“He did. Sadly, her comfort only lasted a year or so. One day, someone in the house must not have been attentive enough, and Milo simply disappeared, probably jumping out of a window and running away. Georgiana was out with my aunt Lady Matlock. When she returned, you can imagine she was distraught. Her companion, Mrs Younge, and the entire household searched for Milo for many days, but he was never found.”
“Oh dear Lord! What she must have suffered…”
“She grieved for many months, and I suspect she still suffers. After a while, she refused to even talk about him, but since that day, she has refused to have another pet, except for those who already live at Pemberley.”
“I am so very sorry,” Elizabeth whispered one more time, a lump in her throat. “What could have happened to him?”
“I failed to find out, despite all my efforts. I joined in the search. For weeks I startled every time I saw a white and grey cat, anywhere I went. I still do. I confess I felt a tightness in my chest when I first saw Mr Ash yesterday.”
“Truly? Are they alike? What a strange coincidence!”
“Not entirely. There are many similar cats in England. But it must be my obsessed mind, as the more I look at Mr Ash, the more resemblance to Milo I see. Excuse me, I know I sound like a lunatic.”
“Not at all, Mr Darcy! In fact…”
“Mr Darcy? What a wonderful surprise, sir!” came Mr Bennet’s voice as the gentleman approached them. Only then did they realise they were standing in front of Longbourn, and several curious eyes were watching them through the windows.
“Mr Bennet, good day, sir. I can only stay for a moment as I am expected elsewhere. I came to bring you these books, as promised.”
He then bowed to Elizabeth, saying, “Miss Bennet, thank you for keeping me company. It was an unexpected pleasure that I hope to repeat soon.”
“Likewise, Mr Darcy,” she managed to respond, while her father escorted his guest to the library.
Mr Darcy left a few minutes later, but their conversation affected Elizabeth deeply, and she still wondered what hadprompted him to make such an intimate confession. Never would she have imagined that the proud, arrogant man, whose repulsive manners were universally criticised in Meryton and who had offended her directly with such insolence, could possess an affectionate heart and had been forced to struggle with such deep and overwhelming sorrow. And poor Miss Darcy troubled Elizabeth exceedingly, even though she had known nothing about her until that day. A young girl with a sweet character, having to suffer so many losses at such a young age, would not easily find her place in the world, nor any peace or tranquillity, despite her fortune and connections.
And the fact that she had lost a cat resembling Mr Ash was astonishing; even though, as Mr Darcy had said, there were many similar cats in England. And certainly, Miss Darcy’s cat that had jumped out of a window in London could not be the same animal as poor Mr Ash, who had been tied up and thrown into the sea to drown many miles away in Ramsgate. But still, the coincidence was astonishing and disturbing at the same time.
Her mother and sisters enquired about her meeting with Mr Darcy, curious to know where Mr Bingley was. The revelation that the two gentlemen were having dinner with Colonel Forster became a subject of debate between Lydia, Kitty, and their mother, with gentle assistance from Jane.
Elizabeth whispered to Mary that Mr Darcy had agreed to allow them to read the books too, then she retired to her room to reflect on everything she had unexpectedly discovered as the recipient of Mr Darcy’s confession.
