A Touch of Night (16 page)

* * * *

They walked along the quiet morning streets, passing none but a few nurses promenading well-behaved charges or pushing them on prams. Mr. Bingley led the way with Jane upon his arm and Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy followed behind, walking side by side.

"Shall we see exotic birds?" asked Mr. Darcy, raising one eyebrow in question, a smile in his eyes.

"Only the commonest ducks, I am afraid," said Elizabeth. "But the lime trees are worth the walk."

"I would be content with thistles and blackthorn," said Darcy. "The company is inducement enough."

"For Mr. Bingley and Jane, indeed!" said Elizabeth to hide her confusion at the directness of his words. She suspected, even if she didn't know, that he was not one to pay compliments lightly, so she must assume he had some object in mind. But surely he couldn't mean to court her now after the rudeness and outlandishness of her rejection of him.

"They do appear quite happy in each other's company," Mr. Darcy conceded ruefully. "But I had hoped your opinion of me had changed."

"I did not mean to say . . . that is . . I am quite content in your company, sir."

"I am pleased to hear it."

"I only meant that for them it is something special . . . with what they share."

A shadow of sadness seemed to fall across Darcy's visage momentarily. "That they are both
weres
."

Elizabeth looked up at him eagerly. "Yes! Does that not make it easier for them? They can love and not worry . . . I have worried for Jane for so long, that she would never find this kind of happiness. Never have what was due a lady of her sweet temper, of her beauty."

"You care for your sister deeply." The green eyes were concerned and reserved.

"I have been her guardian ever since she first began to change. There is no one closer to my heart." As she looked up into Mr. Darcy's green eyes, Elizabeth realized that what she had just said to him was now untrue. Jane had been superseded in her thoughts, in her heart, and even in her soul. She cared no less for her sister, but another, stronger, deeper feeling filled her at the same time. A love that she felt was as hopeless as it was powerful. And it was the man by her side that caused the feeling to course through her veins. She could not find it in her heart to think less of him, or of the bright creature he transformed into, than she did of her beloved sister. She felt a blush suffuse her cheeks, at her thoughts.

"An enviable position," he whispered.

Elizabeth was caught by the wistful tone of his voice, and a tiny little seed of hope began to blossom deep within. She smiled up at him in such a way that could only be considered encouraging, and his expression changed subtly.

"We are here," she said inconsequentially, breaking the spell that had bound them.

Bingley and Jane had already entered the garden and were wandering down the avenue seemingly oblivious to their surroundings. Darcy held the park gate open for Elizabeth and then followed her through.

They found the lime-bordered avenue cool and fragrant on this lovely morning, and set upon it, at a leisurely pace.

"The trees are all you promised."

"Are they not majestic?"

"Yes, and very green."

"That is due to the profusion of leaves." Elizabeth smiled saucily.

"Yes," said Darcy. "Quite unexpected in trees. Next I shall find that the ducks on the pond are covered in feathers."

"I must admit that they are," said Elizabeth in mock seriousness. "But most of them are brown, unfortunately."

"I will attempt to bear that with equanimity." Something like a smile danced in his green eyes, though his lips betrayed no hint of his levity.

Elizabeth giggled. She had never yet seen this light-hearted side of Mr. Darcy, and it endeared him even more to her. They continued their banter all the way to the pond, where they met up with Bingley and Jane. Mr. Bingley had begged some bread from a young boy and his nursemaid, in exchange for a peacock feather he had found, and the four of them tossed morsels to the greedy birds. They returned to the Gardiners' house as a happy group, chatting and laughing, and then the gentlemen took their leave, but not before inviting Mrs. Gardiner and the Bennet sisters to join them at Darcy's townhouse for tea the next day.

"My sister made me promise not to come away without a positive reply," said Darcy to Mrs. Gardiner, so she was left with no choice but to accept the invitation.

