Page 21 of Mr Darcy’s Worth: Three Pride and Prejudice Variations

He looked out of the window, ready to scold the coachman for not paying attention. Instantly, he forgot to breathe, and his heart forgot to beat when his gaze was immediately drawn towards a pair of fine eyes, shining in a beautiful face, red from the exercise.

A most enchanting smile twisted her lips, and she whispered with apparent surprise, “Mr. Darcy!”

“Miss Bennet!”

He jumped from the carriage, and she took a step back, as though putting some distance between them, but her smile remained, on her lips and in her eyes.

“We expected you today, sir. I mean, Mr. Bingley expected you. And my father… I am happy you arrived safely.”

“I am happy to be here, Miss Bennet. And I am happy that I met you.”

“Oh… I took a brief walk…”

“Yes, I know you enjoy walking. Will you return home now?”

“Yes…”

“Would you like to take the carriage?”

“No, I would rather not…I mean…I would rather walk. The weather is so lovely, and nature is so pretty with all the autumn colours.”

She looked flushed and somehow uneasy, and he assumed he looked no different.

“Very pretty indeed,” he said, glancing around.

“Pemberley must be beautiful at this time of year.”

“It is, I remember it from my childhood. Sadly, I am rarely there in this season.”

“Oh… Is Miss Darcy in good health?”

“She is. She is in London with…her companion.” He was about to mention Anne but chose not to open the matter of his family issues so soon.

A little pause made them aware that they were standing still, facing each other, with the carriage waiting nearby.

“Miss Bennet, if I am not intruding, would you mind if I walked with you to Longbourn? I can send the carriage ahead while I benefit from a little exercise. If you do not mind…” he repeated, his eyes meeting hers briefly.

“I do not mind at all, Mr. Darcy. Quite the opposite, I would say.”

Walking side by side with Elizabeth towards Longbourn was thrilling and enchanting but also slightly embarrassing. Neither of them was at ease, and he hoped her nervousness was of the same nature as his.

After a few minutes, she stopped and turned to face him.

“Mr. Darcy, I have planned many times how to secure a few moments alone with you, and I cannot miss this chance. Please allow me to thank you for your extraordinary generosity to my sister Lydia…”

She spoke animatedly; she was agitated and flushed, and he found himself wishing to remove her bonnet and touch a curl of hair that was dancing on her neck.

To suppress the gesture, he placed his hand on her arm, grasping it gently to make her stop.

“Miss Bennet, please stop! Please! I am already upset with Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner for telling you. The last words in the world I want to hear on your lips are those of thanks and gratitude.”

“Oh…” She stopped, either because of his grasp or because she remembered her words when she rejected him.

“Please do not be upset with my uncle and aunt,” she said. “I wished to know…I needed to know…and I wondered why…”

“You wondered why?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “I could not imagine why you would bestow such profound kindness on a girl who was a stranger to you.”

“Truly? I was hoping that, since you discovered the secret, you had guessed why I did it, Miss Bennet. I selfishly did it for someone who was not at all a stranger to me…”

“Oh…”

“I hope you do not feel uncomfortable. Please know I do not wish to embarrass you and even less to force your gratitude.”

“I do feel uncomfortable because I am ashamed for all the trouble you went to on my family’s behalf. As for my gratitude, it is not forced but well deserved.”

“Could we please not mention it again? Or at least not before I have the chance to apologise for my aunt’s visit.”

“Could we not mention your aunt’s visit again?” she repeated, and he smiled, while she gave a nervous laugh. “You already apologised for it in your letter to my father.”

“My aunt’s actions deserve more than one apology.”

“I believe you have apologised twice,” she said, and he laughed. “Have you spoken to Lady Catherine since?” she continued.

“I have. More times I wished.”

“Oh…I assumed as much. She mentioned she would speak to you…”

“Unfortunately, she did.”

“The conversation was not too unpleasant, I hope?”

“It was. More than unpleasant.”

“May I ask why?”

“You may, but the narration would last too long, longer than a short walk to Longbourn. To explain all the details, we would need more time.”

Their eyes met again, and she said, “I enjoy walking every morning. I usually take a long walk towards Oakham Mount. It is an hour’s walk from Longbourn, at least.”

She had offered him a chance, and he took it.

“An hour would be ample time to impart all the details,” he said.

“Will you come in?” she asked when Longbourn appeared in sight.

“I would like to enter and greet your family if I am not intruding.”

“Not at all, Mr. Darcy. My father is rather anxious to see you. He would be happy to receive you.”

“And I would be happy to meet him,” Darcy replied as he accepted the invitation and followed Elizabeth into the house.