Elizabeth arose early the next day and crept downstairs before the house was fully awake. Her night had been spent in a restless sleep filled with dreams of Mr. Darcy.
The park across the street from the Gardiner townhome called to her and she pulled on her spencer hoping to walk the circuit of the small lake in its midst before returning home to break her fast.
Once out on the nearly empty street, she heard the distinct noise of a horse’s hooves and turned as the sound ceased. There was a man down the street sitting astride a horse but the mists of morning hid him from view. Elizabeth thought she might return to the door and step inside until he left.
Instead, he spoke softly to the horse and the beast turned back down the street. His voice had carried to her where she stood and Elizabeth thought it must be Mr. Darcy. But that could not be! It was the silly dreams that plagued her which planted his voice in her ears.
She crossed the street, angry with herself for her foolishness. Once inside the soothing expanse of the park, she put away thoughts of the man and turned toward the lake.
Elizabeth was happy to find swans gliding upon its surface and tried to follow their movements as they drifted in and out of the mist.
Last evening had become tedious for her as dinner wore on. Mr. Darcy rarely spoke and though she enjoyed the conversation of the other guests, her heart ached to see him returned to the aloof man of their earlier meetings. This discomfort on her part over his behavior was disappointing as she had no intention of ever forgiving him his trespass against Jane.
Jane and Mr. Bingley had seemed to renew their connection and the colonel had been as charming as he was in Kent. Without him, the conversation at the table might have ceased entirely.
Getting to know Miss Darcy had been the highlight of the evening. The young lady was sheltered, a bit spoiled, and entirely unlike her brother. The smile never left her face and Elizabeth thought of all the suitors she would have when her season came at last.
As she made a final turn about the lake, she saw the man and his horse again. He was walking along further across the park in full view and Elizabeth again shook the feeling that it was Mr. Darcy. Why would he arise so early and come to this park when he lived so very near Hyde Park and Rotten Row? It made little sense and she quickened her pace so that she might return to the Gardiner townhome.
She planned to speak with Jane about returning to Hertfordshire soon as there was little reason to remain in London. They had been away for months and she missed the fields of Longbourn.
At last, she left the little park and hurried across the street and up the steps of her aunt and uncle’s townhome with her heart resolved to leave Town. London was not her home and she was eager to return to her familiar paths.
Mr. Darcy decided to leave the park once Elizabeth had gone. Climbing back in his saddle, he turned the horse toward Grosvenor and spurred the beast into a trot. The cobblestones echoed with their passage and he took comfort in the repetitive, ringing sound.
Elizabeth. It had taken every ounce of restraint not to go to her and beg her to marry him again. He hated himself for his weakness where she was concerned but his head could not win the argument with his heart about Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
Dinner the evening before had been torture of a most exquisite kind and he wanted to throttle his sister and Anne for surprising him with the one guest who might shatter his dwindling resolve.
Returning to London had given him the distance he had required to heal the wounds she inflicted. Or so he had thought. The fact that he had been lying to himself was revealed when she walked into his salon the evening before.
He was even more in love with her now, if that were possible. Approaching Grosvenor, he turned the horse towards Rotten Row and pushed the beast until its muscles quivered with effort. The usual abandon he felt on exercising the steed in such a manner did not come and he returned home frustrated and in no mood for company.
Instead of joining his family in the breakfast room, he ran upstairs and called for his bath. He would throw himself into the work of running his family’s business and once again attempt to forget the lady with the fine eyes if it killed him.
When he came downstairs again dressed and ravenous, he sent a maid to bring him breakfast in the library and shut himself inside the darkened room without first giving his sister and cousins greetings of the morning. It mattered little as Richard eventually found him and sat uninvited whilst he finished his meal.
“You seem upset this morning, Darcy. What has happened?”
Richard knew very well what had happened to make his cousin so cross. Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s presence at their dinner table had revealed the pain Mr. Darcy had hidden since their return to London.
