Elizabeth ascended the stairs to her chambers with the intention of fetching her warmest pelisse before they toured the indoor gardens. She had sewn it herself for Jane’s wedding as well as the trip to Kent, and it was beautifully quilted for winter.
As she entered the hallway, the sight of her childhood friend pulled her up short.
Why is Thomas standing in the hallway outside Lady’s Catherine’s rooms?
He was eavesdropping at the door! He held his finger to his lips when he saw her.
“What are you doing?” she whispered, appalled.
“What do you think I am doing?” he whispered back, raising an eyebrow. “I should think ’tis fairly obvious.”
“Listeners never hear any good of themselves.”
His blue eyes danced with mischief. “Ah, but Lady Catherine is not upbraiding her nephew concerning his relationship with me.”
Elizabeth’s eyes grew round, and Lady Catherine’s voice rose enough for her to hear the lady’s words clearly, without putting her own ear to the door.
“Fitzwilliam, you must do your duty and marry Anne! I cannot die in peace if you continue to refuse to take your place as master of this estate and secure the future of your cousin as well as yourself. Rosings Park and Pemberley would be joined by your marriage, as they should be. The two of you would be one of the wealthiest couples in all of England.”
Darcy’s reply was too muffled to understand.
Lady Catherine’s volume increased. “If your intention is to marry Elizabeth Bennet, you must reconsider. Somehow, she has drawn you in! How could you even consider a union so far beneath you? How could you forget the claims of honour, family, fortune, connections, and society?”
Elizabeth gasped and put her hand over her mouth.
Again, Darcy’s answer to Lady Catherine was unintelligible.
The lady continued to rage. “I have already spoken with her, and her rudeness is the cause of my illness! She told me to my face that she cared not at all for my opinion, and she would marry where she chose. Even when I pressed her, she would not give me her promise she would never marry you. Such a lack of gentility! She does not know her place. The hussy claimed to be equal with you, saying she is a gentleman’s daughter and you are a gentleman! She did not recognize that she is beneath our family in every way and cares not how she would be ostracized by all of us. I told her we could not receive her.”
Thomas’s shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. Elizabeth glared at him. He smirked in return.
Darcy’s voice was even quieter.
“And what of the infamous elopement of her youngest sister? Surely you would not align your sister with such people! You cannot put Georgianna in the company of the Bennet family with its wild girls! You must see that! It would be a disgrace! What would your dear mother say? How would your father advise you on this matter? I stand in their place as head of your family. You will marry Anne within the week!”
Hearing Darcy’s abrupt tones followed by rapid footsteps, Thomas moved away from the door, quickly placing himself a few steps down the hallway.
Elizabeth turned to face her own chamber, reaching for the door knob.
As the door to Lady Catherine’s room slammed, Elizabeth looked back.
Darcy’s red face and pronounced frown spoke of his anger. He took a deep breath and glanced at Thomas, his expression grim. “My aunt needs your assistance now, I fear. She has worked herself into a state, as you no doubt heard.”
The physician nodded and opened the door to the lady’s room. Before he closed it again, he smiled and winked at Elizabeth behind Darcy’s back.
Darcy quickly inclined his head to her and strode down the hallway to his own chambers.
He will never renew his addresses to me. Lady Catherine has now made certain of it.
The little hope she had gained since his arrival shattered around her.
As tears ran down her face, she went into her room and closed the door.
~~oo~~
Two hours later, a much-subdued Elizabeth heard a knock and went to the door.
“Charlotte. Come in.”
Charlotte shook her head. “We must hurry. Come downstairs with me. The party has assembled, and we only await Thomas’s return from the parsonage before we go. He has very graciously gone to see to my husband but should be back quite soon.”
“I think I shall remain in my rooms. Please give my apologies to everyone.”
“Are you ill, my dear?” Charlotte’s concern was evident. “This is most unlike you. I have never known you to give up a chance to walk. The flowers should be very beautiful, and I would love to see them; however, I will not go without you.”
“I am well,” replied Elizabeth.
“Then I shall stay with you.”
Unable to think of an excuse good enough to send her friend away without distressing her, Elizabeth relented and forced herself to be cheerful. “Allow me to fetch my pelisse and bonnet. I was going to read, but I can do that this evening.”
