3 January 1812
The journey to Pemberley served to provide Elizabeth with more insights into her husband than the entirety of their first month of marriage had afforded. The only judgements she could make during those few short evening hours was his preference for chicken, potatoes, two spoonfuls of sugar in his coffee – and his disdain for her mother. Elizabeth admitted to herself how her mother did want for discretion more often than not, and her stay in Brook Street had been no exception to the rule.
“Miss Darcy must be a very fine lady,” her mother began one night. “I understand she is sixteen.”
“Not until March,” Mr Darcy responded in a quiet, distant tone.
“My Lydia’s age! Miss Bingley says she is very handsome and has her share of admirers.”
The colour drained from Darcy’s face and flooded into Elizabeth’s. She wished Miss Bingley would hold her tongue, or her mother would perceive the fine line forming on Mr Darcy’s brow, but those hopes were in vain. She hurriedly replied, “Her letters are charming. Did you see the lace my uncle sent over?”
“You showed it to me this afternoon,” Mrs Bennet replied to Elizabeth with a look of astonishment at her forgetfulness. Upon finishing her bite of chicken, she said, “I hope you will throw a ball for all of your sisters. Mr Darcy must be acquainted with many eligible gentlemen.”
Elizabeth was inured to those sorts of silly speeches, but her involuntary glance at Mr Darcy revealed he was not. She replied with forced gaiety, “I have no thoughts of balls at present, ma’am, not for many months. I shall write you directly if I decide otherwise.”
“What a strange child you are! I suppose with thirty thousand pounds to her name, Miss Darcy can afford your particular ways, but I declare, you would have been married years ago with half such a sum.”
“I have no doubt of that,” came Mr Darcy’s sharp retort. “However, I must disappoint you; I have no intention of spending many of my evenings with most of Derbyshire within my gates.”
Even her mother had grown silent at such a reply, but the silence was rather like sand, shifting and never settled.
Elizabeth lifted her eyes to view her companion. Sunlight poured through the carriage window, setting off his severe features to perfection; the sombre eye; the aristocratic nose; the perfectly formed jaw. Such unearthly good looks were framed by a very fine black coat and gleaming black boots, along with the signet ring on his last finger.
She resisted the urge to fidget with its mate, now worn alongside her other piece of new jewellery, determined not to become overwhelmed by it all. He was a gentleman, not the Duke of Devonshire; and she had been a gentleman’s daughter, now a gentleman’s wife, came the familiar argument. Even so, they attracted more than the common civility and attention to rank afforded to her as Miss Bennet. The innkeepers, the servants, even most of their fellow travellers, bestowed upon them both glances of admiration and bows of deference. It was startling to consider that such attention was his expectation from birth, and now it was hers.
“Are you well, Mrs Darcy? You appear rather pale,” Darcy remarked. He shifted forward, his indifferent gaze now filled with concern. “You should speak up if my pace wearies you.”
“I am very well.” At his puzzled look, Elizabeth forced an easy smile to her lips. “Now I understand your instructions on my coat and gloves. How long will this weather last?”
“Oh, the warm weather shall pass soon enough,” Darcy replied with a white puff of breath and a wave of his pale hand. Elizabeth looked upon him with disbelief, eliciting his slight smile. “You will grow accustomed to it.”
She supposed she would at that. At least she had Sarah, she thought with a fond glance at her maid – young and a little flighty perhaps – but also a familiar face in a strange land. That sort of familiarity was more comforting than all the warm bricks, well sprung carriages and wool rugs at Mr Darcy’s disposal, she decided. “What do you think of Derbyshire, Sarah?”
“Oh Miss Lizzy!” With a blush and a timid glance toward Mr Darcy, who had focused his attention upon her with one corner of his mouth upturned, Sarah lowered her voice to answer, “Beggin’ your pardon, mistress, but I never saw such wild country.”
Elizabeth looked beyond her maid, at the wooded peaks and a large outcropping of grey rocks, and smiled. “It seems a world away from Hertfordshire, does it not?”
