As they drove toward Pemberley, Elizabeth watched anxiously for the first glimpse of the estate.
When they finally passed through the entrance to the park, her heart began beating faster.
The grounds were enormous and beautifully varied.
They entered through a lower part of the park and drove for some time through a wide, peaceful forest.
Elizabeth was too distracted to say much.
She could only look around and admire everything she saw.
After slowly climbing for about half a mile, they reached the top of a hill.
The trees suddenly opened, and Pemberley House appeared across the valley.
It was a large, handsome stone building set on higher ground.
Behind it stood a line of wooded hills.
A wide stream ran in front of the house and curved naturally through the valley.
Nothing looked forced or overly decorated.
The whole place seemed beautiful because of nature itself.
Elizabeth was delighted.
She had never seen a country estate where natural beauty had been treated with such good taste.
Her aunt and uncle admired it too.
For a brief moment, Elizabeth allowed herself one dangerous thought.
“To be the mistress of Pemberley would be wonderful.”
They drove down the hill, crossed a bridge, and stopped in front of the house.
As soon as Elizabeth saw the house more closely, her nervousness returned.
What if the maid had been wrong?
What if Darcy was actually here?
They entered the house and waited in the hall for the housekeeper.
Elizabeth could hardly believe that she was standing inside Pemberley.
Soon, an older woman came to meet them.
She was respectable and polite, but much less formal than Elizabeth had expected.
The housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, led them into the dining room.
It was large, elegant, and beautifully furnished.
Elizabeth walked to a window and looked outside.
The hill they had just come down looked even more beautiful from a distance.
The river, the trees along its banks, and the winding valley created a magnificent view.
Every room seemed to offer another beautiful scene.
The rooms were large and impressive, and the furniture clearly showed that the owner was very wealthy.
But there was no unnecessary showiness.
Everything was elegant without being excessive.
Elizabeth could not help admiring Darcy’s taste.
The rooms were far less flashy than those at Rosings, but they seemed much more comfortable and refined.
She looked around and thought,
“I could have been mistress of this house.”
“I could have known these rooms as my own.”
“My aunt and uncle could have visited me here.”
Then she stopped herself.
“No. That could never have happened.”
“If I had married Mr. Darcy, I probably would not have been free to invite my aunt and uncle here.”
That thought saved her from feeling any real regret.
Elizabeth wanted badly to ask whether Darcy was really away.
But she could not bring herself to ask.
Finally, her uncle asked the question for her.
“Is Mr. Darcy currently at Pemberley?”
Mrs. Reynolds smiled.
“No, sir. He isn’t here yet.”
Elizabeth secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
“He is expected tomorrow,” the housekeeper continued. “He will be bringing several friends with him.”
Elizabeth was extremely grateful that their journey had not been delayed even one day.
Her aunt suddenly called her over to look at a picture.
Elizabeth approached and immediately recognized Wickham.
His miniature was hanging above the fireplace among several other portraits.
Mrs. Gardiner smiled at Elizabeth.
“How do you like that one?”
Before Elizabeth could answer, Mrs. Reynolds explained.
“That is a portrait of a young man whose father was the steward here.”
“Mr. Darcy’s father brought the boy up and paid for his education.”
“He has since joined the army, although I’m afraid he has turned out rather badly.”
Mrs. Gardiner looked at Elizabeth again.
This time Elizabeth could not return her smile.
Mrs. Reynolds pointed toward another portrait.
“And that one is my master.”
“It was painted at the same time, about eight years ago.”
Mrs. Gardiner looked closely at Darcy’s portrait.
“I’ve heard that your master is very handsome.”
“He certainly has a handsome face.”
“Lizzy, you can tell us whether this picture looks like him.”
Mrs. Reynolds immediately became more interested.
“Does this young lady know Mr. Darcy?”
Elizabeth blushed.
“A little.”
“Then do you think he is a handsome gentleman?”
“Yes. Very handsome.”
