Mr Collins gave another awkward chuckle. “My apologies, Mr Darcy. I have been rattling on. Lizzy is forever reminding me to stop every now and again and let other people speak. A few weeks away from her, and I have become quite a barbarian, as you see.”
“Not at all.”
What else could Darcy say? Presently, he longed for a reason to retreat. He needed to contemplate how the cousins acted towards each other. For his peace of mind, Darcy could not like it, but surely if he had a few minutes to reflect, he would realise he was letting anxiety cloud his reason.
“You were saying you met with someone who has a living you might find suitable?” Darcy asked.
“Yes, yes, I did. I could wish it were closer to Longbourn, but it is nottoofar, is it, Lizzy? Visiting between there and here would not be impossible?”
To Darcy, her answering smile was uneasy, and she lowered her eyes, which was unusual for her.
“Not that I expect to always have the means or time for myself and my wife, and any children God is so kind as to grant us, to travel the fifty miles or whatever it is exactly between here and there, but, still, I take some comfort in recalling that the living could have been where coming back to Longbourn, or welcoming our dear family, would be very difficult. But I do not know exactly how to I ought to feel about it. Lizzy will sort me out,” Mr Collins said, again alluding to his cousin’s power to assist him.
Shortly afterwards, their trio broke apart, and Darcy was relieved to have an excuse to separate from Mr Collins. Equally, if not more, he was glad to step away from Miss Elizabeth. Darcy felt discomposed, and an acute disappointment made him wish for solitude.
No!he silently insisted.I amnotunderstanding their connexion properly. I am certain of it.
Not long before the guests departed, Darcy stood to the side of the room, his gaze on Miss Elizabeth. Mr Collins was, once again, beside her, and they spoke to two of the Lucases. He sensed someone approach; glancing to the left, he saw it was Miss Bingley.
“Miss Elizabeth seems particularly pleased to have her cousin here.”
The muscles in Darcy’s neck tightened. “I imagine she is. They have been friends for more than a decade.”
“Oh, it is rather more than that.”
She spoke with such confidence, even a touch of amusement, that he turned away from his study to face her.
“I do not take your meaning.”
There was a brief pause before Miss Bingley lowered her voice and said, “You must have heard Mrs Bennet speak of Mr Collins marrying one of his cousins. A reliable source informed me it is the two of them who will make a match of it.”
It felt like a slap across the face. “Who told you that?”
Cheeks colouring, she examined the flowers on a nearby table. “I do not like to say, but I have no reason not to believe them. Everything gives truth to it. Naturally, Mr and Mrs Bennet intend for him to marry one of their girls and secure the estate to their family. Who better than Miss Elizabeth since, as you said, they are such good friends. It takes very little to go from friends to…something more. Would you not agree?”
Darcy’s eyes flew back to Elizabeth. He remembered the way she had obviously touched her cousin’s arm, silently directing him when he began to rattle on and other times during the evening when Darcy had been uncomfortable about the interaction between the pair. With Miss Bingley’s words—No! Shemustbe mistaken. In a case such as Miss Elizabeth and Mr Collins’s, the opposite would be true. They were so firmly friends, cousins, brother and sister that seeing the other as a lover would be impossible. Besides, in the weeks since Darcy had met her, and in all the conversations they had shared, the lady had given no hint her affections were engaged.
I do not believe it.Nothingwill convince me otherwise.
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
Caroline sat in front of her dressing table mirror, preparing for breakfast. It was the morning after dining at Longbourn and meeting Mr Collins. Her maid stood behind her, adjusting Caroline’s curls, until Caroline shooed her away and took on fixing, really fussing over, her hair herself. She had to make it perfect for Mr Darcy.
She let out an exasperated breath. Given the rain that morning, he should have already seen her appearance, but he was keeping to his rooms either reading a book so dull anyone else would fall asleep after less than a page or writing to his sister yet again. Every time Caroline had seen her, the girl had little enough to say for herself. They could have no reason to write each other so frequently. Really, if Georgiana Darcy did not have thirty thousand and an earl for an uncle, she would be nothing! Caroline would rectify that once they were sisters-in-law. Even if Miss Darcy was never as lively and sociable as Caroline would wish, by the time Charles married her, she would be a pleasant companion to him, no matter how much effort it cost Caroline. She did not want her brother to be miserable in his marriage, despite not choosing his wife because he was madly in love with her.
The consequence of Mr Darcy’s inattention was that it gave Caroline more than an hour to grow dissatisfied with her appearance. Changing her gown and redoing her hair restored a small portion of her equanimity.
Reflecting on the dinner party at Longbourn, her expression became pinched. Seeing it in the mirror, she ran her hands over her face until the muscles eased. At first, Miss Elizabeth had been occupied by others and was thus prevented from clinging to Mr Darcy.Thatwas satisfying, but then, as soon as he entered the drawing room after dinner, what did he do? He went straight toher!
“Mr Darcy had best take care. He is hardly hiding his interest in the chit. I suppose one who does not know him as I do might mistake his manner as simply that of a friend, butIknow better,” she whispered to her reflection.
“Oh, but how could I have said what I did about Miss Eliza and that cousin of hers?”
It had been impetuous. No one had told her they were destined for the altar, but she had wanted to damagethat girlin Mr Darcy’s eyes and help him to remember himself. He was Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley, and someone like Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn was utterly, completely unsuitable to be his wife. Caroline had worked too hard these last three years to convince himshewas the one he should marry. She would not permit Miss Eliza to ruin all her plans.
Ten minutes later, she was at the breakfast table, sitting across from Mr Darcy. Neither they nor Bingley spoke of the previous evening. Caroline chose to take it as a sign that Mr Darcy believed her slight bending of the truth. She certainly had no interest in mentioning anything to do with the Bennets, not only because of Mr Darcy, but for her brother as well. His flirting with Miss Bennet was rapidly becoming out of control. He failed to heed her warnings that what he could do in town was not acceptable in the country, and she was worried he would find himself in a difficult position if he was not careful.
Towards the end of the meal, Mr Darcy said, “You have not mentioned a date by which you expect your sister and Hurst. Will it be soon?”
