Page 16 of Body and Soul (Darcy and Elizabeth Variations #8)

Chapter Sixteen

December 20, 1811 Longbourn Elizabeth

I f forced to admit it, Elizabeth would say she looked forward to a more peaceful Longbourn in her father’s absence. It proved exceedingly easy to separate Mr. Darcy from his outward appearance, for he and her father were nothing alike. Mr. Darcy behaved as a proper gentleman ought, showing consideration to the staff and kindness to his ‘family.’

He reserved his best behavior for her. Their disguises meant he could forsake propriety and leave her in no doubt of his feelings. He kept to Mr. Bennet’s rooms as was proper, since they were not married in truth. But he held her hand in front of their ‘daughters,’ walked out with her with no chaperone, paid her pretty compliments, and pecked her on the cheek or her hand.

Nor was he required to leave Longbourn after some arbitrary time specified by society. They would stay up late in his study, reading, speaking of estate matters, or asking each other questions. With every day that passed, she found more to love about Mr. Darcy. He was everything a gentleman ought to be, and she knew that if— when— they returned to their bodies, she would be pleased to accept his proposals.

Elizabeth did not forget about her mother and father. Papa called with Mr. Bingley, spending fifteen exceedingly uncomfortable minutes with his ‘wife’ before hastening off to the study to speak with Mr. Darcy. He resisted mending things with Mrs. Bennet and his odd behavior caused more than a few strange looks. From the outside, it appeared as if Mr. Darcy were fickle. He had paid Elizabeth much attention and now ignored her whenever he could. Darcy called him to account for his behavior.

“You will do damage to my reputation!” he scolded. “I am an honorable gentleman, especially where women are concerned. Your actions not only speak poorly of me, but leave Elizabeth open to the derision of her neighbors!”

Mr. Bennet grumbled but agreed to behave more circumspectly. He made a genuine effort to speak to his wife. “I shall pretend I do not know a thing about her,” he told Darcy. “It will make it easier to bear.”

Elizabeth joined Mr. Darcy during his meetings with Mr. Bennet. “If you are to be mistress of Pemberley, then you ought to know my business,” he said, spreading the papers out across the desk. They sorted through correspondence, separating business letters from those of a personal nature. Darcy wished to read letters from his relations privately. “I shall dictate them to Mr. Bennet,” he said. “It will preserve my privacy.”

Darcy’s active presence in the household proved a boon when Lydia, after a month’s confinement to the nursery, finally escaped. The family was all sequestered in the drawing room that afternoon. Mr. Bingley had yet to call, which meant Mr. Bennet had not arrived yet. Lydia swanned in, her hair hanging down her back and dressed in shorter skirts, acting as if nothing were amiss.

“Lydia,” Elizabeth said, standing up and preparing to act the part of her mother, “does Miss Holt know you are here?” The youngest Bennet was required to have her governess with her at all times. Since she had not left the nursery until this moment, that had never been an issue.

“La,” Lydia replied, “Mama, you are so silly! Miss Holt needed a rest and so she let me out. Goodness! Should she not have done so? You will have to let her go without reference, I suppose.”

“Your ploys will not work.” Elizabeth stepped forward and took Lydia’s arm. “Let us go back upstairs.”

Lydia protested, yanking her arm away. “You cannot make me!” she shouted. “It is nearly Christmas and I am missing all the entertainments! It is not fair! Why is Kitty allowed out?”

“Kitty is behaving.” Mr. Darcy came to Elizabeth’s side and put his hand on Lydia’s shoulder. “Come, child, back upstairs.”

Lydia gaped. “What is the matter with all of you?” she shouted. “Papa is acting strangely, as is Mama! And you all sit there as if nothing is amiss!”

“Nothing is amiss,” Mary said softly. “For the first time in what seems like forever.”

“Nobody asked you, Mary!” Lydia’s voice rose until she was shouting.

Kitty piped up. “I like how things are,” she said happily. “Papa lets me read books from his study and Mama lets me keep my own things.”

Lydia gaped at her favorite sister. Kitty had always followed her lead, and this was the ultimate betrayal. “You all hate me!” she screamed. “And I hate all of you!”

Miss Holt appeared at the door, a look of apology on her face. “She slipped out whilst I attended to my needs,” she said contritely.