“I thought so,” Mrs. Reynolds said.
“I don’t know anyone more handsome.”
“You should see the larger portrait of him upstairs. It’s much better.”
“This room used to be my late master’s favorite. The portraits are still arranged exactly as they were when he lived here.”
Elizabeth now understood why Wickham’s portrait had been kept there.
Mrs. Reynolds then showed them a portrait of Georgiana Darcy, painted when she was only eight years old.
“And is Miss Darcy as pretty as her brother?” Mr. Gardiner asked.
“Oh, yes. She is the most beautiful young lady I’ve ever seen.”
“And she is so accomplished.”
“She plays the piano and sings all day.”
“There is even a new instrument waiting for her in the next room. Mr. Darcy just gave it to her.”
“She will be arriving tomorrow with him.”
Mr. Gardiner’s friendly manner encouraged the housekeeper to keep talking.
Mrs. Reynolds clearly loved speaking about Darcy and his sister.
“Does Mr. Darcy spend much of the year here?” Mr. Gardiner asked.
“Not as much as I would like, sir.”
“But I believe he spends about half his time here.”
“Miss Darcy usually stays here during the summer.”
Elizabeth immediately thought of Ramsgate.
“Except when she goes to Ramsgate,” she thought.
“If your master were married, you would probably see more of him,” Mr. Gardiner said.
“Yes, sir.”
“But I don’t know when that will happen.”
“I don’t know who could possibly be good enough for him.”
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner exchanged amused smiles.
Elizabeth could not resist saying something.
“It certainly says a lot about him that you think so highly of him.”
“I am only telling the truth,” Mrs. Reynolds replied.
“Anyone who truly knows him would say the same.”
Then she added something that shocked Elizabeth even more.
“I have never received an angry word from him.”
“And I’ve known him since he was only four years old.”
Elizabeth stared at her.
She had always believed Darcy was proud and cold.
This was almost impossible for her to understand.
Mr. Gardiner encouraged the housekeeper.
“You are very fortunate to have such a master.”
“Yes, sir. I know I am.”
“If I searched the whole country, I doubt I could find a better one.”
“He was the sweetest and most generous child I ever knew.”
Elizabeth could hardly believe what she was hearing.
“Can this really be Mr. Darcy?” she wondered.
Mrs. Reynolds continued.
“His father was an excellent man too.”
“He was always kind to poor people.”
“And his son is just like him.”
Elizabeth listened closely.
Every new detail made her more curious.
She wanted to hear everything Mrs. Reynolds had to say.
The housekeeper continued as they walked upstairs.
“He is the best landlord and employer anyone could ask for.”
“He isn’t like many young gentlemen these days, who think only about themselves.”
“Every servant and tenant here speaks well of him.”
“Some people say he is proud.”
“But I have never seen it.”
“I think people mistake his quiet nature for pride.”
Elizabeth thought to herself,
“What a different picture of him this place is giving me.”
Mrs. Gardiner leaned toward her.
“This description doesn’t quite match what he did to poor Wickham.”
“Perhaps we’ve been mistaken about him,” Elizabeth whispered.
“I don’t think that’s likely,” her aunt replied. “Our information came from people we trusted.”
They reached a large upstairs hall and entered a bright, elegant sitting room.
Mrs. Reynolds explained that the room had recently been redecorated.
Miss Darcy had liked it the last time she visited, so Darcy had immediately had it changed for her.
“He really is a devoted brother,” Elizabeth said.
Mrs. Reynolds smiled.
“That is exactly what he is.”
“Anything that might make his sister happy is done immediately.”
“There is almost nothing he wouldn’t do for her.”
They continued through the house.
There was a picture gallery and several beautiful bedrooms.
Elizabeth did not know much about paintings, so she was more interested in some of Georgiana’s simple drawings.
The gallery contained many portraits of the Darcy family.
Most of them meant little to Elizabeth.
She walked past them, looking for one face she already knew.
