Chapter XLIII

The Wilds of Pemberley

'Yon Cassius hath a lean and hungry look.
He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous.'

William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar I.2.195–6

Darcy hardly knew what to do with himself, he was to see Elizabeth again, it had been weeks since he had last seen her. But today would be the first time he had seen her since she was out of mourning for her father and Mr Collins. The first time he would see her in months when she would not be dressed in black, the first time since he had come to terms with his hopes and desires since she was not engaged to someone else.

He and Georgiana were waiting for Elizabeth and the rest of her party to arrive, they had arranged to meet at Inn at Bakewell where they would all stay for the night before leaving for Chatsworth in the morning. Chatsworth was a grand house and reminded him in many ways of Pemberley, there was something about the character of the house and the grounds themselves even though they were entirely different estates seemed to connect them. They would carry on north from there to Pemberley, spend a few days relaxing after their journey, maybe going to the peaks. Georgiana had talked of little other than about what they could do with Elizabeth and Miss Bennet, but she was silent now, too excited to speak.

They were sitting in the common room of the Inn, Darcy would normally have asked for a private room rather than waiting for Elizabeth in the common room, but he wanted to be able to see her as soon as she arrived.

His mind wandered back to the carriages and transportation arrangements. He had his carriage, the Gardeners would be bringing theirs, Bingley was to ride to the inn and then join Darcy in his carriage. The Hursts would meet them at Chatsworth with Miss Bingley and Mrs Annesley in their carriage. His barouche could comfortably hold four, the Gardeners and the two Miss Bennets were also in a barouche . Bingley would no doubt want to ride with Miss Bennet, which mean either Miss Bennet would join them in his carriage or Elizabeth would join them and Bingley would take her place. That would of course be the preferred arrangement, and with Georgiana with them there would be nothing improper about it. Ideally Georgiana would not been with them, but he would happily have anyone in the carriage, except for Miss Bingley or Lady Catherine, to be able to ride with Elizabeth.

The door opened and Bingley walked in.

"They haven't arrived yet have they?" He asked earnestly.

Darcy smiled at his friend and shook his head too nervous to speak. Bingley settled down next to them to wait. They did not have to wait long before the sound of carriage was heard pulling up outside the inn. Georgiana leaped to the window.

"Its them, they are here." She said before running for the door, Bingley rushed out behind her behind. Darcy smiling to himself followed them, only slightly more slowly.

Mr Gardner was helping the ladies out of the carriage. Georgiana was embracing Elizabeth, Darcy caught Elizabeth's eye and held it for a long moment until Georgiana released her.

"Oh how I have miss you." Georgiana said delightedly, before rushing over to embracing Miss Bennet as well, who had just descended from the carriage, being help by Bingley, rather than her uncle.

"Miss Elizabeth," Darcy said bowing to her, "I hope you are well and that you have had a pleasant journey?"

"Aye, very well indeed." She replied softly. He stood and took her in for a month. It has been months since he had seen her in anything other than greys and blacks. She was wearing a white morning dress with a simple printed pattern of yellow flowers on it. She was bright, health and looked happy to see him. After polite greetings were exchanged by all parties they proceeded into the inn, for refreshments.

A few hours later the party were walking around the gardens at Chatsworth. Miss Bennet and Bingley were walking together. Mr Gardiner was having an animated conversation with one of the under gardener about the fish in the area, while Mr Hurst listened on politely. Mrs Gardiner, Mrs Annesley and Mrs Hurst were looking at the different roses in the rose garden. While Darcy had been hoping to find a quiet moment with Elizabeth, but instead had Miss Bingley attached to his arm, leaving Elizabeth and Georgiana walk arm in arm behind them. He made a point of turning every so often to comment on a particularly fine view, or to ask their opinion.

He would have preferred it just to be the three of them, or even better just him and Elizabeth. But he was happy in the knowledge that she would be staying in his house and there he would be able to spend hours with her and that there was no longer anything standing in his way of being able to make her an offer of marriage.

With that thought he could even listen to and smile at Miss Bingley has she gushed over some flower or other.

ooOoo

Elizabeth had not been this happy in months, Jane was for the first time since becoming engaged to Mr Bingley being able to act like the happy bride to be. It did her heart good to see her dearest sister smiling so. Mr Bingley was rather like a schoolboy who had been given the off lessons. He was beaming from ear to ear and talking excited to Jane.

Mr Darcy too seemed more relaxed that Elizabeth could remember seeing him. Although he had spent most of the morning with Miss Bingley. His face was no longer as drawn and thin as it had been just before her wedding. She remembered the smell of port on his, he had worn it like a cologne. His face was still too thin, but the colour was healthier and he was clearly bathing regularly again and smelt pleasant. Not at all like how her sisters' or even her uncle smelt. There was more cedar than lavender, she decided has he handed her in his carriage and then settled down on the seat opposite her, next to Georgiana. As the prepared to leave Chatsworth and headed for Pemberley.

Elizabeth and Georgiana carried most of the conversation as they drive, with Mr Darcy answering there questions about the house, estate and family.

"Lord Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire," he explained had gained the title only recently at the age of twenty-one one his father had died some two years before. "The duke's late mother was Georgiana's namesake."

"She was Mother's friend wasn't she?" Georgiana asked quietly, "I remember meeting her."

"She died before her husband." Mr Darcy explain, "about seven years ago. She and mother were good friends, they had been to school together"

"She had a little dog, I remember following it under a table with a long table cloth."

"Holdfast was the creature's name", Mr Darcy laughed, "Mother, Lady Cavendish and I spent an hour looking for you. Lord Cavendish and father had men searching the grounds. But you had just fallen asleep under the side table, behind the chair."

Elizabeth could not remember seeing him like this before. Would this be what it was like - no she must not think about now. If she hoped too much than it would not happen, something else would happen in the time being to upset this delightful trip. To distract herself from the line that her thoughts had taken she joined the conversation.

"How old would you have been then?" She asked Georgiana.

Georgiana thought for a moment before answering. "Three or four I believe. Fitzwilliam would know better than I."

"You almost four, it was a few months before mother died."

Silence fell in the carriage, and Elizabeth could feel tears pricking at the corner of her eyes. She turned her head to the side, as if to take in the wildness of the landscape. Her own grief was still so close, she could not imagining having lost both parents at such a young age and Mr Darcy and Miss Darcy, particularly the latter.

"Stop the coach!" Mr Darcy suddenly called to Elizabeth's surprise. The carriage slowed and then stop on the top of a hill. Mr Darcy hopped down and then turned to her, his hand outstretched towards her.

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet, may I have the honour of showing you my home?"