“Take her upstairs,” Mr. Darcy said wearily. Miss Holt led the sobbing child away. Lydia did not struggle and her shoulders drooped dejectedly.

“Perhaps she will now make a greater effort,” Elizabeth reflected.

“We can only hope,” he replied.

The party from Netherfield arrived shortly thereafter. Mrs. Bingley quickly took a seat next to Elizabeth, rattling away about a large crate her brother-in-law had sent. “There is some lovely fabric,” she said. “Straight from his mills. It will be perfect for Jane’s wedding clothes. I thought about bringing it, but decided we ought not to risk having anything happen to it. Will you come to Netherfield Park and have a look?”

Elizabeth agreed, mentioning that they ought to have Jane approve of it before deciding. “It is her wedding, and though I would prefer a lavish affair, she likes a more subdued gathering.” Voicing Mama’s preferences came easily now, flowing from her lips as smoothly as water from a pitcher.

“I believe a walk is in order!” Mr. Bingley called. “Jane? Who shall we convince to chaperone today?”

Kitty volunteered, as did Mama. Papa demurred. “I have something to discuss with Mr. Bennet,” he said smoothly.

Elizabeth frowned, irritated that her father once again maneuvered things so that he did not need to spend time with his wife.

“Goodness, sir!” Mrs. Bingley tittered. “I cannot fathom how you can be parted from Miss Elizabeth for long. She is such a lovely girl. Why do you not come to the point already? Or perhaps that is why you wish to speak to her father?” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“My business with Mr. D—Bennet is my own, madam,” he replied stiffly. “And it has nothing to do with Miss Elizabeth.”

“Do not be such a cold fish, Darcy.” Mr. Bingley clapped a hand on his back. “You have made your interest clear. Seize your happiness!”

“Thank you, Bingley.” Papa grimaced. “If you do not mind, I shall go about my business. Enjoy your stroll.” Papa rose and went to the door, waiting for Mr. Darcy to join him. When Elizabeth made to follow, her papa glared and shook his head. It would seem that I am not welcome today, she thought. I wonder what they wish to discuss.

Content to remain in the warm parlor, she spoke at length with Mrs. Bingley. A question here or there kept the conversation going until the gentlemen returned.

Darcy

He would never get used to seeing himself from this perspective. Mr. Bennet stood before the desk, shifting nervously. They had discussed Darcy’s estate business and penned correspondence, but now the gentleman looked as though he had something to say.

“Sir?” Darcy asked. “Will you not return to your seat? I sense there is something more that you wish to discuss.”

Mr. Bennet sat, rubbing his hands on his legs nervously. “I find myself in a peculiar situation, sir,” he said. “I have been master of my estate for more than twenty years and never have I shown such dedication as you display. Estate matters take up how much of your day?”

Darcy considered the question. He leaned back in his chair. “It is less during the winter,” he said finally. “Maybe two or three hours. If there is some disaster, then much more. The warmer months take more of my attention. There are repairs, the crops, my other interests… The list is long. I have a capable steward, which helps, but it is easy to take advantage of a neglectful landlord, so I try to know precisely what goes on in my holdings.”

Mr. Bennet looked thoughtful. “I know you and Lizzy have looked over my books,” he said. “Am I being taken advantage of?”

Darcy nodded. “You have several shopkeepers charging Longbourn more than Netherfield Park for certain goods and services. It is likely because you have never bothered to renegotiate costs. I helped Bingley in this way. And your crops would yield more if you rotated them differently. Have you considered planting winter wheat?”

They spent some time deep in discussion. Darcy made a list of tasks as they went, making a note to apply the changes Mr. Bennet approved. When they were done, he put down the pen and turned to the man in front of him.

“I must ask, sir, why you persist in avoiding Mrs. Bennet.” He frowned. “I do not wish to remain in your body forever.”

Mr. Bennet sighed. “It is because I do not know how to break away from my habits,” he admitted. “I have tried what we spoke of—pretending as if we are courting. But conversation is stilted, and I cannot tell if my efforts are yielding any results.”

“If I may, sir, I would say that you are not making any effort.” Darcy grinned at the shocked look on ‘his’ face.

“How can you say that? I spend time with her daily. We engage in social niceties. I compliment her gown, her hair, her accomplishments. It has proven far easier than I imagined to see Fanny as herself, even though she looks like our daughter, but that has likely complicated things.”