Then she saw him.
It was a portrait of Darcy.
The resemblance was striking.
There was also a slight smile on his face, one Elizabeth remembered seeing from time to time when he looked at her.
She stood there for several minutes, studying the portrait.
Before leaving the gallery, she turned back and looked at it once more.
Mrs. Reynolds told them that the portrait had been painted while Darcy’s father was still alive.
Elizabeth felt something inside her change.
For the first time, she looked at Darcy with a gentleness she had never felt during their earlier acquaintance.
Mrs. Reynolds’ praise had affected her deeply.
After all, a servant who had known Darcy since childhood had every reason to judge his character honestly.
As a brother, a landlord, and an employer, Darcy had the happiness of many people in his hands.
He could make their lives better or worse.
The housekeeper’s description had shown Elizabeth another side of him.
Standing in front of his portrait, she remembered how much concern he had once shown for her.
She remembered the warmth in his actions.
Even the awkward way he had expressed his feelings now seemed less offensive to her.
After seeing all the rooms open to visitors, they went downstairs.
They thanked Mrs. Reynolds and were handed over to the gardener, who was waiting at the front door.
The group walked across the lawn toward the river.
Elizabeth suddenly turned back to look at the house again.
Her aunt and uncle stopped too.
Mr. Gardiner was trying to guess when the house had been built.
Then someone suddenly appeared on the road behind the house.
It was Darcy.
They were less than twenty yards apart.
There was no way to avoid seeing each other.
Their eyes met immediately.
Both of them blushed deeply.
Darcy stopped in surprise.
For a moment, he seemed unable to move.
Then he quickly recovered himself and walked toward them.
He spoke to Elizabeth politely.
Elizabeth instinctively looked away.
But when he approached, she stopped and returned his greeting.
She was so embarrassed that she could hardly look at him.
Her aunt and uncle stood slightly behind her.
The gardener’s shocked expression made it obvious that this really was the master of Pemberley.
Elizabeth could barely answer Darcy’s polite questions about her family.
His behavior was so different from what she remembered that every word made her more uncomfortable.
He was not calm and distant as usual.
His voice was hurried.
He repeatedly asked when she had left Longbourn and how long she had been staying in Derbyshire.
His nervousness was obvious.
Eventually, he seemed to run out of things to say.
After standing silently for a moment, he finally said goodbye and left.
Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle joined her.
They immediately began admiring Darcy’s appearance.
Elizabeth heard none of it.
She was overwhelmed by embarrassment.
Why had she come to Pemberley?
How humiliating this must look to Darcy.
He might think she had deliberately come there to see him.
She wished she had never agreed to the visit.
And why had he returned one day earlier than expected?
If they had arrived only ten minutes earlier, they would have missed him completely.
Elizabeth could not stop thinking about how strangely the meeting had happened.
His behavior had changed so much.
He had actually spoken to her.
And not only had he spoken to her, he had been gentle and polite.
She had never seen him behave that way before.
It was completely different from the cold, formal manner he had shown when he gave her his letter at Rosings.
She had no idea what to make of him.
They continued walking beside the river.
The scenery was beautiful, but Elizabeth barely noticed it.
Her aunt and uncle pointed out the trees, hills, and water, and she answered automatically.
But her thoughts were somewhere else.
She could think only of Darcy.
She wondered what he was thinking now.
Did he still care about her?
Perhaps he had only been polite because he felt comfortable seeing her.
But there had been something unusual in his voice.
He had certainly not seemed comfortable.
Had he been happy to see her?
Or had he been upset?
Elizabeth had no answer.
Eventually, her aunt and uncle noticed how distracted she was.
Elizabeth forced herself to pay attention.
They entered the woods and climbed toward higher ground.
From several openings between the trees, they could see beautiful views of the valley, the hills, and the river.
Mr. Gardiner wanted to walk around the entire park.
“Is it possible to walk all the way around?” he asked.
“It is about ten miles,” the gardener replied.
