If that was his intention, the opportunity had passed.
She had prevented it.
The realization troubled her less than it might have done. She had no desire to hear him. The decision had been her own, and she felt no regret.
Curiosity persisted.
Why such persistence?
Why such determination to correct a fault he had committed with so little apparent concern at the time?
Elizabeth continued along the path.
A gentleman, she reflected, ought to possess good manners and a character worthy of them. One without the other was a deficiency difficult to overlook.
Mr. Darcy possessed the former.
The latter remained uncertain.
He was, she admitted, a handsome man.
The acknowledgment came without enthusiasm, but it was undeniably true. His appearance had not escaped notice, either at the assembly or at Lucas Lodge. Others had remarked upon it, and she herself had observed as much.
Handsome. Reserved.
Proud. Inconsistent.
Elizabeth smothered a sigh.
A gentleman might be handsome and still disagreeable.
He might be attentive one moment and dismissive the next.
He might attempt to repair an offense he had no business committing.
The contradiction did not recommend him.
The first drop of rain fell.
It hit the path before her, leaving a mark that darkened the surface for an instant before being absorbed. Another followed. The clouds had gathered more closely than she had realized. The air, already heavy, shifted as the rain began in earnest—light at first, then steady.
She turned toward the house.
The walk back was brief, though the rain increased before she reached the door. By the time Elizabeth stepped inside, its sound was unmistakable as it fell against the roof, the windows, and the ground beyond.
Mrs. Bennet had been correct.
The carriage would indeed be necessary.
Elizabeth removed her gloves and set them aside, pausing shortly in the hall.
The morning had not settled her thoughts.
It had, however, brought them into sharper focus.
Mr. Darcy remained a subject of consideration, though certainly not of favor.
His recent conduct had not outweighed his earlier words.
