Page 9 of You Willfully Misunderstand Me

Elizabeth looked up, questioningly, "An inquiry?”

"Yes," he replied. "Regarding my relatives, though… I shall endeavor to be careful."

She understood immediately. Mr. Darcy had been raised in a world where family reputation carried great weight. To ask openly after the de Bourgh family, particularly in a place where they were strangers, risked inviting unnecessary speculation. He would not wish to encourage gossip about his aunt or cousin,nor would he wish to make private family matters the subject of public conversation. However, his need for answers was undeniable.

"I believe the innkeeper may know something of the families who reside nearby," he continued. "I only aim to understand whether my relatives are, in fact, on the island."

Elizabeth nodded. "Of course, Mr. Darcy.”

Mr. Darcy gave a slight inclination of his head before approaching the innkeeper, who stood behind the counter arranging several items from the day's arrivals.

"Good afternoon," Mr. Darcy began. "I hope you will forgive my inquiry. I am unfamiliar with the area and am attempting to locate a family who may be residing on the island."

The innkeeper looked up with polite curiosity, “Who is it then, sir?”

Mr. Darcy started, "I wonder if you might know whether the de Bourgh family has taken residence?" He spoke the names carefully, without assumption or expectation.

The innkeeper paused, considering. "De Bourgh, is it?" he repeated. The man shook his head. "No, sir. I cannot say that I have heard of them."

Darcy attempted to keep his composure, "Never heard of them?"

"No, sir." The innkeeper looked thoughtful but certain. "I have lived here all my life, and while I cannot claim to know every visitor who comes to the island, Castletown isn’t too large, and those names do not sound familiar."

Mr. Darcy paused. He had thought that perhaps there was a possibility that his relatives had traveled to the island, but he was dismayed to hear of their complete unfamiliarity.

"I see, it seems I have mistaken them for someone else. Thank you for your assistance," he said quietly.

The innkeeper nodded and returned to his work, while Mr. Darcy returned to the table, his expression more serious than before.

Elizabeth immediately noticed, "What did you discover?”

He looked at Elizabeth sternly, "Nothing, he is not familiar with my relatives, and is like to have heard of them, given such a small island."

Her concern deepened, "The innkeeper has never heard of the de Bourghs." Elizabeth stared at him, "Never?"

"No, Miss Bennet," he confirmed.

For a moment, neither spoke. The situation had become stranger than either of them had anticipated.

Elizabeth glanced toward the window, toward the unfamiliar streets beyond and the island that had seemed so inviting only hours before. "I confess," she said quietly, "I am beginning to wonder whether I have arrived upon the wrong island entirely."

Despite himself, a faint trace of amusement touched Mr. Darcy's expression. "I assure you, Miss Bennet, the island itself is not in question."

She smiled faintly, but the uncertainty remained. Mr. Darcy looked down at the table, his thoughts moving quickly.The letter had been genuine, as the handwriting had looked like Anne's. And yet no one appeared to know of her arrival.

Something was certainly wrong, he deduced.

CHAPTER 6

Mr. Darcy had not traveled to the Isle of Man for pleasure, nor had he any expectation of encountering familiar faces upon its shores. His purpose had been entirely practical, a small estate matter connected to his family's interests had required his presence, and he had intended to resolve it quickly before returning to England.

Although, if he were more than honest, he would have said that he had no desire to be in England at the moment. The country reminded him at every turn of what he had lost. The journey could have easily been managed by a steward or mediator, but he had chosen to journey to the isle himself as a temporary diversion, allowing him time away from expectations and the folly of town that he had not wanted to face. His cousin, Fitzwilliam, had encouraged Darcy to remove himself from town, as he had noticed Darcy’s sour demeanor since returning from Rosings.

The journey was meant to be brief and uneventful. He had expected inquiries, documents, and business discussions, not the discovery that his cousin had invited Miss ElizabethBennet to the island, only to leave her without an explanation or a proper welcome upon her arrival.

The circumstance was more than unusual; it was unconscionable. Whatever Anne’s intentions had been, the responsibility for such an oversight fell upon the de Bourgh family, and Mr. Darcy felt the weight of that failure keenly. He found himself embarrassed not for his own actions, but for those of his relatives. Miss Bennet had placed her trust in an invitation extended by his cousin, and she had arrived expecting the hospitality and consideration that his family ought to have provided.

During the voyage, he had attempted to reconcile the circumstances of Anne's unexplained letter, Lady Catherine's silence, and Elizabeth's invitation. Yet each answer seemed to create another question. His concern had grown further upon their arrival, when it became clear that Elizabeth had been left without anyone to receive her.