Elizabeth’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, my!”
“Yes; there, are you not glad that I told you?”
“I suppose I am, as that is the most entertainment I have had all day,” Elizabeth laughed.
“Poor Miss Bingley, though,” kind Jane said.
Elizabeth snorted. “Poor Miss Bingley should get a bit of sense into that thick red head of hers. It is obvious, Jane, painfully obvious, that he has no interest in her at all. She goes on and on about London and her friends and how stylish she is, and he is all but rolling his eyes at her.”
“We are all fools in love, are we not?”
Elizabeth scoffed. “She does not love him; if she did, she would be more attentive to his moods. She may love his income;nowthatI would believe. Oh, but I neglected to tell you that there is another visitor here.”
“Indeed?”
“Yes; a cousin of Mr. Darcy’s; his name is Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam.”
“A Colonel! In a red coat?”
“He was not wearing it, but I imagine that he has one, yes.”
“What is he like?”
“Oh, very gentlemanly, indeed. I was seated between Mr. Hurst and the Colonel at dinner, and the Colonel and I had a most interesting discussion.”
“And, of course, Mr. Hurst said not a word,” Jane guessed.
“You are correct. No, wait, I believe he did ask me to pass him a dish at one point; does that count?”
“As conversation? No.”
“But it at least proves he has the power of speech,” Elizabeth said. “Which, until tonight, I was beginning to doubt.”
***
After Elizabeth left the library, Mr. Darcy resumed his position on the sofa and stared at the ceiling. Had he truly asked to call on Miss Elizabeth? Yes; he had. And he was sufficiently self-aware to know that before this – thisincident– of Georgiana’s, he would never have done so. Pride in his family name would have prevented him from making any overtures whatsoever to a country girl, no matter how enticing her figure, how bewitching her eyes, how fascinating her conversation…he stopped himself. He was, he thought, becoming maudlin.
Colonel Fitzwilliam interrupted his musings. “There you are.”
“Here I am,” Mr. Darcy said, agreeably.
“So – Miss Elizabeth. I am right, am I not?”
“I have asked if I might call on her.”
“You did what?!”
“You heard me.”
“You are calling on a country girl? You, the master of Pemberly, are calling on a country girl? Do not mistake me, I think that is absolutely the right decision. I am simply – well, surprised does not quite cover it.”
Mr. Darcy looked somber. “Oddly, Georgiana’s disaster has freed me from being so concerned about the family name. After that newspaper article, the Darcy name is already on everyone’s lips. I think before this I could not have acted on my interest in Miss Elizabeth.”
“Well, I suppose some good has come of it all, then, if the Darcy pride has been laid to rest.”
“More like turned entirely to ashes. Richard, I tell you, being at Pemberley was like being in a graveyard. Every room in the house seemed to remind me of my failure. If I must live there – and I suppose I must – then I have to find a way to bring something new into my life. Miss Elizabeth suggests that I focus on my own character and behaviour instead of taking pride in a family name.”
“I see that Miss Elizabeth is helping you to feel better, but I hope that is not the sole reason for your interest in her. She deserves better than that.”
