Memory: Volume 3, How Far We Have Come, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) (79 page)

“I am not sure if that is a good or bad thing.  They say that it is nice to have the object of affection be a little nervous.”  He shrugged.  “I would not know.”

“Are you nervous?”

“I do not want to do anything wrong.”

“Oh that is not what I mean, I do not want to do anything wrong either.” 

“So what do you mean?”  They walked slowly past the empty flower beds and towards the hedges.  “You do not fear me taking advantage?”

“I think it is that I do not fear you hurting me.”  She looked up when he stopped moving.  “What are you thinking?”

“I am thinking that I would very much like to kiss you someday.”  He smiled when she gasped then started walking again.  “As you know, the last few days we have been helping Mr. Lucas refurbish his future home.  I have spent that time in the company of five distinctly different married couples, and it has been an education to me.”

“Really?”  She was still recovering from her blush but was dying to hear what he had to say.  “Did any one couple in particular strike you as your ideal?”

“Well that is just it.  I had been friendly for a time with one of the ladies and she married another, and I know that had I married her, she would not be the same person, and that made me wonder who her husband would be with another woman.  I have heard my friend Darcy say that Mrs. Darcy was the making of him, and now I think that I understand his statement where before I truly did not grasp his point.” 

“These are deep thoughts.”  She laughed and he seemed struck by her statement.  “Does that surprise you?”

“Nobody has ever accused me of thinking deeply, Miss Martin.”

“Well then, it is time that your friends see that you are quite capable.”

He smiled.  “I like that you never thought to question that capability.  For a very long time I have been regarded as a puppy.”

“A puppy!”  She was affronted on his behalf.  “How could that be so?  Look at you!  Your parents are gone, but you continued through with your education on your own.  You entered into this overwhelming society, somehow you proved yourself worthy to befriend someone the likes of Mr. Darcy, and brought your family with you up to these new heights.  And look!” She turned and waved at Netherfield, “You have fulfilled your father’s desire!  I have heard of your father’s plans for you for years, Mr. Bingley, my father talked of it, wondering if that is what he wanted for his sons who never came.  You could have taken all of that money your father saved and lost it in a card game, but here you are preserving it, caring for it, making that future he dreamed about while continuing the business that your forefathers created.  Puppy indeed!”  She sniffed.  “Your friends may be quite impressive Mr. Bingley, but I think that they should be quite impressed with you.”

“Well!”  He stood still and laughed.  “That was quite a speech!”

 “Heartfelt.”  She blushed and looked down, then back up to him.  “I suppose that is my fault, I tend to be effusive at times.”

“So do I, but on silly things.”

“I like silly things.”  Abbey smiled and looked down at her hand on his arm.  “Would you like to hear some of them?”

 “Oh Miss Martin, I think that I would like to hear anything you would like to tell me.”  He squeezed her fingers.  “But please tell me before our chaperones come closer!” 

Chapter 25

“A
h, Mr. Bingley, good, excellent, come in!  We have been expecting your party!  Mr. Darcy!  It is an honour sir, an honour!  Mrs. Darcy!”  Sir William stopped and looked her over.  “I would never know you for the girl scampering across my lawn on her way to some adventure or another!”  Elizabeth smiled and just caught Darcy’s cough.  “Ah, Mrs. de Bourgh!  My goodness, two of you here, who would have guessed you and my Charlotte would marry brothers!  Captain!”  He bowed and bobbed, passing on each guest to be greeted by Lady Lucas before moving inside.

“Nothing changes.”  Elizabeth whispered as they made their way through the drawing room and Sir William’s voice was lost in the murmur of the crowd. 

“Effusive.”

“I remember Robert once describing him as the model of the genial host.”  They looked back to him at the door and exchanged glances. 

“Are you well?  He whispered.  “I will not leave your side, love.”

“We have been here before.” 

“And they have all been such successful occasions.”  He smiled at her when she looked down.  “Besides you know how I react to situations like this, no matter who is invited.   A crowd is a crowd.” 

“But you have all of your friends, too.  I can imagine you will be itching to go play with them and escape me before long.”  She watched him looking to see where De Bourgh had gone.  “Or do you truly wish to listen to talk of babies and matchmaking all night?”

“Surely you will find better subjects?”

“I can, but I know the company we are in.  I grew up here.”  She looked around the room and hugged his arm.  “Oh dear, here we go, Mr. Collins.”

