Unforgiving Temper (42 page)

“Mr. Darcy is indeed a very good
master.”

“Nathan always says you couldn't find a
better or kinder master in all the kingdom.”

Holding on to that thought, Elizabeth let
Molly go and quickly finished braiding her hair before slipping
between the sheets the girl had just warmed. She lay frowning at
the canopy overhead for some time, trying to reconcile Molly's
description of Mr. Darcy with his disagreeable behavior in
Hertfordshire and Kent. The accounts could not be more different,
yet it was obvious there was much more to the man than first
impressions had allowed. Unable to come to any conclusions, she
finally rolled over and purposely closed her eyes, willing her mind
to think of other things.

Her brief encounter with Mr. Darcy of
Pemberley had altered her completely. She vowed to herself she
would never again judge a man so quickly nor so harshly, including
Lord Grissholm. Even though he seemed to be so severe and
austere most of the time, he did have moments of amiability; and
she was sure that, just like Mr. Darcy, there was much more to
the man than she was aware of. Perhaps it was time she allowed
herself to be swayed by Lord Grissholm's gentle, but
persistent persuasions.

* * * *

“Charles, are you absolutely certain this is
the right path?”

“Yes, Darcy, I am,” Bingley answered with a
look of long-suffering. “My man was very thorough in his report.
She enters the park near Grosvenor between four and five o'clock;
takes the north footpath; turns south, here, before reaching the
main path; then cuts back above The Ring, and begins her return to
the Grosvenor entrance. The only day she did not go out was the
downpour we had last week. Thomas nearly caught his death making
certain of it. There is a younger woman that accompanies her nearly
every day and on Sundays and Tuesdays, Grissholm is with her.”

“Yesterday, I was right here and waited until
quarter past six with no success. Perhaps you are mistaken.”

“I cannot tell you what happened yesterday. I
can only tell you, her walks have been unvarying for the past two
weeks.”

“Then perhaps she is ill; or Grissholm has
taken her from London or – ”

“Or perhaps that is her now,” Bingley
finished with a triumphant smile.

Darcy spun around to see Elizabeth and
Rebecca a little distance off, walking at a leisurely pace, but
moving steadily in their direction.

“Wish me luck, Charles,” he murmured, drawing
a nervous breath.

“Luck? After all you have done to find her,
do you really think you need any?”

“I am afraid I do. She is very likely to see
me as the same ill-mannered brute who proposed last spring.”

“Surely your meeting in Cumberland changed
her opinion.”

“Our meeting was short and I do not think our
encounter did much to advance my cause.”

“Perhaps it was enough.”

“There was more to overcome than just my
previous offenses. I was so utterly astounded to find her at a ball
and quite obviously not in the condition I had expected that it
took several minutes before I could put two words together. She
mistook my silence for criticism.”

“That is unfortunate,” Bingley noted
sympathetically. “But you did speak with her in the end.”

“Yes, I did speak with her; but it was not
without difficulty. At first I thought she would refuse to stand up
with me – she has done so in the past – but thankfully she did not.
Just as we began to find some ease in one another's company, she
was called away. I did not have the opportunity to say much of
anything.”

“Called away?”

“Yes,” Darcy answered grimly. “I later found
out that it was Grissholm's doing.”

Charles gave a low whistle. “He is quite the
fox, I daresay.”

“He may be, but this is one quarry he will
not have; not if I can help it.”

Darcy watched as Elizabeth drew nearer, his
pulse quickening in anticipation. He would take all her troubles
away in a heartbeat if he thought she would allow it; but he knew
better.

“I will do what I can to help,” Bingley
whispered encouragingly.

Elizabeth and her companion approached the
men with slowed steps, and Darcy moved forward to be
acknowledged.

“Mr. Darcy. Mr. Bingley,” Elizabeth
greeted them cordially. “What a surprise to find you in
London.”

“Business of an urgent nature called me to
town, and Bingley here was good enough to put himself at my
disposal.”

