A Most Civil Proposal (16 page)

The folded note was addressed to ‘Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Esq,’ and Elizabeth realized he was teasing her. “Uncle!” she responded in mock sternness, “You are being most vexing!” This only drew a laugh from him, and she had to smile as well. On her way out the door, she paused.

“Uncle, I know it is highly unusual, but if the opportunity presents itself . . . might I ask for the loan of your study for a time tonight?” Elizabeth asked. He raised his eyebrows at her in query, and she blushed slightly. “There remain a number of questions between Mr. Darcy and myself that still need to be resolved,” she said simply, and after a slight hesitation, he agreed to her request.

“Thank you, Uncle,” she said gratefully, going around his desk to embrace him briefly before leaving with the note in hand.

Chapter 12

Saturday, April 18, 1812

Darcy was in his study, engaged in pleasant thoughts of the coming evening with Elizabeth and quite neglecting his correspondence when his butler, Stevens, knocked at the door and showed Colonel Fitzwilliam into the room. When he saw his cousin, still wearing his regimental uniform, stride into the room with a bleak look on his face, sudden worry clutched at his stomach.

As soon as they were alone, Fitzwilliam immediately pulled a slip of paper from his uniform pocket and handed it to Darcy. It read:

We are recently informed that a certain bachelor from Derbyshire, well-known as one of the most eligible young men of fashionable society, has apparently taken a mistress, a comely but unknown country lass. Shockingly, he is flaunting his new light o’ love under the nose of his own relations, keeping her in, of all places, the nearby home of a churchman.

“Oh, wonderful,” Darcy groaned.

“It was published on Thursday, but I did not learn of it until today. You know the
Chronicle
. There is just so much garbage in it that I did not come upon it until now.”

“This is disgusting,” Darcy growled. “Even after your warnings, I still did not expect it to really occur. But how can they get away with publishing this kind of faradiddle? How are those responsible not called out on a regular basis?”

“Darcy, you do not understand how clever they are. They name no names, do they? If you tried to make this an affair of honour, your accusations would be denied. It would always be someone else. Meanwhile, they report your objection, which only serves to identify you more directly. Then, after having milked the scandal of all interest, they move on to another topic. By then, the society gossips will have taken up the story and do the rest of the work, leaving you tarnished and Miss Elizabeth Bennet ruined.”

Darcy sat back in his chair, shaking his head. Fitzwilliam was right; blast it! There was no physical enemy to contend with, no reality to attach to this vaporous threat. Fifteen minutes earlier, he had been enjoying the thought of an evening spent in pleasant company, imagining a successful step forward in his pursuit of Elizabeth, and the eventual possibility of inviting the Gardiners to visit the two of them at Pemberley and partake of the fishing and other beauties. At least this was not published earlier while Elizabeth was still at Hunsford and the chance of the matter turning out disastrously was much greater. Still, it would certainly force her to make a decision earlier than he desired, and he could only hope that she and the Gardiners could forgive his clumsy attentions now that scandal threatened her reputation. He sighed helplessly. The situation was what it was, and he must face it and hope that Elizabeth could manage the same.

“I have been invited to dine at the Gardiner’s tonight, and I will have to make her aware of this.”

Fitzwilliam nodded gloomily in agreement. Darcy ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “I had hoped for some calmer moments with Elizabeth here in London,” he continued, “and now this arises!”

“Truly, it may not be as bad as you think, Darcy.” Fitzwilliam brightened. ”Surely a young lady as fair-minded as Miss Bennet will understand that this is not your fault and that you have her best interests at heart.”

“I can only hope you are correct, Richard,” said Darcy, with a certain degree of trepidation.

* * * * *

Elizabeth was uncommonly anxious as she awaited Mr. Darcy’s arrival, and the sly smiles her aunt and uncle exchanged at her discomposure only made everything worse. Maria Lucas seemed content to simply sit in a corner chair and work on her sewing, and Bingley was happily seated by Jane, both of them conversing in low tones, leaving her alone with her thoughts. At least Elizabeth could enjoy the radiant happiness so obvious on Jane’s face. The frank adoration on Bingley’s open countenance was equally striking, and though she was conscious of the lack of similar strong feelings herself for Mr. Darcy, she was far from indifferent to the man coming to call on her. She smiled inwardly. Mr. Darcy had provoked many reactions in her, but
indifference
had never been one of them! Thus, she was perhaps more anxious to please than was her normal aspiration, and she naturally feared that every power of pleasing would fail her in that situation. When she heard a carriage arrive, a quick glance out the window confirmed that it was Mr. Darcy’s coach, and the gentleman himself was even then stepping to the ground. The bell rang almost immediately, and in moments he was shown into the sitting room.

As he bowed in introduction to the various members of the party, she noticed his gaze repeatedly returned to her. Self-consciously, she rose and crossed the room to greet him.

“Miss Elizabeth,” he said softly as he bowed over her hand, lightly brushing his lips over her fingers.

“Mr. Darcy,” she said in reply, unable to keep the twinkle out of her eyes and the slight smile off her lips as she unconsciously reacted to his gallantry.

Darcy was pleasantly surprised by the unexpected warmth of her welcome. He, too, had been feeling unsettled — there were so many things between them that had not even been discussed, much less resolved, and he was cheered at the reception. Her manner was open and friendly, and he could not help but note the difference between this meeting and all the others in Kent and Hertfordshire.

How could I possibly have believed that she greeted me with expectation then?
he thought.
Those were greetings of cold politeness, and I had not the wit to even recognize it.

His discomposure must have shown in his face, for she suddenly looked uneasy. “Is something wrong, Mr. Darcy?” she asked quietly. They were standing alone some paces from the others after their initial greeting and thus had a small measure of privacy.

