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He smiled immediately and she was pleased to see that he recalled the details of their conversation from the Netherfield ball as clearly as she.

“Miss Bennet, I might ask if you talk by rule while you are walking, but I fear that should we continue the conversation, it might lead to words I would wish unsaid.”

Elizabeth was instantly reminded of the poorly conceived admonishment she had delivered on his treatment of Wickham. Blushing, she began to apologize when Fitzwilliam took her hand and squeezed lightly.

“Please, I did not bring it up to make you uneasy. As you said earlier, we should not quarrel for the greater share of blame annexed to that evening, either.”

Elizabeth looked carefully into his eyes and was reassured by what she saw there.

After a pause, Darcy attempted a lighter tone.

“As much as I would like to tempt you into a discussion of books, there is another matter…” He trailed off for a moment before gathering himself again to speak, this time in a voice roughened by strong emotions under tight control .

“Miss Bennet, we have spoken of the errors that we both made in our prior acquaintance and most particularly on that evening when I addressed you in the parsonage.

I… I value your forthrightness for, although your words were painful at the time, I hope that they have also taught be to be a better man.

“I wish to believe that your opinion of me has improved, but I no longer trust my ability to interpret your thoughts, so I shall be blunt; if your feelings are still what they were in April, please tell me so at once.

My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on the subject forever.

“When Mrs. Gardiner mentioned that you would be traveling to the Peak District, I was instantly resolved to invite your party to stay as my guests at Pemberley. However, I… I realized that I do not know enough of your… feelings… to know if such an invitation would please you… or if it would place you in an… uncomfortable… position…”

It took Elizabeth several moments to gather her wits about her after such a speech and the pause left Fitzwilliam feeling even more exposed.

He began speaking again before she could frame a response.

“I understand completely if you do not wish to extend our acquaintance… you have been very kind to tolerate me for the last fortnight and I am deeply grateful that my sister has had the honor to meet you…”

Vaguely amused to hear the normally stoic Mr. Darcy rattle on, Elizabeth stopped and turned to face him. Fitzwilliam fell silent when she took his larger hands in her own.

“Mr. Darcy, please.” She paused and shut her eyes tightly for a moment, attempting to align her thoughts cogently. However, the only thing she could think of was how right it felt to have her hands held in his. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.

“Mr. Darcy, my feelings are quite different from what they were in the spring, and I should very much like to further our… acquaintance. I... I believe that my aunt and uncle would be honored by an invitation to visit Pemberley.” She was rewarded by a look of heartfelt happiness on the gentleman’s face.

Will quelled his first impulse to pick Elizabeth up and twirl her around before kissing her senseless; it was too soon for her, as would be any explicit discussion of love or marriage. He was not so timid, however, as to resist pressing his luck a bit further.

“Thank you. I shall speak with the Gardiners immediately.” He took a deep breath and asked softly.

“Would you allow me, or do I ask too much, the honor of courting you?” He caught sight of a deep blush flooding the lady’s cheeks just before she tucked her chin and seemed to study their joined hands.

Just then, the sound of running feet alerted them to the approach of the three eldest Gardiner children. “Lizzy! Mama says that you must catch up!”

“You must come and see the prettiest pink rose; Mr. Smith says it’s called a Fairy Rose!”

Elizabeth stepped back and freed one hand to ruffle Tommy’s hair, but Darcy was keenly aware that she allowed him to retain the other in his grasp. Smiling, she spoke to them all.

“Yes, the answer to all of you is yes! Jonathan, please lead off—I must say I have become quite turned around and have no idea where we must go.” She turned to Mr. Darcy and tugged at his hand to walk with her. Smiling brilliantly up at him, she repeated, “And yes to you as well, sir.”

Fitzwilliam allowed her to pull him into walking but before he allowed his happiness to overcome him, he had to make certain he had understood her correctly. “Shall I speak with your uncle, then? And your father?”

Elizabeth’s dear face was a mixture of happiness and embarrassment. “Yes, sir. Both, I suppose. Although I would prefer to keep the duty of speaking to my mother for myself.”

“Whatever you wish.” Darcy was not of a disposition in which happiness overflows into mirth but it was immediately apparent to the Gardiners that the couple that joined them in the rose garden had reached some new understanding.

After a quiet word, Fitzwilliam broke away from Elizabeth to speak quietly with his sister.

In short order, the siblings had proffered an invitation for the Gardiners’ party to stay at Pemberley for an extended visit.

Darcy was not above using the temptation of seeing her childhood haunts and possibly recovering some of her family’s mementos to bring Mrs. Gardiner to his side.

In reality, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were very pleased by the invitation and any initial reservations they might have had were dispelled by their niece’s obvious approval of Pemberley’s master.

