“I know that this is the accepted practice among the aristocracy, Miss Bennet, and my parents would have been happy to do so. But I could not rest easy, knowing that I had been placed above other men in battle simply because of my birth.”
“I honour you for that,” Mrs. Bennet contributed. “I have never heard of anyone else doing such a thing.”
“No, nor I,” Jane agreed, thoughtfully. “You have an elder brother, then?”
“Yes; he is Edward, named after our father, but he is also the Viscount Huxley.”
“I hope he is married with sons, so as to assure your family’s succession,” Jane said, politely.
“He is, indeed, Miss Bennet. He has two sons, both of whom would be spoiled rotten if my mother had her way.”
“That is the right of every grandmother,” Mrs. Bennet said, nodding her head. “If we are forced to discipline our own children in order to raise them properly, then we ought to beallowed to spoil our grandchildren as much as we wish. Not that I have yet had the opportunity to do so myself, Colonel,” she added, with a meaningful look at Jane.
Jane blushed, but ignored her parent. “Have you any other siblings, Colonel?”
“No, Miss Bennet; it is just Edward and myself. And even had I other siblings, I would never allow them to interfere in my life.”
“I know that you refer to Mr. Bingley,” Jane said, surprised at how steady her voice was.
“I do. I like the man, so I will say no more.” He then turned to Mrs. Bennet and enquired after the rest of the family.
“Lizzy is in the garden now, as you know, but she spent the morning helping her father with his translations. The younger girls are visiting Mariah Lucas,” she explained.
“Translations?” he asked.
Mrs. Bennet shrugged. “I do not understand it at all; you explain it, Jane.”
Jane smiled. “My father is translating some works of Chaucer from Middle English into modern English.”
“And your sister is aiding him?”
“She is; Lizzy is of a scholarly bent, as is our Papa.”
“She and Darcy would do well together, then, as it is only the need to manage his estates that keeps him from his beloved books.”
“Papa is exactly the same, but I am not certain that the management of the estate actuallydoeskeep him from his books.”
The Colonel threw his head back and laughed heartily. At that moment, Jane decided that he was a very handsome man indeed.
“Tell me about yourself, Miss Bennet. I am eager to know you, and your family as well.”
***
As they walked in the garden, ostensibly chaperoned by Miss Mary – whose head was buried in her bible – Mr. Darcy asked, “How did you manage to learn Middle English? Your father mentioned it, you recall.”
“I think one can learn anything one chooses; there are certainly books enough to teach everything and anything.”
“Surely your father has not let you read the Wife of Bath’s tale? Or the Miller’s Tale! Or the Reeve’s Tale!” He recalled Canterbury Tales being the subject of much interest among the young men at school, and not for academic reasons.
“Of course not,” she said.
Mr. Darcy could see that she was trying not to laugh. “What is it?”
“I dare not tell you.”
“I know you well enough now to hazard a guess,” he replied.
“Very well; guess away!”