Shaking his head, Darcy chuckled. “Mr. Bennet, you have been married for nearly a quarter of a century. You are well beyond the social niceties. Even when I was still myself, I spoke of deeper things with…Elizabeth.” It had not been Elizabeth, of course, but they both knew that.

“What should I do?” Mr. Bennet looked desperate. It made Darcy hopeful that he meant to really try now.

“It is time for you to take advantage of being Mr. Darcy,” he said, sitting forward. “You have not needed my funds as of yet, but it is time. I have enough money at Netherfield for you to spoil your wife thoroughly. I want you to spend to her likes, not Elizabeth’s. Everything you do is for Mrs. Fanny Bennet, not for your daughter. Now, let us make a list of your wife’s preferences.”

Mr. Bennet’s shoulders dropped. “I hardly know them anymore,” he confessed. “She has been a stranger to me for so long.”

“Surely, there are some things that have not changed.”

He nodded. “Some things never do. That is true. Fanny loves sweets—the expensive ones from town. I do not purchase them often. And I admit that when I have in the past, I have hidden them and not shared.” He cleared his throat. “I may have even deliberately left a wrapper here and there for her to find.”

“Badly done!” Darcy frowned again, this time with more disapproval. “Why would you mock and torment her? Did it make anything better?”

“I know! I am well aware of my sins. No, it made everything worse. But in time, it became easier to tease and be cruel. It masked my hurt and confusion.” Mr. Bennet sighed heavily. “I have much to atone for. She may never forgive me. And I fear my actions have poisoned Elizabeth against me as well.”

Darcy nodded gravely. “Your behavior has deeply wounded both,” he said. “I am attempting to build a relationship with your other girls as well. Kitty has been reading your books. Mary, too, though more recently. You had best remember that when you return to yourself.”

Mr. Bennet nodded. They added a few more things to the list. As they finished, the gentleman perked up. “I just recalled,” he said, standing, “that I have a little something in my safe.” He went to a far wall and moved a picture, quickly opening the safe behind it. “I purchased it, oh, ten years ago in London.” He brought out a jewelry case covered in blue velvet and opened it.

Nestled inside was a brooch that looked as though someone had made lace out of gold filigree. “It is very much to Mrs. Bennet’s tastes,” Darcy said approvingly.

“She loves lace. I remember thinking that it was a way for her to have the decoration without drowning herself in it.”

“Why did you never give it to her?” Darcy asked.

Bennet wilted. His shoulders sagged, and he sank slowly into a chair. “I came home after being gone for a week. Mrs. Bennet had torn the sitting room to pieces, and she was in the midst of redecorating. The harvest that year had not been abundant, and I had already economized to buy her that brooch. I was furious. The argument that day was beyond anything we had yet engaged in. The brooch went into the safe, and I withdrew into myself.”

Darcy nodded in understanding. “It is a good beginning,” he said. “Netherfield has a hothouse. Start with flowers. And for heaven’s sake, please begin speaking of consequential things!”

Mr. Bennet agreed, and he tucked the jewelry case into his pocket. It was past time to rejoin the ladies, and they left the study together after gathering all their papers.

Elizabeth greeted him with a beaming smile. It warmed Darcy’s heart. He realized for the first time that his beloved had her mother’s eyes. When he looked in them, he saw past Mrs. Bennet’s outward appearance to his Elizabeth within.

“Are the lovebirds still out?” he teased.

“They should be back any moment,” she replied. “The tea is ready, and they will be frozen solid!”

“I am glad they are out there and not me,” Darcy agreed. Mr. Bennet’s body did not like the cold. Elizabeth, he knew, complained of the same thing. Both wondered if they, too, would suffer thus in twenty years.

The walkers returned a few moments later. Mr. Bennet went to his wife’s side as soon as she seated herself, angling his body toward her as he had not done before. They were too far away to hear the conversation, but it looked promising.

“She looks a little surprised,” Elizabeth murmured to him.

“He confided in me,” he replied. “I shall have to tell you about it later.”

“Hopefully, this means things will begin to progress.” She patted his hand.

“Well, they ought to come to the point,” Mrs. Bingley cut in. “He moons over her enough! Goodness, is he afraid she will reject him?”

Darcy and Elizabeth exchanged a look. Mr. Bennet was likely afraid of just that, and he had every reason to be. His wife had no inducement to like him at all.