“Mrs Harrison, ma’am.”
“Oh! Pardon me, madam. My mistake. I am not… I will leave you. My apologies. Goodbye.”
…
“CAROLINE! Wait!”
…
“Please, wait.”
…
“Youarethe former Caroline Bingley, are you not?”
“I beg your pardon, I will go. I had no idea you would be here, Mrs Darcy. I will trouble you no more. Good day. I shall leave.”
“I wish you would not! “
…
“Please, Mrs Harrison. Come back and sit down. I shall not harm you. Mrs Jamison, may we have some tea, and perhaps some bread, cheese, and biscuits? I am famished.”
“Of course.”
“Pray, sit down, Mrs Harrison. I assume this is exceedingly difficult for you, but… allow me to assist you.”
…
“I apologise, Mrs Darcy. I had no idea you were here.”
“Mrs Wilkinson is my good friend, but she is nearing confinement. I am here to assist her, but she is napping just now.”
“Sleeping soundly, I imagine… or else tossing and turning trying to find a less uncomfortable position.”
“Yes.”
“Mrs Darcy… I… I—”
“Mrs Harrison, we had a disagreement over a decade ago. Might we just leave it behind us?”
“I do not know if I can… or how you can be generous enough to—”
“Let it go, Mrs Harrison. The words were unkind, and you were violently disagreeable, but it all worked out in the end. I suffered some, but much good came of that night, so please just let it go. I have! Might you tell me how you came to be here, if it is not asking too much?”
“Well—”
“Or keep your own counsel… you need not confide in me. I will not invade your privacy. I admit I have not kept track of you these ten years, and your brother is not even in England just now. I have not personally spoken to him or Jane for nearly two years.”
“With the way we parted… I would not expect you to know of me. I am surprised you will even receive me.”
“It was one unkind remark. May we consider it in the past?”
“It was much worse than—”
“Let it go!I think of the past only as it gives me pleasure, and I shall insist you oblige me.”
“Thank you, Mrs Darcy.”
