Chapter 9

9

B linking, he stared at the woman in the doorway, afraid she was an apparition.

His housekeeper’s voice sounded as if she was speaking from a distance. “Sir, I believe this young lady is known to you.”

“Yes. She is known to me.” Was that croaking sound coming from his mouth?

Her loveliness robbed him of his breath. She looked wonderful. But everything about her appearance in his home mortified him. For as much as he wanted to be in Elizabeth’s presence, he wished to be more composed. Healthier. Stronger. Able to stand on his own two feet without a cane.

There is nothing for it, man.

Clasping the handle of his cane, pushing against the chair’s arm with his other hand, he stood slowly, the sounds of the leather fastenings on his knee brace echoing in the room.

Would she shrink away from him now that she saw how much less of a man he was since his accident? Would she only look upon him with pity? He could not look at her eyes because they would reveal the truth. It was difficult enough with Georgiana fussing over him like he was an invalid. Bitterly, he admitted that in comparison with his activities prior to the accident, he was debilitated.

“Mr. Darcy.” She curtsied.

He was afraid to bow too deeply, fearful that he would lose his balance and fall on his face in front of her.

Darcy felt like an insect under a microscope when her gaze started at the floor and stopped at his knee. He looked away, not able to stomach the disgust he assumed he would see.

The carpets and her inherent gracefulness muted her approach. The softness of her touch, her fingers brushing his temple like they did in Rosings’ glen, stunned him. He closed his eyes, his breathing far too rapid for her not to be aware.

“Thank God that you are alive. I heard nothing. Not one report. I worried that something dreadful happened to you. I am pleased to see you looking so well, Mr. Darcy.”

His eyes shot open. “You think I look well, Elizabeth?” Every ounce of his pain cloaked each syllable. “I am barely able to walk. I can no longer sit a horse. I cannot dance. I am only half…”

Although her eyes filled with tears, she chuckled softly, boldly interrupting him. “And we both know how much you enjoy dancing, do we not?”

Her smile was genuine, as was the single tear trailing down her cheek, sending a message to his heart that she was not being flippant.

He touched her sleeve. She was real.

“Miss Bennet, are you…did you…will you…stay? At Pemberley? With your friends, of course?” He had not meant to ask, at least not yet. Her surprise said more than words that he was precipitous. But he needed to know if he had hope.He refused to believe that she would not think him good enough for her, despite that fear churning in his gut.

His morning began as bleakly as every other morning since Aunt Catherine informed him that no one at the parsonage asked about his recovery. No one wondered if he still lived. When Richard and Georgiana left for a ride after breaking their fast, he tried to be happy to see his sister’s smiling face, but he was miserable. And now that Elizabeth was here? A ray of hope stood in front of him. He desperately needed her. Thus, he would do everything in his power to make sure that she never left.

“Might I introduce you to my favorite relatives?”

“It would be my pleasure.”

She turned, wrapping both hands in the crook of his arm, providing stability.

“Uncle and Aunt Gardiner, this is Mr. Darcy, master of Pemberley. However, he is so much more than that. You see, what you do not know is that Mr. Darcy saved my life in late November of this last year. I slipped and fell while I was a very long distance from Netherfield Park. He found me unconscious, carried me back to the house, and arranged for my care.”

“I did nothing that any gentleman would not do.”

She peered up at him through those thick lashes. “Do not be modest, sir. You are my hero. This can be said of no other man, so you should enjoy the praise.”

Her smile lit his heart on fire. He completely forgot that his housekeeper and her relatives were in the room.

“Would you be agreeable to staying as a guest at Pemberley, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner?”

Once they agreed, he said, “My cousin is here, who Miss Bennet already knows. My sister came from London to provide care. Will you allow me, or do I ask too much to introduce Georgiana to you?”

She looked to her uncle, who nodded. “We would be delighted. To both.”

Darcy felt like the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders.

