A Fine Line: A Pride & Prejudice Variation Read online

  Darcy strode forward until he heard his name called. He turned to find a business acquaintance of his, a Mr. Fowler. He was a tall gentleman, about his age, and he was coming forward to greet him at that moment. A little pang hit Darcy as his greeting to Miss Elizabeth would have to be delayed. Nevertheless, Darcy bowed and received Fowler well.

  The other man jabbed him with an elbow. “You can imagine my surprise at seeing you here, Darcy. I did not think you traveled to Cheapside much.”

  How he loathed of being reminded of his abominable pride. How much even more when others such as Fowler witnessed it and they were not great friends at all. “I admit I do not come this way often. I have lately been introduced to the Gardiner’s and find I like their company very much.”

  “Ah yes. I hear that one of their nieces has just announced their engagement to a fine gentleman. I have met them before—the nieces. Very pretty.”

  Darcy’s gaze drifted toward the Miss Bennet’s. Elizabeth looked at him at the same time and a warm smile crossed her face. Though he itched to move closer to her, he stayed where he was. “Yes, Miss Jane Bennet is lately engaged to my good friend, Charles Bingley.” Darcy pointed their way.

  “An advantageous match, I hear.”

  The hair on Mr. Darcy’s neck stood. “On both sides.”

  Was this how Elizabeth felt when Darcy stood in front of her telling her of her family’s shortcomings? He knew Fowler meant nothing by it, just an observation, but anyone thinking ill of the two eldest Bennet’s vexed him.

  “I have always preferred the second Miss Bennet myself. They have been visiting their aunt and uncle for years and I am often invited to a party here during their visit. Their uncle and myself are acquainted in business. She has a lively temperament that I admire.”

  “That she does,” Mr. Darcy said, his gaze once again fixing upon Elizabeth.

  As he watched, Elizabeth excused herself from the gentleman she spoke to and strode toward himself and Mr. Fowler. She curtsied toward them and then addressed Fowler. “I had no idea you were acquainted with Mr. Darcy. He is the friend of Jane’s fiancé.”

  “So he has just told me himself.” Fowler bowed. “You look well this evening, Miss Elizabeth.”

  “Thank you,” she said, her gaze dropping and then moving up to latch on to Darcy’s.

  He agreed. He agreed with everything inside him, but he could not get his lips to move to make the comment. Not when Fowler was so near him. He had never known himself to be shy, but telling Elizabeth she looked well meant more to him than just an idle comment. If he had his druthers, he would tell her how beautiful she was to him. How he admired her above any other woman in his acquaintance. Though the words bubbled to the surface, he could not express his feelings in front of Fowler.

  They spoke in pleasantries for quite a few more minutes until dinner was announced. At this, Darcy did not hesitate. He offered Elizabeth his hand, and she readily accepted it. Once they approached the table, he was even happier to see that he had been sat next to her. He held out her chair as she sat and then he took his rightful place next to her.

  Throughout dinner, he watched the ease with which she spoke to others near her at the table. The conversation never lacked due to her diligence in keeping it up, along with Mrs. Gardiner of course. Jane and Bingley were too busy whispering to one another to be bothered with anything else so Darcy caught firsthand the ease with which Elizabeth maneuvered around social gaieties. She was something truly spectacular this woman he had found by accident. This woman he had found due to his spiteful pride.

  After dinner, Mrs. Gardiner invited her to play at the piano forte. Darcy sat back in amazement. He had not heard her play at all at Longbourn. The piano was always confiscated by the middle sister, Mary, and now that he heard Elizabeth play, he wondered why. Mary’s playing was nothing compared to Elizabeth’s. The notes sprung from the keys like song birds lifting into flight. When she finished the song, Darcy’s applause was louder than anyone else’s in the room.

  Afterward, she stayed on the bench and let her fingers play over the keys. Darcy stood from his chair and made his way to her. When his shadow fell over her, she looked up. “Mr. Darcy.” She smiled, her eyes twinkling in the candle light. “You have not come here to tease me about my playing, have you?”

