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Summer was in all its glory in Derbyshire. It enchanted the trees and put a sort of liveliness upon the houses. The sun shone off the roofs and the people delighted themselves in the season by taking a walk in the park, riding on their horses, calling on neighbours or more daringly, taking a tour of pleasure around the city.
Fitzwilliam Darcy observed everywhere and everyone upon the streets as his carriage passed on its way to Pemberley. It was indeed a long time that he was home. His arrival would be highly unpremeditated he knew, but he hoped that it would not be unwelcomed. He looked forward to seeing his housekeeper and every other person in his employ. The days were long since he came to his home and this time, he hoped he would stay longer than he previously had. These days, he reflected with a bit of melancholy, he was more possessed of a strong attachment for everything that dictated a kind of permanence such that he wondered at the feeling. Not so far off a reason for this feeling was a need to give Georgina some sort of stability as opposed to her constant upheaval from place to place. He would dearly love to be a better brother by his sister and the first step towards achieving this feat would be to care for her convenience like he had never before done.
Himself, his sister and his visitors: the Bingleys and the Hursts, were intended to arrive at Pemberley on the morrow, but business with his steward had necessitated his own arrival to-day. As the carriage pulled into the grounds, he couldn’t stop his thoughts from thinking that Pemberley might now have a mistress if things had settled differently those months ago. With firmness of mind, he ordered his mind not to dwell on the past. He was on the ground and approaching the manor with this injunction on his mind and as thus, thought it a trick of his disobedient mind that he conjured Elizabeth right in front of him- within twenty yards no less.
His deprived gaze went instantly to her face and he could feel the betrayal of his heart in the increase in its rhythm. That he should see her again on his grounds just when he fancied that he could think about her without a hurt in his breast was something he did not understand. For a moment, he fancied that perhaps, she had come to see him for, of course, she knew where he lived. However, the thought was short-lived as he remembered her distaste of him. His steps halted completely as her eyes met his across the distance. Her cheeks coloured and he could imagine that his did too. Recovering himself, he resumed the walk that would take him to her.
Elizabeth was in the company of three people- one was known to him; his gardener, and it was obvious that the man was showing them the gardens of Pemberley estates. The other two were unknown to him- a gentleman and a lady who had stopped on coming upon his sight. The curiosity upon their faces indicated that they knew him, not too, but knew of him. He came as close to Elizabeth as he dared and ventured to ask about her family. She answered in a voice akin to docility that he knew was far from her. This so disconcerted him that he scarcely could recollect what he said to her, thereafter, before acknowledging her companions with a slight bow and turning away.
When he reached inside the house, Mrs. Reynolds, his housekeeper in the most pleasant surprise welcomed him home with bountiful smiles. She then apprised him on the guests who had come to tour on his property.
“The gentleman and lady applied to me directly to see the beauty of Pemberley and this morning, they came with their niece. They are taking a pleasure tour around and thought it would not be complete without seeing Pemberley. They are such nice couple too and the niece claims a previous acquaintance with my master,” Mrs. Reynolds said.
Thinking Mrs. Reynolds could only be mistaken, he turned away. The gentleman and lady were looking so respectable and well bred that they could be no relation of the Bennets and this he surmised from all the accounts of her family connection that he had heard from Caroline Bingley. That gave him a little pause; Caroline Bingley was not a veritable source of any intelligence whatsoever. On a moment of decision, he turned for the door to go in search of the party. He found them coming from the river towards the house and he could construe that their tour was over. The man and his wife were a little behind and Elizabeth ahead. The distance separating them was covered in no time and he fancied that he met her with more composure than the last.
“Your grounds are absolutely delightful and the sight is such a charming one to please the eyes,” said she to him politely when they stood together admiring the view.
Her abrupt stop informed him that she would have said more, but something halted her speech. He watched her discretely to see how she coloured and he wondered if she was embarrassed to comment about his home. Suddenly, he realized that she was in all likelihood thinking of his proposal; to save her this embarrassment of an awkward silence, he proceeded to ask of her the reason he sought them out.
“Would you be so kind to introduce your companions to me?” he asked her.
Her surprise at his civility was ever increasing and apparent, yet he could not tell her that it was she who thought him to be so. She however, turned to her companions and introduced them just as the housekeeper had maintained. He was doubly surprised at their manners and civility and caught Elizabeth’s sly look at him. Mr. Gardiner was a pleasant sort of man that were it not for the direct introductions, he would still have doubted that he was related to Mrs. Bennet. He immediately liked the man and they talked at great length about his estates, the latter professing how much the grounds were well kept and what beautiful scenery it would make during the winter. During the discourse, he noticed how well Elizabeth paid them both attention and he had the grace to be embarrassed for himself, albeit inwardly. No doubt, she remembered his abuse of her family and now gloated in the perfect mannerisms of her aunt and uncle.
Mr. Gardiner expressed his delight at the river and the good trout he noticed therein. Darcy wasted no time in asking him to come thither to Pemberley to fish at his leisure.
“I can have some fishing tackles ready for your use whenever you want to fish and may I point out the parts of the stream there usually is more sport than the others?”
This took the party to some sides of the river as Mr. Gardiner eagerly accepted the invitation. Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth followed behind while the gentlemen again, became fascinated by some curious water plants. The tour would have been renewed and continued but for Mrs. Gardiner’s call of weariness on her part and thus, taking her husband’s arm for support. Darcy was thus, left to walk by Elizabeth to the house with the couple behind.
