Page 29 of To Go Against Her Heart
The next day, Miss Bingley was thrilled with his arrival.
“What a wonderful surprise this is, Mr. Darcy. Just yesterday, I was telling Louisa how boring life here has been after you left. I am so glad you decided to return,” Miss Bingley cried with excitement as she spotted him along with her brother at the entrance of the house. Miss Bingley immediately assumed that he had arrived for the ball.
“Caroline, we have some urgent business to attend to. Excuse us,” her brother cried as he hurried along with Darcy to his study.
“I am glad you chose to come in person,” Mr. Bingley said.
“I did not want to waste any more time. Why did you not write to me earlier about his presence here?”
“I must confess that I thought about it but did not want to worry you without a cause for concern. Honestly, I never met him after our first introduction at Lucas Lodge, and when I think about it, I feel he has artfully avoided being in my company at other gatherings.”
“And by what means did you discover that he had been circulating falsehoods?” he asked with confusion.
Mr. Bingley quickly explained that Jane had given him the information upon Elizabeth’s insistence.
Darcy watched him in shock as he understood Elizabeth’s role in bringing him back to Hertfordshire.
“Miss Elizabeth insisted that I be informed?” Darcy asked with confusion.
“Yes, Miss Bennet insisted that she did. I could very well sense that she was hesitant to discuss the matter with me, but it seems Miss Elizabeth had coaxed her sister to make me aware of this matter. It is puzzling for me, too, but I think she cares about you, Darcy.Reflect upon it, and you will see that no one in the village would have ventured to mention this matter to me, considering the friendship between us. I am sincerely pleased that Miss Elizabeth did.”
Darcy could not believe his ears and doubted if he had misjudged her feelings. After a brief discussion with Mr. Bingley, he resolved to call upon Colonel Forster without delay the next morning. Not wanting to engage with anyone else that evening, he informed his friend that he wanted to retire soon. However, as he left, he stopped abruptly near the stairs and retraced his steps. He knew not why, but he walked to the library, and upon entering, the sight of Elizabeth standing by the bookshelves awakened in him a painful sense of longing. Darcy knew very well that he had fallen in love with her, and there was no question in his mind that she was the love of his life. He was certain that he could never forget her nor lead a life without her by his side.
He sat on the sofa and closed his eyes.
“Do you truly care for me, Elizabeth?”he thought, lingering on the fainthopein his heart that he might one day earn her regard.
Chapter 12
The next morning, Elizabeth sat in her favorite spot in Oakham Mount, looking at the sunrise. She was vexed to live in the same house as Mr. Collins and hoped he would leave Hertfordshire after the ball. As the sun rose, brightening the horizon with its brilliant glow, she fought hard to forget the memory of meeting Darcy in the same place weeks ago.
From Jane, she understood that Mr. Bingley had been much troubled by the revelation regarding Wickham and had promised to lay the matter before Darcy.
I wonder what he plans to do. Would he have written to Mr. Darcy?
Just as her thoughts consumed her,she heard the sound of a rider, and Elizabeth immediately panicked. Her heart raced, as she mustered the courage to turn around and see who it was, although her instinct knew better.
The sight of Darcy riding up the mount shocked her. She struggled to compose herself as he dismounted from his horse and approached her with swift strides. As unexpected as his arrival was, Elizabeth found a strange sense of happiness in seeing him after several weeks and could not understand her own feelings. She stood looking at him with a sense of disbelief.
They said nothing to each other for several moments, trying to gauge each other’s sentiments. Elizabeth could not mistake the emotion in his eyes; a look of contentment and joy radiated in every feature on his face.
“Good morning, Miss Elizabeth!” he finally said.
“Good morning, sir,” she said, unable to hold his gaze.
“I was hoping to find you here,” he said, witnessing the surprise on her face.
“I reached Netherfield last evening after I received an express from my friend. I need not elaborate on why I am here as you must be well aware of the reason.”
Elizabeth had never imagined that he would understand her involvement in the matter.
“I…I should leave,” she said, not wanting to discuss the subject, but Darcy stood blocking her way.
“Won’t you allow me to thank you?”
Elizabeth stared at him in silence.
“If not for your intervention, I would have never been aware of what Mr. Wickham has been up to here. Please allow me to thank you for your genuine concern in this regard.”
