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Somehow he must do better by her.
***
For the rest of the day Elizabeth endeavored to confine her thoughts on Mr. Darcy to those matters pertaining to Weston. His warning had confirmed what she had suspected, and she should have been more gracious in the face of his concern. She found their helplessness frustrating.
That night she stared out the window instead of sleeping and wondered how often she could be ungracious to Mr. Darcy and expect him to forgive her. He had traveled from Derbyshire to apologize to her. And then he appeared about to…kiss her. Again. Or was it her imagination? Surely she did not imagine how he had stroked her hair and cheek.
But in her cold, bare bedchamber, the idea seemed fantastical. Nothing could ever exist between them…and yet she was not successful in completely crushing the thin tendril of hope that haunted her mind.
It was very late before Elizabeth finally fell asleep.
The next morning produced the busyness of work and no Mr. Darcy, so she was more successful at banishing him from her mind. Unfortunately, distressing news arrived after luncheon. Elizabeth was working in the kitchen when someone knocked at the back door. When Elizabeth opened the door, Mrs. Greeves urged her to come outside for a whispered conference. “Weston found the seed drill!”
Elizabeth’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh no!”
“Bert tried to prevent him from opening up the shed, but he needed a harness for the plow. He pulled the tarp off and—”
Suddenly lightheaded, Elizabeth steadied herself with a hand on the door frame. The worst had happened. “What did Mr. Greeves say to Weston?”
Mrs. Greeves shrugged. “He disavowed all knowledge. Many of the tenants use that shed, so nearly anyone could have placed the drill there.”
“What will Weston do now?”
“He dithered about for a bit and Greeves tried to downplay it, but then Mr. Weston decided he needed to tell Mr. Collins about it.”
Fear grabbed Elizabeth’s heart. “Is he here already?”
The other woman shook her head. “He needed to visit East Field and the paddock before returning to the manor, but he will surely be here soon. Greeves and Fisher are hoping to move the machine to Fletcher’s house in the meantime.”
“Can they obtain a wagon?”
“Yes, miss, but if Mr. Weston and Mr. Collins discover them—” The woman’s voice broke off in an anguished sob.
If the tenants were caught with such a device in their possession, they would certainly be punished—most likely banished from the estate. Elizabeth could confess everything to Collins, but there was no guarantee he would spare the farmers for their part in the deception.
Elizabeth chewed a thumbnail while she considered the situation. “How much time will they require?”
“At least an hour.” Mrs. Greeves’s hands worried her bonnet ribbons. “They must fetch the wagon from the far south meadow.”
“Very well. I shall await Mr. Weston and do what I can to delay him.”
The other woman squeezed Elizabeth’s hand. “Bless you, miss!”
“It is the least I can do after involving your husband in my ludicrous scheme.”
The other woman shook her head vigorously. “Never say that, Miss Elizabeth! Everything at Longbourn has been much better since you started with the new ways of farming. We’ll have a tremendous crop this year, and everyone is excited about it—even the children!”
Mrs. Greeves’s words warmed Elizabeth. “Thank you for saying that.” She stared anxiously at the road. “But you should leave now. Mr. Weston cannot see you here.”
Mrs. Greeves departed immediately while Elizabeth lingered in the yard. She did not dare go into the house for fear that she would miss the opportunity to intercept Weston. She did not have to wait long. He soon appeared, sauntering along the dirt road.
Elizabeth quickly calculated the time. If Weston summoned Collins and they immediately hurried to the shed, they would almost certainly catch Mr. Greeves and Mr. Fisher relocating the seed drill. She had to discover some means of delaying him.
Weston had flirted with her, just as he flirted with all women as a reflex—giving her compliments on her beauty and figure that apparently she should be honored to receive. He deserved a set down, but Elizabeth had not delivered it, preferring that he focus his attention on her rather than her sisters or the female servants. Perhaps she could use that flirtatiousness to her advantage.
The things I do for Longbourn.
As Weston approached the back courtyard, Elizabeth imagined that she was Lydia. What would her youngest sister do if she found the steward attractive? Elizabeth managed to swallow the bile that threatened to choke her.