“Mrs. Reynolds, please put Miss Bennet in the blue guest suite and Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner in the yellow chambers next to her. The rooms further down the hall can be prepared for the Bingleys’ arrival on the morrow.”

“Yes, sir.” Darcy’s housekeeper said to Mr. Gardiner, “If you are staying at Lambton’s inn, I will send someone to settle your account and gather your belongings. I do understand if this is something you would like to do yourself. However, it truly is no imposition.”

Mrs. Gardiner replied, “We shall remain with our niece, then.”

“Tea shall be served momentarily.” Mrs. Reynolds closed the door behind her. Whatever moved her to bring Elizabeth to him, Darcy had not a clue. However, he would double his housekeeper’s monthly salary for her diligence.

Without a word, Elizabeth handed him the cane next to where he had been sitting. Gritting his teeth, Darcy attempted to be as smooth as possible when moving to the sofa. Putting all his weight on his good leg, he moved the canes forward before taking a tentative step. His movements were as slow as a tortoise and as ungainly as a duck on land.

Once he was seated, which was another exercise in excruciating difficulty, Elizabeth placed the canes on the other side of her, out of his sight.

“Can we speak of your injury, sir?” Elizabeth asked. Even though it was the last thing he wanted to discuss, did she not know that she could say or do anything she wanted?

“The damage to the kneecap and the tendons surrounding the knee was extensive. My aunt’s surgeon attempted to amputate. My cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, never left my side until he could move me to London away from the man. Needless to say, the journey was challenging. My physician was singularly unqualified to treat this sort of injury. My cousin turned to the surgeon who served in his regiment. With his help and laudanum, the doctor put as much back in place as possible. Where my aunt’s doctor said I would lose my leg, my cousin’s surgeon said I would always have a limp along with a measure of discomfort. As you can see, I kept my leg.”

“Is there anything else that can be done?” Mrs. Gardiner asked.

“When the pain and swelling get too bad, ice is applied to the area. I am to move it as much as possible to keep it from stiffening. I will say that, so far, this treatment is working. For the first three months, I wore a splint to keep my leg immobilized. At the same time, the doctor had me move and stretch my muscles. Now, I have a brace for support and use these canes to be mobile. He estimates that it could be six months to a year before I am able to put my full weight on my leg without it causing further damage.”

“Do you have restrictions, then?” Mr. Gardiner asked.

“I am to avoid climbing stairs, bending deeply, and any activities that place a strain on my knee.”

“Then we are not taxing you?” Elizabeth asked.

“Never!” Darcy sat back on the sofa, stretching his mangled leg in front of him. “Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, your niece told you that I was her hero. What she failed to mention was how dutifully she cared for me after my fall. If anyone is a hero, it is Miss Bennet.”

The rosy hue of her cheeks added to her beauty.

She peered up at him. Her eyes were limpid pools that he would gladly drown in.

“Sir, do you not recall why you were on that rickety bridge in the first place? It was to rescue me from my impulsive decision to cross. Do not be modest. My dearest family can bear the truth.”

“I would much rather bear the pain than have you suffer.”

Mr. Gardiner said, “I am grateful for your intervention, Mr. Darcy. If only you had escaped the accident unscathed. This brings up a matter of concern. You were not expecting our arrival. At the same time, you are anticipating guests tomorrow. As I am aware, you have been friends with Mr. Bingley and his sisters for several years so the precedence should be theirs. Your offer of hospitality is gratefully accepted. But we do have comfortable rooms at the inn. Perhaps it would be easier on you if we returned.”

“I thank you for your consideration, but you are most welcome here.” Darcy wondered how to bring up an issue that concerned him. “I would ask about your eldest niece, Miss Jane Bennet. How is she?”

Mr. Gardiner nodded slowly. His wife’s eyes narrowed as her husband asked, “I find it interesting that you ask about our Jane after mention was made of Mr. Bingley. Would I be correct to assume that Lizzy informed you of her sister’s response to your friend’s abandoning Netherfield Park and Mr. Bingley’s sister’s cruel treatment of her?”

