“You like secrets too much.”
Mr. Bennet smiled. “I do; I truly do. But Elizabeth, I beg you to believe me that I do not keep this one for my own amusement. But for another ten months, I shall continue to act as I think best.”
“I see.” Elizabeth’s tone of voice was cold. And she rose. “If there is nothing else that you are unable to tell me, I will pack my clothes quickly before going to Miss Bennet’s side.”
“Wait.” Mr. Bennet stood—she so wished hewasher real Papa. “This reminded me. I might give you something youhavewished for before. I thought it might be a gift for your birthday, but I forgot about the idea after I determined on that gilt set of Radcliffe’s novels.”
He went to his desk, and as he worked at the lock to one of the cabinets, he said, “Out of all my children you have by far the greatest cause for anger at me.”
Mr. Bennet pulled forththe locket.
The only image Elizabeth had of her mother. She remembered that she had stared at it for hours in this room when younger. Mr. Bennet would only allow her to look at it when he was present, and he had refused all the begging of ayoung girl to be able to keep it as an ornament that would beher own.
She had thought that quite unjust at the time. But since then, Elizabeth only remembered to ask to look at the locket a few times a year, usually on the anniversary of her mother’s death.
Before handing it to her, Mr. Bennet flipped the locket open. He stared at her mother’s image.
Once more Elizabeth sensed that her father was lost in the mists of time. Memory, not reality.
Then Mr. Bennet shook himself, closed the silver piece, and he held it out to her. “Elizabeth, do not show the image around. But it is yours. I ought to have given this to you many years ago. It was only when you were a young child that I was unable to depend upon your word and good sense in such a matter. And the locket itself is not so distinctive that I have any fear of it being remembered after so many years.”
“Why?”
“I shall tell you all,” Mr. Bennet replied smiling, “when you reach your twenty-first birthday. I already said so much. Lizzy, my dear, you are much, much too young to have difficulties with your memory.”
Elizabeth understood Mr. Bennet’s tone as he teased her in this way was both a way of attempting to make the matter seem less serious and of mending matters.
She smiled at him. “I do promise. I’ll respectmysecrets. I’ll show this picture to no one else.”
“You may feel free to criticize me for my excess of caution, and to tell me how you certainly, at this age, would not have said anything that ought not be said, if you had known all the details. But now off. Off. I know you. You hope for a chance to ransack Netherfield’s library.”
“Not before I ransack yours!” Elizabeth said laughing, and she grabbed from her table the copy of theIliadthat she had begun the previous day. She did not think it likely that she would remain at Netherfield for long enough to also require theOdyssey.
Chapter Five
The only part of Elizabeth Bennet’s arrival to serve as Miss Bennet’s nursemaid that surprised Mr. Darcy was the carriage.
She was first brought into the breakfast room where they all still sat.
Elizabeth held in her hand a book with the title lettering in Greek. She did not look towards him, in a way that rather surprised Darcy, because she tended to glance in his direction when they met.
The dress she wore today was better fitting than those she usually wore in company, being a simple morning dress from muslin. Her hair was in a simple bun, but tied much less severely than usual, and a few curls sneaked, almost but not quite, fashionably out the sides.
She also wore a handsome silver locket. It was the first time that Mr. Darcy had seen her with ornamentation, and he thought the locket handsomely offset her slim neck.
He always wanted to stare at her.
An animal thing inside Darcy liked the look of Elizabeth Bennet. That animal especially wanted to comfort her when she was anxious around Mrs. Bennet. Darcy wanted to cover her with himself and make everything well for her, forever and always.
Stupid and impossible, and what was more, not worth thinking of.
Elizabeth was the penniless relation of a family with little consequence in the world. And he was the son of his parents. Any connection but one of friendship was impossible.
Darcy could admit to himself the strong attraction he felt for herbecauseher station was so far beneath his own that therewas no point in even imagining marriage. If she had been Mr. Bennet’s daughter the situation might have been different.
He would always be happy to see her, and he was happy that she had been given the carriage rather than being made to walk or ride.
After nodding to everyone, Elizabeth went up to sit with Jane.
