Chapter 12
Half an hour later, Elizabeth was desperate to get away.
She thought she had been patient, suffering through the unwelcome attention of her neighbors, but that had been nothing compared to the unrelenting and overly familiar conversation from first Colonel Forster and then Captain Carter.
Her conversation with Captain Carter had now reached the twenty-minute mark, far too long for a conversation in a public setting, but the man seemed to have no intention of releasing her attention.
She was shocked and then utterly relieved when she heard Mr. Darcy’s actual voice say, “Please do excuse me, Captain, but I believe Miss Bennet is looking a bit overheated.”
He turned to Elizabeth and held out his arm. She stared at the man, uncertain of his motivations. Then she heard his voice in her mind. Take a hint, woman. I am trying to rescue you.
She didn’t like the disrespectful tone, but it was clear his motivations were honorable. She took his arm and leaned on it a bit, saying, “Thank you, Mr. Darcy. If you would be so kind as to support me into the hall where I can get some cooler air, I would be most grateful.”
Swaying a bit to keep up the appearance of being a bit dizzy and overheated, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy exited the well-lit drawing room and entered the very dim hallway, which was lit only by two single candles on opposite ends of the hallway.
Elizabeth couldn’t help a sigh of relief at the cooler air. She hadn’t noticed it herself, but she had in fact become a bit overheated, though she wasn’t dizzy.
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy,” she said. “That was quite the timely rescue. I hadn’t even noticed how overheated I was until you mentioned it, because my mind was completely engaged in fighting off intense boredom.
Have you ever been regaled with tales of how difficult it is to manage the paperwork for an army regiment for fifteen minutes? ”
Mr. Darcy chuckled, and the sound was deeply pleasant. “I admit, I have not had that pleasure,” he said. “I shall endeavor to remain ignorant of it. I have, however, been captivated by endless tales of the drama that can be had when a lady takes up her needle for either embroidery or sewing.”
“I imagine that drama was equally entrancing,” said Elizabeth. She grinned up at him, and for a moment only, their gazes locked. Elizabeth felt a jolt of some feeling move through her, but it did not last long enough for her to understand it, for Mr. Darcy quickly turned his head.
“Is there some friend I can call for you to keep you company as you cool down? A sister, perhaps?” He asked. “I would not wish for you to remain alone in such a secluded part of the house given the ardency and determination of some of your suitors.”
With a pang at the thought of so quickly losing his company, she said, “I would not wish to bother you further. There is no need.”
“There is every need,” he said firmly.
She made no reply and simply stared at him, practically daring him to take away this blessed moment of quiet.
After a short staring contest, he said, “I suppose I could stay and keep you company until you are ready to return.”
“You need not if you are unwilling,” said Elizabeth, “but if you don’t mind too much, I would be grateful for your company.
” Despite the fact that his thoughts occasionally invaded her mind unexpectedly, she had never felt as though he were demanding her attention.
So, his company would, in fact, be quite welcome.
As she spoke, she looked around the hallway, hoping for an odd chair, but all available chairs were in the drawing rooms. With a sigh of annoyance, Elizabeth went over to the staircase and sank down onto the third step.
Once she was settled in her makeshift seat, she looked up at Mr. Darcy. His eyebrows were raised in surprise, but the corner of his lip was raised in amusement. “You certainly don’t stand on ceremony with me, do you, Miss Elizabeth?”
The truth was that being able to hear Mr. Darcy’s thoughts had created an illusion of closeness with the man, as if he were someone she had known all her life.
Thinking quickly to explain her lack of formality, Elizabeth shrugged and said, “Why should I? It is obvious you are well above my touch, so it matters little to me what you think of my behavior.”
This wasn’t entirely true. Mr. Darcy’s opinion of the Bennets could well affect Mr. Bingley’s opinion, which would then affect his opinion of Jane. Elizabeth would never wish to do anything to hurt Jane’s chances at happiness.
With a sigh, Elizabeth moved to stand. She was prepared to apologize, and she hoped he was kind enough to forgive her lapse of manners.
