“I will heed your advice.” After passing a handful of coins to the lieutenant, Darcy carefully placed a piece of thin protective vellum between the pages before taking hold of the journal.
He returned to the rooms that he rented next to the Bennets and set himself to the task of writing in his journal about the events since he had left London. Finishing took far longer than it should have, as he frequently turned to admire the pages covered with the portraits.
On the day Elizabeth had departed on theMary Catherine,Darcy had believed he could never love her more.How mistaken he had been. What he felt now was beyond what he ever could have imagined. The young artist’s advice echoed what Richard had attempted to tell him earlier, and Darcy was resolved to follow it.
That evening,Richard found Darcy pacing in their shared rooms like a caged animal, his journal open on the small table. His usually immaculate cravat hung loose around his neck.
“The drawings are remarkable,” Richard observed, studying the portraits. “Lieutenant King has quite a talent. Though I am curious…why would you commission so many of Miss Bennet but not even one of me?”
Darcy stopped mid-pace directly. “I seeyouall the time. Why would I want a picture of you when I flip through my travel journal?”
“Because I am traveling with you?” Richard found a certain joy in provoking his cousin. “You commissioned five separate portraits of Elizabeth Bennet.”
“As you are already aware, I am hopelessly in love with her. I think about her every second of every day. The thought of being on the same ship with her for weeks on end both invigorates and terrifies me.”
The colonel settled into one of the chairs, his easy manner fading as he witnessed his cousin’s agitation. “For the first time in your life, you are in love.”
“I know what I want, but I struggle to know how to achieve it. I can plan for spring planting with little effort, but when it comes to romance, I am adrift. Elizabeth showed me a measure of trust yesterday, and I know that is a positive sign. But that was because of the situation with Wickham?an instance where she needed to choose sides. Deciding that she no longer believes him does not mean her poor opinion of me has changed.”
Richard crossed the room and placed a firm hand on his cousin’s shoulder. “Based on what I observed yesterday, I do not think rejection is as likely as you fear.”
Before Darcy could respond, a sharp knock sounded at their door. A messenger from Admiral Whitmore appeared requesting Richard’s immediate presence at the garrison headquarters.
“Go.” Darcy waved him away. “There is nothing more to say here, anyway.”
As Richard madehis way through Gibraltar’s evening shadows, he reflected upon what intelligence might await and whether the admiral might have discovered a clue of some significance.
He turned a corner and saw Mrs. Bell in the distance. The memory of her brief touch on his sleeve made him warm in a way that had nothing to do with the climate. If he were not careful, he would be in the same sad shape as Darcy.
18
The next morning, Elizabeth woke to a glorious sunrise. Throwing back the light bedcovering, she quickly readied herself. By the time Prudence arrived, Elizabeth’s day had already been busy. Tommy came from the ship for a quick lesson in reading with her father, and she used the time to record in her journal the sights and sounds of Gibraltar. Far too many paragraphs were devoted to her response to both Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy from the day they arrived.
She noticed that Tommy was particularly proud that he could now spellC-A-TandB-O-A-T. He was practicing his letters, having difficulty keepingbanddstraight, so she offered her encouragement. “You are doing amazingly well.”
“Well”?he scratched his head?“I asked the ship’s boy from theMeridianif’n he knewD-O-Gspelled ‘dog’ an’ if’n ye put them letters backwards it spells ‘god.’ He didn’t know that at all. I best not get too big in the head from allthis learnin’. O’course, if’n I did an’ I fell in the water, I reckon I’d float pretty good.”
They all laughed, and he turned his attention back to her father as Elizabeth left for the markets with Prudence. Mr. Darcy and the colonel followed behind, never letting them out of their sight.
The air was filled with the musical cadence of rapid Spanish punctuated by the occasional English phrase from British soldiers conducting business. Vendor displays were colorful and inviting.
“Remember what your uncle and I told you,” Mrs. Bell murmured as they approached a friendly-looking vendor. “The items you have to trade are precious commodities here. The garrison wives have been without proper English luxuries for months since most of the supplies the merchant ships bring are for the men.”
Elizabeth nodded. In the small leather pouch she carried were two bars of her finest soap, provided by her uncle's warehouse.
Prudence engaged the stallholder in animated conversation, gesturing toward the soap with the easy manner of one who often negotiated. The man brought first the lavender bar to his nose and inhaling deeply, then the rose. A rapid exchange in Spanish followed, with Prudence pointing to various items on his cart while the vendor nodded enthusiastically. “He is offering two bottles of fine Spanish brandy for your father plus these dried oranges and almonds for you,” Prudence translated. “For both bars. This is an excellent trade, Miss Bennet.”
While they negotiated, Mr. Darcy and his cousin wandered over to a craftsman who was sharpening hisknives. His display of curved scimitars and daggers glinted in the sunlight, diverting the men’s attention.
As the transaction concluded, Elizabeth became aware of angry voices and looked up to see four men apparently engaged in a heated argument nearby. Their arms flailed, and one of the men pointed directly at the fortress. The hostility was unmistakable. Other vendors paused to listen, some nodding in agreement.
Elizabeth stepped closer to Prudence. “What are they saying?”
Her friend grew troubled as she listened. “They are complaining about the British garrison taking the finest products and leaving inferior goods for their families. This is why I suggested you bring the soaps here, so they could benefit by making a small profit.” After one outburst, she grabbed Elizabeth’s arm. “They are not pleased with our presence here.”
The disturbance had already caught the attention of their protectors, who quickly approached. The colonel stepped between the ladies and the men, as did Mr. Darcy, and the group quickly left the marketplace.
Approaching their temporary residence, Elizabeth spotted her father near a group of British officers. He stood beside a wooden crate filled with books where a couple of men were examining the volumes with enthusiasm. “Gothic novels!” one of the officers exclaimed. “Where did you find these? My wife has been desperate for new reading material.”
