Posted on Wednesday, 16-Sep-98
t was in the very beginning of August when Darcy finally started on his way back to Pemberley. Had he been avoiding his home? Not even he could answer that. What he was certain of is that he did not really want to return there. He dreaded walking through its empty halls, which to him would remain empty even when filled with people, but mostly, he dreaded retiring to the master bedroom at night--alone. There was a time when he had pictured this journey very differently, a triumphant homecoming with Mrs. Darcy riding in the carriage beside him. Now she was lost to him and he was traveling, and would always travel, without her. Thus, he had no desire to go home again; however, he could delay it no longer.
He had been spending some time with friends along the coast in Sussex, but he knew it was his turn to play host, and so he had invited a large party of friends to join him in Derbyshire. Because he had been away from Pemberley for almost a full year, he needed to precede his friends by a day or two to spend time with his steward and to look after the business of the estate. His route north would take him only a mile or so from Longbourn, and he debated the entire distance from Sussex to Hertfordshire whether or not he wanted to make a brief stop in that area.
Perhaps that is not the right way to phrase his debate, for he certainly wanted to stop. He wanted to walk among the fields near Longbourn, perhaps to take a quick look at the house, and maybe, if he were very fortunate, to catch a glimpse of a certain lady. He knew he could not approach her if he saw her, but would shamelessly stay hidden and watch her from the shadows. His spirit called out for such a glimpse of her, but his mind knew it would not only be improper, and highly suspicious if he were seen in the area, but he knew it would also only cause him more heartache. And thus the debate within him brewed as he passed through London and onwards.
The view outside of his carriage window was nearly hypnotic as he considered what he should do. In early afternoon the view began to show the terrain he had been waiting for, and he began to attend to the scenery with greater care. The gently rolling farmland interspersed with groves of trees and small villages was almost as he had remembered it, but the last time he had been here was in autumn with the muted colors of that season; this journey was being made in the heat of summer and the fields were deep green with the clover, barley and wheat, and the pastures were filled with bright wildflowers.
As he approached the area where she lived, the turmoil inside of him intensified until he felt he could stand it no longer. When he was as close to her home as the road could take him, he rapped his walking stick on the roof of the carriage. He heard the coachman call out to the horses and felt them slow in response to the pull of the reins. Darcy opened the door himself and jumped out before his footman could offer assistance. He told his servants that he wanted to stretch his legs for a while to work out a cramp, and that the coachman should wait for his return. This was not an entire falsehood, for the feeling inside Darcy's chest felt very much like a cramp, and the only way to alleviate it, even for a short time, would be to walk towards Longbourn.
He did not stay on the path, for he feared being observed and had an even greater fear that he might be found out by her. He stayed near the treeline, almost sneaking his way along. He thought that he was probably being very foolish about it, and that he should just walk along the path openly, but a part of him was enjoying the adventure and the way his heart was racing with the combination of the exercise, the danger of the situation, and the chance that he might catch a glimpse of the sparkling eyes that he adored. Edging along beside the trees brought back old memories, long dormant, from his early childhood, when he would play games with his nurse in the woods near his house and would try to hide from her. It seemed that just being in the same county as she was enough to lighten his heart.
After a brisk walk of about a half an hour, he had nearly achieved his destination. The trees began to thin and when the house first appeared, he stopped. So very close, he thought. He could see little more than part of one side of the house and smoke coming from the kitchen chimney, but even the sliver of a glimpse was enough to begin to quiet the feelings of pain and loss that he had felt for months. So close, he thought again. But the partial sight did not satisfy him, and he began to move forward again, this time more carefully. He was able to get within two hundred yards of the house, and hid himself in a small stand of trees. He was certain that he had not been spotted.
There he stayed for an immeasurable length of time. He saw before him a beautifully kept garden and attributed it to the woman who had drawn him to this spot. In his mind's eye he saw her come out of the house wearing a wide bonnet and with a basket in her hand; her white dress reflecting the sun, so that it looked as if she glowed from within. He saw her sister beside her as they smiled at laughed together; the music of her laugh reaching his ear. She knelt before a bed of red flowers and gently pulled up those impudent weeds which had dared to intrude.