* * * *

Lady Catherine DeBourgh was beside herself. Her constant demand to know "Where is my nephew?" had been met only with evasive answers from both Fitzwilliam and Anne, who both seemed to think there was some secret involved and one they must keep.

Darcy had never before left Rosings Park so secretively. He had never before left Rosings Park without giving notice of his leaving. And he'd never before left it without taking with him so much as a valise or a neck cloth and -- further more -- leaving behind his valet. It was all very vexing and lady Catherine had a good idea that something very smoky must be going on behind her back.

The way Anne and Fitzwilliam huddled together and talked all the time, too, must mean something very bad had happened, something they did not wish her to know about. And Lady Catherine had very strong suspicions what.

At breakfast, she glared at both of them, "I wish you'd tell me why Darcy has disappeared," she said. "All your mumbling and whispering has gone beyond the line of pleasing."

"But, Mama," Anne said. "We know as much as you do. We can only presume he's been called away on a matter of business."

"You must think me a babe unborn!" Lady Catherine said, hotly. "What business can he have while at Rosings? And I have it on good authority he has taken no more than the clothes he was wearing. Not so much as his neck cloth or his toothbrush. No gentleman could travel that way. And, Quentin, I'll have you know that I called the Bull, where he would change horses, if he'd taken a carriage of accommodation or even the post. No one has seen him, no one has heard from him. I have sent express couriers to both Pemberley and London to know if anyone has heard of him."

Fitzwilliam folded his napkin and set it aside, "Dear aunt, do not worry yourself. I'm sure that Darcy has left for some rational reason and will be back in time none the worse for the wear."

But Lady Catherine could not rest. Her awful suspicion woke her from sleep and kept her terrified during the day. Was it possible Darcy had discovered something that disgusted him so much he'd left Rosings in a great hurry, with no thought of coming back?

She knew what had scared her enough that, had she been a gentleman with a fortune and full command of her life, she would have run from Rosings too and possibly never returned.

When she received an express from her nephew after breakfast it did nothing to dispel her fears.

Dear Aunt,
it began in proper style.
I beg you to forgive me my hasty departure from Rosings and further beg you to believe that nothing but the most exigent of necessities could have prompted me to leave you like that without giving you my kindest regards and thanking you for your kind hospitality and condescension during my stay.

I regret to inform you I cannot return to pay you my proper respects or give you earnest of my gratitude any time soon. The same affair that called me to London will keep me here for some time, I fear. I beg you the kindness of sending my valises and my man in my carriage, accompanied by my cousin, Quentin Fitzwilliam. And I trust I will see you again at Rosings for Easter next year.

Sincerely, your devoted nephew, F. Darcy.

There was only one thing, Lady Catherine knew, that could force this headlong flight from such a gentleman as Darcy. He was brave, she didn't doubt that. All the Fitzwilliams, her and her sister Anne's birth family, were brave. So only one thing could fill him with such repulsion that he would immediately and without appeal leave Rosings and have no intention of returning any time soon.

She sat for a long time in her morning room, the menus that her housekeeper had dropped off in front of her for use during the week, sitting unread on her desk.

At long last she sighed. There was nothing for it, and it couldn't be avoided. Fortunately -- in the process of rehabilitating a young man from a nearby manor family, whose blood was not so impure he needed to be killed -- Lady Catherine had stumbled on just the people to help in this situation.

She rang the bell and told the answering footman, "Send Miss De Bourgh to me, as soon as possible."

* * * *

That evening, Mrs. Gardiner joined Elizabeth in her room.

"Is this wise?' she asked.

"What, aunt?"

"Encouraging this relationship between Jane and Mr. Bingley."

"But . . . cannot you see how in love they are?"

"I would have to be blind not to notice," said Mrs Gardiner. "But if he offers for her he will have to be told of Jane's affliction, in all fairness. There is no knowing how he would react. I've heard of ladies exposed in just such situations."

