He had taken off his coat and rolled up his shirtsleeves, and even in the cool air he was perspiring enough for his loose white shirt to cling to his muscular chest. He swung the axe high before bringing it down on a fallen cedar, severing a thick branch from the trunk. He wiped some sweat from his brow before taking another swing, cutting loose a thick piece of the branch. He tossed it to Mr. Tilney, who was similarly attired.
Mr. Tilney placed the log atop the tree stump and began to raise his own axe to chop the wood, when he looked up and saw the ladies. His axe thudded to the ground, and he gave a sheepish laugh as he waved at them. “Have you come to help us cut wood?”
“Why, no, but I should like to try it,” Miss Morland said. When they came to join Mr. Tilney, she picked up the axe and tested the weight of it in her hand. She took a reckless swing, lodging the axe a few inches into the wood, and gave up with a self-deprecating laugh. “Well, so much for that.”
“A valiant first attempt,” Mr. Tilney said with a crooked grin. “Miss Bennet, would you like a try?”
“What a morning of frights this is proving to be,” Elizabeth said with a laugh.
Mr. Darcy retrieved his coat from where he had draped it over the side of a cart, which he and Mr. Tilney had already piled high with wood. “Mr. Tilney found himself short of an extrahand to chop firewood, and I was in some want of an occupation this morning,” he said as he joined them.
Elizabeth could not help feeling a little pity for his evident mortification, and yet she managed to enjoy it a little. Better this than relishing the sight of him less formally attired. She supposed that whatever secret the general held over him must be causing him no little frustration, and he had been in want of an outlet. She rather felt the same way herself, vexed as she was at her uncle’s avoidance.
“We wanted to get out in the sunshine for a while, before we must be confined to our rooms when your father arrives,” Miss Morland said.
Mr. Tilney nodded gravely. “I must do what I must,” he sighed. And then he seemed to shake off his dread, and beamed at them. “I know! You ought to invite some of the other ladies to your private parlor, make an entertainment of it. You can play cards or whatever it is ladies do – gossip about how handsome your host is, I should hope. I will have some refreshments sent up, discreetly. Miss Smith, perhaps, and Miss Woodhouse. Her aunt Lady Susan seems agreeable, too, and is about Lady Allen’s age.”
Miss Morland clapped her hands and gave a little bounce of excitement. “Oh, what fun! Miss Smith did seem very nice, and I am sure the others are, if you say so.”
“And you ought to know, I suppose,” Elizabeth mused. “You know the secrets of your guests, and must have your reasons for your particular recommendations.”
Mr. Tilney gave a wry laugh and shook his head. “Not all of them, I assure you. I found a dozen dossiers in my father’s study, and I had not read half when I could go no further. I did not intend for my omission to speak so loudly, but I intend tobe more circumspect. My intention has ever been to restore the privacy of everybody whose secrets have been wielded against them… save for perhaps one who ought to be given over to the magistrate along with my father.”
Miss Morland gasped, and Elizabeth raised her brows. She wondered if this might explain why he had not recommended the company of Mrs. Rushworth or Miss Denham. What sordid secrets might he have discovered, to be too disgusted to read any further?
Again Mr. Tilney swiftly roused himself from this unpleasant reverie. “I say, perhaps you ought to do the same, Darcy, for the other gentlemen, have a little soirée in your apartments. I think you are in the Green Suite, it is large and one of the most modern.”
Mr. Darcy looked as though he would rather sink into the earth than entertain strangers. Elizabeth laughed. “My uncle may wish that distinction himself, for he is always fond of company.” She bit back a barb about how he was avoidinghercompany, and then caught Mr. Darcy’s eye. He smiled gratefully at her.
“Well, I believe we have chopped more than enough wood, Darcy,” Mr. Tilney said. “Shall we beguile the ladies a while longer, and then make our way to breakfast?”
Mr. Darcy again looked uncomfortable, as if aware that he was no more likely to beguile anybody than to sprout wings and take flight. Elizabeth hardly knew why she felt compelled to ease his embarrassment, and convinced herself that she only took his arm to allow Miss Morland the company of Mr. Tilney.
They walked in silence for a few minutes as Mr. Tilney guided Miss Morland alongside the slow-moving cart of wood,the pair a fair distance ahead of their companions, and then Mr. Darcy observed, “I hope your family is in good health.”
“They are,” Elizabeth replied. Her natural inclination might have led her to elaborate, but she had been merciful enough already.
“And the Bingleys are quite content at Netherfield?”
“Since Miss Bingley’s departure for London with the Hursts, they have no complaints about the house, nor the neighborhood,” she said archly, surveying his face for any trace of censure.
“I should be astonished if Bingley ever complained of anything,” Mr. Darcy mused, his lips curving upward on one side.
“Then my sister has found an ideal husband, since not every gentleman might wed into such a family without any qualms at all.” She stared up at him, daring him to give voice to the disdain she knew he held for her relations.
“Your sister’s disposition seems well suited to my determinedly cheerful friend; I daresayyoushould not be half so content with a husband so naturally disposed to agree with everything and everyone.”
“Oh, yes, anything but an agreeable man for me,” Elizabeth said with a burst of startled laughter. “I see you mean to take Mr. Tilney’s advice, and beguile me most assiduously.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled fully thisadvice andthe glow of morning sun rendered his countenance softer somehow. “I ought to have made a better start of it by apologizing for being such poor company at dinner last evening.”
“You gave me no particular offenselast night,” Elizabeth said.
“I sought you out to ease my discomfort amongst strangers; you are open and gregarious amongst new acquaintance, and seemed eager to know our companions. I ought to have delighted you as any of them might have done.”
“Oh, I never expected that of you,” Elizabeth said. When the mirth drained from his face, Elizabeth regretted her remark. After such talk as this, the proud man might never deign to give another apology again.
“Given the strange circumstances of our gathering, and Mr. Tilney’s plans gone awry, I doubt any of us were a credit to ourselves last night,” she said encouragingly.
