Page 39 of Five Gentlemen at Netherfield (Pride and Prejudice Variations)

Darcy took a moment to enjoy the feeling of that slender gloved hand on his arm.

If he had his way, he would be able to relish that very sensation every day for the rest of his life.

Even now, his heart was urging him to turn to Miss Bennet, to declare his love for her and urge her to accept his hand and name, to become mistress of his home.

But he would and could not honorably do so.

Miss Bennet was exhausted and needed gentle care and loving support, long leisurely days and good books and beautiful views and plenty of good food.

It was his privilege to provide all of these for her for the next few weeks.

Should his impatience rise again, he could assuage it with the knowledge that he was wooing her by proving how he would care for and provide for her and their hypothetical children.

In the meantime, they would wander the gardens of Pemberley and enjoy the sights and scents of the profusion of flowers abundant at this time of year.

A stream burbled across the grounds, and they crossed the bridge, their shoes echoing hollowly as they stepped over the wood, and back onto the gravel on the other side.

They had been walking for perhaps ten minutes when Miss Bennet slowed to a stop, looking around with admiring eyes.

“You have a lovely home and property, Mr. Darcy,” she said.

“Thank you,” he replied and then did not know how to continue. He did not wish to speak of trivial matters, but neither did he wish to distress her by asking difficult questions about her father and home.

“How are you really doing, Miss Bennet?” he asked tentatively.

She smiled wearily. “I am tired, sir, very tired.”

“You look tired,” he replied and winced. That was not a courteous thing to say about a lady, not at all.

“I know,” she agreed with an understanding nod. She looked around and then gestured with her free arm toward a glade some distance away, where a riot of bluebells was painting the ground.

“Might we walk over there?” she asked.

“Of course.”

They walked in silence until they reached the clearing, and then Miss Bennet halted and said, rather abruptly, “I know that you lost your father some years ago. Did he die suddenly, or was it a long decline?”

He looked down on her. “He was quite ill for two years before his death.”

She turned to look at him now, her dark eyes solemn. “So you have some understanding of my circumstances. I assume you were forced to take control of Pemberley, which is far larger than Longbourn. It must have been difficult.”

He blew out a breath and said, “Yes, it was difficult, but the circumstances were very different from the situation with your father and estate. I had been trained from my youth to be master of the estate, so when my father fell ill, I was already familiar with my duties and had a very competent steward to assist me. More than that, I was not required to keep watch over Mr. Darcy, who had several loyal servants to care for him. He also…”

He trailed off, took a deep breath, and then continued, “George Wickham was living with his father, the steward of Pemberley, and he spent many hours with my father. Mr. Darcy thought a great deal of him, and Wickham was always charming and cheerful and able to lift his spirits. I disliked Wickham profoundly because of what I had seen him become, but I hid my feelings on that matter from my father. He was sickly, and weak, and often frustrated, and he found pleasure in Wickham’s company. ”

“I imagine that was difficult, to know that your father loved and trusted a man who was a rogue. But I confess to some envy as well, because my father…”

She turned away and gulped, and when she turned back, her eyes were brimming with tears.

“I feel guilty being away,” she said unsteadily. “I have always been my father’s favorite daughter, and now when he is so ill, and he wants me to spend time with him, I have run away.”

Darcy did not know how to reply. He understood that she was exhausted and had been carrying far too heavy a burden at Longbourn, but he also understood love and loyalty for family. Indeed, it was just one of the reasons he adored her.

“I am sorry,” she said, pulling a handkerchief from her sleeve and wiping her eyes.

“I know that it was the right decision to come here. I love my parents very much, but realistically they are both selfish creatures, and I am worn to the bone. My sisters and the newly hired steward and our governess and our servants will care for my father and mother, and I need time to recover. Of course, I realize that you and I….”

She trailed off again, and he reached out to take her gloved hands in his own. “Miss Bennet, I invited you here so that we can deepen our relationship and decide whether we are compatible for marriage. But I also urge you to rest. Do not force yourself to rise early or stay up late, I beg you.”

She smiled at him, and even in her obvious fatigue, she was so incredibly beautiful.

“Thank you,” she said simply. “That is very kind.”