“You seemed quite taken aback by the idea of dining with Lady Catherine’s nephews.”
“Oh! No, I was just surprised.”
“You know, we all thought you rather liked Mr. Darcy,” Mary continued.
“We? We who?”
“Well, all of us. Jane, Kitty, Lydia. It was all we could do to keep Lydia from teasing you about it.”
“I thank you for your efforts on my behalf; I would not have appreciated being teased. But you recall, I am certain, Papa warning us that Mr. Darcy was not to be regarded as a suitor.”
“I do recall, yes; but you could still like him.”
“Of course I like him; he is an estimable gentleman in every way.”
Mary sighed. “I cannot force a confidence, Lizzy, but you have my full support in every way.”
“Thank you, Mary. I think now I should like to take a walk; does Lady Catherine object to my taking a turn in her shrubberies?”
“No; I told her it was likely that you would do a good deal of walking, and begged her not to be alarmed if a petite, dark-haired young lady was to be found wandering about. But it is still rather wet, though the rain has stopped.”
“I shall dress for the weather. Thank you, Mary.”
Elizabeth went to her room, changed her slippers for half-boots, put on her light pelisse and bonnet, and went outside to order her thoughts. She would like to see Mr. Darcy, of course; and Colonel Fitzwilliam was everything delightful. She would be polite, but nothing more. She would give no indication whatsoever that she had feelings, that she had dreams, that she once even had hopes…
After a long, though rather damp, walk, she returned to the parsonage and began a letter to her sister.
Dear Jane,
Mary is just as content as her many letters have led us to believe. She has a cozy, comfortable home and a lovely garden, kept tidy by her husband. She looks better than ever before, Jane; marriage clearly agrees with her.
As for Mr. Collins, he is more tolerable here than he was at Longbourn. Married life seems to have improved him as much as it has Mary. The two of them are as much an advertisement for married life as you and your Mr. Bingley!
You will not believe this, I think, but Mr. Darcy is here. He is visiting his aunt, who you will recall is Mr. Collins’ patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. To think I came here in order to exorcise him from my thoughts, only to find him here! It seems rather unfair, does it not?
We are invited to Rosings for dinner, and doubtless Mr. Darcy will be there. Jane, I must protect my heart. I will be polite, though I will converse with him as little as possible; surely he can expect nothing more.
I will write again tomorrow.
Your loving sister,
Lizzy
After finishing the letter, Elizabeth lay on her bed and considered her situation. She had deliberately not gone to London in order to avoid the possibility of seeing Mr. Darcy; now, here in Kent, where she thought she could be safe, she would not only have to see him, but actually dine with him! Why had the fates conspired so against her? She felt tears trembling on her lashes.
Then she sat up and dashed them away. No, she thought, I shall not give in to this misery! I am not made for unhappiness. When my month here is up, I shall ask Papa to take me to London. The Gardiners will help me find someone else, someone else with dark hair, dark eyes, elegant manners… someone who is intelligent, well-read… yes, someone who is like Mr. Darcy, but less prideful.
Chapter Fifty-Two
The following day, Mr. Darcy felt it necessary to speak to Anne privately; he had intended to write to her after his blunt letter to Lady Catherine stating that he would never marry Anne, but he had not managed to do so.
He found her in the drawing room, sitting beside Mrs. Jenkinson. He considered asking Mrs. Jenkinson to leave the room, but there was a risk that she would immediately run to Lady Catherine and declare that a proposal was being issued, so he decided to let her remain.
“Anne, may we speak for a few minutes?”
Anne, who had been staring into the fire, turned to her cousin. “Of course, Fitzwilliam.”
“Anne, last year I received a rather direct letter from your mother, demanding that we marry as soon as may be. I replied equally directly, saying that I would not marry you. I feel I mustapologise for having expressed myself so strongly and perhaps rudely.”
