The image of Elizabeth being forced to sit next to a drunken Mr. Sykes, combined with an even worse image in which he imagined that she liked sitting next to him, made it impossible for Darcy to not attend.
In reply Darcy walked to the door. “I said that I shall attend, and so I shall. Bingley, areyoucoming?”
Bingley laughed, shrugged, and said, “Well, Caro, no accounting for Darcy’s moods and tastes. I joke, I can account forthiswell enough. And even though you all are stay-at-homes,Ialso want to attend. Do not worry about staying up for us, we’ll return drunk, vulgar, and singing loudly enough to wake the dead. And goodbye.”
When Darcy arrived, he found everyone was already about to sit down for various games of cards. His nightmarish image of Elizabeth being accosted by Mr. Sykes was somewhat relieved by seeing that Mr. Sykes’s attention was monopolized by Miss Charlotte Lucas, who was in the process of encouraging him to be her partner at the whist table when Darcy entered.
Elizabeth’s face brightened on seeing Darcy, and she smiled as he came across the room towards her and bowed. “Miss Bennet.”
She curtsied. “Mr. Darcy.”
They sat down at speculation, with Elizabeth’s sister Miss Lydia at Darcy’s other side. Lydia chattered at both of them cheerfully for several minutes, mentioning several times that it was such a joke that they intended to marry Elizabeth to not only anoldman, but adrunken sotas well.
Darcy rather thought ill of this display of sisterly kindness, and it did not leave him well disposed towards Miss Lydia.
Soon Miss Lydia became engrossed in the game, eagerly shouting at her bets and exclaiming after the prizes.
“I did not know,” Darcy said when he had a chance to speak when he thought Miss Lydia was paying no attention to them, “that you were acquainted with Mr. Sykes.”
Elizabeth grimaced. Glancing about, as though to make sure that no one who might object was nearby, Elizabeth quietly said, “Odious man.”
Lydia did hear, despite the precaution. She diverted her attention from the game sufficiently to giggle. “Odorous man.” Then she mimed drinking from a flask of alcohol. She giggled again and added once more, “They are going to make Lizzy marry him. It’s such a joke.”
Darcy frowned deeply. “Surely they do not mean to.”
“No, no they will.” Lydia giggled. “You should have heard Mama and Mr. Collins talking about how wonderful it would be for Lizzy to no longer be a burden. Lizzy, when you marry Mr. Sykes, can I then have your room? It is so much nicer than my own. And your pink ribbon.”
“You ought not discuss this at an open table.” Elizabeth gestured at Maria Lucas and another young girl whose name Darcy could not recall. He believed she was the one who the militia commander, Colonel Forster, meant to marry.
Both young women intently watched the situation, the one with as much amusement and delight as Lydia, and Miss Maria with what Darcy thought was sympathy for Elizabeth.
Elizabeth’s reticence made Lydia giggle again. She nudged Miss Maria, and said, “Oh, everyone will know.” Darcy was beginning to despise Miss Lydia, despite her close relation to Elizabeth. “I heard them. You’ll have to.”
“I really shall not,” Elizabeth replied calmly. “I have no feeling of the sort towards him, and I am sure that Mr. Sykes does not intend to make me an offer. Which I would refuse.”
“It will be such a to-do, like we’ve never had, when you refuse. Mama will swear to never speak to you again. And Mr.Collins, I do not know what he shall do, but he will be even angrier at you than he was when he found out that you were reading novels.” Lydia giggled. “It is such a joke. I borrow all my novels from Maria and Harriet. You should get yours from Charlotte.”
“Lydia!” Elizabeth smacked her cards flat down on the table.
“It will be such a joke. I cannot wait to watch!”
“Youshall see nothing of it.”
Lydia laughed again, but then her focus returned to the game when the next flip of the cards showed her as having won a particularly large prize.
Darcy did not quite feel sufficient to beginning another conversation with Elizabeth while her sister and sundry others could hear.
Thus, the duty fell to Elizabeth to speak next. “I am happy to see you here,” Elizabeth said, “though it must be an uncongenial environment for you.”
Darcy looked around. He certainly had noted the cheap mantelpiece, the giant collection of manufactured figurines, the low ceilings, and the general lack of… elegance in the room.
“If it pleases you that I am here,” Darcy said quietly enough that he did not think Lydia would be able to hear clearly, “then I am well rewarded.”
Elizabeth flushed in reply to that. Her cheeks were pink. The rounded curve of her jaw and neck made his stomach jump.
“You do look very odd here. I think you are too big for my aunt’s chairs.”
Darcy laughed.