A fly buzzed by his head and recalled him to reality; the vision disappeared. He sighed heavily and looked about him. He no longer saw what he had seen the year before: an insignificant house in an insignificant park in an insignificant village in an insignificant corner of England. Now it was the place that had sheltered and nurtured the woman he loved. It was the place where she had been born and had grown from a baby to the beautiful woman who had captured his heart. In his eyes it was the best place in the world. He saw the lovely park that he knew she must know intimately. He saw the paths that she must frequently walk. He looked again at the house and wondered with a blush if one of the windows he could see might be her room. And he wondered where she might be at this moment. So close.
Suddenly, the door on the side of the house opened, and Darcy nearly jumped at the sight. For a panicked moment, he was certain that she had discovered him. Another look told him it was not her, but her elder sister, and he relaxed--until he noticed that she seemed to be walking directly to him. He thought about ducking further into the shadow of the woods and hiding away, but it was obvious as the lady approached that she had seen him, and a gentlemanlike escape was impossible.
She walked up to him, but said nothing, instead she smiled and then went past him onto the path which went deeper into the grove and with a look requested that Darcy follow her. He thanked her inwardly for her understanding and tactfulness and bowed slightly before following. She led him to a small clearing where there was a stone bench.
"Good day, Mr. Darcy," she said.
"Miss Bennet." He felt awkward and guilty. He was unsure whether the woman before him had a broken heart or not, but he did think it probable--her sister had said so--and he was the cause.
"You are well, I hope," she said.
From her compassionate expression Darcy could tell that her words held more than their common meaning and suspected that she knew the story of the spring's events in Kent. Of course, her sister would have told her everything, he paused in mid thought and corrected himself, well, perhaps not everything.
He could not lie to her, "I am well enough, Miss Bennet. I was just traveling through the neighborhood on my way to Pemberley and thought I would stop and...." He trailed off not wanting to finish the sentence. He could not even think how he should complete his words, Stop and see if I might catch a glimpse of your sister? Stop and walk along the same paths she walks? Stop and show how desperately I still love her?
His downcast expression stirred all of Jane's deep feelings of sorrow for this man. She could do nothing but admire him and feel for him, for he had demonstrated his good taste and judgment in falling in love with her sister.
He changed the subject and continued, "And you, Madam, I hope that you are well?"
"I am well, Sir." Jane was also not enthusiastic in her response, and it was noted by the gentleman.
Darcy took a glance in the direction of the house and said, "And your family?"
"My parents, and Kitty and Mary I know to be very well. Lydia is away at present, and only Kitty receives any correspondence from her, but I believe she is well. I received a letter from my other sister just yesterday in which she claimed to be in excellent health."
"Your sister, Miss Elizabeth Bennet?" He had only rarely spoken her name aloud and felt a pull on his heart as he did so. "She is not at home?"
"No, Sir. She is away on a holiday with my aunt and uncle."
"She is enjoying herself, I hope?" He asked with a deep desire to hear that she was. He did not notice how such a question, coming from him, might appear particularly forward, and Jane took it as a sign of his continued attachment to Elizabeth.
"I believe she is, yes." Jane had noticed the way his shoulders had slumped when he heard that Elizabeth was not at Longbourn and she sympathized with him, for the man she loved was also far away, and she knew how Darcy must feel. She resolved to attempt to alleviate at least some of his suffering. She knew that the last occasion on which Mr. Darcy had seen her sister was when he delivered his letter to her, and that he therefore had no conception of how his words were received. She could not bear to see the man in such pain and sought only to bring his mind some rest. She sat down on the bench and invited him to sit beside her.
"Thank you, Miss Bennet."
She turned away from him and towards some trees off on her right, to give him the semblance of privacy before continuing, "Mr. Darcy, I do hope I am not intruding in matters where I am unwelcome, though perhaps I am. You see, my sister told me what happened in Kent."
