Darcy's Passions (25 page)

“Then I am well satisfied, Miss Bennet,” Darcy replied and quickly left the room to find Mr. Shepherd.

“Please follow me, Miss Elizabeth, Mrs. Gardiner,” Georgiana offered as she stood to lead them toward the conservatory.

“Happily so,” Elizabeth said as she also stood.Then interlocking her arm into Georgiana's, Elizabeth smiled brightly at Darcy's sister. “Pemberley is a magnificent home. Its elegance comes in its simplistic sophistication.”

“That is ironic,” Georgiana gasped as they headed toward the door.

“What is, Miss Darcy?”

“Your description of Pemberley,” her nose wrinkled a bit showing she was still a schoolgirl at heart.“It is what Fitzwilliam says about Pemberley when he describes our home—simple sophistication.”

Elizabeth turned to make sure Mrs. Gardiner followed close behind but also to conceal the blush overtaking her face.

 

Entering the conservatory, the beauty of the place awed Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner, but it also had a calming effect on them.“I hope you love this place, Miss Elizabeth,” said Georgiana,“for it is one of my favorite rooms at Pemberley. I feel my mother here. Fitzwilliam says she would spend hours tending the plants.”

“Each part of Pemberley seems to override the previous, Miss Darcy,” Elizabeth gushed, “but this room would be one of my favorites also. It speaks of the magnitude of your mother's character. A woman who loved flowers and nature so to replicate this atmosphere could have no less children than you and Mr. Darcy.”

Darcy came back to escort Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner to their carriage. He stood in the shadows of the doorway watching his precious sister and the woman who possessed him completely. He could barely breathe while watching the two of them together. Could they become friends? Georgiana deserved these happy moments. Elizabeth strolled aimlessly, looking at the exotic flowers
and the shrubbery. She stopped at a yellow boxwood rose plant, touching its leaves lovingly, nearly caressing the petals. Georgiana, walking now with Mrs. Gardiner, looked back and beamed. “You discovered my mother's favorite flower, Miss Elizabeth. My brother reportedly fought to keep the cuttings alive after my mother's death. I felt often he did so to keep my mother's memory alive too.”

“I can imagine so, Miss Darcy,” Mrs. Gardiner entered the conversation. “Your brother took on many responsibilities at a young age. I would imagine the plant gave him comfort.” Darcy could hardly believe his ears.These people whom he once shunned because of his misplaced pride understood him better than many of his close acquaintances.

He watched Elizabeth in Pemberley's conservatory, deeply inhaling the fragrance of his mother's boxwood rose. He could barely breathe; his heart lodged again in his throat. He knew at this moment he must make Elizabeth Bennet a part of his life. If she could learn to love him, Fitzwilliam Darcy would not hesitate or question himself again.Yet, even if all they ever had was the quiet repartee they enjoyed since he found her on the grounds of Pemberley two days ago, then he would settle for that. He would protect Elizabeth. He would love Elizabeth from afar if necessary, but he would do everything in his power to secure her happiness even if that meant finding Elizabeth a suitable romantic match.
Oh, God, could he do that? Could he stand to see her with another man?
He could not stand a life without seeing Elizabeth; that much he did know; making her happy took on new importance. Maybe she would consider becoming a traveling companion for Georgiana. Mrs. Annesley gave Georgiana refinement, but Elizabeth Bennet could give her confidence.What was he thinking? He thought of Elizabeth being a part of his life. He thought about Elizabeth Bennet as he had thought since his days at Netherfield. Darcy cleared his voice and stepped into the room. “Mrs. Gardiner, your carriage is without.”

“Thank you, Mr. Darcy, for a most pleasant afternoon.”

“Yes,” hurried Elizabeth. “You and Miss Darcy have a most well-suited home here at Pemberley. I will never be able to think of either of you without picturing you here at this great estate. This has been a most unexpected pleasure.” Elizabeth colored slightly, but only Darcy noted the change.

“You are to be our guests at any time you so desire,” Georgiana said with a glow of confidence she was learning to like; Darcy marveled at the change.

