Chances Come, Ney Mitch [snow like ashes series TXT] 📗

Our uncle offered his farewells perfectly, but also whispered to Jane to tell our aunt that if she desired to invite Mr. Darcy back to Cheapside one evening to dine with us, he would accept the scheme.

Thus, the three of us returned home, we made our apologies to our aunt for being gone so long, but she understood why. Jane whispered our uncle’s invitation to her, and Aunt Gardiner acted on this encouragement.

“Mr. Darcy,” she began, “we would love to invite you to dine with us one day this week, if you are amenable to the scheme.”

“I thank you,” Mr. Darcy responded, “however, I was hoping first to invite you all to dine with me, at my home, tomorrow, at Grosvenor Street.”

We all looked amazed by this.

“We should be delighted,” Aunt Gardiner said, “and I can speak for my husband. We have no fixed engagements and therefore, we would be delighted to come.”

“I thank you.”

We escorted him to the hallway as he got on his coat and his carriage was pulled up for him. As we all stood on the steps, to see him off, Jane stood beside me and yet, somehow, she felt restless.

Mr. Darcy offered his farewells to us, and just as he put his foot up to get into the carriage, Jane stepped forward.

“Mr. Darcy,” she asserted, her voice trembling in the process.

“Yes, Miss Bennet?” He asked, turning to her, and surprised at her sudden application to him.

“I just wished to say… I thank you for the service that you rendered my sister. For protecting her.”

“Of course, Miss Bennet, as I said—”

“No, I must finish what I have to say.” Jane’s interrupting him was startling to him. After all, she never verbally overpowered anyone. “I know that you did it for your own reasons, but it does not matter. Lizzy is my little sister, and you and I are older siblings. We know that our duty in life is to protect our younger siblings. We are the ones who have to make certain they are safe and that they are provided for. Often, I have despised myself for not protecting my siblings from the unpleasantness of life. Yet, in not being there for Lizzy yesterday, I was not there to protect her. And it hurts me. It hurts my pride as the eldest in the family. So, when you were there for her, you did my duty and you protected someone who means a great deal to me. Therefore, take hands with me, and take my thanks. As one older sibling to another.”

“Oh, Jane,” I gasped, beginning to weep.

Mr. Darcy took her hand, his eyes filled with awe at her.

“I will always do my best to be kind toward your family, Miss Bennet,” he answered.

“I know. You are a good man.”

“Yes,” I agreed, “you are and always will be, you know?”

Mr. Darcy was silenced. I knew how he was feeling. He was shocked under the weight of so much emotion being displayed toward him. It was quite overpowering for him and he would spend the rest of the day not knowing how to respond to anything. Sometimes, when receiving too much praise, we can become quite undone and wonder how we could ever live up to it.

“I shall look forward to seeing you all tomorrow evening,” he spoke, then he got into his carriage and he gave us one last look as his horses were off. Walking up behind Jane, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and held her. The last view Mr. Darcy had of us was Jane resting her head on my arms as his carriage turned a corner.

When the day had come to an end, Jane and I were sleeping in the same bed, with one candle lit on the nightstand.

“Jane,” I whispered, “please do not hate yourself for not being there for me. I knew you would have been if you could.”

“I know,” Jane said, “but Lizzy, I am happy that I had said that to Mr. Darcy.”

“I am glad that you did as well. Do not be ashamed of it, for Mr. Darcy is not the sort to be afraid when people display true emotion. It is falseness that he cannot abide.”

“It is more than that. I feel gratitude toward him for saving you. But I also feel gratitude towards him for his feelings towards you.”

“What?”

“Lizzy, I believe that Mr. Darcy may be in love with you.”

I nearly stumbled as I raised myself up.

“I beg your pardon?” I started. “Jane, what?”

“Lizzy,” Jane continued, “I know that you feel that he despised you, but you know that I never thought ill of him. And while I have not always been correct in how I assess the feelings and thoughts of others—Caroline’s flimsy friendship being a primary example—I do not believe that I am incorrect here. I do believe that Mr. Darcy has ceased any ill feelings toward you. Truly, I feel that those have been quite done and gone away for some time, and in its place is not only an amicability, but I really do believe that he likes your company. To an excessive degree. I think that he feels deeply for you.”

I lay down, trying to remain calm.

“Jane, do you really believe so?” I asked, afraid of seeing an affection that was not truly there.

“Yes, I do. And I even believe that our aunt sees it, if you would but ask her as well.”

When hearing her say this, I stood up and began to pace around back and forth, lost in thought. When I realized that I may have appeared silly for doing so, I turned and looked at her.

“Forgive me,” I began, “I am merely confused.”

“Yes, I can imagine so. For I know that you have despised him for so long.”

“No, that is not what is causing distress within me now,” I assured her, “and nor do I feel any resentment towards him. In truth, I have long