Page 46 of To Win Her Affections

“You wish to leave me behind?” demanded Elizabeth, not liking the sound of this at all. Mr. Darcy’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

“I suspect, Mr. Darcy,” said Aunt Gardiner, “that you are about to have your first disagreement as an engaged couple.”

Though Mr. Darcy nodded to her comment, his focus was on Elizabeth. She did not wait for him to speak.

“That is unacceptable, Mr. Darcy. I mean to be there when you discover Lydia’s location. You will need my aunt and me to deal with her.”

“Lizzy makes an excellent point, Mr. Darcy,” said Aunt Gardiner, nodding to Elizabeth. “Lydia is fractious and difficult to control. Though I have every confidence in Edward’s abilities, having a woman in the house will assist, particularly as Lydia will make matters as difficult as she can.”

Mr. Darcy nodded, though he paused before speaking. “It will not surprise you to learn that I have no objection to Miss Bennet’s company, but we will travel swiftly and with few stops.”

He grinned and came to the correct conclusion. “Then again, knowing as I do the hardiness of my future bride, I cannot suppose she is incapable of withstanding it.”

“Now you are thinking the way you should,” jested Uncle Gardiner. “The man may be the head of the family, but if you expect Elizabeth to follow, docile and tractable, you may wish to reconsider your expectations.”

“Not at all, Mr. Gardiner,” said Mr. Darcy. “Miss Bennet’s spirit is one of the first of her attractions I noticed.”

Then Mr. Darcy turned back to the business at hand. “I agree the ladies should travel with us, but I still propose the use of my carriage. As it is pulled by four horses, we shall attain greater speed. With post horses changed along the way, we can make much better time.”

“I agree, Mr. Darcy,” said Uncle Gardiner. “I shall instruct my driver to make for Longbourn—my children are still there.”

“Do you mean to stop there on the way south?” asked Elizabeth.

After a pause, her uncle said: “There are benefits and drawbacks to the notion, Lizzy. Perhaps we should speak of it once we are on the road.”

“That is for the best,” agreed Mr. Darcy. “Then I must return to Pemberley at once. It will take me perhaps an hour to return with the carriage and my effects. The journey to London takes me three days of leisurely travel, but I have made it in two before. If we have not left it too late today, we should arrive in London by dusk tomorrow evening.”

“Then let us be about our business,” agreed Mr. Gardiner. “The sooner we depart, the better.”

Though Mr. Darcy did not ask, Elizabeth walked him down to the inn’s entrance. She waited while he spoke to the innkeeper, a man with whom he appeared familiar, ordering a team of four post horses to be readied for his return. The man promised all would be ready, then Mr. Darcy led Elizabeth out to the street where his horse waited, tethered to a post.

“Miss Elizabeth,” said Mr. Darcy, turning and catching her hand in his, “words cannot begin to express what I feel.”

“Perhaps it is best to let our feelings speak for themselves,” said Elizabeth, not knowing what else to say.

Mr. Darcy hesitated, as if there was something in her comment he did not like. A moment later, he shook it off, instead raising her hand to his lips, kissing it for the first time. Elizabeth tried not to dwell on the sensation of his lips touching her skin.

“I shall return as soon as I can,” said he. “When we have dealt with the matter of Wickham and your sister, we will be at leisure to discuss our future.”

“I am all anticipation, Mr. Darcy,” said Elizabeth, feeling unaccountably breathless.

“Hold that thought, Miss Bennet. It is what will keep me steady while we navigate this business.”

The gentleman squeezed her hand again, and then turned to his horse. With one smooth motion, he mounted and rode away, urging his mount to a quick canter. Elizabeth stood and watched him until he disappeared. When she could no longer see him, she sighed and turned back to the inn. Elizabeth had not expected it, not even after accepting Mr. Darcy’s precipitous proposal, but she found herself looking forward to that promised discussion every bit as much as he did.

AT SUCH A MOMENT IN a man’s life, it was customary for a sense of elation to prevail, and that was a part of what Darcy experienced as he cantered toward Pemberley. After so many months of longing for Miss Bennet’s presence and dreaming of her acceptance of his suit, obtaining it was akin to a man dying of thirst coming upon a jug of cool water. Whatever happened after, Darcy knew he would never regret obtaining her consent.

As he cantered along, urging his mount to maintain the pace that would return him to Pemberley quickly, he considered the merits of his domain. Darcy had an intimate knowledge of this road, having traversed it more times than he could count. Pemberley was an excellent estate, which could provide for a family of any size and never leave them wanting.

Yet it was humbling to now understand that all this had been insufficient to secure Miss Bennet’s regard. Even had she seen it before his proposal, he knew it would not have altered her perspective a jot. Miss Bennet had judged his character as wanting, and all the riches in the world would not move her.

Through all his joy, however, something troubling was moving in the back of his mind: the notion that perhaps he had discovered a way to compromise her principles. His grip tightened on the reins at this thought. Darcy would never accuse her of acting with deliberate calculation—he knew enough about her to know better than that. However, he could not shake the thought that perhaps she had been influenced by the situation with her sister.

That she had warmed to him was beyond question—even the rankest dullard could see her increased interest, improved civility, and dare he even say the warmth that now suffused her when she greeted him. Having experienced the opposite and not having had the wit to see it for what it was, Darcy now understood the difference.

Thus, Darcy’s concern was not that she felt nothing for him, but that circumstances had forced her hand. It would have been better had Darcy been at liberty to court her, show her the man he could be, properly win her affection. It was also true his assistance was more easily offered with an engagement in hand.

For a moment, his thoughts turned to Wickham, distasteful though the subject was. Darcy had not yet decided what he would do about his erstwhile friend, and Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Bennet would have some say in what became of him. What was incontrovertible was that Wickham would make an exceedingly poor husband. With the straits the girl now found herself in, the only recourse was for her to marry to restore her reputation. In uniting her with Wickham, however, a life of misery tied to a man such as he would be the price she must pay.