“No, no.”
Darcy sighed at the reply. He sometimes worried that when he had always flipped her upside down before she could clearly say no, that this had been something she did not enjoy, for all that she had giggled and grinned.
Elizabeth laughed. “She speaks so much more clearly now. And she can express firm preferences already.” With a sly look Elizabeth added, “Much like her grandmother.”
Darcy groaned and Colonel Fitzwilliam laughed.
“That is not a notion which will recommend you to Darcy,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said. “But perhaps to others here.”
Emily said, “Lalalala.” And she pointed firmly out the door.
“Very well, very well.” Darcy then said to Elizabeth, “I fear we must take our leave. She will only become more demanding the longer I wait.”
“And what does ‘lalala’ mean?”
“Walk.”
Elizabeth laughed. That awkwardness of the first meeting suddenly melted away into their usual easy comradery. She said, “I can confess to liking walks as well.”
“Miss Bennet, you must allow me to apologize for how suddenly I departed, without us having any parting, and—”
“No, no need to apologize. The manner of your departure proved beyond doubt that you had an urgent matter of serious business. No offense was ever taken.”
“I also must thank you for the great kindness you did to Emily when you attended on her before I called her back to Pemberley.”
“Oh, she was always a joy to be around. I do believe that Nell is the person who chiefly owed me thanks, and she has already given it voluminously. Is Nell well, did she come south with you?”
“Settling into the nursery and ensuring that it will match my preferences. We had all of Emily’s toys and books brought in the trunks. We’ve weaned the girl, though. A few months past.”
“Lalalalala,” was the renewed demand from Emily, combined with struggling to be put down. She immediately ran to the door and tried reaching the handle.
This drew a laugh from Elizabeth. “A confident little muffin.”
Darcy then went off, he thought that Elizabeth might have very much liked to walk with him, if they were not to return directly to Rosings. And also, if not for the presence of Colonel Fitzwilliam who studied Elizabeth with an amused and knowing expression.
Soon as the door was closed, and they’d walked off fifteen feet, Colonel Fitzwilliam clapped his hands and laughed. “You old bull. Hiding such a thing from me. You are infatuated with the girl.”
“I am not.” Darcy put Emily down. “Do you wish to run?”
She instead immediately turned back to him and put her arms up.
“Are you certain?” Darcy asked.
“Up.”
Darcy cooed and pulled the girl up into his arms, kissing her on the cheek and exclaiming, “Yes, up! Up! Very good, can you say it again?”
She grinned at him and said, “Up.”
Seeing Colonel Fitzwilliam’s expression, Darcy explained, “She has never said ‘up’ before.”
“And even though you provide all the mother a girl might need,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said, “I am confident that the whole purpose of your visit to Rosings is contained in that cottage.”
Darcy’s colour was high.
But he could not deny that he had an interest in Elizabeth, because he plainly did. After pondering the question, Darcy said at last, “She is a dear friend. We enjoyed speaking.”
“Such a dear friend that you will brave the bat in her cave so that she might shed one of her smiles upon you. Darcy, my friend, I never thought I’d live to see the day when you stammered around a woman like that — and what is this about her having cared for Emily?”