He was struck again by the compassion in her voice. It contained no pity, no triumph over another's pain, only true concern for another human being. He was touched by her attention, but could find nothing to say in response.
She continued, "I believe, Sir, that she has come to regret many of the things that she said to you there."
Darcy quickly stood again and exclaimed, "No!" Jane was startled by the strength of his response, and then he seemed to remember himself and regained control of his emotions. "Forgive me, Miss Bennet. Your sister has not the slightest reason to regret anything. Her words were spoken with honesty and came from the heart, and on the material points, what she said then was entirely accurate. She has not the slightest reason to reproach herself."
"My sister often teases me, Mr. Darcy, because I always struggle to try to find the good in everyone and because I always assume that there is good in everyone. For my part I tease Elizabeth, because she is often too quick to judge others and to assume that they are filled with faults. She thinks her way is better, but I am quite content with my own...now, what would Mary call it?....Oh yes, "velt-ahn-zicht", I believe. My world is filled with people who appear better than they perhaps truly are, but my sister's world is filled with people who appear worse than they truly are. When I am proven wrong, I am forced to be disappointed in someone else, but when she is proven wrong, she is forced to be disappointed with herself, and that, I believe, is a much heavier burden to bear.
"That is what happened in your case, Mr. Darcy, and I believe she feels very sorry that she willfully refused to see the truth about you. However, she did come to see the truth, Sir.
"Once, after her return from Kent we were speaking of a certain gentleman who featured prominently in your last conversation with my sister. I could not believe that the picture you painted of him could be true and assumed that there must be some mistake. I pointed out that he had such an appearance of goodness that he could not be so very bad, but she could no longer believe as I did. She said to me that you, Sir, had all the goodness, and he all the appearance of it. So, you see, she did come to realise your true worth, Mr. Darcy."
While she had been talking, Darcy returned to sit beside her, and now they sat in silence. She had not noticed his momentary flinch when she mentioned "a certain gentleman who featured prominently in your last conversation", but her words recalled to him that Wickham was not the only gentleman who was discussed that day. The lady who sat next to him in the cool clearing had suffered at his hands, and Darcy doubted anew that Elizabeth could ever forgive him for that. He was gratified to hear that Elizabeth had read his letter and, it seemed, believed at least part of it. Despite this pleasant revelation, the damage that had been done in Kent was too deep, and he could not allow himself to hope for forgiveness.
As they sat, Jane's mind was brought back to the last time that she had seen Mr. Darcy--at the Netherfield Ball. It had been the most wonderful day of her life as she had received the particular attentions of Mr. Bingley and had been the center of attention at the grandest party she had ever attended. While they danced fully four dances together, she had given up to him those parts of her heart which he had not already stolen away, and by the end of the evening there was no doubt in her head or heart that she was in love. Her thoughts, however, could not stay on that day and drifted onwards to the days that followed, with the anticipation of seeing Bingley again soon, and then the disappointment at his continued absence, and eventually grief because he was gone and would not return for a very long time.
Both Miss Bennet and Mr. Darcy seemed to brush off their melancholy at the same time and turned to face each other. Miss Bennet spoke first. "Mr. Darcy, I hope you know that my sister no longer thinks ill of you; she knows you are a good man, a gentleman, and a man of honor. She has spoken of you in nothing but positive terms since she received your letter, and I believe her heart has changed a great deal with regard to you."
"With all due respect, Miss Bennet, I believe it is doubtful that your sister has told you all that happened between us. Even if she now believes herself to have been mistaken on some matters, and even if she is generous enough to have forgiven me for them, I doubt she could cease blaming me for others. I hurt her, you see, as I have hurt too many people in my life. It has cost me dearly, and I am still trying to assess how much damage has been done to myself and to those I love." It felt good to him to speak such things aloud. He had held it all inside for months, and it had begun to eat away at him. The simple act of speaking seemed to lessen the weight on his heart, and he found Jane to be a soothing presence.
