“Well, the day just could not get any better than this,” Lord Brougham murmured to himself, his blue eyes sparkling and his heart jumping at this very interesting turn of events. “What a lovely pair of Jennies! I should say I will never catch anything like it here again...”

Darcy, speechless, only half heard his friend’s comment, being still unable to take his eyes from the view.

It took Holly a moment to see what was the cause of Lizzy’s sudden halt, and then she too briefly stood frozen in a state of shock and bewilderment. But then she impulsively grabbed her cousin’s arm, turned quickly, and began a furious retreat. Lizzy mumbled something to her, but Holly only caught a few phrases – “I told you so… better if it had been all of Edinburgh…” – for her ears were ringing and burning with shame, and the sound of their splashing feet drowned out the rest. But Lizzy’s balance was off because of her firm hold and pull on her as they nearly ran downstream, and her cousin soon lost her footing entirely. Holly’s grip had not faltered in the least, so down they both fell, face first, and though the stream was not deep, they were soaked head to toe all the same.

As the young ladies tried desperately to retreat, Lord Brougham took a few hasty steps towards them. He could perfectly well see from their blushing faces and skirt hitching arrangements that there has indeed been a most charming lapse of decorum on their part, but he could not resist…

“Oh goodness me Miss Bennet, Miss Tournier!” he anxiously cried as he witnessed the most humiliating end to the ladies’ attempt to escape. “Are you quite alright? You are not hurt, I trust?”

He very quickly strode out into the stream following a still silent Darcy to try to aid the ladies in their dilemma. Darcy’s face was grim and impossible to read, but his Lordship was convinced that if he gave up his chatter he would succumb to the most insulting burst of laughter. So he kept going.

“What terrible misfortune! And on my estate! I declare those rocks and slopes must still be awfully slippery after yesterday. Please assure me that you have no broken bones?”

Slowly they managed to deposit the drenched women on the bank of the stream again.

“Now you must allow me to escort you to Clyne – it is not far away, I assure you! – and put my fears of a most violent accident on my estate to rest. I could not face Mrs. Tournier if you did not oblige me. Mrs. McLaughlin will be happy to be of assistance to you, but she will be most upset with me if I cannot persuade you to come in. Some tea, perhaps, to settle your nerves and minds?”

Darcy’s grim face was in fact the effect of his hard struggle to hide his smile. The scene, which was revealed in front of him, was so charming, and the later happenings so amusing, that he could hardly have stopped himself from making some friendly remarks. However, as much as he knew Elizabeth, he was afraid to say something she might misread. He then attempted to stay as steady as was in his power and wait for the ladies to accustom themselves with the situation.

“I am sure you cannot refuse Lord Brougham's invitation. Miss Bennet, please take my coat.”

“Oh no, indeed!” Lord Brougham hastily followed “And Miss Tournier have mine. Oh, let me first brush off the grass and dirt, I was using it as a pillow just before. There! Well, almost anyway...

Yes, I am afraid, ladies, there is nothing else to be done, and perhaps we should waste no time. I know Mr. Conacher and his sons take this way back from their field and, judging from the sun, I dare say they will be by quite soon for their well-earned dinner. Now, if I may direct you to the trees just over there I am sure you will do an admirable job of …well, assembling yourselves somewhat. Darcy and I will most faithfully leave you in peace and wait for you right here.”

All Lizzy could think was how insupportable the situation was. She was not only using her stocking as a belt to shorten her dress, but she had also been singing a song about a woman's wet petticoat and kissing lasses. Then to make matters go from bad to worse, she had to top off her humiliation by falling into the river and drenching herself completely from head to toe!

She took Mr. Darcy's coat from him while Lord Brougham chattered on and on with that silly look of mirth on his face. Stealing a quick glimpse at Mr. Darcy, she saw that although his face appeared grim, he seemed to be hiding a wicked grin behind his eyes. She glanced at Holly, who looked just as drenched and exasperated as she must, and then something clicked inside of her. The whole thing suddenly played out in her head from the men's point of view, and she could contain herself no longer. She began laughing. She could not stop. She tried to stop, she really did, but to no avail. She sat herself down where she stood, Mr. Darcy's coat over her shoulders, trying to hide the fact that her drenched dress was clinging too closely to her body, and let loose with laughter for all she was worth.