"I am not at liberty to tell you all," said Elizabeth, "but trust me when I say that she is safe with him. There is no more perfect match for either."

Mrs Gardiner looked at her, understanding dawning. "Do you mean . . . ?"

Elizabeth nodded her head.

"This is more than we could ever have wished for. All we need do now is wait for him to ask for her hand. Your mother will be overjoyed."

"Aptly put," said Elizabeth, thinking of her mother's tendency to over-react at any given situation.

"But I sense there is still something troubling you."

"There is still the question of who let Jane out of the house, and why."

Mrs Gardiner sobered considerably at this reflection. She had no answer for Elizabeth.

She wanted to ask about the Darcys and the very flattering invitation to their home. Though she came from Lambton, close to the Darcys' great estate of Pemberley, their families had always moved in very different circles, and she was at a loss to explain his attentions to her family. Or rather, she was not at a loss at all. She thought the gentleman very much besotted with her niece.

And this brought another worry for Jane's condition. Mr. Darcy was clearly a great friend of Bingley's. It was no secret in Derbyshire how proud the Darcys were and such great families were likely to set themselves up as having purer blood than anyone else. If he found out Jane was a
were
, would he think himself obliged to denounce her, to spare his friend's family? Did he know about Mr. Bingley's condition?

She wanted to ask all this, but she looked at Elizabeth's dancing eyes and slight smile, and she could not. She sensed too that Elizabeth would never give her an answer that might endanger others' secrets. For now she had to be satisfied with Jane's courtship and hope that Elizabeth wasn't set on a course to break her own heart.

* * * *

The next day they were shown into a downstairs salon at the Darcy townhouse. It was an elegant, well appointed room quite unlike the cozy yellow sitting room they had entered from the balcony the other evening.

Georgiana greeted them warmly as Darcy looked on, his pleasure at the meeting evident. Georgiana's companion, Mrs. Annesley, was also present, and she soon entered into conversation with Mrs. Gardiner. Mr. Darcy sat beside Jane and spoke to her while Georgiana took Elizabeth over to her pianoforte to help her choose some music.

"We must play a duet," said Georgiana.

"I play very ill indeed," admitted Elizabeth. "I do not practice as much as I ought."

"My brother has told me you perform most pleasingly," countered Georgiana.

"He is too polite," said Elizabeth.

"As to that, I will judge for myself presently," said Georgiana, "but I actually brought you away here under false pretenses."

"Oh?"

Georgiana lowered her voice. "I have learned that you are acquainted with a certain gentleman, who is indeed no gentleman, and I wanted to issue a warning."

"Of whom do you speak?"

"Mr. Wickham."

Elizabeth remembered how Mr. Wickham had tried to turn her against Mr. Darcy by telling her things about him which had later proved to be untrue, but Mr. Darcy had refused to go into any details about Mr. Wickham, only warning her that he was not to be trusted and was guilty of the vilest form of treachery. "Your brother told me he was a traitor."

"But I do not think he has told you what it is Mr. Wickham has done. My brother is . . . reticent to expose him, because it involves me personally. Mr. Wickham had hopes to make his fortune by marriage to me."

"But . . . he was your steward's son! Your family would never countenance such an alliance." Elizabeth was not only thinking of Mr. Darcy's pride, but of his Aunt Catherine, and his uncle, the earl.

"Mr. Wickham hoped to ensnare me. He thought me young and gullible. What he did not know was that I loved another already." Her voice trembled. "I told him as much, without revealing that it was Lord Sevrin I loved, but somehow he guessed. And then somehow he discovered that Lord Sevrin was a
were
. He denounced him to the RWH. I know he did!" A tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away.

Elizabeth put a hand on her shoulder and said softly. "You don't need to continue. This must be terrible for you."

"I must. He gained his post with the Gold Coats as a reward for his treachery. Lord Sevrin had been a classmate of his at Cambridge. They had at one time been friends. Mr. Wickham is a very dangerous man to know. I do not want your sister to be put in a position of peril."

