and would not go against her father’s wishes.”
The conversation eased into thoughtful silence for a time. Both now lost in deep thought. It quiet was broken onlyoccasionally by a comment here and there, by one of other. Mainly along the lines of good move, or unlucky, comments on the game play. And the game itself ended with Darcy winning. But it was a close thing. He offered Elizabeth a rematch, which she declined. Instead they rejoined the rest of the party to observed Lord Matlock and Lydia’s game.
