A Walk in the Park II

by Suz

October 2002, Firthness Challenge Entry

Rated PG

Author's Note: Okay, here is my sequel to last month’s challenge. I hope you enjoy it. With many thanks to my beta-ing goddess who, by the way lives here at the pond (that should get you all wondering ). It’s long, so my apologies for that .


The Letter

Elizabeth Bennet had been decidedly out of sorts ever since her return home from Kent. None of the inhabitants of Longbourn appeared to notice – with the possible exception of Mr Bennet who, happily ensconced in his library, made little effort to determine the reason for his favourite daughter’s unhappiness. Lizzy, content to keep her own counsel, felt nothing but relief at not having to provide her family with an explanation for her mood.

She was still seriously upset and confused over Mr Darcy and the events which had transpired in Rosings Park prior to his removal to London and her return home.

The whole episode which had occurred in the Park at Rosings had a dreamlike quality to it. In those rare moments when Lizzy gave herself over to romantic contemplation, she easily found herself back in Mr Darcy’s arms. She unconsciously succumbed to the multitude of memories – Darcy’s hand on her cheek; his lips grazing a trail of fire over hers; the feeling that they were the only two people alive; how she never wanted those feelings to stop, the delicious sensation in the pit of her stomach when he cupped her breast in his hand; and the searing heat of his kisses … What was she doing! Why does every thought of Mr Darcy always return to that moment?

Lizzy’s distress over that moment was great. Her mortification stemmed from the fact that she blamed herself for what had transpired. She knew very well the ardency of Mr Darcy’s feelings – much better it would appear than she knew her own. That she had encouraged him, she did not doubt – simply allowing him to continue was proof enough. But she had been quite powerless to stop him, and was at a loss to understand why. Oh, what must he think of her? She was not Lydia, a silly girl with more charms than brains. And Mr Darcy! She had always supposed him to be aloof and undemonstrative – why, even his proposal at Hunsford, though ardent, had been presented more in the form of a business proposition.

It was almost time for tea. She wandered back to the house seeking a distraction from her thoughts, for even the conversation of her mother and younger sisters would surely provide some relief.

“The post has come, Miss,” said Hill, handing Lizzy a letter as she entered the house.

She thanked Hill, and expecting it to be a letter from Jane notifying of her departure date from London, excitedly tore open the letter as she made her way to the parlour. The missive was not from Jane however, and she emitted a short gasp as she recognized the handwriting of the sender. She possessed another letter written by the same author hidden upstairs in her room.

“What on earth is the matter, Lizzy?” enquired Mr Bennet. “You appear quite distracted.”

“Oh, it is nothing Father. I am just a little out of sorts – probably the weather,” Lizzy dissembled.

Lizzy placed the letter in the pocket of her dress and quietly sat down. Not surprisingly, she discovered that her appetite had quite disappeared, and she was having trouble applying herself to the conversation at table. With the letter burning a hole in her pocket, she escaped to her room as soon as she was able pleading a headache. It was the only excuse she could think of that would allow her to remain undisturbed.

Closing the door and dropping onto the bed, she unfolded the letter and with trembling hands began to read:

Dear Miss Bennet,

I write without any intention of paining you, or humbling myself, by dwelling on wishes, which for the happiness of us both, cannot be too soon forgotten. My reasons for writing to you however are twofold.

Firstly, please accept my deepest apologies for what occurred in the Park at Rosings. I am most seriously aggrieved by my ungentlemanly behaviour. I have no reasonable excuse to offer you for my conduct – indeed none would be satisfactory.

Secondly, I have heard from Bingley that he will be returning to the estate at Netherfield. We shall both be quitting London for Hertfordshire soon and as there will no doubt be occasions in the future where we will be forced into the same company, I write to assure you that I will not be renewing those offers made at Hunsford which were so disgusting to you.

Please accept my best wishes for your health and happiness.

Your humble servant

Fitzwilliam Darcy.

The next few days passed in a blur of activity. Mr Bingley arrived back at Netherfield and immediately visited Longbourn to obtain the consent of Mr Bennet for his marriage to Jane. Mrs Bennet’s raptures at the thought of £5,000 per year were almost obscene, although not totally unexpected.

What was unanticipated however, was the addition of Mr Darcy on Mr Bingley’s next visit.


