Page 66

“So you are the mighty Icarus, are you?” he said, letting the horse sniff his hand before patting him on the shoulder. “Or do you prefer to be called Icky? Not quite so mighty, that!” The big grey snorted and shook his head, causing his long mane to flop about and prompting both men to chuckle.

Darcy rubbed the horse behind one ear affectionately. “He’s a big clown; sometimes I think that he’s more canine than equine.”

Mr. Bennet chuckled, watching as the horse shut his eyes in ecstasy as his master scratched just the right spot. “Well, as long as he doesn’t try to sit on my lap, I can’t fault his temperament.”

True to form, Icarus pricked up his ears when the stableman led out Mr. Bennet’s bay.

Darcy smiled, “I’ve never seen the attraction of flighty horses that spook at the slightest noise.

It’s one of the reasons that we’ve been cross-breeding thoroughbreds with other, calmer breeds at Pemberley for the last decade. ”

As Mr. Bennet stepped away to take possession of his own horse’s reins, he glanced back at the other man’s gelding. “Larger breeds, as well, by the looks of him. What is he, sixteen hands?”

Fitzwilliam smiled and adjusted the girth before mounting. “Seventeen hands, two inches at the withers. Icarus came from crossing an Irish hunter that I bought from my cousin—he had been given the mare in payment for a debt—to one of Pemberley’s thoroughbred stallions.”

In a few minutes, both men were mounted and headed out of the paddock.

They rode silently for some minutes, Mr. Bennet following his usual route to check over Longbourn’s more distant fields and pastures. Thomas made some slight comment, pointing out the hedges that marked Longbourn’s boundary to the adjoining estate.

Darcy nodded but remained silent. When he finally did speak, Lizzy’s father was immediately concerned by the younger man’s solemn tone.

“Mr. Bennet, I can go no longer without expressing my most profuse apologies to you. Miss Elizabeth has indicated that she has spoken to you about our… interactions… at Kent. As I am sure you already know, your daughter’s behavior was impeccable in every way; I am wholly to blame for our misunderstandings. ”

When the man paused to take a breath, Thomas sighed before responding, “Mr. Darcy, I had hoped for a pleasant ride with a bit of easy conversation, but I see that you are not one to put off a matter simply because it is likely to be uncomfortable.”

“Mr. Bennet, I…”

“No, no— that was not meant as a criticism; quite the contrary, in fact.” The conversation faltered for few minutes as the two reined their horses to maneuver through a gate. Once it was latched behind him, Mr. Bennet turned his attention back to the original topic.

“I don’t know if Lizzy told you, but Lydia was going to travel to Brighton with the regiment as the companion of their Colonel’s wife. I don’t know what I was thinking; Mrs. Forster is worse than a featherhead.”

Thomas considered his next words carefully, wishing to keep some details private. “Lizzy came to me and counseled against it. I’m afraid that I still think of my girls as, well, girls… not young ladies; the thought fairly curdles my blood, to be honest.”

Darcy nodded gravely. “I feel the same about Georgiana; she is ten years my junior and I still remember holding her in my arms for the first time as if it were yesterday.”

Bennet eyed the man appraisingly, but then nodded; “Yes, but just wait until you have daughters of your own— it is far, far worse.” He chuckled at Mr. Darcy’s look of abject horror.

“Well, you should know that Lizzy shared your letter with me.” His eyebrows rose at Darcy’s unsurprised expression. “She informed you of that, did she?”

Mr. Darcy nodded, adding, “I was glad to hear that she did so. It was completely improper of me to have written her.”

The older man eyed him. “Do you regret it?”

Darcy looked discomfited but replied honestly, “No, sir. I am perfectly aware that in handing that letter to your daughter, I disregarded your authority and put Miss Elizabeth’s reputation at risk, but…

I…” He took a deep breath and fiddled with his reins before continuing in a rougher voice.

“I admire your daughter a great deal, sir, and it leaves me inarticulate at the best of times.”

Thomas couldn’t help but snort slightly, causing the younger man to glance at him and redden.

“You have heard of my many offenses, obviously,” he sighed.

“For much of my life, I’ve been selfish and overbearing, caring for none beyond my own family circle; thinking meanly of all the rest of the world and desiring to think meanly of their sense and worth relative to my own.

