Chapter 36
“Miss Elizabeth Bennet would not play badly at all if she would only take the time to practice more,” Lady Catherine intoned halfway through Elizabeth’s rendition of a complex piece she had never played or indeed, heard played before.
It was one of the limited pieces of music available in Rosings and one she claimed was a great favourite of hers.
“I have heard Miss Elizabeth play before and I must admit that nothing gave me greater pleasure than to hear her play and sing,” Mr Darcy admitted in what Elizabeth had to own was a most gallant rejoinder to Lady Catherine’s criticism.
He was standing right beside her having insisted on turning the pages for her, even though Jane had offered.
The Bennet family had been included in the dinner at Rosings the night after Mr Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam had arrived to visit their aunt.
Colonel Fitzwilliam had charmed them all, not only the ladies but also their father and even their quiet cousin.
He was an affable and gentle man of not more than thirty-two.
Elizabeth, although she was loath to admit it, had to say that he was not as handsome as Mr Darcy, nor as tall, but he had a friendly, open face that was not without its charm.
His hair was wavy and chestnut brown, and he had about him an openness that was at odds with the serious look evident about his eyes.
Colonel Fitzwilliam won over the Bennet party almost from the first; he flattered with a teasing look which meant the ladies never took him too seriously.
He spoke to Mr Bennet about the war and the situation on the continent in a low tone, so that Elizabeth was unable to hear the details.
He even had a spiritual discussion with their cousin, Mr Collins, which left the Colonel with a look of comfort that was evident to Elizabeth.
The only thing Elizabeth did not like about Colonel Fitzwilliam was his cousin.
Mr Darcy frowned every time the Colonel spoke with her or Jane or showed attentions to them.
When he had teased Elizabeth, when he complimented them on their playing and singing, when he had asked either of them their opinions on any matter, Mr Darcy frowned.
Elizabeth was not in any way unsure as to the reason for his looks; he did not wish their cousin to form any attachments with a family he believed so beneath him.
It was therefore all the more surprising that he spent many hours talking to Elizabeth, above even her father.
Elizabeth had to own that Mr Darcy had behaved well when they had met in town, as he had, since coming into Kent.
He had also made some efforts to speak with her cousin, Mr Collins.
The two had spoken quietly together for some time on first meeting at Rosings Park.
Once, Elizabeth was playing the piano with the Colonel turning pages for her, and Mr Darcy approached.
Elizabeth decided she’d had enough and thought to make him pay for his ill-mannered behaviour in Meryton.
She described his walking about the place at the first assembly after the Bingley party had arrived in the county, and refusing to dance with any lady outside of his own group.
She did not go as far as to admit that she had overheard any of his conversation with his friend.
She had intended her words as an insult delivered lightly, but Mr Darcy had taken it in good humour and said that he did not perform for strangers, leaving Elizabeth quite unable to tease him further.
On the fifth day after Mr Darcy and the Colonel’s arrival in Kent, Elizabeth, while out walking the grounds of Rosings, happened upon Mr Darcy.
She gave him a polite curtsy and intended to continue on her way alone.
Instead, Mr Darcy turned and walked with her for above a half an hour, until such time as Elizabeth said she needed to return to the parsonage.
She was therefore vexed when she should meet him again the next day with the same outcome, and her vexation turned to annoyance when it became day three.
Rather than risk meeting him a fourth time, she confined herself to the parsonage's gardens.
After a week of her remaining in the garden rather than walking further afield, her father questioned her unusual behaviour.
She had laughed lightly and merely suggested that she had walked too much in the days before and was taking her ease.
The next day, she ventured into Rosings Park again but took care to take a different route than before.
She returned to the parsonage, happy to have not met with that vexing gentleman.
Elizabeth had to admit, if only to herself, that although she did not care for Mr Darcy, he had been engaging, if confusing, company on their previous walks.
He was many things, but he was not boring, and that was the only positive trait she was willing to assign to him.
If thoughts of his handsome face or fine figure came into her head, she pushed them away immediately.
By changing the time and route of her walks every day, she did not meet with him once in the following week.
Although she had managed to avoid walks with him, she could not avoid him at dinner.
They were invited to dine in Rosings twice a week for the nearly three weeks since their arrival in Kent.
And Mr Darcy sat close and spoke to her on every occasion, even drawing the attention of his aunt, who had enquired numerous times to know what they were speaking of.
Her father had even teased her that Mr Darcy was turning so verbose in her presence.
And the evening before their last day in Kent, he took the place, turning pages for her when she took to the pianoforte.
Elizabeth found herself unable to settle in the gardens the next day.
Knowing that it was her last opportunity to explore her favourite walk, she decided to return to the area where she had met Mr Darcy before, hoping that he would be at Rosings, and not venture into the gardens.
But she was to be disappointed, for she had barely begun her stroll when he appeared.
The conversations she’d had with him on the previous walks had been peculiar, and this time was no different.
He spoke of Pemberley, his home, as if he expected that she would visit it.
Elizabeth could not think why Mr Darcy should speak thusly, she was about to point this out to him, when he stopped suddenly and turned to her, a look on his face she could not understand.