Only Mr. Darcy Will Do (15 page)

As she stood at the window, Mr. Darcy happened to look toward it, causing her to draw back quickly. She shook her head in frustration, feeling wholly like a young girl with a secret affection. She returned to her chair to wait, reminding herself that indeed, it was a secret, and she could not—would not—tell a soul.

As the others began making their way to the front, she stepped out into the hall and wished them all a pleasant day. She had a great desire to join them but knew she could not disappoint her aunt or the Ketterlings. It was when Rosalyn approached with a cunning glint in her eye that Elizabeth truly wished she could go along.

Rosalyn grasped Elizabeth’s two hands. “Do not forget to say a prayer for me today, Elizabeth.” Leaning in, she gave Elizabeth’s hands a squeeze and released them. “It is a very important day!”

Elizabeth smiled weakly as Rosalyn turned and scurried off determinedly. She let out a long breath and shook her head. She almost felt more pity for Miss Darcy than she did for Mr. Darcy. He could—and would—politely excuse himself if he felt Rosalyn’s presence bothersome. Miss Darcy, however, was still too young and unsure of herself. She would feel that she must endure Rosalyn’s attentions if only because she was her guest and it was her duty.

Elizabeth stepped back into the sitting room and walked to the front window. Rosalyn walked toward one of the carriages, where Mr. Darcy helped her step up. She playfully tilted her head back and said something to him with a broad smile. Mr. Darcy smiled back, but then shook his head. He then stepped out of Elizabeth’s view, but she was quite certain he was not riding in the same carriage as Rosalyn. A short while later, the two carriages pulled away and slowly made their way around the long circular drive. Elizabeth kept her eyes on them until she could see them no longer.

Placing her hand over her heart, she slowly turned and let out a long sigh. Looking up, she found herself face-to-face with Mr. Darcy, who was standing in the doorway!

So stunned was she to see him there, that she cried out, “Mr. Darcy! The carriages have left without you!”

“I had something I needed to attend to. I shall ride and easily catch up with them shortly.” His tall frame filled the doorway, and he leant casually against it. “I doubt that anyone even knows that I am not with them.”

Elizabeth could not prevent the arching of a brow as she considered that most likely
one
lady observed him return to the house.

“When are your friends to arrive, Miss Bennet?” he asked as he began to walk toward her. She felt her pulse race as he slowly narrowed the distance between them.

“They should be here shortly,” she said with deliberate calmness, in an attempt to veil her clamouring heart.

Darcy walked up to the window and stood next to her, gazing out. “I shall wait until they have arrived to see you safely away.” He shifted his weight from one foot to another.

She allowed a playful smile to permeate her face. “Do you anticipate some harm coming upon me here at Pemberley, sir?”

She stole a quick look up at his profile, noticing a slight upturn of his mouth.

“Certainly not,” he replied. “Nonetheless…”

“Mr. Darcy, truly, you have no need to do that,” Elizabeth protested, turning her gaze out, as well. “It is apparent you have things to do.”

“I should like to meet the Ketterlings all the same.”

Elizabeth was surprised at his words, surprised that he would wish to make the acquaintance of this simple couple from Lambton. Her heart stirred at his expressed wish, but also because there was the possibility he would find them common folk and very much beneath him. Very softly she said, “I am quite certain they will be most honoured to make your acquaintance.”

They stood silently for a moment, and then Mr. Darcy asked, “What did you think of the service this morning?”

Elizabeth turned to him, quite flattered that he would wish to know her opinion. “I enjoyed it immensely. Reverend Grierson gave a very inspiring sermon.”

Darcy turned his face toward hers; his brow pinched, emulating the fervour of his words. “He speaks from his heart, and he knows of what he speaks. When he speaks of joy in the midst of the valleys of life, he knows it all too well. He lost his wife and only child fifteen years ago. Watching him go through that and how his faith remained steadfast spoke volumes to me.”

“That is a grievous burden to bear.”

Darcy exhaled forcefully. “After having a man such as Mr. Grierson as Pemberley’s rector for most of my life, you can see, Miss Bennet, why I was so adamantly opposed to Wickham in his decision to go into that profession.” His voice softened. “I am also grateful that Hamilton did not go into the profession for that same reason. While a good man, he often speaks without first thinking. The navy is better suited for him.”

Elizabeth knew of what he spoke. Hamilton did provoke a very uncomfortable moment at the picnic with his teasing.

It was silent for a moment until Elizabeth added very softly, “And then there is Mr. Collins.”

