Defending Elizabeth Read online

  Perhaps his actions were motivated entirely by guilt, but Elizabeth did not believe that to be the case. She hoped it was not the case. However, even if Darcy did return her feelings, what would come of it? She was not the sort of woman a man like he was destined to marry. He would marry an heiress, someone who was used to the upper echelons of society. Perhaps, then, what they had was just a flirtation. He would be gallant to her, and that would be the limit of what they could have together. He would go on to marry his heiress, and she would find a parish priest or a husband with a small estate. Things would go back to the way they ought to be.

  Her heart, however, disagreed with this idea. When she closed her eyes, she imagined what it would be like to kiss him, to wrap her arms around his neck and feel his arms around her. She flushed at the thought, but it was a delicious, warming fire which she did not want to end.

  She fell asleep with Darcy's name on her lips and dreamed during the night of a time when they could be together.

  * * *

  The next morning, Elizabeth rose early, but not earlier than a very happy Mary.

  "Mary, that is a lovely tune you are humming."

  "I did not realize I did so," Mary said, her ears turning red.

  "Did you have a pleasant time yesterday?"

  "I did, indeed."

  "And the young man you were speaking with, was he quite amiable?"

  "Oh, yes. His name is John Davis, and he is a pastor. He is so well-spoken and polite, Lizzy. He spent the entire luncheon speaking with me."

  "That is lovely, Mary. Do you have plans to see him again?"

  "We agreed to sit together in church on Sunday. I am so excited to worship with him. He is very pious and learned."

  "I am sure he thinks the same of you."

  "Oh, I do not know. I do not believe he esteems me in such a way."

  "Mary, you just said he spoke with you for the entire luncheon, and you have made plans to see one another again. Was the idea to sit together in church yours or his?"

  The blush moved to the sides of Mary's face and quickly made its way towards her cheeks.

  "It was his."

  "Then there is your answer," Elizabeth said with a smile. "Mary, you are lovely, smart, and devout. What else could he want in a wife?"

  The blush covered Mary's face by that point. Elizabeth worried he teased her sister too much.

  "I am sorry, Mary. I just want you to realize you are special, and that a man would be lucky for you to agree to be his wife."

  Mary smiled at her. "Thank you, Lizzy."

  Both sisters went in opposite directions, but they both carried the warmth from their conversation with them throughout the day.

  * * *

  Mary and John Davis did indeed sit together in church the following Sunday. Elizabeth tried her best not to stare at the two of them, but every time she managed a glance, the two of them were stealing glances at one another and smiling more than the sermon would indicate. Mary might not be optimistic, but Elizabeth fully expected another wedding announcement soon.

  Chapter 25

  After about a week, Elizabeth began to adjust to living without Jane. It helped that Jane was not far away, and Elizabeth could visit whenever she wanted. However, life at Longbourn was dull without Jane to laugh with, even with Mary's improved mood.

  Mr. John Davis returned to his parish, but he promised to return soon. His stated purpose was to visit his cousins at Netherfield, but everyone was well aware the real attraction for him was Miss Mary Bennet. Elizabeth had not imagined she might be the last of the Bennet sisters to marry, but it was beginning to seem like more of a possibility with each passing day.

  Mr. Darcy remained at Netherfield, but Elizabeth had seen very little of him since Bingley and Jane's wedding. She was therefore surprised when she glanced out the window and saw him striding towards the front door. She could not imagine what his purpose might be. She stopped in front of a mirror to inspect her hair and straighten the bodice of her dress, and she arrived in the foyer just as Darcy knocked on the door.

  "Mr. Darcy. It is good to see you."

  "And you as well, Miss Bennet."

  They looked at one another for a moment.

  "Might I come in?" he asked.

  "Oh, certainly. Pardon me. Do come in. I will ring for tea."

  She showed him into a sitting room.

  "I will call my mother and my sister."

  "Actually, it is you I intended to speak to."

