Reunited at Rosings (Sweet Standalone Pride and Prejudice Variations #5)

Chapter 12

December 23, 1812

Darcy looked out the windows of the dining room, smiling a little to himself. It was a good day. The morning had dawned cold and crisp, with a hint of something soon to come. There was no snow yet, but Darcy rather thought it would not take long. With luck, his cousin would get her wish, and they would have snow by Christmas.

He took a sip of tea and set the cup back in its saucer as his sister entered the dining room. Anne looked up and smiled. “Good morning, cousin. You look in excellent spirits today.”

“And why not?” Georgiana said. “It is nearly Christmas — a time of new beginnings and peace on earth.” She sat down beside him and grinned over at him. “Good morning, brother. I trust you slept well?”

“I did, thank you. And you?”

“Hardly a wink!” Georgiana said cheerily. “I have decided to make Christmas presents this year, and I was up into the wee hours of the night putting the finishing touches on. But of course, I cannot reveal what kind of work I was doing, so do not try to pry.”

Darcy chuckled. “I would not dream of it,” he teased.

“I have run into a predicament.” Georgiana took her time chewing, making him wait to see just what kind of predicament she was in. “I have run out of ribbon. Would you take me into Hunsford this afternoon so I can purchase some more? I cannot finish wrapping my gifts otherwise.”

“I do not see why not. Anne, is there anything pressing to be done around the estate that needs my attention this afternoon?” Darcy wiped his mouth and set his napkin aside. He had been the first down to the dining room and had finished his breakfast almost as soon as Georgiana had been seated.

“No, nothing is pressing. The servants will go out and cut the greenery to decorate the house tomorrow morning. And Cook has everything she needs for the festivities. Go and enjoy yourself.” She smiled wryly in Georgiana’s direction, but only for a moment. What replaced it was a look of innocence that might have been genuine, if he did not know better. “You’ve been cooped up here at Rosings for long enough.”

Darcy raised a brow but decided not to argue. Anne was right, he could do with some time away from the house. “Very well, that is settled, then. When would you like to head to the village?”

“I thought we could leave after we finished breakfast. Which you seem to have already accomplished,” Georgiana said.

He did not want to seem over-eager, but he was rather looking forward to getting out and taking some fresh air. Darcy finished his tea while his sister ate her breakfast. Hardly an hour later, Darcy was helping Georgiana climb into the carriage when she stopped on the step and got the attention of the driver. “Would you please stop by the Collins’s cottage on our way? Thank you.”

Darcy frowned. “Why are we stopping at the cottage?” he asked, climbing in.

“Do you mind? I wanted to ask if Miss Lucas would like to join us. She mentioned wanting to go into town. And I am sure she could do with a change of scenery.”

“No, I do not mind.” Darcy replied. He had not seen Elizabeth in too long. It would be good to at least catch a passing glance of her. Ever since she had suggested Lady Catherine be given a Bath chair, the difference in his aunt’s mood had been remarkable. That same day, Darcy had chosen one of the most reliable footmen and sent him to London with a commission to buy such a chair and bring it back without delay. Even though he had not yet returned, the hope of no longer being confined to her room seemed to have made all the difference in the world to Lady Catherine. And it had given him hope that he could return home soon. If Darcy had his way, he would bring Elizabeth with him, securely his wife.

But he was getting ahead of himself. He had not even had a chance to express his feelings to her, as he had done in April. It felt like an eternity had passed since that terrible day. Did she still feel the way she had when he had first spoken of his love for her? Elizabeth had seemed more open to speaking with him. He thought she had hinted that things had changed. But how could he be sure?

“Here we are!” Georgiana chimed in a sing-song voice. “How charming a cottage it is, do not you think, brother?”

Darcy barely heard his sister, for he could see the object of his affection sitting in the window seat, curled there with her nose in a book. She looked up as the carriage approached and looked alarmed for a moment before rising from her perch. Elizabeth disappeared a moment later.

He was the first to get out of the carriage and help his sister down. Georgiana bounded to the front door. Mr Collins was there, bowing and scraping as usual. “Mr Darcy. Miss Darcy. It is a pleasure and an honour to welcome you to our humble abode once more. I am sure I do not know how to account for this great honour!”

