They covered a multitude of subjects. She informed him that her favorite color was blue. She loved the sky,bluebells, robins’ eggs, clear lakes, and berries. She laughed when he told her his favorite color was brown since, to her, it was not a real color.
“Of course, brown is a true color. My horse is brown, and he is my favorite, as was my dog when I was growing up. Rich soil, my father’s dressing gown that he wore until it was threadbare and Mother made him toss it in the fire, brown-shelled eggs, juicy roasted venison, corn, wheat, and oats just before harvest, bacon, peat, and manure are all brown. Every shade of brown is an exceptional hue.”
“Manure?” Her nose scrunched as if smelling something foul.
“Do recall that I am a farmer. Your father would know its value.”
“He does.” Her eyes widened slightly with recognition.
He chuckled at her expression. “Your eyes are a lovely shade of brown.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widened as her face softened. “Well, then, I cannot fault you anymore, can I?”
“You cannot.”
Their conversation continued, covering a variety of topics, including canvassing the sort of person they always planned to marry.
Elizabeth teased. “From the first moment I saw you, Mr. Darcy, I knew you were the last man I could ever be prevailed upon to meet at the altar.”
That she so easily recalled the Meryton assembly disappointed him. “Ah, the slight.” Darcy thought they had put that horrible event behind them.
“Not at all.” She was quick to reassure him. “This has nothing at all to do with your words on the day of yourarrival. Rather, I am speaking of your physical appearance.”
Now, he was insulted. Under normal circumstances, he looked forward to her displays of sparkling wit. This was…well, he was affronted. “My appearance? I do not mean to sound vain, but I have been told by several ladies that I am handsome.”
She giggled. “Nay, sir, you misunderstand me. From the moment you handed your hat to the waiting footman at the inn in Meryton, I realized that you have far too much hair for me to marry you.”
“Too much?” He was proud of the thickness of his hair. Many men his age already had receding hairlines, like Bingley. Even Wickham’s forehead was growing bare on the top.
She sighed heavily. “My mane is so thick that our maid despairs of having enough water to rinse the soap out. Imagine a child having a combination of your hair and mine. He or she would hate us for life each time their maid or valet attempted to constrain their mop into order.”
What a relief!He laughed. “Is there anything else?”
“Why, yes, now that you mention it. Do you realize how much taller you are than me? I would get a crick in my neck and always need to be on my toes for any displays of affection.” She blushed delightfully. “And what would that do for a tall man’s posture? His shoulders would droop before their time.”
He straightened to his full height. “Anything else?”
“Of course. I would never marry so handsome a man as you. Other ladies would envy me and pity him for being bound to someone who is merely tolerable.”
He winced.
“My confidence could not bear it. And suppose your feet are big. Muddy footprints everywhere! No, I intend to marry a plain, bald, short man with delicate feet who cherishes his thick-haired, prettyish, petite wife.”
Darcy had not laughed that loud…well, he could not recall the last time he laughed so heartily.
“And what of you?” she asked, failing to appear offended.
After only a moment’s thought, he said, “I would never wed a quiet woman. The silence would be deafening.”
“Was your pun intended?” Elizabeth chuckled. “What else, for surely the great Mr. Darcy has strict requirements for the companion of his future life?”
“Companion of my future life? Wherever did you hear such an expression? It is something my aunt Catherine would say.”
She snorted. “My father received a letter from his ridiculous cousin, who is Longbourn’s heir. The man apparently is fond of adverbs, although he was scanty by comparison in the portion where he states his intention to select a bride from my sisters and I.”
“He wrote what?” Darcy was completely baffled. He stepped closer to her. “What did your father say?”
Miss Elizabeth avoided his question and his gaze.