“Oh yes!” Sarah whispered with obvious restraint.
“We are nearly at the lodge gate,” Darcy announced with obvious pleasure as the carriage began to slow. Elizabeth attempted to maintain her composure before the servants, at least until the carriage cleared Pemberley Woods and the house came into view. Her lips curved upon beholding a very fine house, backed by woody hills and placed before a natural stream, nearly frozen.
“My heavens,” she cried in delight, craning her neck for a better look. The snow had cast its wide, white blanket upon the entire scene, cloaking it with a lovely, almost unearthly, splendour.
“Do you approve, Mrs Darcy?” her husband asked with perfect unconcern.
Elizabeth tore her eyes from the window for a brief moment, finding no fault with his assurance in this instance, and declared Pemberley charming. She returned her enthusiastic gaze upon the passing scenery, almost unable to absorb it all, until the horses slowed to a halt at Pemberley’s front steps. “I have never seen a place so happily situated without any awkward taste to detract from its beauty. Why did you not tell me? I feared we were settled in the midst of a bog.”
Darcy laughed – a short, startled sound – then replied, “I beg your pardon, madam, but my silence was not designed to excite your alarm. I thought to your first impressions to form without any reference to my own prejudices. Let us get through the introductions quickly; Georgiana is eager to meet you.”
There were no blushes or stammers during her greetings to the staff, much to Elizabeth’s satisfaction, though her pulses fluttered when Darcy guided her into an elegant saloon to meet his sister. Miss Darcy, who Elizabeth considered a main character in their elaborate scheme, had often featured in her thoughts. Her mind drew a few different sketches; one of a careless, silly, though perhaps more refined version of Lydia; the other of a satirical, unembarrassed version of Mr Darcy. She found neither within the pale, quiet girl who greeted her with a curtsey.
“Brother,” Miss Darcy began in a soft voice which Elizabeth strained to hear, “I have ordered tea. I hope Mrs Darcy likes peach preserves.”
“I have little idea what Elizabeth likes, my dear. We shall have to ask her.”
Elizabeth looked directly at her new sister, who immediately averted her gaze, cheerfully thanking her for her consideration and declaring her fondness for peaches. Miss Darcy managed a bare glimmer of a smile in turn. Elizabeth studied her furtively as she poured out, observing the unsteadiness of Miss Darcy’s hand, torn with pity and amazement. A fallen woman, the world would call her, but all Elizabeth could see was a shy child.
*****
She found her way to the breakfast room on her own the next morning, which she considered quite an accomplishment. The sound of voices halted her progress at the door. Miss Darcy, who barely uttered a word in her presence, seemed almost animated when speaking to her brother. “Are you certain Mrs Darcy will not mind? She may have other plans for the room -”
Darcy replied in the gentlest of tones, “Nonsense! There are rooms enough for her.”
Both Mr and Miss Darcy greeted Elizabeth upon her entrance, though they did not resume their conversation. Elizabeth wondered if she should mind that, when Mr Darcy’s inquiries into her plans interrupted her thoughts.
With an enthusiastic glance out the window, she answered, “I thought to go for a long walk. I have not stirred a step out of doors in six days.”
Mr Darcy set his fork down with an incredulous stare. “Have you ever walked out in a foot of snow?”
Elizabeth lifted her chin, admitting, “I have not, but I did purchase a pair of stout boots in London. Hero and Claudio might like the exercise as well.” A wide smile formed on her lips at the thought of such ill-suited names for two stolid spaniels. “Do you plan to call the next pair Romeo and Juliet, Mr Darcy?”
“Certainly not,” he said, with a wry twist of his mouth. “I hope Georgiana will show more mercy than that.”
Before Georgiana could lower gaze, Elizabeth caught sight of a flushed cheek with an inward sigh at her unintentional blunder. “Would you care to join me, Miss Darcy?”
Miss Darcy whispered, “N-no, I thank you.”
Darcy pressed his sister a little, before conceding that the weather was perhaps too cold for her, then said, “I can accompany you, Elizabeth, whenever you make yourself ready,” he offered.