That settled the question.
They continued along the usual path.
Eventually, they came down through the woods to another narrow section of the river.
A simple bridge crossed the water.
The valley was much narrower here, almost like a small hidden gorge.
Elizabeth wanted to explore it.
But Mrs. Gardiner was tired from the morning’s walk.
“I don’t think I can walk any farther,” she said.
“We should return to the carriage.”
Elizabeth had no choice but to agree.
They turned back toward the house.
Their progress was slow because Mr. Gardiner loved fishing.
Whenever he spotted a trout, he stopped to watch it and talk to the gardener about the fish.
As they continued slowly along, Elizabeth suddenly saw Darcy again.
He was approaching them from the other side.
This time the path was more open, so they could see him before he reached them.
Elizabeth was still surprised, but she was better prepared.
She decided that if Darcy truly intended to speak to them again, she would remain calm.
For a moment, she thought he might turn onto another path.
But then the path curved, and he appeared directly in front of them.
Elizabeth immediately noticed that he was just as polite as before.
Trying to follow his example, she began to compliment the beauty of Pemberley.
“This place is delightful.”
“It is really charming.”
Then she suddenly remembered how strange it might sound for her to praise his home.
She worried that he might think she was trying to flatter him.
Her face changed color, and she stopped talking.
Mrs. Gardiner was walking a little behind them.
Darcy turned toward Elizabeth.
“Would you do me the honor of introducing me to your friends?”
Elizabeth was completely surprised.
She almost smiled.
This was the same man whose pride had once made him reluctant to associate with her relatives.
Now he was asking to meet them himself.
She wondered what he would think when he discovered who they were.
Perhaps he assumed they were wealthy or important people.
Elizabeth introduced them.
As she explained that they were her aunt and uncle, she watched Darcy carefully.
She half expected him to leave immediately.
But although he was clearly surprised, he remained perfectly calm.
He did not leave.
Instead, he turned around and walked with them.
He began talking to Mr. Gardiner.
Elizabeth was delighted.
She had secretly wanted Darcy to discover that her relatives were respectable people.
She listened carefully to their conversation.
Every time her uncle said something intelligent, thoughtful, or polite, Elizabeth felt proud of him.
Soon the conversation turned to fishing.
Darcy spoke with great courtesy.
“You are welcome to fish here whenever you like while you are staying in the area.”
“And if you need any fishing equipment, I will be happy to provide it.”
“There are also several places along the river where you are likely to find plenty of fish.”
Mrs. Gardiner looked at Elizabeth in surprise.
Elizabeth said nothing.
But she was extremely pleased.
Surely Darcy was being this kind because of her.
Yet she still could not understand it.
“Why has he changed so much?” she wondered.
“What could have caused this?”
“It can’t possibly be because of me.”
“My words at Hunsford could not have changed him this much.”
“It is impossible that he still loves me.”
After they had walked for some time, the two couples separated slightly.
Mrs. Gardiner had become tired and took her husband’s arm instead of Elizabeth’s.
Darcy naturally took her place beside Elizabeth.
They continued walking together.
For a short time, neither spoke.
Finally, Elizabeth decided to explain something.
“I hope you don’t think we came here expecting to find you.”
“Your housekeeper told us you would not arrive until tomorrow.”
“And before we left Bakewell, we had heard that you weren’t expected in Derbyshire yet.”
Darcy nodded.
“That is true.”
“I came here earlier than the others because I needed to deal with some business with my steward.”
“The rest of the party will arrive tomorrow morning.”
“Mr. Bingley and his sisters will be with me.”
Elizabeth gave only a small nod.
The mention of Bingley’s name immediately reminded her of their last conversation about him.
She wondered whether Darcy was thinking about the same thing.
Judging from his expression, he probably was.
After a short silence, Darcy continued.
“There is one other person in the party who especially wants to meet you.”
“My sister.”
“Would you allow me to introduce her to you while you are staying in Lambton?”
