Page 19 of The Cherry Trees of Rosings
“Oh, Charlotte! I have to be honest with you,” she said. “I was in despair since your wedding day. But now I shall set it aside and trust your superior wisdom.”
“You must, Eliza, you absolutely must!” Charlotte said with a grin. Then she added, “And you may call Mr. Collins as absurd as you wish when it is just the two of us.”
“I shall hold you to it.”
Chapter 13:
Scots Pine
The next two days passed in a rather mundane way.
Mr. Darcy was still missing, which caused Elizabeth more concern than she had believed she would feel for the man. She even thought of penning the letter to Colonel Fitzwilliam all by herself… until she remembered that she did not have an address to send it to. And she wasnotgoing to ask Lady Catherine for it if she could help it.
But then, on the afternoon of the third day, when she decided to go read a book in the garden under the shade of the large Scots pine tree, Mr. Darcy suddenly appeared.
“Goodness, Mr. Darcy!” Elizabeth cried as her heart practically leapt out of her chest. “Someone should tie a bell to you!”
“I apolo–”
“Yes, yes, I know!” she said, standing up and dusting her skirts. She glared at him.
“Where were you? I thought something had happened!”
Elizabeth twisted her shaking fingers into her skirt as she took in his appearance. For the most part, Mr. Darcy looked the same as always. But there was a new gauntness to his face. She frowned. “Are you unwell?”
“I…” Mr. Darcy started. And then he simply stared at her.
A slow blush crept onto Elizabeth’s face at the intensity in his gaze. As if he could read something that surprised him.
“...I do not know,” he said.
“Where were you?” Elizabeth repeated more quietly. Thethump-thump-thumpin her chest had begun to slow down.
“I…” Mr. Darcy frowned and then looked around them. “Am I in the parsonage?”
She nodded.
He did not say anything for a moment. Just took in the trees and bushes, before his eyes settled on the book she had left at the foot of the pine, next to her reticule.
“I hope I am not interrupting you, Miss Bennet.”
Elizabeth shook her head. She let go of her skirts and tried to strike an image of composure. Her fingers twinged as blood rushed back into them.
“It has been two days since I last saw you,” she said. “I was… worried.”
They stood silently across from each other. Their gazes locked. There was a softness in Mr. Darcy’s eyes that Elizabeth hadnever seen before. And then she noticed the faint pink creeping across his face.
“I do not know where I was,” he said. “The last thing I remember was standing next to you… in your room before the mirror.”
Surprise lifted Elizabeth’s eyebrows.
“Oh.”
She quickly picked up her reticule from the ground. Then she partially pulled out the folded pages and pencil from within. “I have been carrying these with me in hopes you will appear.” Her face heated suddenly. She bit her lip.
“Ah… sorry to keep you waiting,” Mr. Darcy said.
They both shifted uncertainly, across from each other.