  “Indeed, no. Your playing was beautiful. I’ve come here to ask why you have never allowed me to hear you play before? Surely you have been depriving me of such a gift and I mean to find out why you would be so cruel.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “I knew you would tease me, Mr. Darcy. I know you are used to finer players than I, but I do my best.” She looked down at the keys, her fingers still gliding over them softly.

  Darcy observed the way she admired the piano, its wood, its ivory keys. It was clear she enjoyed playing very much. “You are too humble, Miss Bennet. I took an inordinate amount of pleasure in hearing you play. I hope to have it repeated again some time as long as you can be persuaded not to be so cruel as to keep it from me.”

  “I believe I shall answer you when I figure out whether you are joking or not, Mr. Darcy.”

  “You can be assured that I am in earnest. Your song was beautiful.” He blinked at her. His tongue wanted to say more, but his mind held back. He could not say anything in this public room filled with people. What he wanted to say deserved privacy and the true force of his feelings, neither of which he would be able to attain here.

  Miss Elizabeth held her hand out to him and he helped her stand. “Then I shall be happy to play for you again. Not now perhaps since I know my aunt will be wanting to play some music to dance to soon. In fact, I think I shall go ask her now.”

  She turned away from him, but he caught her hand. “Miss Elizabeth…”

  She looked back, her eyes focusing on his. “Yes?”

  His throat suddenly dry, he swallowed to loosen his tongue. “May I take the opportunity to reserve the first two dances with you?”

  Her smile was slow to spread, as if she wanted to relish the feeling of it taking over her face. He enjoyed watching as she slipped from feeling to feeling, confusion, resolution, and finally, pleasure as her lips turned up. “Yes, Mr. Darcy. I should like that very much.”

  She pulled from his grasp and crossed the room to her aunt Gardiner. Standing up tall, he pulled his coat straight and walked about the room, waiting for the first notes of music to play so that he could dance with her.

  Surely this had made his feelings for her more apparent. She was too kind to trifle with his affections. If she did not like him, she would have refused his offer for the first two dances.

  His step faltered as he made his way toward the fireplace when he remembered she also danced two dances with that deplorable Mr. Collins. Why she would even lower herself to do so was beyond him. She said it was because her mother wished it, but how was that to be borne? He could at least buoy his spirits because there was no Mrs. Bennet here telling Elizabeth to dance with him. She had agreed to it on her own accord. She once told him she did not have choices as he did, but in this case, she did. He would not want her unless she truly wanted him in return.

  Love, he mused. He would have scoffed at the idea of it before, but the more he enjoyed Miss Bennet’s company, the more he knew she had been correct and he had been wrong. Love was absolutely necessary in a union.

  Mr. Gardiner rapped his fork against his water glass. All eyes moved to the corner of the room where he announced they would be start with a dance. Mr. Darcy searched for Elizabeth and when his eyes met hers, they walked toward one another until they met across from one another, each on opposite sides of the dance. The notes echoed from the piano and with it, Darcy’s heart began to echo the same sentiments he’d been feeling. He took Elizabeth’s hand and walked her down the dance. Though several couples were also lined up, he kept his gaze on Elizabeth’s, drinking the moment in as if it was a tonic for his nerves.

  As she stared back into his eyes, he felt he had all the enco
uragement he needed. Was that not an extra sparkle in her eye just for him? Surely that tightening of her hand around his was not just part of the dance. His hopes rose as he danced with her, parading his love in front of everyone who was willing to just look a little closer.

  Never had an evening gone by too fast, yet also as if time had stopped just for him. Then again, he had never spent an evening in the company of someone he loved like he did Elizabeth Bennet.

  Chapter Eleven

  After receiving several letters from Mrs. Bennet hurrying her daughters’ return, the happy London party was obliged to travel back to Longbourn. Thither also went Mr. Darcy, contrary to what Elizabeth had first surmised when they left Hertfordshire. She found that she was more than happy to be wrong. Their trip to London and Mr. Darcy’s altered personality and feelings had done much to change her mind from wanting him gone to wanting him with her. Perhaps always.

