“What? You came to Longbourn twice, and I never knew of either attempt? My father told you I was married? Why would he do that? I swear, I would never have married another,” she said more loudly than she intended. Fortunately, the music was loud, and thus far, their conversation had not attracted attention.
“We cannot speak here, not now,” she said after a moment had passed and neither of them had spoken again. “I will walk out in the morning to a place called Oakham Mount. If you ask any of the grooms at Netherfield, they will direct you. I will be there at sunrise; we might speak openly.”
“Elizabeth,” Darcy whispered, his voice low and filled with longing. His eyes searched her face with an intensity that made her breath catch, and when she finally looked up to meet his gaze, she saw the anguish there. “I have missed you desperately. I do not know what happened, but I have never stopped loving you.”
She felt her heart twist at his words, the raw emotion in his voice piercing through her carefully built defences. Her own voice was barely a whisper as she replied, “Nor I you, Fitzwilliam.” She dared a brief, fleeting smile before she turned and slipped away, casting a wary glance in her mother’s direction, hoping not to draw her notice.
Darcy watchedher for several more minutes as he stood against the wall. Memories flooded him from their time together four years ago, followed soon after with additional memories of the months that had followed. Such supreme happiness followed by intense heartbreak. He could not reconcile the two, nor did he understand what could have occurred. Why did she blame him for not returning when he had? So absorbed was he in these thoughts that he did not notice someone else approaching.
Miss Caroline Bingley, his friend's insufferable sister, latched onto his arm, clearly trying to give the impression to the townsfolk that they had an understanding. As he attempted to free himself from her grasp, the turmoil of his thoughts led him to respond with less tact than usual.
“Miss Bingley, kindly remove your hand. It is highly inappropriate for you to take my arm uninvited. I do not care for grasping women, and I do not appreciate you attempting to create an illusion of closeness between us that does not exist. You will never be more to me than the sister of my friend.”
His tone was sharp, his composure frayed by the encounter with Elizabeth Bennet after so many years—and by the discovery that she was still unmarried. Questions filled his mind, for her and for her father.
“Mr. Darcy, whatever do you mean? Surely you must realise I am ideally suited to be the mistress of Pemberley,” she cried.
“I know nothing of the sort. We are neither engaged nor married, and we never will be.”
“Mr. Darcy!” she cried again, this time louder and garnering his notice.
“Be quiet!” he hissed through gritted teeth. “If you intend to create a scene hoping to force me into marrying you, I assure you that will never happen,” he said.
Miss Bingley snapped her mouth closed, whatever she intended to say or do forgotten.
“Now, I will seek out your brother and return to Netherfield—alone. I do not need you to accompany me, and I willnotbe compromised by you. Remember that I can walk away from a compromise with my reputation only slightly tarnished while yours would be utterly ruined. Keep that in mind if you are considering trying anything while we are staying under the same roof.” Darcy issued his warning in whispered tones, but even Miss Bingley seemed to recognise a measure of determination in his tone. She nodded and wandered away in a state of shock, finding her sister and reporting what had been said.
Darcy sought out his friend and found him speaking to Elizabeth’s elder sister, Miss Bennet. “Bingley, my headache has worsened, and I am returning to Netherfield immediately. I have already informed your sister that there is no need for any of you to join me. I will send the carriage back for you.”
“Oh, I hope you will be well, Mr. Darcy. My sister Elizabeth also developed a headache and escaped outside a moment ago. I suppose she only needed a bit of fresh air,” Jane replied softly.
Darcy nodded absently. “Thank you. If you will excuse me,” he muttered, offering a brief bow before quickly turning and hurrying away.
Rather than calling for the carriage, he stepped outside, searching for Elizabeth.
He found her hidden behind some bushes, surprised to discover her in tears. “Elizabeth, my darling, what is wrong? Why are you crying?”
“Oh, Fitzwilliam!” she cried, “I do not understand any of this. I repeatedly asked my father if he heard from you, but he always said he had not. When you did not come here to request my father’s consent, or answer my letters, I thoughtyouhad changed your mind about our engagement. How could my father have told you I was on my wedding trip? Why has he lied to me all these years? This makes no sense.” Not wanting to be discovered, she spoke quietly, but even her soft voice could not disguise the anger and hurt in her voice.
Without thinking, he pulled her into his embrace. She came willingly, sobbing into his chest as he held her tightly. After several moments, he felt her begin to calm, and he spoke in a low voice, careful not to be overheard by anyone nearby.
“I do not understand it either, dearest. I came to Longbourn twice to speak with your father. Each time, I hoped to see you and hear from you directly, to confirm what he had told me. In London, I also visited your uncle at his home and his business, but I learned nothing of you. He neither confirmed nor denied your father's words. He only insisted that I speak to your father, who had the final say in your marriage.”
Elizabeth continued to allow herself to be held by him and drew strength from his familiar embrace. “I admit, I am afraid to ask him why. If he learns we have met again, will he act to separate us? Mama will speak of your presence here in Meryton, and I cannot imagine Papa will have forgotten your name.” She paused and removed her head from where it rested on his chest and cried. “Oh, Fitzwilliam! He will hear your name in the morning, and I know he will do what he can to keep me away from you as he clearly has done in the past. Why did he refuse you and say nothing of it to me? Why did he lie to us both?” She was still crying as she finished, and he only held her more tightly.
After several minutes, he spoke: “Come with me now to Netherfield. I believe there are still many months until you reach your majority,” he said, looking down at her for confirmation. Elizabeth nodded, and he continued. “For whatever reason, your father has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep us apart. If your father would lie to both of us for all these years, I cannot imagine he will allow us to be together now. I, too, am afraid that once he learns of my presence at Netherfield, he will take action to separate us.”
“Elizabeth, fate has brought us together again. We will not be thwarted by your father or anyone else. Let us travel to Scotland and marry over the anvil. We can leave tonight. Once we are married, your father cannot prevent us from being together.”
“Are you certain, Fitzwilliam?” she asked, pulling back slightly to look him in the eye. “It would be a scandal.”
“I have wanted to marry you for years; I can bear the scandal, dearest.”
“I have nothing with me, not even my cloak. It is still inside the assembly hall.” Elizabeth snuggled deeper into his arms, not wanting to let him go.
“What if we met at sunrise, as you suggested? Will your father still be awake when you return home tonight? Would he prevent you from walking out if he learned I was here?”
Elizabeth again pulled back to look at the man she had loved for four years. “It is unlikely, but he can be unpredictable.”
