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Chapter 7

St. James Park

London

Six days later

“I hope I remember how to skate,” Georgiana Darcy said as four black horses, perfectly matched, pulled Darcy’s carriage into the graveled area next to the lake in St. James Park.

“I am confident you will do very well,” her brother said. “It has only been two years since we last skated at Pemberley.”

Charles Bingley, who had been peering eagerly through the window of Darcy’s carriage, bounced with excitement and said, “There they are!”

Darcy glanced at his watch in surprise; it still lacked a few minutes before twelve o’clock, and the appointment with the Gardiners and their nieces had been made for noon. He appreciated that his guests were on time, as he did not want his horses standing in the cold overlong.

The horses slowed to a stop, and Bingley hastily pushed the carriage door open, which let in a blast of cold air. Bingley had been visiting the Gardiners almost every day for the past week, though he had gone alone after the first meeting. His adoration for Miss Bennet had only heightened, and Darcy had made peace with the reality that an offer of marriage could not be far off.

Darcy turned to his seatmate, and his heart sank at the sight of his sister’s terrified face.

“Georgiana, the Gardiners and Bennets are very kind,” he said softly. “I promise you.”

Georgiana Darcy ducked her head, her face flushed with embarrassment, and muttered, “I know; it is merely that I do not like meeting new people.”

“You will be with me,” Darcy said reassuringly.

Georgiana bit her lip and then straightened her back. “Yes, I will.”

Darcy smiled at her, stepped out of the carriage, and helped his sister out into the crisp February air. The day was cold with clear blue skies, and the thin blanket of snow on the ground glittered and sparkled in the winter sunshine. An occasional playful gust of wind caused their coats to flap in the breeze, but mostly it was calm, which was a blessing on such a chilly day.

After Darcy gave instructions to his servants, brother and sister walked over to the other carriage, where a manservant was helping Miss Bennet out of the carriage. The girl murmured her thanks and turned her attention on her suitor. “Mr. Bingley, good morning!”

Bingley’s eyes flared, and his mouth dropped open in wonder of the vision before him, but within a few seconds, his courtly manners reasserted themselves.

“Miss Bennet, good morning! I am so glad that you are able to join us.”

Darcy, standing a few feet away, could not fault Bingley for his reaction. Miss Bennet was always handsome, but now, a week after the unexpected encounter at Hookham’s library, she was incandescent. Her eyes had never shone with such a clear blue, her cheeks were flushed with excitement and cold, and her rose pink lips were stretched in a brilliant smile.

A moment later, Darcy’s attention was claimed by Miss Elizabeth as she hopped down with the help of the servant. The second Miss Bennet was dressed warmly in a tan woolen dress with a green pelisse, and her head was covered with a close bonnet. A scarf and long woolen gloves warmed her neck and her hands, and her feet were sensibly clad in boots. Her fine eyes were dancing and...

“Mrs. Gardiner, Miss Elizabeth, Mr. Gardiner,” Bingley said, interrupting his thoughts, “Thank you for joining us today!”

Darcy noted, belatedly, that Mrs. Gardiner had also descended and was standing arm in arm with a respectable man of some forty years.

“Mr. Bingley,” the man said with a bow, “it is our honor and pleasure to be here, though I confess to a little trepidation. It has been many years since I have strapped on skates!”

“Well, as to that, I am an entire novice,” Bingley returned with a rueful smile. “I only hope that I do not spend the next hour flailing around on the ice! But come, I must not forget my manners. Miss Darcy, may I please introduce Mrs. Gardiner, Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, and Mr. Gardiner. Ladies and gentleman, Miss Darcy and Mr. Darcy.”

The ladies curtsied, and Darcy bowed slightly before straightening, intent on inspecting the tradesman uncle of the Misses Bennet. To his surprise, the other man met his own gaze squarely and without a hint of servility, though his expression was welcoming. Mr. Gardiner was a well-built man of medium height, dressed sensibly in dark woolen garments, with dark hair, gray eyes and a strong chin.

