Darcy moved to allow Mrs Cooper to enter the room. He bowed politely, eliciting a thrilled little grin from the middle-aged nurse by his gentlemanly attention and that winsome dimple. Elizabeth smiled privately. She catalogued it as yet another insight into Mr Darcy that she had not expected—he was unfailingly polite to everyone in her household, treating all with respectful dignity and even friendliness. She began to imagine that his own staff might regard him very highly. It would be a telling caricature of the man, she decided. Who would know his qualities and flaws better than they?
In some wonder, she watched as he helped Mrs Cooper settle into one of the chairs, solicitously taking her tray and placing it near her for her convenience. Mrs Cooper beamed, catching Elizabeth’s eye. It was clear that Mr Darcy had won her good opinion by his simple gestures. Elizabeth sighed and shook her head in cheerful resignation. Tally one more of her confidantes, swayed to Darcy’s favour.
Chapter 19
ElizabethandMrDarcyexcused themselves downstairs and made for the library, which doubled as a study for Mr Bennet. Elizabeth led the way, leaving Darcy free to admire her floating, graceful form as she descended before him.
At the bottom of the stairs, they were greeted by an inarticulate plinking on the pianoforte. The racket was dreadfully spine-shivering. Darcy did his best to conceal a shudder when a particularly sour note rang out. Elizabeth turned to him in embarrassment. “Lydia is taking lessons with Aunt this morning,” she explained uncomfortably.
He schooled his expression and gave a curt nod, happy to have gained the solitude of the library. Even there, they could not fully escape the distracting clamour, as they could not in all propriety shut the door. At least the great plenitude of Mr Bennet’s bookshelves insulated the room somewhat and dulled the noise from outside. Elizabeth began to show him to the desk and some papers she had drawn out for their conference.
“Oh! My dearest Lydia, you are doing splendidly!” Mrs Bennet screeched from the drawing-room across the hall. Elizabeth cringed, peeking at Darcy. “Oh, my sweetest sister, is she not talented? I always said, Dearest Lydia, you could do just marvellously at anything you tried!” Mrs Gardiner’s demure reply was barely audible. Elizabeth’s lips thinned, and she reached for the sheaf of ledger paper on her father’s desk.
They had no success here at conversation. Elizabeth peeped at him in humiliated torment. Darcy twisted his mouth into a firm line as he studied the documents she showed him, doing his best to appear unconcerned with the din from the drawing-room. Elizabeth could not help a sympathetic smile. His efforts at nonchalance were valiant, but the tension in his shoulders was too obvious—at least, it was to her.
Elizabeth had called for a refreshment tray to be brought in so that they might have the excuse of avoiding the midday meal when it was served. Some generous spirit within her wished to avoid subjecting Darcy to her entire family for a formal luncheon. Her gesture was not unappreciated. The relief in his face was palpable, though he strove mightily to conceal it. Both affected an air of indifference as they worked right through the late morning.
Darcy scanned the pages quickly, digesting another man’s private financial matters as though they were his own concerns. Once or twice, he glanced up to Elizabeth’s face. He read her embarrassment at laying her family’s affairs open before him and met her eyes with complete gentleness. He needed her to trust him! Surely if he could gain her confidence here, where the evidence of their differences was so pronounced, he might have success in other areas as well.
At length, he cleared his throat and spoke. “It would appear that Mr Brown has been a steady and reliable tenant for many years up until this last one.” A sour note clanged again on the piano, causing both to flinch and Darcy to lose his train of thought. How gratefully he had left behind him those early days of Georgiana’s tutelage!
Elizabeth nodded emphatically, drawing his attention back to the subject at hand. “He is a good man, Mr Darcy,” she replied with iron in her voice, as if daring him to contradict her. “He is honourable and very wise. Papa thinks highly of him.”
“Yes, I understand,” he assured her. “However, you are unfortunately correct that his rent is seriously in arrears. It is doubtful he should ever in his lifetime be able to repay what is owed.” He paused, watching her carefully. “It is, of course, your father’s prerogative to attempt to collect on the debt or to make other arrangements. So far, I gather that Mr Bennet has chosen to allow time for Mr Brown’s injuries to heal in hopes that he will be able to retain the farm next year. Is that correct?”