  "I? What is it I can do for you, Mr. Darcy?"

  He momentarily lost what he was about to say as he imagined all the ways he could answer that question.

  "I know our relationship has not always been agreeable, and I take complete responsibility for that. Please allow me to apologize for the way have treated you."

  "Mr. Darcy, there is no need. Although I agree things might not have begun well, I very much appreciate the information you gave me during our time in Kent. You were not obligated to do so, and it is clear your intention was to keep me from making a mistake."

  He glanced at her. He had not realized she felt so warmly about his actions when he was at Rosings, and it gave him courage for what he planned to ask her.

  "I would do anything to protect you," he said, softly.

  She looked at him, surprised by the tender direction of the conversation. Perhaps her recent dreams were not so unlikely.

  The warmth of her eyes further bolstered his courage.

  "Miss Bennet, I am aware this is very sudden, and I would entirely understand if you need time to consider what I am about to ask."

  Elizabeth felt light-headed. Could Mr. Darcy honestly be preparing to propose to her?

  Suddenly the door to the sitting room flew open, and a servant from Netherfield rushed in.

  "Begging your pardon Miss Bennet, Mr. Darcy. This letter arrived shortly after you left, sir, and the messenger stated the letter contains information that is urgent and of the utmost importance. The sender requested you read it immediately."

  Darcy was on his feet, striding over to take the letter. He broke the seal and read it.

  "Your intrusion is most improper, but I shall ignore it due to the severity of this letter," he said to the servant. "Return to Netherfield at once and tell my valet to prepare to leave immediately."

  "Yes, sir," the servant said, and rushed out as quickly as he entered.

  "My dear Miss Bennet," Darcy said. "I would like to say nothing could tear me from this conversation, but this letter intimates there is a crisis to which I must personally attend. I do hope you will be willing to resume this conversation later."

  Elizabeth nodded in agreement. "Of course, Mr. Darcy. I look forward to your return."

  "As do I," he said, giving her a small smile. "Once again, I do apologize for my swift departure. I hope to speak with you again very soon."

  He bowed, turned, and was gone.

  "Hurry back," Elizabeth whispered at his back.

  * * *

  Darcy rode his horse hard on his way to Rosings. The letter than he received from his aunt was vague, but it seemed there was an emergency of some sort. His aunt wrote:

  Your presence is needed urgently at Rosings. There has been an unexpected turn of events which could potentially cause much pain for our family. However, this unfortunate circumstance could yet be avoided, and your prompt attention could provide the assistance we need. Please hurry, as I am unsure how much time is left to prevent this tragedy.

  Darcy's first thought was that his aunt or his cousin was ill. However, he could not envision a situation in which his presence could improve their health. Multiple possibilities played themselves out in his head as he rode. He had never received a letter such as this from his aunt. She did not tend to urgency in such a way, and that only contributed to his concern over the reason for the letter. He knew continuing to speculate would be of limited usefulness, and so he instead drove his horse faster, pushing to get to Rosings as soon as possible and provide
whatever assistance he could to forestall the approaching catastrophe.

  * * *

  Elizabeth was unsure how to proceed after Mr. Darcy's departure. Her first task was decided for her, however: Mrs. Bennet came to see who had recently arrived.

  "Mr. Darcy?" Mrs. Bennet said, her brow furrowing. "But what on earth would that unpleasant man want here?"

  "I am unsure. He was called away before he could tell me the purpose for his visit."

  "Well, there is nothing he could have said that would affect us. I know he is a friend of my dear Mr. Bingley, but Mr. Darcy has never proven himself a friend to us."

  Elizabeth said nothing to contradict her mother, although she knew Mr. Darcy had helped the Bennets more than any of them aside from her might ever realize. She desperately hoped he returned to her as quickly as he could.

  Chapter 26

  Darcy arrived at Rosings Park after a hard ride. There was no time to recover from his trip. He needed to ascertain the reason his aunt had required his presence so quickly. He had expected to find Colonel Fitzwilliam in attendance as well, to assist with the emergency. However, the outside of Rosings showed no sign of anyone else, or anything whatsoever out of the ordinary.