It was not a question, but he replied, shaking his head fiercely, “Yes, Mr. Collins. Unfortunately, my aunt’s idea of a good clergyman is one who exalts
her
over the good Lord.” He let out a disgusted breath. “You had every right…”

He stopped abruptly, running his hand through his hair. “Do your mother and three younger sisters remain at Longbourn?”

“No” she replied, her heart pounding as she contemplated what he was about to say. She turned to gaze out the window. With a somewhat shaky voice she replied, “My mother despises Mr. Collins more than she loves Longbourn. They moved in with my Aunt and Uncle Phillips in Meryton.”

Mr. Darcy’s voice softened, and he turned and faced her. “I will say that I am glad he is no longer in the profession of clergyman; however, it does pain me the consequence of that.”

Elizabeth looked up at him and whispered, “Thank you.”

Their eyes locked for a moment, and he studied her face, as if searching for some clue to an unanswered question.

The sound of a carriage approaching drew them both to look out the window.

“My friends are here. I must go.”

“Would you allow me to walk out with you so I can make their acquaintance?”

Elizabeth nodded her head slowly, a myriad of feelings that she could not identify welling up inside of her. She was appreciative of his particular attention, even though he was under no obligation to pay such to her and she was totally undeserving of it. “It would be my pleasure.”

As Elizabeth and Darcy made their way out of the sitting room, she walked slightly ahead of him. For a brief moment she felt his hand press lightly against her back, guiding her along. That slight touch evoked a dizzying shiver that swept through her, and she felt her face warm with an annoying blush. It took every ounce of effort to remain poised and calm.

They came out to the front hall to see that the butler had answered the bell and had invited the couple in. Elizabeth was pleased to see a very nicely dressed couple. She saw their eyes sweep the hall, taking in everything around them, and their faces exhibited an appreciation for all they beheld.

When Mrs. Ketterling noticed the two approaching, including the Master of Pemberley himself, she grasped her husband’s arm tightly as if requiring it to keep her upright. A stiff, nervous bow from Mr. Ketterling and an awkward curtsey from his wife were acknowledged by more formal ones given in return by Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth.

“Mr. and Mrs. Ketterling,” Elizabeth said as she approached the couple. “It is such a pleasure to meet you both. I am Elizabeth Bennet.”

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Mrs. Ketterling responded, stepping forward with outstretched hands. Taking Elizabeth’s hands in hers, she said, “We have been so looking forward to this visit.”

Elizabeth smiled and then introduced them both to Mr. Darcy.

“It is good to finally make your acquaintance, sir,” Mr. Ketterling said, extending his hand out. As the men shook hands, he continued, “We have always appreciated yours and your good father’s prodigious goodwill and generosity to Lambton and the neighbourhood. Your late father was a good man.”

A pinched brow and a slight crease in Mr. Darcy’s forehead again betrayed his discomfiture at such overt praise. “Thank you. He was a good example. I believe we both merely do what ought to be done,” he replied. “It benefits all.”

The couple continued to heap praises upon the man quite profusely, obviously in awe of him. Elizabeth pursed her lips tightly together to keep herself from smiling at the scene, but she was quite certain at least part of her lips were curling up. She could not, however, mask the astonishment on her face at Mr. Darcy’s next remark.

“Please feel at liberty to come by Pemberley any time while Miss Bennet is here. You are most welcome.”

The Ketterlings’ eyes widened in unison, and they seemed to be struck speechless. At length, Mr. Ketterling found his voice. “Thank you, Mr. Darcy. How very kind of you!”

Mrs. Ketterling gushed, “This is such an honour! Two of our sons work at Landerfield Manor, and I do not believe we have ever received an invitation from the Grudermans.”

“You have sons?” Darcy asked, his interest suddenly piqued. “How many?”

“Three sons,” Mrs. Ketterling answered proudly. “All are in their twenties.”

“Are any of them still at home?” Mr. Darcy asked, a noticeable twitch seizing his mouth.

“Our eldest is married,” Mrs. Ketterling said proudly. “The other two have their own quarters at Landerfield.”

Elizabeth watched their exchange in wonder. He truly seemed interested in this couple, and she felt a sensation of satisfaction that he extended an invitation to them to return to Pemberley.

They walked out, and the coachman opened the door to the carriage. Darcy stepped up. “May I?” he asked, extending his hand.

Elizabeth tentatively reached out, allowing him to wrap his hand around her fingers, bringing her up to the carriage. His grip was firm and warm, and he held on a few moments longer than was needed. Elizabeth was startled by the depth of feeling this simple act of courtesy evoked. She took her seat, hoping that when the Ketterlings stepped in, the flush on her cheeks and her shortness of breath would not be noticed.

