In his room he had berated himself for ever being afraid Mr. Gardiner would be a male version of his sister. From their brief interaction, Darcy could see that Mr. Gardiner was every inch a sensible gentleman, regardless of how he chose to make his living. His wife was as elegant a woman as he had ever met in society.
Darcy was gratified to see as his eyes sought Miss Gardiner, hers sought his. “Did I not tell you that you would like Miss Gardiner, William?” Georgiana asked cheekily. Darcy was enjoying this confident and outgoing Giana very much.
“After my visit to the Hills, I think we know where Mrs. Bennet has been hiding herself with impunity,” Richard stated.
Seeing Mr. Darcy seemed lost, Elizabeth caught him up on the goings on regarding her birthmother. “How could anyone wish to harm their own flesh and blood?” an incredulous Darcy asked.
“The same reason why my sister must be committed—so she cannot harm herself or any other again,” Gardiner informed Darcy. “Richard, what did you discover?”
As soon as Richard revealed what the Hills had told him, Elizabeth, Mary, and Kitty all remembered the existence of the dower house, which no one had thought about for more than five years.
As Darcy listened to the younger Bennet sisters talk, he realised they had very little resemblance to the silly girls he had met on his prior stay in the neighbourhood. “You will still need me to draw her out,” Elizabeth was saying. “In the six weeks since her escape, she will know where to hide in there. I would hate to think of anyone being injured trying to recapture her.”
Darcy was about to say something about Elizabeth volunteering to place herself in harm’s way, when he was pre-empted by her father. He realised his speaking up could have been seen as officious. “Lizzy, I am not comfortable with this,” Gardiner stated.
“Father, I will be safe. Mysmallbodyguards will be hidden near me,” Elizabeth paused and looked directly at Darcy, making his heart speed up. “I am sure there will be many more men hidden close by other than my footmen.”
“If Mrs. Bennet is as insane as we believe she is, then I believe Lizzy is correct. The woman would not be able to resist coming out if she thinks Lizzy is there on her own,” Richard opined.
“As long as Biggs and Johns are close to Lizzy at all times,” Gardiner conceded after looking to his wife first.
“I suggest we go tomorrow afternoon,” Richard stated. “If I were to wager, I would say she watches for an opportunity in the morning. Lizzy, I know you will hate it, but on the morrow until we ride to Longbourn, please do not go out. We want her to be bored and return to her hiding place.”
Darcy felt the green-eyed monster of jealousy as he heard Richard address his Elizabeth so informally. He regulated his feelings, telling himself his cousin had known Elizabeth as a friend during the time he had been licking his wounds at Pemberley.
It was only in hindsight Darcy understood all the clues his family had given him about who Miss Gardiner used to be. If he had not been wallowing in self-pity, mayhap he would have seen those clues clearly.
He was happy to hear Mrs. Collins seemed to have changed her ways. He would reserve judgement until he saw her in mid-March, when a group of them would all travel to Rosings Park. Darcy was pleased to hear Elizabeth would accompany the Gardiners into Kent.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The following morning, Fanny Bennet seethed after she returned to the dower house, because she had not seen the evil one this morning. She did not notice the two men hidden and watching as she slipped back into the broken-down structure.
Fanny was determined the one who she now saw as the manifestation of the devil on earth would be dealt with on the morrow in the morning, one way or another. She was sure Miss Lizzy would not miss going outdoors for two days in a row.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
While Mrs. Bennet was fuming on her way back to her hideaway, the younger residents of Netherfield Park were exploring the rose garden under the watchful eyes of several guards.
Richard and Charlotte were coupled, as would be expected. The four younger Gardiner children were with Tiffany, Mary, Kitty, and Giana, which left Darcy right where he wanted to be—at Elizabeth’s side.
“On the day we departed Netherfield Park in November last year, when Miss Bingley gleefully told me you were to be married to that buffoon masquerading as a parson, my heart shattered into thousands of pieces,” Darcy admitted.
“Why was that, Mr. Darcy?” Elizabeth asked softly.
“As your mother said I would be an honorary part of the family, will you not call me William?” Darcy asked and held his breath for her answer.
“As long as you call me Elizabeth or Lizzy, yes, William, I will use your familiar name,” Elizabeth returned with a dark blush. “You did not answer my question.”
“I thought I had lost the only lady I could ever see myself loving for all time because of my own stupidity and misplaced pride,” Darcy revealed.
Elizabeth stopped walking and Darcy feared he had overstepped. “You love me?” she asked, barely above a whisper.
“I do. I have since you came to nurse your former sister in this very house,” Darcy admitted. “I do not want to pressure you, as I know it was not long ago you hated me.”
“That is all forgot. I have found in cases such as this a good memory is unpardonable,” Elizabeth jested. “I am not sure if I am in love with you, but as I found out about your true self, after I learnt how Wickham and my former sister played me for a fool, I started to develop tender feelings for you.”
Darcy stopped and turned to look into Elizabeth’s very fine eyes. He saw warmth and acceptance reflected back at him. He took both of her small hands in his large ones. “In that case, Elizabeth, I request a formal courtship to see if you could fall as in love with me as I am with you.”
