Page 165 of Bitterness of Spirit & The Painting

“Very much so. I confess I was impressed, Miss Bennet. He is an excellent man, indeed. Such love and devotion was not in vain.”

While they walked, he offered her more details about the tormenting conversation. She was the only one in the world to whom he could speak unrestrainedly on that painful subject, and she allowed his heart and his mind to open in front of her.

She listened to him in silence, while she tried to hide her growing emotions.

“This view is stunning,” she eventually said.

“Further on, just a few minutes on a galloping horse, there is a beautiful place I have discovered. A lovely piece of wilderness, with a bay, some trees and rocks and greenery. I believe you would like it very much.”

She smiled. “I am sure I would. But how far is it to walk? I assume the carriage cannot get there and as you know, I am a very poor rider.”

“It is too far to walk and I am not certain about the carriage. But I have great hopes that you will see it someday soon.”

“You trust me more than I trust myself, Mr Darcy.”

“I trust you as much as you deserve, Miss Bennet,” he responded, just as Bingley called for them to return.

Chapter 15

For the next three days, joy was an overused word among the party of friends. Mr Bennet’s consent and blessing arrived, together with a note from Mrs Bennet expressing her exhilaration. That very day, Bingley wrote to his sisters—in his usual inelegant and hasty handwriting. Then he joined his betrothed on a visit to Colonel Forster and his wife to convey their acceptance for the ball under the new circumstances.

Unaware that her aunt had already provided both Mr Gardiner and Mr Bennet with all sorts of details and speculations, Elizabeth wrote to her father about her last week in Brighton. He replied, warning her that she had mentioned Mr Darcy’s name five times in two pages.

Elizabeth delayed her next reply, as she had no answer prepared yet. Her relationship with Darcy developed every day but he had not declared himself yet. As intimate as their nighttime encounter had been, it was not a true marriage proposal. While doubts troubled her from time to time, she trusted him enough to assume that a second proposal would eventually come. She had come to realise how much she wished for her happiness to be connected to him and how well suited he was for her—in every way.

To Julia’s astonishment and surprising even himself, Darcy visited Sir Samuel Fitzroy again twice.

Both visits were as short as a shared drink, and neither of them mentioned Lady Anne or any story from the past ever again.

They discussed the war, the weather, life in Brighton compared with London—as was usual with gentlemen barely acquainted, who enjoy each other’s company, in a truce that both respected.

Two days prior to the ball, Darcy was having a discussion with Bingley about hosting a large dinner at Mrs Clarke’s house before they left Brighton.

It was late in the evening when the servants announced that Mr Bingley had a visitor. They went to the door together and found Colonel Forster, looking at them with an expression of despair on his face.

“Mr Bingley, forgive me for coming here. I know you are engaged to be married to Miss Jane Bennet and I found it easier to speak to you than to Mrs Gardiner about a matter of great delicacy.”

“What is it, sir? Please come in; you may speak openly in front of Darcy, I have no secrets from him.”

“It is my fault and I take all the blame. Earlier tonight we discovered that Miss Lydia had planned to elope…with Wickham. He was waiting for her in front of the house in a carriage. Fortunately, my wife and I returned home earlier than planned and happened upon them.”

Bingley was stunned, staring with his eyes and mouth wide open.

“Where are they now?”

“They are in my house—safe. Miss Lydia is confined to her chamber. Wickham is under guard, in one of the guest rooms. It seems he had some significant debts to his fellow officers and was unable to pay them, so he tried to escape—”

The colonel seemed devastated by shame and guilt but Darcy hastily ended his speech.

“Colonel, I will personally discuss this matter with Wickham. I will settle things once and for all, as I should have done a long time ago. Bingley, please inform Mrs Gardiner and the Miss Bennets but do not alarm them. Tell them there is no danger. Then please come with them in a carriage to fetch Miss Lydia and Miss Kitty from the colonel’s house. Do you agree?”

“Yes, yes of course! But, Darcy, what will you do? Do you not need my help?”

“No indeed. It is a private matter that has bothered me for far too long. Colonel, please—let us go. And do not blame yourself for trusting Wickham, many other honourable men and women have been in your position before.”

∞∞∞

Elizabeth barely felt the movement of the carriage that was travelling at high speed. Next to her, Mrs Gardiner was silent too.