Jane could not allow him to continue to think so little of himself and said, "And I believe, Sir, that you are too hard on yourself. All of us make mistakes; Lizzy knows that as well as I. The question is whether we learn from them. From what I see here today, I have no doubt that you have done so. I believe you are a better man now, than you were before. My sister is not lacking in perception or understanding or generosity; though she can be stubborn at times, she would certainly see the same change that I have seen in you.
"Take heart Mr. Darcy. I do know my sister a great deal better than you do, after all, and I believe that you have reason to hope."
She seemed so sure of herself and her sister, and she seemed so honest, and had the sweetest smile as she spoke, that he did find reason to hope in her words. A slight smile began to grow on his lips.
She spoke once again, "If what I have said so far has not convinced you, then let me offer you this evidence: about a week before she left on this holiday, I went to her room at night before retiring. I entered suddenly without knocking, as I sometimes do. When I entered, I saw her quickly hiding a letter that she had obviously been reading. I received a good enough glimpse of it to come to believe it was the letter of explanation that you had given her in April. Now I ask you, Sir, if she disliked you still, or if she were now only indifferent to you, why would she continue to study your words? If she disliked you, then she would not have believed what you had said in your letter--which I know is not true, for she did believe you--and she would have burned the letter in disgust. If she were indifferent, then she would have put the letter away and not thought of either it, or you again. However, she did neither of these things; after all these months, she continues to read it. I believe it is because by reading it, by seeing and holding in her hands the product of your mind and hand, she may feel closer to you, even if you are a hundred miles away."
She observed him carefully and could see that he had taken great comfort in her words and had begun to truly believe what she had said. She was happy to have achieved her goal of alleviating some of his suffering, but perhaps she could offer him a little more.
She continued, "Now, if only you could find a way to see her again, and to show her that you have learned from your past, you might be well on your way to happiness.
"You know, Mr. Darcy, you have not asked me where my sister has gone on holiday."
Mr. Darcy looked at her quizzically, and that was all the reply she needed.
"They had originally intended to visit the Lakes, and Lizzy was very much looking forward to the trip, but, alas, my uncle could not be away from London for so long, and so their trip was curtailed. Instead of the Lakes, they intended to travel a little closer to home. My aunt has long wanted to return to a town where she spent many happy years as a child, and so it was determined that at least one stop on their journey would be to the town of Lambton in Derbyshire." Jane was rewarded with a full smile on her companion's face. "They are in Bakewell today, I believe, but will be continuing on to Lambton tomorrow and shall stay at the inn there for about a week. I believe Pemberley is near Lambton, is it not Mr. Darcy?"
"It is indeed, Miss Bennet."
"Then I suggest, Sir, that you should return to your carriage and continue your trip north," she said as she stood and turned to him.
He now knew that he had underestimated Miss Jane Bennet. "Miss Bennet, may I ask why you have told me these things?"
"Because, Mr. Darcy, whether Lizzy knows it yet or not, I believe that you have it in your power to make my sister very happy, and there are few things in this world that are more important to me than her happiness. I wish you the best of luck in Derbyshire, Mr. Darcy, and I hope that by wishing you luck, I am doing the same for Lizzy."
"You have been most kind, Miss Bennet. You have given me something I thought I would never have again--hope. And perhaps I can offer something equally precious in return, if you will do me the honor of answering one impertinent question for me....Are you in love with my friend, Bingley?"
Jane immediately turned away, but not before blushing almost to a true crimson color. She said nothing, but Darcy could see the sadness on her face as well as the embarrassment.
"I see by your reaction that you are. You need say nothing more. I understand how it feels to be separated from the one you love, and unsure of when, or even if, you might again be graced with your love's presence. So, in testament to our newly-found fellowship of feeling, I offer you this: My friend loves you, Miss Bennet, of that I have no doubt. All last winter, through the spring and the summer he has been lifeless and distracted; he rarely smiles, and his whole countenance reflects his inner sadness. And all because you are here and he is not.
"That separation, however, might not last forever. I promise you, Miss Bennet, that I shall do all that I can to bring my friend back to Netherfield. A few words from me should accomplish it. Perhaps he might come soon for the shooting season. Yes," Mr. Darcy mused, "that might work very well indeed.