“No, nothing at all,” he responded, forcing a smile. “I just had occasion to remember some of my mistaken assumptions in the past, and the recollection was not pleasing.”

She cocked an eyebrow at him. “You must learn my philosophy, Mr. Darcy, and think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.”

He laughed. Oh, how he enjoyed their jousting! “I think your philosophy stems from a different root, Miss Elizabeth. Your retrospections must be free of that which might cause reproach, so your contentment is not based on ignoring that which would cause embarrassment but rather on its absence. But I am not so fortunate. I have painful memories though I would not change them, for how else would I learn?”

He sobered suddenly. “A matter has arisen that must be addressed immediately. I will speak to your uncle and request the opportunity to talk with you privately as soon as may be.”

Elizabeth was troubled by the stormy expression that came and went over his face. “I had already approached my uncle regarding this as I have some items of my own I should like to discuss. He has agreed to the use of his study. However, you should still ask him.”

Darcy nodded, and he reluctantly left her to approach her aunt and uncle. Elizabeth turned to see Jane staring at her in both surprise and confusion. She had not had a moment of privacy in which to inform Jane of any of what had occurred in Kent, though her sister had made one sly remark that Elizabeth had best prepare for a
long
talk before bed. Bingley, too, sat with his mouth open in astonishment, looking back and forth between herself and his friend, the light of comprehension only just beginning to dawn in his eyes.

Maria Lucas still attended to her sewing but with a hint of a smile on her face. To Elizabeth, that smile intimated that Maria was not as surprised by Darcy’s greeting of her as she ought to have been, which led to the further thought that Charlotte had likely confided at least some aspects of the events in Kent to her sister before they left the Parsonage. Mr. Gardiner had offered his carriage to take Miss Lucas on to Hertfordshire on the morrow, and Maria was eager to accept. She had not only the news of her stay at Hunsford to share around the neighbourhood, but she had the infinitely more attractive information of the fortunate union secured by the eldest Bennet girl and possibly the second eldest as well.

Well
, Elizabeth thought ruefully as she walked over to sit by Jane,
there is no chance of evasion or disguise now; the cat is well and truly out of the bag!

It was not long before Elizabeth saw Mr. Darcy and her uncle rise and leave the room, and she was accordingly not surprised when, a few minutes later, the maid approached to say that her uncle desired her presence in his study. As she excused herself, Elizabeth was aware, even without seeing, of the calculating look that Jane and Bingley exchanged. They either were, or soon would be, adding their sums and reaching an uncomfortably accurate conclusion. Her aunt was, as usual, several steps ahead of everyone else, and she sent Elizabeth a smile that betrayed a considerable amount of self-satisfaction. Elizabeth shook her head in amusement, thinking of how pitilessly she was going to be interrogated later by them both.

When she entered her uncle’s study, the men rose politely, and Mr. Gardiner said, “Please take a seat, Lizzy. Mr. Darcy has asked for some time to speak with you privately, and as your guardian while you stay with us, I have felt compelled to set the usual conditions, little though I believe it is necessary for either of you. But I will remind you,” he smiled, “that you need not settle everything tonight since we dine at seven.” Darcy darkened slightly, Elizabeth flushed more, and Mr. Gardiner chuckled to himself as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

Once they were alone, they at first sat silently with so much to say that neither could venture a word. At last, Darcy sighed. “Where shall we start, Miss Bennet?”

Elizabeth smiled. “
I
shall start by thanking you for your efforts with Mr. Bingley. I know it could not have been easy.”

Darcy squirmed in his seat with remembrance. “Yes, it was difficult. I have never seen Bingley so angry. I had not believed he could
get
that angry. Did you know he ordered me from his house?”

“He did?” Elizabeth stared at him in astonishment. “That is remarkable!”

Darcy nodded. “Most assuredly he did, though he did stop by my townhouse the next afternoon after he spoke to your father, and he then very generously forgave me. He was quite exuberant by that time and invited me to accompany him to your uncle’s house.”

“Jane did not say a word of Mr. Bingley’s being angry,” Elizabeth said, shaking her head in amusement, “though she did write that you had called. I have to wonder if he has yet told her of it. Jane and I have not had a chance to speak privately since I returned. However, based on the looks I received when I left the sitting room, I believe that she and Mr. Bingley are probably discussing us quite extensively right now.”

He smiled briefly and then sobered. “May I assume that you do not know about his sister?” When Elizabeth shook her head, he continued, “He banished her to the Hurst’s home after he found out about her deceptions, and then he suspended her allowance. He will not allow her to return, and possibly more significantly, he will not even discuss the matter with me. Though,” he smiled wickedly, “I have not pressed him very hard.”

Darcy continued thoughtfully, “I suspect that Charles may not need nearly as much advice from me in the future. But, since that was the goal I was trying to guide him toward in any event, one good result is that he is much closer to being his own man than he would have been otherwise. Not,” he said wryly, “that I would recommend the way in which events shaped themselves if I could do it over again.”

“I daresay,” said Elizabeth with a slight smile. “Now I believe it is your turn, Mr. Darcy.”

Darcy looked uncomfortable as he took the torn section of newsprint from his pocket and handed it to Elizabeth. Her brow crinkled as she read it, and he tried to prepare himself for her anger and hurt as she was confronted with proof of her unfair entanglement in this noxious affair.

What he was not prepared for was the tinkling sound of laughter.

Shocked, he could only stare at her as she looked at the section again in amusement before handing it back to him with a smile on her face. “I . . . I expected you to be upset,” he said haltingly.

“If you only knew, sir,” she said with an impertinent smile, “how many hours I have spent trying to puzzle out the riddle of your character, arriving at conclusions only after long and difficult struggle, and now I find it was all for naught. One can only laugh or cry when faced with such irony, and I would much rather laugh.”