Darcy on the Edge Read online

  The Bennet sisters arrived in town early afternoon and the Gardiner carriage was waiting to take them to the Gardiner home on Gracechurch Street. After hugs with their Aunt Gardiner and their younger cousins, their aunt began to speak. “There is something you both should understand,” said she. “Two gentleman surprised your uncle in his office at the warehouse and asked him to notify them when you would arrive. Can you believe, Lizzy, that the Master of Pemberley is paying you this great honor? The same applies to you, Jane. Your uncle told that Mr. Bingley was quite excited but he believed Mr. Darcy was more reserved but both men had shown their feelings. Mr. Darcy has been sought by some of London’s finest ladies of wealth and title but he is drawn to you, Lizzy. And Jane, your Mr. Bingley is perhaps the best match any young woman could wish for. He is friendly, polite, handsome, caring and very rich and according to your uncle, both friends will be stopping by the house with Miss Darcy at three to join us for tea. The next day we shall shop and that evening they will send a carriage to take you to dinner at Darcy House. You must hurry and eat and prepare to meet the gentlemen as they will be here in less than two hours.”

  There was not much time for the ladies to ready themselves for meeting the gentlemen, but Jane was as nervous as Elizabeth had ever seen her. “What can it mean that I am so mixed up inside, Lizzy? It is like I have turned into our mother, I am so full of butterflies and flutterings. You must be the calm one, for I know not what to say if he speaks to me.”

  “Just behave as if he never left Netherfield. I know you still have feelings for him, but if you approve of the man, do not hesitate to show your affection. He is so amicable that I would think the task would be easy to make him as much in love with you as he was those months ago.”

  “Then what advice should I give you, Lizzy?”

  Elizabeth did not have time to respond to Jane and they both noticed the Darcy carriage had arrived and watched as Darcy helped a young woman out. Next they listened as the maid led them inside and announced their arrival. Mrs. Gardiner announced greetings to the visitors and Darcy introduced his sister and friend as Elizabeth introduced the others. Mr. Bingley then spoke to Mrs. Gardiner and told of visiting the warehouse and meeting Mr. Gardiner but he seemed nervous until Jane walked next to him and patted his arm and told him she was happy to see him again. That was all Bingley needed to make him the Bingley of old, that is, friendly to a fault. Elizabeth’s eyes were on Darcy but she engaged in conversation with Georgiana and soon had the young girl laughing and feeling comfortable with her family. Mrs. Gardiner and Jane also took kindly to Miss Darcy as did the children such that Elizabeth and Georgiana and the two girls went upstairs to meet the Gardiner boys.

  During the tea the adults spoke about the trip from Longbourn and the gentlemen asked how long they would be in town. Mr. Gardiner came home early to meet the others and soon Darcy was speaking at length with Mrs. Gardiner about Lambton and other things.

  Elizabeth saw this as a sign that Darcy got along well with her family and generally cared for her. That evening she could not have been happier when she went to be bed, but next Jane came in to speak with her sister.

  “Oh Lizzy, Mr. Bingley is unchanged, but perhaps he is a little thinner, much like Mr. Darcy.”

  “So I was correct that the gentleman is in love with you, am I not?”

  “I hope he is Lizzy, but I thought that to be the case those long months ago. Still, from his looks and his reaction to seeing me again, there may yet be hope. I wonder if Mr. Darcy’s interest in you is not just about him helping his friend and me come together again. The man is sweet on you, Lizzy.”

  “No, Jane, but he is a good friend and that is how I shall treat him.”

  Elizabeth knew she had been less than honest but did not wish to expose her feelings that she had so carefully kept to herself these many months.

  The next day Mrs. Gardiner and her nieces shopped a good part of the day in the fashionable part of town and were tired when they returned to Gracechurch Street to prepare for the evening with the two gentlemen. The two men appeared at the Gardiner door at six and after a brief greeting inside the sisters and their gentlemen friends walked the sisters to the carriage. All smiled as Mr. Gardiner told them he expected them to return before midnight and next the carriage pulled away.

  The carriage ride to Darcy House took less than fifteen minutes and the sisters turned their heads to take in the full scope of the mansions in what they understood was the wealthiest part of town.

