The Maze

By Tineke

Part 1

Elizabeth had expressed a wish to see the gardens around Rosings. She had walked all around Rosings Park, she had admired the woods, but she hadn't had the opportunity yet to visit the actual garden. Mr. Collins had many a time boasted of the beauties of Lady Catherine's park.

"The father of late Sir Lewis De Bourgh himself had found a very famous landscape architect to attend to their gardens." he had often said. "Lady Catherine has been so kind as to let me stroll around the gardens now and then, for she's well aware that the beauties of her gardens quite exceed my humble little wilderness, that I, I flatter myself, maintain on my own."

Charlotte would have loved to accompany Elizabeth, but she wasn't feeling too well. Maria decided to stay with her sister for the remainder of the afternoon. So Elizabeth was looking forward to a nice solitary walk as she was used to. But Lady Catherine had other opinions on the matter.

"Walk all alone? You'll get lost in the grandeur of our gardens. You'd much better let Mr. Collins accompany you, as he is so well acquainted with the gardens. Anne would have been a perfect guide, but I'm afraid it isn't yet warm enough outside, she would certainly catch a cold."

The idea of that babbling Mr. Collins as a companion wasn't very welcome to Elizabeth. But try as she might, she couldn't come up with an excuse to be alone. So together they left. Elizabeth was heading for the terrace doors, but Lady Catherine insisted on them leaving through the front door. Mr. Collins gladly obliged after exclaiming his sincere apologies for ever considering leaving a magnificent house like Rosings without passing the great hall with its fine windows.

As soon as they left the house, they turned right towards the East terraces. From there they took the gravel walk, passing the lake. Even though they walked rather slow, they did have to stop now and then, as Mr. Collins had to catch his breath. Elizabeth would have certainly enjoyed the gardens had it not been for the bad company. She was in great need to be alone. She tried to be as polite as possible, but still looked for a possible escape.

At last, as they were strolling towards Rosing's extensive maze, she found her solution. It wouldn't be too hard to pretend (actually she didn't need to pretend) that she didn't know her way around the maze and get lost. Mr. Collins certainly wouldn't be able to keep up with her fast pace. To her surprise, Mr. Collins himself proposed the idea of having a look at the maze.

"Actually, you can look upon the maze from that bridge," He said enthusiastically, pointing towards a nearby bridge , "then you're able to see that it is shaped as rose. You can well imagine the reason for designing it as a rose, cousin Elizabeth. But for now, we might as well just walk towards the entrance. The arch above the entrance is a true masterpiece. Lady Catherine is very severe on the gardeners as to cut it exactly as you will see it now."

"Indeed, I would like to see it very much!" Lizzy replied with a wicked grin.

Almost as soon as they entered through the hedge arch, Lizzy took the opposite direction of Mr. Collins and disappeared out of sight. It took Mr. Collins a few minutes to realize that Elizabeth was gone. All that was heard now, was Mr. Collins shouting "cousin Elizabeth, where are you? I sincerely hope you didn't get lost.". Mr. Collins wasn't that much acquainted with the gardens as Lady Catherine had said. He didn't feel like getting lost as well, and since he was still near the entrance, he left the maze, still shouting for Elizabeth. Meanwhile Elizabeth had stopped running, for she was out of breath. She had to contain herself not to burst out laughing, for fear it might be overheard by Mr. Collins. The last thing she wanted now, was to be discovered. She was alone at last, or so she thought…

Mr. Darcy had often run to the maze as a child, to escape his aunt and her insisting on his making a conversation with cousin Anne. In the maze he could be alone, no one would find him in there. Lady Catherine had often remarked to her sister, Mrs. Darcy, that her son had very odd habits.

"You have to be more strict on the boy, or he will grow wild. Why, my little Anne has never hidden herself in the maze!"

