Page 59 of Unwillingly Mrs. Darcy
Chapter 33
Elizabeth
The morning sun had barely risen when Elizabeth found herself pacing before the grand windows of Pemberley’s drawing room, her eyes fixed on the winding drive. Darcy was returning today as per the note delivered by messenger the night before and she could hardly wait. She needed him at her side, needed him with her.
She had not slept. How could she, when every second felt like an eternity, stretching between them and the terrible truth of what had happened? Mary was gone.
Elizabeth pressed a trembling hand to her temple. The words from Mary’s letter haunted her, each line a fresh dagger to her heart.
Do not. Do not come for me. Do not search for me. I do not wish to be found.
Trust. How could she trust this? How could she trust Mr Wickham when she knew the sort of man he was?
The sound of hooves pounding against the gravel shattered the uneasy silence.
Elizabeth gasped, her breath catching in her throat. He was here.
Without thinking, she turned and ran—out of the room, down the grand staircase, through the open doors of Pemberley’s entrance.
The moment she saw him, her feet barely touched the ground as she rushed forward. Darcy had just exited the carriage, his expression grim and resolute.
“Darcy!” she called, her voice breaking.
His head snapped up. The moment he saw her, he closed the distance between them in three strides.
She barely had time to think before his hands caught her arms, steadying her.
“Elizabeth.” His voice was low, urgent. “Are you well?”
“I—” The words stuck in her throat. Was she well? No. None of them were. And yet, seeing him, knowing he had come, knowing she was no longer alone in this— she could breathe again.
“I wish I could say yes,” she whispered, gripping his sleeves.
He nodded, his expression unreadable. “I understand.”
A wave of anguish rose in Elizabeth’s chest, and she clutched at him desperately. “Darcy, I should have seen it. I should have stopped this before it happened.”
His brow furrowed. “Elizabeth, do not blame yourself, nobody could have seen this coming, it was entirely out of the blue—”
“No.” She shook her head fiercely, the truth crashing over her in an unbearable wave. “This was not sudden. It started long before she left. She—she had changed. Withdrawn. You know this. We thought she was sick for home.” Her breath hitched,and she forced herself to meet his gaze. “But I see it now. It was Mr Wickham.” Her throat ached. “If I had only—”
“No,” he said again, firmer this time. His fingers lifted to her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Wickham is a master of deception. You cannot blame yourself for his wickedness.”
She swallowed hard, searching his face for something—to chase away the gnawing sense of failure.
And she found it. Not in empty words, but in the quiet, steady certainty in his eyes.
“We will find them. Wickham may think he has the upper hand, but he is mistaken.”
Elizabeth nodded, grateful for his strength, even if she felt the weight of it pressing down on her.
Just as she was about to speak again, Georgiana entered the room, her face flushed with an urgency that was unmistakable.
“Fitz, you are back! I am so pleased. Oh, I have so much I want to say but first—” She paused, looking almost embarrassed but determined. “I have read Mary’s diary. I know it is private but I thought there might be something in there. I only read the last few entries and I’ve discovered something. They didn’t go to Gretna Green as we thought. They went to London.”
The words hit Elizabeth like a blow. Her mind raced, trying to process the implications of this new information. “London?” she repeated, disbelief evident in her voice. “But why? Why would they go there? If they meant to elope and get married, they would have gone to Gretna Green, surely.”
Darcy’s expression darkened as he stepped closer, his gaze intense. “If that was his intention, yes. But I fear Wickham never intended to marry Mary. I had time to consider it all on the journey here. It made no sense. He is always looking for a way to one up me. To make my life difficult. He tried it once before…” He paused and waved a hand as if whatever he’d meant to say did not relate to this situation.
