“You would like anyone who was angry at Mrs. Bennet. I had not known for sure though. Mr. Bennet never told me. But then he once...warned me about, well...handsome gentlemen and girls who they perceive to be insufficiently protected. And I asked him if he made this warning due to my mother’s sin, and he said that he did.”
“But perhaps...” Darcy frowned and studied her again. He took her hand and kissed it once more. “I cannot believe that you ever showed anything in your behavior to give him just causeto doubt your integrity and virtue. Was this warning due to Mr. Wickham?”
Elizabeth laughed.
It was a teary laugh, but a real one.
Mr. Darcy’s serious and worried expression was so delightful. “He worried aboutyou. I do not knowwhy, but he had this notion that you admired me and felt a need to warn me to be on my guard before I went to Netherfield—do not look so offended, we hardly knew you yet. But it is fair to say that there aretwoof us who had never given cause for this whose integrity and virtue were maligned.”
Darcy opened and closed his mouth several times. At last, he said, “Will you give me leave to remain a little offended, so long as it is not mortally?”
She giggled. “Itold him there was no need to worry.”
“Because,” Darcy asked, “you trusted my integrity or my indifference?”
“Beyond any doubt your indifference,” Elizabeth replied impishly. She caught his eyes as she spoke.
Darcy flushed and looked down.
He then looked at her in an odd way, looking her up and down. Then he shook his head again. “Does Mr. Bennet ever mean to ever tell you the details of your birth?”
Elizabeth imitated Mr. Bennet’s voice: “My dear, dear girl. When you are twenty and one, when you have come of age, then your wisdom will be such as to manage these truths. But until then, let me pat your head, there, that is a good child.”
“He does not wish you to know until you are of age?”
Elizabeth spread her hands out and shrugged. “That is his often stated plan. Mr. Darcy, I—I cannot express with my limited words howgratefulI am to you.”
“I still hold to the plan I suggested. We can announce to the school, or to the parents your situation. I’ll wager studentsenough could still be found. Or perhaps private tutoring. I salute you for your determination to be honest about such a matter. Yet, perhaps, is it in fact anyone’s business? At least if you are only to teach their child a matter of language. You are a remarkable woman. There are those who will happily employ someone with your accomplishments, no matter what your birth was.”
“I still mean to learn the piano,” Elizabeth said. “Mary started to teach me yesterday. And yes, we only thought of it due to Lady Catherine’s suggestion.”
This made Darcy laugh, and though Elizabeth would have happily remained near him forever, as her heart still glowed, the simple fact was that she must go soon if she was to be fully dressed and coiffed in good time for dining with Lady Catherine and meetingan earl—and better yet, a possibly murderous one.
They parted when their turn about the park brought them to the gate of the parsonage, and Elizabeth hurried in with a fluttering and lightness in her heart.
Chapter Sixteen
It was in a fine mood that Elizabeth stepped back into the parsonage door.
As soon as she stepped into the parlor, Mr. Collins worriedly asked why Elizabeth had walked for so long, and if she still could dress properly before they must walk across to Rosings. The parson’s anxiety was met by Elizabeth with a bright smile.
Mary hurried her upstairs to dress together. This was also met with a bright smile.
She had told him.
And he did not despise her.
AndMr. Darcy had invited her to join the party when Bingley and Jane went to Pemberley.
There was precious little imperfect in the whole world in her humble opinion. All future tears now could be delayed until Mr. Darcy married, or at least until after that visit to Pemberley.
As they sat while the maid arranged their hair, Mary said to Elizabeth, “You appear to be in a good mood.”
“No. I do? But how? How could you tell?” Elizabeth grinned brightly once more.
Mary rolled her eyes. “Lizzy—you were walking with Mr. Darcy again, were you not? Did he say anything of particular interest?”
“He made a proposal to me,” Elizabeth paused for just a fraction of a second to let Mary’s eyes start to widen, before she quickly added, “A post teaching Latin and Greek at a girl’s school that he is a patron of.”
