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“Why did you call me your future wife before the innkeeper? Is it not dangerous?” she asked softly.
Darcy kissed the hand he had held since they entered the garden.
“Because I wanted a moment alone with you, and our engagement gave me the right to invite you for a walk!”
“Liar!” she answered playfully, affection in her voice. “You did it—”
“Hush,” he interrupted, placing a finger on her lips. “Could you enjoy the night and the moon for a moment? In truth, I wished everyone to see how happy I am!”
“Liar!” she repeated, making Darcy declare, “It is time to punish you for speaking to your future husband in such a manner!”
He drew her into his arms, and the kiss he claimed was more ardent than any they had shared before. His lips pressed firmly upon hers, and she returned his kiss, surprised by her own eagerness. When she drew back to catch her breath, he murmured, “Stay a little longer, Elizabeth!”
She smiled, but slipped from his arms and turned towards the fence, trying to recover her composure. Darcy followed and embraced her from behind. She rested her hands upon his as he whispered in her ear, “My love, it is time for you to discover what it means to be a woman.”
She trembled as his lips brushed her ear, her blood stirring in a way she had never known.
“Pray give me time to understand what is happening to me!” she said. “Small steps!”
Darcy laughed and turned her towards him, holding her again and looking into her eyes. “This is only a small step, believe me!”
His words made her wonder what more lay before her and what awaited her as his wife.
For a few minutes, she forgot her painful thoughts, but they returned as soon as she was alone in her chamber. Darcy wanted to marry her and make their union known to the world, but what awaited them in London, where they would have to face their families and the opinions of society? Even an innkeeper now knew of their engagement. How readily might such news travel?
She trusted him, but she could not ignore their difficulties. Lady Catherine’s scheme was a serious obstacle, and Lydia and Wickham threatened her family’s future. Even the unexpected meeting with the viscount and the colonel gave her another reason to worry.
∞∞∞
After a few hours’ sleep, they felt a little better, but in the morning there was little left to say. Everyone thought of Lydia, Wickham, and Lady Catherine, yet they preferred to remain silent on those subjects. They would stop at Longbourn before proceeding to London. Darcy had explained his intentions to Mr Gardiner at the beginning of their journey.
“I know we are in a hurry,” he had said, “but Miss Elizabeth and I have an urgent matter to attend to. We must speak to her parish clergyman and give notice for the banns.”
Mr Gardiner was again surprised by that haste but said nothing, recognising that Darcy knew how to manage his own affairs. If necessary, they intended to travel through the coming night. Ordinarily, the Gardiners preferred travelling by daylight and found a night in the carriage too tiring, but they understood the need for urgency.
At nightfall, they stopped at an inn to change horses and rest for half an hour. Mr Gardiner joined Darcy for a short walk, and it was evident that the two men were beginning to enjoy each other’s company. They found much to discuss. Darcy admired Mr Gardiner’s knowledge of commerce, while Mr Gardiner thought him a gentleman of excellent manners and privately wished to learn from the ease with which he conducted himself in society.
They resumed their journey with renewed apprehension. They did not know what awaited them at the end of the road. However, much as they wished to feel confident, too many difficulties remained before them at Longbourn and in London.
Chapter 12
Elizabeth’s apprehension grew with each mile as she imagined what awaited her in their usually noisy and cheerful home. Mrs Bennet could be fearsome when angry at her daughters’ foolish behaviour, but she soon forgot her anger and laughed with them again. Their family had never faced a misfortune that might harm all four sisters and ruin Lydia’s reputation forever.
She blamed her parents: her father for his excessive indulgence, and her mother for encouraging her daughters to think chiefly of gentlemen, fashion, and wealth. Mary remained indifferent to such pursuits, while Jane and Elizabeth had grown up understanding that their conduct would affect their respectability. Lydia and Kitty thought differently. They scarcely considered the consequences of pursuing their wishes, and Lydia had gone so far as to elope, hoping the gentleman would marry her.
On hearing their carriage, Mrs Bennet hurried outside in a dressing gown more suited to her bedroom than the parlour. She embraced Elizabeth and began to weep, embarrassing her daughter in front of Darcy.
“Mama, we have a visitor!” Elizabeth whispered, but her mother, her eyes full of tears, thought she meant the Gardiners.
“What are you talking about? They are not guests!”
A moment later, she saw Darcy and almost fainted, leaning upon her brother’s arm. The Gardiners quickly took her inside, where she demanded, “What brings him here?” with such resentment that Mrs Gardiner was startled.
Jane, taking her mother’s place as mistress of the house, curtseyed and smiled at Darcy, already suspecting that he had come to help. She invited him into the dining room while Elizabeth whispered to her, “Please attend to him. I must speak with Mama!”
The sisters understood each other well enough that they needed no further explanation. Jane was surprised, but she knew Elizabeth would tell her everything when they could speak privately.
Elizabeth found her mother with Mrs Gardiner, who withdrew to join the others in the dining room, glad to leave her niece to speak with her. She scarcely knew how to deal with Mrs Bennet in such a state. They were all distressed, but she believed a mother ought to remain composed for her daughters’ sake.