“Are you certain? For I could sit with you and forego the outing.”
“No, I have decided that I would rather walk among the plants. I should like to know the way so I can go there alone whenever I choose.”
Charlotte nodded. “I shall get my warmest pelisse and bonnet as well, and we can stop at Maria’s room to collect hers.”
Elizabeth’s mind wandered as they hurried to complete their tasks.
And there is something else I must do, for I may never have another opportunity after today.
~~oo~~
Thomas entered the front door just as Elizabeth and Charlotte reached the bottom of the stairs. He was covered in snow, bundled from head to foot in scarves and a woolen cap. As they waited, he allowed a footman to help him remove the layers that covered him. A second footman stepped forward to help him out of his great coat, cap, and thick gloves.
He adjusted his waist coat and jacket before he hurried to meet the ladies.
Elizabeth noticed his grim expression. “Was Mr. Collins no better?”
“Since it was my first time to examine the gentleman, I have nothing with which to compare his present health.”
He avoided her eyes, focusing instead on her eyebrows.
She knew that trick very well, for he always employed it when he wished to dodge the truth.
Charlotte’s sharp intake of breath told Elizabeth that she was aware of Thomas’s evasion as well.
“Tell me plainly,” she said, placing her hands on her burgeoning stomach. “How is my husband?”
Thomas adjusted his cravat. “Not as well as I would like, though I have given instructions to Mr. Sims and your staff which should put him to rights soon enough.”
“What sort of instructions?” asked Charlotte.
“They are to burn his clothes and personal belongings, and he is to eat nothing but boiled vegetables and bread. He is to have no animal food, liquor, or anything spicy, but I shall see him again tonight to decide what else is to be done. I may have to purge him, but I do not hold with blood-letting.”
Elizabeth looked out the windows, troubled. “But ’tis still snowing. How shall you travel in this weather?”
“The same way I travelled just now. Mr. Darcy had the head groomsman retrieve a sleigh which was stored in the stables. Two fine horses pulled it as a coachman drove, and I was covered in blankets with a footwarmer for my feet. The men were most considerate. Everything possible was done for my safety and comfort.”
Elizabeth frowned. “But it will be night soon. Would you not be in danger if you went out in the darkness in this storm? Can you not wait until the morning?”
Thomas took her hand in both of his. “Your concern warms my heart, but it is unfounded. You know the parsonage is not far away, and, as I will be alone in the sleigh, there is plenty of room for two groomsmen to join me and hold lanterns.” He blew out a breath. “I fear Mr. Collins will need me more tonight more than he did today.”
Charlotte touched his arm. “I so much appreciate this, Thomas, but should you leave Lady Catherine? Perhaps Mr. Sims would stay the night with my husband. You have told him what to do, and he is an able man.”
“I shall certainly check on her ladyship before I go, but I think she is out of danger for now. Your husband is in a precarious state.”
Elizabeth glimpsed the weariness in the young doctor’s eyes. He caught her glance and smiled before he continued.
“Shall we walk an hour in the gardens before I must return to the parsonage? I am in great need of exercise. I confess I returned expressly for that purpose.”
Thomas looked down at Elizabeth, uncharacteristically serious as he bent his head towards hers. His voice dropped nearly to a whisper. “Once I leave, I shall not see you again until tomorrow, if then.”
Darcy’s voice sounded behind the ladies. “I confess I heard all you said. My cousin will order a substantial meal for you to have before you leave Rosings. Vegetables and bread are not enough for you to maintain your own health.”
Elizabeth quickly pulled her hand from Thomas’s grasp as he straightened himself, sighing.
The physician locked eyes with Darcy. “Mr. Darcy. I did not see you standing there.”
Darcy’s smile was benign. “I heard a commotion and came to investigate, hoping you had returned with a report on the parson’s condition.”
The gentleman took a few steps and stopped beside Elizabeth.
“Eavesdropping is discourteous and dishonourable, I know,” Darcy continued, looking at Thomas, “but you were not speaking of me. Under those circumstances, and knowing you had just returned from Hunsford parsonage, I thought it better to remain where I was and listen rather than interrupt or have you repeat yourself. Had it been a personal matter, I either would have shown myself or left the area, just as any man of honour would have done.”
Elizabeth blushed deeply and lowered her eyes. He is right. We violated his privacy.