“Cousin Elizabeth.”  He bowed and came up staring at Darcy.  “Mr. Darcy, it has been far too long since we last met, I am most pleased, most pleased indeed to renew our acquaintance.”  Collins saw nothing of the frozen expression on Darcy’s face and continued on.  “I understand that I have you to thank for the improvement to my future home.”  He bounced and nodded meaningfully.  “I heard that you have condescended to labour upon an abandoned cottage on Longbourn, a marvellous whim on your part sir, no doubt gentlemen such as yourself grow weary of sport and look for other amusements to pass your time!  How generous of you to pour your resources into a home that will one day be mine simply for entertainment!  I assure you sir; I did not hope for any recompense for the loss of the living at Hunsford, after all, your aunt hardly could have expected to lose her place at Rosings before she could appoint me as the pastor!  But what poetic justice, she is moved to the dower house and you, her good nephew, have refurbished the dower house on my . . . what will one day, sadly of course, Mrs. Darcy, be my land.  You are too kind, sir.  How exciting it will be to join you in such noble pursuits in the future when we are equals!”

Elizabeth stared at him in disbelief and looked up to see Darcy’s eyes were cold.  “Mr. Collins are you labouring under the delusion that I aided my wife’s father and my brother out of some favour or obligation to you?”

“I . . . I only thought that you would consider how I was stripped of . . .”

“Mr. Collins, do you take the sermons you deliver to heart?”

“Of course sir!” 

“Then why is it that every time I speak to you, the only people I hear you praise are your betters or yourself?”  Darcy demanded.  “Further, I understand that my brother and father-in-law have met with you, and confirmed that Mrs. Bennet’s settlement names that cottage as her home should Mr. Bennet predecease her, is that not correct?”

“Um, yes, yes . . .”

“Rent free.”

“Oh.”  He fidgeted.  “Yes, of course.”

“And you
will
honour this?  I will be most unhappy if you do not.”

“I certainly understand that, sir.  And as we are cousins, I could not possibly make my family unhappy!” 

Darcy felt Elizabeth squeeze his arm as he flinched.  “Mr. Collins, our relationship is tenuous at best; if you are trading on family affection, then care about the Bennets.  Until then, I suggest that you stop presuming that any work on that home was done for your benefit and go about your business.  It may be a very long time before you occupy that estate.”  Collins bowed and scurried away.  “Good Lord.”  Darcy breathed and raised his hand to his temple.

“Bitter little toad, is he not?  He certainly changed his tune with me, but it looks like he hasn’t lost his touch for pious fawning.”  De Bourgh grinned.  “I put up with his suggestions for quite some time before I finally had Michael in place at Hunsford.” 

Still staring after the pest, Darcy murmured, “I think that if he were our vicar, we would be avoiding services religiously.”  Elizabeth started to giggle and then laughed, warm and bubbling.  Darcy looked down at her and smiled.  “There is my Lizzy.  I was afraid that you had decided to remain at Netherfield tonight.”

“Oh Will, seeing you become the master is truly inspiring.”  She leaned against him.  “Nothing can touch me when your eyes take on that steely glare.”

“I know that look.”  Mary smiled up at de Bourgh.  “Peter has it, too.”

“I do?”  He laughed.  “When?”

“The last time I saw it, you were dressing down some poor young man who was lackadaisically dressed.”

“His suit was incorrect, his boots and buttons unpolished, his cravat poorly tied.  An officer takes pride in his appearance.” 

Darcy smiled.  “I wonder if he knew you were once a captain.”

“He did by the time I was through with him.”  De Bourgh growled.

“Good evening.”  Michael and Charlotte joined them.  “I see that you had the pleasure of Collins at your side?”

“Pleasure.”  Darcy snorted.

“He avoids me.” 

“We waited for him to leave until we approached, so we could avoid him.”  Charlotte nudged Michael.

Darcy sighed and looked around the room as it filled.  “I see that Bingley and the Hursts have been captured by the neighbourhood.”

“Of course, they are residents, we are mere illustrious visitors.”  Elizabeth laughed.

“And he is a man in want of a wife.”  Charlotte noted.  All eyes turned to her and she shrugged.  “He is.  Look at Mama, pushing poor Maria his way.”

“Kitty will likely get the same whenever they come.  Have you seen my parents?”