He forestalled her. “There is no need to bestir yourself,” he said. “I can well imagine you might be very much in need of the rest.”
Mr. Darcy then shocked her by sitting down on the step next to her.
Out of all the thoughts she had heard from him, out of all the things he had said or rumors she had heard about him, this one thing was the most shocking so far.
She looked at him, unable to form her thoughts into words. She knew her eyes were wide with his surprise, and it was just barely possible that her mouth was hanging slightly open.
Once he was settled, he looked at her and chuckled at her expression. “There is no need for such a response, Miss Bennet,” he said. “I am just as human as you.”
She felt her face shift into a more speculative expression. “I suppose you are,” she said.
They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes. The entire experience was a revelation.
Elizabeth was used to constant chatter. Anytime, she was in company with anyone, be it her sisters, her mother, her friends, or her neighbors, someone was saying something.
The only time she had ever sat in silence was occasionally when she was with either Jane or Mary, and having only one of them for company was exceedingly rare.
She had never in her life sat in such companionable silence with a gentleman before. It wasn’t like the time they were on the balcony together. That time, they were each attempting to enjoy their own solitude, trying but failing to ignore the other’s presence.
This time, they were sitting together, both very much in each other’s company, but still resting from the toils of too much society.
Elizabeth never knew that a gentleman’s company could be any such thing. When in company with the opposite sex, she had always been on her best behavior, smiling politely, engaging in pointless chatter, exercising her wit, and using her best manners.
This was the exact opposite. No wittiness was needed, and no formal manners were welcome here.
After a minute or two, Elizabeth heard, I suppose we will need to return to the drawing room soon. I am not particularly looking forward to it, but it would not do to compromise Miss Elizabeth’s reputation.
The thought raised a question in Elizabeth’s mind. Without considering whether she should, she said, “I wonder, Mr. Darcy, why you put yourself out to participate in our little society here. It is clear that you do not enjoy it.”
Mr. Darcy did not respond immediately. Instead, he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He was far enough forward that Elizabeth could no longer see most of his face.
It took several moments longer, but eventually, he said, “I have heard that you recently inherited a large fortune, which has drawn a great deal of attention from your neighbors. It also seems to be drawing attention from more unwanted quarters. Is that correct?”
She was a bit annoyed that he seemed to have ignored her question, but she said, “It is. While I can understand their behavior, understanding doesn’t make it any easier to bear.”
“I assume that it is fatigue from such maneuvering that has caused you to seek solitude both tonight and at the assembly,” he said.
“That is correct,” said Elizabeth. “Normally, I quite enjoy spending time at such parties, and I am particularly fond of dancing, but such circumstances as I find myself in have quite taken away much of my enjoyment.”
“Miss Bennet,” he said, “you have only had to suffer such treatment for a week or two, whereas I have been treated in such a manner for nearly ten years.”
Elizabeth felt her eyes widen as understanding poured over her.
He continued. “Though my fortune is greater than that of many noblemen, I have no title of my own nor any pretention of any title. That means that among those who are of equal status with me, I am by far one of the wealthiest. The ladies who seek my company are always well aware of this.
“For many years, I behaved myself, exercising politeness and gallantry, giving ladies the benefit of the doubt, but being treated as little more than an object by every female of my class has left its mark.”
He paused and Elizabeth thought she should say something, express her sympathy or understanding, but she could not think of any words before he began speaking again.
“All of this is made worse by the fact that I do not like crowds or chaos. I am also particularly sensitive to shrill or loud voices. So, you are correct that I do not enjoy being here, but that is not because I hold anything against you or your neighbors. In fact, it has been quite refreshing to be free of the unsolicited attention of young ladies.”
Except Miss Bingley.
The last bit was definitely one of his thoughts rather than spoken aloud, but it made Elizabeth wonder what the true status was between the two of them. She could not ask such a thing, however.
Instead, she said, “That certainly explains why you dislike company so much, and I can understand and even sympathize somewhat. However, it does nothing to explain why you come among us despite your discomfort. Wouldn’t it be more pleasant to spend the evening at Netherfield with a book?”