Elizabeth nodded quietly. She fingered another ledger, biting her lip. “I fear your assessment is more generous to my father’s planning than is warranted. In truth, I believe he was merely trying to delay the inevitable. None of us wishes to see any harm befall the family,” she finished lowly.
“Hmm...” he stroked his lip as he surveyed another ledger sheet. His eyes narrowed and traced down the page again and again. Elizabeth did not fail to notice his sudden interest and raised a curious brow.
He returned his gaze to hers. “You do realize, Miss Bennet, that the matter cannot simply be allowed to slide. The lack of repayment may be overlooked by your father, but in the long run, it is a substantial blow to the prosperity of Longbourn... one which, as heir, Mr Collins would be within his rights to prosecute... even years from now,” he added quickly.
Elizabeth stared in shock. “I had not considered that!”
“May I?” he queried, gesturing toward another sheaf of papers. Mutely she passed them over and watched in fascination as he flipped back and forth through the pages. He seemed to be looking for something in particular, but as yet, he was not telling her what it was.
As he was reading, there sounded a small tapping on the opened door of the study. The eyes of both turned to the sound. Kitty and Jane stood sheepishly in the doorway, sewing baskets in hand. “Lizzy, I am so sorry to interrupt, but might we join you in the study?” Jane was pleading. The pianoforte hammered once more for emphasis.
Sliding her gaze to Darcy, who looked quickly back to the ledgers, Elizabeth nodded. “At least now we can close the door!” she muttered under her breath. The gentleman beside her bit back a chortle, his eyes flashing to hers in sympathy. As Kitty and Jane settled into a window seat, Elizabeth remained awkwardly near the desk. Darcy withdrew into silence once more, seemingly uncomfortable with their audience.
Elizabeth had begun to regret granting her sisters entry when he spoke abruptly. “Miss Elizabeth, would it be possible to meet this Mr Brown? I have a particular question which I should like to have answered.”
She blinked in surprise. “I suppose it is. I expect he is at home.” Privately she wondered what he could have in mind, but she sensed he would not say more until he had the information he sought.
With a bow to her sisters, Darcy moved to the door and held it for her, his warm gaze lingering on her face as she followed him through. She could sense without even looking the giddy nudges and giggles shared by her sisters as they quit the room.
“MissDarcyisnotat home? Nonsense! I shall set that girl right. She cannot refuse to see me! I am almost the nearest relation she has, and I am entitled to call upon her whenever I see fit!” Lady Catherine swept by the stoic butler, who managed to position himself artfully enough that he appeared forbidding without actually requiring the lady to push him out of the way.
“Yes, my lady,” Drake commented neutrally. What she believed her rights and entitlements to be was not his business. He had already received particular instructions regarding this relative of his master’s, and it suited his purposes that she should enter the house of her own accord.
Lady Catherine descended upon a nearby footman, bloodshot eyes blazing and a fleck of spittle forming at the corners of her wrinkled mouth. “Miss de Bourgh requires assistance! What worthless staff you have here! I shall speak to my nephew directly.” The young man could not have been flung out the front door more violently if she had dealt him a physical blow. The sheer force of her ire was more than sufficient. He scrambled to the carriage outside to do the noble woman’s bidding.
Lady Catherine strode confidently to the music room. No matter that the house was virtually silent. Georgiana ought rightly to have been practising at this time of the day and was surely only waiting to receive her guest so she could begin a new piece after performing the requisite protocols. The room, however, was quite empty save for a very surprised housemaid with a dusting rag.
The august personage stood in mute astonishment for a moment. With some sense of imperious denial, her gaze swept the shadows behind the bookcases and even peered round the corners of the sofas before she had satisfied herself that her niece was truly not present. She whirled to face the butler when he appeared discretely behind her. “This is not to be borne! Send up for my niece immediately!”
Drake inclined his head. “As your ladyship must remember, Miss Darcy is away at present.”
“Lies! She cannot be away. My nephew wrote to me specifically not a fortnight ago and said my niece was to remain here through the holidays! Wait until my nephew hears of yourdisgracefulconduct!”