  Unfortunately, when they returned home, she would have to talk with her mother regarding Mr. Collins. One of the reasons to hurry their return home was because Mr. Collins was becoming “worried unnecessarily” as her mother put it in a letter. Indeed, he should be worried, Elizabeth thought as the carriage bounced them. They were close to Meryton now and the closer they came to Longbourn, the further Mr. Darcy felt from her though they sat next to one another on the carriage seat. She would have to speak with her mother directly after she returned home. If her mother again spoke of Mr. Collins as if their engagement was certain, she did not want it to deter Mr. Darcy from any feelings he may have. Dare she think he felt the same way about her that she did about him? She wished so. Nay, she even thought so.

  The very man who had been on her mind for some time interrupted her thoughts. “Pray tell me, what is that estate there?”

  Elizabeth leaned forward to get a glimpse out the window. A large grassy park led to a circular stone drive. Rising from that was a large house. “That is Netherfield. It is vacant now. The family who let it quitted it a few months ago.”

  “It seems to be a rather charming place.”

  “It is,” Elizabeth said, happy to keep her mind off the task she had in front of her. “I have been to many a ball there throughout the years. Very handsome inside to match the outside.”

  Mr. Darcy turned his head to catch the last of Netherfield before glancing across the carriage at his friend. Jane had fallen asleep. Though her natural tendency had been to place her head on Mr. Bingley’s shoulder, she moved to the very edge of the seat to lay her head against the carriage. Elizabeth had smiled at that. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Bingley had fallen asleep as well.

  “I suppose we should wake them,” Elizabeth said to Darcy. “We are almost to Longbourn now.”

  Bingley spoke. “I am awake. I was merely resting my eyes.”

  Before Elizabeth could reach out for her sister, Bingley sat up and reached his hand out to hers, stroking his fingers lightly over her skin. Elizabeth looked away at the private moment. She heard him whisper to Jane that they were almost to Longbourn and heard her quiet reply, but her focus was on Mr. Darcy. They had both looked away at the contact and were now staring straight at one another. He smiled first, and she followed. She relaxed a little while caught in his gaze. She curled her fingers, which she had held tense for most of the ride. Leaning back against the seat, they stared at one another for far too long, but it felt too good to look away.

  Too soon, the carriage turned and without even looking out the carriage window, Elizabeth knew they had just turned into Longbourn. The wheels began to slow and then stopped. Suddenly, Elizabeth was afraid to step outside. To step back into the world where she and Mr. Darcy did not care for one another. What if their feelings were true in London, but not true here? As the thought hit her, she knew it was ridiculous. If love was true, it was true everywhere. If they loved one another like she thought they did, they would be able to weather whatever Longbourn threw at them.

  The carriage door opened and Bingley stepped down, helping Jane first and then Elizabeth from the carriage followed by Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth took one step toward the front door when it flew open and Mrs. Bennet appeared, hurrying toward them all. “My goodness! I am so glad you have come back. I thought for sure something had happened to you all.”

  Elizabeth smiled and turned toward Darcy. The look on his face froze her in terror. He looked at her mother, almost cringing in her presence.

  She knew her mother did not always reflect the social values she was brought up with, but there was nothing wrong with what she had just said. Was there? No, surely there was not.

  Her heart constricted. Before she could make any sense of what happened, her mother’s arms wound around her into a hug. Elizabeth held her tight, laughing at the show of affection for her. “I am happy to see you too, Mamma.”

  She pulled away and grasped Lizzy’s forearms. “What of the news from your aunt and uncle Gardiner?”

  “They are just as well as always. They send their love to everyone.”

  “Good, good. Jane,” her mother cried. “You will have to show me this pattern you wrote me of. I am dying to see it. Oh, how I wish I could have gone with you to London to look at wedding clothes, but you know what traveling does to my poor nerves. I would need my smelling salts with me at all times.”

