Page 109 of Her Whole Heart
“Only because I love you, Lizzy,” Miss Bennet replied. “And here is mine. Go on now.”
Soon they were in the garden and Miss Elizabeth was handing him the letters. “Here,” she said, “let us sit on the bench there. The flowers are all in bloom.”
“Who are they from?” he asked, taking them from her hand.
“My mother. Her thoughts about Jane’s engagement.”
He had heard Miss Bennet say it was a letter from their mother, but it had not really sunk in before, as concerned as he had been that something was badly amiss. “And you wish me to read it? I will not if you do not like it, no matter what your sister believes is prudent.”
“No, as usual, Jane is correct. It is rather vexing being the younger sister of such a woman.” She sighed. “Trust is very important to me, and trustcannot be built when there are secrets. I will not keep this from you, and I do not believe it will come as a surprise. I have mentioned my parents before.”
He nodded.
“Jane and I have decided not to see either of them again, and these letters demonstrate why.”
“I see,” he said. Given what she had related about her parents, he did not anticipate any warm congratulations were being offered in her mother’s correspondence. Not for Miss Elizabeth, in any case.
“The only thing we are debating is how to inform them. Once you read these, you might have some ideas.”
“I may,” he said. He opened Miss Elizabeth’s letter and read, hoping that an explanation for her reaction would be there. Then he perused Miss Bennet’s missive.
The answerwasthere. He wished that it had not been.
Darcy squeezed his eyes shut, meaning to control his temper before he frightened Miss Elizabeth.
“Mr. Darcy,” she said, and placed her hand lightly on his arm. “Mr. Darcy.”
“Miss Elizabeth,” he said. “Does your father retain his right to approve your suitors?”
“He ceded that responsibility to Lord Carlisle when we left Longbourn.”
He nodded. That would make this simpler. “You may leave this with me.”
She studied him carefully. “Are you certain?”
“I am.”
“Whatdo you mean to do?”
“I am still forming a plan. But it will be decisive, and it will be soon.” He took her hand and looked deeply into her eyes. “Do you trust me?”
She met his gaze and held it for a moment. “Yes,” she said at last. “I trust you.”
Darcy refolded both letters and tucked them into his pocket. “Thank you. I will return these later.”
“Will you stay for tea?”
“Not today,” he told her. “But I will return the day after tomorrow and stay as long as you wish.”
Her expression was a mix of embarrassment, pain, and gratitude. “Thank you, Mr. Darcy.”
She trusted him to see to this for her. Darcy took that trust very seriously. He took her hands. “Miss Elizabeth,” he said. “I will never allow anyone to hurt you again. Not without a vigorous response.”
Miss Elizabeth studied him briefly before nodding. “I believe you.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Darcy left London within a few hours of speaking to Miss Elizabeth.