"Do not worry, Miss Darcy. When I return home I shall take care to keep my sisters from associating with him. I have heard, too, that the RWH regiment will be moving to Brighton soon so we can all breathe easier."

"I am glad to hear that," said Georgiana with a sigh. Her lovely eyes, still bordered with tears, seemed haunted with memories of her lost love. What must it do to a gently-nurtured girl to know her blameless fiance had been beheaded in public and branded vicious and bestial to boot? Elizabeth shuddered to imagine it.

"Thank you for sharing this confidence with me. I can only imagine what it must have cost you." She squeezed the girl's hand, gently, in reassurance, then forced a smile to her countenance. "Now, I think we must choose some music, for I know your brother abhors deceit of any kind, so he must not find us out."

Georgiana smiled and picked up some sheet music from the pile. "I have already chosen this one. Do you know it?"

Elizabeth perused the sheet. "I think I will be able to muddle through."

They rejoined to the rest of the party just as Mr. Bingley and his sister were announced.

"I just had to see you, Miss Darcy," gushed Caroline. "And, of course I wanted to meet dear Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth again," she added insincerely.

Mr. Darcy gave up his place at Jane's side to Bingley and came over to Elizabeth.

"You were some time choosing the music."

"Yes." She blushed slightly, not wanting to give Georgiana away.

He gave her a speaking look. "I am glad you get along so well with my sister. She needs someone she can trust and confide in. She has... suffered much lately."

So he hadn't been fooled. But at least he did not know the subject of their conversation -- and nothing in the world could ever induce Elizabeth to share it. Mention of Wickham's name between them had never boded well.

"Mr. Darcy, it has been an age since we talked," said Caroline Bingley, leaving Georgiana as soon as it appeared that Elizabeth Bennet was attempting to monopolize Darcy as she had in the past. "You must tell me all about your visit with your dear Aunt Catherine in Kent. How I do wish to know more of her!"

"My sister and Miss Bennet were about to grace us with some music," said Darcy. "Let us sit here where we will have a good view of the pianoforte."

"Oh yes, let's" cried Miss Bingley. "I delight in music." She sat, turning her chair so that she faced Mr. Darcy, rather than the pianoforte. "Such a treat," she said grimly, as she watched his eyes follow Elizabeth all the way to the instrument.

Elizabeth would later admit that as far as the music went, they muddled through admirably. Or at least, when Elizabeth looked up from the music, she found Mr. Darcy looking at her, his eyes sparkling with unbound admiration. She wasn't sure if her playing had brought this on. She didn't dare hope it was solely admiration of her, or that the gentleman would overcome the terrible setback she'd dealt him and offer for her again. Oh, what a fool she must be. Now she had refused him, why must she want, of all things, that which she had so hotly spurned?

She must not think about it. After the wound she'd dealt him, her own suffering must be her just punishment. That they could talk together and banter as friends must be her only consolation. He was the best man she'd ever known, but she had put herself irrevocably beneath his touch.

And yet, when she took her leave of him a few hours later, she found her hand held a little too long in his warm hand, as he bowed over it and kissed it. A frisson went through her, and she felt colour rush to her face. Very old fashioned people and flirts kissed hands. But Mr. Darcy was neither very old fashioned, nor a flirt. And yet he had kissed her hand, and she would forever treasure the feel of his lips upon the back of it.

She looked up in confusion and found him observing her intently. Whatever he saw in her features must have gratified him, for he squeezed her hand a little and, with a quick glance sideways to ascertain Miss Bingley was quite busy saying her goodbyes to Georgiana in fulsome excess, he said in a voice that was a little more than a whisper, "I wonder if I might perhaps take you for a walk along that lime avenue sometime soon. I believe the ducks might miss us."

"Indeed, sir," she said smiling and not quite knowing what she said.