Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
On the morrow, Elizabeth was more excited than usual to visit the Hurst townhouse.
The previous afternoon, they had all decided to meet about eleven in the morning each day this week before the gentlemen left London.
That would allow the others to sleep in after their late nights while also giving them a chance to rest again before the next entertainment.
Elizabeth had been willing to change her own schedule this week when she was given no doubt she was invited, even though Mr. Darcy would be in attendance.
In truth, her good mood was owing more to the knowledge that he would be there than that she had been invited at all.
He had asked about her studies the day before, and they had discussed philosophy before Caroline interrupted again.
Their conversations were not particularly long or deep, but he made her feel wanted in a way nobody else did of late.
Elizabeth was still trying to get closer to Jane, and while her cousin spoke to her, she had not chosen to bring up their previous argument.
“Jane,” she said tentatively as the carriage neared Grosvenor Street.
“Yes?”
“Do you know anybody by the name of Asbury?” Elizabeth held her breath as she awaited a response. Her curiosity about her family had never left her, but she had not felt she could ask Jane anything until recently.
“No. I do not think so. Is it someone Caroline knows?”
“No, only a name I heard,” Elizabeth said.
“Mmm,” Jane murmured. “We have arrived. Be sure you act with propriety, and do not monopolize Mr. Darcy’s attention again, or Caroline will be upset.”
“Mmm,” Elizabeth replied. If it was good enough for Jane, she could be unhelpful, as well.
As it turned out, Caroline was more vigilant than ever that morning in keeping Mr. Darcy to herself.
Elizabeth was seated between her friend and her cousin and tried to talk with Mr. Bingley and Jane, but they could spare little attention for anyone.
Mr. Darcy spoke little, giving one-word replies to Caroline whenever possible.
Elizabeth found herself feeling sorry for them both, in turn.
She had become a grasping fortune hunter, and he had become a taciturn curmudgeon.
She chuckled quietly at her own designations of them.
“Miss Elizabeth, what diverts you?” Mr. Darcy asked drily.
Elizabeth felt her cheeks heating. She obviously could not tell them what she had been thinking, and she found she was now ashamed of herself for even having such thoughts. What else could she say had made her laugh?
“Oh! I was merely reflecting on the book I was reading last evening,” she said.
He still looked grave, but his eyes lit up. “What book was that?” His tone gave no indication of interest.
Elizabeth glanced at Caroline and saw a warning look on her face. She offered a conciliatory look and spoke to both of them, knowing she could not have an open conversation with only Mr. Darcy today.
“Evelina,” she said. “Have you read it?”
“A novel! Why, Eliza, you shock me,” Caroline said. Elizabeth knew Caroline read novels, though her tastes ran more to the scandalous.
“I found Evelina to be quite entertaining,” Mr. Darcy said. “Which of the heroine’s capers did you recall?”
Caroline’s face fell, but she recovered quickly and turned back to Mr. Darcy.
“I was thinking of the part in which Evelina avoids dancing with Sir Willoughby by claiming a prior engagement with Lord Orville,” Elizabeth said.
“How is that amusing, Eliza?” Caroline practically sneered.
“Evelina has no arrangement with him and is being presumptuous in implying the gentleman would have any interest in dancing with her,” Elizabeth said.
She kept her eyes on Caroline, but she saw over her shoulder that Mr. Darcy’s lips began to twitch.
“In fact, Evelina has thus far had too little interaction with Lord Orville to think he would rescue her.”
“Perhaps if Evelina had not been such a sweet, innocent girl, he would not have,” Mr. Darcy said.
“Perhaps not, but he showed his good character in coming to her aid despite her foolishness,” Elizabeth replied.
Caroline’s head bounced back and forth between them as they spoke.
“And she charmed him with her honesty,” Mr. Darcy said. Despite an enigmatic look in his eyes, he still appeared grave and distant.
Caroline had been excluded long enough. “As you are inclined to laugh at private memories, Eliza, it really is unfortunate you cannot join us at Vauxhall Gardens this evening. You must add it to your list of places to see when you are older—or perhaps your relations will take you some morning. When you see it for yourself, you will find much to amuse you and to think on during your solitary evenings.”
