Chapter 21
Elizabeth’s heart missed a beat at the sight of the man with dark, wavy hair. She reached up her hand to make sure her bonnet was straight; it was only then that she realised it was not Mr Darcy on the street talking with Captain Carter, it was a person she had never seen before in her life.
Lydia opened her mouth as if to call out to the Captain, but catching the eye of Miss Farnsworth, she closed it and remained silent.
As they drew closer, Captain Carter hailed them, and they paused to acknowledge him and introduce their cousin to him.
Having introduced Mr Collins, Carter proceeded to introduce the dark-haired gentleman to the Longbourn party.
“Please allow me to introduce Mr Wickham, soon to be Lieutenant Wickham, as he has now joined the militia and will be quartered here with us in Meryton.”
The ladies curtsied, and Mr Collins and Mr Wickham both bowed in acknowledgement of the introduction.
“We are on our way to our aunt and uncle Philips,” Elizabeth explained when the conversation paused. She was unsure of what she might have said next as the arrival of Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley negated any need to reply.
“Miss Bennet,” Mr Bingley called out and then added the other ladies to his greeting, as he jumped from the back of his horse.
Mr Darcy looked as if he too intended to dismount, but at the last minute, a look of distaste suffused his handsome but haughty face, and he rode on without any greetings at all.
Jane looked to Elizabeth, having for once noted the unmannerly display, but Elizabeth merely shook her head.
Jane then proceeded to again introduce their cousin, this time to Mr Bingley, who bowed and expressed delight in making his acquaintance.
Elizabeth thought delight was a sentiment that meeting Mr Collins was unlikely to have invoked, but nevertheless it was a polite response.
The ladies stayed for some minutes talking to Mr Bingley, Captain Carter, and Mr Wickham until a polite cough from Miss Farnsworth drew her attention back to her cousin.
It also pulled Jane from her discussions with Mr Bingley, and they all excused themselves to continue on to their aunt and uncle’s home.
Having left the captain and Mr Wickham, Elizabeth began to consider what Mr Darcy’s behaviour signified. He had obviously realised it was them before he had approached. Yet when he had drawn closer, he had suddenly decided to leave without making any greeting; it was most strange.
“That haughty Mr Darcy is most odd,” Lydia said, and Elizabeth turned her attention to her.
“Mr Darcy?” their cousin asked.
“Yes,” Lydia said. “Mr Darcy was the other gentleman who failed to dismount his horse and rode off without greeting us. And after what hospitality we showed to him not five days past!”
“What do you mean, ‘most odd’, Lydia?” Elizabeth asked.
“Well, he looked at Mr Wickham as though he wished to kill him,” she said.
“Do not be silly, Lydia,” Mary chastised. “But he did give Mr Wickham a look of intense dislike,” she confirmed.
Elizabeth’s eyebrows raised at this, and she wondered if or how Mr Darcy knew Mr Wickham. She didn’t ask any more questions, but she saw her cousin look as if he were trying to recall something. She wished to ask him, but his face was so inexpressive that she could not be sure that this was so.