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Book 3 Chapter 8

There had been too much rain in the autumn for it to be safe to gallop across the fields. But Darcy was happy to canter on the lanes, sufficient wind blowing around him to sweep away any sense of ennui. Not that there had been much of that since he had met Miss Bennet.

She had given him the most public and dismissive of set downs. He was outraged in the moment but even that sense was gone within the hour. He had acted appallingly and she had called him out. Giving an apology was clearly the correct act of a gentleman, but he had not used it as the moment to draw a line in the sand, to quietly return to London. He had stayed and instead despatched Bingley and his annoying sister to London. The marriage was contracted and when Bingley returned in January he would be returning on his own.

Yet Darcy was still here, and had made no plans to either return to London or go north to Pemberley. And Georgiana had found a quiet, studious friend, almost as shy as she was herself, and was happy to sit and practice duets all day. Which, as he had increasingly found, brought his thoughts back to Miss Bennet. She did not act like a typical lady of the Ton. She did not act like any lady of the Ton. And rather than be horrified he found it intriguing.

Sir David Carruthers had allowed Miss Bennet to throw off the blankets of convention. The way she acted at Lucas Lodge? That was the act of a man. Women were brought up to be demure, too often to be seen but not heard, and it appeared to be a universally applied lesson that a young lady trying to make a match never disagreed with the gentleman speaking to her. Perhaps one or two of the more established matrons might get away with something close to that behaviour, the Countess of Jersey sprang to mind, but it would never be a maiden.

He wondered about Sir David. Midshipmen are away from the age of 12, often it is two or three years before that when they first are at sea. But it is a masculine environment, their only experience with women being strictly commercial. And yet this wounded naval hero had arrived and acted the gentleman, far more than Darcy had himself. And treated his new sisters in such a way that since the marriage they were bolder than ‘normal’ women.

Miss Bennet ensured to pass on the information, openly without him having to find out surreptitiously, that she had a relative in trade. A close relative as she said she was proud of him. If he was serious about courting Miss Bennet, then it would be something to manage carefully. Having the couple to dinner or to visit Pemberley was easy. It was the other guests that would take careful planning. But it was not insurmountable. He would send a note to his man of business and get him to find out all he could about the uncle.

Darcy snorted, he would have to find out the name first!

But this was all mental delaying tactics. He had to make a decision. Miss Bennet was not obtuse, it was clear Darcy was paying her more than usual attention. He was not a man who toyed with a woman, he had been careful in the past not to raise the expectations of any woman. It was not just Miss Bennet who would have raised expectations, now many in the neighbourhood would have noticed, and he had raised their expectations as well.

Did he want to court Miss Elizabeth Bennet?

Darcy was fascinated by her, there was no doubt about that. Fiery, bold, determined, he could be describing her brother-in-law, rather than her. But they applied. She was not some insipid pastel wearing maiden of the Ton, she was unique and he was captivated by her. Would life with her be easy? Almost certainly not, but it would be very interesting. Darcy had little interest in society and she was a country maiden. Derbyshire would be different to Hertfordshire but she would adapt.

He was inclined to ride over to Longbourn immediately but his usual caution kept him on the grounds of Netherfield Park. Would she accept his suit? The more he thought on it, the less he was convinced. He had put up an almighty black right at the start. Now the honours were even, she had gained revenge for the family, but it still hung over them. Yet, to counter his counter, whenever they spent time together it flew by. They were both well read, but despite Darcy having graduated from Cambridge, she kept him on his toes. Gaining access to the libraries at Darcy House and Pemberley, as well as the accounts at Hatchard’s and other reputable booksellers, Miss Bennet was going to be as well read as he was. The thought made him smile.

And there was the thing he needed to remember. He was not going to be easy but Miss Elizabeth Bennet made him smile. Now he had to engineer the opposite, he wanted to make Miss Bennet smile.

--

“Mr. Darcy, to what do I owe this honour?”

Thomas Bennet had been forced to change by the words and actions of his son-in-law. But at heart, he was still a sardonic professor, even if it had been more than 20 years since he had been at Oxford.

“Mr. Bennet, I am here to request permission to court your daughter, Miss Bennet. For the avoidance of doubt I mean Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

Darcy knew that Miss Bennet could only mean the oldest unmarried daughter, Elizabeth. But he knew the type of man Bennet was, and was not going to give him the satisfaction. He took pleasure at the small moue, quickly hidden.

“Have you spoken to Elizabeth?”

“Have I asked her if she will allow me to court her? No. I thought it appropriate to get your permission first. But I have been marked in my attentions and must declare my intentions.”

Darcy had given Bennet no wriggle room.

“Subject to Elizabeth’s agreement then you have my consent to court her. It is seven months until her majority.”

Darcy knew what the man was implying, there would be no consent until the consent was no longer needed. He would see about that!

“Then with your permission I will join the rest of your family. It is dry so I may get a few moments in the garden with Miss Bennet, appropriately chaperoned of course.”

Bennet waved Darcy off, the conversation over as far as he was concerned. Two years earlier he might have been saddened that his Lizzie was on the verge of leaving Longbourn, or at least there was the possibility of it happening. But she had become far to independent, did not keep her own counsel and, most damningly, was far too frequent a correspondent with Sir David.

--

“Might I have a few minutes in the garden with you Miss Bennet. There is something that I wish to particularly ask you. Miss Mary will accompany us, of course, but I would like a few minutes of privacy.”

Elizabeth stared at him for an uncomfortably long time but Darcy did not flinch. Out of the corner of his eye it looked like Mrs. Bennet was about to burst into flames with excitement but she was, just, managing to hold herself together.

“Of course, Mr. Darcy.”

No mention of whether it would be a pleasure or not. Three minutes later they were at the edge of the garden, Miss Mary on one of the benches allowing her to keep them in view, but out of hearing range. Elizabeth did not even give Darcy the chance to say a word.