Page 33 of Ever After End

CHAPTER 32

E lizabeth avoided Mr Darcy for another week. She changed her direction each morning when she walked, and remained in the company of the ladies, far from him in the drawing room. He still watched her constantly, and looked troubled when she caught him doing it. His godmother watched them both constantly, and so did all who had come in his party, and Elizabeth was becoming quite sick of it. It was almost enough to make her wish to retreat back to her rooms, especially after the first morning.

The morning after the ladies’ escapade with the popped corn, Mr Cartwright approached her after breakfast in the morning room and asked, “Miss Elizabeth, may I beg the privilege of a private audience?”

Before Elizabeth could think of a polite excuse to decline, the room suddenly emptied. Mrs Darlington, three ladies, and two gentlemen all disappeared before Elizabeth could object, and she found herself alone in a room with Mr Cartwright, the door slightly ajar.

“Miss Elizabeth,” Mr Cartwright began as he sank to one knee before her.

“Oh dear.” Elizabeth jumped up from her seat, “Mr Cartwright, I wish that you would not- ”

“Miss Elizabeth, from the moment I met you here at Ever After End, I singled you out as the companion of my future life.” Mr Cartwright rose and followed her to the window, where she looked outside and refused to meet his eye. “But first, allow me to explain my reasons for marriage.”

He continued, “I have wished to marry for some time, Miss Elizabeth, but I waited many years, for I wished to attain the success I would require to support my wife in comfort and gentility. I have recently achieved that success.”

He turned and began to pace as he went on. “Upon accomplishing my pecuniary goals, I realised that it is now time for me to start a family with a genteel woman who will be an asset to me in all situations. I am charmed by your dowry and your little house in town, but I assure you, you will hardly need it, and may use it for your family’s care, should you wish to, and you may have all of the additional funds you require for that endeavour. You will be my sole heiress, even once our children are born. I will build a mansion with every comfort in the most fashionable area of town, and set up accounts for you at every merchant in London.”

“You assume too much sir, you must recall that I have given you no answer, nor have you asked a proper question.” Elizabeth finally fixed him with her gaze.

“What other answer can there be, but yes?” the man said arrogantly. “I think that I know you and your uncle well enough to know that you would not be embarrassed to marry a tradesman. You came here because you wanted to wed, I hardly think you will receive a better offer.”

“I truly hesitate to say something so hurtful, but you seem to have overlooked the fact that just because I came here with a wish to marry, does not mean that I will marry anyone who asks me, and it does not follow that I wish to marry you . I find you rather too sure of yourself.” Elizabeth tried to sound gentle. She had no desire to hurt the man. He was rather too certain of her acceptance, but she had no desire to mortify him.

Mr Cartwright’s face fell, “You are truly saying no? ”

“I am, but with all the goodwill in the world, sir.” Elizabeth smiled. “It is not too late for you to select another lady. What made you chuse me? Perhaps I can help you decide on someone equally as worthy.”

“No, it is no use.” Mr Cartwright turned away. “I liked you for your lively wit and happy nature. And your industriousness. You will make some man a superior wife someday. Your sisters are happy and industrious women, but not like you. Besides, Miss Bennet will probably marry that Bingley fellow, and Miss Mary is far too quiet and pious for me. I knew immediately that I did not wish to marry any of the other ladies as soon as I met them. I believe I will depart today. I do not feel equal to enjoying the rest of the party.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I felt that way within a few days of arriving. I have high hopes for my sisters, but I do not have any expectation of leaving here engaged,” Elizabeth replied. “If you will not remain, then you ought to lease the estate called Netherfield in my home village. You say you wish to marry and purchase an estate near town. Meryton is only four hours from London, and filled with genteel ladies of the unwed variety. The last family to lease the place, The Lockharts, met here at Ever After End, and have recently left for their new estate in Derbyshire.”

“Perhaps I will, Miss Elizabeth. That sounds like just what I should do! Filled with unwed genteel ladies, you say?” he asked.

“Unwed ladies are hanging from the rafters in Meryton, sir,” Elizabeth assured him. “Please tell them I sent you, and ask them to think kindly of me in the future.”

The morning after the popped corn battle of 1812, Darcy had broken his fast early, then spent the morning in his godmother’s study, reviewing the correspondence that he had received the day before. A number of younger sons who still lived with their families and worked as labourers on his estate were interested in taking on tenancies and starting families. They only lacked the funds for down-payments on their leases .

His godmother would not take a loan, but he had arranged for four young men from Pemberley to do so. He would loan them twenty-five pounds each, which they would use to pay their deposit for their new tenancies. They would pay him back half from their first harvest, and the rest from their second, with an option to extend the loans if there was hardship or loss of crops.

There were two other farmers who had left tenancies in other areas of the kingdom, who had excellent references and, according to those references, fine families. These men knew how to work the land, and could pay their own deposits. Darcy had offered them places at Ever After End.

