Page 87 of The Governess of My Heart
Even if he does, what can I do about it? she had often thought.
Mary had formed a habit of walking to Oakham Mount every morning and felt comforted in spending time there, knowing how much her sister liked the spot.
This morning, she sat reading one of her sister’s letters and was still unaware of details about Darcy’s proposal.
She sat there musing about her sister’s prospective travel to Grovnor Park and was oblivious to the presence of Mr. Bingley and Darcy behind her.
Suddenly, Mary noticed some movement behind her and turned around.
She was surprised to see Mr. Bingley and another rider, and she immediately placed the letter inside her book and rose.
The men got down from their horses and approached her.
“Good morning, Miss Mary. It is a pleasure to see you again.”
“Good morning, sir. I hope you are doing well,” Mary said to Mr. Bingley.
She glanced towards Darcy, who looked confused and distressed.
“Allow me to introduce my dearest friend to you. This is Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, my closest friend since my days at Oxford. He comes from Derbyshire.”
Mary could not contain her surprise and shock. It was now Darcy’s turn to scrutinize her expression.
“Darcy, this is Miss Mary Bennet. She is the daughter of Mr. Bennet.”
It took a moment for Mary to compose herself and greet Darcy.
And Darcy did not understand why she looked so uncomfortable at the mention of his name. To him, she somehow resembled Elizabeth. Though the likeliness was faint, and she was much younger, something about her reminded him of the dearest face that haunted him day and night.
“It is nice to make your acquaintance,” he said finally.
“You see, Miss Mary, my friend has traveled from Derbyshire to assist me with the affairs at Netherfield.”
“That is indeed very gracious of him. I hope you have a pleasant stay here, Mr... Mr. Darcy,” she said, unable to compose herself.
Darcy noted her hesitance in mentioning his name.
“I should be on my way home now,” she said.
“Oh, yes, of course. I hope to see you at Lucas Lodge today,” Mr. Bingley said.
They parted ways, and Mary’s heart pounded as she walked home.
Of all coincidences, how could Mr. Darcy be here? In her last letter, Lizzy never mentioned anything about him travelling here. This is all so very strange.
She knew Elizabeth’s letters always reached her with delay as they came through Charlotte and somehow felt concerned. She fervently hoped his trip would be short-lived.
On the ride back to Netherfield, Darcy felt unsettled. He did not know why Mary reminded him of Elizabeth, and he distinctly remembered her expression when his name was mentioned.
She looked startled, as though she recognized me from somewhere.
He could not sleep that night, and it had been so since his proposal. He lay awake, tortured by his own thoughts. Darcywas used to being in command of every situation in life; after the incident in Ramsgate, he understood he no longer had control over his life. And now, his future looked uncertain. He had thought it wise to come to Hertfordshire as he needed a distraction. Darcy had a miniscule hope of forgetting Elizabeth, but everything about Hertfordshire reminded him of her. He felt her presence everywhere, and it made no sense to him.
He did not want to engage in social gatherings, but the next day, Mr. Bingley was persistent in his request. He wanted Darcy to accompany him for the evening. Miss Bingley hoped that Darcy would stay in Netherfield so that she could keep him company. However, Darcy was not thrilled by the prospect of spending the evening in Miss Bingley's company at Netherfield.
He finally decided to go, and Miss Bingley accompanied them, not wanting to miss her chance to spend time with him.
They were the second to arrive for the gathering, and his friend had already informed him that the Bennets were friends of Sir William's family.