  He handed his horse to a groom and hurried inside. He was taken to his aunt's favorite sitting room and announced. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim light, but when they did, he saw Lady Catherine and Anne sat in their normal seats. They were alone aside from Ann's companion.

  "Lady Aunt, I came as soon as I received your message. What is the emergency?"

  Lady Catherine stared at him for a moment, and looked so cross Darcy began to wonder how he might have upset her.

  "This must not continue," Lady Catherine finally said.

  "What must not?"

  "I know your intentions towards that silly Bennet girl. I do not know why you devil me like this, Darcy. Acting like you are not an engaged man. There shall be no more of it. You and Anne will wed next week. I shall procure the license, and Mr. Collins will perform the ceremony. Then you will be safe from the ambitions of girls like Elizabeth Bennet."

  "I do apologize, Aunt, but what is the emergency?" Darcy repeated. "Your letter made it sound as if the matter was quite urgent."

  "And it is! Are you not listening to me? It is vital you are married to Anne as soon as possible, before you make a mistake which cannot be undone."

  Darcy glanced at Anne, and found her staring down at her hands. She certainly did not have the look of a woman who was hoping for an offer to be made.

  "How does this make you feel, Cousin Anne?"

  "Why do you speak to her? She is, of course, happy with the idea. There shall be plenty of time to talk after you wed. Do not oppose me on this, boy. This wedding shall happen."

  "Aunt, you do not have the right to determine who I might marry."

  "I do not have the right!" sputtered Lady Catherine. "What of your mother, Darcy? What of her final wishes?"

  "My mother did not leave any indication of a plan for Anne and I to wed, and neither had my father heard of any such agreement."

  "Are you saying my sister and I needed a contract to make such a decision? We needed no such thing. We knew our word was more than enough collateral for such an agreement. Why is our word not enough for you now?"

  "With respect, I will not have my life arranged by an agreement which was made when I was a young child."

  "You would disrespect your mother in such a way? You would ignore her dying wish, and all for a girl as uncouth as Elizabeth Bennet?"

  "This has nothing to do with Miss Bennet. Whether I intend to marry her or not has nothing to do with whether Anne and I will be wed."

  "Do you think me a fool? Of course these issues are related. You are throwing Anne over for that woman."

  "The fact of it is, I have no intention of marrying Anne." Then to Anne, "My apologies for being so blunt, Cousin."

  Anne looked at him with wide eyes and shook her head just once.

  "How dare you! You come into my house and insult my daughter? I cannot believe your nerve."

  "I am here at your invitation, because you insinuated there was an emergency."

  "If this is not an emergency, I do not know what is. I promised your mother I would look after you. You might not respect her memory, but I assure you I do, and I will not watch you go against her wishes in such a way." Her mouth twisted into a smirk. "If you are worried about the Bennet girl, rest assured I informed her of your impending engagement."

  "Even you would not be so meddlesome."

  "Would I not? It is not meddlesome; I am simply doing Miss Bennet the favor of informing her she ought not expect an offer from you, as you are in no position to make one."

  Darcy gritted his teeth. "I expect your interference in my life, but you have gone too far in involving Miss Bennet."

  "I? I involved Miss Bennet? This is your fault, Darcy. I am just assisting you in resolving this unfortunate situation."

  "Anne and I shall not be married. I do not understand why you think you can force this union."

  "Darcy, you are the only one who does not see the benefit of this marriage," said Lady Catherine, exasperated.

  "That is untrue." The quiet voice startled both Lady Catherine and Darcy into silence, and they turned to look at Anne. "I do not wish to marry Fitzwilliam. I apologize, Cousin, but since you already stated you do not wish to marry me, I hope you are not offended."

  "Anne, this is no time for you to be obstinate," Lady Catherine said.

