Four
“Cousin Elizabeth, I trust you have taken Lady Catherine’s reproaches to heart and will amend your habits,” Mr. Collins said at breakfast.
“Unfortunately, as much as I respect her ladyship’s opinion, I cannot do that. I woke up with a terrible headache, and the only palliation is a little exercise out of doors. Hopefully, Lady Catherine will not find out.”
“My dear, just as you like to work in the garden, Eliza enjoys walking. It is the same. I see no harm in it,” Charlotte interjected.
“My dear Charlotte, I beg to differ. It is not the same! Lady Catherine approves of me working in the garden, but she does not approve of my cousin’s habit of walking.”
“Let us indulge Lizzy for as long as she stays with us. She will leave soon, and each of us will return to our old habits.”
Mr. Collins agreed reluctantly, and Elizabeth marvelled at Charlotte’s patience in handling her husband. It was a daunting task, but likely the reward of a peaceful household was enough for Charlotte.
When she left the house, Elizabeth was undecided about her direction. Eventually, she took the path towards the children’s cottage, hoping Mr. Darcy would be there. Besides her desire to talk to him, she missed the little ones.
As she walked, she found herself wondering about the supposed engagement between Mr. Darcy and Miss Anne de Bourgh. Last evening at dinner she had observed both of them with much more interest than on previous occasions. She had not noticed a single gesture, a single word, or a single glance of connection between the two. Miss de Bourgh had spent most ofher time talking to her companion and to Charlotte, without any attempt to involve Mr. Darcy — unlike Miss Caroline Bingley had done at Netherfield.
As for Mr. Darcy, he seemed indifferent to his cousin. The lack of feelings between them was so obvious that Elizabeth pitied them if they were to actually marry.
Halfway to her destination, she heard the sound of hoofs and recognised Mr. Darcy approaching. He dismounted when he reached her, and strangely, her heart began to beat faster at seeing him, and she assumed it was due to their unresolved conflict.
“Miss Bennet!”
“Mr. Darcy! I was hoping to meet you, sir.”
“And I you. I want to apologise for—”
“Oh no, it is I who owe you an apology for all the unfair accusations I threw at you. I have no excuse for being such a simpleton.”
“Do not be too hard on yourself. Wickham has deceived many people, several of them older and more experienced than you, who had more opportunities to see his true character yet still failed.”
“The failure of others is no excuse for my foolishness. But I thank you for your forgiveness.”
“I am sorry if my response was too strong… I should have been calmer…”
“I understand…I am grateful that you trusted me enough to share the truth.”
“Since we last spoke, I have reflected deeply upon the entire situation. I should have revealed the truth to Colonel Forster and warned him. I should wager that by now Wickham has already run up debts with his fellow officers and probably many tradespeople too.”
“I cannot form an opinion on this matter, sir. If the circumstances were different, I would say that perhaps he deserves another chance — perhaps he is willing to change and improve himself. However, I have no arguments to support such an assumption.”
“That is why I would rather inform only his colonel, not everyone. The colonel will know to watch him and to take proper measures if required. In the meantime, forgive me if I sound presumptuous, but I would like to suggest you write to your father and advise him not to allow your younger sisters to be in Wickham’s company. He is not to be trusted.”
She needed a moment to understand, then her cheeks flushed. “Oh…dear Lord, surely he would not dare…”
“Wickham would dare to do anything for his own benefit or his own entertainment,” Mr. Darcy said with gravity. “Young, innocent girls like your sisters would never guess his deceptive nature.”
“I agree…I did not see the danger before as I never saw any partiality for them on Mr. Wickham’s side.”
“I heard his partiality lay towards you,” he said in a low voice, surprising Elizabeth. “I mean…I was told that,” he continued. “I admit, I was astonished, as he usually does not favour clever, witty ladies.”
Elizabeth looked at him, puzzled, wondering who had told him such a thing and why he was even interested. At his last words, she began to laugh.
“Well, then he was only acting in his usual way since I am neither clever nor witty.”
Mr. Darcy smiled back as they continued to walk together.
“Mr. Darcy, I do not wish to abuse your patience, but there is something else I wanted to ask you.”