Mrs. Darcy could only reply that it is normal for children to play, and that she encouraged Fitzwilliam to play as much outside as possible. George Darcy shared the same opinion as his wife on the matter. He had often considered planting a maze on the Pemberley grounds. There was one particular spot not too far from the rose garden, where a maze would be very nice indeed. Unfortunately, for young Fitzwilliam Darcy, by the time the hedges had grown high enough as to be able to hide in the maze, he had grown old too and was in no need for hiding. Georgiana on the contrary thoroughly enjoyed the maze, her father had planted.

Now Mr. Darcy was again in need to escape his aunt, and not merely that; he needed to sort out his feelings, he was in great need for some solitary reflections. He walked around the gardens and soon the maze came in view. The maze… he thought, it's been a long time since I've walked there. He remembered a little bench at the center of the labyrinth, there he could be alone. As he walked through the maze towards the center, he was reflecting on how his attachment to miss Bennet had grown so strong. He could hardly resist following her on her walks, just to catch a glimpse of her, and then he wouldn't speak a word. He supposed she was at Hunsford now, probably staying with Mrs. Collins, since she wasn't feeling too well. Or maybe, she's on one of her long rambles along the countryside, or maybe… What has happened to me? Why should I care what she's doing right now? His reverie was interrupted by someone, the all-too familiar voice of Mr. Collins, shouting for the very woman that was occupying his thoughts. Curious, and slightly concerned for Lizzy's safety, he kept walking. It was not long before he could hear some giggling approaching him.

Part Two

It was now clear to Mr. Darcy, that the person approaching him was Miss Bennet, her face covered with a big smile. The smile soon faded as she became aware of Darcy's presence. They were both standing in the centre of the rose maze. She was mortified. "Why is he here?" she thought "Why, of all people, has it to be that irritating Mr. Darcy to discover me? Why can't I never be alone?

"Mr. Darcy!" was all she could utter.

"Miss Bennet! It seems our paths cross again," he replied with a smile. He had often walked into her on one of her solitary rambles, but then it was mostly on purpose. This time, the meeting was completely by chance. He was again captivated by the sight before him.

Elizabeth, sensing his gaze, turned away, wanting to leave the place immediately. But she was held back by Darcy saying, "Miss Bennet, you're walking the wrong direction. You should go right instead of left."

"Surely, Mr. Darcy, I can find my way back if I just take the same path where I came from."

"Perhaps you didn't take the shortest way. Not so very surprising for one not so well acquainted with the maze," Darcy replied "Let me guide you back- I'm sure Mr. Collins is wondering where you are."

"Mr. Collins is perfectly aware I'm in here, I don't think he'll be looking for me any further!" Elizabeth replied a little annoyed "And the actual purpose of the maze would get lost, if you were to show me the right way."

"If you wish, we might get lost together," Darcy thought, a mischievous smile appearing on his face. Elizabeth had no clue as to Darcy's thoughts. She didn't feel like him accompanying her. All she wanted was to be alone. So she came up with an idea:

"Why don't we make a game of it? I'm sure I'll be able to find my way back by turning left, why don't you go right, and we'll see who makes it to the exit first."

"Playing a game with Elizabeth!" Darcy thought, "a nice way to spend the afternoon, indeed." He readily agreed to the plan, and so they parted. Darcy knew exactly which way to go, but he felt like teasing Elizabeth a little more, for she was walking the complete wrong way- as she was about to discover for herself. She walked left and right and then back again, searching for her way out, but alas. She breathed heavily as she was running through the rose shaped maze. Darcy was very silent, he could hear her footsteps and her breathing. He tried to figure out ways to run into her now and then. He succeeded several times, once when they were back again at the centre, then in several blind alleys. Elizabeth was annoyed and bemused at the same time- that he, who knew the maze so well, could still get lost in it. Every time their paths crossed, their eyes instantly met. They didn't say a word. They just parted again, each in the opposite direction. One time, Elizabeth didn't see him coming, so she actually bumped into him. Darcy could feel Elizabeth so close- for that one second he could smell her soft hair. He wanted to hold her right there, but Elizabeth quickly withdrew.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I was so occupied in figuring out which way I should go, that I didn't see you."

