Elizabeth listened with growing interest. "You have thought of everything," she murmured. Her eyes wandered towards the elderly gentleman she had seen earlier, now seated comfortably upon a bench outside the taproom with two small children climbing happily over his knees.
"And him?"
Mr Darcy looked across the yard.
"That gentleman?"
"I saw you speaking to him."
He hesitated and looked at his boots. "He had exhausted his travelling funds. I lent him enough to see his family safely home."
Elizabeth looked at him for a long moment.
"You did not wish anyone to know."
"It would have embarrassed him."
She studied him thoughtfully. "I was quite wrong about you."
His expression changed. His face was open, hopeful, even boyish for a moment. "I beg your pardon?"
"At Netherfield I thought you watched everyone because you were looking for faults. I was entirely convinced you spent every waking hour judging the rest of mankind."
A look of genuine surprise crossed his face. "I wondered why you appeared so angry whenever I looked in your direction."
"You always looked so terribly serious. But now, I see you are always assessing, wondering, finding ways to put wrongs right."
For a few moments neither spoke. Around them the inn carried on with its noisy business, but the bustle seemed strangely distant.
At length Mr Darcy said quietly, "My father always maintained that an estate was not measured in acres but in people. He used to tell me that if one wished to manage anything properly, one must first pay attention. Truly pay attention. Most difficulties become obvious long before they become disasters. It helps to have Burke with me, he makes my powers of observation look childish in comparison. I truly think he could manage empires if given half a chance."
Elizabeth's smile broadened. "I have noticed. He also appears to possess a remarkable talent for managing you."
Darcy gave a resigned nod. "He has enjoyed that privilege for nearly twenty years."
Their eyes met again, and for a moment neither seemed inclined to look away.
"I am sorry," Elizabeth said quietly.
"So am I."
He drew a slow breath. "I cannot alter how I behaved. I wish very much that I could."
She shook her head gently. "But I think we may both stop apologising now."
"I should like that."
"So should I."
She hesitated only a heartbeat before freeing one hand from beneath the bundle of linen.
"Friends, then?"
Mr Darcy looked at the hand she held out as though it were an extraordinary gift and one he scarcely dared accept. When he finally took it, his fingers closed around hers with a gentleness that made her pulse quicken.
"I should like that very much, Miss Bennet."
Elizabeth smiled. "So should I, Mr Darcy."