She turned to Darcy and fixed a smile on her face. “Shall we go tour the gardens before Thomas must leave again?”
Darcy stepped closer to her and offered his arm. “Certainly. We should go immediately so Mr. Jones may enjoy as much of the flora as possible. We are all indebted to him for taking such exemplary care of my aunt and Mr. Collins.”
She took his arm, and Thomas escorted Charlotte.
They stopped at the parlour door just long enough for Darcy to speak to Miss de Bough and to collect Miss Lucas before they continued to the back of the house.
~~oo~~
Elizabeth hardly blinked, she was so fascinated with the beauty around her. The snow on the glass sparkled in the late afternoon sun, casting prisms throughout the structure. Though she knew Thomas wanted to walk, she was continually distracted by unexpected delights around every bend in the path.
Darcy remained by her side, answering her multitudes of questions with great patience.
“How did you conceive of such a structure?”
“Very few of my ideas are original, Miss Bennet. I visited Versailles just before Napoleon rose to power. I was astounded, so I studied drawings of the buildings and adapted them. Nôtre and Hardouin-Mansart were geniuses of design and symmetry, and though Rosings is quite limited in space compared to the palace grounds, I sought to incorporate as many of their ideas as possible into the outdoor gardens as well as the orangeries. These glass buildings housing the flowers and fragile plants are based on the construction of the Versailles orangeries, though I added the Franklin stoves myself.”
“Truly amazing and wonderful,” she murmured.
“There is still much more to do,” he continued. “Until the prohibitive glass taxes are lifted, I shall have to be content with improving the existing buildings rather than expanding them. I doubt the work will be finished during my lifetime. After all, the Versailles orangeries have been under construction for more than one hundred fifty years.”
Thomas strode up beside them, looking at his pocket watch. “I must leave if I hope to get to the parsonage at a reasonable time.” He shut the lid and released the fob. “Please do not feel you must cut short your walk on my account, for I have seen how much you are enjoying yourself, Elizabeth, and it does me good.”
She looked up at Mr. Darcy. “Could we not continue our explorations tomorrow after Thomas returns? I should like to dine with him before he sets out for the parsonage.”
The gentleman nodded his agreement. “I am at your disposal. Perhaps we should all join Mr. Jones. An early supper in this cold weather would be quite pleasant. At any rate, it is quickly becoming too dark to see well, in spite of the lanterns.”
Charlotte and Maria, who had walked behind Elizabeth and Darcy on either side of Thomas, agreed to the plan, and they all made their way back to the house, their order reversed.
Darcy, still escorting Elizabeth, walked a bit more slowly than those in front of them, and shortly they could see their friends in the distance, but could not make out their conversation.
He stopped and turned to her, apparently intending to speak, but she stepped away from him and rushed to say what she had been harbouring in her heart since he had arrived at Rosings.
“Mr. Darcy, I beg you would allow me to say what I must, as I may never have the liberty to do so again. Please accept my thanks for your unexampled kindness to my poor sister. I realize you never intended for anyone to know what you did, but Lydia betrayed that you had been concerned in the matter. I could not rest until I wrote to my aunt and pressed her to tell me everything. Let me thank you on behalf of my entire family, for they know not to whom they are indebted.”
“I am exceedingly sorry,” he replied with surprise, “that you have been informed of what may, in a mistaken light, have given you uneasiness.”
She was breathless, wringing her hands. “Oh, no! Let me thank you again and again for that generous compassion which induced you to take so much trouble and bear so many mortifications for the sake of discovering my sister and Mr. Wickham.”
“If you will thank me,” he replied gravely, “let it be for yourself alone. I believe I thought only of you at the time.”
Her face fell. And I have ruined it. “That is very kindhearted, sir, particularly knowing how badly you must think of me. I must apologize for listening to your conversation with your aunt today. I was entirely in the wrong, but I beg your forgiveness. She spoke the truth, and I know we cannot be friends in the face of such obstacles, but please, try to think of me as a person who will always desire the best for you and your family.”
She stepped away from him and ran to catch up with the others, wiping the tears from her face. He must not see me cry.
He stood in shocked silence for several moments until he realized she had run away.
“Miss Bennet – Elizabeth!”
But she had disappeared from his view.