Chapter 5
Darcy sat in the library of his townhouse, the
book he had been reading forgotten on lap, his eyes fixed on the hearth, mind
reflecting on his first meeting with Elizabeth
after their engagement. Undoubtedly, his trip to Longbourn had a much better
outcome than he had expected. Elizabeth
might not have shown herself completely content with his presence upon his
arrival but her attitude towards him had softened considerably in those three
days they remained in each other’s company. Though perhaps not at the
speed he would have wished, Darcy felt that they were making some progress.
That this journey to obtain Elizabeth’s
love would be a lot smoother and swifter than he had first imagined he had no
doubt. The only inconvenience he feared might ruin this swift progress was the
presence of her family around them, even though in this visit they had been
kind enough to spare him from their repulsive company several hours a day.
But all this would come to an end after the
wedding. Elizabeth
would be removed from Longbourn to his townhouse and there would be no more
Mrs. and Miss Bennets to endure. Once they became husband and wife, Elizabeth would be freed
from their undesired influence and she would be able to concentrate her
attention on him.
Yes, we shall be very happy. Darcy let out a
sigh of contentment. Very happy indeed.
“Brother?” Georgiana asked softly
from the door. “You have been so quiet since your return ... is anything
the matter?”
Darcy extended his hand, inviting her to join
him. “Come here, my dear, I have something to tell
you.”
Georgiana sat on the armchair opposite his.
“Forgive me if I’ve been distant
lately,” he reckoned.
Miss Darcy knew her brother was the owner of a
taciturn disposition, yet these past days he had grown uncommonly quiet.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Darcy was not sure of how his sister would take
the news so he chose a direct approach. “Georgiana, I am engaged to be
married.”
“Engaged? Engaged to whom?” The
girl was all astonishment. Her brother had not yet expressed to have taken
interest in any lady of their acquaintance and she could not fathom who the
recipient of that honour might be. The first two possible names that came to
her mind were not of her liking and for a moment she feared for her
brother’s happiness.
“You are not marrying Anne, are
you?”
Darcy chuckled at his sister’s
expression. Georgiana tended to knit her brows in a most adorable manner when
concerned. “No, dearest, I am not marrying Anne, or Caroline Bingley, if
that is what you fear.”
Georgiana exhaled in relief. “Thank
Heavens!”
“I met this charming young lady during my
stay in Hertfordshire,” Darcy elaborated. “Her name is Miss Elizabeth
Bennet.”
“Oh, yes, I do recall you writing about a
certain Miss Bennet while you were staying at Netherfield. She was ill and her
sister nursed her. You never mentioned her again so I did not think that she
had made any impression on you.”
“Miss Jane Bennet stayed at Netherfield
for a few days because of a cold but it was Miss Elizabeth who looked after
her.” Darcy preferred not to acquaint his sister with the undesirable
facts that had led to his engagement. He proceeded with his narration,
noticing that Georgiana was all excitement about this tale. “Miss Elizabeth’s kindness
towards her sister and other attributes that she possesses convinced me that
she will make a most suitable wife.”
“Do you love her?” Georgiana
enquired, still preoccupied about her brother’s happiness.
Darcy carefully chose his next words. He could
not disappoint her innocent soul. “Dearest, my feelings for Miss
Elizabeth are beyond everything that I have ever felt before.”
Incurably romantic at her sixteen years of age,
Georgiana sighed dreamily. “Oh, William! This is wonderful! When shall I
meet her? Can I accompany you to Hertfordshire on your next visit and make her
acquaintance?”
“My dear, that is also my fondest wish,
but I fear this meeting would have to wait until after the
ceremony.”
“So I won’t be able to attend your
wedding?”
“No, darling. You must return to
school.”
Though disappointed, the submissive and well
bred girl would never challenge her brother’s designs. She recovered
quickly and looked at Darcy with renewed adoration. “Thank you, brother;
I have always wanted a sister. I shall be counting the days until I finally
meet her.”
Darcy smiled to his sister. “She is also
desirous to meet you as well, she even expressed that herself. I am most
certain that you will become close friends once you finally become
acquainted. Now, why don’t you play something for me? I have not heard
you in a long time. That song I heard you practicing this morning sounded very
well.”
Georgiana’s countenance brightened up and
she rushed to the pianoforte. As he observed her, Darcy reflected on how much
she had grown in these past two years. His little girl was not so little
anymore. One day he was sending this angelic creature to school and the next summer
he received back a young woman blossoming with feminine beauty. The changes had
occurred so quickly that they had taken him completely unprepared.
Having become an orphan at a young age and
always living in the country and later at the university, Darcy’s
experience with the opposite sex was scarce to say the least. Though not
physically innocent, he was perfectly aware of the difference between one night
of pleasure and understanding women’s emotions. His sister was a young
woman now, ready to face this world of rules and etiquette. It was perfectly
clear to Darcy that she needed another of her kind to confide in, to look up
to, and he wagered Miss Elizabeth would be the perfect person to fulfil that
role. But, of course, things were never that easy. While Elizabeth represented the epitome of good
behaviour to follow, her sisters exemplified exactly the opposite. Jane,
however, was the exception, but Kitty and Lydia’s wildness was
something to which Darcy would never expose his dear sister.
