An Unequalled Affection

Part 22

"It was the most peculiar thing," Elizabeth said, as she and Darcy walked arm in arm around the orchard at the outskirts of Longbourn. "Mr Bingley was quite his old self. No, even that does not describe it right." She frowned. "He was unlike Mr Bingley as I have ever known him, for you know that he was entirely smitten with Jane the moment they met."

Darcy made a sound that passed for agreement but confirmed it with a vigorous nod when Elizabeth glanced his way.

"Oh, I quite believe it. He is Bingley the way he was before we ever came to Hertfordshire." His lips quirked as if he was keeping himself from saying more, and Elizabeth held her peace, hoping silence would be enough to draw him out. The trick that worked so well on others seemed far less effective on her stoical companion, though, and at last she abandoned herself to a formal question.

"And...? There is more, I am certain of it. Do not conceal things from me now, Fitzwilliam, I thought we had agreed there would be no more secrets between us."

Darcy smiled, then, and Lizzy felt reassured by the confidence that followed swiftly on the heels of the light kiss he pressed to her temple.

"Very well, Dearest, I shall tell all, although I am sure you shall not greatly care to hear it."

They drew level with a bench and Elizabeth sat down promptly, folding her hands in her lap and looking patiently up into his face.

"I am prepared."

Darcy chuckled, sitting beside her and leaning his elbows on his knees, peering into the middle-distance as if it contained the very history he was now poised to recall.

"It is not so very thrilling a story, I suppose, merely to say that before we came to Hertfordshire - a good part of the reason for our coming here to being with, in fact - was because poor Bingley had lost his heart and his head in quick succession to another young lady." He frowned, considering. "A Miss Deveril, if I am not much mistaken." He shrugged, sighing. "Or Lady Inglethorpe, as is now her title."

"Ah." Lizzy winced. "She forsook Mr Bingley for a baronet?"

"Indeed. "Darcy nodded. "Although there was not so much a forsaking..." He sighed again, shaking his head a little in dismay. "I do not suppose poor Charles ever really stood a chance, although he was quite devoted to her for a time. Anyway, recovering from heartbreak brought him here and of course, that first assembly led him to meet Jane and then -"

"Why, his heart was scarcely mended before he set it again on Jane! I suppose any lady might have done in her stead, if he was so quick to have anyone catch his eye and call it love -"

"Quite so." Darcy fiddled with one cuff, and Elizabeth reached for him, threading her fingers through his and prompting him, with a tug on his hand, to look up at her.

"You tried to warn me. You tried to intervene, not because you thought Jane -"

"I did not think of Jane a great deal at all," Darcy admitted, the faintest tinge of colour coming into his cheeks. "To my shame, I thought it rather likely that she cared more for Bingley's rumoured fortune than for his charms, which I, of course, over-value on account of his being my friend." His lips quirked. "I wished to save him from his heart being broken a second time, but I confess I was just as careful of his being the one to do the breaking. It seems I ought to have left well alone, in either case, for you see it did not do any good. Caroline persuaded me that to return to London would be to undo the damage meeting Jane had done, and I truly expected him to attend another assembly, meet another young lady and so begin the cycle over." He shrugged. "My friend is nothing if not ardent in his affections. But he held fast to Jane and I thought perhaps this time he was genuine."

"And so you invited him back."

"Let us not rehash the whole sorry tale," Darcy pleaded, looking genuinely pained to return to the events of the past two weeks. "I intervened - or I should say, interfered - again, with even less success." He let go of Elizabeth's hand and held both of his arms up in surrender. "I assure you it is my last time doing so. I never shall dare to have a hand in the lives of others again."

"Never?" Lizzy was wheedling, and she hurried to placate him with a penitent smile. "Oh, I am not suggesting much. Merely, it seems to me, that if Mr Bingley is resolved not to care for Jane anymore - and that is certainly the impression he gave yesterday - then it leaves the way open for a certain other reunion." She sighed. "I do hate to think of Colonel Fitzwilliam leaving Meryton so unhappy. And Jane..." She frowned, wondering how she could find words to explain her sister's mood. If it had been strange to see Mr Bingley so uncaring towards Jane that it was stranger still to find Jane unmoved by his not caring. Unmoved by his presence, even. He might have been a stranger to them.

I am quite convinced she would have been more friendly to even Mr Collins than she had been to Mr Bingley.

"Will he go soon, do you think?"

Darcy nodded, crossing his long legs at the ankle and leaning back against the bench.

"He assured me his departure is booked and ready. He will go before the week is out, I dare say."

"What a shame!" Lizzy declared, utterly despondent to think that her plans had been so thoroughly routed before she even had the chance to lay them. "Where is he bound, do you know?"

Darcy looked at her out of the corner of one eye, suspicion and affection flickering across his otherwise immovable features.

"I do."

"And you will share it with me, as we shall in future share everything?" Lizzy was wheedling again and she smiled for good measure, sensing Darcy's meagre opposition crumbling. "Won't you? Please?"

"Alright! I yield." Darcy laughed. "I see I shall always yield to you and shall look forward to a future of doing so. He is for Kent. My aunt lives there. You recall, Lady Catherine de Bourgh." He made a fair impression of Mr Collins and Elizabeth paused, mid-laugh, to seize hold of his arm, a plan fast forming in her mind.

"Oh! Fitzwilliam! I have the most delightful idea!"

"You do?" His smile faltered, but only a little, for standing, he drew her up with him and they began to walk again. "Well, tell it to me gently, for if I am to be coerced into intervening once again in the affairs of other people, I shall need persuading."