Before the party had reached the carriages, packed and readied to return to London, plans had been made.

Only Mr. Bingley declined the invitation, insisting that he was needed at Netherfield and would be remaining there for much of the summer.

A quick look to Jane’s sister assured him that he was making the correct decision.

The next few days passed quickly. Darcy spoke with Mr. Gardiner and it was agreed that the young man could call upon Elizabeth at Gracechurch Street although the courtship would not be considered official until he had secured Mr. Bennet’s approval.

As soon as he had conceived of the idea of inviting the Gardiners and Miss Bennet to stay at Pemberley, Darcy had written to his housekeeper with instructions to prepare the house for very special visitors.

He also hoped to have her check the attics for anything from the vicarage that had been packed away after the death of Mrs. Gardiner’s family.

He admitted to himself that he hoped such actions would aid in his quest to make Elizabeth think better of him but he also understood how important such artifacts would be to her aunt.

Fitzwilliam had lost both father and mother, but at least he still had the house in which he had grown up and all of its contents to remind him of his parents, in addition to a sister who seemed more like his mother each day.

He could not imagine the sorrow of having no such mementos of one’s family and was determined to discover them for Mrs. Gardiner, if any remained to be found.

Unfortunately, as much as Darcy cudgeled his brain, he was embarrassed to realize that he could only recall referring to the rector and his wife as “Reverend Jonathan” and “Mrs. Rebecca.” He thought that their surname might have been something like “Burns” or “Bergram” but could not be certain.

After several days, he finally admitted to himself that he would simply have to petition Mrs. Gardiner as to her maiden name before sending the request to Pemberley.

He was not concerned that his ignorance would offend the kind woman, only that he was disappointed not to be able to surprise Elizabeth’s aunt with a fait accompli .

Darcy was provided with an opportunity to question Mrs. Gardiner one evening when he and his sister dined at Gracechurch Street.

Much of the dinner conversation revolved around the group’s travel plans; the two Darcys would travel to Hertfordshire with Elizabeth and the Gardiners, where Fitzwilliam would talk to Mr. Bennet and request that gentleman’s permission to court his daughter.

While the Gardiners would remain at Longbourn for several days, Darcy would depart for Derbyshire as soon as his errand in Mr. Bennet’s study was accomplished.

He wished to complete as much business with his steward as possible before Elizabeth arrived so that he might spend as much time as possible showing her around Pemberley.

Georgiana was bubbling with excitement; her brother had agreed that she might remain at Longbourn after he departed and then travel north with the Gardiners and Miss Bennet.

The Gardiners laughingly warned Miss Darcy that she would share in the responsibility for entertaining the Gardiner children during the trip but she acquiesced happily and began tallying the various puzzles and toys that she would bring.

Over the years, her brother had given her any number of compact games to keep her entertained during the long coach ride from Derbyshire to London and she was determined that the Gardiner children would never be bored.

Darcy was reminded of the question he must put to Elizabeth’s aunt and took the opportunity to speak. “Mrs. Gardiner; I wished to have our housekeeper at Pemberley check the attics for any of your family’s belongings that might have been stored there.”

Mrs. Gardiner nodded, her bright eyes clearly intrigued by the idea of reclaiming some physical mementos of her family.

Fitzwilliam’s face showed his distress. “However, although I remember that your mother’s maiden name was Churchill, I fear that I cannot recall your own.”

Mrs. Gardiner nodded again but seemed slightly more reserved, as though dreading the question. Unsure what might cause such a reaction, Darcy continued in a more hesitant tone, “I always referred to your parents as ‘Reverend Jonathan’ and ‘Mrs. Rebecca, you see.’”

Mrs. Gardiner smiled softly at the serious young man. “Mr. Darcy, you have no reason to be ashamed; you were but ten years old when my parents passed and I left to live in London.”

The lady lapsed into silence, studying the wedding band on her left hand.

Finally her husband chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, hugging her to him.

“Come now, my dear Madeleine. Tell him, or I shall be forced to do so. I do not believe that Lizzy has heard the story either, for that matter.”

Mrs. Gardiner gave her husband a long look before rolling her eyes and turning to the other occupants of the room.

Miss Darcy sat with the Gardiner’s calico nestled in her lap, purring loudly.

Mr. Darcy and Lizzy were seated comfortably, side-by-side on the settee, and all three were clearly intrigued by her reluctance.

Madeleine Gardiner sighed. “Mr. Darcy, my parents avoided using my father’s surname because they broke all relations with his family when I was a little girl, just before we moved to Derbyshire, in fact.

” She sighed again before continuing, “My father was born Jonathan de Bourgh, you see, the youngest son of Lord Maxwell de Bourgh and brother to your aunt’s late husband. ”