Elizabeth laughed. “There is a great deal to you that I have yet to learn — I derived the same lesson from the tale of your sister. A young woman ought never be placed in a situation where she is not surrounded by those who have known her fromchildhood. A single hired companion with hired servants is far too great a risk.”
“Yes,” Darcy replied. “The character of the girl should have little bearing on the matter — such mistaken behaviour can come from many states of mind and be motivated by good principles as well as wild impulses. What is necessary is for the girl to be wise and knowledgeable in the ways of the world, and that can only come with age and experience.”
“Do you think about Emily?”
“And Georgiana as well — but we have talked too much about me.” He took her arm. “How often, after you overcame those first months of sadness—”
“How lightlyyouspeak of that.”
“How often did I return to your mind?”
“Oh, I made a specific point to not think about you more than once or twice a week. Three times on special occasions, especially when the weather was overcast or particularly cold.”
Darcy laughed.
“I rereadThe Monkthree times, it was helpful to be reminded that theaffairs du coeurof fictional persons could involveenormouslymore suffering than my own.”
He grinned and squeezed her and stole a kiss from Elizabeth that stole her breath. “I do not see whythatwould comfort anyone, but I am glad you could find solace — but you only thought of me three times a week?”
“Merely twice most weeks.”
Elizabeth laughed at Darcy’s expression. She added, “By the end of our separation, I had reached the point where Inearlyenjoyed it when gentlemen who are not you attempted to flirt with me — so you see, I have great expectations of you.”
“Oh, and what are they?”
“You shall adore me to an excess. You shall exhibit your responsible, solemn, and honourable character. You shallcontinue to look excellent in both buckskin breeches and pantaloons, and you shall regularly kiss me.”
The gentleman of course kissed her at that speech.
“A woman without mercy,” Darcy said.
She felt as light and giddy as a butterfly. “And how frequently did you think ofme?”
“Every day — for hours together whenIwas particularly in a mood.”
She flushed, feeling her neck go pink. “You silly man.”
He grinned at her, and she kissed him.
Chapter Seventeen
Three mornings after the child’s birth, Jane Collins and her son were judged fit enough to walk across the park, attended assiduously by Mr. Collins, the sisters of Mrs. Collins, several footmen, two maids, and Mr. Darcy himself.
After they had reached the parsonage and Darcy saw Jane settled onto a divan, preparing once more to feed the infant, he took his leave.
He smiled warmly at Elizabeth and gained in turn a similar smile. Just looking at her made him feel warm and happy. His stomach still jumped every time their eyes met.
Everything in his life was filled with a warm glow.
Then he left Elizabeth to make her announcements while he went to make the most difficult of his own. Most of his announcements had of course already been made.
Colonel Fitzwilliam had deduced the matter, the deuced fellow. The previous day Darcy had written letters to Georgiana, to his uncle, Lord Matlock, to Mrs. Reynolds, to Mr. Bingley, to several other friends, and finally he’d sent in the money to have an announcement printed inThe Times.
From what he understood, Elizabeth had sent off her letters already as well.
All that was left was to tell Lady Catherine, and then he would speak to those of his servants who were present at the estate. And finally, Emily, but he and Elizabeth had determined that they would tell the girl together. Given Emily’s increasing attachment to Lizzy — the previous morning Be-ne had transformed somehow into Lizzy, though the pronunciation had an adorable lisp — Darcy foresaw no objections from that little person. Especially not if she was given a lemon tart, achance to read a book, and a game with a ball along with the announcement.
Upon his entry to the house, Darcy found Lady Catherine in the drawing room, and he asked if he might speak with her in private. The two of them withdrew to one of her sitting rooms.