Elizabeth was stunned.
She hardly knew how to answer.
But she immediately understood something.
Georgiana probably wanted to meet her because Darcy had encouraged her to do so.
That thought pleased Elizabeth more than she wanted to admit.
At least Darcy did not truly hate her.
They walked on in silence.
Both were lost in their thoughts.
Elizabeth was nervous, but she was also deeply flattered.
Darcy’s wish to introduce his sister to her was an extraordinary compliment.
Soon they reached the carriage.
Her aunt and uncle were still some distance behind.
Darcy invited Elizabeth to go inside the house.
She politely declined.
“I am not tired.”
So they remained standing on the lawn.
The silence became awkward.
Elizabeth wanted to say something, but every possible subject seemed dangerous.
At last, she remembered their journey.
They began talking about Matlock and Dovedale.
They managed to continue that conversation for quite some time.
But both of them struggled to find things to say.
Eventually, Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle caught up with them.
Darcy invited everyone into the house for refreshments.
They politely declined.
The two sides said goodbye.
Darcy helped Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner into the carriage.
As the carriage drove away, Elizabeth looked back.
Darcy was walking slowly toward the house.
Her aunt and uncle immediately began discussing him.
“He is much better behaved than I expected,” Mr. Gardiner said.
“He is polite, quiet, and very respectful.”
Mrs. Gardiner agreed.
“There is certainly something formal about him.”
“But it isn’t unpleasant.”
“Now I understand what the housekeeper meant. People may call him proud, but I didn’t see any real pride.”
“I was extremely surprised by the way he treated us.”
“He was more than polite. He was genuinely attentive.”
“And he had no reason to make such an effort.”
“After all, his acquaintance with Elizabeth is not very close.”
Mrs. Gardiner looked at Elizabeth.
“To be honest, Lizzy, I don’t think he is as handsome as Wickham.”
“Or perhaps I should say he doesn’t have Wickham’s expression. Darcy’s features are actually very good.”
“But why did you ever tell us that he was so disagreeable?”
Elizabeth tried to explain.
“I liked him much better when we met in Kent than I had before.”
“And I have never seen him behave as pleasantly as he did this morning.”
Mr. Gardiner smiled.
“Perhaps he simply has his moods.”
“Rich men sometimes do.”
“So I won’t take his offer about fishing too seriously.”
“He might change his mind tomorrow and tell me to stay away from his property.”
Elizabeth knew her aunt and uncle had completely misunderstood Darcy.
But she said nothing.
Mrs. Gardiner continued.
“After seeing him today, I find it hard to believe that he could have treated poor Wickham so cruelly.”
“He doesn’t look like an unkind man.”
“In fact, there is something pleasant about his face when he speaks.”
“And there is a certain dignity about him that makes me think he probably has a good heart.”
“Of course, that housekeeper gave him an almost unbelievable character.”
“I could hardly stop myself from laughing.”
“But perhaps he is simply a generous employer.”
“Servants often think that is the greatest virtue a master can have.”
Elizabeth felt that she had to defend Darcy.
She carefully explained that she had recently learned more about the history between Darcy and Wickham.
She did not reveal exactly who had told her.
But she explained that Darcy’s actions could be understood very differently from the way people in Hertfordshire had believed.
She also explained the financial dealings between the two men.
Her aunt was surprised and troubled by what she heard.
But they were now approaching Lambton.
Mrs. Gardiner became distracted by memories of the town.
She began pointing out places she remembered from years ago.
By the time they reached Lambton, she was eager to see her old friends again.
Even though she was tired from the morning’s walk, she went out again after dinner to visit people she had once known.
The evening was filled with the happiness of renewing old friendships.
Elizabeth, however, could think of almost nothing else.
The events of the day had completely occupied her mind.
Again and again, she thought about Darcy.
His unexpected kindness.
His changed manner.
And above all, his wish to introduce his sister to her.
She could not understand what it meant.