“I have business to attend, Richard. Nothing more than that, I fear. I would prefer to return to Pemberley before the crowds leave Town for the summer.”
“Is that why you went out before dawn to ride to Cheapside?”
Darcy looked up from the work on his desk. “How do you know where I went? No one would know that.”
Richard chuckled. “I only guessed but you confirmed it just now. You ought to be well acquainted with my tactics Darcy.”
Leaning back in his chair, Mr. Darcy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I was fine until I saw her appear in my salon. What game is Anne playing to invite her here?”
“Anne, play games? The very idea is silly don’t you think? She knew Miss Elizabeth was to return to London after Easter at Kent. I suppose once Bingley mentioned where her relations lived, Anne thought it might be nice to see Miss Elizabeth again. And it was, I admit. Her sister is lovely.”
Mr. Darcy’s eyes narrowed. “Are you conspiring against me with Anne?”
Richard sat and poured himself tea from the pot on the abandoned breakfast tray.
“If we were conspiring it would be for your benefit. I would think you might consider her presence the perfect opportunity to redeem yourself and make another more romantic proposal. This time do leave off the part where you insult her and her family, would you?”
Darcy pulled the breakfast tray away from his cousin. “I never should have confided my mistake to you. You have told Anne, then?”
“Told me what, Fitzwilliam?”
Anne de Bourgh entered the library in a swirl of lemon-colored silk, her voice full of delight.
Mr. Darcy and the colonel stood as she approached. Richard held out his hand to her. “He is certain we have a plot to reunite him with Miss Elizabeth, my dear cousin.”
Anne kept her composure and stood on her tiptoes to place a light kiss upon Richard’s cheek. When she was done, she swept to Mr. Darcy’s side and favored him likewise.
“Oh, bother! Miss Elizabeth was so kind to me at Rosings and I dearly wanted Georgie to meet her. Was there some secret love affair between you at Rosings, Fitzwilliam?”
Mr. Darcy looked from cousin to cousin and shook his head. “I am outnumbered, I see. I am afraid it shall take more than one dinner to mend the trouble between us and she would still refuse me.”
“Nonsense!” Anne admonished before leaving him to sit beside Richard who had returned to his tea.
“Miss Elizabeth would forgive your loutish proposal if you were to demonstrate a contrite heart and reunite her sister with Mr. Bingley.”
Richard nearly choked at his fairer cousin’s words but managed to place his cup upon the table without incident as Mr. Darcy crossed his arms and pinned him with a deadly stare.
“And how do you know my proposal was loutish? Oh, let me guess, Richard betrayed my confidence.”
“Now, Darcy, I would never have done so in any other circumstance, but you left me little choice. It was plain to all present at dinner, save Mr. Bingley as he was very distracted, that you care for Miss Elizabeth still.”
Anne nodded her agreement. “And we shall see that the two of you have another chance to indulge this romance. I am planning a picnic in two days’ time. Miss Elizabeth and her sister will think we shall all attend but only yourself and Mr. Bingley will go. You will encourage the blooming romance between your friend and her sister and give your attentions to Miss Elizabeth.”
Mr. Darcy snorted his derision of the plan. “Disguise of every sort is my abhorrence. I will not partake in a ruse to win a lady’s affections.”
Richard stood and offered his arm to Anne. “You will attend the picnic, cousin. As you could not win her affections on your own, needs must demand you win her with our assistance. This is a wonderful opportunity and I expect you shall make the most of it. Am I clear?”
Without awaiting a reply, the colonel escorted Anne from the room. Mr. Darcy was left alone to ponder their plans and his cousin’s parting words that stung him through.
Richard was right as was most usually the case, though he would never admit such to his cousin. If he wanted to sleep through the night again, he must attempt to broach the subject of his unfortunate proposal and ask whether she had read his letter. The worst that could happen would only leave him stuck in his current state of misery. But if she forgave him…he dared not think of it for the fear of a second rejection would render him unable to go forward with his cousin’s advice.