Chapter Twenty-Six

Elizabeth

T he service finally concluded, and Elizabeth was relieved to step out of the church into the fresh air.

"Is this typical of his sermons?" Mr Darcy asked as they left the building.

"I have witnessed only one but if what I have been told is correct, then yes. Clearly, he hadn't read the scripture he quoted, or if he had, he mistook their meaning entirely."

"That was the case when we were young also," Mr Darcy said with an undercurrent of amusement in his tone.

Elizabeth was by no means an avid worshipper, but she knew the scriptures well, thanks to her mother's teachings. "It seems Mr Wickham was as ill-suited to be a vicar as he was to be a vintner."

The two chuckled as they exited the church and made small talk and exchanged nods and smiles with the townspeople, who in return curtsied and bowed respectfully. Elizabeth was pleased to see Mr Darcy's composed demeanour had held strong, despite the whispers he had overheard earlier.

"You handled today very well," Elizabeth said, giving him an encouraging smile.

Mr Darcy nodded, though his eyes appeared still shadowed by the lingering sting of the cruel remark. "Thank you, Elizabeth. Your support means more than you know."

Just as they reached the carriage, Elizabeth realised she had left her glove inside the church. "Oh faith, I've left my glove inside. I will be just a moment," she said, turning to head back.

"I'll wait in the carriage," Mr Darcy replied. His tolerance for crowds seemingly exhausted. She could not blame him. He'd not mingled with so many people in a long time and it had to be rather stressful for him indeed.

Elizabeth hurried back into the church. The dim interior was now quiet and empty. She scanned the pew where they had sat and quickly spotted her glove on the floor. As she bent to pick it up, she heard a rustle from the front of the church.

Mr Wickham was gathering his papers at the pulpit, a self-satisfied smirk on his face. Elizabeth tried to duck out of his sight, but was too late.

"Miss Bennet," he called when he spotted her and she groaned internally.

"Mr Wickham," she said, standing straight and holding her glove. "Your sermon today was... enlightening."

He looked up, his smile faltering at her tone. "Miss Bennet, always a pleasure. I'm glad you found it so."

Elizabeth turned to leave when Mr Wickham approached her with a sly smile.

"Miss Bennet," he said smoothly. "Was it your doing, to bring Darcy back to church?"

Elizabeth met his gaze without flinching. "It was," she replied. "I am pleased Mr Darcy has decided to take an interest in his community again. Things seem to have gone rather wrong in the area for a while."

Mr Wickham feigned surprise. "Oh? I hadn't noticed. But then again, I hardly think Darcy is the one to set things right, even if they have gone wrong. He can't even take care of his own affairs."

Elizabeth felt a surge of anger. "You are quite wrong, Mr Wickham. A man in your position ought not to judge so harshly. No wonder some in your congregation are acting in an unchristian manner."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback by her sharp retort. Before he could respond, Elizabeth turned on her heel and walked briskly back to the carriage. Mr Darcy was waiting, his concern evident.

"Is everything all right?" he asked as she approached.

"Yes, perfectly," she replied, taking his arm. "Let us go."

As they climbed into the carriage and it pulled away from the church, Elizabeth felt her anger subside, replaced by a sense of satisfaction. She glanced at Mr Darcy, who was watching her with a mixture of curiosity and admiration.

"What happened back there?" he asked gently.

"Nothing of consequence," she said with a reassuring smile. "Just a reminder of why it is so important for you to be here, to set things right."

Mr Darcy nodded, understanding. "Thank you, Elizabeth. Your support means the world to me."

"And yours to me," she replied softly. As they rode away, Elizabeth felt a renewed determination to help Mr Darcy restore Pemberley and the surrounding communities, knowing they would face whatever challenges lay ahead together.