Elizabeth offered Caroline a startled smile and then retrieved her sewing from a basket on the floor beside her.
That afternoon, Darcy sat at his desk, but he had been unable to focus on the letter from his steward.
He felt a slow smile spread across his face as he allowed himself to remember Miss Elizabeth’s words that morning.
Had she meant to make sport of Miss Bingley when she spoke of a young lady who assumed more than she should about a man’s feelings and forced herself upon his company?
Of course she had compared them on purpose; that was why she had chuckled.
That meant she had been comparing him to Lord Orville, and he had then turned the story to compare Evelina’s better qualities to Miss Elizabeth.
Had she noticed the compliment he had paid her?
What was he doing? He had no wish to encourage an affection for him he would not return. And he certainly would not return it. Even if he had been interested in seeking a wife already, their difference in ages was too much, though she moved ever nearer to her own come out.
He had heard so much good of her—even before he had met her—that he could not help but admire her. Then in his few interactions with her, she had carried on more mature, witty conversation than many of his acquaintance could manage.
It was easy to forget she was only sixteen.
It was even easier to imagine age to be unimportant in someone whose company he valued.
Could she be thinking that even now? He had no intention of courting her, naturally.
He would be happy, though, to continue building a friendship.
Georgiana had been disappointed not to have seen her again when she discovered it may have been possible in January, but she was back in school this week.
Perhaps in June, when his sister’s current school term ended.
The next morning, Darcy had not yet overcome the annoyance he had felt the night before at Vauxhall Gardens.
He was unsure whether Miss Bingley’s grasping had really been worse or his patience for her had diminished without the prospect of seeing and speaking with Miss Elizabeth to lighten the atmosphere.
Miss Bennet had monopolized Bingley’s evening, and the Hursts had wandered off together for much of the night, neglecting their roles as chaperones.
That left him at Miss Bingley’s mercy, and no matter how little he spoke or how much he frowned, she would not be dissuaded from holding his arm possessively and behaving as though they were courting.
Darcy had no interest in the entertainments that night.
He did, however, intend to call on Bingley at eleven o’clock, as usual.
His friend had been correct that he had spent little time in London the past year, and as he had only a few more days in town, he could pass an hour or two each day with his friend.
That still left him plenty of time to manage his business affairs and see his family.
His cousin, Major Fitzwilliam, was somewhere up north training with his men, but he would visit Pemberley as soon as he had leave.
Darcy planned to visit his sister Saturday and start his journey home on Monday.
He had three days, then, including today, to be in his friend’s company.
It was convenient that he could see Miss Elizabeth at the same time.
He had thought about her the night before while he had attempted to ignore Miss Bingley, and he had concluded that the girl relaxed him.
He appreciated her curiosity and energy and her complete lack of romantic interest in himself.
She made him feel secure. He could express his opinions without having to worry about raising her expectations.
Darcy had given himself another challenge, as well.
The careless way her so-called friends treated the girl bothered him.
He wished to give her a treat of some kind to enable her to partake of more of London than she had been allowed so far.
It might have been easier had his sister been free to accompany him on these visits, but he would think on what could be done.
Elizabeth was unsettled. She had convinced herself she was not jealous of Jane for the experiences she was having with the Bingleys and Hursts, who used to profess friendship for her.
She hardly wanted more time with Caroline any longer.
She had not really minded thinking of them all together the previous week, when they went out most days without her.
Last night, however, with the addition of Mr. Darcy, she could not imagine her friends’ evening and remain calm.
She would like to see Vauxhall Gardens, but she expected the wish to be fulfilled at some future date.
No, the only difference to explain her agitated feelings was that she did not like the idea of Caroline behaving with Mr. Darcy the way she had in her drawing room.
It was only because Mr. Darcy was her friend, and she knew Caroline’s attentions made him uncomfortable.
They still made him uncomfortable, did they not?
If he were to fall in love with Caroline…
Elizabeth felt the bile rise up in her throat at the thought.
Caroline would need to marry someone and had hoped for an early marriage to a wealthy man.
Why did Elizabeth care if Mr. Darcy were her choice?
“Miss Elizabeth, are you familiar with London’s Royal Menagerie?”