“Mr. Darcy, Miss Darcy,” Gardiner said, “it is an honor to meet you both. I must thank you for sending your carriage to bring us here; it was most comfortable. My wife greatly enjoyed your call a few days ago, sir. Miss Darcy, my wife grew up in Lambton near Pemberley and has a great fondness for that area of our fair England.”

“It was my pleasure,” Darcy replied truthfully. “I always enjoy speaking to those who love Derbyshire as much as I do.”

Georgiana managed a soft squeak of agreement, which was frankly more than he had expected. His sister was terribly shy.

“I do not think we ought to stand around,” Mrs. Gardiner suggested, “or we will all catch cold. Parker has our skates – ah, yes, thank you! Perhaps we can don them in that cabin over there?”

Darcy nodded and turned toward the wooden building in question. “Yes, we have permission to use the structure this afternoon. Our servants have arranged for hot drinks and refreshment so that we can warm ourselves as needed.”

“Thank you, Mr. Darcy!” Mrs. Gardiner said approvingly. “Jane, Elizabeth, Husband, shall we?”

/

The lake in St. James Park was long and narrow, with one large island at one end and a second, smaller island at the other, both covered with fir trees which were, at the moment, decorated with scarves of snow. Icicles clung to branches and surrounded fir needles, catching the sun and sparkling like polished glass. An occasional breeze made the branches shiver, setting the icicles tinkling against each other and catching the snow, flinging it up in miniature flurries. Small fir cones danced merrily on their twigs, joining in nature’s celebration of winter.

Mr. Darcy had, very sensibly, arranged for the party to use the cabin at the end near the smaller island. The ice was solid between the shore and the island, whereas there might well be soft ice, or even open water, in the very center of the lake.

To her delight, Elizabeth discovered that she had not lost her skills, in spite of the many years since she had used skates. Within a few minutes of stepping on the shimmering glaze of ice, she was gliding confidently in a clockwise circle between the shore and island, relishing the pleasure of vigorous exercise on a fine winter day. She adored spending time with the Gardiners, but she did miss the opportunity of long walks on Longbourn land.

Mr. and Miss Darcy were equally adept, as the pair confidently stepped onto the ice and began skating, arm in arm, in an even larger circle. Elizabeth noted, with approval, that Darcy took the position to his sister’s left, allowing him to be certain that the ice was safe farther away from shore. For all that she did not like Mr. Darcy, he was a most diligent and devoted brother. As for Miss Darcy – well, not surprisingly, Mr. Wickham had described her well. Miss Darcy had not yet spoken a word to her or her family, no doubt due to pride; naturally, a daughter of Pemberley would not speak to anyone associated with trade!

“You skate very well, Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy commented as he and his sister came up beside her and slowed down to her speed.

Elizabeth, while surprised at being willingly addressed by Mr. Darcy, promptly said, “Thank you, as do both of you.”

“Thank you,” Darcy said. “Georgiana and I have enjoyed many hours of skating on a pond near Pemberley.

Elizabeth nodded and cast a mischievous look at Miss Darcy and asked, “What do you think of the skating here, Miss Darcy? How does it compare to Derbyshire?”

The girl, who was clinging to her brother’s arm, her gaze fixed on the ice before her, turned her head to peer at Elizabeth, revealing wide eyes and a bright pink countenance. A moment later, she mumbled, “It is ... yes, it is very...”

Elizabeth’s pleasure in forcing Miss Darcy to speak gave way to sudden understanding and distress. The girl was not proud, she was terribly, painfully shy!

“I cannot imagine it is quite as pleasant as the lakes near Pemberley,” Elizabeth said hastily, “but I am absolutely delighted to be here. Thank you for inviting us today, Mr. Darcy.”

Darcy, who had been looking worriedly at his sister, said, “It was my very great pleasure, I assure you. I only hope that Bingley is as pleased.”

This caused Elizabeth to turn her head, and then stop at the sight of her sister’s suitor, who was only a few feet off shore. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were standing on either side of Mr. Bingley holding him up, as Jane slowly skated backwards, her melodious voice giving the man gentle instructions. Mr. Bingley, in turn, wore a look of comical dismay as he struggled to put one foot in front of another without falling down.