Elizabeth must feel a need to inform him of the reason she was on his estate for she said, “I have been assured of your absence in town, Mr. Darcy, and must say that I was very much taken in by your arrival- for your housekeeper informed us that you would certainly not be here till to-morrow; and indeed, before we left Lambton, we understood that you were not immediately expected in the country.”
Since she was obviously discomfited so on his account, he explained the reason for his unexpected arrival thus, “You have been informed the truth of it all, but sudden business with my steward had occasioned my coming forward a few hours before the rest of the party with whom he had been travelling,” he explained. “They will join me early to-morrow,” he then continued seeking to apprise her of the expected, “and among them are some who will claim an acquaintance with you- Mr. Bingley and his sisters.”
By her slight bow in response to his comment, he knew that she thought herself would be long gone and as such, their arrival would be of no consequence to her. He however had another request to make of her.
“There is also one other person in the party who more particularly wishes to be known to you,” he told her. “Will you allow me, or do I ask too much, to introduce my sister to your acquaintance during your stay at Lambton?”
Though her surprise and curiosity was again evident at his request, she readily acquiesced and they continued to the house in silence. Indeed, he had spoke of her to Georgina and his sister had lamented the woes of not meeting such one whom in her opinion was so different from everyone she knew, but was adequately interesting enough to fascinate her brother so. Darcy could imagine the pleasure it would bring her to be acquainted with her when she thought all hope lost.
He and Elizabeth soon reached the carriage that brought the visitors and they each turned back to see that her uncle and aunt lagged behind a half of a quarter mile.
“Seeing the slow progress of your aunt and uncle, I would suggest you walk into the house to rest your legs while they reach here,” he suggested.
She, however, replied that she was not the least weary for the walk and on the lawn; they stood together in awkward silence till she began to speak of her journey through Matlock and Dove Dale. He forgot his manners and simply listened to her speak with renewed longing in his heart, occasionally murmuring a reply whenever she applied to him directly. When the Gardiners finally reached them, he loathed for her to leave so soon and suggested that the whole party repair to the house for some refreshment. However, Mr. Gardiner declined graciously, promising a return visit to the house at the earliest.
So, he had no alternative than to hand the ladies into the carriage and watch them drive off, attempting to stem the irrational feeling that Elizabeth might not want to see him again.
****
The next morning brought the arrival of Georgina, Bingley, his sisters and Mr. Hurst to Pemberley. They were all settled in no time at all and Darcy wasted not an hour of their arrival but to tell his sister in a private conference of the news of Elizabeth’s presence in Lambton and of the invitation requested thereof for an introduction. Georgina, ever the pleasant lady that she was, expressed immediate inclination for the introduction and they set off for the inn where the Gardiners and their niece had taken up in Lambton.
He again, told his sister about Elizabeth as they rode in their curricle. She asked little questions about her and he could see the satisfaction in her composure about the character of the person whom he described to her. He however, was careful not to give way to too much impression, lest Georgina’s young mind began to build castles in the air on his behalf. Presently, they arrived close to the inn and he was rewarded by the sight of the fair lady at a window. On seeing them however, she hastily retreated, he supposed, to apprise the others of their approach.
They entered into the house and the introductions were made. Carefully, he watched his sister with Elizabeth. He could detect that Elizabeth was quick to captivate on Georgina’s reticence and engage her willingly in a discourse. It was only times like this that Darcy bemoaned his sister’s shyness, but he consoled himself that only one such as Elizabeth could draw her out of her diffidence.
“Bingley also expressed his desire to wait on you, Miss Elizabeth, and I daresay that he would be here before long,” Darcy remembered to say.
He felt Elizabeth’s surprised pleasure at the news and felt a little resentment for his friend’s good will with her. However, he told himself that he was now so significantly changed as to attract the same feeling if only she would permit. Shortly, Bingley arrived and the warmth of their meeting was contagious. The room soon turned to more liveliness and good humour. The Gardiners were such pleasant people that the company was a great deal interesting for their knowledge, affability and mannerisms- even Georgina had a little more to say than usual. In the course of the evening, Darcy saw Bingley address Elizabeth in an aside and from the wistful look on his face, Darcy could tell without error that they talked about Jane. There and then, Darcy resolved to confess all his misgivings and misdoings to his friend. He fervently hoped that he would be forgiven and that there would be a reconciliation made with the woman whom Darcy guessed that the passage of time had done nothing to dull his friend’s yearning for her.
The evening was singularly the most of fun that Darcy had witnessed in a long time and by the time the visit was over, he was so replete as to know that he had Elizabeth Bennet to thank for it.
He did not fail to repeat his wish for the party to visit at Pemberley for dinner; “I do hope, as does my sister, that Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner and Miss Bennet will allow us the honour of hosting you to a dinner at Pemberley before you quit the country.”
Mrs. Gardiner accepted the invitation on behalf of the rest and the day after the next was fixed on. Bingley expressed great pleasure in the certainty of seeing Elizabeth again, having still a great deal to say to her, and many inquiries to make after all their Hertfordshire friends. The visitors thus took their leave with smiles upon their faces and each with an expectation of greater things to come.