Chapter 37

U ntil the day after Easter, Elizabeth kept her counsel regarding what had passed between her and Mr. Darcy. With almost ten days past the event, she decided it was time to confide in Mary.

Hence, on the Tuesday morning after Easter, Elizabeth requested Mary join her for a ride in the groves. In anticipation, Elizabeth had grooms bring both Penelope and Horatio—Mary's stallion, who had already been saddled, to the parsonage. Mary agreed to join her older sister and was rather amused when on exiting the parsonage a groom was holding the horses in the drive while John, Brian, and one other footman-guard were already mounted on their horses waiting for them. Mary understood why Lizzy had told Mrs. Jones she was free to take the morning for herself.

The grooms had brought the mounting block in a cart so it was quick work before the sisters were also mounted. With the three escorts and a groom following behind them, Elizabeth led the way to the path which led to the glade. As she had informed John Biggs beforehand of her intent to sit on one of the benches next to the pond, as soon as the three guards dismounted, Brian Johns made for the far side of the pond. Biggs would be a little closer, but still out of hearing distance, on the opposite side of the pond to where his charges would sit, while the other guard was stationed at the head of the path.

Biggs assisted the Miss Bennets from their saddles and followed them up the path towards the glade while the groom took charge of the six horses. It was a relatively short walk to the glade, which was surrounded by verdant trees as the walkers were serenaded by birds, insects, frogs, and toads. The sisters sat on a bench at one end of the pond while Biggs stood opposite them.

"Are you finally ready to tell me what occurred the day you were sick ?" Mary guessed once she had seated herself comfortably.

"You are far too intelligent and know me too well to have been fooled by my claim of having a megrim," Elizabeth owned. "The truth is, I wanted some time free of Mr. Darcy…" Elizabeth related all which led her to feign the headache.

"Lizzy, you know had you said one word, Richard would have taken his cousin to task, do you not?" Mary responded.

"I do know that. However, I did not want to cause more of a rift between the cousins than Mr. Darcy had already done," Elizabeth averred. "If only that had been the end of that day."

"Did Mr. Darcy come to the parsonage?" Elizabeth nodded. "He left the house minutes after I shared you were indisposed. What on earth did he want?"

"He proposed to me."

As that had been the last thing Mary expected to hear, all she could do for some moments was to sit and stare at her sister with her mouth hanging open in shock.

"Mary dearest, I suggest you close your mouth. Who knows what sort of insects are flying around here." Elizabeth's jest earned her a playful nudge from her sisters elbow on her closest arm. She saw Mary looking at her expectantly—with her mouth shut—so Elizabeth related all honestly, both about the abominable proposal and her vociferous response to it. Once again Mary was stunned into silence, but this time, she did not allow her mouth to hang open.

"Lizzy I am so sorry you had to endure that all on your own. We should never have left you alone! I told you I wanted Mrs. Jones to remain with you." Mary could only shake her head. "I never suspected Mr. Darcy was so very bad. "

"He is not. In fact, he is very remorseful. He handed me this before he departed." Elizabeth extracted the letter from the pocket of her riding habit.

Rather than harp on the impropriety of Mr. Darcy writing to, and presenting Lizzy with a letter, Mary unfolded the sheets and read the missive. "There is hope for him yet. He is very sincere in his apologies, is he not?"

"That is my belief. I see true remorse in his words and a genuine desire to make changes for the better," Elizabeth agreed. "You may inform Richard, but make sure you show him the letter so he does not jump on Invictus and charge to Darcy House."

"You have forgiven him, have you not?" Elizabeth nodded. "In that case, we shall speak to Richard together." Mary paused. "After you read this, you did not regret your refusal of him, did you?"

"No, I did not. However, I do regret the way I delivered the rejection. Had I to do it over again, my answer would have been the same, but I would have guarded my tongue and not attempted to inflict as much verbal pain as I was able. His attitude that my acceptance was assured was part of what drove my vitriol."

"Have you written to Jane about all of this yet?" Mary wondered.

"Not the specifics, I just told her I need to speak to her, Mama, and Papa when I arrive back at Longbourn," Elizabeth averred. "I did not think it wise to commit the particulars to a letter via the post." Unlike many families, the Bennets did not keep secrets one from the other.

After hugs, the sisters mounted their horses with Biggs assisting them and they rode to the manor house. They met with Richard in the study. Only the promise to his fiancée not to react until he heard all kept him from fulfilling Elizabeth's prediction of a ride to London. When he heard the rest and read his cousin's letter, he calmed down somewhat, asserting nevertheless Darcy deserved a good thrashing.

Thankfully by the evening he had changed his mind about the thrashing and saw the positive of William finally being shocked into making meaningful changes.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

From the time Darcy arrived at Darcy House, he had spent no time in society (not that he ever enjoyed doing so) except for the Easter Sunday services. The rest of the time, when not dealing with an issue of business, was used to take a long and hard look at himself in the mirror and the more he looked, the less he liked what he saw.

He could not believe that anyone other than those who wanted something from him would want to be around someone who behaved the way he did. He was only a gentleman farmer and he had looked down on so many, like the Bennets who were his equals. He had always scoffed when his Aunt Elaine and Uncle Reggie had told him he was far too high in the instep, but now he understood the truth of their assertions.

What had led him to believe in his supposed superiority, regardless of his wealth, was not important. He had to look to the future and make sure he addressed every reproof which had been flung at his door.

Even though he had accepted he had destroyed his chances of happiness with Miss Elizabeth, who he loved no less today than he had before she had called him to account, Darcy was determined that by the time he arrived at Netherfield Park prior to his cousin's wedding in under a fortnight, Miss Elizabeth would see a vast change in his behaviour to her and all in her neighbourhood.

