Page 166 of The Governess of My Heart
“Sometimes I feel so guilty for having you endure this for my sake. Please be honest with me; you must be upset with my decision to delay our marriage, aren’t you?”
“Angry? No, not at all. I understand how you feel. As I said before, this concerns both of us. Do you think I can be happy when you are hurting? As I said, I will do everything possible to seek the truth, and the ones who betrayed your trust will have to pay for it. I cannot wait to make a trip to Longbourn.”
Then he paused for a moment.
“As we are on the subject, I have written to Bingley to join me in London. Did your sister mention him in her letters?”
“She did and also mentioned that Jane was trying to gain his affection.”
“I don’t think he will fall for her schemes,” Darcy said, explaining how Jane had shifted her partiality towards him.
“I am not surprised. Jane always wanted to marry into a fortune, and I do not think she can look at any man without weighing his wealth and status. As much as I am uncomfortable visiting Hertfordshire, I want to see Mary. I miss her so much, Fitzwilliam. If not for her, I would not be this happy today.”
“I agree; she has indeed brought us together. I had a strange feeling when I stepped into Hertfordshire as I could feel your presence everywhere, and it did not make sense to me. Finally, I understood why I felt that way.”
“For twenty years, it was my home and everything I knew. I still do not know how I had the strength to leave everything and run away.”
“You did not run away; you saved yourself, and I do not know any woman who would have the strength to do what you did,” he said with admiration.
“I promise you our future will be filled with happiness and nothing else.”
“I do not doubt it; I have never felt like this before. I feel I can face anything in life because of you,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder.
They reached Darcy’s townhouse for supper, and Elizabeth felt anxious about stepping into her future home. But Georgiana and Darcy made her feel welcome, and she was surprised to see Charlotte and her husband waiting for them.
The moment she saw Charlotte; Elizabeth embraced her with tears.
“My dearest Lizzy, I have missed you so much. I am so glad to see you,” Charlotte cried with joy.
Elizabeth made the introductions, and she had no choice but to introduce Lord Anderson to her friend. She mentioned nothing about him being her father, but she had already written to Charlotte about the discovery.
Darcy was happy to meet her friend and expressed his sincere gratitude for the support they had given Elizabeth.
“I thank you for being here today, Mrs. Davis,” he said to Charlotte.
“Elizabeth has told me so much about you, and I cannot thank you enough for all your support to her during difficult times.”
“Please do not mention it, Mr. Darcy. Charlotte never wanted her to seek employment anywhere but to stay with us. Once she left for Derbyshire, not a day has passed without her mentioning the same,” Mr. Davissaid.
“But now, I am glad that she did,” Charlotte said, squeezing Elizabeth’s hand. They had received a letter from Darcy inviting them to be present at the Darcy house during their arrival, and Elizabeth was to leave with them and stay at their house.
After supper, Elizabeth left along with Charlotte, and it was tough for Darcy to let her leave. Lord Anderson felt the same way seeing her go but said nothing. Being in London brought back memories of the first time he had travelled to the city, and he could not stop recalling how he had met Elizabeth’s mother and fallen in love with her.
Elizabeth related all the recent developments to her friend during their carriage ride.
“I was so happy for you when I received your letter disclosing your engagement with Mr. Darcy, and Mary is aware of it as well now. Mr. Darcy sent us an express asking her to be present at his house today and briefly mentioned the situation with Lord Anderson. I can understand that you are angry with him.”
“Angry is not the exact word, Charlotte. I feel enraged when I see him. Fitzwilliam mentioned that he also sent an express to my uncle, and I think we plan to call on them tomorrow. I am not sure whether Lord Anderson wants to accompany us.”
“I hope you can find your answers, Lizzy. Something is not right with the letters, and I hope we can find Mrs. Lewis,” Charlotte said.
The next day, Darcy arrived in the morning to take Elizabeth to her uncle’s house, but he was apprehensive about meeting him. He knew that her aunt was a close acquaintance of Lady Martha and hoped the visit would not be unpleasant. When she entered the carriage, Elizabeth smiled, seeing a maid seated there as a chaperone.
She looked at Darcy, and he winked as Elizabeth realized that more than Lady Martha, he cared about her honor and reputation.
“Is Georgiana well?” she asked.
“Yes, she is. She is resting but will meet us at my uncle’s house later today.”
