Page 64 of Darcy's Guarded Heart
“Well,” Mr Bennet said, closing his eyes once more, “you have a chance to repair it now. Do not waste it.”
Darcy turned back to the window. The clouds were thick now, the wind rising. But through the gloom ahead, he hoped there might be a road back—not just to Georgiana, but to Bingley, to Thomas… and perhaps, to something more with Elizabeth.
***
The carriage drew to a halt outside a modest house in Haversham. Though the grounds were quiet and the dwelling small, Darcy felt the weight of it as though it were a grand estate. Georgiana had been here—might still be nearby. That thought alone had his heart in his throat.
Mr Bennet stepped down, and with little fuss went to speak to Thomas’s friend. Darcy followed more slowly, stepping aside to allow Elizabeth to descend. It was cool and damp, with that peculiar tension in the air that comes before a storm.
Elizabeth stood beside him. For a moment, they said nothing.
She was so nearby. He could hear the rustle of her gown, feel the quiet energy she always carried—never ostentatious, but undeniable. He wanted to speak, but the words formed slowly, cautious and uncertain.
“Miss Bennet,” he said at last. “May I speak freely?”
She looked at him, her face open and steady. “You may.”
“I have not told you everything. About Wickham. About my father. And about the reasons I failed to see Thomas for who he is.”
She said nothing, only watched him.
“My father doted on Wickham. He was everything I was not—cheerful, engaging, charming. I… tried to live up to what I thought was expected, but I never had that ease. Wickham saw it, and he used it. When we were boys, I often felt invisible beside him. Later, I watched him manipulate those around him—and nearly ruin Georgiana. And yet, people still preferred him.”
He exhaled. “When I met Thomas, I saw that same effortless charm. That warmth. I let those old shadows colour my view. I was proud, yes. But I was also afraid. And ashamed that I could not see past my own bitterness.”
Elizabeth looked thoughtful. “You were prideful. You judged too quickly. You hurt people I love. That cannot be ignored.”
He nodded. “No. It cannot.”
“But,” she continued, “you have learned. That much is clear. And few would be brave enough to admit it.”
He turned to face her more directly. “Then I must ask—is your good opinion of me lost forever?”
She lifted a brow, a small smile playing at her lips. “Mr Darcy, you speak as if I had a good opinion to begin with.”
Her words struck harder than expected. “Oh.”
She laughed then, gently. “You refused to dance with me at our first meeting, insulted me rather directly, and then conspired with Miss Bingley to keep my sister from the man she loved. What sort of opinion did youthinkI had?”
He let out a short breath, almost a laugh. “That is entirely fair.”
“I can see you have changed,” she added, her voice softer now.
Before he could respond, the front door of the house opened and Mr Bennet stepped out, his expression serious.
“They were here,” he said at once. “The owner confirmed it. They left less than two hours ago.”
Darcy straightened. “Still headed north?”
“Most likely. If we hurry, we may yet overtake them.”
Darcy gave a short nod and turned quickly to the coachman.
As he helped Elizabeth back into the carriage, his thoughts burned with a mix of hope and urgency. There was still much to say—but it would have to wait.
For now, Georgiana came first.
Chapter Thirty-One