When the three were settled in, the coachman closed the door. Mr. Darcy ducked his head to look into the window. “Shall we send someone for Miss Bennet later this evening?”

Mr. Ketterling put up his hand. “No, no. We shall bring her back ourselves.”

Mr. Darcy looked down toward his feet and then back up. “And when can we expect her return?”

“We shall have her back by dusk, sir,” laughed Mr. Ketterling.

“Good… good. I hope you have a very enjoyable visit.” His eyes briefly fixed on Elizabeth before stepping away from the window. He then turned and walked away.

Elizabeth fought hard to hide the confusion that swept through her. His remarks to the Ketterlings reminded her of a father making inquiries of a young man who has designs on his daughter. She was both flattered and at the same time wondered whether he was merely looking out for one of his guests. Considering she was a guest who at one time ruthlessly refused his marriage proposal, she did not deserve such kind attention.

Mr. and Mrs. Ketterling’s continued admiration for Mr. Darcy assured Elizabeth that they were oblivious to anything she was feeling. Fortunately for her, they soon began talking about Lambton and how much they enjoyed living there.

She nodded absently, wishing she could tend to their words, but found her thoughts straying back to Darcy’s words.

She wondered whether earlier he was going to say that she had every right to turn down Mr. Collins’s proposal.
Did he know?
Inwardly she shuddered.
Of course, he did
, reasoned Elizabeth. His aunt would certainly have informed him and his cousin just how foolhardy she had been in refusing him. She could only imagine what his aunt’s reaction would be if she was aware that she had also turned down an offer from her illustrious nephew! She turned her head abruptly to look out the window, feigning an interest in the scenery, but more so hoping to conceal from the Ketterlings the feelings of dismay she was experiencing.

Chiding herself for her wayward thoughts and inattention, she turned back to the Ketterlings and smiled. “It is certainly lovely here.”

They rode into the small village of Lambton, and Mrs. Ketterling pointed out what had changed and what had not since her and her aunt’s childhood. She pointed out the park where they played, the store that sold the very best candy, and the assembly room, where they both attended their first ball.

They took a turn down a small, winding dirt road, and after passing several small homes, the carriage stopped.

“Is this your home?” Elizabeth asked.

Mrs. Ketterling shook her head. “No, my dear. This was your aunt’s home.”

She reached out for Mrs. Ketterling’s hand. “This is where she grew up?”

Both Mr. and Mrs. Ketterling nodded. “Unfortunately, we only just discovered the owners are away,” Mrs. Ketterling told Elizabeth. “We had so wished to inquire about a tour of the inside.”

“But we can certainly walk about the grounds if you like,” Mr. Ketterling offered.

“I would like that very much.”

A cobblestone path made its way up to the front door. Ivy clung to the brick home, winding up and over the doorpost. It was a simple two-story home, but very well kept.

“Come around here,” Mrs. Ketterling said as she pointed to the back of the home. “You must see this.”

They walked around the back, and Elizabeth immediately heard the sound of water. She saw a bench situated out in the midst of trees, which appeared to be where they were headed. As they drew nearer, Elizabeth saw that a stream ran just beyond.

“This is lovely!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “My aunt had a stream behind her house.”

“Yes,” Mrs. Ketterling clasped her hands together. “And this bench is where the two of us often sat sharing our dreams.” She looked over at her husband, who had gone on down toward the water’s edge.

“Truth be told, Miss Bennet,” her fervent whisper was coupled with a slight giggle, “our dreams often consisted of meeting—and marrying—someone like Mr. Darcy!”

Elizabeth drew her head back. “Mr. Darcy?”

“Well, the late Mr. Darcy, of course. So handsome and kind he was.” She let out a long sigh.

Elizabeth pursed her lips together in a smile. Nodding toward Mr. Ketterling, she said, “Your husband seems very kind.”

“Oh, yes, he is, as is Mr. Gardiner. I was so pleased when your aunt married him. Do you know that your uncle proposed right here on this bench?”

“Did he, indeed?” Elizabeth asked, smiling as she pictured that in her mind.

“Oh, yes, he did. While I was very happy that they were marrying, I was not too happy with him for taking her from me. We were such good friends, and they immediately moved to London.” With a shake of her head she said, “Well, enough of that. There is much more to see.”

They spent another hour riding about and walking the streets of Lambton, sometimes stopping to look into a shop window or pay a call at a friend’s home. After the Ketterlings had shown Elizabeth everything she could possibly have wished to see, they made their way to their home.

