She gave a short laugh. “Ah, yes. Miss Bingley remarked several times that I am a great walker. Have you seen much of her in London?”
Hearing what he thought was sharpness in her tone, he looked at her, but then decided it was nothing. “Not frequently, no. You would enjoy exploring new places, ones with greater variety. The north—such as near my estate in Derbyshire—would interest you. I suppose you have read about the Lakes and Scotland and more. Would you like to see them yourself?”
Her response was slow in coming. “I have, yes, and I would. Whether I ever shall have that privilege, who is to say?”
I am.He was glad she appreciated the difficulty of his position, because of course what she was truly asking was whether he would ever be able to propose and take her, his beloved wife, on trips to such regions.
“I do customarily walk every morning at about this hour,” she continued. “This path, and the one through the copse, are particular favourites.” She pointed to the left, which Darcy took as her showing him which nearby woods she had been referring to. He knew the one as surely as he knew her true purpose in supplying the information. She was telling him when and where he might find her; she was inviting him to join her! His heart sang, and he felt like he was floating several inches above the ground.
They spoke about travel books for a short while, which brought them back to her stay in the neighbourhood.
“As I said earlier, if I could go to more of the places I have read about, I would be well pleased,” Miss Elizabeth said. “For now, I content myself with being here, just as I am happy when I am in London with my uncle and aunt and little cousins. Sometimes a change is good for one, even if the change is not…spectacular. You might not appreciate it as much as I do, since I imagine you travel frequently, to stay with friends and family, if nothing else.”
“That is true, though I much prefer being at Pemberley or my town house. Yet, I have obligations, such as coming here.” Briefly, Darcy considered that, if she was his wife, she would stay at the manor, which would make the prospect of such sojourns far less daunting. “You would find it agreeable to stay near the parsonage. You might spend time with Mrs Collins.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I was thinking of Rosings,” he said, still half lost in his day-dream and what the future might bring. “My aunt should not have suggested you go to Mrs Jenkinson’s chamber to practise the pianoforte. If you wish more time at the instrument, I would ensure it was in a more comfortable room. But I suppose you will depart soon enough, and it will not matter this year. Beside the instrument in the drawing room, there should still be one in the old music room.”
He paused. “I am certain there was yet another. Whenever she could, my mother played the pianoforte for hours every day, and I know she passed a great deal of our time here in that pursuit. She liked little better than music, and as a boy, I would sit with her. It was near the guest chambers, I believe. We shall need to search for it, perhaps make it a room for your use alone.”
Miss Elizabeth stumbled over her words, which was unlike her. It drew his attention, allowing him to shake off his reflective mood. He realised he was not entirely surewhathe had said, and sought clues in her speech.
“I assure you, sir, I took no affront to Lady Catherine’s offer. I am aware that I do not practise the pianoforte as much as I should, but I am content to occupy my time while in the neighbourhood on other activities, especially being with Charlotte. She is why I am here, after all.”
“Naturally.” That afternoon,he would seek out the other instruments—just out of curiosity. With the question in his mind, he was interested to see where they were placed, and if those rooms needed refreshing in anticipation of someone wishing to use them. Georgiana might, and there was always the possibility that Miss Elizabeth…
As they continued to walk in silence for a while, Darcy observed her, relishing the peace that came with being near her. They had long since reached the stream and presently were on another path that would soon see them go in opposite directions, him to Rosings manor and her the parsonage. Another day, he might go with her to call on the Collinses, but as much as he wanted the additional time with Miss Elizabeth, he required a period alone to review the many thoughts racing through his mind.
Yet, since they still had several minutes together, he should not waste the opportunity to understand her better, to determine how well she might fit into his life. “Have you attended many concerts or the theatre? I am aware there are occasionally performances in Meryton, but they cannot compare to those in London or a more significant town.”
“That might be true, but I have greatly enjoyed those I have seen, and I am grateful for the effort expended to make them diverting. Why do you not tell me about your favourite performances, sir?”
Darcy was a little surprised by her question, but supposed she might like to know more about him. After all, she was hoping, perhaps increasingly expecting, him to make her anoffer of marriage, especially after this morning. He took a moment to consider what would be most instructive before answering.
CHAPTER FIVE
Darcy took a slow tour of the drawing room. He was with his relations, awaiting the party from the parsonage, who were coming to dinner. Earlier, Fitzwilliam had remarked how pleased it made him.
“The hours seem much shorter when they are here, do they not?” his cousin had asked him. “Please, I implore you, tell me we are leaving Kent soon! I have had about as much of being here as I can bear.”
Darcy knew he could not delay their departure much longer, but he did not want to go while Elizabeth remained in the neighbourhood. He mumbled a response, and reflected that, as much as his family often vexed him, he loved and respected them, and trusted they felt the same for him. It made him especially glad, because he had decided to marry Elizabeth Bennet. Fitzwilliam would welcome her as a new cousin, and even Lady Catherine would accept their marriage, once she overcame her disappointment that he had not chosen Anne.
Darcy had encountered Elizabeth—he could no longer think of her as Miss Elizabeth—every morning for the past week, apart from the day rain kept everyone at home. Twice she had not been on either of the paths she had mentioned during their initialwalk together, but he thought nothing of it. She understood that he was struggling to decide whether to propose or not, and she sought to distance herself, to give him time for reflection. He preferred this explanation to the other one that had come to mind—that his presence injured her knowing that it was unlikely he would make her an offer.
Soon all doubt will be at an end!He would leap at the first opportunity to propose. How happy they would be!
At last, the Collinses and Miss Lucas arrived, but Elizabeth was not with them.
“I am afraid she is not feeling well this afternoon,” Mrs Collins said.
“Which she bitterly regrets,” Mr Collins said, bowing to Lady Catherine for the second time. “I assure you, she did her utmost to be strong enough, such was her hatred of disappointing you and missing the treat of your kindness.”
His aunt huffed. “I do not hold with young ladies always fancying themselves to be unwell. I had not thought she was such a silly girl, but…”
Darcy heard no more. Was Elizabeth genuinely ill? Momentarily, he felt weak, as if someone or something was trying to keep them apart. He would not permit it, hecouldnot?—
“I say, Darcy, areyouwell?”