The silly man’s manners grated, but he would endure just about anything if only he could lay eyes on his beloved, if only for a moment. “Mr Collins, we have come to see if Miss Lucas might like to accompany us to Hunsford. My sister wishes to purchase some ribbons, and we thought your sister-in-law might wish to join us for some fresh air.”

“Oh, Mr Darcy, how very thoughtful of you!” Lady Lucas said, appearing behind Mr Collins. She pushed her way out to greet them. “I am sure my dear Maria would like nothing better than to accompany you. Maria?” she asked, turning to see her daughter coming toward them down the long, narrow corridor.

Darcy was surprised to see her, for the young woman was already dressed to go on the excursion, and had donned a warm coat lined with fur around the collar and wrists, with woollen gloves and a fur hat. “That is most kind of you, Mr Darcy. I should very much like to come along.” Miss Lucas looked at Georgiana, then looked to her mother. “May Elizabeth accompany us?”

“Oh, yes, a splendid idea. Would you mind very much, Mr Darcy? Elizabeth can go and keep an eye on the girls for you.” Lady Lucas looked concerned. “That is, if you would not mind, Elizabeth?”

Until that moment, Elizabeth had been hidden by Lady Lucas’s ample girth. She stepped forward, raising her fine brown eyes to his. “If it is not an inconvenience, Mr Darcy.”

“Not in the slightest. We should be glad to have you with us, Miss Bennet.” He smiled at her, unable to tear his eyes away from her lovely face.

“Well then, I shall retrieve my cloak and gloves and be with you shortly.”

The girls hurried to climb into the coach while he waited at the door for Elizabeth. And he knew why as soon as he reached the carriage door. Georgiana and Miss Lucas had seated themselves in one seat, leaving the other empty, so he and Elizabeth would have to sit beside each other. He helped Elizabeth in, then settled himself beside her.

Darcy knocked on the carriage roof, alerting the coachman that they were ready to depart. He shot a wary glance at his sister as the young girls began whispering behind their hands. “What are the two of you up to?” he asked.

“It has to do with Christmas presents, so we cannot tell you, brother. Suffice to say, you will find out in a few days,” Georgiana said with a sparkle of mischief shining in her eyes.

He fell silent, his whole being aware of Elizabeth’s nearness. Darcy looked over at her to see that her cheeks were touched with a rosy glow. Was she embarrassed to be seated so close to him? Clearing his throat, he tried to put her at ease. “How are Mrs Collins and the babe faring?”

“Oh, very well, thank you. The baby is precious — the spitting image of his father.”

Darcy would not have thought that a compliment, but he was good-natured enough to keep the thought to himself. “And he will be christened Thomas, I hear?”

“Yes, Thomas George Collins,” she replied. “I have not seen a more devoted mother nor a prouder father.”

She folded her hands in her lap, and he could not help gazing at her. She was lovely, sitting in the soft winter light filtering through the carriage window.

When they arrived in town, the girls went off to do their shopping while he and Elizabeth strolled several paces behind. The air had warmed a little from the morning when he had first risen, but there was still a briskness to it, a hint that the weather might turn at any time.

Elizabeth broke the silence first. “I have wanted to speak to you, Mr Darcy, since the beginning of autumn. I know what you did for my sister, Lydia —”

“Oh, brother, is this not the most beautiful ribbon you have ever seen?” Georgiana asked, hurrying back to them and indicating a window dressing that displayed an array of festive trappings. “May I, please?” she asked.

“Of course,” Darcy replied. No sooner had he given his blessing than Georgiana and Miss Lucas darted into the store.

Elizabeth laughed. “My younger sisters also have a passion for ribbons and fripperies.”

“Georgiana is not usually so outspoken. She has been in a bit of a slump over the last year. I am glad to see her finally coming out of the shadows.”

“No offense was intended, Mr Darcy. I only meant that it must be good to be young, like they are, and have not a care in the world.”

Darcy softened. “I know.” He had hoped to steer the conversation clear of Lydia Wickham. The patched-up marriage had been a difficult endeavour, but worth the pain of humbling himself, worth even the indignity of enriching Wickham. For Elizabeth, he would have done far more. Perhaps one day, he could tell her so.

