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His daughter still looked unconvinced. “My dear, I cannot say that I know Mr. Darcy any better than you. For myself, my own indolence kept me from making more of an acquaintance that I now suspect would have provided me with some intelligent conversation. I’ve gotten too much in the habit of complaining about company rather than looking to see the good.

” To himself, Thomas admitted that he had become especially harsh toward those within his own family circle.

After helping each other over a stile, father and daughter continued to walk in silence for some time until Elizabeth spoke.

“I still can’t fit together the different aspects of the man.

I’ve been thinking over our interactions and though there are many instances when I now believe I misinterpreted him and others when my misapprehension prompted him to respond in such a way that affirmed my notions…

there were times when he was at the very least impolite and often quite rude.

And yet, he seems to be in fundamentals a very good man. ”

After a few moments of consideration, her father responded.

“At the risk of sounding like our dear, saintly Jane, I believe that the gentleman has been misunderstood. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that he makes it difficult to be understood. It would appear that he feels deeply but masks his emotions as much as possible. Quite like our Jane, in fact, which is a bit of irony worthy of Mr. Shakespeare given how Mr. Darcy appears to have misread your sister.”

After the pair walked some way further, Mr. Bennet stirred himself to speak.

“Like Mr. Darcy, I lost my mother at a young age. I don’t know much about his father, but my own was exceedingly retiring and had little use for society.

My elder sister was married even before I started university so I received little guidance from her.

“I remember attending my first private ball—I was visiting the family of a school friend in Brighton. I walked in and instantly was awash with fear that I had worn the wrong sort of waistcoat and everyone would laugh at me. I don’t consider myself shy by any means, but in such a sea of strangers I found myself barely capable of speaking coherently to my companions, let alone requesting an introduction to anyone.

My friends were all more accustomed to society than I and found great amusement laughing at my stupidity. ”

Father and daughter paused to move a fallen tree branch off the path before continuing on, both lost in thought.

Eventually Mr. Bennet roused himself again.

“Do you remember that young curate who visited Meryton a few years ago? He gave a few sermons when Mr. Grant was getting ready to retire and we were interviewing candidates for his living. What was his name, Channing? Banning?”

“Mr. Manning. Mr. Frederick Manning,” responded Elizabeth decidedly before blushing when her father chuckled.

“You were fifteen, I believe, and gave him such sighs and blushes as I would never have expected from my most sensible daughter.”

“Oh Papa…”

“I’m sorry to embarrass you, my dear, but I do have a point.

First, while in the throes of your infatuation there were several occasions when you quite snubbed old Mr. Grant in your eagerness to speak with the young curate.

” Observing her mortification, he continued, “You mustn’t worry about having offended Grant; he had seen it all before and we had quite a laugh over it.

Poor, young Manning hadn’t a clue, however.

After one of your conversations with him, he came to me and expressed concern over your lack of theological understanding. ”

Seeing how disconcerted his daughter appeared, Mr. Bennet couldn’t help but chuckle. “Never fear, Lizzy. Although your diligence may never match Mary’s, I’m confident that your understanding is at least as good. My point is that such emotions often leave the best of us less than articulate.”

Elizabeth considered her father’s words for some time as they climbed the hill.

“But Papa, even if I begin to understand Mr. Darcy better, there remains the fact that I insulted him most grievously and with little provocation. I still believe he must despise me. Even were I to ever see him again (which itself is most unlikely), I doubt that he would ever acknowledge me, let alone speak to me.”

“Well, if he acts in such a manner then he is not worth your concern. However, his letter suggests to me that he cares a great deal about what you think of him. If anything, I would say that he sounds rather stunned at the level of misunderstanding between the two of you.”

“But Papa, he is not some callow youth who has never lived beyond his home village. I cannot comprehend how he came to so misunderstand me; I suppose my spirits must have misled him.”

Mr. Bennet chuckled. “Well, my dear, your teasing manner may well camouflage your irritation to all but those who know you best, though I cannot believe it to be the worst fault to have.” He thought for a moment.

“But remember, Lizzy, that though Mr. Darcy may be experienced with London high society, it does not necessarily translate that he is well-prepared to understand a lady such as yourself.”

Seeing that his daughter did not comprehend his meaning, he elaborated, “Our culture makes it exceedingly difficult for a gentleman to spend significant time getting to know any young lady who is not a close relation.

And remember, Mr. Darcy has not had a mother since he was a child himself and his sister is so much younger as to look to him for a father figure, not a confidant.

“We gentlemen are educated by our tutors, sent to school with other boys, and then spend years at university with other young men. We are encouraged to spend our hours out riding and shooting or equivalent gentlemanly pursuits indoors—billiards, cards, fencing and the like. Although I suspect Mr. Darcy spent most of his time learning to run an estate and manage the family’s business affairs from a young age.

“It may not be your favorite activity, Elizabeth, but you are comfortable making drawing room conversation and navigating a crowded ballroom. Those are not habitats in which a gentleman is schooled until he reaches an age when… well, when he becomes the invited prey at such gatherings.

“Now, for a young man such as Mr. Darcy, whose connections and inheritance would have made him a catch on the marriage market even if he did not cut such a fine figure...”

Mr. Bennet chuckled at the look on his daughter’s face.

“I was young, once, Lizzy. But to continue, I suspect that many of Mr. Darcy’s poor manners might be better explained by defensiveness rather than offensiveness .

You observed how Miss Bingley chased him.

Consider that such is what he has come to expect from ladies in social situations.

Some attempt to gain his favor through overt flattery and flirtation, while others try to trick him into a situation in which he would be honor bound to marry them.

I would hypothesize that he has learned through sheer self-preservation to be on guard against everyone. ”

Seeing that his daughter’s expression had turned to shock, Mr. Bennet smiled grimly.

“I am being blunt, my dear, because it is the only way I can think of to help you understand. In spite of your mother’s desires, I have kept you girls away from the ton precisely because the society there is so savage.

Longbourn may be nothing to Pemberley but I know a little about what it is like to be a young heir pursued by ladies and their match-making parents.

I shudder to imagine the attention that Mr. Darcy must receive. ”

Bennet turned to his daughter with a sudden clarity forming in his mind.

“In fact, I’d be willing to wager a great deal that your impertinence and lack of attention to Mr. Darcy may be precisely what attracted his notice in the first place.

After years of being fêted for his wealth and connections, to be dismissed by a pretty, intelligent young lady must have been quite a novel sensation. ”

Elizabeth opened her mouth but then closed it again when she couldn’t think of what to say.

Her father continued, “And indeed, to have his proposal rejected and your refusal couched in terms of his failings (whether real or perceived) as a gentleman rather than as a figure of high society must have been thoroughly strange to him. In terms of money and connections, you had everything to gain by accepting his offer. I suspect that you have given young Mr. Darcy a great deal to consider.”

Seeing that his daughter remained skeptical, Mr. Bennet attempted to summarize his point.

“In short, you have treated Mr. Darcy as a man rather than solely the sum of his wealth and connections. I suspect that that is what he has always desired in theory, but he has had little experience with such relationships in reality and thus made a complete hash of it. If he has the sense to look beyond his bruised ego then he should realize that if you ever were to accept him, it would be for his own merit. You have proven beyond a doubt that you are no fortune hunter.”

With this bit of wisdom, the pair reached the peak of Oakham Mount and settled side by side on a large boulder.

For some time, father and daughter looked out over the Bennet lands and enjoyed the afternoon sunlight in silence.

A boy and dog followed a herd of grazing cows, moving them from one pasture to another.

In the far distance, Mr. Goulding and his son were riding along the hedgerows that separated their land from Longbourn.