The land surveyors were out working on the estate each day, and once their report was received, the six tenants creating trouble would be immediately evicted. Darcy had visited the magistrate and put all the pressure of his connections on the man, who had finally agreed to come out and do his job. The bailiffs were standing by, and once the farms were cleared of the former tenants, expresses would be sent to the new tenants, instructing them to come with haste.

When he finished his work for the morning, he left the study, hoping to find Miss Elizabeth in the garden, or perhaps preparing for an outing and shopping expedition in Shepton Mallet with the others. Perhaps he could persuade her to join him and his sister in their carriage.

He entered the hall downstairs and found a group outside his godmother’s morning room, that included his godmother. “What is happening?” he asked pleasantly.

“Cartwright is getting the mitten? 1 ,” Miss Dutton answered, perking her ear towards the open door.

“Getting the what?” Darcy asked. It almost seemed like Miss Dutton was speaking a completely different language that used all the same words as English, but the words had entirely different meanings when she used them.

“Miss Elizabeth is in receipt of our first proposal of the summer, I think,” Aunt Theodosia said excitedly.

“She doesn’t like him,” said Miss Dutton. “Elizabeth won’t accept a proposal from a man she don’t like.”

Darcy, unable to be present when the couple exited the room, fled the scene in the hopes that, if congratulations were in order, he could offer them later, when he was master of himself.

Darcy hoped each morning to run into Miss Elizabeth, but it seemed that no matter which of her favourite paths he checked, he never found her on any of them in the mornings, though he was certain that she still walked out. It had been a week since the night of the popped corn, of which he had been obliged to order a quantity for Pemberley by his sister.

He had decided the day that he felt he nearly lost her, when she could have been taken by Cartwright, that he wished to know her better. But he could never find her in the morning, and in the drawing rooms in the evening, she surrounded herself with the bevy of ladies that Darcy would rather face fire than brave. In the afternoons, she often chaperoned her sister, who eschewed many of the planned activities in favour of joining one of the gentlemen in a charitable endeavour at an orphanage an hour away in Bath.

Finally, after a whole week, favour smiled upon him. Having come across her finally on his morning ride, he was quick to dismount and approach her.

“Miss Elizabeth!” he exclaimed. “How fortunate I am to meet you here.”

“You are? Why?” Elizabeth asked in confusion, and looked at him with some hesitancy.

Darcy felt a pang of guilt at how badly he must have hurt her feelings with his unkind words the morning she had overheard him with Bingley. “Will you forgive me?” he asked.

“Forgive you?” she echoed in bewilderment. “For what? ”

“I cannot help but regret my cruel and untrue words the last time we met outdoors, Miss Elizabeth. The entire week that you remained in your rooms was torment to me. I would do anything to take back what I said,” Darcy answered sincerely.

Elizabeth stared at him for a moment before laughter bubbled up inside her, and she said, “Oh, you silly man! Did you believe I hid in my room for a week only because of your terrible blunder?”

“Did you not?” Darcy asked.

Elizabeth glared at him. “I will not lie and say that your words did not hurt me, Mr Darcy, but not everything has to do with you!”

“I-I beg your pardon,” said Darcy, cheeks flaming.

“In addition to your cruelty, I received some correspondence later that day which distressed me,” said Elizabeth.

“What was it?” asked Darcy, unthinking.

“I beg your pardon?” Elizabeth responded in amazement.

“I am sorry. I did not come here expecting this to happen, and I have reacted to it rather poorly.” Darcy scratched his head.

“Mr Darcy, you are not making any sense,” Elizabeth said in confusion. “What did you not expect to happen?”

Darcy hesitated, and then blurted out, “I did not expect that when I came to my godmother’s house party, that I would meet the most beautiful woman, with the finest eyes I have ever seen. I did not think I would meet someone that I would want to know, and I did not expect to find someone I might spend my life with. It was a shocking experience, and again, I reacted poorly to the revelation. My surprise caused me to insult you, which is the last thing in the world that I meant. Will you forgive me?”

“Oh,” Elizabeth said in shock. Whatever he might say, she had not expected him to say that . “I suppose it would be churlish of me to refuse.”

“Churlish is the word for my behaviour, and I regret it most profoundly. I now wish to acknowledge that I am interested in you, Miss Elizabeth, and whatever other shenanigans are in the air at Ever After End, I would like to court you properly.”

“Your behaviour is improving by leaps and bounds,” Elizabeth acknowledged. “I agree that it would be nice to get to know you better.”

“You are a careful woman. An intelligent and prudent one in addition to being beautiful and kind. I admire that about you.”

“Thank you,” Elizabeth said as she finally took his arm and he joined her on the path.

“So will you tell me?” he asked as they walked with his stallion following behind.

“Tell you what?” she asked, her mind rather unfocused from the surprise of his apology and subsequent request.

