Mrs. Reynolds started when he walked through the front door, but he did not have time for the explanation of his early arrival. "Yes, I am home early. I see we have visitors; will they take the tour of the Park?"
"Indeed, sir, for the young lady professed an avid interest in walking the grounds."
Darcy smiled. He had fond memories of the pleasure Elizabeth took in a walk. "If you would be so kind as to tell Mr. Jones I will require his attention later this evening, I believe I will walk out and join them."
Darcy bounded out of the house with an eagerness he had not felt since that dreadful day in Kent. Then his hopes had been dashed; he prayed his much more modest hope of making her think better of him would not likewise be crushed.
A question to the gardener told him which path Elizabeth and her companions had followed, and he set out after them. The entire time he tried to see his home through her eyes, wondering what she might think of it.
The river wended its way through the valley in a series of bends, and it was around one of those turns that Darcy first caught sight of Elizabeth, farther down the path. He sped up, eager to be with her again, and the next twist brought them face-to-face.
Elizabeth seemed to have regained some of her composure, and she smiled at him when they met. "I was just admiring your grounds, Mr. Darcy. I had no idea Pemberley was so delightful--this walk in particular is all that is charming."
She blushed then, and with a greater understanding of her than he had previously owned, he knew she had heard the possible meaning he could take from her words.
Ah, Elizabeth, do you think I would mind if you were intimating a desire to be mistress of my home?
Feeling it was safer not to follow that train of thought, he turned slightly toward her companions and said, "May I ask to be introduced to your friends, Miss Bennet?"
Some of the archness Darcy loved so much returned to Elizabeth's expression. "Certainly." She held out a hand to the lady and said, "May I introduce my aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Gardiner."
Darcy caught Elizabeth's glance and could not mistake her meaning. This was the very couple he had once disdained to be related to, and yet everything about them proved them to be very worthy people, at least on outward appearance. Rather than the vulgarity he had expected, they exhibited dignity and refinement in both fashion and demeanor.
My pride once again!
He bowed to them and said, "Welcome to Pemberley, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner."
The couple returned his salutation with a level of composure which told him they did not know the whole of his acquaintance with their niece. Darcy honored her discretion; he knew many young ladies would not keep quiet when they had received an unwanted proposal. His hopes that he might yet gain her affections rose higher, and with an idea of bettering himself in her eyes, he turned back to walk with her uncle.
"I understand you have a profitable business in town, Mr. Gardiner."
The older gentleman smiled, and Darcy caught a glimpse of the liveliness he admired in Elizabeth. "Indeed I do, sir. I own, however, that I would like it to be less profitable at times. We had intended to visit the Lakes this summer, but there is so much requiring my presence that I could not take that much time away from my warehouses."
"I hope you are not disappointed with Derbyshire, sir."
Mr. Gardiner shook his head quickly. "Oh no, not at all. I believe Mrs. Gardiner was actually quite pleased with the change in plans--she grew up in Lambton."
"But you were perhaps looking forward to the sport in the Lake District?"
Mr. Gardiner nodded and smiled ruefully. "I did anticipate a spot of fishing, I confess."
"If that is all, sir, you must avail yourself of my stream while you are here."
"I could not impose upon your hospitality, Mr. Darcy."
Darcy smiled. "Nonsense! I had planned to do some fishing myself while at home, and your company would be most welcome. I will, of course, supply any tackle you might require; simply ask Mrs. Reynolds about it when you come."
The invitation was sincere; though he had originally struck up the conversation in an effort to prove to Elizabeth that he had changed, he had discovered Mr. Gardiner to be a very amiable gentleman--yes, a gentleman, despite how close he lived to his warehouses.
The party stopped for a while on the riverbank when Mr. Gardiner noticed a water-plant he had never before seen. The two gentlemen descended from the path to the water's edge and took a closer look. Darcy, who was more familiar with the native flora, finally pronounced them to be May-blobs, harder to identify in August without their distinctive yellow flowers, and they walked back up to the path, their curiosity satisfied.
Before they could resume their walk, Mrs. Gardiner spoke. "I fear the exercise has fatigued me more than the rest of the party. If you would not mind walking with Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy, I should very much like the support of my husband's arm."
Darcy took great care that nothing in his countenance should display how little he minded such an arrangement. Elizabeth did not need his arm, so he simply walked in step with her, as close as propriety would allow.
However, once they had begun walking again he realized he did not know what to say to her.
I cannot ask again after her family; that would be too ridiculous.
All other topics--their last meeting, his letter--were obviously out of the question.
After a short silence, Elizabeth obliged him by speaking first. "Your arrival was very unexpected, Mr. Darcy, for your housekeeper informed us that you would certainly not be here till tomorrow; and indeed, before we left Bakewell, we understood that you were not immediately expected in the country."
Her message was clear--if she had known he would be home, she would not have come. Never had Darcy been so grateful to his steward. "Mrs. Reynolds did not misinform you," he answered. "I, and the rest of the party I was traveling with, intended to arrive tomorrow, but I received a note from my steward indicating he had business to discuss with me, so I rode on ahead of the rest. They will join me early tomorrow, and among them are some who will claim an acquaintance with you--Mr. Bingley and his sisters."
The instant the words were out of his mouth, he wished them back. He could not help but recall the last time those names had been mentioned between them, and the emotion of that moment temporarily robbed him of speech.
He regained his equanimity with effort and said, "There is also one other person in the party who more particularly wishes to be known to you. Will you allow me, or do I ask too much, to introduce my sister to your acquaintance during your stay at Lambton?"