“I see you prefer the yellow boxwood rose, Miss Elizabeth,” Darcy could not help himself; he wanted to speak to her again.When she talked, he heard the same voice and discerned the same mind.

“It is a cherished plant, is it not, Mr. Darcy? Or has your sister exaggerated its importance?” Elizabeth's enigmatic smile overspread her face as her eyes drifted to Darcy's passionate stare.

“Oh, no, Miss Elizabeth,” Georgiana began.

“Georgiana,” Darcy stopped her in mid sentence,“you will find Miss Bennet likes to test my mettle with her responses some times.” As he said so, a wry smile turned up on the outline of his lips as if he and Elizabeth just shared a private joke.The “attitude” displayed between her brother and Elizabeth Bennet and the intensity of their stares amused Georgiana. Mrs. Gardiner simply smiled as she took Georgiana's arm to head toward her waiting carriage and to allow Georgiana to return to her other guests.

Elizabeth fell into step with Darcy, both of them in a quiet state of chaos, not admitting their need to be with each other.With her eyes down so Darcy could not see her face, Elizabeth said at a barely audible level only Darcy listening with his whole being could hear.“I meant no disrespect, Mr. Darcy. I just meant yellow is my favorite color of flower, especially the yellow rose. Some say yellow represents jealousy. I say it demonstrates a constancy of spirit; like the sun, it lasts forever.”

As he handed Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth into the carriage, Darcy could not resist the impulse to hold Elizabeth's hand a moment longer than propriety would allow. Elizabeth glanced
down at his hand and slowly withdrew hers from his, prolonging the sensation. Darcy's heart beat so loudly he was sure everyone must have heard it. He could not remove the smile from his face as he watched Elizabeth's carriage leave the grounds.

With reluctance, Darcy returned to the salon; he could not leave Georgiana to deal with the Bingley sisters alone. As predicted, Caroline Bingley's disdain for Elizabeth Bennet overflowed with criticisms of Elizabeth's person, behavior, and dress. To no avail, Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley tried to redirect Caroline's censure. When Darcy entered, he found Georgiana in nearly as much distress as when Miss Bingley earlier made references to George Wickham.“Georgiana, my dear,” he said as he entered,“do you not have lessons to which to attend?” Darcy shot his sister a secretive glance.

“Yes, Brother, I do, and then I have some letters to write.” She returned a wink of “thanks,” made a quick curtsy, and left the room. Georgiana felt relief at being away from Miss Bingley's comments about Elizabeth Bennet. Her brother favored Miss Bennet, and as for Georgiana, his judgment could not err.Yet, even if her brother did not speak so highly of Miss Elizabeth, Georgiana would have found her to be lovely and amiable. Elizabeth Bennet won Georgiana's heart also.

When Georgiana left, Miss Bingley repeated to Darcy what she said to his sister.As jealousy consumed Caroline Bingley, she forgot to check her sharpened tongue before Darcy's hearing, and he, at first, tolerated her comments for Bingley's sake. She began with renewed disapproval of Elizabeth's looks, noting she believed Elizabeth's face to be “brown and coarse.”

Darcy tried to warn Miss Bingley of her being too forward by saying coldly, “Miss Elizabeth travels in the summer months; it
would make sense for her to be tanned. Other than that, I perceive no great change in her looks.”

Needless to say, this did not satisfy Caroline; determined, she reminded Darcy of his initial dislike for Elizabeth Bennet. The tirade included a profound dislike for Elizabeth's thin face, lackluster complexion, and unattractive features, including her nose, teeth, and “her fine eyes.” Caroline referred to Elizabeth as having an air of self-sufficiency without tolerable fashion.

During this, Darcy tried repeatedly to restructure his composure; it took great constraint not to order Caroline Bingley to leave Pemberley at once; he even considered helping the servants pack her trunks to be rid of her in a timelier manner.

Caroline, unfortunately, did not realize she stepped across the line of his patience; she desired to remind him he, too, once found Elizabeth Bennet and her family to be intolerable. “I remember, when we first knew her in Hertfordshire, how amazed we all were to find that she was a reputed beauty; and I particularly recollect you saying one night, after they had been dining at Netherfield, ‘
She
a beauty! I should as soon call her mother a wit.' But afterwards she seemed to improve on you, and I believe you thought her rather pretty at one time.”