“You are fortunate to have someone who yields
so readily to the persuasions of a friend,” Elizabeth quipped
good-naturedly and was pleased to see that Darcy did not miss the
reference to their past conversation in Netherfield's drawing room.
In the next instant, her eyes took on a somber mien as she turned
to the girl next to her. “And I am being a poor example, indeed,
for I have not yet made the appropriate introductions. Miss
Ballard, may I present Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley.” A
faint look of defiance shaded Elizabeth's expression as continued,
“Miss Ballard is Lord Grissholm's ward. I have been employed
as her companion these past three months.”

Darcy noted the look and felt a twinge of
regret knowing it was because she expected her revelation to invoke
his censure. Wishing her to see a measure of his efforts to
improve, he smiled with an extra warmth as he bowed to the younger
woman.

“I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss
Ballard. How do you like London?”

“I cannot really say as yet,” Rebecca
answered shyly. “We arrived only a fortnight ago.”

“Have you been to London before or is this
your first visit?” Bingley's inquiring tone was inviting, and
Rebecca responded surprisingly well to it.

“It is my first visit. I am quite looking
forward to it. There are so many things to see and do.”

“Shall we walk and I will tell you all the
best places you must be sure to visit?” Bingley urged.

Rebecca looked uncertainly to Elizabeth who
gave an encouraging smile.

“We welcome your company, but we have not far
to go. We are just on our return.”

Bingley swept his arm forward in a chivalrous
manner, inviting Rebecca to proceed, and Darcy fell into step
beside Elizabeth. It was not long before Bingley's pace created a
convenient distance between the couples. Darcy opened his mouth to
broach the difficult subject of Elizabeth's predicament, but it was
she who spoke first.

“Mr. Darcy. This is a surprise, indeed.
I thought you still in the north.”

“I was, until I found that you had come to
London. I then followed with the hope of meeting you again.”

“I must confess I am happy you have
succeeded. I was very sorry to have left you at odds in Hensingham.
Please allow me to apologize for abandoning you without a word of
explanation. Our departure was so sudden that I had no opportunity
to send a note.”

“Do not distress yourself on my account,
Miss Bennet. I quite understand,” Darcy replied warmly. “There
is still much I have to tell you, but before I go any further, I
would not wish any ill feelings to exist between us. May I beg your
forgiveness for my behavior when Driscoll introduced us? Our
meeting was quite unexpected and I regret I fell back into old
habits. I did not intend –”

“It is quite all right, Mr. Darcy. I
think we were both very much surprised.”

He was encouraged by her lack of animosity
and a tiny smile of gratitude played at his lips. “I fear I did
very poorly in demonstrating my improved manners, but I assure you
I have practiced much at performing to strangers since your
admonition last spring.”

“I had no idea my words would be taken so
seriously.”

“You only spoke the truth.”

“I speak my mind too freely, perhaps,” she
murmured softly.

“I would rather know your mind than be left
to the mercy of my imagination,” he confessed. “It is far the
better choice, believe me.”

“And what news do you have, Mr. Darcy?
Is it of my father? Are all my sisters still at Longbourn?”

“I have not been to Hertfordshire since our
last meeting, but I have heard nothing that would indicate your
father is any the worse. Your sisters are all at Longbourn, doing
the best they can under the circumstances. I believe your youngest
sister has been a particular distraction to Miss Bennet. It
seems that her summer had been spoilt when she could not go to
Brighton, but perhaps that was a blessing in disguise.”

“Yes, I quite agree. And what of
Mr. Bingley? Will he stay in London?”

“Only for a short while. He plans to return
to Netherfield when our business here is finished.”

She smiled at the news.

“I am very happy to see him again. He seemed
quite pleased with Hertfordshire when I saw him last at Lucas
Lodge.”

“Yes, I believe he was.”

“Do you suppose he shall stay then? Last
spring you thought he might give up the place.”

“I would like to say he will stay, but it
depends upon many things. And what of your plans; shall you return
home soon?”

Elizabeth studied the path without
answering.

“Miss Bennet, I fear I must be direct.
When we last met, I spoke of your family's desire for you to return
as soon as possible.”

“Yes, I know. I have had news of my father
also, and I am told he is not in any immediate danger. As much as
it pains me, I must postpone my return yet a little longer.”

Darcy's mouth tightened knowing there was
very little time left to salvage her reputation. The situation was
becoming very serious.