"Do you think you can bear to be away from him for just a little while longer, Miss Bennet."
Jane did not reply, but smiled up at the gentleman.
"I must be going, my coachman will start searching for me if I do not return soon." He reached down and took her hand, which she readily offered. "I wish you all the best, Miss Bennet. You are a remarkable woman, and should my friend search the entire world I do not believe he could find himself a better match. Your beauty is equalled by your understanding, and your understanding is equalled by your kindness." He kissed her hand and released it.
"Have a safe journey, Mr. Darcy, and thank you."
"Good-bye," he said with a bow, answered by her curtsey, and he turned and left the grove.
His coachman was indeed in a state when he finally returned. "When you did not come back, Sir, I thought you must have met with some misfortune. I thought sure you were lost, Sir."
"Perhaps I did get a little lost, Perkins, but I believe I have found my way again," Darcy said as he reentered the carriage.
Been out in the sun too long, Perkins thought after his master's rather cryptic response.
Epilogue
~~ Same Clearing In The Woods, Four Months Later
thought I might find you here, Mr. Darcy," Jane said as she came from the path and into the clearing.
"Miss Bennet," he said as he rose from the stone bench and made his greeting to her. They then both seated themselves again. "Mr. Bingley is not with you?"
"I am afraid that he received a message from Netherfield, which notified him that something there needed his attention, and he has gone to see to it."
"Nothing serious I trust?"
"No. I do not believe so, I think he just needed to talk to someone or sign something. He promised to return before dinner."
Darcy nodded, and they sat for a while in companionable silence, both enjoying the moment.
Jane heard Darcy give out a contented sigh, and she said, "I see that you share with me an affinity for this place. I have always loved this grove and have spent many hours here over the years. It is so peaceful and quiet. Every time Lizzy grows weary of the noise and general clamour of the house, or when she needs time alone, she goes out for one of her long walks, but I come here."
"I can easily comprehend why it should be so, Miss Bennet; here is a place for solitude and reflection. While engaged in such introspection, I enjoy hearing the voice of the wind passing through the boughs of the trees; the birdsong adds delight to the music of this place; and the scurrying of the animals preparing for the harsh days of winter provides further entertainment. Though, the trees have lost their leaves; this place does not grow gloomy, and the fallen leaves create a wonderful and evocative aroma. All the senses are awakened, and yet the subtle serenity of this place is calming and soothing." He paused to draw a deep breath and continued, "It is a great contrast at times to Longbourn."
"I certainly understand your sentiment; I know how tiresome it can be to spend time in a house so filled with excitable women.--At times such this, when Lizzy is away, and not here to garner your attention, I imagine it would be difficult for you. I find that as long as I am at Bingley's side, little can upset me or even diminish the joy we feel together.--I know Lizzy will be happy to hear that you came to call today, even knowing that she would be in St. Albans with papa."
"It has given me a chance to get to know my new sisters better. Mary and I spent an hour discussing the Greek philosophers. I admit, for a woman, and without knowledge of Greek, she has an uncommonly-good grasp of Plato and Aristotle. I also found Kitty to be much different than I expected, when I sat with her for a while. I think we should have her to Pemberley soon; she would enjoy it well, I believe."
He continued, "Even though the time here today has been well spent, I do, of course, miss your sister. I was wondering; do you know why Mr. Bennet took your sister to St. Albans, Miss Bennet?"
"Jane. Can you not call me Jane? You are already as dear as a brother could be to me, and next week you shall become my brother in marriage."
Darcy smiled, but said, "No, I fear I can not call you that, Miss Bennet. It is not because I do not wish to, but rather because I believe my friend takes great enjoyment in being allowed to call you by your Christian name, and if I were to use it as well, his pleasure might be lessened. I shall leave that name for Bingley's use alone."
Jane blushed at this and smiled. She was happy to welcome this man into her family; and if she were pressed, she might just be forced to admit that not even her own dear Mr. Bingley showed so much consideration. "And I believe if Bingley were to call Lizzy, Elizabeth, your pleasure would also be lessened?"