Her voice sent revulsion through Darcy's body; he did not recall saying such things about Elizabeth, but he did not doubt he could have been that pompous at one time. Steadying his voice, he turned a look of steel upon Miss Bingley. She gasped at the intensity of his stare and dropped her eyes quickly as he delivered his cut.“Yes,” he snapped,“but
that
was only when I first saw her, for it is many months since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance.” He then went away, quitting the room; he must be away from the venom Caroline Bingley spread. He needed the companionship of intelligent, genteel people. Darcy returned to the stream to find Mr. Gardiner still leisurely enjoying the pleasures of the day in sport. He turned his attentions to getting to know the man whom Elizabeth admired and found his day improved by the effort.

Dinnertime drew near, but Darcy found he lost his taste for both the food and the company awaiting him in the dining room.The fragrance of roses filling his senses wafted over him, followed closely by the light scent of lavender. Sitting in the conservatory, he pleasantly recalled the last three days, praying he still had a chance with Elizabeth Bennet. Deep in these thoughts, his sister eventually interrupted him by saying,“Fitzwilliam, here you are.”

Darcy looked up as the haze of his memories retreated to be called forth again on a moment's notice.“I apologize, Dearest One, I neglected you since our visitors departed. Please sit with me for a few minutes before we must go into dinner.”

“Are you not well, Fitzwilliam?”

“I am well, at least, physically.”

“Is it Miss Elizabeth of whom you are concerned?”

“Dearest One, how could it be you have become so wise?” He smiled as he kissed her hand and then held it to his cheek. “I fear Miss Elizabeth is rarely far from my thoughts.”

“I do like her, Fitzwilliam, just as you said I would. I find Elizabeth Bennet to be one of the most amiable people of my acquaintance.”

Darcy smiled down at his sister's face overspread with happiness. “I am delighted you found her to be so; she is uncommon.”

“Fitzwilliam, tomorrow evening—I would hope to extend an invitation to Miss Elizabeth to spend some time at Pemberley, but I do not wish to pain you. If it would hurt you, I could possibly ask her to come to London with Mrs.Annesley and me instead.”

“Georgiana, you recognize my prayer of one day earning Miss Elizabeth's regard and bringing her to Pemberley, but even if those hopes are never achieved, I have come to realize I must have her in my life; I could not bear never seeing her again. Having Miss Elizabeth here at Pemberley as your special friend would give me nearly as much pleasure as having her here with me.”

“Fitzwilliam, I know little about love except for what I read in novels and poetry, but the greatest fool can see you and Elizabeth Bennet belong together.”

“From your lips,” he whispered,“to God's will, but even if Miss Elizabeth never returns my affection, she already gave me a new life; she opened the door for me to come out of the shadows of a prideful existence, without abandoning my ideals, and she created a new understanding between us two. It pains me to think I once offended the woman I most respect. Now I have sought Miss Elizabeth's acquaintance again, any effort I might now make to shun her presence would create suspicion, would it not? You may invite her to Pemberley if you so wish.”

“Fitzwilliam, if Miss Elizabeth finally realizes what an honorable man you are, she will possess a great love—a different kind of admiration, but I am a foolish school-girl,” she added, thinking she said too much for his serious sensibilities. After an awkward pause, she began again,“I know I disappointed you when I turned to Mr. Wickham.” She felt him stiffen at the mention of George Wickham's name.“I knew nothing of interpreting character then; now I see what superior affection really is.” Darcy realized his sister was not as naïve as he once thought her to be; she was a young lady looking for love and for her own way in the world. Of course, he was not anxious to let her leave him anytime soon, but he felt he understood her better since he showed himself to be vulnerable. “Did you see what Miss Elizabeth did today when Miss Bingley broached the subject of the—shire in Meryton? I was mortified; my first thoughts were Caroline knew about Mr. Wickham, but, of course, she did not.”