  “Here we are, ladies. I am glad you got to see Darcy House with leaves on most of the trees. These old oaks lining the carriage path are some of the last to give up their leaves, and it can look uninviting riding up to the house in the cold grey of winter.”

  “But Mr. Darcy,” said Elizabeth, “one must enjoy the view in the hot of summer when the leaves provide a canopy of shade. We, none of us, can have our way all the time. Instead, we must be content to accept many things as they are.” Darcy agreed with her and soon saw Elizabeth’s look of approbation.

  “Lizzy,” said Jane, “I thought for a moment that Mary had just spoken.”

  The carriage rolled to a stop at the front of the house as the gentlemen stepped out of the carriage and handed the sisters out and soon they entered the great house. “My, this is all so grand, Mr. Darcy. Lizzy, is this like Pemberley?”

  “Jane it is grand, much as the house at Pemberley, but for a town home in London, it is of a scale to be called a mansion. Just look at the park across the street. Mr. Darcy, how long has this home been in the Darcy family?”

  “Miss Bennet, my great-grandfather had this house built when he married at age thirty. Since then, each generation has made changes. The landscaping was originally laid out by my great-grandfather, but each generation has had a role.”

  The friends entered the house and the butler divested the ladies of their outer clothing. Inside, the home was comfortable and soon grew more so when Georgiana came to greet the others and all took comfort near the fire and spoke in an easy and unaffected manner. Darcy watched as Georgiana gained confidence in playing hostess and he could see how much she liked the Bennet sisters and how well they got along. The ladies had a glass of wine before dinner whilst the men had a glass of brandy. Both men watched as the Bennet women tried to take in the house but before Darcy could suggest they all take a turn through the house, the butler interrupted to announce that Colonel Fitzwilliam had arrived.

  “Darcy, Bingley, it is good to see you. But wait, who are these lovely ladies I see here? Darcy, I did not mean to surprise you and your friends.”

  “Nonsense, Richard, I wish you to join us for dinner.”

  Darcy introduced the ladies and soon they were speaking about Rosings and Colonel Fitzwilliam spoke up. “Miss Elizabeth, my cousin was in a very foul mood when he arrived at Rosings and our aunt told him that you had married her parson, Mr. Collins. Apparently she has been confusing things lately. I am afraid Darcy got even with her before we left Rosings.”

  “That will be enough, Richard,” Darcy scowled as he tried to cut him off, but now Elizabeth jumped in.

  “We left the day before you arrived and I was sorry that I missed seeing both of you. So now to your cousin’s statement, Mr. Darcy, for I am interested in learning how you got even with your aunt?”

  Months ago at Netherfield Elizabeth would raise one eyebrow and challenge him with a question. She did so again and he sensed her mischief but did not care. Watching her many expressions were Darcy’s delight and only added material for his dreams of her.

  “Miss Elizabeth, my aunt has always been under the mistaken impression that her daughter, Anne and I would marry one day. Neither of us desire to marry the other, though we care for each other as friends and cousins. I finally told my aunt those were our feelings and she was very mad at Anne and myself. I chose to leave Rosings right after doing so, not knowing if I will ever see my aunt again.”

  “Mr. Darcy, I made Miss de Bourgh’s acquai
ntance whilst in Hunsford and my cousin said you were engaged to the young woman. Are you saying you broke the engagement?”

  “No, Miss Elizabeth, this business about an engagement was in my aunt’s mind and I put those thoughts to rest, I hope.”

  “You know that my friend, Charlotte Lucas married my cousin, Mr. Collins. But do you also know that he proposed to me a few days before he proposed to my friend?”

  “I have not heard this before, Miss Elizabeth, but I imagine your mother was unhappy, was she not?”

  “She was livid and brought me into my father’s library and wanted to force me to marry the man. Fortunately my father intervened and told me that from that day forward I should be estranged from one of my parents. My mother said she would never speak with me again if I did not marry him.”

  “So how did your father intervene?” asked Colonel Fitzwilliam, studying the young woman’s animation with curious interest.

