Chapter Eleven #2
Darcy smiled as his aunt held back the barb she clearly wished to deliver about Elizabeth. “Perhaps I will arouse her jealousy, but it shall prolong my suffering and allow Sir Sidney more time to hold her in his thrall. Such falsehood is against my nature.”
“You carried it off well enough last night, despite it being against your nature! And I saw it all, you gave a performance worthy of the stage, for I was so convinced that I nearly beat you for it in the drawing room.”
Darcy smiled, his aunt’s words reminding him of the stepsister Elizabeth had affectionately described as fit for the stage.
It had been utterly charming to hear her speak so well of so many people.
He had only two relations worth her hearing of, and they were amongst the only other people he knew who had so much good to say of anything at all. He had only them, and Bingley.
He was a man of the world, yet his world had grown small and desolate.
Elizabeth had taken her fate into her own hands, transforming from an insignificant country miss he had snubbed at a dance, into a celebrated public figure in this luxurious seaside community.
The idea that she would give all that up to set her cap at a gentleman with a distant estate and a manor in ruins, who had spent two months living in a cottage less remarkable than the one that had been her own benighted uncle’s cast-off—it was laughable.
Darcy frowned at having wounded his own sensibilities, and then realized his aunt was speaking.
“She did observe you a great deal and made no attempts to conceal her feelings. And I could see her annoyance with Sir Sidney, too. Clearly it has not been vexing enough to put her off of him, for they have gone out riding together this morning, along with her sycophantic companion and his dreadful sisters as chaperones—as if they would prevent him from importuning such a wealthy heiress! But mark my words, she will sour on him, the more she sees you with Miss Bennet and recognizes her jealousy for what it is.”
“So, you would have me continue? I should inform you that Miss Bennet has consented to this arrangement only for a fortnight. I must woo Anne back before then.”
It was satisfying to see Lady Catherine momentarily surprised. When she recovered, she simply said, “Then you had better get on with it.”
Darcy called at Trafalgar House only to be told by Lady Parker that Elizabeth was resting. “She slept poorly last night, else I would offer to wake her.”
“I hope that the pain is not too great for her.”
Lady Parker observed him curiously, and then shook her head. “So do I—that is, I believe her ankle is doing a little better than yesterday. I only wish her to be well rested, for she insists upon returning home tomorrow. I believe she fears for her supply of medicine.”
The lady gave him a knowing look, and Darcy chuckled. “She told you?”
“She promised Sidney that you would say nothing, but she made no such vow for herself.” Lady Parker’s eyes twinkled with the same mirth that Darcy had felt at the wording of Elizabeth’s promise to Sir Sidney the night before.
“Please tell her that I called—that I will call tomorrow at her uncle’s.”
“Certainly. And I hope we shall see you tomorrow evening at the Saturday Supper Club.”
He had forgotten, but nodded his assent and took his leave.
The rest of the day passed rather slowly.
His cousin and sister were pleasant enough company, once they had agreed not to speak of Anne or Lady Catherine.
They read together, walked along the beach, had a fine dinner, and delighted in Georgiana’s playing at the pianoforte before retiring for the night.
And yet, a feeling of listlessness lingered until he found solace in sleep.
The next day, Darcy called at Elizabeth’s home, only to be told by Sir Edward that she had not yet returned.
“Saturdays are terribly busy, and my Lizzy cannot sit still when there is so much to be done. I should be so occupied in preventing her from over-exerting herself that I would get none of my own work done! She will come home in time to dress for dinner, once everything has been seen to here.”
“I shall look forward to seeing her this evening, then, Sir Edward.” Darcy bowed, but Sir Edward gestured to stay him.
“Not so fast, young man! You have called on my niece before, have sent her flowers and—I suspect—purchased her the gift of new books. You have made a public spectacle of carrying her in your arms through the rain. And I have observed the pair of you in company more than once. Now, I imagine a gentleman of honor might have something to say to a lady’s guardian about such marked attentions. ”
Darcy recalled Elizabeth saying that she wished to be the first to speak to her uncle of their arrangement, though now he wondered if it had only been a means of putting off Sir Anthony by mentioning the courtship.
He would have happily respected her request, but he could not remain silent in the face of her uncle’s challenge.
“May I speak candidly with you, sir?”
“I think you ought to. Come and sit down, I have no intention of toying with you as her father would.”
Darcy followed Sir Edward through the warm, sunny drawing room, to the small but elegant study.
They sat down across from one another at the desk, and Sir Edward poured them each a measure of brandy.
“Well now, you say you wish to speak candidly, which in my experience never precedes something as simple as I would like.”
“That is a fair assessment.”
Sir Edward sipped at his drink. “Am I going to like what you have to say to me?”
“Your niece is of age, is she not?”
Sir Edward let a heavy silence drag on before saying, “She is.”
“I understand she is also quite the mistress of herself, that she enjoys relative freedom in her pursuits.”
“She does. I must tell you, Mr. Darcy, that I hope you will arrive at your candor sometime soon.”