Startled confusion creased Elizabeth’s brow at such an offer. “You must not trouble yourself, sir.”
“I think I must,” was his prompt reply. “With the inclement weather and your unfamiliarity with the estate, I can hardly send you off alone, can I?”
“It would be terribly rude of you to misplace me so shortly after our arrival,” she retorted with a careless smile. His own sudden smile disarmed her for a second, then she recovered, adding, “But I cannot keep you from your business. Sarah can accompany me.”
“That would be rather like the blind leading the blind,” said Mr Darcy in a wry tone.
She frowned at the reply, feeling rather like an errant child. “Perhaps I should not trespass on your kindness.”
“Kindness has little to do with it. Hero and Claudio are not alone in their need for exercise, and I shall be glad for the company.”
He seemed sincere, if very formal, and she found herself powerless to refuse such determined gallantry. When she came down the stairs in her warmest winter clothes, the dogs were much occupied, barking and running about in excited circles as the butler handed Mr Darcy his coat.
“Hush, Claudio,” he commanded in his quiet, dry voice, somehow clearly heard above the chaos. Claudio obeyed with celerity, limiting his enthusiasm to a steady wag of his tail. Elizabeth announced her readiness, met Darcy’s steady gaze, which turned into mild annoyance as he looked past her. “Your maid may remain indoors, Mrs Darcy.”
Sarah was frozen in place, Elizabeth noted with amused exasperation, wholly afraid and intimidated by her husband. “Stay by the fire with your sewing, Sarah” Elizabeth added in a kind, cheerful voice. “I shall return shortly.”
The shock of cold winter air caused Elizabeth to shiver a little. She stopped to fasten the last remaining buttons at her throat as the dogs paced impatiently. She heard Mr Darcy say, “Which way should you like to go?” and looked up, his features somehow even more pale and harsh against the backdrop of bare, snow laden trees.
“I thought to take the paths around the park.”
A momentary flicker of amusement lit his grey eyes. “The park is ten miles around, which I believe is too much exercise, even for such an excellent walker. The path to the right leads to the stream; the other toward the peaks.”
Elizabeth blinked, her eyes tearing a little, and then turned from the wind. “I should like a closer view of the peaks. We have nothing of that sort in Hertfordshire.”
Darcy smiled. “I should have known you would choose the most arduous path. Take my arm; the ground is rather uneven.”
Their course decided, Elizabeth accepted his arm. He walked well, she noticed, keeping pace with her quick gait, seemingly content with the still silence of a winter morning. It was surprisingly free of awkwardness until their eyes met. With a deep breath, she said, “I take from the house that Pemberley has been in your family for some two hundred years.”
“The house is a few decades shy of that, built following a fire which devastated the original structure. My family was given the estate after the Conquest.”
“Oh.” It made the ten generations of Bennets at Longbourn seem rather quaint, Elizabeth thought with a twist of her lips. She leaned on him as the path turned slick and steep. “Thank you for your company. Sarah would not be of much use for this.”
His mouth twitched. “I am pleased to be at your service, madam. If you wish to leave the path, there is an excellent view of the house from this peak.”
“You quite frighten her, you know,” she said, allowing him to grasp her hand and assist her over a few small boulders.
Darcy shrugged. “She will grow accustomed to me, as I have grown used to her blushing and addressing you as ‘Miss Lizzy’.”
“You can hardly compare the two,” she retorted with a laugh. “She is eager to please and afraid of doing wrong. The ways of Pemberley are very different than those at Longbourn.”
“I expect they are,” he remarked with quiet detachment.
“I would appreciate it if you made an effort not to frighten her; in turn, I will try not to provoke disgust in your valet,” she persisted in a firm tone.
“Wilson?” he uttered in a tone of disbelief, turning toward her with obvious astonishment. “Has he said something to you?”
“He has not, but his very looks express his disapproval at the sight of me.”
