Bestowing Pride with Forgetting Prejudice

18

"You were suppose to be in London."

"I...."

"I'm sorry, I thought you were in London."

"No. No, I'm not."

I look down at my hands, and laugh. I want to hear it again, he needs to laugh often.

"I came back a day early."

"We would not have come.. had we known you were here."

"Some business with my steward."

We stop talking over each other and I just look to him. I can't help but want to see him, I shouldn't have came.

"I'm in Derbyshire with my aunt and uncle."

"And are you having a pleasant trip?"

"Very pleasant. Tomorrow we go to Matlock."

"Tomorrow?"

He seems disappointed but understanding.

"Are you staying at Lambton?"

"Yes. At the Rose and Crown. Yes. Im so sorry to intrude. They said that the house was open for visitors. I had no idea..."

"May I see you back to the village?"

"No!"

I look at his eyes, how I wished I could get lost. I would be home and it would be alright.

"I'm very fond of walking."

He lightly smiles, I step slightly closer to him

"Yes. Yes, I know."

"Goodbye, Mr Darcy."

I bow to him and go over to the steps, I walk down them and try to catch my breathe.

—————————————————

I did make my way back to the village but I took my time. How could I let something like that fall into his hands. He has the most prestigious drawing I've done of him. No one was ever suppose to see it but me. I hope that is the only one he has seen.

—————————————————

I make my way down to the small area to see my aunt and uncle. I look at him but see Mr. Darcy with them. I quickly hide and wait for him to leave. I slowly walk over to them, my aunt smiles at me.

"Adelaide, we've just met Mr Darcy. You didn't tell us that you'd seen him?"

"He's asked us to dine with him tomorrow. He was very civil, was he not?"

"Very civil."

"Not at all how you had painted him."

"To dine with him?"

"There's something pleasant about his mouth when he speaks. You don't mind delaying our journey another day, do you?"

"He particularly wants you to meet his sister."

"His sister"

I look at them and sit down, I try to keep calm as we just sat down.

—————————————————