“Never more so.”
“Your mother will – well, I truly cannot even imagine what Aunt Eleanor would say to such a union!”
“I suspect we will soon find out.”
“But – but why?”
Mr. Fitzwilliam turned to face Mr. Darcy. “You, of all people, ask me why?”
“Of all people? I have no idea what you are on about, Reginald, truly!”
“Well, just that I am in love with Miss Lucas. I thought you would understand, given that you are in love yourself.” Mr. Fitzwilliam stared at Mr. Darcy reproachfully.
“You are in love with Charlotte Lucas?” Mr. Darcy was astonished.
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“That I am in love?”
“Yes.”
“The usual signs, of course.”
“Which are?”
“My heart speeds up when I see her. Her voice is music. When our hands touch – ah, you did not see that, did you, Darcy! – then my skin tingles. The classic symptoms of love.” His voice was everything calm and rational.
Mr. Darcy shook his head in bewilderment. “Reggie, these are mere romantic fancies, dreamt up by young ladies with little else to think about!”
“They most certainly are not. Heavens, Darcy, what happened to your classical education? Did Plato not describe love as a divine transcendence that leads the soul to a climb towards truth and beauty? Did he not say that each of us was born with four arms, four legs and two faces, and Zeus split us in two, so that we might spend our lives searching for our other halves? And you wrote to Georgiana, telling her of your own symptoms, did you not?”
Mr. Darcy buried his face in his hands. So Georgianahadwritten to Aunt Eleanor!
Mr. Fitzwilliam’s next words confirmed it. “She then wrote to my mother, who not being classically educated and therefore not having a proper understanding of being in love, became quite alarmed and sent me here. And a good thing, too, as it enabled me to meet my future wife.” With that summary, Mr. Fitzwilliam leaned back, smiling beatifically. Then he added, “Tomorrow I shall visit her again.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
When the gentlemen finally departed, the ladies sat in silence. When Elizabeth began to laugh, the others joined in, and soon all three were laughing heartily.
“Well!” said Lady Lucas. “I think that was the very oddest social call I have ever experienced!”
Elizabeth added, “Mr. Darcy said that he never before saw his cousin speak so with a young lady. Truly, Charlotte, I think you have made a conquest!”
Charlotte shook her head. “Eliza, you must know as well as I that his parents would never permit such a marriage.”
“And why not, I should like to know?” Lady Lucas put in, heatedly. “Are you not the daughter of a knight?”
Charlotte bit her lip. “The eldest son of an Earl may look a good deal higher than the daughter of a knight, particularly one who is already on the shelf and has no dowry.”
“But he is quite odd, is he not, Charlotte? The young ladies of thetonmay not have the patience that you have with such a gentleman,” Elizabeth said. “Which is likely why he favours you so.”
“I do not think him odd,” Charlotte said, softly. “He is actually quite sweet.”
“Which you must admit is odd in a gentleman,” Elizabeth said, grinning at her friend.
“Make a joke of it if you wish, Eliza,” Charlotte replied. “I like him quite well, and wish that we were more equals.”