The Walk

Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy arrived early the next day. Mrs Bennet, whilst reserving an embarrassingly effusive greeting for Mr Bingley, was still convinced of his friend’s disagreeableness and acted in a less than courteous manner, much to the embarrassment of all except the lady herself. Thus, Mr Bingley, in an effort to escape the overly enthusiastic ministrations of Mrs Bennet, suggested a walk. Eager to provide Jane and Bingley the opportunity to spend time together without having to entertain the disagreeable Mr Darcy, Mrs Bennet suggested that Lizzy accompany them. Lizzy, for Jane’s sake, swallowed her misgivings and with head down, quietly consented. Mr Darcy, looking out the window as usual, swung around to face her as he heard her soft consent, and gazed at her in guarded surprise. The two couples set out for Oakham Mount. Jane and Bingley, in their own private world and with eyes only for each other, wandered ahead leaving Lizzy and Darcy to make awkward conversation with one another.

“You have been well, Miss Bennet?” enquired Darcy, glancing quickly at Elizabeth.

“Why yes, I thank you,” replied Lizzy quietly.

“It is lovely weather we are having, is it not?”

“Yes, summer is tending to linger this year.”

Struggling for conversation, Darcy offered, “It would appear that Bingley and your sister are very well suited. You must be very happy for your sister regarding her engagement. He, certainly, is a very lucky man in his choice of wife.”

“Indeed, sir. I believe they are extremely well matched, not only in affection but also temperament.” Elizabeth started to say more but stopped herself, looking away quickly.

“I hope you will forgive my coming to Longbourn with Bingley, Miss Bennet. He knows nothing of what transpired between us, and rather insisted that I accompany him.”

Elizabeth was very quiet, and Darcy glanced at her trying to gauge what she was thinking. She appeared deep in contemplation, then slowly lifted her gaze until she was looking directly back at him. Lizzy’s eyes, so deep and expressive, held Darcy’s so intently he felt himself drowning in their depths. Their gazes locked and neither seemed able or willing to look away.

At last Lizzy spoke. “I understand completely, Mr Darcy. We must keep up appearances, must we not?”

Darcy, unsure how to respond, was saved the trouble by Lizzy, who, tired of the verbal sidestepping and suddenly emboldened, decided to take the bull by the horns and discuss what was most on her mind.

“I must thank you for your letter, sir. It certainly allayed any concerns I may have had regarding renewing our acquaintance. However, you must allow me to apologise for my behaviour in the park at Rosings. I realize that your opinion of me must be much changed, but I find I cannot bear to have you think ill of me.”

Darcy paused briefly, and, taking one of Lizzy’s hands in his, kissed it ever so gently. Softly, earnestly he said, “I could never think ill of you Miss Bennet. I am afraid it is no longer in my power to do so.”

Their eyes met and held. They stood this way for many minutes – until at last Elizabeth shyly reclaimed her hand, and they slowly continued their walk.

Darcy, a man violently in love, had begun to believe he had imagined the events that had occurred in the Park at Rosings. The pain of his despair had been devastating. Now Darcy, after the look he had seen in Lizzy’s eyes, felt the first glimmerings of hope.

Lizzy, on the other hand, was having trouble getting her breathing to return to normal. The touch of Mr Darcy, so unexpected, had caught her completely off guard. She realized with a start that as she had looked into his eyes, she could think of nothing else but the way he had kissed her at Rosings …

Eventually realising how far they were lagging behind Jane and Mr Bingley, Lizzy suggested a shorter route through two fields that would allow them to catch up much quicker. However, they came to a small stile between the fields which created a dilemma. Normally Lizzy would have hitched up her skirts and clambered over, but for the sake of respectability, thought it best not to. She was looking for a way around the obstacle, when Mr Darcy offered a more immediate solution.

“I realize this is highly irregular, but if you will allow me Miss Bennet, I will lift you over.”

As the object of the exercise was to catch up to Jane and Mr Bingley, a blushing Lizzy consented. With as much decorum as possible, she climbed to the second top rung of the stile and reached out to Mr Darcy for assistance the rest of the way. As Lizzy placed her hands on his shoulders for support, he grasped her under the arms and quickly lifted her up and over. Her descent was much slower. Darcy looked up at Lizzy above him and slowly lowered her until her face was level with his. Slowly, deliberately, he brought Lizzy closer to him until their breath mingled. Their lips met. Softly at first, but with increasing ardour, they kissed with an undeniable thirst until the cravings of the many sleepless nights they had both suffered had been quenched.

Eventually, chests heaving and gasping for breath, they broke apart. They looked at each other in surprise, each shaken by the rawness of their emotions. Realising the compromising nature of their situation, Lizzy felt her mortification growing.

“Mr Darcy, you have good reason to disbelieve me, but I would not have you think I make a habit of this type of behaviour.”

Cradling her face tenderly in his hands, he said, “Please, Elizabeth, do not make yourself uneasy. The fault is all mine, but I find that when I am near you I am unable to control myself. I could wish for nothing more than to remain this way for the rest of our lives.”

