“Then he mocked Mr. Bingley after he had.”
“Mocked?” Elizabeth questioned with much skepticism. “A man who leapt into icy water to help his friend would not be eager to mock.”
“Mocked may be harsh,” Jane admitted, “but once Mr. Bingley came to stand, the Colonel pointed at him and laughed. Loudly.”
Fighting her amusement with only momentary success, Elizabeth’s laughter bubbled up, her eyes cutting to Mary who slowly began to join in.
Arms crossed, Jane huffed as she glanced between them.
“Remember at harvest time,” Mary chuckled as she turned toward Elizabeth, “how I fell in the mud? We both laughed and laughed once the worry and shock of it all wore away.”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said as she at last stilled her laughter, though the grin she bore stretched wide. “I remember. I also remember how upset Jane was that you entered the kitchen covered in mud and… you know.” Facing Jane Elizabeth softened her tone, “Is it all so bad that you would condemn the friend of the man you wish to defend? If sisters can find folly and humour in one another’s falls, why would close friends not do the same? Men, after all, tease one another far more than women do.”
“He did not mean any harm,” Mary said softly, her gaze hopeful as she turned toward Jane.
“He did not,” Jane agreed, a faint lift to her lips following as she drew deeper into her chair. “And I admit I see where he might have found humour in the situation; though I think he ought to have waited until Mr. Bingley laughed before doing so.”
“So, Mr. Bingley did find it amusing in the end?”
“He did,” she admitted with a nod, “though I did not.”
“No,” Mary agreed. “Though I am certain I saw a curl to your lips when you viewed him splattered with mud.”
“Dressed in mud is more like it,” Jane chuckled. “It covered him from head to toe… how a man can appear so handsome drenched as he was, I do not know?”
“Handsome you say?” Elizabeth teased. “Well, I know who you will want to sit by at dinner.”
Blinking rapidly, Jane’s face reddened. “I… that is… I.”
“I see. Well, I shall do my best to see it done. What of you, Mary? Any gentleman you wish to be seated by?”
The sound of the gong reverberating through the household, Mary shot up and toward the door; Elizabeth’s suspicions confirmed.
“We ought not be late,” Mary remarked as she hurried through the doorway.
Two sisters smitten?Elizabeth laughed to herself, a frown forming as Jane followed after Mary.Two.
With Kitty all but married and now this, it would not be long before Lydia and she were left alone. Not that their sisters’ newfound attractions would necessarily lead to matrimony. Both finding husbands at a house party seemed unlikely. The Bennet sisters were not exactly catches–no wealth to speak of or great family connections.
No. Two matches would be unlikely. But one? Unfortunately, that sounded far from improbable. Much too far.
∞∞∞
Coming round the corner to the dining room, Elizabeth chanced to see Lady Charmane in one of the smaller rooms of the grand house, the ajar door as close to an invitation she would find.
Knocking on the doorframe, Elizabeth waited until the Countess met her gaze before stepping inside.
“Lady Charmane,” Elizabeth began as she came to stand before her. “My sisters and I were surprised at our invitation. The missive we had from our Aunt Gardiner hinted at an acquaintance between our late mother, Mrs. Fanny Bennet, and yourself, though you can well guess that only offered up more questions.”
“Indeed, that could puzzle even one as discerning as yourself,” Lady Charmane said, her gaze flicking toward the doorway. “A pity we must hurry to sup; a good hostess ought never leave her guests waiting.”
Opening her mouth to object, Elizabeth watched the Countess dart from the room like the dogs at a hunt.Now she had more questions than before–not the least of which involved the eccentric Lady Charmane.
Huffing, Elizabeth left the empty space and made her way to the long, crowded table in the dining room, the sight of a space between Mr. Darcy and Lord Brayburn smoothing her features.A place elsewhere might have been enough to send her to her bed.
Standing, Mr. Darcy greeted her with a smile. “Miss Elizabeth, please, sit here. I hope the end of your afternoon proved quieter and more agreeable than the first?”
“It did, Mr. Darcy. Though not as pleasing as the start of my day; I am very fond of walking.”