  Elizabeth watched as Mrs. Bennet took Jane’s hand and they walked together into the house. Passing them inside and heading her way came Mr. Collins. She swallowed and stood straighter. How much poorer he looked now that she had spent so much time in Mr. Darcy’s presence. His hair was greasy, his posture was unacceptable, and there was a look about him that made him almost intolerable to look on.

  She curtsied as he approached her. “Mr. Collins.”

  “Miss Bennet. I am so happy to have you back in your father’s house.”

  He bowed too close to her, and she had to take a step back lest his head touch her on the way down. When he straightened, he inclined his head toward Mr. Darcy.

  Mr. Darcy stiffened beside her. He held out his hand for her to take. “Miss Bennet?”

  Mr. Collins shuffled back. The insult he felt was clear on his face though he smiled his tight smile anyway.

  Could Mr. Darcy not even bring himself to greet her cousin properly even though he was such a man? He did have ties to a relation of his as well. Was it possible he did not care for being at Longbourn so much that he would not even attempt to hide his displeasure?

  Needing to be alone with her thoughts, Elizabeth ignored Darcy’s hand and walked away from the both of them. A bath would do her good. Both in aiding the ache in her bones from traveling and helping her to sort through her own mind.

  Hill helped her remove her traveling cloak and gloves. She told her she wished to take a bath and Hill replied that she would get Sarah for her. After taking her bonnet off, Elizabeth slipped up the stairs and waited for Sarah. Within a few minutes, Sarah came with the first pitcher of hot water. It took her several trips, but at length, she let Elizabeth alone to her bath.

  Elizabeth sighed as she lowered herself into the steaming water, dotting her brow with sweat. The water soothed her pains and she closed her eyes.

  It felt good to be home, to be close to that which she was familiar with and to be around those whom she loved. To have Mr. Darcy act in such a way hurt her. Not that she should care how he greeted Mr. Collins for she barely cared for him herself, but he could at least try for her sake. It was not enough for her that he cared for Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. That was an easy feat indeed. But if they were to be together, he would at least have to tolerate her parents. And more than that, she hoped he would come to at least respect them, possibly even like them as time went on. She knew they could be different, perhaps sometimes even wanting in propriety, but they were still her parents and no matter what they were, she loved them fiercely.

  Longbourn was home to her and she would not feel ashamed of it.

  Chapter Twelve

  Mrs. Bennet served lunch shortly after their party
returned home. Elizabeth did not come down to eat. Darcy did not know what he had done, but she walked away from him like he had hurt her when he had tried so hard not to. He knew returning to Longbourn would be difficult for him. He handled it well until he saw Mr. Collins exit the main house to once again fawn over Elizabeth. It should not have bothered him as much as it did. Perhaps his jealous had shown through and that is what upset his Elizabeth.

  Regardless of what it was, he would not be able to apologize to her if she did not show herself. He waited downstairs for much of the day in hopes that she would come down. At length, he went upstairs to rest until dinner.

  Seeing Charles’ door ajar, he remembered a thought he had on the carriage ride up here. He knocked on the door and let himself in. Charles half stood from his desk chair and then sat back down when he realized who it was. “Well, Darcy, here we are once again at Longbourn.”

  “Indeed. I have something I would wish to talk to you about that. Did you hear me ask Miss Elizabeth earlier about that estate we saw on the ride here? Netherfield, she called it.”

  Bingley’s eyebrows bunched together. “I did hear something of it. You said it was fine, I believe.”

  “Yes, I did. I do not know if you and Miss Bennet have chosen a date yet, but I wondered if you would not be more comfortable if you let a house nearby. That way you would be able to continue your acquaintance here, but also have your own space.”

  Charles narrowed his gaze as he thought the offer through. Darcy hoped his friend would do it. If he did not, he had half a mind to do it himself. There was only so long that a friend of a fiancé could impose on a family. Though Darcy traveled back with them all to Longbourn, he knew he could not stay much longer. Surely now Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were beginning to talk about when he should be gone. They would understand when he proposed to Elizabeth, something he wanted to do soon, however, he still did not like the idea of them all trespassing on the family.