…the rest of our lives. Oh that it were possible! thought Lizzy. Perhaps there is hope after all.

After the passion of their embrace, Lizzy’s bonnet was askew, curls tumbling around her face. Mr Darcy’s attempts to adjust her bonnet ultimately caused more destruction until Lizzy took control.

“I fear, Mr Darcy, that your talents lie in areas other than fixing young ladies appearance.” She flushed as she imagined how disheveled she must appear.

Darcy looked on with a shy smile, as Lizzy made the necessary adjustments. That done, and the “obstacle” out of the way, they hastened to catch up to Jane and Mr Bingley.

In companionable silence, and with many poignant glances at each other, they managed to walk the rest of the way to the Mount and back, and though not touching, each keenly felt the presence of the other.


Lady Catherine pays a visit.

A couple of days later, the residents of Longbourn were surprised by the arrival of a rather illustrious personage in the form of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Mrs Bennet, to her credit, coped with the unexpected arrival of Lady Catherine at Longbourn reasonably well. If she had been thinking that Lady Catherine had called upon the family at Longbourn as a mark of respect due to their association with Mr Collins, she was disabused of this notion almost instantly. With very little civility as was her manner; her ladyship requested the presence of Miss Elizabeth Bennet only in the small garden off to the side of the drive.

They had barely arrived when Lady Catherine, all fury and condemnation, began haranguing Elizabeth in a most undignified fashion.

“What is the meaning of this Miss Bennet? I have received reports of an extremely alarming nature, and I will tell you now, I will not have it! Do not think you can work your wiles and artifice on my nephew for the sake of procuring a proposal. You are the most reckless creature it has been my misfortune to meet, and I will not be gainsaid. You will not marry my nephew.”

Lizzy, shocked at the vehemence of Lady Catherine’s display, and unsure exactly to what she was referring said, “I beg your pardon, Lady Catherine, but I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Do not play your games with me, young lady! I know all about what happened between you and my nephew at Rosings – did you think you were unobserved? Now, what have you to say for yourself?”

Bristling with indignation at being so verbally abused, Lizzy answered sharply “Whatever happened between your nephew and myself, is our business Lady Catherine and belongs to no one else.”

“Let me be rightly understood, Miss Bennet. This match, to which you have the presumption to aspire, can never take place. Never. You will promise me never to enter into such an engagement with my nephew.”

“You presume too much, Lady Catherine. I am only resolved to act in that manner which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness, without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me. And I am determined to marry for love – whether he be a pauper or the richest man in England – it matters little to me.”

“Obstinate, headstrong girl! I am ashamed of you! To think that my nephew could be taken in by one such as yourself! Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?”

“Lady Catherine!” bellowed a strong, male voice. “You will desist this minute from abusing Miss Bennet in this fashion!”

Darcy, with a darkly glowering visage, had opportunely arrived at Longbourn and was bearing down on them at great speed. He pulled up quickly in front of her ladyship, and endeavouring to pull himself under control, spoke in low tones. “If you must know, Lady Catherine, no engagement has been made or set between myself and Miss Bennet.”

Lady Catherine sighed with some relief, unaware just how short lived that relief was to be. Darcy continued.

“However, if I should propose to Miss Bennet, it would be of absolutely no concern to you, nor does it require any approval on your part. I am determined only to marry a woman I can be totally devoted to, and who, in my mind, will participate in the marriage equally, in terms of affection, spirit and intelligence. Miss Bennet, quite apart from being the most beautiful woman of my acquaintance, is the only woman I can ever envisage myself loving and marrying, and I am quite prepared to resign myself to a long bachelorhood if she sees fit to refuse me once again.”

“Again?” spat Lady Catherine.

“Yes, again Madam. Although it is no business of yours, she refused me once already. She prefers, as she told you, to only marry for love, and I intend to work to ensure that the lucky recipient of that love is me.”

“You shall have cause to rue this course of action, Darcy. I take no leave of you, Miss Bennet. You deserve no such compliment.”

Lady Catherine stormed off, most seriously displeased.

Darcy turned to Elizabeth, who was looking at him with the warmest of expressions.

“Miss Bennet, Elizabeth, please … I ….” Darcy stammered and stopped completely. Bewitched by the loving look in Lizzy’s eyes, but completely unsure what to say next - he just stared at her.

“I do believe there was something you were going to say, Mr Darcy?” said Lizzy with a twinkle in her eye.

Swallowing deeply, Darcy took her hand in his and said “Please Elizabeth, would you do me the greatest honour, and consent to be my wife?”

With a single, happy tear rolling down her cheek, Lizzy gently reached up to Darcy’s face and whispered, “Yes.”

Copyright held by Suz - 2002