Page 15 of Sketching Mr. Darcy
O nce in the library, Elizabeth was invited by her father to sit. Darcy was standing in front of the window, watching her with an impenetrable look.
“Lizzy, I asked you to come here because there is a matter of a great importance that we need to discuss with you. In fact, it is the matter that brought Mr Darcy here today.”
“What is it, Papa? Is someone ill? You look so grave. You give me a fright.” She attempted a joke, but her father did not return her smile.
“Mr Darcy will tell you everything, my child. No, nobody is ill, but it is quite grave, I might say. Lizzy, I will be next door in my study, as I want you to speak to Mr Darcy alone. Please listen to him with patience and composure. I do understand and agree with Mr Darcy’s point of view, but your decision is all that matters.
I shall never force you against your will. ”
“Papa, now you truly frighten me. Force me to do what? Please, tell me what is happening.”
“In a moment, dearest,” Mr Bennet said and kissed his daughter’s forehead before leaving. Elizabeth looked after him in disbelief. She had never seen her father in such a state before.
She turned towards Darcy, hoping to see something in his face but with little success. Suddenly, she knew what to say first to break the tension.
“Mr Darcy, I am at a loss to understand my father’s words, and I confess the reason of your visit is a little frightening. But I am happy to see you nevertheless, sir, as I have long been desirous to thank you for your generous involvement in saving my life. My gratitude—”
“Miss Bennet, please do not speak of gratitude. I am afraid you will not think so highly of my intervention once I tell you the reason for my present visit. This unfortunately is due to a situation that might rather be called unpleasant at the very least.”
“I am very sorry to hear that, sir, though I doubt anything might change my opinion in this matter. What has happened, sir? Is it about Mr Bingley? Has anything happened to him?”
“Mr Bingley? No, no…he is reasonably well. He is spending the month with some friends in the country as I already told Mrs Bennet.”
“Oh, yes, you did mention that, and it is quite surprising. Miss Bingley informed my sister that Mr Bingley— Forgive me sir, I distracted myself. You were speaking of an unpleasant situation… Is your family in good health? Miss Darcy…?”
“Georgiana is very well, thank you. She is in Town, spending most of her time with her companion and with Lady Matlock, our aunt. She enjoys Christmastime very much.”
Elizabeth looked at him with a smile as she briefly considered how easily Miss Bingley’s mischievous lies had been exposed.
Mr Darcy seemed worried and embarrassed, and Elizabeth wondered at the reason for this extraordinary visit that troubled her father so.
In what possible way might she help him alleviate an unpleasant situation ?
He spoke further.
“I cannot apologise enough for my lack of wisdom, which is wholly responsible for these unfortunate developments. Had I been able to anticipate the associated risks—with what at the time appeared to be a simple situation to be taken care of immediately—I would not have been so hasty in making a reckless decision. I can only apologise, and I hope that…”
“Forgive me for interrupting you, but you seem to be apologising to me, and for the life of me, I cannot understand why. You must allow me to thank you for your kindness and generosity for not only bringing me home but also sending Dr. Taylor all the way from London. I truly believe that, without your intervention, I might have been in great danger.”
“Dr. Taylor is an excellent physician, and I am glad his presence helped you, but please do not make yourself uneasy. He is a doctor, so that is what he should do.”
“Only if you asked him to,” she said, smiling with genuine gratitude. “You cannot deny that you have done it, nor can you stop me from thanking you.”
“No, I cannot deny it, and this was an even greater mistake, but at the time I believed that your safety was more important than other considerations.”
Elizabeth paled. “What do you mean a mistake , sir?”
“I am ashamed that I have to relate such things, but I have been informed of some malicious rumours caused by your accident and by Dr. Taylor’s presence at Longbourn.
Reports of a disturbing nature, which have already reached Town, seem likely to soon harm our reputations, and our peace.