“I fear Lydia will be much changed the next time we have occasion to see her,” Elizabeth went on. She lowered her voice so only he could hear her. “I cannot thank you enough for what you have done. I never got the chance to say so, and I hope you will forgive me for seeming so ungrateful.”

“I would never think that,” Darcy interrupted. “Surely, you must know it was —”

“Fitz! Oh, look, how darling they are!” Georgiana called to him again, waving him over. He sighed. Darcy and Elizabeth walked over to join the girls at a shop that sported gloves, hats, and reticules. Georgiana showed him a delicate pink reticule. “It would go so well with my outfit for Christmas Day.”

He chuckled. “You know Christmas is only two days away. Should you not wait to see what gifts await you?”

“Oh, very well,” she said with a pretty little pout that he had never been able to resist.

Darcy turned to Elizabeth and spoke low. “Go with them for me, won’t you?”

She nodded, a smile stealing over her face. “I shall be glad to distract Miss Darcy for you,” Elizabeth whispered mischievously. As soon as the girls stopped at another store window, Elizabeth encouraged them to go inside. Darcy did not miss his chance. He purchased the reticule and had the shopkeeper wrap it in brown paper. Stuffing the parcel into his coat, he walked after them rapidly. In the store, he found Elizabeth had kept Georgiana too busy to notice his absence.

“You are very good to her. She is lucky indeed to have such an attentive brother.” Elizabeth smiled, nodding ahead of them where the girls fawned over more ribbons.

“She is all the family I have, outside of Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh. I would do anything for her.”

“And yet, she is not spoilt, I can see. She is very sweet and kind, and has a genuine urge to help others.”

“That is the case, indeed.” At this very moment, he rather suspected that she was working with Miss Lucas to play matchmaker. He ought to have been angry at them for daring to meddle in his affairs, but Darcy found he could not manage it. Gratitude and hope seemed to be all he could feel.

Ah, well, Darcy thought. Surely there is nothing more suitable to feel at Christmas than gratitude and hope.

All too soon, the girls had accomplished their tasks around town and it was time to go. The sunshine was quickly being overtaken by billowing grey clouds that Darcy was sure were laden with snow. On the way back to the cottage, Darcy could not help but look longingly at Elizabeth. Her cheeks were now quite a bright red hue from their walk around town. He wished he could drop the girls off at the cottage and continue riding with Elizabeth, giving them privacy to talk at last. But that would not do.

“Thank you for a most pleasant afternoon,” Elizabeth said as they walked to the door of the cottage.

Darcy cleared his throat. “I have an invitation to extend, from Lady Catherine,” he said. Just then, the door swung open, and Mr Collins exited in order to greet them. When pleasantries were dispensed with, he went on. “Lady Catherine has asked me to invite you all — except Mrs Collins, of course — to a Christmas luncheon two days hence.”

Lady Lucas smiled and seemed about to faint with the noble lady’s condescension. “How very kind.”

“Yes, that is kind,” Mr Collins replied in the doorway. “I should be very glad if you, Cousin Maria, and Cousin Elizabeth were to accept such an honour. But my place is here with my wife and son.”

Judging by Elizabeth’s expression, she was pleased and shocked in equal measure that Mr Collins would refuse any opportunity to see Lady Catherine, and thus grovel for her favour. Darcy could not say he would have expected it of the man. Perhaps he was finally learning to value his wife above his patroness.

Mr Collins and Lady Lucas followed the girls inside, where they were to lay out their ribbons and split the purchases they had made so Darcy and Georgiana could be on their way.

“Thank you for allowing me to come along this afternoon, Mr Darcy,” Elizabeth said.

“I am glad you could come,” he said. Darcy felt his heart beat fast. After countless interruptions, at last he might find the opportunity to tell her how he felt. He stepped a little closer, lowering his voice.

“Would you consider accompanying me on a walk tomorrow morning? That is, if the weather stays fine?”

She looked up and smiled at him. “I would.”

They arranged a meeting place only just in time. A second later, Georgiana joined him at the door, saying goodbye to their friends, and heading back to the carriage. The speed with which Elizabeth had agreed to walk with him gave him hope. If he were to ask her again to accept his hand in marriage, perhaps he might hope for a very different answer.