“Yes. I am aware.”

Mrs. Gardiner said, “Jane is unchanged, although she sheds fewer tears and has finally begun to smile again.”

“I see.” Darcy hesitated to explain himself. However, they had been speaking plainly since Elizabeth entered the drawing room. There was no sensible reason to discontinue the process since their conversation was the information they all seemed to need.

“While Miss Elizabeth and I waited for help to arrive, if my memory serves me well, we spoke about many subjects critical to the happiness of others. This included Charles Bingley and Miss Jane Bennet. Something you should know is that Bingley has great natural modesty, with a stronger dependence on my judgment than on his own. I misunderstood Miss Jane Bennet’s motives. Thus, I did not advise him properly. Until I went to Kent, I was unaware of how wrong I had been. Once I knew, I was not in the position of being able to have company. I was very ill. I am also a private man, so the only ones who knew of my difficulties were my family. Months passed when my only thought was how to handle my problems, my sorrows. By the time Richard brought me to London, Bingley had traveled with his family to Scarborough and then to Manchester to stay with relatives and oversee his business investments. I did not know how to contact him. I was informed a week ago of his plans to journey here. At the time, I thought to clear up the matter of my misdirection once he arrived.”

“Very good,” Mr. Gardiner said. “Now, tell me about you and Lizzy if you would. Or, we could wait until the ladies are no longer present if you prefer.”

Darcy glanced at the woman seated at his side. She was not the sort to appear missish. No, instead, she met his gaze with directness.

“Your niece captured and held my attention when she cared for Miss Bennet at Netherfield Park. Oh, do not get me wrong, at first, I was irritated once I realized that she, of all ladies, intrigued me. I was forced to reflect on my own prejudices when she fled the house in anger. You see, the conversation in the drawing room was unfavorable—no—it was blatantly unkind to the Bennet family. Instead of defending our neighbors, I remained silent, much to my shame.”

“Unkind, you say?” Mr. Gardiner sat forward in his chair. “Why would you treat our Lizzy poorly?”

“Your question is fair and not unexpected, Mr. Gardiner. I am in no doubt that my reply will not paint my character in good light, and I apologize in advance for it. You see, it was not until we talked privately at the lakeside that I began to understand her character truly. Until then, I allowed my first impressions of her mother and younger sisters to influence my opinion of the entire family. Now, I realize I am being blunt since this is your sister and nieces of whom I am speaking. However, their conduct in public was difficult to overcome. Of course, I now comprehend how poor my conduct was. By the time I was in Kent, I was finally able to see the sterling qualities of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s two eldest daughters. And I was able to see how horrible I acted in Hertfordshire.”

“Then I will ask you, what do you intend to do about it?”

Darcy liked Mr. Gardiner’s straightforward manner. He could now see where Elizabeth’s willingness to face issues directly came from, and it pleased him.

“I will lay my faults in front of Bingley soon after he arrives. Since it has been months since I have been in his company, I no longer am certain how he feels about Miss Bennet. At that point, I will do as I should have done at the beginning and step back, attempting not to influence him in any way.”

“That will be good for Jane, I hope. What about Lizzy?”

Darcy smiled, then turned to face her. Studying her face, inch by inch, his eyes kept being drawn back to hers. Without thought, his thumb brushed her brow and then touched the tips of her eyelashes. “They look so heavy. How are you able to hold them up?”

Her giggle lightened his heart. When she batted them like Caroline Bingley did, for the first time in months, Darcy laughed.

Sliding his hand over hers, he traced her thumbnail with his fingertips.

“Mr. Gardiner, my mission in life is to do everything in my power to become a man who knows how to please a woman worthy of being pleased. There is no one on earth who I want to please more than Elizabeth.”

“Very good, then.” Mr. Gardiner glanced at his wife before adding, “We are happy to accept your invitation to remain at Pemberley.”

Darcy was delighted.