He saw her pain and called his horse to come to him. It did, and soon he had her seated sidesaddle ahead of him. She attempted to maintain some distance for the sake of propriety, but soon, she leant against him, delighted in the feel of his arms around her and his scent surrounding her.
She sighed and leant into his embrace. Darcy grinned down at her. “This is far better than riding alone, is it not, Elizabeth?” he whispered.
“I am enjoying riding this way far more than I ought to, Fitzwilliam,” she whispered back, feeling a small thrill at the privilege of using his Christian name.
Too soon for both of them, they arrived at the stables. Elizabeth’s horse had reappeared, alarming the grooms; however, since only one horse returned, they hoped it did not signal a serious injuryor difficulty. Darcy quickly answered their questions, allowing a groom to assist his sister while he assisted Elizabeth down.
She winced when her feet touched the ground, and once again, Darcy’s hands on her waist helped steady her. “We should take you into the house. You need a hot bath to help ease the soreness. I am inclined to suggest you stay the night and not attempt to travel any further today, but feel you would not agree if I were to command you to do so.”
Despite the pain she felt, Elizabeth had to laugh. “You are likely correct about that, Mr. Darcy. Though, in this instance, if you will send a note to my aunt requesting permission, I will do as you suggest.” She mouthed “Fitzwilliam” making him smile. He helped her into the house and upstairs to a suite in the family wing where Mrs. Reynolds and several maids bustled around to help her into a hot bath. Darcy suggested several additional buckets of water be brought up so she could soak as long as she liked.
After hearing his plans to have the young lady stay, Mrs. Reynolds suggested he invite Mrs. Gardiner to come to act as a chaperone to avoid any damage to Elizabeth’s reputation. Darcy agreed, knowing that despite all the servants in the house, having a married lady present would protect all their reputations. While gossip rarely left Pemberley, he wanted Elizabeth to one day be the mistress of his estate and wanted to ensure no one would think poorly of her.
Mrs. Gardiner arrived not long behind her note, accepting his invitation to stay the night with her niece.
That evening, the two Darcys and their guests dined upstairs in the sitting room adjoining Elizabeth's room. It was an unconventional arrangement, but Elizabeth, still sore after herbath, was reluctant to navigate the stairs. Upon hearing this, Darcy made the suggestion they all join her upstairs, and it did not take long for the arrangements to be made.
Elizabeth, who had drunk several cups of willow bark tea over the course of the afternoon and evening, was ready to retire not long after they finished eating. Georgiana went to her own room, leaving Darcy and Mrs. Gardiner alone in the hallway.
“I am uncertain what room Mrs. Reynolds assigned you, Mrs. Gardiner. I apologise,” Darcy offered.
“She showed me earlier, Mr. Darcy. I will go there in a moment, but for now, I wish to speak to you.”
“Of course, madam. How might I help you?”
“What are your intentions regarding my niece? I realise this is her father’s place, but he is not here, nor is my husband, though, frankly, I am uncertain my brother would say anything even if he were here. Nonetheless, I have seen the way you look at her, and her at you, but she is too young for marriage, despite what my sister might think. I want to know your intentions.”
“I agree she is too young for marriage. However, I believe she is far more mature than many other girls her age and knows what she wants. Regardless, I admitted to her after she fell from her horse that I have come to care for her and hope to one day make her my wife. I asked her today if I could court her for the remaining time you are here, and I hope we can come to an understanding before she departs. In deference to her age, I would like our engagement to last until at least her seventeenth birthday, though I would be amenable to it lasting longer, should her father wish it. As long as we can exchange letters during this time and I can visit her when I come to town for the Season, Ibelieve I would be content to wait until a more acceptable age for her to marry.”
Mrs. Gardiner smiled at him. “Lizzy is special to both me and my husband. I do not know what she has told you, but her father is lackadaisical and has encouraged her interest in learning because it benefits him, giving him someone with whom to discuss his books and other matters. Her mother does not understand her and constantly criticises her for her lack of beauty and traditional feminine accomplishments. She holds her eldest daughter, who happens to look much like she did as a girl, as the example of feminine beauty. Should you visit Longbourn, expect my sister to attempt to push you towards Jane, even if you already have an understanding with Lizzy.”
Darcy looked aghast. “Surely not!” he exclaimed.
Mrs. Gardiner nodded. “Perhaps we should go somewhere and sit. There is more you should know before you go any further in your courtship. I believe you are an honourable man, and I would hate for you to commit to Lizzy without knowing all the facts.”
The two moved to the library where Mrs. Gardiner proceeded to explain Elizabeth’s family to her suitor. Darcy knew of the entail, but hearing of it from a different perspective altered his understanding of the situation. Instead of pushing him away, hearing of how Elizabeth had matured despite the obstacles only made him care for her more. Knowing she had never had anyone to rely on made him want to be the person she could trust.
Despite the short nature of their own acquaintance, they had spent a considerable amount of time together, talking about subjects that would not have been canvassed in an ordinary courtship. He knew she was exceptionally intelligent, well-read,and capable of deep thought. She would be a partner in their marriage, and he began to look forward to the day they could be wed.
He nearly laughed aloud at the absurdity of his thoughts. They had only been courting for a matter of hours, and he had yet to even approach her father for permission. Marriage was still a distant prospect, and it was clear that their path would require patience. He would need to rein in his thoughts sooner rather than later, as it appeared their courtship would be a lengthy one.
Chapter Four
The next month passed quickly. Darcy and Elizabeth still saw each other every day, and Elizabeth continued to teach Georgiana what she knew about being the mistress of an estate. At times, Mrs. Reynolds had to help her learn how to scale what she did at Longbourn to fit the size of Pemberley.
However, in deference to their courting, Darcy and Elizabeth began to spend a bit more time on their own. They took walks in the garden or occasionally went riding without Georgiana. They discussed more personal matters when they were on their own, and Elizabeth confessed more about her family. She was surprised that Mrs. Gardiner had already shared some of these details although she soon appreciated that Darcy already knew and understood—and had not chosen to walk away as a result.
Darcy took Elizabeth for a special ride a week before she was to depart the area. He had been planning this for the past week and had spoken to Mrs. Gardiner about his intentions. They were going to a specific ridge with the best view of Pemberley, and Darcy had a ring in his pocket, ready to give to her once she accepted.
Although he worried a little that, given her age, he was pushing her to decide too quickly. However, he brushed those thoughts aside, knowing he intended to offer her a long engagement period, and the two would correspond while they were apart. Elizabeth was quite mature for her age, and he believed she knew her mind.
On the ride, Elizabeth noted he was quieter and appeared more solemn than typical and began to wonder if he was taking her on this ride to put an end to the courtship. She had not written home about it, and she knew he had not written to her father, so there was nothing official between them. Only the two of them, along with Mrs. Gardiner and Georgiana, knew of their relationship so neither would suffer from any harm to their reputation if he ended it. The less he spoke, the more she withdrew into herself until she was nearly in tears when they dismounted.
“Elizabeth,” he said nervously, “I hoped to speak to you about something important today.”
Her eyes were fixed on the ground, and she did not raise her head to look at him. “I understand,” she breathed. “You do not need to explain anything to me. Might we return to Pemberley?”
“Elizabeth, are you well?” he asked, his anxiousness disappearing in light of her obvious upset. “Do you not even want to hear what I have to ask you?”
