Chapter 14

Fourteen

HERTFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND—MONTHS LATER...

News had spread both far and wide that Netherfield's owner was returning. Wild speculation about his purpose quickly arose when Mr. Bingley called on Longbourn. He was not alone. His friend Mr. Darcy accompanied him. Not long after the revival of Mrs. Bennet's hopes, the matchmaking mamma insisted that her eldest daughter and her beau avail themselves of the fresh outdoor air with a long walk to Oakham Mount. Knowing her daughters as she did, she declared only one of them was up to the task of keeping the proud Mr. Darcy out of Jane's way and thus she assigned the job to Elizabeth.

How ironic, Elizabeth supposed, given her confounding history with the gentleman. She could not help but wonder how differently her mother might think and feel were she privy to the truth.

As they walked toward Oakham Mount, the sky was clear, and a gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of the countryside. The sound of their footsteps on the gravel path provided a steady rhythm as they ambled side by side. Thoughts of their last encounter in Kent during the spring inevitably intruded. Elizabeth hoped, rather than knew, that any lingering ill feelings he might have harbored upon regaining his memories—especially of her rejection of his proposal—had dissipated with time.

"I would never have imagined the two of us serving as chaperones for my sister Jane and your friend Mr. Bingley," Elizabeth said when she could once the other couple had outpaced them. "I should imagine I have you to thank for this happy occasion, Mr. Darcy."

He told Elizabeth that he had every intention of informing Charles Bingley about what she had said regarding her sister Jane's feelings toward him, sooner. However, Bingley had been away from London at the time of Darcy's arrival. Indeed, Bingley had traveled to the north and was visiting his relations in Scarborough. Knowing that Bingley and his family would arrive in Derbyshire around the time that he himself would, Darcy decided it was best to wait and inform his friend face to face, hence the delay in arriving in Hertfordshire.

Elizabeth asked Mr. Darcy if he had enjoyed his time at Pemberley, then quickly added, "How could you not?" Before waiting for his response, she hurried on, inquiring whether his sister, Miss Darcy, had joined him.

Mr. Darcy said that he had, and his sister did indeed join him.

Next, Elizabeth mentioned that her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, from town, had traveled to Derbyshire. She spoke of them having enjoyed a private tour of his home. "Perchance, you saw them, although I do not imagine you would have. I can hardly imagine you attending such matters."

Mr. Darcy informed her he had not enjoyed the pleasure of seeing her relations.

Elizabeth said, "I was invited to accompany my uncle and aunt, but I opted not to join them."

A hint of disappointment shone on his face. "I wish you had traveled with the Gardiners. Had I the pleasure, I would have enjoyed welcoming you to my home."

Impressed with his reply, she said, "From what I have heard, Pemberley is every bit as magnificent as Miss Caroline Bingley described it. My aunt spoke of a ridge of high woody hills and, in front, a stream of some natural importance without an artificial appearance. She spoke of its banks being neither formal nor falsely adorned and of the beautiful oaks and Spanish chestnuts, which were scattered over the lawn. She said she had never seen a place for which nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste."

He nodded. "That is a most fitting description of my home indeed, even if I must say so myself."

"My aunt and uncle have since returned to town. However, they are not the only ones of my relations to enjoy a summer holiday. My youngest sister, Lydia, has recently embarked on a journey of her own. She is in Brighton—a guest of her friend, Mrs. Forster, the young bride of the colonel whose militia was recently encamped just outside of Meryton."

"Oh?"

She nodded. She sighed. "Despite my earnest attempts to get my father to see the folly in allowing someone of Lydia's temperament to enjoy such an adventure, he would not be dissuaded."

"No doubt he trusts Colonel Forster to see that your young sister comes to no harm."

His speech prompted Elizabeth to cast her walking companion a sidelong glance. At that precise moment, he faced her. The two stared into each other's eyes.

Elizabeth wondered whether he was judging her or her family, especially with his having spoken of his harsh opinion of them in Kent. She had hoped he had progressed beyond that, even though there was no evident reason he would, for they had not changed. In truth, it was she who had changed, now more aware than ever of her family's deficits.

She soon discerned it was not judgment in his eyes, but rather ...

Before Elizabeth would allow herself to get too far ahead of the moment with premature sentimentalities, she looked away.

As they continued making their way to Oakham Mount, lagging his friend Bingley and Miss Bennet by a considerable distance, the tranquil beauty of the countryside lay spread before them was a stark contrast to the turmoil Darcy felt within. He thought he had put the incident at the parsonage behind him—the pain and heartbreak the encounter had wrought, but in seeing Elizabeth again, Darcy found his mind pulled back to the fateful day of his proposal—its hopeful start and its disastrous end.

The memory was sharp, etched deeply with bitter words spoken and emotions bared. He had laid his heart open, only to have it summarily dismissed, the sting of Elizabeth's rejection lingering still. He had been confident, arrogantly so, of her acceptance, blind to the signs of her indifference. The pain of that day had been profound, reshaping his understanding of both himself and the woman beside him.

Since then, much had changed. The riding accident, his ensuing amnesia, and startling recovery had altered him in ways he was finally beginning to understand. The vulnerability he had experienced had humbled him and softened some of the sharp edges of his pride. It was a change born of necessity, but not entirely unwelcome.

Yet, as they walked side by side, Darcy was aware of a new tension, a new wariness in how he regarded Elizabeth. He was both relieved and unnerved by her nearness. She was no longer just the woman who had refused him. In remaining close by his side in Kent, she had been a witness to his human frailties. A proud man of sense and education, blessed with everything the heart of mortal can most desire, yet unable to come to grips with the pain of heartbreak and shattered hopes, Darcy had found himself incapacitated by a bewildering state of mind that exposed the limits of his own self-control. This shift was disconcerting, yet it also brought a strange sort of gratitude and a gentler, more profound compassion than he had known before.

The silence between them was charged, filled with unspoken words and not yet asked questions. Darcy gave Elizabeth a sidelong glance, wondering what thoughts occupied her mind, what feelings stirred behind those amazing dark eyes.

Did she regret her words in Kent? Had her feelings toward him changed, or did she merely perform her duties out of a sense of obligation? The uncertainty tugged at him, yet he found himself hesitant to broach the subject. Instead, he focused on the present, on the pleasantness of the day and the woman beside him, allowing himself to hope, perhaps foolishly, that this walk might lead them toward a new understanding.

Breaking the silence between them, Elizabeth reminded Mr. Darcy of their primary employment as chaperones during the outing. "Shall we join my sister and your friend?"

Mr. Darcy agreed, and together they sped their pace to catch up with the others. As they reached Jane and Mr. Bingley, the atmosphere instantly lit up, bolstered by Bingley's infectious energy. Darcy, usually reserved in such company, found himself laughing more freely than he had in a long while. Elizabeth, too, seemed more at ease, her lively spirit on full display as she exchanged teasing remarks with her sister. The tension that had weighed so heavily between him and Elizabeth earlier dissolved into the gentle warmth of shared conversation.

And for a moment, he allowed himself to hope. Might this be the beginning of something new?