Mr Darcy's Christmas Carol

Part 18

A/N - well, the dreams seem to have worked their magic! Darcy is wide awake and determined to change his course. Here's hoping he succeeds... ;)

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"You wish to return to Hertfordshire?"

It was still early when Darcy called on Charles and Caroline, yet fortunately, they were both at breakfast and welcomed him to join them. He had taken a cup of tea, but no food, for he was anxious and could not countenance a morsel of food until he had spoken his plan to them and gained their agreement. Well, Charles' agreement. He felt certain his friend would be only too happy to return with him, in spite of whatever protest Caroline was certain to mount.

"But we have only just left that dreary place!" she began, her voice already taking on a whining tone which might have been more effective, had it not been muffled by chewing.

"We left too hastily, too quickly. Surely you agree, Charles?"

"Well..."

Charles glanced at Caroline for confirmation, but Darcy commanded his attention.

"You left because we told you we must, and for that I am sorry. I confess it was not without art. I and -" he paused, wondering what would be gained him by incriminating Charles' sister in the scheme, however much her actions had set it in motion. He still smarted from the memory of dream-Georgiana pitched so adamantly against him, and could not bring himself to upset the union of another brother and sister merely to ease the burden of guilt on himself.

"I made the decision," he said, quickly glancing at Caroline, and away again, for she was looking at him with a combination of confusion, horror and fury that he could not bear to witness. "For reasons I must confess now were utterly wrong-headed. I wished to remove you from the influence of those I thought intended you harm. I see now how utterly misguided I was."

"Those who intended me harm?" Charles quoted his own words back to him. "Dear me, Darcy, do I have so very many enemies?"

"No," he said, honestly. "It is far worse. You have friends who think they know what is in your best interests." Bowing his head slightly, he hurried out a muddled confession of his intention to separate Charles from Jane Bennet, on account of his suspicion that she sought to entrap him into marriage. "I felt certain she did not care for you - could not possibly match your feelings for her - and rather wished to wed you for your wealth instead of any real affection. You are the finest fellow I know, Charles, and deserve more than that from your marriage."

"You deduced all this from observing us at a dance?"

"My own observation and overhearing an unfortunate comment from another guest." Darcy grimaced. "Eavesdropping has never yet worked in my favour, either overhearing or being overheard. I hereby resign from it entirely. But I confess I was goaded into action on account of hearsay, and upon reflection, I think it entirely misguided."

"And what has occurred to change your mind so abruptly and completely?"

Caroline Bingley had found her voice at last, setting down her meal to regard Darcy with a glare.

"Has Jane Bennet written to you directly to implore you to return my brother to her clutches?"

"Caroline!" Bingley was shocked to hear such an unkind assessment fall from his sister's lips, and Darcy was amused to see the shade of red that Caroline turned as she attempted to control her anger.

"I have received no letters," Darcy admitted. "But I did have an unsettled night." He had considered telling all about his dreams, and had even set them down on paper so that he might remember the details that most caused him to repent and change his views. As the sun rose and he read through the notes once more he thought better of the plan, however, fearing his friend would think him gone mad or turned a drunkard. He had stowed the notes safely in his case, and instead constructed a simpler explanation for his change of heart.

"I was awake with the dawn, reflecting on our decision to leave and the evening that precipitated it, and I was forced to acknowledge that I acted in haste and with good intentions but altogether unnecessarily. We were happy at Hertfordshire, were we not? And Netherfield is still yours for a time. Why not return there, and enjoy Christmas as we originally intended, with riding and shooting and peace and quiet."

As if to illustrate his point, a carriage rattled down the street outside, and the noise of a shout broke through the quiet of the breakfast table.

"I see your true intention," Bingley said, at length, in a tone of voice that was either annoyed or amused, Darcy could not quite tell which. "You merely wish to avoid being forced to attend any more parties this Christmas!"

Darcy laughed, feeling that with that one comment his battle was won.

"You are right, Charles. Give me solitude, that is the one gift I ask for, this festive tide."

"Pemberley!" Caroline screeched at last.

Both gentlemen turned to look at her.

"If you desire solitude then why not remove to Pemberley? There you might have it all! Peace and quiet. Land to roam in. And Georgiana, dear Georgiana. She will be most content to meet you, will she not?"

"My sister is not at Pemberley at present," Darcy said, calmly. "She has been lately calling on my aunt in Kent, and I have taken the liberty of writing to invite her to join us at Netherfield." He pulled a note from his pocket and consulted Charles with a raised eyebrow. "If you do not mind it?"

"Of course not!" Charles beamed. "Yes, indeed, she must come. Will she have time to travel and be with us for Christmas?"

"I shall send this straight away and do not doubt she will be with us before very long at all." His smile was genuine. "She has been agitating to come to Hertfordshire since first hearing we were there, and it is so long since we have spent any time together."

"Then we must make haste and hurry back ahead of her!" Charles said, throwing his napkin into the air in celebration. "Are you packed, Darcy? Come, Caroline! We must gather our belongings. I cannot wait to see the look of astonishment on Miss Bennet's face when we call on her! She will imagine us gone and then surprise! We shall appear again. What a fine time we shall have all together for Christmas."