No, Georgiana would not meet his bride till
after his wedding, when he would be at leisure to superintendent their
friendship. Once Elizabeth
was fully under his care and supervision, then everything would be right in his
world.
Before Elizabeth
could realize it, Christmas has passed and New Year was upon her. Family
commitments forced the engaged couple to spend the Nativity celebrations at
their respective homes so their communications were limited to a few, brief
letters with inconsequent content. Darcy remained in London
where his closest acquaintances and relations were gathered for the Season and Elizabeth was at
Longbourn, celebrating what she thought would be her last Holidays in the
company of her dear ones.
Elizabeth tried her best to
be more considerate with her fiancée when Darcy returned for his next visit,
two days after Christmas. The weather was getting very cold so the couple was
forced to stay indoors most of the time. In a crowded house, there were little
chances that Elizabeth
would be left alone with the gentleman, so she rejoiced her self in that
happenstance. But, on the other hand, the constant presence of her relatives
around him exposed her fiancée to the rest of the Bennet clan for the majority
of the day.
This meant that Mr. Darcy was present for each
of Mrs. Bennet’s outbursts, witnessed every silly discussion between
Kitty and Lydia
and listened to every ill played song that Mary practiced at the piano forte.
And in each one of those embarrassing situations, Elizabeth had the chance to witness his
reaction. She did not like what she saw. While she never heard him say anything
against her family, in more than one occasion she had spied him rolling his
eyes at Mrs. Bennet’s silly remarks or smirk at her father’s cynic
–and at times inappropriate-- comments about his own wife. Elizabeth knew that her
mother’s behaviour was at time downright uncivil but it bothered her to
an extreme that Mr Darcy would make so evident his disdain for a family that
soon would become his own.
However, rain and cold weather could not
protect her from her dull lover for ever. For on Darcy’s second afternoon
at Longbourn, with everyone busy with their daily chores, the young couple was
left on their own in the silence of the drawing room. The task of making
conversation, as always, was left to Elizabeth.
She enquired about London,
subject to which Darcy responded briefly and then she asked about
Pemberley’s vast collection of books, obtaining a polite but even shorter
reply.
“How does your sister, Mr. Darcy?” Elizabeth made one last
attempt at civil conversation.
“I left her in perfect health, I thank
you.”
“Did she spend Christmas with you?”
“Yes, she did. She sends you her best
wishes for the Holidays.”
“I thank you. Pray, send her my warmest
salutations.” Elizabeth
replied courteously. “Will she accompany you on your next
visit?”
“I am afraid she will not. She is very
busy with her lessons and I would not want her distracted from them.”
Darcy replied with an easy smile.
“I hope the wedding does not interfere
with her progress.”
“It will not, I grant you. She’ll
remain at school until after the ceremony.”
Elizabeth just stared at him
for nearly a minute, stunned that her fiancée thought that some etiquette
lessons and musical tuition were more important than their wedding. She was clearly disturbed by this last
intelligence. Having nothing else to say and becoming increasingly vexed with
his aloofness, she concentrated on her needlework and left the gentleman the
trouble of finding a subject about which they could converse.
Several minutes later, Darcy stated in a casual
voice, “This is a very comfortable house.”
“Indeed it is,” Elizabeth replied while embroidering.
“I suppose that this must be a most inconvenient
sitting room for the evening, in the summer;” he looked around,
“the windows are full west.”
“It is warm, yes,” Elizabeth explained politely, “though
we never sit here after dinner at that time of the year. As you see, it is
quite pleasant during the winter and the view of the gardens is very
pretty.”
“Yes, fine indeed.” Darcy observed
with interest.
Again, they were silent. Elizabeth embroidered on quietly while Darcy
drummed his fingers on the armrest of the sofa, apparently unaffected by the
lack of conversation. The only sounds in the room were those that came from
Darcy’s fingers and the occasional crackles of the wood burning inside
the hearth. Darcy rose and stroked the fire with the poker. He then joined her
on the sofa and cleared his throat, bringing up the subject that they had both
been avoiding and the one that should have been discussed from the very
beginning.
“Elizabeth,
I believe that we should make some … plans for the wedding and ...
afterwards.”
Elizabeth kept her eyes
down. This was a subject she was not eager to discuss. “Why, of course,
Sir.” Seeing he had fallen into another silent moment she encouraged him
by asking, “Do you have any suggestions?”
“Well, yes, but before we dwell on them I
must ask a favour of you,” he smiled as he took her hand, “I would
like you to call me by my Christian name, if that’s agreeable to
you.”
Elizabeth knew his initials
were FD, that was how he signed his letters, but she did not have a clue what
the F stood for. She faced him directly, her eyebrows arched, her voice
deprived from the sarcasm she would have liked to inflect on it as she said,
“Indeed, Sir. With pleasure ... if you would be so kind as to mention it
to me.”
Darcy blinked a couple of times and gulped in embarrassment
at his lack of tact. He had been engaged to this woman for a fortnight and he
had not condescended to tell her his given name.