"No apologies are necessary, Miss Bennet." He recovered her hat, that she had accidentally dropped when bumping into him.

Elizabeth accepted her hat and continued her walk. She wanted to turn right, but soon saw that it was coming to a dead end. There was no other option then but to walk along with Mr. Darcy for a short while. The paths were too small to walk next to each other, so Elizabeth walked in front. Darcy was getting really incensed with the sight before him. There she was, walking in front of him, her soft curls bouncing on her neck. She was as beautiful as ever, and he was bewitched by her like never before. He had seriously considered proposing to her, but the thought of her low connections - and her mother - refrained him from ever expressing his desires and courting her. But now, he had to admit to himself that his attachment to her had grown so strong as to render all these objections insignificant. He had walked to the maze with the purpose of sorting out his feelings, and he had come to the solution that his love for her was so overwhelming that he couldn't imagine a life without her.

Elizabeth was now turning right. He was about to follow her, but then remembered that he had to go left to keep the competition running. He was now thinking of when would be the best time of expressing his love. "Maybe, if I leave the maze right now and wait for her at the exit… But no- what if I should let her win? Then she might be more positively inclined towards me and in better spirits. Yes, I will let her win." He walked on, constantly taking the wrong direction. Suddenly he heard someone call his name, it was Mr. Collins standing on the bridge over looking the maze.

"You have to go to the right, Mr. Darcy! You're walking in completely the wrong direction! My cousin has nearly left the maze! You had better stayed with her."

Darcy turned right, but not because Mr. Collins had told him so. He had just heard Elizabeth crying , "I've made it! I've won!" so he now decided to head towards the exit as soon as possible.

When he finally got there, he saw that Mr. Collins had already joined Elizabeth. Elizabeth was sending him a triumphant look, but was soon again occupied by Mr. Collins. Darcy now approached them, and then the trio headed back to the house.

"Mr. Darcy," Mr. Collins began, "Thank you so much for finding my dear cousin. From what your dear Aunt has told me, you've walked in the maze quite often as a child. I'm sure you are quite attached to Rosings."

Suddenly Mr. Collins realised that he had left his walking stick on the bridge and excused himself from their company for a few moments, so he could fetch it. Seeing Elizabeth's relief at Mr. Collins leaving her side for a second, Darcy suddenly understood her reason for running in the maze.

"So, Miss Bennet," Darcy said with a wicked grin, "Did you get lost in the maze on purpose, to escape Mr. Collins constant chatter?"

"As much as you did, sir. Surely you know the maze all too well, having played in it so often as a child. I can't imagine you losing your way in it. You let me win, didn't you?" She raised her eyebrows archly.

He could only reply to this with a smile. Elizabeth was puzzled. "Why would he let her win? Maybe Charlotte was right after all - Mr. Darcy did look at her a great deal. She now remembered how he looked at her a few minutes earlier, when she had bumped into him. But no, this would not do. I'm sure he dislikes me as much as he dislikes the rest of my family," she thought.

Mr. and Mrs. Darcy strolled around Pemberley grounds. They had only been married for one week, and Darcy had been eager to show his bride all the beautiful spots of his fine estate.

"Didn't you tell me one day, dearest, that your father had planted a maze, when you were about 10 years old?" Lizzy asked.

"Indeed, he did! It's near the rose garden. Lets go there now."

"Do you remember the game we played in the maze at Rosings? Little did I suspect then why you let me win!"

"I remember it as if were yesterday. I was as much in love with you as ever. It was not long after that, that I made you that dreadful first proposal."

They were now near the entrance of the maze.

"Well," said Lizzy "I've never entered this maze in my entire life, so I will certainly get lost. You know every inch of it, so I don't think it would be a fair game, now would it?"

"I could let you win again, dearest" Darcy smiled, "but now, I'd rather stay in your company. You can lead all the way, and I promise I won't laugh at every mistake you make."

And so they walked through it together.

God knows what they were doing now.

The End