  "It is not obstinate for me to provide input into whom I wish to wed. I love Fitzwilliam, as a kinsman. I have no interest in becoming his wife. I do not want it, and I shall not consent to it."

  "Do you see what you accomplished?" Lady Catherine said, turning to Darcy. "Now you have confused Anne with your ridiculous and selfish ideas."

  "I am not confused." Anne was wracked with a fit of coughing, and then took a moment to recover. "I will not wed him. Mother, this marriage will not happen."

  "The audacity! To be spoken to in such a way in my own home!"

  "I shall resolve the issue for you, and leave as soon as possible," Darcy said.

  "You will do no such thing. You will stay at Rosings Park, and we will discuss this again in the morning, once you have had the opportunity to consider this issue."

  "No, I am afraid I must leave at once. My deepest apologies, Cousin, for the unpleasantry of this situation."

  Anne smiled at him. She could have used the moment to chastise her mother further, but she felt Lady Catherine understood the situation clearly, for the first time.

  "Lady Catherine. Cousin Anne. I wish you well," Darcy said, with a bow. With that, he turned and exited the room without so much as a single glance back.

  He took lodging in the nearby town that night. It was his intention to return to Hertfordshire the following morning. He only hoped his aunt had been bluffing about the letter to Elizabeth. He needed to return as soon as possible to ensure things were made right with the woman he hoped to marry.

  Chapter 27

  Elizabeth read the letter in her trembling hands for the third time. It made no more sense than it had on its first two readings.

  Dear Miss Bennet,

  By the time this letter reaches you, my nephew, Mr. Darcy, will be formally engaged to my daughter, Miss Anne de Bourgh. I know you may still see him socially. I expect you will behave properly and cease all attentions to a man who is promised to another. I am concerned your rather unconventional upbringing might lead you to be unaware of the requirements of proper social interaction, so I feel it is incumbent upon me to ensure you will behave in a way befitting a gentleman's daughter, even if that gentleman is of meager means. I only hope to spare you any additional humiliation.

  Lady Catherine de Bourgh

  Frankly, Elizabeth could not decide which part of the letter caused her the most offense; why would Lady Catherine take the time to compose and send a letter to her?
Did she consider Elizabeth that great a threat for Mr. Darcy's emotions?

  Elizabeth mused this must be the emergency to which the letter Mr. Darcy received referred. His aunt had called him back to Rosings to be wed to his cousin.

  Lady Catherine's timing was both impeccable and frustrating. The final conversation she had with Darcy led Elizabeth to believe he was interested in her. Why would he do such a thing if he had been promised to his cousin? She did not believe him that callous.

  She read the letter over once more, a single tear smearing the ink and running down the page. She and Darcy had been so close, only for things to fall apart at the last moment.

  Elizabeth very much wanted to speak with Jane. It was so difficult to no longer have her confidante under the same roof. However, she was unsure if she could see Mr. Bingley without thinking of Mr. Darcy, and she certainly did not want to see Caroline Bingley or Louisa Hurst at that moment. Elizabeth wrote a quick note asking Jane to visit her at Longbourn as soon as she could, sent it off, and settled in with the book she was reading and a steaming cup of tea. She did not expect to get much reading done, but nonetheless she was grateful for the distraction.

  Elizabeth had stared at the book for nearly two hours when she heard the sound of hooves outside. It sounded like a single horse, and she was a bit surprised Jane came on horseback instead of taking the smaller curricle. Still, it showed Jane was anxious to come to her sister's aid, and for that Elizabeth was relieved.

  She ran to the front door to greet her sister, and was surprised to find Mr. Darcy, rather than Jane, on the back of the horse.

  "Miss Bennet," he said as he dismounted and passed off the reins, "There is much I must speak with you about. Is this a convenient time?"

  "It is, Mr. Darcy." She was unsure if she would be able to control her emotions if he told her he was to wed his cousin, but she had to know his intentions. "Do come in."