“Good morning,” he said, with a strong and steady voice. “As you are coming from the family wing, I know you must be one of Georgiana’s guests. Might I venture a guess as to your identity?”
“I could be persuaded to allow that if I might first guess yours.”
“You could try, but I doubt—”
“You are quite obviously Colonel Stephen Fitzwilliam,” she said, tipping her head to the side and raising her brows in challenge. She was certain she was right. “That watch was given to you by your favourite cousin last Christmas, and you are upbefore most everyone in the house because ever since you joined the army, you cannot seem to sleep past dawn.”
All of the Darcys adored this particular cousin and consequently spoke and wrote about him often. Elizabeth had a wealth of knowledge about the man before her.
“And my guess was to be Miss Jane Bennet, but now I see you are a witch and I beg you would excuse me. I must be off to the library to find any books my uncle kept on how to banish your kind.”
She liked him instantly as she had known she would.
“In that case, might I join you?”
“You are not worried about my errand? I intend to vanquish you,” he challenged, even as he offered her his arm. She took it, and they proceeded down the rest of the stairs. As they turned the corner, Elizabeth answered him.
“I am not worried. You have correctly guessed neither my name nor my profession.”
“Indeed,” he said.
The library door was open and he raised an arm for her to precede him, nodding to a nearby maid as he did so. She followed them in, standing near the door.
“You are not Miss Jane Bennet?”
“I am not.”
“Miss Elizabeth then?”
“Just so.”
“Interesting,” he said, but before she could ask what was interesting about her not being her sister, he went on, “and you are not a witch?”
“I am afraid not. It would be more interesting if I were. As it is, I am merely a sister, both an elder and a younger, a cousin, twice over so far, a daughter and a friend.”
“And you excel at all of it if my cousins are to be trusted. And from those same sources I believe we must add to your record—you are an accomplished rider, a voracious reader, a delightful conversationalist, a—”
Elizabeth cut him off, blushing furiously. “Please, enough.”
“And modest to boot. Intriguing.”
When she was brave enough to make eye contact, she saw that the colonel was regarding her with obvious curiosity. Was intriguing the same as interesting? Or was it something more? She longed to ask, but though this man was kind and welcoming, she did not know him well enough to enquire.
“I will not force you to entertain me. I suspect you snuck away from your sister and my cousin to have a moment to yourself.”
“Perhaps.”
“Then let us both lose ourselves among the shelves until we must rejoin the world for breakfast.”
She readily agreed, and they went in opposite directions, finding books and then choosing chairs near but not too near one another. Elizabeth was surprised when the clock struck nine. They had been there nearly an hour.
“Are you ready to brave the breakfast room?” the colonel asked. When he rose, Elizabeth did the same. She tucked her book under her arm, and they left the room side by side.
“I should have asked earlier, but have you met Mr. Bingley or any of his family?” he asked.
“I have not. Miss Darcy indicated they would be among the guests and told me a little about them.”
“Then I shall not spoil her no doubt kind and inaccurate assessment,” he teased.
