Page 71 of His Pride and His Prejudice

When Colonel Fitzwilliam joined him, Elliot smiled, expecting that Darcy had sent his cousin for company and pleased all over again at such consideration. “I did not know that you ever walked this way!”

“I haven’t before today,” the colonel said. “But I thought to make a tour of the park as I generally do every year and intend to close it with a call at the parsonage. Are you going much farther?”

“No, my walk is almost complete,” Elliot said. “But I will accompany you on the remainder of yours so we can finish at the parsonage together.”

Colonel Fitzwilliam nodded at that, and they continued their tour of the park, walking past a small group of deer and then a number of plump hares.

“Wildlife abounds today,” the colonel said.

“Indeed,” Elliot replied. “Mr. Darcy and I have been keeping a count of them, and they are numerous this spring.”

“Darcy is on an errand for Lady Catherine this morning.”

“I am aware.”

“She is keen to make as much use of us as she can before we depart.”

Darcy had not spoken about a date of departure, but Elliot realised then that he could hardly spend forever at Rosings! “When do you leave?” he asked.

“We were meant to have left earlier in the week,” Colonel Fitzwilliam replied. “But Darcy has delayed our departure for the moment. I am at his disposal. He arranges the business just as he pleases.”

Elliot grinned. “I sense Mr. Darcy likes to have things his own way.”

“You are correct. He likes to have his own way very well,” replied Colonel Fitzwilliam. “But we all do. It is only that he has better means of having it than many others, because he is rich, and many others are poor. I speak feelingly. A younger son, you know,” he continued with a dramatic sigh, “must be inured to self-denial and dependence.”

“In my opinion, the younger son of an earl can know very little of either,” Elliot said. “Now seriously, what have you ever known of self-denial and dependence? When have you been prevented by want of money from going wherever you chose, or procuring anything you had a fancy for?”

“I cannot say that I have experienced many hardships of that nature,” Colonel Fitzwilliam replied with a laugh. “Darcy would not allow for it. But in matters of greater weight, I may suffer. Younger sons cannot mate where they like. The expectation is a marriage of ranks.”

“An alpha or a beta?” Elliot said and Colonel Fitzwilliam nodded.

“Not least because omegas rarely have money!” he replied. “Our habits of expense make us too dependent, and there aren’t too many in my rank of life who can afford to marry without some attention to money.”

“And pray, what is the usual price of the younger son of such an alpha?” Elliot asked teasingly. “Unless the elder brother is very sickly, I suppose you would not ask above fifty thousand pounds.”

He answered in the same style, “At least!”

They laughed together and continued on. Before long they were approaching the parsonage and Colonel Fitzwilliam would join them for some tea, he and Charlie having established a friendship over this last week.

“It has been an invigorating week,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said. “I am indebted to Darcy for inviting me along with him. I am rarely brave enough to spend time with Lady Catherine alone!”

“I imagine your cousin brought you down with him chiefly for the sake of having someone at his disposal!” Elliot said, teasing once more. “I wonder he does not mate, to secure a lasting convenience of that kind!”

“It would be a very fortunate man indeed to receive Darcy’s attentions,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said. “He is exceedingly popular in our circles, and there have been many an alpha or a beta who have tried to snare him.”

“They have not succeeded.”

“Nor will they until the right one comes along. Darcy has no need to mate. His rank and fortune are his alone. He will do so only when it is the fated one.”

Elliot’s heart gave a thump at those words. “Darcy believes in such a thing?”

“Don’t we all?” Colonel Fitzwilliam asked.

“I do not know,” Elliot replied truthfully, the parsonage now in view.

“Darcy does,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said. “Though he has not spoken to me of it, I am sure he does. Why else would he recently have interceded on behalf of his dear friend, Mr. Bingley?”

And thumped again. “Mr. Bingley?”

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