“No, but Jane is watching for them, Papa put her and Robert on greeting duty so that he could start circulating.”

“And Robert looks vastly pleased with it.”  Elizabeth noted.  “Well Jane is doing fine.”

“She looks tired.”  Mary whispered.

“So does Mrs. Hurst.”  Elizabeth agreed and noticed Darcy looking at her closely.  “I am fine, dear.”

“As soon as you are not . . .”

“I will tell you.  Perhaps it will be about five minutes after Mama arrives?”

“You will need that long?”  De Bourgh winked.

“Where is Robinson?”  Darcy asked and scanned the room.  “Oh, he found a display of fruit.”

“He was unsure of coming tonight.”  De Bourgh noted.  “We will have to roust him out of his corner.”

“I have no doubt that you will.”  Mary smiled at him and he laughed.  “Oh look, there are the Longs and Miss Martin.  They will never get near Mr. Bingley.”

“No, see, they have been noticed, look how the mothers have closed ranks around him!   And he is far too polite to shake them off.  He is trapped.”  Darcy shook his head.

Elizabeth gasped.  “Oh, how terrible!”

“They will need cannon to blast that fortress away from him.”  De Bourgh noted.  “Do you see all those feathers, Darcy?”

“The resemblance to a crowd of hens is remarkable.” 

“The clucking carries to here.”  Michael laughed.

“They are doing right by their girls.”  Charlotte glared at him.

“They do not know the man and they are throwing their daughters at him!  For all they know he could be a rake, a gambler, at the least a bore!”

“Mr. Bingley a bore?”  Elizabeth raised her brows at Michael.  “I concede that they do not know him.”

“But that does not matter; they have a lifetime to know him!  They must express interest to gain his favour and secure him.”

“Oh Charlotte, do you still hold by that?”

“It worked for me.”  Michael winked and taking Charlotte’s hand in his, gave it a squeeze.  “I was overwhelmed.”

“I remember being rather impressed with her determination.”  De Bourgh grinned at his sister.

Charlotte lifted her chin.  “You see.”

“But none of this matters.  Miss Martin has expressed her interest and so has he.”  Elizabeth turned back to watch as Abbey was relegated again to being on the outside looking in.  “Well this will not do.  He cannot even see her over that crowd.”  Letting go of Darcy’s arm, she stepped determinedly across the room.

“What is she doing?”  Mary asked for the group.

“I believe that she is helping a sister in distress.”  Darcy admired as Elizabeth easily cut a swath through the guests, smiling and nodding, but never being distracted from her course.  

“She has docked.”  De Bourgh noted for the women who were unable to see.

“Uh-oh, she is surrounded!”  Michael cried.  “Abandon the mission!”

“No, no, she is coming about,” De Bourgh tilted his head and impatiently waited for some neighbour to move out of the way.  “Darcy what do you see?”

“Rescue in progress.”  He said slowly.  “Where will she take her?”

“Bring her to harbour, we will keep her safe until Bingley weighs anchor.”

Darcy shook his head.  “No, look at her, she is, Lord she is magnificent!”

“What is she doing?”  Charlotte and Mary stood on their toes and looking at each other set off across the room.

“Reinforcements underway, Captain!”  Michael cried. 

“Abandon hope all ye scurvy pirates, the Royal Navy is upon you!”  De Bourgh cried. 

Darcy stood with a dazzling smile on his face as he watched Elizabeth, completely unaware that he and the other men were attracting attention as well.  At last Charlotte and Mary arrived at Elizabeth’s side in time to hear her complimenting Abbey. 

“I cannot tell you how much I appreciate all of the time and effort you have given to my little charity.  You have helped tremendously.” 

“It has been my pleasure, Mrs. Darcy.”  Abbey smiled. 

“The next time you come to Pemberley, I will be glad to take you around and show you all of the good people who have benefitted from your father’s and of course Mr. Bingley’s generosity.”  She smiled into the crowd where Bingley, now aware of Abbey’s presence, was desperately trying to escape the admiration of the neighbourhood matrons. 

“You have visited Mrs. Darcy’s home?”  Mrs. King asked Abbey.

“Oh, yes, both in London and Derbyshire.  I am sure that you heard my cousin, Mrs. Wilcox; speak of visiting Pemberley while on her wedding trip last year? I was along then.”