“Oh dear!” Elizabeth said. “Poor Mr. Bingley; I do hope he is enjoying himself at least a little.”

“I believe that so long as Miss Bennet is nearby, he will enjoy anything,” Darcy responded. Elizabeth looked at him, startled by the gentleman’s calm tone and relaxed expression. It seemed that Mr. Darcy was no longer greatly opposed to his friend’s courtship, which was a great relief.

“I suppose that is true,” she said cheerfully, and aware of the cold seeping through her clothing, pushed off the ice to start gliding again. It was too frigid to stand still for long.

Darcy tightened his grip on Georgiana’s arm, and together they began moving again. He found his eyes fixed on the sight of Elizabeth’s slender form moving gracefully on the ice, her skirt rippling in the breeze, and his heart pounded within his chest. She was magnificent.

/

“Are you going in, Lizzy?” Jane asked as Elizabeth passed her on the way back to shore.

Elizabeth blew out a breath, which showed white in the arctic air, and nodded. “Yes. I have had a marvelous time, but I am tired and thirsty. Our aunt and uncle are already in the cabin.”

“We will see you in a few minutes,” her sister said gaily, continuing to skate alongside Mr. Bingley. That gentleman’s skills on skates had progressed such that he was able to maintain his balance most of the time and even move forward some of the time. Jane was forced to pull him along on occasion, but it was obvious that she did not mind in the least.

Elizabeth skated the rest of the way, climbed onto the bank with some difficulty, and tottered over to the cabin. She took a moment to appreciate the picturesque scene, with warm golden light shining through the window and competing with the sun to illuminate the icicles dangling from the eaves. But a shiver went through her, and reminded of the cold, she opened the door.

She was greeted by her uncle, who held out an arm to assist her to a nearby bench across from the only window in the cabin. It was not a large building, but it was clean and neat, with exuberant flames crackling in the fireplace, and several glowing lamps distributed throughout the cabin, making the space warm and cozy. She began unstrapping the skates from her boots with a sigh of relief. Skating was great fun, but she was using muscles that were unaccustomed to the exercise and were now rather sore.

A minute later, while she was still wrestling with a recalcitrant knot, the door opened again, and Mr. and Miss Darcy blew in with the wind, both of them smiling. Elizabeth was happy to see that Miss Darcy looked far more at ease than she had even an hour previously.

“Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy has arranged for coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. What would you prefer?” her aunt inquired. The Gardiners had left the ice some twenty minutes previously and were seated side by side on a rough wooden bench with steaming cups clutched in their hands.

“Hot chocolate, but I can pour it,” she said, setting her skates aside and removing her gloves, whereupon she blew on her cold fingers.

“Nonsense, my dear,” Mrs. Gardiner responded, standing up and walking over to a wooden table to the urns of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. She carefully poured a cup and carried it over to Elizabeth, who wrapped her chilly hands around it for a few seconds before lifting it to her lips for a drink.

“Heavenly!” she said, turning her gaze on Darcy, who was kneeling beside his sister to help her out of her skates. “Mr. Darcy, I cannot thank you enough. I like tea, certainly, but hot chocolate is the perfect drink to warm oneself after vigorous exercise in the cold.”

“It is my pleasure, of course,” Darcy said amiably. “Georgiana is very fond of hot chocolate.”

“Miss Darcy and I are in complete agreement, then,” Elizabeth said approvingly.

“I confess I do not particularly like tea,” Georgiana muttered, her eyes downcast.

“May I get you a cup of hot chocolate, Miss Darcy, or would you prefer to pour it yourself?” Mrs. Gardiner asked.

Startled, the girl turned beseeching eyes on her brother, who nodded reassuringly.

“Thank you, that would be very kind,” she murmured. Mrs. Gardiner promptly poured a cup and handed it to the young lady, who took it with a soft whisper of thanks.

