Page 23 of Saved By Mr. Darcy
He had seen this spot in his nightmares these past weeks, any sleep he managed to scrape together marred by horrific images of Miss Elizabeth lying dead amongst the splintered wood. She was alive, safe within Pemberley’s walls, but he feared that he would never be free of the torment of loving her and coming so very close to losing her.
He would lose her again soon enough; she was desperate to be free of her injuries and his home along with it. He was sure he had seen a glint of envy as her aunt and uncle had departed; why would she wish to stay here, desperate as she was for the comfort of her family?
He walked on, through the woods and out to the clearing. He stood, watching the late afternoon sunlight glint off Pemberley’s lake. The house itself shimmered as he had never known, and he knew in his fanciful heart that Miss Elizabeth Bennet had changed everything and everyone that she had touched.
He would certainly never be the same for having known her – and he would never be the man who would make her happy.
Chapter Seven
The absence of her aunt and uncle was easier than she had anticipated. Georgiana seemed to make it her duty to keep Lizzy entertained. There was no denying that Lizzy was grateful for such diversion, but it made her ache for home all the more. They had spent the afternoon in the library most pleasantly. Georgiana had read to her, her sweet voice loud and clear on each word, yet somehow shaky. It was undeniable that Miss Darcy was not in the habit of being in company, and her face had shone with pleasure when praised.
Lizzy found herself exhausted as the sun faded. She made her excuses for dinner, far too tired to dress for such an occasion as dining at Pemberley must surely be. Her leg ached, her body along with it. She tried to sleep, but it would not come to her. So, as the clock struck twelve, she lay in bed reading the account of Pemberley she had been recommended by Mr Darcy. A shadow on the wall caught her eye. She looked up in alarm, noting the shadow was the figure of a man. She stared for a moment, and at once the silhouette became familiar to her.
“Mr Darcy,” she called softly. “Mr Darcy, might you come in?”
The shadow hesitated for a moment, before the door fully opened and Mr Darcy stood before her. He was dressed for dinner. She had lost track of time; dinner must have passed. She was not hungry, and though she had been invited to join the two siblings, she had declined. She was still unable to sit in a proper chair, and had no wish to embarrass herself in a dining room as fine as any she had ever been in before.
“Good evening, Miss Bennet.”
“Good evening, Mr Darcy. I was wondering if I might ask you to complete the letter we began. It has been preying on my mind all day. I wish to free myself of it.”
“Of course.”
He entered the room, making his way to the desk.
“And I also wished to ask if my friendship with your sister bothers you. You left the room quite abruptly earlier; Miss Darcy wondered if she had upset you.”
“No.”
“Me, then?”
“I did not wish to disturb your conversation.”
“I see.”
“In truth, Miss Elizabeth, Georgiana has been brighter in the time you have been here than I have seen her since the business with…”
The name “Wickham'' was lost in the air. She watched as his expression darkened, the discomfort of speaking about the dreadful business of the year before clear in every inch of hiscountenance. His shoulders tightened, his hands fists by his side.
“I am glad of it. I thought what you told me at the time was abhorrent, but now that I know Georgiana…I cannot imagine how someone could hurt a creature so sweet and sincere. The poor girl! Mr Darcy, now you have broached the subject, I cannot ignore the letter you wrote to me any longer.”
“Now is not the time.”
“Then when?”
“Must we discuss it?”
“You do not wish to?”
“No.”
“Do you wish to leave, Mr Darcy?”
“No. I would stay by your side as long as you bid me, Miss Elizabeth. You must know that.”
“Oh!”
“Let us discuss a different letter. The hour grows late, and you need to rest.”