Darcy suppressed a smile. “It is your position that excites his alarm, I believe, not your person. He is a creature of habit, I fear, but loyal and trustworthy. If he does become impertinent, you must tell me at once.” With a more serious look, he added, “And you must decide if your maid will suit your new position. In our, er, situation, we cannot afford idle speculation, especially not from your maid. We can find another position for her if you think it best.”
“I can manage her.” Her chest inexplicably tightened at the thought of giving Sarah up. To her relief, he did not press the point, and she allowed him cup her elbow and assist her to the very top of the peak. Elizabeth pushed aside a loose wisp of hair, then gasped in amazement.
“The best view of Pemberley, no doubt,” Darcy declared, brushing aside the snow from a fallen log for her. Elizabeth’s eyes widened at their lofty view, missing Darcy’s steady gaze upon her. The entirety of Pemberley House – the gardens, the outbuildings, the stream, even the distant stables and pastures – were all visible, its elegance breathtaking in spite of their distance. She barely heard him say, “I spent hours here as a boy and a young man, often with a book and my dog.”
Her lips twitched as she turned her cheerful gaze upon him. “Confess it, sir. His name was Romeo, was it not?”
“Not Romeo, but Brutus,” Darcy said, looking down with a smile on Claudio, who had leaned against his master’s leg. “A distant sire of this beast.”
She watched his fond petting of his dog, wondering if she would ever make him out. They eventually walked back to the house, their silences broken by easy conversation and observations of Pemberley. Upon their arrival, Mr Darcy learned that a Colonel Fitzwilliam was waiting for him, and the tight, grim lines around his eyes and mouth told Elizabeth that their period of ease was ended.
“Fitzwilliam? A relation of yours, Mr Darcy?” Elizabeth breathlessly asked as Sarah removed her wet gloves and coat.
“A cousin – my mother’s nephew,” he supplied in an absent tone. Turning to Grimes, he asked, “Where is Miss Darcy?”
They followed the butler’s directions to the saloon, where Elizabeth met the mysterious cousin with barely contained curiosity. His countenance was rather plain, and the grim set of his mouth reminded her very much of her husband. He turned his own curious gaze upon her, his expression more thoughtful than unfriendly. For the first time, Elizabeth wondered what Mr Darcy’s relations must think of his marriage.
The introductions complete, Colonel Fitzwilliam turned to Mr Darcy with a curt, “I must speak to you. Shall we go to your study?”
With a grave nod, Darcy led his companion to the door. Miss Darcy, white-faced and trembling, excused herself and retired to her room. The dogs were the next to desert her, Elizabeth noticed with some chagrin. She felt like a performer in a play, her script incomplete.
Darce’s relatives can’t be too happy to know he married a country nobody. Well only time will tell what will be said about that – especially from Lady C.
I hope Darce becomes more gentle in his actions. He must know that he scares Elizabeth’s maid and I would think that he would ease up on that because, as much as he’s going through, he is asking Elizabeth to go through just as much to protect his sister. It would seem that he would want to make it as less complicated a matter as possible.
I wonder what news from the Colonel. Does he know of Georgiana’s pregnancy and the scheme Darce and Elizabeth has cooked up? Looking forward to finding out what he has to say in the next post.
Yeah!!!!! You made my day posting a chapter of this story! Do you have any Idea how often you will post??? I hope it will be soon!
Thanks a bunch
Teri
He seems so cold! I have a hard time imagining how you’ll make him fall for E. Will you be following the story in that he falls for her first? I am a bit surprised by his frozen atitude, I like it, it’s not that…it’s just he’s too…distant, aloof, there is not a bit of warm toward her, even if they are together in this big secret and he did spent some time with her. He is scary! The weird part is that I liked it! I guess I will reread it from the beginning because I found hard to believe that this man had in fact married her! I am curious about the Colonel. It stung her harsh dismissal! Hardly polite. I guess she’ll have to fight to impose herself and gain her place like the mistress of the house, even id they have or not valid points in doubting her and I guess the first and the most difficult person sho’ll have to adapt to that is Darcy.
This story is one of my favorites. Thank you!
