Becky smiled back.“Are you certain, ma’am, that you do not wish to require them to wait yet a little longer — always does a gentleman good to wait a while for a woman.Reminds him of his proper place in the world.”
Elizabeth laughed.“Ah, but I think Mr.Darcy can never forget his proper place in the world.”
The maid snorted, and then resettled her face in an expression of servantly decorum.She curtsied with her intelligent eyes sparkling with humor and opened the door.As chance occurred, Mr.Darcy and General Fitzwilliam both stood there already.
Darcy had been pacing back and forth, while General Fitzwilliam, who Elizabeth noted did look a little similar to hisothercousin, lounged against the wall with a look of amused relaxation as he watched Darcy.
The two gentlemen snapped to attention as soon as the door was open.Becky curtsied to them and announced, “Mrs.Benoit is ready to receive visitors.”
The two filed into the room, and bowed to her.
Elizabeth with her dimples said, “I apologize for not rising to curtsey, but I yet am rather weak from my recent illness.”
General Fitzwilliam chuckled as he pulled forward one of the other seats in the room and sat.“Mrs.Benoit, eh?I must congratulate you on your recent marriage.”
“Yes,” Elizabeth laughed.“The suddenness with which I found myself named a married woman surprisedmeas well.Would it shock you terribly if I confess I cannot recall the ceremony?”
“My cousin Lord Lachglass.Damned man — I apologize for my language, but I despise him to the bottom of my heart.He is like a wild dog — I confess we have a slight similarity in appearance, I know that such can often trigger unpleasant memories in one who has been attacked.”
“I do not mind seeing you in the slightest,” Elizabeth replied with a friendly smile, “but I suspect that our mutual friend would not enjoy seeing my sister Kitty’s face, for she is the most similar in appearance to me.”
“Is she similar to you also in character?Since your recent marriage removes my chance to pursueyou, I must settle elsewhere.”
“Alas,” Elizabeth grinned back, remembering how easily Colonel Fitzwilliam, when hewasColonel instead of General Fitzwilliam, could banter and set her at her ease, “I am given to understand that Mr.Benoit is deceased.So while I am yet, Ithink,in mourning, your pursuit hassomehope of success.”
“Jove, Richard,” Darcy exclaimed, “wait till she has fully recovered to flirt.”
Elizabeth laughed merrily, and winked at Darcy, who flushed a little.
The dear man was jealous.
General Fitzwilliam laughed.“I think I may have a competitor for your affections who is a little taller, in person and rents, than me.”
“Not hisonlyvirtues,” Elizabeth exclaimed, smiling warmly at Darcy.
Darcy noticeably brightened at her saying that.
Without having consciously decided to, she was definitely encouraging him.
“Did you know we had a visitor this morning?”General Fitzwilliam said with a frown.
Elizabeth blanched.“That was the noise beneath?I heard something, but could not make out any of it and fell back asleep.”
“My cousin happened upon a letter which our somewhat incautious Mr.Darcy once wrote to you.”
“Lord!I had forgotten.”Elizabeth closed her eyes.“I always buried the letter in the bottom of my trunk.I — my apologies.Mr.Darcy, I know there is information in those pages you do not want in general circulation.I ought have burned the letter soon as I’d digested the words, but… I liked having the pages as an object of some sentiment.”
“In honest truth?You liked keeping it near you?”Darcy replied with a deeply interested smile.“In truth?”
“In honest truth.”
“I would not then, no matter the consequence, have wished you to remove such a token from your possession.”
Elizabeth smiled back into his beautiful, deep eyes.
“I see that I am outmatched,” General Fitzwilliam drawled.“But this means we need you out of England, and quickly.That at least is my view.”
“You think he shall be back?”Darcy said to his cousin in an anxious voice.“But—”