“Will you tell me about the correspondence that upset you.” He smiled down at her.

“Oh,” Elizabeth said, wishing that she could forget about it. But they had agreed to get to know each other, and so the story tumbled out, about the lottery, and Charlotte’s defection, and John Lucas asking her to marry him after her being right under his nose her whole life, and his father, Sir William of all people, asking for money to educate Henry Lucas, and how Charlotte and all of her old friends had turned against her, and told terrible lies about her, and how her oldest friend had compromised Elizabeth’s poor cousin before the entail was ended, and that now she wished for Elizabeth to forgive her and visit Kent when her lark in Somerset was over.

“She does not ask for much, does she?” Darcy said in amazement. “What will you do?”

“I suppose that when I return unwed, I will eventually visit my cousin in Hunsford, and begin the journey of healing with my old friend. My cousin was so distressed at the thought that his wife might estrange him from his family.”

“You are too good. I hope your family and friends give you credit for it.” Darcy thought intently for a moment. “Did you say Hunsford? Is your cousin’s patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh?”

“The very same.” Elizabeth laughed. “Do you know her?”

“Know her?” Darcy tightened his hand on hers and said, “Do not run away, but if our courtship reaches its natural conclusion, she will be your aunt one day. ”

“Oh! However will I pass muster with such a woman?” Elizabeth said in dismay.

“I have no idea, no one has ever accomplished it,” Darcy said in laughter. “She will be displeased if I marry anyone but her daughter, and I have no intention of doing that, so pleasing her is impossible anyway, I assure you.”

“That does not comfort me very much,” Elizabeth observed.

“No, but this might,” Darcy said wickedly. “If, as I stated before, our courtship meets with success, when you visit Hunsford, you will not be obliged to accept Mrs Collins’s hospitality. You will be staying at Rosings.”

“My cousin will perish from the excitement,” Elizabeth giggled, getting into the spirit of their light flirtation.

“Was that all?” Darcy asked.

“Was what all?” Elizabeth repeated.

“Is that all that upset you?”

“Was it not enough?” she asked.

“Of course it was, but if there was anything else that I could ease your mind about…” Darcy insisted.

Elizabeth glared up at him for a moment. “I was still angry about your friend, I am still upset about Mr Bingley. Jane, for the first time ever, would not hear me. She said she already knew; that he had confessed his inconsistency to her! I could not bear to watch her accept his suit, knowing that in a few week’s time, she will likely be pining for him.”

“I confess that I was at first displeased with Bingley for pursuing your sister, particularly here at my aunt’s home, but he has taken umbrage at my belief in his fickleness. He has gone a long way since that morning to convince me that his interest in Miss Bennet is sincere.” Darcy thought for a moment as they walked before continuing, “Miss Elizabeth, it is perhaps possible that I was unjust to Bingley when we first arrived here and I accused him of wasting your sister’s time. He has matured greatly in the last year. He handled himself well at his leased estate, both in the management, and in some difficult interactions with the locals. He has also admitted to me several times in recent months that he is ready to settle down, and tired of the endless debutantes of London. I believe his interest in Miss Bennet is sincere.”

“And what will happen if it is not?” Elizabeth asked.

“For as much expectation as he has already created, if he raises your sister’s hopes and disappoints her, I shall call him out myself,” Darcy promised.

“Good,” Elizabeth giggled.

“I had no idea you were so bloodthirsty,” he said.

“I am when it comes to my sisters.” She paused as they walked. “He was drunk that night with the popped corn, does he always do that?”

“I was actually surprised to see him in such a state, because he does not usually imbibe so much,” Darcy informed her. “Then again, I deprived him of his favourite companion, myself, because I have been annoyed with him for throwing off my aunt’s numbers. He understandably spent more time with the other men, but I do not think he has been in the habit of drinking so much since we arrived. He is not a habitual drunkard, if that worries you. Many men slightly overindulge with their friends infrequently, without it becoming a habit or a problem. Bingley does not abandon his sobriety often, I assure you.”

Elizabeth was quiet at this, thinking intently as they returned to the manor, and hoping Mr Darcy was correct about the man pursuing her sister, even if Jane was unconcerned herself.

A half hour after the two of them returned to the house, Darcy found his Aunt Theodosia and presented her with a bank draft for fifty pounds. Theodosia descended into hilarity when she realised what her godson had just handed to her.

“Not a single word, Aunt Theodosia!” he barked as he left the room.

“What on earth was that about?” asked Georgiana in indignation for her brother’s address .

“A private joke, darling,” Mrs Darlington assured her as she wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes and tore the bank draft into pieces.

She handed them back to Darcy some hours later when she encountered him in the hall. “You have a family discount? 2 , darling,” she laughed.

1 ? 19th century American slang for a rejected proposal.

2 ? Discount has been in use as “deduction in price” since 1630.