Darcy had again been ushered to a seat far too close to Miss Bingley upon his arrival, and he had finally escaped her talons.
Miss Elizabeth had moved to the pianoforte soon after his arrival, and she looked somehow out of sorts.
Now as she replied, she barely glanced up before returning her gaze to her sheet music.
“No, I have not heard of it.”
“It has live animals on display. Would you like to see it?”
Whatever was bothering her, she could no longer deny her curiosity and looked to him with interest.
“Is it nearby?”
“Not so close. Would it bother you overmuch to visit the Tower? Have you been to that part of town?”
Something crossed Miss Elizabeth’s face that Darcy could not interpret.
“I have not been precisely to that location, but I know where the Tower of London is. I would like to go. Could I see live animals while avoiding the prisoners, or—”
Darcy held back a laugh; it was a valid concern, one his young sister would have. “We will visit only the menagerie, if you like.”
“We? Will you go? I thought you were recommending an activity I could do with my aunt and uncle.”
“I hope they will join us, but I am available tomorrow to escort you and anyone else of the party who wishes to go.”
Miss Elizabeth’s unguarded smile returned in full force. It seemed her mood had shifted, much to his relief.
“I will speak with my relations this evening and ask whether they may chaperone Jane and me. We should be able to meet you at the Tower whenever you propose.”
“Excellent. Will you join me in asking the others whether they will come?”
Mrs. Hurst, Caroline, and Jane had all discounted the idea of going to see animals as a childish waste of time when Elizabeth spoke of it.
“Ask your uncle to take you next week, Eliza, once the gentlemen and your cousin have departed. This week, our energies are better spent in the ballroom.” Caroline eyed Mr. Darcy with a suggestive smile.
“After giving up the chance to dance with you last night, Mr. Darcy, I insist we attend the ball I mentioned earlier. Apologies, Eliza, but we will all be far too tired to indulge your childish desires tomorrow. Do you not agree Jane, Louisa?”
Mrs. Hurst nodded.
“Truly, Lizzy. Could you not go next week? Perhaps Aunt and Uncle would like to take their children, as well. I should like to dance once more with Mr. Bingley.”
Elizabeth felt her shoulders slump, though she was not surprised her hopes had been dashed. “Of course.”
“I still intend to go to the menagerie on the morrow, Miss Elizabeth. I hope you and at least your uncle will join me.”
She could not restrain her smile or her gratitude. Nor could she help but notice anew how very handsome Mr. Darcy was.
Later, Elizabeth went to the Hursts’ library to look for a book she realized she had left behind in January. She found it and was about to collect Jane to return to Gracechurch Street when Caroline blocked her path out of the room.
“You spoke to Mr. Darcy for too long today. Why are you angling to catch him when you are far too young for him?” Caroline accused.
Elizabeth laughed. “What makes you think I am trying to catch him? We had a polite discussion, nothing more.”
“Well, do not speak to him in such a familiar way again. I am angling to catch him, and your wealth and connections are nothing to mine, so I will beat you if you go up against me.”
“You are correct that I would have no chance with Mr. Darcy. Do not concern yourself, Caroline. I have no interest in him beyond a natural regard for him as a friend of his sister, if I can claim that after one day’s acquaintance.”
“Be sure you remember it. He indulges you in your childish interests, but make no mistake that he would ever consider you as anything more than a little girl.”
Elizabeth swallowed. She knew Caroline spoke the truth, yet she realized she had begun to harbor a small tendre for him. It was only a girlish fantasy, so she nodded, and Caroline left her alone.
Darcy was walking past the library toward Hurst’s study when he heard his name in Miss Elizabeth’s clear voice and halted.
“Mr. Darcy…do not concern yourself, Caroline. I have no interest in him beyond a natural regard for him as a friend of his sister, if I can claim that after one day’s acquaintance.”
Darcy walked on, surprised at the tightness he felt in his chest. It was nothing but his own pride, of course, at not being thought of as highly eligible by every girl he met.
He was reassured he had not raised expectations or even hopes in Miss Elizabeth during his many unguarded conversations with her.
He should be overjoyed, not embarrassed or hurt.
He could have caused her serious heartache.
Knowing he would not should make their excursion on the morrow far simpler.