“It is Fitzwilliam, but my family calls
me William.”
Elizabeth looked at him, but
said nothing. Darcy waited expectantly, waiting for her to continue talking, or
at least to say his name, but she didn’t.
“I have been thinking that we could
travel to London
for the … mmm ... wedding night and stay at the Townhouse for about a
month. As soon as the weather is warmer, we shall depart for Pemberley.”
He waited for her reaction but she only observed him without uttering a word.
“Georgiana will go from school directly to Bath, where she would stay with my cousin so we can ... mmm ...
have some ... privacy and then she will join us later for our trip to the
North. Is that agreeable to you?”
Elizabeth, face ablaze,
immediately looked at her lap as she felt her temperature rise. “Yes,
that would be ... agreeable.”
Darcy resumed the rhythmic drumming of fingers.
Elizabeth also
noticed that his other hand, the one resting on his thigh, was also patting his
leg insistently. He once again rose to stroke the fire, poking it energetically
for a couple of minutes. He turned around to face her, a slight frown wrinkling
his forehead, apparently preoccupied by something he seemed reluctant to share
with her. He stayed in this manner for a good moment and suddenly joined her at
the sofa, this time sitting much closer than before.
“Elizabeth,
may I kiss you?”
So this was the reason for his previous
uneasiness, Elizabeth
reflected as her face grew hotter. At least this time he had the consideration
of asking before throwing himself on her. “Someone may
come.”
He glanced at the door to check if the coast
was clear. “Your mother is upstairs taking a nap, your father is locked
in his library, your sister Jane said she would be in the kitchen helping Mrs.
Hill with tonight’s meal and Miss Lydia and Miss Kitty mentioned the
still room. I believe we are all alone, madam.”
She glanced at him and offered him an uneasy
smile. So the gentleman had not remained oblivious to everything that happened
around them.
“There’s still Mary,” she
objected.
The fading sound of a poorly executed melody on
the piano forte anticipated Darcy’s answer that Miss Mary was indeed
momentarily busy.
With a sigh of resignation, Elizabeth finally admitted that her
meddlesome family had deserted her when she needed them most. She had run out
of excuses. “Then, sir, I believe you may, if that is you
wish.”
Darcy moved closer, until his thigh touched
hers. “Yes, it is. Is it yours as well?”
Elizabeth fiddled with her
fingers nervously. This was a right he had that she knew she could not refuse
him. “Sir, I am not certain if I ... if we should, I mean
…”
Her words died in her lips when the gentleman
pressed his mouth against hers. Momentarily petrified, Elizabeth was so stiff that she forgot to
breathe during the few seconds the contact lasted. It was so brief that Elizabeth wondered if he
had ever touched her at all. Certainly he had, because her lips still tingled
at the trail of emptiness she felt when he parted and her body had warmed up in
such a manner that she could not attribute it to any other thing than that.
This kiss felt nothing like the first one he had given weeks ago; it had been
far more unsettling, though she could not tell if it was because her dislike
for the kisser had grown since that day or if it was because the contact had
not been long enough.
Darcy gave the door another glance to make sure
there was no one around. He leaned down again and this time his advance was
much slower, pausing just before his lips touched hers. There he waited for
tortuous seconds, sensing her tension. He felt her breathing faltering as he advanced
that last inch.
But instead of capturing her mouth as she had
expected, he aimed at her right cheek, brushing his lips against the tender
skin near the corner of her mouth. He lingered there for only an instant, then
moved to the other side to repeat the gesture. It was only when he felt that
her body was losing its initial tension that he attacked her lips fully,
pressing his mouth firmly against hers. As he urged her to respond, he lifted
his hand to hold the back of her neck while his other hand rested on her waist.
After a deep intake of air –she was
almost dizzy for holding it for so long-- Elizabeth
parted her lips, finally surrendering to Darcy’s perseverant stimulation.
Her tremulous sigh mingled with his warm one. She was melting in his arms and
Darcy was tempted to go further –God knew he wanted to lose himself in
her—yet he did not. He kept the exchange rather chaste for his and Elizabeth’s sake.
He was not willing to risk a second confrontation with his future father in law
about another misbehaviour, neither did he wish to scare his reluctant
wife-to-be.
Completely out of breath, Elizabeth placed a hand on her
fiancée’s chest and gently pushed him away as she struggled to return to
the real world. Darcy let go of her, allowing her to regain her composure. For
a first lesson, this was enough. He would have a whole life time to instruct
her in the ways of love.
Their timing proved impeccable, as not two
minutes later Mr. Bennet entered the room looking for Darcy. The couple was
already sitting at a prudent distance and behaving in every way propriety
imposed.
“Mr. Darcy, here you are. Will you join
me in the library? There is something I would like to show you.”
“Of course,” said Darcy exceedingly
pleased with himself.
Mr. Bennet observed his daughter, not noticing
she was a little flushed. “And Lizzy, I believe Jane needs you in the
kitchen.”
Elizabeth managed a
“yes, Papa” before leaving the room as hastily as she could.