"Perhaps. Fortunately, he calls her 'Lizzy', which I find I can tolerate well," he said with a laugh.
"Well, to answer your question: my father, Mr. Darcy, took me to town last week, as he has taken Lizzy today. His stated purpose was his desire to buy each of us a special gift to celebrate our marriages, but I believe he really wanted the chance to spend time alone with each of us, away from the distractions of Longbourn or Meryton. He shall miss Lizzy greatly, I think."
"And she shall miss him. I am already resolved that he will spend a great deal of time with us. That should give Elizabeth comfort, I think.--Miss Bennet, there is something I would like to ask you, if I may?"
"Of course, Mr. Darcy."
"It is not only the separation from her father that I worry will trouble your sister. In a week I shall be taking her away from everything she has known all these years: her home, her family, her friends, you. I shall be taking her a hundred miles away, where she will know no one, and where every thing will be unfamiliar to her. I was wondering if there is anything that I can do to lessen the distress I believe she will feel. If there are things that I can do for her, or provide for her which will make Pemberley seem more like home to her, I would like to see that they are done."
Jane smiled sweetly at him and said, "I should think, Mr. Darcy, that your presence will be enough."
"Well, there must be times when she will long for her family and friends and her home. At Netherfield you will be near your family and will be able to see them whenever you wish, but Elizabeth will be two days away by carriage, and even the post will take a few days to travel between Derbyshire and Longbourn. Being so used to constant contact, I am sure she will feel isolated from all of you here--and the change in her situation, from being one of five daughters to being a wife with a house of her own, will only add another complication. I should like to help her, and make her transition easy, if I can."
"You are very kind to my sister, Sir. I do not know if I can help you at present, but I shall think of some things and let you know of them.--Oh, there is one thing that might help: In her room every night before going to sleep, my sister takes a cup of chamomile tea with some honey in it. I believe she uses the time to reflect on the day passed and the day to come. It calms her and helps her to sleep. She told me once, it helps her to have pleasant dreams."
"Then I shall have to see that Pemberley is well-stocked with chamomile tea."
At this moment Jane and Darcy's attention was claimed by two squirrels who raced into the clearing, dashing about and chasing each other. As they played and chattered, they seemed oblivious to the man and woman sitting near them. Jane and Darcy watched as the squirrels spiraled their way up a tree and back down again, then sped across the clearing and disappeared up another tree.
After they had gone, Darcy smiled at the playful antics, then turned to his companion and said, "It is hard to believe, is it not, Miss Bennet, that only four months ago we sat here, both with little hope of finding happiness? and now, the depth of that emotion within me is nearly overwhelming. Even today, when I have yet to set eyes on your sister, I feel myself contented and at peace in a way that is quite new to me, and when I think of next week and our wedding, and all that will come after, I can barely begin to contemplate the joy of it.--Listen to me, I sound like some love-sick school boy, pining after his governess! And yet, I can not be sorry for my ebullience, founded as it is in the certain knowledge that I have found the one woman who will make me the happiest, and that she feels the same towards me. It is wonderful to think on."
"Indeed Sir. And I believe we, to some degree, have each other to thank for our present good fortune."
Darcy shook his head. "While that is certainly true in my case--and I shall be grateful to you all my life--you owe me no thanks, Miss Bennet. I believe Mr. Bingley would have made his suit to you much sooner, if I had not been there to influence him. I doubt your sister has told you, but I would like you to know, for I do not deserve the level of regard that you have given me, and it feels too much like deception to allow you to go on without knowing the truth. Last year, I was aware of my friend's love of you--though perhaps not entirely aware of the depth of that love, but I mistook your own feelings. Your serene countenance, and my, perhaps, cursory examination of your attentiveness to Bingley, caused me to believe that you did not hold any particular regard for my friend. I felt that he deserved a wife who would be as devoted to him as--I was sure--he would be to her, but in my presumption I failed to see that you were such a woman. I followed my friend to London last year with the objective of dissuading him from returning to Netherfield. Unfortunately, I was successful--Bingley's modesty led him to accept my observations over his own--which were, naturally, more inclined to believe in your affections, and were based on better knowledge of your character and heart than mine--and he remained in London. Thus, Miss Bennet, it was my fault that the two of you were so unhappily separated for so many months. It has given me some relief to know that I was able to assist in bringing him back to Netherfield where he belongs, but I shall never be easy knowing how much I have cost the two of you."