  “My father told me from that moment, I should plan to speak with only one of my parents. He said that if I chose not to marry Mr. Collins, that my mother would never speak to me again, and he next said if I did marry the man, that he would never speak to me again. I believe I made a wise decision.”

  The others laughed at the merriment induced by her story, but Darcy watched as his cousin looked bewitched by the very woman Darcy loved.

  That night the dinner was splendid and the sisters had never eaten in such a grand style. There was much praise for each excellent course that was served. After the diner Georgiana escorted the sisters about the house as Darcy and Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam retired to Darcy’s study for a glass of brandy.

  “I am not sorry I came by, Darcy. Let me toast you gentlemen for having chosen wisely. These Bennet sisters are in a class by themselves and if either was not taken, I should be interested myself. If that is love that I see in their countenance, than both of you are very fortunate. And Darcy, Miss Elizabeth has such a liveliness about her features and I am certain she has you in a spell. After they rejoin us I will leave, but this has been an enjoyable evening. I hope that Georgiana will finally have a sister, Darcy, and then you and Bingley will be brothers.”

  “That is not fixed at present,” Darcy replied, but he was not repelled by his cousin’s comment.

  Colonel Fitzwilliam said his goodbyes a few minutes after the ladies returned and Georgiana made an excuse to speak with Jane and Bingley thus leaving Darcy and Elizabeth alone.

  They were in the study and Elizabeth was perusing the books when she suddenly looked startled. “Mr. Darcy, you have labeled this shelf as my favorite books. I am surprised. Have you read all of them?”

  “Yes, and I can understand why you like them. I wished to keep my memories of you from Netherfield. Those books were often my companions after we left Netherfield. They were my way of being near you.”

  Elizabeth could feel her eyes getting moist and her heart was full as she realized that in his own way he had as much as said that he cared for her.

  “What a pleasant surprise, Mr. Darcy and I am deeply touched. You should know that I have given much thought to those many months ago when you and your friends were at Netherfield. I owe you an apology. Ever since your remark at the assembly about my beauty, I used that as an excuse to dislike you, though I thought of you often and even dreamed of you on occasion. There were times when I reasoned that I hated you, and when you quit Netherfield I began to revisit those moments that we were together. It was then that I realized I was wrong about you. I let myself be prejudiced of you and I held that you were too prideful. Now I know that was my way of keeping my heart safe. You see, a man such as yourself could never care for a lowly gentleman farmer’s daughter and our families are from such different spheres.”

  “But here we are, Miss Bennet, and you see your name on this bookshelf. You also have met my cousin, and he told me he enjoyed meeting you and your sister. Your Uncle Gardiner is friends with my Uncle, the Earl of Matlock, who is Colonel Fitzwilliam’s father. These are the closest family I have.”

  Darcy watched as Elizabeth ran her fingers along the spine of the books she favored. Her hands were small and her fingers delicate and she looked vulnerable from the emotion brought on by seeing the shelf with her name on it. She thought of speaking with the man and wondered if she had said too much but when he looked at her with those dark eyes she felt he could read her mind. Why does he make me feel this way and what does he think of me in his study alone with him? Somehow, having this conversation with herself warmed her heart. “I supposed your family was much larger, sir.”

  “No, I suppose I might count the staff at Pemberley and Darcy House as near family, but the Darcy family is very small. Most of the family is very kind and dedicated, and you have met Lady Catherine and Anne. As for my friends, you know my best friend, Mr. Bingley. I met him at Cambridge and you know that his family were in trade, yet I consider him my best friend, along with my cousin. Other than them, I know many people but only occasionally socialize with any of them. I visited with the Bennets more in those short weeks we were in Hertfordshire than any of my so called friends over the last few years. My friends and family would never ostracize you and you are so far above the others in intellect and wit that no others would matter. Miss Elizabeth, dare I say that of all the women that I have known, you are the one who I consider to be my best friend.”

