Kitty blinked. “English, please.”
“She wanted the present to answer a question,” Mary said, and then appeared almost surprised at her insight. “And when it didn’t, the question got louder.”
Elizabeth stared into her wine. The truth of that rang uncomfortably loud. “You know what? Maybe.”
Jane nodded. “That was well done, Mary.”
Mary smiled.
“They’reheadphones!” Lydia exploded, throwing her hands up so dramatically that she nearly took out a table lamp.
“Shh!” Elizabeth glanced back in the direction ofCharles’s study.
Lydia lowered her voice. “For Christmas! What’s next, a rainbow feather duster for Valentine’s Day instead of flowers? A nice sensible filing cabinet for your birthday?”
“A subscription to an organisational app for your anniversary?” Kitty added.
“Ooh, or a time management seminar,” Mary chimed in, temporarily forgetting her brilliant deduction. “I’d love one of those.”
“A self-help book about productivity,” Jane added, and they all turned to stare at her again.
“Jane!” Elizabeth gasped. “You’re supposed to be on my side!”
Jane looked abashed. “Sorry. Iamon your side.”
Lydia was undeterred. “Look, if a man isn’t bringing sparkly things, he can at least bring tickets to something iconic. Or the perfume everyone on TikTok keeps drooling over.”
“I told you.” Elizabeth tried to sound as though it was nothing. “We’ve only been together three months.”
“Exactly,” Kitty said. “Prime time for gestures that say ‘I’m wildly into you, please admire my taste.’ Not . . . office supplies.”
“It’snotoffice supplies.” Elizabeth insisted. “He always listens. I just hoped that . . . I don’t know.” It didn’t make any sense. She pressed the heel of her hand to her brow. “And now it’s like Mary said. I can’t tell whether I’m upset about the headphones or that he didn’t understand why they bothered me.”
Jane tipped her head to one side. “And why don’t you just ask?”
Elizabeth hesitated. The room felt very warm. “What if I bring it up and it knocks the whole thing sideways? What if I’m reading the tea leaves wrong? What if I ask for more and find out he doesn’t want thesamemore?” She tried to laugh. “What if I’m just—” She broke off, hunting for the shape of it. “Out of my league?”
Everyone was quiet for a moment. Elizabeth was grateful no one rushed in to tell her that her fear was ridiculous. Because it wasn’t.
Kitty nudged Elizabeth’s knee with her toe. “Do you like him?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said. "I like him quite a bit."
“Does he like you?” Lydia pressed.
“He acts like he does,” Elizabeth replied.
“Then maybe the topic isn’t ‘Why didn’t I get earrings,’” Jane said. “Maybe it’s ‘Why did I need earrings tobelievewhat I alreadyknow.’”
Kitty wrinkled her nose. “What’s that?”
“I think Elizabeth is just feeling a little insecure about the difference between her social position and Darcy’s.”
Elizabeth stared at her. “Sometimes I hate that you’re a therapist.”
Lydia huffed. “Fine. But for the record, I remain anti-headphone as a concept.”
“Wereyou hoping that his present to you would tell you where you stand with him?” Kitty asked.