“Mrs. Gardiner,” Darcy said, “might I trouble you to pour me a cup of chocolate as well?”

The older lady did so as Darcy removed his own skates, set them aside, and took the cup with a smile and murmur of thanks. He inhaled a deep breath of warm, sweet vapors and then took a long drink. He was not usually prone to cold, but more than an hour on the ice had left him chilled.

“I understand that you enjoy music, Miss Darcy,” Elizabeth said with a smile at the younger, taller girl.

Georgiana flushed and ducked her head. “Yes, very much,” she whispered.

Elizabeth kindly turned her attention to her aunt and said, “Aunt, am I correct that Mr. and Miss Darcy’s father paid for the organ in the church at Lambton?”

“Yes,” her aunt concurred. “My father was quite at his wits end as the previous organ was badly damaged by rain when a section of the church roof leaked. Mr. Darcy heard about the problem and graciously gifted us a very fine organ along with the funds to fix the church roof. My father was most grateful.”

“Did you ever meet my mother?” Miss Darcy asked softly.

Mrs. Gardiner smiled, though her eyes were sympathetic. “I did not, though I saw her at church once – indeed, both of your parents were gracious enough to attend the service when the organ was unveiled. Mrs. Darcy was a lovely lady, not only in physical beauty, but more importantly, in her heart, which was generous and kind to all.”

Georgiana released a quiet sigh of pleasure at these words, and Darcy looked at Mrs Gardiner gratefully. He knew that his sister had few memories of her mother, who had died when Georgiana was only six years old.

“I do hope that Jane and Mr. Bingley are not lost out there,” Mrs. Gardiner said in an amused tone.

Elizabeth turned in her seat to peer outside, and started in surprise. Mr. Bingley was facing Miss Bennet, one knee down on the cold ice, his gloved hands in Jane’s, and for a moment Elizabeth thought he had fallen and was trying to get back up. But no, Elizabeth knew her sister better than anyone else in the world, and she could tell from Jane’s posture that she was overjoyed. Elizabeth found herself both ecstatic that Bingley was finally proposing to her sister, and amused that he had chosen an ice floe for such a delicate operation. But then, nothing about their courtship had been typical.

Elizabeth turned away from the group and said sedately, “They are still on the ice, but I am certain will be back soon. Uncle, have you ever been to Derbyshire?”

“I have not,” Mr. Gardiner said, “though I had the pleasure of visiting Leicester before I married your aunt, and I spent an interesting day in the cathedral there.”

“Am I correct that the church was built on the site of Roman ruins?” Darcy asked.

“Yes. Richard III was buried nearby, too, at a friary which met the fate of its brethren when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries. It is a town where the names of the very streets remind us of England’s antiquity…”

The historical conversation continued between Mr. Darcy and Mr. Gardiner, with occasional comments by Elizabeth, while Mrs. Gardiner spoke in a low, comfortable tone with Miss Darcy, who had relaxed sufficiently to speak a few words on occasion.

The door opened suddenly, and Jane Bennet stepped somewhat awkwardly inside on her skates, with Bingley a few feet behind her. Elizabeth leaped to her feet and gazed lovingly into sister’s face, which was wreathed in smiles, her eyes shining with joy.

“Jane?!” she asked, her mouth widening into a joyful grin.

Bingley, who had clambered within and collapsed onto a convenient chair, said, “Ladies, Gentlemen, I have wonderful news. I have proposed to Miss Bennet, and she has accepted my hand in marriage!”

The following few minutes were exuberant, as Jane hugged her relations and removed her skates. Bingley, who was equally delighted, introduced a note of comedy as he could not get his own skates unlaced, and Darcy was forced to assist him.

Elizabeth, in the midst of her elation, noted the happiness on Miss Darcy’s face – proof, if she had needed it, that neither Bingley nor Darcy’s young sister were interested in a match.

The carriages arrived a few minutes later, and all piled on board their respective vehicles. Elizabeth was thankful that her relations were able to manage the appropriate level of thanksgiving for this delightful excursion. She was so happy that she could barely speak.

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