Upon seeing Elizabeth’s mirth Darcy burst with laughter as well. It took him several minutes to enable himself to speak again.

“Please, excuse me, Miss Bennet, Miss Tournier, it was just too difficult not to see the amusement in the scene. But you both performed charmingly. And it was such a pleasure to hear your voice once again.” Darcy said looking at Elizabeth.

At first Brougham thought Miss Bennet had been so mortified by this highly embarrassing situation she had burst into tears. Soon, however, he saw she was shaking with laughter, and extremely thankful there were no tears of sadness and desperation involved, he bowed down to her.

“Miss Bennet”, he said cheerfully, “I am very glad you see the absurd in this, and let me assure you neither Mr. Darcy nor myself find anything but a most practical consequence of the very sunny day and surely long walk you have had in this…scenario. But please, let us leave you and Miss Tournier alone for a few minutes to…well, shoes would be nice to wear if I am allowed to offer Clyne cottage as a refuge for you.”

And he and Darcy took a few steps away from the ladies to give them some peace.

“Darcy”, said his Lordship gravely and in a low voice as they stood side by side with their backs turned to the ladies, “I know I am wicked, but I must confess I have not enjoyed a fishing trip this much since McEwan’s sons stole Mr. McLaughlin’s boots when he fell asleep two years ago and filled them with water.”

Lizzy had some trouble undoing the stocking she had tied around her waist to hold her skirt up. She thought she had tied it into a bow, but in all the thrashing about it had somehow become a rather tangled knot instead. She had to have Holly help her with it. They both let their dresses down and put on their wet stockings, which was not an easy task, and then slipped their soggy shoes over them.

All the while, Lizzy was waiting for Holly to say something, anything, about their predicament, but her cousin stayed mute.

Darcy thought that, even though they were in good humour, the ladies might feel embarrassed, and even more so if they were to encounter anyone else in their present state of attire. When they were as presentable as they were able to make themselves, and they had approached the gentlemen again, he gestured to a path leading through the trees.

“Miss Bennet, Miss Tournier, I thought that maybe you might find a walk this way more to your liking.”

Relieved at his suggestion, both ladies gave their assent and they began the walk to Clyne. Mr. Darcy fell in beside Lizzy, and they walked along quietly for a while, each lost in their own thoughts until she worked up the nerve to finally speak.

“Mr. Darcy, I thank you for being so understanding of the situation you found my cousin and myself in just now. You could have so easily seen matters in another light instead of the generous way you have. I must confess that I now think I understand a little better what you must have felt that day at Pemberley when you stumbled upon us after having just arrived.”

Darcy blushed slightly at the memory of the uneven reception he was barely able to offer Elizabeth upon their first encounter there, but his uneasiness was quickly masked with a smile.

“You were much more generous towards me back then than I was today towards you. I am afraid my good humour in such a moment cannot be easily excused.”

“Oh, no! If you had not laughed, I think I would have looked even more foolish than I did already sitting there laughing so heartily alone. Everyone would have thought me hysterical had you not joined in with me, helping to give the others licence to laugh as well. You shall have the credit. I shall brook no further opposition, Sir.”

“Very well then. Pray, tell me, what induced you and your cousin to wander such a long way to perform as sirens? Was it not your purpose to drawn some sailors to you by your enchanting singing?”

Lizzy could not believe her ears for a moment. Did Mr. Darcy just make a joke, and a most forward one at that? Was he flirting with her, or did he mean to imply that she was trying to lure him and that Holly and she somehow knew he was there?

