Page 55 of Hidden Desires
He paused, his gaze dropping to his hands, which were clasped so tight the skin was white. With a great breath, he raised his eyes to Bennet’s. “With your permission, I would like to pursue a closer acquaintance with her.”
Bennet smiled. Though Darcy had never spoken so plainly, the regard he now expressed for Elizabeth came as no surprise. He had seen the change in the man’s manner as events unfolded, from polite but distant, to close attention to her every word and gesture.
“You have my permission, though whether she welcomes your efforts is her decision. I have no control over her feelings. She is a strong-willed child, and I value both her judgment and her resolve.
“Let me caution you that your handsome face and fortune carry no weight with her. If you hope to win her, artifice of any kind will drive her away.”
“In my view, those are her most appealing qualities,” Darcy replied. “If I wanted a weak-willed, submissive woman, I would have no trouble finding one in London.
“Women of that sort have never appealed to me. They are, without exception, shallow and mean-spirited, always thinking of themselves or the fortune they hope to attract. Miss Elizabeth is nothing like them. That, more than anything, drew me to her.”
“Well, I wish you luck,” Bennet said. “If you want to see her now, she is in the sitting room with her mother and Jane. I will go with you to smooth your way with Mrs. Bennet. In an unguarded moment, I told her of your role in this unfortunate business, so she is beside herself with gratitude and warm wishes for you and your sister.”
Rising from his chair, Bennet led Darcy down the hall to the sitting room, where Mrs. Bennet sat beside a small table, a skein of wool at her feet as she focused on her knitting. Jane and Elizabeth sat on either side, each occupied with their own task.
“Mrs. Bennet,” he said as they entered, “may I present Mr. Darcy, the gentleman who proved so helpful yesterday. Mr. Darcy, my wife, Mrs. Bennet.”
The woman’s hands stilled at once. She set the knitting in her lap and opened her mouth to speak, though her words tumbled over each other in her haste to get them out.
“Mr. Darcy, it is so nice to make your acquaintance at last. I have insisted every day since your arrival that Mr. Bennet bring you to meet his family, and every day I was disappointed.
“But now, to meet the man who brought my Mary back to me, and her suitor as well, is such a blessing!”
“I did what I felt was correct.” Darcy shifted his feet, his discomfort at the praise clear to all but Mrs. Bennet.
“Will you stay for supper?” she asked. “We have plenty, and if not, the cook can make additional. It would give me immense pleasure to get to know you better.”
“Please accept my apologies, but I cannot, as Georgiana is waiting for me. I would be honored to accept your invitation for another day if that is acceptable.”
“Then we will do just that,” she said, trying without success to hide her disappointment. “Mr. Bennet can work with you to agree on a day, and we will include your lovely sister in the invitation.”
“I am sure Georgiana would love to dine with you,” he said before turning his attention to Elizabeth, who had been watching the proceedings with a certain amount of amusement.
“Miss Elizabeth, might I speak with you in the garden? I promise not to keep you long.”
With a curious glance toward her father, Elizabeth rose and led him from the room to a bench beneath the trees.
“First, I want to thank you for your friendship with Georgiana and what you did for her in Meryton,” he said, once they were seated. “You acted out of genuine concern. She said that had you not removed her from Wickham and brought her here, she might have done something foolish.”
“My help was nothing remarkable,” Elizabeth said, shaking her head. “I saw a friend in distress and responded as anyone would. My choices were all I could think of doing at the time. I would have done the same for my sisters.”
She rose as she spoke, but Darcy’s voice stopped her.
“Please, do not go,” he said. “I am grateful for the kindness you showed from the beginning. You took in a wounded girl, who was hurt and frightened, and made her feel safe. Your attention gave her a reason to look forward to each day.
“In you, she found someone she could trust, someone who treated her without pity or pretense. You were the companion she needed, and I will always be thankful.”
“She has become a close friend,” Elizabeth said. “Someone I can talk to and enjoy the company of. I could not ask for better.”
Darcy cleared his throat and tugged at his collar. His eyes darted about, flitting from Elizabeth to the flowers beside her, and from there to the trees surrounding them before coming back to her.
“I find myself looking forward to each visit here, even if I see you only for a moment,” he said, a delightful shade of pink coloring his neck.
“There is something in your manner I find refreshing, an honesty and ease that is difficult to find. You are unlike anyone I have met. If you are willing, I would like to explore the possibility of something more than friendship.”
Elizabeth looked down, her voice quiet. “I hoped you would not leave Netherfield because of what happened to Georgiana. But once you returned there, I feared you might decide not to come back.”
She drew a breath and met his gaze. “I needed to think about everything that has changed since your arrival and hoped to speak with you before you left, but feared I might not get the chance.”
Darcy said nothing, but his eyes widened, inviting her to continue.
“I also worry about Mr. Bingley,” she said. “He is trying very hard, but is unfamiliar with managing an estate. Without your guidance, I fear he may rely too much on his sisters and, though it is not my business to say, I do not believe they always have his best interests at heart.”
“My father taught me well,” Darcy said. “Much of what I know came from him. Pemberley is larger than Netherfield, but the same principles apply.”
Elizabeth gave a small smile. “I was wrong about you. Your character was not what I believed it to be, so I passed judgment before I had reason. If I gave offense, I hope you can forgive me.”
“You gave none,” Darcy said. “And you were not the only one forming opinions. I might have done better to correct your impressions sooner, but I valued our early conversations more than you may have guessed.”
“I think I should like to know you better,” Elizabeth said. “But you should speak with my father before going any further. He may take exception to your addressing me first.”
“I already have,” Darcy said, a rakish grin stretching his lips. “Only a fool would dare pursue his favorite daughter without permission.”
“A wise choice,” she said, and laughed.
“But I must warn you. My aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, has strong opinions about my future. She believes I am to marry her daughter, Anne, and will do whatever she can to make it happen. Neither of us has any desire for such a match, but she will not take the rejection well.”
“Now is not the time to worry about that,” Elizabeth said. “We are only beginning to see if we suit. If trouble comes, we can meet it then.”
Darcy tilted his head and smiled. “I suspect you will have little difficulty managing her.”
“May I tell Jane? We have always been close, and I would rather not keep this from her.”
“The news might not surprise her,” Darcy said. “Though, from what I have seen, your sister is often too absorbed in Bingley to notice anything else.”
“I hope you are right. Jane thinks highly of him, and I believe her feelings grow stronger with each visit. If he were to withdraw his affection, I think it would break her heart.”
“Your sister has no cause for concern,” Darcy said, giving his head a firm shake. “She is never far from Bingley’s thoughts. If not for the work at Netherfield, I suspect he would have approached your father already.”
“It is a shame we could not keep our supper appointment at Netherfield. I know Mr. Bingley was looking forward to the evening and must have been disappointed.”
“He understood the reason,” Darcy said, “but he plans to extend the invitation again.”
“I hope he does. My father would be pleased to receive another. He has grown quite fond of Mr. Bingley.”
“I’ll be sure to tell him,” Darcy said. “I should leave you now. Georgiana is waiting and must be wondering what is keeping me. May I return tomorrow? With Georgiana, of course. She is going to demand I let her come.”
“And I look forward to seeing her,” Elizabeth said and laughed at the look she received.
Darcy bowed before turning back toward the house. Elizabeth followed a few steps behind, her thoughts tangled but warm.