Thanks for the new chapter, Ali. I do feel for Elizabeth. Darcy is rather cold & distracted but I think he has too many cares & worries. I love all the Shakespearean dogs. I hope Georgiana will start to feel loved & comforted soon. I am enjoying seeing this story unfold.
Darcy doesn’t just seem cold…he is cold. This business with Georgiana and Wickham has made him emotionless. He is just going through the motions of living and that is all. He is acting like someone who is heading for total breakdown. He can’t even see that the only true friendly face that Elizabeth has at Pemberley is her maid.
I feel so sorry for Elizabeth. She couldn’t stay with her family anymore after the way they acted but I don’t think she quite expected to be treated as a fixture and not a person.
I am waiting for something or someone to break! I know it is going to happen!
Can’t wait for more! Please post again soon!
This chapter was wonderful, and I think that Darcy lays a foundation-stone for terrible “Hunsford”. She tries to understand him, but he… if she is his wife, a Mistress of Pemberley, and that by the law and his wish she is, couldn’t he be polite enough to speak with her about rooms, (that part, maybe minor, but for me was ughhh) and than she stays alone, less than a servant.
Oh my! What a sad chapter for our heroine.
There seemed to be nothing gallant or caring in Darcy’s treatment of Elizabeth throughout – cold indifference to the end.
The interlude with Mrs. B was interesting. I think that even she would be smart enough to keep her mouth shut in his presence after that. He made it patently clear he has no patience for it or for her. People can tell when they are disliked (even the Mrs B’s of this world) and Darcy doesn’t seem to even attempt to conceal his disdain toward her (not that I don’t comprehend that she is annoying). I can imagine her telling her husband “Well, he is a cold man but with 10,000 a year, who cares.”
So many slights…
Not even knowing Lizzy’s preference for peaches (and openly acknowledging this lack of knowledge of most *any* of L’s likes in front of his sister) after a month of marriage seems to confirm his complete indifference to her. Compare this to the fact that L has learned of his like for “chicken, potatoes, and two spoonfuls of sugar in his coffee.” It’s a small thing and yet so powerful to me. Is he trying at all to know her? She’s obviously trying to know him.
Leaving L to find the breakfast parlor alone. Does no one wish to make her feel comfortable in this new unknown place?
Dismissing L’s place in the home by not discussing the details of this ‘room’ with her. I am certain that if G wishes to make something of a certain room, L would not mind at all but even G recognizes that it should be discussed with L now too since she is mistress. Darcy’s response seems to imply he places L many, many steps below G in consequence in ‘his’ home. Does L feel she has a right to have any opinions on any aspects of ‘his’ home? This chapter implies heavily that he has not gone out of his way to make her feel welcome or even wanted.
Allowing this Wilson to look down upon her while openly dismissing her concerns for Sarah. Does he not comprehend that Sarah is the ‘only’ friendly face she has in this new place? As I’ve said before, this chapter seems to highlight his indifference to her feelings/likes/dislikes so blatantly that, by the time we get to this conversation, it didn’t surprise me at all that he had no thoughts of her own happiness.
Then finishing off the chapter by leaving her completely deserted in the ‘ saloon’. Seems perfectly fitting. Again, it seems no one in this house seeks to make her feel welcome, included, important, comfortable, wanted, etc. Is there no one who cares about her, even in the slightest? If this is all she has received from him in this marriage thus far, I feel so very sad for her.
I wait to see interludes that show he does care for her at least a little. Offering to walk out with her after questioning her sense in desiring the walk just doesn’t cut it. In fact, her surprise at his offer seems to highlight that she has received very little, and has therefore come to expect very little, attention from him.
I know all these things seem minor, but they build up, leaving behind a somewhat sad and lonely picture of life for Lizzy. All the while, she smiles.
I completely comprehend Darcys position.He is in worst frame of mind and is hurt and is worried for his sister who is his only blood relation(apart from cousins etc).
I am not surprised if he is not concentrating on lizzys likes or dislikes.
For Lizzy it is completey different story she is learning aout her husband without ay other worries of her own.
