Sixteen #3
"I am very glad he chose you," he said. "You possessed the discernment to receive his account with caution. I know now that he intends to blacken my character in Hertfordshire as he has elsewhere, though I confess I am less concerned for myself than for whatever mischief he may yet contrive."
"My sister Lydia appears much taken with him.
" Elizabeth's smile faded almost as soon as it had appeared.
"If he repeats the same tale to her, I fear she will prove a far more satisfactory audience.
You have not exerted yourself to become a favourite in Meryton, and Lydia is far less guarded in her speech than I. "
Darcy's expression tightened.
"I shall have to take measures respecting Wickham. More importantly, I must urge you to be watchful of your sister. Whatever has brought him to Hertfordshire, I would not put any scheme beyond him."
"I shall keep a closer eye upon her," Elizabeth promised.
The conversation gradually turned to lighter subjects.
"There is something else I ought to tell you," Elizabeth said after a few moments.
Darcy looked towards her with the usual attention with which he listened.
"My absence from Oakham Mount was occasioned by my cousin, Mr. Collins."
"Your cousin?"
"Yes."
"Your father mentioned him to Bingley yesterday."
"He is newly arrived in Hertfordshire. He was one of the gentlemen in our party when you saw us on Saturday."
"I confess I was paying little attention to anything beyond seeing Wickham in your company."
Elizabeth could not suppress a smile. She had imagined he scarcely noticed her that afternoon, yet he had unwittingly admitted the contrary.
"And has your cousin proved an agreeable addition to your household?" he asked, interrupting her smile.
"Mr. Collins has certainly proved a considerable addition to the household. Whether he is an agreeable one depends, I believe, upon one's tolerance for garrulousness, one's fondness for sermons and food, and one's admiration of your aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh."
"My aunt?"
"He is her new rector at Hunsford."
Darcy looked genuinely puzzled, as though endeavouring to reconcile the information.
"Well," Elizabeth continued, "besides his remarkable inclination for conversation, he honoured me with a proposal yesterday."
Darcy's step faltered so noticeably that he was obliged to recover himself before continuing.
Elizabeth regarded him with increasing curiosity. Whether he was surprised, displeased, or merely expressing the concern naturally due to an unwelcome proposal, she could not determine.
"I refused him," she said.
The tension about Darcy's mouth eased so perceptibly that she almost wondered whether she had imagined it.
"He was by no means discouraged," she continued with a smile. "Indeed, he appears persuaded that my parents will shortly convince me my own judgment is entirely mistaken."
Darcy's expression became one of unmistakable concern.
"He spoke at considerable length upon the entail of Longbourn," Elizabeth continued, "and the happiness my family must naturally feel at securing the estate through such a marriage.
I do not believe I have ever listened to a less persuasive declaration.
Lady Catherine's approbation occupied nearly as much of his discourse as his attachment. "
"I am sorry such appeals to duty were employed against you."
"I assure you, I am only sorry that he continues to hope."
Darcy made no reply.
Elizabeth had observed him too closely during the past weeks to mistake the alteration which now came over him. The slight easing of his countenance disappeared entirely, and his gaze wandered beyond her, fixed upon some thought she could not share.
After they had walked some distance in silence, he finally spoke.
"I would ask a favour of you, Miss Bennet."
"What service may I render you, sir?"
"I would be obliged if you would not mention our acquaintance to your cousin."
Elizabeth looked at him in surprise. It was not an extraordinary request, merely a curious one.
"You need not concern yourself on that account. Not even my own family are acquainted with our walks, though I begin to suspect Jane wonders why they occupy me so much longer than formerly. My father has already questioned why I defended you so readily after the assembly."
"In time there will be no further need for such secrecy," Darcy said quietly.
"Even Bingley reproved me on saturday for failing to consider how improperly our meetings might appear were they discovered.
I confess I had grown so accustomed to your company that the thought scarcely occurred to me. We must soon remedy that oversight."
The conversation afterwards returned to subjects of a more cheerful nature, though Elizabeth could not entirely dismiss the uneasiness which lingered in Mr. Darcy's manner.
Whether his thoughts rested upon Wickham, Mr. Collins's unwelcome proposal, or the unseen enemy who had shadowed him since his arrival in Hertfordshire, she could not determine.
She did not ask.
It was the first time they had met in nearly a week. For the present, it was enough to walk beside him once more, and to be quietly content in his company.