I was shocked when I heard of it. I do not recall our family ever having been subject to such rumours before. ”
She paled, and her hands shook as cold shivers travelled along her spine and embarrassment combined with shame drained the blood from her face.
“Mr Darcy, I… I never heard anything about such rumours. How is that possible?”
A moment later, she was silenced by a horrible realization.
“Sir, I have no words to apologise. I know my younger sisters are not the image of discretion or decorum, nor are my mother and my Aunt Philips. But I am certain they never meant anything harmful. Please allow me to speak to my father and see what can be done. I am deeply ashamed and pained that your generosity brought distress to your family, and I feel guilty that your kindness harmed your reputation and your tranquillity rather than being rewarded by general acknowledgement.”
“I do not believe your family is to blame for the rumours—at least not for those I heard. The tale was started and spread by someone familiar with your family but also with connections and some influence in London. And it is not just the reputation and peace of my family that I worry about, but also of yours.”
“Oh…” she whispered. They looked at each other for several moments. His countenance was stern, and she felt her cheeks burning.
“Sir, do not fear for my family. We are rarely in Town, and even when we are, so few people know us that our reputation cannot be affected. As for here in Meryton, everyone knows the truth. But do you have anyone in mind, sir? I cannot imagine that someone who was a familiar presence in Hertfordshire and also in London would want to harm your reputation,” she said with Miss Bingley’s image clearly in mind. Who else could it have been?
“I do have someone in mind, but it is difficult to put the blame on someone without clear proofs. Besides, the harm is already done, and I see only one way to repair the damage I created. I have spoken to Mr Bennet, and he agreed with me, but he warned me that he has no intention of forcing your will in any way.”
She looked puzzled. “Yes, he just said that. Forcing my will, sir? In what way?”
“Miss Bennet, I am certain this is not the way you imagined such a situation to occur, and please believe me that it is an equally great shock to me that I am doing this, but I have given it much consideration. I see no other way of solving the problem, and I cannot allow it to persist. I cannot expose my sister and myself to the gossip of the town. And of course, I cannot allow it to affect your reputation and your future, considering that you have done nothing wrong. We must find a way to protect our families through an arrangement that, in the end, might turn out to be to the advantage of both. Miss Bennet, would you do me the honour of marrying me—of becoming my wife?”
She stared at him in complete shock, seeking some sign of amusement, while she stopped breathing and her heart skipped several beats. Surely, he was joking.
“Marry you, sir? Do you not believe that would be too much punishment for Miss Bingley if she is the source of these rumours? She might die from the shock!” She laughed, but his countenance became sterner, and the colour left his face.
“Forgive me, Miss Bennet, but I fail to understand your amusement in this situation…”
“I am deeply sorry, sir, but I could not imagine that you truly intend to marry me because of a few rumours. Surely, you must see that such a thing would harm both of us much more than some idle reports and affect our futures in even more dramatic ways.”
“And may I ask in what way becoming my wife would harm you? How would a marriage with me affect your family more dramatically than the prospect of having your reputations ruined? Is your opinion of me so poor that you can see nothing worse than marrying me?”
He spoke in haste, watching her with obvious disbelief, which proved that he had not expected her answer. She could not remember exactly what she had just said, but she was certain that her answer was the only reasonable one.
What is he thinking? So he heard some rumours that affected his family and decided that the only way of putting an end to them was to marry me, to protect his pride and his good name.
What kind of rumour might it be to induce him to endure all of my and my family’s faults and marry me?
What on earth can be behind all this? And what kind of marriage does he imagine it will lead to?
But does that really matter, after all ?
She breathed deeply and took time to reply.
There was Mr Darcy, proposing to her, waiting for her answer.
Here was the opportunity to marry a man who would be able to support her family in times of need, the opportunity to join one of the most illustrious families in the country, the opportunity to place Jane in Mr Bingley’s path again in the future and save her sister from the danger of accepting a marriage proposal from a man who would make her unhappy, just to save their family.
And all these good things just by accepting that she enter into the most astonishing arrangement ever.