Darcy held his breath, suddenly aware of all the implications of his request: first, that he had mentioned her to Georgiana with enough warmth that his sister would want to meet her, and secondly, that he himself wanted them to be acquainted. He feared the request was in fact rather impertinent, but rather than deny him, she smiled slightly and nodded her head.
"I would be glad to wait upon Miss Darcy during our stay at Lambton."
Relief was not the only emotion he felt at her acquiescence. In the months since Kent, he had spent much time going over her words, turning them over in his mind. It had seemed at the time that her opinion of him was so decided that her mind could never be changed. He had hoped that his letter would at least show her that George Wickham was not a man to be trusted; he had not dared believe that it would improve her opinion of him.
That it had done so seemed obvious. There was none of that teasing in her manner which he now realized had been her way of baiting him into behaving badly. Instead she seemed shy, unsure of herself in a way that was most unlike her. It charmed him and sparked the tiny ember of hope that had never truly died.
They walked steadily on, and Pemberley House appeared before them long before he would have liked. Anxious not to let this time with her end, he said, "Would you care to come inside while we wait for your aunt and uncle? Perhaps you would like to rest from the walk."
She shook her head decisively. "I assure you, Mr. Darcy, I am not the least bit tired, though I do thank you for the consideration."
He led her instead to a small bench positioned at the base of the pond in front of the house, beneath the shade of an ancient oak. "Your aunt and uncle were some ways behind us. There is no reason we should not sit in comfort, if we are to wait."
For a fraction of an instance, he feared she would refuse, but she smiled graciously and said, "Indeed, you are correct," before sitting beside him.
Her proximity very nearly did Darcy in. It certainly robbed him of his ability to speak, and instead he occupied himself with surreptitiously observing the way a stray shaft of sunlight danced around her face, bathing her features in golden light and turning her brunette hair the color of rich, dark honey.
Elizabeth seemed about to say something, but changed her mind. He watched her with great curiosity, for she did not often seem at a loss for words. Finally she began talking of the things she had seen in their travels so far, and, as he was well familiar with the sites of Matlock and Dove Dale, he could easily join her in conversation.
When the Gardiners at last arrived, Darcy did not know if he should be glad or sorry their tete-a-tete was at an end. The weight of unsaid words grew heavier with every moment, and he knew that at some point, if things progressed as he hoped, they would have to be discussed. However, time spent with Elizabeth was always desirable, and time alone in her company was infinitely more precious.
"Would you care to come into the house for some refreshment before returning to Lambton?" he inquired of the group.
Mr. Gardiner shook his head. "Thank you, sir, but I think my wife would prefer to return to the inn for a brief rest before our dinner engagement tonight."
"Very well. I trust we will be able to entertain you at Pemberley some other time during your stay."
Mr. Gardiner called his carriage up and climbed in first, leaving Darcy with the task of handing the ladies up. He took Mrs. Gardiner's hand first and passed her on to her husband, and then he turned to Elizabeth. Though they had often been in company, there had been little opportunity to touch her, and the effect of her hand in his was startling and profound.
Once they were all seated, Mr. Gardiner gave the order for the coachman to take them back to the inn, and Darcy watched them drive away. He forced himself to turn away before they reached the end of the drive, not wanting the Gardiners to be aware of the depth of his regard for their niece.
He walked slowly back to the house, turning over in his mind every expression, every word of Elizabeth's. That she was more pleasantly disposed toward him was obvious. How far that approbation extended he dared not guess. Experience had taught him that he knew little of the lady's heart, and he would not allow himself to believe he had a place there until he heard it from her own lips.
The Darcy chaise rattled up the lane shortly after ten o'clock the next morning. Darcy, who had been waiting for that sound since breakfast, soon stood in the open doorway to welcome his guests.
"Good morning, Darcy!" Bingley said.
"Good morning, Bingley. You must have left quite early; have you had breakfast yet?"
Miss Bingley sighed and covered her mouth in a delicate yawn. "Oh my, no, Mr. Darcy. We could not eat at the inn, for your sister insisted we must be at Pemberley in time to break our fast."
Darcy raised an eyebrow at Georgiana, but she flushed and shook her head.
I believe I know who it was...
But Bingley spoke before he could finish the thought. "That is untrue, Caroline! It was you who refused to wait another minute, even though the hostler had prepared a meal for us!" He turned to Darcy. "I do hope it will not inconvenience your staff to serve us?"
"No, of course not. Georgiana, will you inform Mrs. Reynolds?"
Once they were seated around the table, he turned to Bingley. "Bingley, the strangest thing happened yesterday--you will never believe. Do you know who I saw when I arrived home?"
"I daresay I do not," Bingley replied and then took a sip of coffee.
Darcy waited until Bingley swallowed before he said, "Miss Elizabeth Bennet."
Bingley's jaw dropped. "I say! What was she doing in this part of the country?"
Darcy feigned some ignorance. "I believe she is touring with her aunt and uncle."
"Would these be the same noble pair who live on Gracechurch Street?" Miss Bingley interjected while spreading jam over a slice of warm bread.
"They would," Darcy said coldly, tired of her constant insinuations against that family.
Georgiana saved the moment. "Brother, is this the Miss Elizabeth Bennet you told me about in your letters?"
"The very one." The Darcy siblings shared a long look which spoke of their conversation in the carriage.
Georgiana's eyes sparkled. "Oh, I do hope she is still in the area, as I would so like to meet her."
"I should imagine they have moved on." Miss Bingley waved a hand, as if to shoo away a fly. "You know how holidays are, Georgiana dear."