Jane was silent for some time. She had known that there were things Lizzy had chosen not to tell her,--things that happened between the two of them, as well as things between Bingley and Darcy--and she remembered how her sister had blamed Darcy and Bingley's sisters for removing Bingley the year before, but--with a forgiving spirit that never dwelt long on the faults of others, and with a habit of blaming herself long before she would ever blame another--she had not thought further on the subject. His confession now forced her to remember the pain of Bingley's defection and to assign new blame to her sister's fiancé. She rose from the bench and began to wander around the clearing.
Darcy could see the renewed distress in Jane's features, and thus had a glimpse of what she must have felt a year ago. Darcy did not turn away from his own culpability, but faced it and accepted the blame. He resolved to never again act as he had, and he knew that with Elizabeth at his side, he would have a shield to protect him from such behaviour in the future. He made a second resolution to always seek, and mind, the advice that his wife would give him, for he knew that her intelligent and compassionate observations, combined with his own exacting standards, would give him far greater strength than he could have alone.
Jane at last addressed him again, "Lizzy always thought that you must have done such a thing, and thus, your information does not come as a surprise. I can not say that I am happy to know what you did, but does not my current happiness, and your part in it, trump any prior interference? And does not your concern for your friend, which formed the basis of your interference, and which was grounded in true affection towards him, not lessen the fault? Mr. Darcy, four months ago in this very place I told you that everyone makes mistakes, and that what mattered is that we learn by them--as I believe you have done. I do not wish to dwell in past, but desire only to look forward to my wedding next week and my future with Mr. Bingley. Lizzy respects you and loves you, and you make her happier than I have ever seen her, and that alone is enough for me to forgive you, Mr. Darcy." With this she offered him her hand as a sign of friendship and forgiveness.
He took it willingly and instead of merely receiving it and then properly releasing it, he tenderly pressed it to his lips. He did not let go immediately, and she sat back down next to him. After a moment he relinquished her hand and said, "You are generous, Miss Bennet. Thank you. After your sister and my own, I believe you are the dearest person to me. I know I am blessed not only to be marrying Elizabeth, but to also be gaining you for a sister. I shall ever be in your debt and at your service, Madam."
Jane blushed at this intimacy, and at the sincerity and intensity she saw in his eyes. "Now Mr. Darcy, I believe we have become entirely too serious. I am trying to learn from my sister, you see, and laugh off unpleasant thoughts. You asked me a moment ago what you could do to make Elizabeth feel more at home at Pemberley, and I have thought of something new. There is a song that she and I devised some years ago, and it always makes her laugh. If you were to find her feeling distressed, and if you were to sing it to her, I am sure she would find comfort in it. It is sung to the tune of 'O'er The Hills And Far Away' and goes like this." Jane began to sing:
O, our mother did five girls give birth,
Some with beauty, joy, and mirth.
When she commands, we all obey
Here at Longbourn and every day.Mother wants us all to play
The game of marriage every day;
She begs us all young men to find.
O pray that this would ease her mind!So come all ye boys to Longbourn house
And pay your suit to man and mouse.
Just give our mum some great relief
And end the hours and hours of grief.She says, "Young men come call and stay
Then take my daughters far away!
And take them all and be so kind."
If you don't, we'll be in a bind!
Darcy and Jane both laughed at the song, and then, with the sun setting, and the clearing growing dark, they spent the next quarter hour with Jane carefully teaching it to Mr. Darcy, until she was sure he would remember it. As they were finishing, they heard the carriage return with Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth, and together, with Jane on Darcy's arm, they went back to the house.
The End