Mr. Darcy's Refuge: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Reynolds Abigail

Author:Reynolds, Abigail [Reynolds, Abigail]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: White Soup Press
Published: 2012-08-21T14:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

On Elizabeth’s return from one of her walks, she spotted a figure in uniform approaching Longbourn on horseback. At first she thought it was one of the officers who had returned for some reason, but as he drew closer, she realized his uniform did not match that of the militia. The face under the black bicorne hat seemed simultaneously familiar and strange, and it was not until he dismounted in front of the house that she recognized Colonel Fitzwilliam.

She had never before seen him in regimentals, and it made him appear quite a stranger to her eyes, but she approached him with pleasure. Her discomfort in refusing his proposal was quite forgot in the happiness of seeing someone who knew the truth of her engagement.

She hailed him by name, and he swept her a bow so extravagant as to make her laugh. “Colonel, this is a delightful surprise. I had not thought to see you at Longbourn.”

“Although I will never complain of your charming company, I confess the object of my visit is to speak to your father. I left him with quite the wrong impression that morning at Hunsford – I had no notion at the time that he was your father – and I felt it was my duty to attempt to mend the damage I had done.”

“That is very good of you, but most likely he will refuse to see you. He is not precisely reasonable on the subject of that day.”

“That is what Darcy said as well, but as it happens, he cannot refuse to see me. I am, after all, an officer in His Majesty’s service, and I come bearing a letter to him from no less a personage than the Secretary at War himself.” He leaned closer and said in a confiding tone, “It is, in fact, merely a letter of introduction to serve as a character reference for me, but Lord Palmerston did direct me to deliver it to Mr. Bennet, and I must do my duty to King and country.”

She laughed, as he had no doubt intended. “I cannot stand in the way of a soldier performing his duty, but I would expect a very cold welcome indeed if I were you.”

“Your father holds no terrors for me. You have met my father; can yours do anything worse?”

“I suppose not! But since I will not be allowed to speak to you once he is aware of your presence, may I inquire as to whether you have any news of Mr. Darcy?”

“Does he know that I am here, do you mean? He is aware I planned something of this sort, though not the details. This concerns my honor, not his.”

Elizabeth felt her cheeks grow warm. “But is he well? I have heard nothing since I left Hunsford.”

The colonel tapped his crop against his leg, considering the matter. “He is well enough, though I cannot say that he is happy with the situation. He keeps rather a grim visage these days.”

“I feared as much.

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