As an only son (and for many years an only child), I was spoilt by my parents and not taught to correct my temper. ”

He sighed again, though more softly this time. “My parents taught me good principles but lately I have come to see that I was left to practice them in pride and conceit. Your daughter taught me a lesson, hard at first, but most important.”

The two men rode in silence for several minutes until Darcy recalled the point he still needed to make.

“In truth, I left Kent expecting that I would never see her again. I was taken by surprise when she refused my offer and then furious when she told me why. Although I believed myself to be perfectly calm when I wrote that letter, I now shudder to think of how bitter I must have sounded.”

Mr. Bennet shrugged. “It sounded remarkably calm to me, given the preceding events.”

Darcy shook his head. “I cannot agree, but regardless; I was awake all night, trying to understand what had gone so horribly wrong… how I could have so completely misconstrued her opinion. I had no hope of being able to explain myself in her presence; I… I felt too much to speak easily. So I attempted to write it out, and you have seen the results.”

Bennet’s bay startled when a pheasant burst out of the grass by his nose. Once the horse settled down, some time passed during which the only noise was the creaking of saddle leather and the jingle of the horses’ bits. Finally, Elizabeth’s father stirred himself to speak.

“The reason I mentioned Lydia was that I feel I should thank you, Mr. Darcy. Had you not shared the information of Lieutenant Wickham’s perfidies, I would have allowed her to go to Brighton, and God only knows what trouble she could have gotten into there.

I’m afraid that living in the country has dulled my sense of the dangers that face my daughters as they grow up and enter the world. ”

Darcy nodded. “I cannot criticize your preference for the country over town. I myself would spend all my time in Derbyshire, if I could.”

Mr. Bennet caught the younger gentleman’s wistful tone and they spent the remainder of their ride discussing the northern countryside and comparing stories of Pemberley’s management to that of Longbourn.

When the pair eventually rode back into the stable yard, they were met with the pleasant sight of Mrs. Gardiner sitting on a stone bench, enjoying a bit of sun and knitting.

Even as she greeted the two gentlemen, her sharp eyes noted the companionable air between them.

Her husband had told her of his conversation with Elizabeth’s father and she was pleased to see Thomas making the effort to know the younger man better.

Mr. Bennet handed the bay’s reins off to the stable boy and smiled at his sister-in-law. “You look to be very happily situated, Madeleine!”

Mrs. Gardiner returned his merry greeting with a contented look. “You find me all alone, sir. I had difficulty knowing what to do with myself!”

Longbourn’s master chuckled. “So the merry band is still out botanizing?”

She smiled back. “Yes, though I expect them back soon; it is almost time for luncheon and Tommy and Jonathan seem to have clocks in their tummies that keep perfect time.” Madeleine turned to the other gentleman who had just joined them after seeing to his horse.

“Good day, Mr. Darcy! Did you have an enjoyable ride?”

Fitzwilliam replied agreeably and after they had discussed the route that the two men had ridden, he inquired after his sister.

Mrs. Gardiner smiled again. “Ah, yes; the two of you absconded before her note came. Miss Darcy shall be joining us for luncheon and staying the afternoon, as will Mr. Bingley. We hoped that you would be amenable to such a plan; Mrs. Hill is preparing a picnic so that the children may join us.”

Mr. Darcy had just confirmed his willingness when the three turned at the sound of voices.

Jonathan and Tommy burst from the shrubbery and came running across the yard, trailed by Amelia who was making a valiant effort to keep up despite her shorter legs.

The boys brought flowers for their mother who fussed over them while ignoring the somewhat bedraggled appearance of the blooms. Amelia added her own to the bouquet but then turned to peer up at the tall gentleman from Derbyshire.

Without a thought, Fitzwilliam dropped down to his knee so that he was at eye-level with the little girl. “Did you have a nice morning, Miss Amelia?”

She grinned. “Oh, yes! Lizzy told us the names of ever so many flowers. Spring is so much prettier at Longbourn than home. Is it spring at your home, too?”

Darcy smiled. “Indeed it is, and we have many flowers there. Perhaps your cousin shall like them as well?”

The little girl nodded with great seriousness. “Lizzy likes all flowers—but I’m sure she’ll like yours special.” She held up a daisy; “Would you like this one? I can put it in your button hole—Papa says I do it just right.”

“Thank you very kindly. I should be honored if you would do me such a service; I must admit that I don’t know the proper method.”

With absolute focus, little Miss Gardiner carefully threaded the daisy through and arranged it at a precise angle upon his collar.