“Miss Bennet, it is not only your
father's health that is at issue,” he took a deep breath. “There is
the matter of the rumors.”

“I thought you said you had taken care of
Mr. Collins,” she replied in alarm.

“I did, but this does not concern
Mr. Collins. There are other rumors that have arisen from
quite another source.”

“Other rumors? Of what sort?”

“Other rumors of a more…delicate nature. If
you are gone from Hertfordshire much longer, there will be no way
to disprove the erroneous rumors of your – er, condition.”

Elizabeth frowned in confusion. “My
condition?”

“Miss Bennet!” came a voice not far
behind them

Darcy turned to see Lord Grissholm
striding toward them, and stifled the urge to step defensively in
front of Elizabeth. He could only grit his teeth as the viscount
caught up to them and smoothly positioned himself on Elizabeth's
other side.

“I thought I might find you here,” the
viscount greeted her with more warmth than Darcy cared to see. “I
received some news this afternoon and was certain you would want to
hear it as soon as possible.”

“The letters?” she exclaimed with sudden
excitement.

Grissholm raised a brow and threw a sidelong
glance at Darcy. “Under the circumstances, I think the details can
wait until we return home.”

Darcy watched with interest as Elizabeth
became curiously subdued under Grissholm's gaze. Were they letters
from her family; and if so, why would he be so guarded about such a
common subject? Darcy had the uncomfortable sensation of being on
the outside looking in and stabbed gently at the pebbled path with
his walking stick. His face remained impassive even as his heart
constricted painfully with the possibility of there being an actual
attachment between Elizabeth and Grissholm.

“Yes, you may be right, my lord,” she agreed
reluctantly, looking to Darcy as well. “I beg your pardon, sir;
please allow me to introduce you to an acquaintance of mine.”

“Darcy and I are already acquainted.”

“We were classmates at Cambridge,” Darcy
offered stiffly. He saw Elizabeth's puzzled frown and knew the deep
resentment between himself and Grissholm had not escaped her
notice. “We have had little contact since then, but we do have a
few mutual friends such as Robert Driscoll.”

“Strange, given our vast differences, is it
not?” added Grissholm mockingly. He leaned in to Elizabeth, his
voice dropping surreptitiously. “For instance, you may have noticed
that Darcy here takes little delight in a ball or an assembly. It
was the same at university, you know – always the studious one,
never making time for a bit of recreation. He makes himself a dull
fellow while I very much enjoy a lively tune and an engaging
partner; much like yourself, I think, Miss Bennet.”

“My lord, I cannot say – ” Elizabeth replied
uncomfortably.

“Enjoyment in a ball – or anything else for
that matter – can take many forms,” Darcy retorted. “I find
pleasure where I will, regardless of the circumstances.” He watched
with satisfaction as his challenging tone had the desired effect on
Grissholm.

“Well – ” Elizabeth said brightly, trying to
diffuse the growing antagonism between the two men. “Shall we walk
on? I fear it is growing rather late.”

“Thank you, no,” Darcy smiled at her with a
steady look that held a deeper meaning. “I really should be on my
way. It was a pleasure to see you, Miss Bennet. Perhaps we can
continue our conversation another time. Would you allow me to call
on you tomorrow afternoon?”

“Tomorrow? I believe that would be – ”

“Impossible!” Grissholm quickly interjected.
“I am afraid Miss Bennet's schedule is quite full at
present.”

Grissholm's possessive tone only served to
heighten Darcy's irritation at the man's untimely appearance which
had robbed him of precious time he needed with Elizabeth. Darcy's
eyes slid narrowly to Grissholm then purposefully back to
Elizabeth, hoping to find the answer he wanted.

“I was addressing Miss Bennet, and would
like a reply from her.”

“I am sure you would, but in this case, I
think she will agree that I am speaking for her when I say that her
time is quite taken with previous commitments. Is that not so,
Miss Bennet?”

Elizabeth's failure to answer right away
turned Darcy's annoyance into an unsettling disappointment. He
could see that she resented Grissholm's condescending manner and
was obviously unhappy with his interference, yet she seemed
unwilling to contradict him.