It was a modest-sized home with what looked like two rooms upstairs. She thought it must have been quite noisy raising a family with three boys in such small confines. But it was well kept and decorated simply, but nicely.

Elizabeth visited with Mrs. Ketterling for most of the afternoon, and later in the day, guests began arriving. Four other couples had been invited for dinner, all of whom had been close acquaintances of her aunt.

She delighted in the stories they told about her aunt; some of the things she had done when she was young seemed so unlike her. She looked forward to the next time she saw her aunt so she could tease her mercilessly.

At one point, the subject turned to the Darcys. They were very much in awe that Elizabeth was a guest at Pemberley.

“Well, not quite a guest,” she corrected them. “The family I work for as governess was invited by Mr. Darcy. It has just been fortunate that I was included.”

“Oh, yes!” praised Mrs. Ketterling. “But such courtesy he extended to you today!” She turned to the others. “He escorted Miss Bennet out when we arrived and ensured her prodigious care.”

“Not something just any master would do!” exclaimed one of the guests. “He is certainly exceptional!”

Elizabeth was tempted to inform them that they had once been acquainted, but decided against it, for she did not wish to incite any questions. She listened with interest as they began to tell stories of Mr. Darcy, his late father, and Pemberley.

There was one, in particular, that captured her notice.

“You remember the Danville picnic?”

Everyone chuckled. “Poor, young Mr. Darcy. He must have been in his early twenties, was he not?”

“Yes, we all felt sorry for the young man.”

“Why did you feel sorry for him?” asked Elizabeth.

They began to relate the tale, everyone contributing what they recollected.

She was told that the Danvilles had a very nice estate about ten miles away. The young Mr. Darcy was recently home from school, and he and his father and sister had been invited to the picnic. It was quite a lavish affair and the Danvilles had to hire a great deal of extra help. Several people from Lambton were hired for the occasion, a few who were dining with her that very evening.

“This was one of the first gatherings that the young Mr. Darcy attended since returning from Oxford,” one of the ladies, Mrs. Stanfield, said. “He had left a young man of medium stature, rather scrawny and shy, and returned a tall, muscular, handsome young man. He turned many a lady’s head, he did.”

Another added, “His father, who had begun at that time to tire easily, had gone to sit with his friends, while his son held Miss Darcy’s hand to take her over to some children’s games and amusements that were taking place. She could have been no more than ten years old. As he walked through the crowd, the heads were turning and the tongues were wagging about how much he was worth, how well he looked, and what a privilege it would be to be Mistress of Pemberley!”

Mrs. Ketterling looked at Elizabeth and exclaimed, “The poor young man looked as though he wanted to be anywhere but there!”

Mrs. Stanfield continued, “Before long, he found himself surrounded by an array of very fashionably dressed ladies who were doing all they could to garner his attention and seek an introduction. It was actually quite comical to see what antics these ladies would do to ensure his notice. They made fools of themselves before his very eyes.”

Mrs. Ketterling finished the story. “But that was not the worst of it! In the midst of all this shameless self-promotion, Miss Darcy slipped from his fingers. He could not pull himself away quickly enough, but when he did, she was nowhere in sight!

“Disappeared right from his side! The young Mr. Darcy looked amongst the children playing a game of tag nearby, but she was not there. He grew quite frantic, wondering where she went. He looked about him in every direction calling her name.

“Eventually, she was found hiding in some bushes. She had been too shy to join in the children’s activities on her own and had become fearful in the midst of the overbearing ladies.

“It has been a story widely circulated in Lambton that most likely he very much abhorred being the centre of attention because of that incident. And that he has always prodigiously watched out for his young sister.”

After hearing that story, Elizabeth thought back to her first impressions of him. At the Meryton Assembly, he stood off to the side, either by a window or door, or by the fireplace. She thought with regret how tongues were wagging that night about his worth. All she saw was a man who wanted to be anywhere but there. Now she knew why!

After dinner, they gathered in the small sitting room for games. It seemed to Elizabeth that most everyone had plans to spend a good part of the evening there.

It was close to nine o’clock when the sound of rain could be heard. Everyone quickly finished the games they were playing and readied themselves to take their leave. They all expressed great appreciation in getting to know Mrs. Gardiner’s niece, and hoped to see her again soon.

Once all the guests had departed, Mr. Ketterling said, “It is best we go before the roads are too muddied.” They donned their coats and set out for the carriage.

Despite the rain, it was mild outside. Often the summer rains came through briefly, cooling the air only slightly. Elizabeth hoped that by morning the skies would be clear and the air freshened in the way that only a rain can do.