Page 3 of Before She Knew Him

“There is a daughter as well?” Elizabeth asked.

“Yes, Miss Darcy. Her portrait is here.” Mrs Reynolds indicated another painting nearby of a young girl who did bear remarkable similarity to her mother. “She has grown somewhat since this was taken. She will soon be thirteen, and her father has spoken of sending her to school in the autumn.”

Elizabeth considered this.

“For so large an estate, I imagine there are not many young ladies near her age with whom she might form a close acquaintance,” she said contemplatively. “School would perhaps do much to make her more at ease in society—and allow her to form friendships with others of her own age and situation. I have often wished that I might have gone to school myself, but my father was firmly of the opinion that we were better instructed at home.”

“Did you have a governess, Miss Bennet?” Mrs Reynolds enquired kindly.

“No,” Elizabeth replied with a small smile that closely resembled a grimace. “We never had a governess—but we were encouraged to learn whatever we wished, and whenever any of us expressed an interest in a subject, my father was certain to procure the necessary books or even hire a master if one could be found. I do regret, however, that he attempted to have me learn languages solely from books. I believe I know French and Italian tolerably well, though I doubt a native speaker would find me entirely fluent.”

Mrs Reynolds nodded politely, but their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the butler only a moment later. He spoke to her in low tones, and Elizabeth’s heart gave a small, uneasy beat. She could not help but wonder whether, by somedreadful chance, her earlier mistake in the gardens had been discovered and would now result in their being turned out.

She watched as Mrs Reynolds approached her aunt and uncle and spoke with them. Whatever she said was clearly unexpected, for Elizabeth saw the surprise upon their faces.

When the conversation concluded, Elizabeth rejoined them, and soon the three were led into a sitting room on the first floor.

“The master will join you shortly,” Mrs Reynolds said, before leaving them alone.

“It seems,” Mrs Gardiner said, “that the butler, Mr Reynolds, remembered me from when my father was the rector at Lambton, and we have been invited to remain for tea. Mr George Darcy himself issued the invitation upon hearing of the connexion. I do recall meeting him once or twice when my father lived here, though I was very young at the time.”

Elizabeth inclined her head, even as a quiet sense of relief stole over her. At least the invitation had nothing to do with her earlier folly.

Several minutes later, Mr George Darcy entered, and Mrs Reynolds, accompanied by several maids, brought in trays of tea and refreshments.

“Mrs Gardiner,” he said, “I am delighted to welcome you to Pemberley. I remember your father well. Although my family attended church more often at Kympton than in Lambton, I had frequent occasions to speak with him. He was greatly missed, but the man who is there now has done well.”

“Yes, Mr Darcy,” Mrs Gardiner replied. “It is very pleasant to see you again. It has been many years, but I do recall your visitsto our parsonage. I remember your wife, Lady Anne, even more clearly, for she and my mother met often in the village in support of various charitable endeavours and I was old enough to have accompanied her a few times.”

Mr Darcy inclined his head at this, and Elizabeth thought she saw a flicker of pain cross his features. Again, she wondered when the lady had died since the mention of her seemed to inspire great feeling.

“Indeed, my late wife was an excellent mistress and kind to all she met. Her death was a great loss to all who knew her.”

After a moment, he seemed to realise the silence had lasted too long and offered, “But you must introduce me to your companions.”

“Of course, sir. This is my husband, Mr Edward Gardiner, of Gardiner and Company, an importing concern in London. And this is his niece, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, of Longbourn in Hertfordshire.”

Mr Darcy bowed.

“Mr Gardiner, Miss Bennet—I am pleased to make your acquaintance. How did you find Pemberley and its grounds?”

Mr Gardiner responded first, speaking thoughtfully of the estate and offering comparisons to others they had visited.

At length, Mr Darcy turned to Elizabeth.

“And you, Miss Bennet? How did you find Pemberley? My butler tells me you were particularly inclined towards the gardens.”

Elizabeth smiled, though she felt her cheeks warm slightly under his gaze.

“The gardens are my favourite, sir,” she replied. “There is no question that the house is in every respect delightful and surpasses any we have yet seen. I confess a preference for the out of doors, and I greatly enjoyed my time among the gardens. They are not overly formal, and it is evident the gardeners have allowed nature some freedom, rather than imposing too rigid a design.”

She had the distinct impression that he watched her closely, and once again warmth rose to her cheeks as she wondered whether, by some ill-timed turn of fate, he had seen or heard her conversation with the young Mr Darcy in the gardens. Elizabeth could not say precisely what it was in his manner that stirred such a response, yet she could not dismiss the uneasy suspicion that he had witnessed, or perhaps even overheard, something of that earlier exchange.

The thought that he watched her did little to steady her.

Chapter Three

George Darcy was pleased with the young lady standing before him. From what he had witnessed of her conversation with his son in the gardens, she was lively and unafraid to express her opinions with a degree of frankness he found refreshing. Although she had spoken little since his entrance, neither had she attempted to distinguish herself through excessive praise of the house or its furnishings.