Hope Lizzy makes darcy’s life easy and make him laugh more so that he can comeout of this situation with respect and udying love for her.Cause his compassion for his sister is so admirable.
Regarding Bingley ,Darcy told him to wait for sometime and he feels the same later he can act on it.I think darcy is doing a favour for Jane by testing charles love for her.
I hope Gorgiana delivers a girl not a boy.Wil darcy make Wickhams son as his hier?
The thought itself is making me throw up so for my sanity let the babe be a girl if at all it survives.
After reading the other comments, I have to agree that Darcy is COLD…its as if he doesn’t want to open up to Lizzy…she is his co-conspirator, and as such I wish he would let her know he appreciates what she is doing for both he and Georgiana. And Darcy is DISTRACTED…he’s trying so hard to concentrate on making this scheme work to save Georgiana’s reputation that he excludes all else. I hope Lizzy wins Georgiana over and gains her confidence, then Darcy will see what a treasure he’s married. And Darcy will have to weather his family’s objections to his marriage and defend his wife, because I have a hard time believing the Colonel has come to offer his sincere congratulations. Wonderful writing Ali, and I’m anxious to read more!
I disagree with the complaints against Darcy. If you remember that neither he nor Elizabeth see this as a romance, and that they have a big problem to deal with, Darcy’s behavior makes sense. He actually seems quite considerate considering all that is on his mind. He probably left her out of his conversation with Colonel F because she will be a subject of the discussion. His questions about her maid seem well-founded, and his disgust with Mrs. Bennet shows good discernment on his part.
And he could very easily have sent a servant to walk with her — he obviously (to me at least) went with her because he likes her company. After all, she does have fine eyes, a light and pleasing figure, and a lively mind!
I can’t wait to see what happens next.
As you can see, I am able to access the site!
An interesting chapter. Mrs. B is still Mrs. B.–all mouth–no brain!
I’m sorry, but I really don’t have any sort of posting schedule. I’m not a very disciplined writer, I’m afraid, and the next chapter is in a state of disarray ATM.
He’s not trying to scare E’s maid, but he has a rather intimidating presence IMO. It’s sort of an ingrained part of his personality, and not easily changed…
Hehe. At least you liked him “cold and scary”. I think I understand what you’re saying…he is rather remote, which I also consider as an ingrained part of his personality actually, especially when he’s in planning mode.
I’m so pleased that you like it! Well, he does like her, but this marriage isn’t a love match. Not yet…
Thanks, Lucy! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story and the dogs (I got a giggle out of it myself) I agree with you about the amount of cares and worries he has ATM and about Georgiana, too.
I think canon!Darcy is pretty cold myself actually. I mean, I think he’s perfectly capable of the normal range of emotion, but he doesn’t seem to indulge in them very often. However, I do agree that this business with Georgiana is taking a toll on him.
Yeah, it’s not looking especially promising ATM, huh? I don’t think he’s really mistreating her, but he does have a lot on his plate and a lot to learn about pleasing a woman worthy of being pleased…
Yeah, I agree with you. Not that he shouldn’t think a little more about her wants/needs, but I can’t condemn his preoccupation with his other worries and cares.
Ah, the gender of the child. How evil do you guys think I am? *muahaha*
It’s early in the story yet. They’ll have plenty of time to bond….
Thanks! You bring up some good points that will come up at some point in the story…
Well, I’m glad someone sees it my way! Heh. He’s really not a warm, cuddly guy, but he does like her. His mind just isn’t on romance or love, but that’s not a permanent obstacle *winks*
Good to see you here! That’s a very good description of Mrs B, I think.
This is not easy . I wonder how the conversation with the colonel go .
Looking forward to the next chapter
Ali, please give us more! I love this story and can’t wait to see what other changes you have made.
OSS in on my all-time top 10 list and I hope to see AAoS rank among them too!
Thanks for this story and can’t wait for more!!
Sandy
i will have you know that i’ve started reading this, despite my deep distrust for and dislike of WIPs. hrmph. mostly i am commenting to say that this
is a beautiful metaphor.