Page 95 of His Pride and His Prejudice

Miss Darcy, on her brother’s entrance, exerted herself much more to talk, and Elliot saw that Darcy was anxious for the two of them to become acquainted. His heart swelled at that because it was clear to Elliot then that, should he encourage it, Darcy would renew his sentiments, surely?

Their gazes caught.

Elliot smiled.

Darcy smiled back.

Elliot felt quite curious indeed.

“Are you ready to try your hand with the fish of Pemberley?” Darcy asked softly.

Elliot laughed. “Are they more of a challenge than those in Hertfordshire?”

“Indeed.”

“Well then perhaps it is for the best that I brought my specimen kit. I thought perhaps instead…”

“I will accompany you,” Darcy said immediately.

“Accompany Mr. Bennet where?” Miss Darcy asked, and Darcy explained Elliot’s hobby of collecting plant specimens for future study. She was intrigued.

“Perhaps I might accompany you instead?” she eventually asked.

The look on Darcy’s face at those words…the hope…Elliot was pleased to be seated as he was not entirely sure how he would have fared had he been stood. “Only if you call me Elliot,” he said. “As all my friends do.”

Miss Darcy brightened with pleasure. “Yes! Absolutely.”

Caroline Bingley saw all this happening, and in the imprudence of anger, took the first opportunity of saying, with sneering civility.

“Pray, Mr. Bennet, are not the Militia removed from Meryton? They must be a great loss to your family.”

In Darcy’s presence she dared not mention Wickham’s name, but the intention was there all the same. Had Miss Bingley known what pain she gave her beloved friend by mentioning Wickham, she undoubtedly would have refrained but she did not, for almost no one knew of his pursuit of Georgiana and Darcy intended for it to stay that way. Caroline Bingley merely intended to highlight the follies and absurdities by which some part of Elliot’s family were connected with that corps, and perhaps put off both the Darcys from further acquaintance with the Bennets if possible. It was not.

“Hardly a loss,” Elliot soon said and as he did, he reached out and placed a hand on Miss Darcy’s. It was visible to no one but those sat on the chaise. “Especially when one has friends here to spend time with.”

“Quite right!” Fitzwilliam boomed.

Elliot caught Georgiana’s gaze, and she gave him the sweetest of smiles. “Are you quite ready to be my assistant then?” he asked, and she laughed.

“I am, Elliot.”

And if Elliot could have read Darcy’s very thoughts, then he would have known that there was no doubt at all. The sentiments which Darcy expressed waited only for the right time to be expressed once more.

Forty-Seven

The entirety of the party, perhaps with the exception of Caroline Bingley, spent a delightful afternoon on the Pemberley estate. Given its size and its scope there were numerous activities afforded, and most of the party took advantage of many of them including a spot of fishing, an afternoon picnic, a walk through to a beautiful clearing in the woods, and to finish off, a rousing ride through the lower half of the valley.

Elliot indulged in few of these, instead spending his time in the walled gardens and the hot houses collecting and cataloguing specimens with Mr. Cartwright and Miss Darcy—the two of them soon establishing a firm friendship.

Only that burgeoning friendship could have convinced Elliot to join Georgiana at the pianoforte after dinner that evening, where her skills left everyone in the room slightly breathless and at a loss for words. That she was an absolute expert in her instrument, if not a prodigy, was not in question. How she would respond to that was something that would need careful nurturing. Darcy doubted there was anyone more suited to the task than Elliot Bennet.

“Have you enjoyed your time with Mr. Bennet?” Darcy asked as Georgiana took a break from the instrument.

“With Elliot.”

“He has given you leave to call him that, not I,” Darcy said with a smile.

“Why not, brother?” she demanded.

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