It was at the Easter services at St. George's where Darcy saw Miss Bennet seated next to Westmore and the rest of the De Melvilles. There was a rather fashionable couple seated on Miss Bennet's other side who he did not know. That day he had decided to behave as a gentleman. Hence, at the summation of the service, he went to greet the De Melvilles and Miss Bennet.

It had been a great shock to discover Miss Bennet was engaged to Westmore. He had not shown his surprise but had bestowed his sincere wishes for their happiness. Miss Bennet had introduced her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. This was the tradesman Bingley had been on about. Darcy knew the man's name from many members of the Ton who invested with him and was aware the family lived in Portman Square. While he chatted with the party, he had noticed how close Lady Alicia and Miss Gardiner were, and again he was struck with how deficient his way of judging peoples' worth was. Before he departed, Darcy learnt about the double wedding. From that day on he read the society pages rather than thinking it was below his dignity to do so.

One change he had made to his travel plans was that he would attend the pre-wedding ball. It would not be good form for the man standing up with Richard to eschew the ball.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

On the Friday a week before the wedding, Richard delivered Elizabeth, Mary, and Mrs. Jones back to Longbourn where the reunion between the former two and Jane was everything one would expect when three very close sisters have been parted for more than a month.

The greeting Elizabeth and Mary received from their parents was as warm and loving as could be. Both Bennet and Cilla had missed their daughters greatly. At least the boys had been home since before Easter and Jane had returned with the Gardiners on the Wednesday after the holy holiday.

The reunion with Henry and Tommy, who had not returned to their respective schools, was very boisterous. From the end of the Easter break it was only a sennight until the wedding and then about that until the end of the school year. Both Bennet sons were far ahead of most others in their classes so they would not miss anything of note by not returning until the beginning of the next school term.

The De Melvilles had arrived the day before and Richard's parents would arrive on the morrow. So, when the two returning sisters had washed and changed and joined the family in the drawing room it was no surprise Westmore was seated next to Jane.

"There is something I need to relate to all of the family," Elizabeth announced once the tea and refreshments her mother ordered had arrived and everyone had their tea and biscuits.

Gardiner, Maddie, and Westmore stood. "Should we leave you to your discussion?" Gardiner asked for all three.

"Uncle Edward, you and Aunt Maddie are family, and Wes is too, well I suppose he will be in about a week," Elizabeth assured the three who had stood. "There is nothing I am about to say which cannot be shared with you." As soon as the three sat, Elizabeth proceeded. "Like Mary did of Richard when she and I related this to him, I beg your indulgence not to react until I have told all." Elizabeth looked from one brother to the other. "That especially means you two." Both raised their hands in surrender. She proceeded to relate the interactions between herself and Mr. Darcy in Kent. When Henry and Tommy growled, "I will kill him" at the same time, Elizabeth reminded them of their promise. She handed the letter to her parents and related the gist of its contents to the rest in the room.

"As forgiveness and redemption are among the cornerstones of our faith, with such genuine contrition as was expressed in this letter, I believe Mr. Darcy is to be allowed to begin again with us when he attends the wedding," Cilla stated as she looked at her sons.

"May I read the letter?" Henry requested. His father handed him the missive. Jane sat on one side of him and Tommy on the other.

"I agree with Mama," Tommy announced after he had read the words. He looked at Henry who nodded. "We promise not to tar and feather him when we see him," he quipped, well he jested in part. Tommy was very close to Lizzy and had been furious, but the missive had gone a long way to quelling his anger, however, he would be very vigilant when Mr. Darcy was close to Lizzy.

"When will we meet Miss Darcy and Lady Charity?" Henry enquired.

"They are at Netherfield Park with Wes's parents and their companions, you will see them on the morrow when we have a family dinner here," Priscilla told her eldest son.

"You will all like them, we told you in our letters how close Lizzy and I have become with them. And no, Anna…Miss Darcy is nothing like her brother used to be," Mary stated.

Bennet had felt as much outrage at the way Mr. Darcy had treated his daughter and spoken of his family, but like his sons, he became mollified after reading the letter. Although he understood Lizzy's expressed mortification at the way she had spoken to Mr. Darcy, he could not condemn her for it.

"Lizzy, will you join us," Madeline requested. Elizabeth happily seated herself next to her aunt and uncle. "The day after the wedding we are travelling to Clover Dell to spend about three weeks or so with my father and visit friends in the area of Lambton. We have canvassed your parents who have given their permission. Would you like to join us? Lilly's friend Alli will be with us as well."

Elizabeth turned to her parents. "Mama and Papa, you know I love to travel, but are you sure you are sanguine with my joining my aunt and uncle so soon after I have been away in London and Kent?"

"If we were not, we would not have given your aunt and uncle leave to invite you," Bennet assured her. "Do not forget those two scamps," he inclined his head towards his sons, "will be home, so your mother and I will not be alone. If you desire to go, do it with a clear conscience." Elizabeth stood and hugged her parents.

She turned back to the Gardiners. "In that case, I would love to join you," Elizabeth enthused.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

With favourable weather, a packet ship could make the voyage between Nassau and Portsmouth in about five and twenty days. When the winds were not with her, as had been the case with the ship carrying the news of the disaster which had befallen The Rose and two of her escorts, it could add about a fortnight onto the sailing time.

Hence, by the twentieth day of April when the captain and his first officer used the sextant to ascertain their exact position, marking it on the chart, the officers could tell with reasonable winds it could be about another sennight before they would arrive in England.