Page 64 of Resilience

“Darcy,” Fitzwilliam said to his cousin a few hours later as they escorted the carriage back to Pemberley on horseback. “Who will you ask to stand up with you at this event?”

Amazed, Darcy drew up his horse and stared at his cousin. “You cannot be serious.”

“I am only asking.” Richard appeared properly remorseful. “I never thought you would stand up without me.”

“I have done it before,” Darcy replied bitterly, as he urged his horse back to a walk.

“That was not the same,” Richard said. “And you know why I could not.”

“You cannot expect me to allow Elizabeth to say her vows while only a few feet away, I am supported by a man who, until today, insisted that she was not good enough? I thought I would ask Denny, since I cannot ask Bingley this time, even if they had not left Lambton already.”

“I will mend it!” Richard exclaimed insistently. When Darcy’s eyes pierced him again, he winced. “I want to mend it, Darcy. I will not be at odds with your wife.”

“And what about the rest of it?” Darcy demanded. “There are still your other reasons for not speaking to me for years to consider.”

Richard contemplated quietly for a long moment. “It has always been my intention to mend that as well.”

“You have a remarkably odd manner of displaying your intentions,” said Darcy in irritation.

“I am still struggling to forgive you and Priscilla for not telling me,” Richard muttered. “It is difficult, being the only one not to know.”

“That is untrue, for I am Priscilla’s only relation that does know,” Darcy argued. “No one knows. Your parents and brother and even Lady Catherine accepted it and moved on long ago. It is shocking to think of, but they decided to trust me. And the knowledge you seek brings no comfort whatsoever, I assure you of that with all sincerity, which is why your sister will not burden you with it.”

“I will endeavour to accept it,” Richard promised.

“And Elizabeth?” Darcy pressed.

“I will make friends with her at the earliest opportunity.” Richard gave Darcy a mock salute. Then his expression sobered. “Do you believe she will forgive me?”

“She will if she thinks you are sincere, and she will know if you are not,” Darcy warned. “Fortunately for you, Elizabeth only looks upon the past as it gives her pleasure. You have a chance.”

“I will not squander it,” Richard vowed.

Only a few days later, Elizabeth found Colonel Fitzwilliam on the path near Lambton Parsonage instead of Mr Darcy when she emerged for her morning walk. She stopped and looked about in uncertainty, then spotted Mr Darcy on his horse, watching from a field in the distance. He raised his hand to her, then turned his horse in the other direction. She returned her gaze to the Colonel.

He looked grim. “It pains me to know that my behaviour has put that distrustful expression upon your face when you have done nothing to deserve it.”

“Not at all, Colonel.” Elizabeth shook her head, knowing that if Darcy knew that the Colonel was approaching her, that it must be all right. “Why have you come?’

“To remove that distrustful expression and feeling, if I can.” He stepped forward. “May I apologise for my rudeness? Is it too forward for me to beg to begin anew?”

“Of course it is not,” Elizabeth did not hesitate to mend fences with Darcy’s cousin at the first opportunity. This gentleman was once like Darcy’s brother, and he was affectionately close to Georgiana. She had no desire to be at odds with him. “Thank you for your apology, Colonel Fitzwilliam. I forgive you.”

“Just like that?” He was surprised.

“Colonel, very recently I have broken with my father and my eldest sister,” Elizabeth explained. “I do not wish to begin my new life with a new grudge. Mr Darcy would not have permitted you to approach me in this manner if he did not approve, and so I trust you, because I trust him, and I trust Georgiana. If you are dear to them, then you will be dear to me. I am certain of it.”

“If I may, I would like to give you this token of my gratitude, and our reconciliation.” He came closer, fumbling with a tiny red velvet pouch in his pocket, which he offered to her.

Elizabeth opened the pouch and shook a delicate silver brooch in the shape of a dove into the palm of her hand. “It is beautiful.”

“I found it in Portugal, when I first began to believe that I might live to return home…that I might live long enough to make peace with…certain failures of judgement.” The Colonel smiled sadly. “Then when I returned home, I fear that I proceeded to make even more failures in judgement.”

“I am certain that you have made no errors that cannot be mended,” Elizabeth said encouragingly.

“I did not know when I decided to purchase it if I was buying it for my mother, or my future wife, or Georgiana. Now upon consideration, I think I bought it for you. Will you accept it, Miss Bennet, as a token of our friendship?”

“I believe that you had better call me Lizzy, as my friends and family do.” She smiled in encouragement. “Thank you, Colonel. I will treasure it.”