He did ask, more than once, after her parents. And then again, even after she had answered. His gaze often looked towards her, and though he was attentive to his sister's needs as well, and it was clear that he worried for her behavior in some respect, though Elizabeth could hardly guess why.
As the course of the visit wore on Mr. Darcy became generally silent, while Elizabeth engaged Miss Darcy in conversation, and Colonel Fitzwilliam turned his attention chiefly towards Charlotte and her sister Maria.
Darcy watched her.
Inscrutable, impenetrable, impossible man.
She wished she could lean close enough to just smell him.
Fifteen minutes saw the proper time for a call end, and Darcy at least had kept an awareness of the passage of time, nearly on the moment he glanced at his watch and told Miss Darcy that they must leave.
And just when the girl was beginning to loosen, and actually speak more than a whole sentence at a time in reply to Elizabeth’s questions.
With blushes and promises of seeing each other soon again, Elizabeth genially parted from Miss Darcy, with a silent shake of the hand she parted from Mr. Darcy, and with a roll of the eye, and a jovial, “You look very well, the spring rains agree withyouas much as with flowers, Miss Elizabeth — pay no attention to Darcy. He is being remarkably thick tongued today,” Colonel Fitzwilliam laughed and took the last parting.
As soon as they were gone, Elizabeth groaned, ground her teeth together, sighed and slouched onto the sofa.
He must be wholly without interest in her.
None at all.
He had merely called to convince himself that her beauty was of no particular interest, and with that conviction confirmed she would see little of him during their remaining stay.
“Well, it was certainly not as a compliment tomethat they called so early after arriving,” Charlotte said.
“I have no notion of what you speak,” Elizabeth replied a little airily. “Are my eyes particularly horrid? Horrible black bags under the lashes? I did not take any care with my face this morning.”
Her friend laughed. “You look as beautiful as the spring dew.”
Elizabeth made a disgusted face. “Like a fat round droplet of water?”
“Preciselyhow I intended the metaphor, I congratulate you upon finding the insult within the compliment.”
Laughingly Charlotte ducked as Elizabeth pretended to throw a pillow at her with embroidered red stitching that said,Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
“I had wondered what Colonel Fitzwilliam meant,” Charlotte added, “when he compared you to the spring rains.”
“Mr. Darcy did not compare me toanything.”
“Ah, and his silence is the principle way through which he shows his disapproval. You are an excellent reasoner.Anothergirl might find some compliment in his coming immediately upon his arrival, and bringing his sister with him to be introduced. But not my Elizabeth!”
“If he meant any friendliness, why did he remain so silent? Why leave so soon? And why so quiet? — you can hardly answer such a question. Am I particularly out of looks today?”
“Oh, certainly.”
Elizabeth glared.
Charlotte replied with a bubbly voice, “You have already found insult in my compliment upon your appearance, I expected you then to see compliment in its deprecation.”
“Oh, asking you is useless!”
Elizabeth set forth soon after for a long ramble in the woods and park, particularly enjoying an oak grove that over arched the pathway, and where she had enjoyed the thickening green upon the trees in its progress week by week. There were subtle differences in the ways of spring here at Rosings in Kent from Longbourn, or the town easily accessible to the metropolis where her school had been, or to how it appeared in Manchester. Each day Elizabeth found ample delights in her walks.
A walk of two hours was required for her to wholly settle her feelings, and Elizabeth was glad now. She would be able to easily meet him on Thursday as an indifferent acquaintance, and there would be no awkwardness on either part then.
She was glad, rather than saddened by the apparent extinction of hisamour, and, she thought, a little resentfully, that his feelings could not have been so strong as he had said if they could not survive her clear refusal of his hand, Caroline’s behavior, and the absence of four months.
However, as Elizabeth returned to the parsonage the footman from Rosings arrived with a note: They were to dine with her Ladyship on the morrow in addition to on Thursday.