“Why, Mr. Darcy, you jest? If our intention was to draw sailors, then surely we had miscalculated by picking this river instead of the sea, for there are no sailors here. No, I am afraid we would make poor sirens. Our singing was meant for our ears only – and the river's – but not to lure anything or anyone.”

She looked sideways at him and said, “I would think you would have experienced enough of those arts to know when they were being practiced. Tell me, Mr. Darcy, would a woman throwing herself into a river, drenching herself in a most unbecoming way, and then laughing to herself hysterically afterwards be a lure to sailors?”

Darcy was amused with her defence. Still, he was not sure why the ladies would come all the way to Brougham's grounds. He would never dare to think it meant anything for him personally, yet the situation seemed strange.

“Well, not intentionally perhaps.” Darcy measured his answer most carefully, for to him the sight had appeared most alluring. “But then I could be a poor judge here, as I have never before had the pleasure of such a performance.”

“To answer your question, Mr. Darcy, it was the heat that drew us such a distance to the river today. We had intended to catch a ride with a neighbour and then take a cooling walk by the river. However, we saw no one going our direction and so ended up walking the whole distance. Once we had arrived the still air and the heat made us a little giddy with our reasoning abilities, I am afraid. Thinking our wading harmless, since we assumed we were alone, we took the chance of it.”

She was too tired to care what he might think of her or her motives. She gave him the simple truth. He could make of it what he would.

“If Lord Brougham would but loan us the use of his carriage once we arrive at Clyne, we will trouble you both no further.”

Darcy did not know what to do with her answer. In fact he was just teasing her. If he could not be awarded with anything more, he just wanted to see once again that sparkle in her eyes. But now he could see that she was simply tired with his company and only wished to be away as soon as possible.

“Excuse me, Miss Bennet, I did not mean to demand explanations from you. I am sure Brougham's carriage will be at your disposal whenever you wish.”

They fell silent. Lizzy would never understand Mr. Darcy. In one moment he seemed quite reasonable and capable of conversation, almost showing what could have been a sense of humour, and in the next moment he seemed… She could not quite figure him out. He had asked her what had brought her to the river, and when she had given him the answer he had requested he had responded with an apology. As she was still not sure how to take the sirens comment, it was probably for the better that that conversation had ended. The whole thing had felt very strange though and she was sure she had somehow missed something – or he had.

And in that very minute their attention was riveted by the other couple, who, till just a moment ago had seemed very quiet, but had now started an obvious quarrel. Their loud voices could not be mistaken. Darcy listened to the exchange and, comprehending its subject, voiced his opinion with a sarcastic tone.

“It is evident that to both of you our assistance is only an unwanted burden.”

She did not have time to express her thoughts to him on his most recent comment. What an insufferable man to presume so much on so little evidence! Did he want her on her knees thanking him? Was he expecting her to chase him and was disappointed that she was not? But she had no time to comment on his remark now as she hurried along to get closer to her cousin and Lord Brougham.

She was able to catch up with the other couple just as they reached the front door of Clyne Cottage, and was witness to Lord Brougham’s last few sentences to Holly.

“Now will you be so good as to step inside so I can fulfil my promise and extended hospitality, and let me fetch Mrs. McLaughlin to be of assistance? No doubt you are in a hurry to proceed.”

Mr. Darcy came up behind her just as Holly quickly stepped aside as Brougham made haste to open the door.

“I would by no means interrupt your practice of hospitality,” Holly retorted. “For it seems that practice is precisely what you are in need of.”

In an extreme effort not to utter one more, Brougham clenched his jaw until it hurt. He let the visitors into the hall and gave Darcy just one very dark look before he far too loudly called out for Mrs. McLaughlin. She apparently sensed the extraordinary situation in her Master using such an uncustomary form of address and showed up immediately, wiping her hands on her apron.

“Miss Bennet and Miss Tournier are in need of some assistance. Pray be so good as to see to their needs. Tea afterwards in the sitting room would be most appropriate, I think. I shall be in the library until then.”

And with a very stiff and perfunctory bow he left the party standing in the Hall.