She felt Mr Ash crawl onto the bed and curl up next to her, and she stroked him until he began purring. What would happen to him? Very likely Mr Darcy would ask her to return him to his sister. He had not said as much, but that would be the honourable way to end the story.
A while later, another knock startled her.
“Lizzy, dearest, you fell asleep after all. I hope you feel better.”
“A little bit, yes.”
“Lydia and Kitty went to Meryton. Mr Collins accompanied them.”
“Good.”
“Lizzy, is something wrong, dearest? You have not been yourself lately. Are you ill?”
“No, not at all,” she replied, smiling reassuringly at her worried sister. “I am perfectly well. I just found out somethingmost extraordinary, but please, do not share it with anyone yet. And I mean anyone — not even your Mr Bingley.”
“Lizzy, do not tease me! Tell me what has happened.”
“It turns out that Mr Ash is Miss Darcy’s lost cat, Milo.” The brief statement left Jane confused and speechless, just as Elizabeth had expected. She requested an explanation, and Elizabeth revealed to her sister all the details of the discovery.
“Dear Lizzy, this is an extraordinary coincidence,” Jane stated at the end.
“Those are the exact words that Mr Darcy and I kept using.”
“So what will happen now?”
“I am not certain. He said he trusted I would continue to take good care of Mr Ash. And that he would inform Miss Darcy.”
“Poor Miss Darcy will be so happy with the news! But she might want her cat back.”
“She might. If that is the case, I shall ask to see how Mr Ash reconciles with her. I shall not just give him away, regardless of how tragic his loss was.”
“But Lizzy, did Mr Darcy not know who might have done such a horrible thing?”
“He seemed shocked, and then he suddenly left. He said he had urgent business to attend to. I am not certain what he suspects and what will happen.”
“Lizzy, may I ask…did Mr Darcy come specifically to talk to you?”
“Yes,” she admitted after a brief hesitation. “But he is certainly not my suitor. Such an assumption is ridiculous.”
“You should not be upset by Lydia’s jokes, Lizzy.”
“I might not be, but Mr Darcy would certainly not take such mockery as a joke. And Mr Collins was there to hear it — what could be more embarrassing?”
Even Jane’s attempts failed to comfort Elizabeth, but she continued to try until Mary came to inform them that Mr Bingley was in the drawing room and Mrs Bennet had asked for Jane.
The two of them went down together, Elizabeth’s heart racing restlessly, expecting to see Mr Darcy. But his friend was alone. Greetings were exchanged, and the guest said, “Mr Bennet, Darcy asked me to pass you this note. He had to return to London urgently on some pressing matter. Oh, and Miss Elizabeth, he asked me to tell you to send Mr Ash his regards. I have to say, I never imagined Darcy to be so fond of animals.”
Mr Bennet took the note, while Elizabeth, feeling unsteady on her feet, sat. He had left? But only a few hours ago he had said he would call on them. What urgent matter could have changed his plans so suddenly?
“Mr Darcy’s note said I can keep the books until he returns and that he will bring me some more from his library,” Mr Bennet said with a large, satisfied smile. Elizabeth was still in a perturbed state of mind, but even so, she understood Mr Darcy had clearly indicated his intention to return. Whether he had done so for her father’s sake or hers, she did not dare assume.
For the rest of the day, Elizabeth blamed a headache and spent her time in her chamber, thinking about Mr Darcy, failing to draw a clear image of his character or to make sense of his actions.
Over the next few days, Elizabeth and Jane visited their friend Charlotte Lucas on two occasions, and each time Mr Collins accompanied them. He and Sir William seemed to have become good friends, which gave both Elizabeth and Mr Bennet somewell-deserved relief. On one visit, the officers were also there, and Mr Wickham seemed exceedingly pleased to see Elizabeth. He asked permission to sit next to her, which she reluctantly agreed to.
After a neutral beginning to the conversation, he said, “I hear Darcy left Hertfordshire unexpectedly. I wonder if my presence pushed him away. Do you happen to know the reason, Miss Bennet?”
“How could I know, sir? Mr Darcy’s affairs are completely unknown to me.”