  Elizabeth surprised herself when she told Darcy that he was her best male friend. She next saw his eyes brighten and received a loving smile. Darcy did not speak except to thank her, saying he valued her opinion and hoped she would always consider him her good friend. She knew that she would never marry unless she loved the man and was convinced that she was loved in return, but lately she knew her feelings for him were changing. Though she did not know if Darcy desired her physically, she thought he did, yet he acted as if he wanted her heart and she knew she was in danger of surrendering it if he continued to act this way. Since seeing him again at Longbourn, she had dreamed of him most nights. The dreams were vivid and during one of her dreams Darcy had seduced her. After having that same dream for two nights, and waking with doubts and irritation, she went to sleep on the following nights wishing to dream of him but in her new dreams she was his wife.

  “It is my desire to get to know you better, Mr. Darcy. Your recent appearance at Longbourn was just what my family needed and what I now realize I wanted. These last months have been trying, what with Lydia’s death and my learning of Mr. Wickham’s poor character and living with this ache inside that I have treated you so abominably. Please forgive me for doing so; I did not mean to be so cruel.”

  “But of course I forgive you and I ask you to do the same for me. Not only did I insult your beauty, but I behaved rudely and above my company. I suspect that I left others with the impression that I looked at them with distain and selfish pride.”

  “Then I grant you forgiveness, sir, but are we to be friends a distance apart or, better put, how will we get to know each other better?”

  “Mr. Bingley has signed a new lease for Netherfield, did you not hear? My sister and I will stay with him over Christmas and beyond because he has not invited his sisters. He found all of these letters hidden in Caroline’s room and included was the letter I wrote to your father that Caroline promised me she would send. I suspect Mr. Bingley may choose to bring them with him to Longbourn if he feels he needs to better explain things to your family.”

  ****

  After returning to the Gardiner’s home that evening, they spoke a few minutes with their aunt and uncle before climbing the stairs to prepare for sleep. Just as at Longbourn, the sisters combed the other’s hair and spoke of the evening.

  “Well, Jane, this has been a fun evening. I believe Darcy House is the grandest home in London. This was a perfect evening and I enjoyed meeting Miss Darcy and their cousin. So, has Mr. Bingley won you over this evening? I dare say you again have that look of contentment.”

  “It has been so long since
I have seen him and still it is like yesterday. Maybe that is because I so often thought of him. I owe so much to Mr. Darcy for coming into Hertfordshire. How was Mr. Darcy, Lizzy? Has he proposed?”

  Elizabeth laughed softly and Jane joined with her. Still, Elizabeth would not tell her eldest sister of all they had spoken. Jane’s courtship would have to take precedence over any hopes and desires on her part. Elizabeth was bound to keep her feelings about the man away from the rest of her family. They spoke a great deal of Miss Darcy and also Colonel Fitzwilliam and their younger sisters.

  “Oh, Lizzy, Mr. Bingley has renewed his lease at Netherfield. I am eager to visit with him, but his sisters are not invited.”

  Elizabeth knew this from her talk with Darcy but let her sister speak of her friend’s decision. She would not rain on her sister’s parade. Jane told what Mr. Bingley had done to expose Caroline’s deceit and that he apologized for not coming directly to see her at Longbourn. “Lizzy, I told him that both he and I were deceived and I forgave him. He told me I was not responsible for any of this and held me softly as I let my emotions show. We cried together, Lizzy.”

  “Then we must prepare to see our friends over Christmas, but for now we will shop with our aunt and Miss Darcy on the morrow and that evening we will dine with the gentlemen and Miss Darcy and then attend the theatre.”

  “Are you not excited, Lizzy? I expect we will attend with the handsomest men of the ton. Now we shall have a close up look on the way Mr. Darcy is perceived in society. I hope we will show well with our older dresses.”

  “Jane, you are so beautiful that all eyes will be upon you. I expect some story will appear later in The Times about the evening.”

  After talking for over an hour the sisters finally settled down to sleep, and looking to invite their friends into their dreams.

  The next day after breakfast Mrs. Gardiner showed her nieces dresses she had made for each of them from Mr. Gardiner’s imported goods and she said she had an excellent seamstress do the work. Both women thought the dresses lovely and were excited to wear it this evening. An hour later Georgiana’s carriage came for them and they entered the fashionable section of town and shopped for gifts for the family and helped Miss Darcy do the same for her brother and Colonel Fitzwilliam and her Aunt and Uncle Matlock. They had a smallish lunch and the carriage returned to the Gardiner’s home at near three.