Page 23 of A Prudent Engagement

He had never felt so close to Elizabeth, so admiring, or felt such a profound need to always be there for her, in everything.

That she had cried only made him love her more, and he glowed inside from his desire to make the world perfect for her, or as perfect as the Almighty would permit him.

When he returned to Gracechurch Street, Darcy studied the neighbourhood around Mr. Gardiner’s residence in the morning light.

As it was in the centre of the City, the area was by no means wholly unknown to Darcy. It was less than a ten-minute walk from the Exchange and the Bank of England, and Darcy had a few times looked about the market that was just a short distance from Mr. Gardiner’s home.

The house itself was typical of those owned by successful tradesmen.

Large enough and central enough to show prosperity, modest enough to show stableness and solidity of character.

That seemed to Darcy to accurately represent his impression of Mr. Gardiner.

Darcy was not a man who would depend upon the opinion gained in five minutes of conversation with a man—Wickham was ample proof that first impressions could be deceiving. However, he had thought Mr. Gardiner to be wholly superior to his sister—though the family resemblance to both Elizabeth and Mrs. Bennet was clear in his face.

Mrs. Gardiner had also been a pleasant conversationalist.

Still. Tradesmen.

Darcy grimaced. He did not wish to encourage too much familiarity.

He would remain their superior, and it was his place to determine to what extent he would let them use the connection with Elizabeth for their benefit.

After thoroughly looking around, Darcy strode to the door and firmly knocked on it.

He was greeted and immediately ushered into a smallish room that seemed to serve as the breakfast room.

They still sat around the table, with coffee and rolls being quickly eaten.

Elizabeth was dressed all in black, her face pale and her hair more tightly pulled back than usual; there were none of the curls floating about her face that Darcy occasionally dreamt about brushing aside so he could stroke her cheeks.

The plate of food before her was mostly full but stirred about, as though she had tried to make herself eat but could not.

And then she smiled.

Her eyes lit up when she saw him.

Their gazes met, and she almost immediately looked down and away, but with a pleasing blush.

Delight and exaltation suffused Darcy again.

He shook hands with Mr. Gardiner and greeted Mrs. Gardiner, Mrs. Collins, and Miss Bennet.

Miss Bennet’s manner and look did not quite match what Darcy recalled of her. While she was as lovely as ever, with the soft blond hair, perfectly shaped face, and excellent figure that had drawn Bingley, there was something odd about her expression.

Perhaps she had grown thin.

But Darcy had not come to pay any excess of attention to Miss Bennet.

Darcy sat next to the far more compelling Bennet sister and asked Elizabeth quietly how she did.

She laughed a little. “Strange question! What am I to say? What is ordinary—ah yes, the ordinary reply is that I am very well. But of course, that reply is hardly expected when my father just died. Everyone knows that I am not very well. So I hardly know what to say.”

“Say what is true to you.”

She looked down again. “I am glad that we shall take the carriage together—I wish to understand you better.”

Darcy was both pleased and slightly perplexed by her words—did they not know each other very well already?