“And we will be sorry to have missed him, as we shall not stay long,” Mr. Darcy replied. “But we are delighted at the prospect of hearing more about Meryton from you and Miss Bennet. I am certain to visit Bingley at his estate – Netherfield, is it? – sometime soon.”
“Indeed, he spoke of you often, Mr. Darcy,” Mrs. Collins replied. “He counts on you to advise him as to the purchase of Netherfield.”
“And how far is Netherfield from the Bennet home?” Mr. Darcy asked.
“Three miles,” Mrs. Collins and Miss Bennet answered in unison.
Mrs. Collins laughed. “Eliza here has walked it often enough!”
“Are you a good walker, then?” the Colonel asked.
Mrs. Collins answered for her. “Eliza cannot get enough of the outdoors!”
Elizabeth blushed. “Be fair, Charlotte. I spend a good deal of time indoors, as a young lady must, but I think exercise beneficial for everyone.”
Mr. Darcy nodded. “I agree completely; too many young ladies seem afraid to venture out of doors.”
Elizabeth replied, “We young ladies are told that our complexions must be perfectly white; in order to gain such perfect skin, we must avoid the sun as if it were a mortal enemy. You will note that my complexion is not perfectly white and it is even a bit freckled, much to the dismay of my mother.”
Both gentlemen protested vigorously at the notion that there was anything lacking in Miss Bennet’s visage, until the lady in question, blushing rosily, begged them to stop.
***
As they walked back to Rosings, Mr. Darcy asked his cousin the question that had nagged at him since seeing him laughing with Miss Bennet at Lady Catherine’s table. “Are you interested in Miss Bennet, Richard?”
“I like her very much!”
“Do you think her pretty?”
“Very pretty, and intelligent, as well. Darcy, do youwantme to be interested in her?”
Mr. Darcy frowned at his cousin. “No.”
The Colonel laughed. “That is what I suspected.”
“Richard, I cannot marry Anne.” Mr. Darcy spoke with great determination.
“Of course you cannot, Darcy; no one should ever have expected it of you.”
***
Mr. Collins stood hidden in the shrubberies and watched as Mr. Darcy and the Colonel left the parsonage. Once they were safely away, he walked into his home, brow furrowed.
“Why were Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam here?” he asked his wife immediately.
“And good afternoon to you as well, Mr. Collins!” was her spirited response.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Collins. Very well, I shall enquire again: why were Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam here?”
“They came upon Eliza on a walk and escorted her back to the parsonage.”
“And then left immediately?”
“Of course not, Mr. Collins. They are the nephews of our patroness; are you suggesting that I should not have offered them refreshments?”
“They accepted the refreshments and then left?”
“Yes, exactly.”
