Elizabeth was about to object to this blatant attempt to monopolise her sister, which must have made her uncomfortable when that very sister smiled and assured the colonel she would be happy to do as he asked. With that, the two of them took themselves off to a corner set of chairs. A book that did sit on the table between them and they may have glanced at it at some point.
Darcy had moved to the window which overlooked the gardens and orchard beyond. Elizabeth came to stand beside him and gazed at the picturesque and familiar scene.
“I am glad to have the chance to say goodbye to you,” he said.
“I hope we will not go quite as long as last time before seeing one another again,” she said instead of expressing the happiness she felt at his taking the trouble to come and say goodbye.
“I should think not.” He turned to her and offered one of his rare smiles.
“I shall try not to grow up too much between now and next summer so as to avoid any repeat of your melancholy at the sight of it.”
“It was not melancholy, I assure you.” He shook his head and laughed. She smiled at that, and his expression sobered.
Before she could ask after his words or his changed countenance, Mrs. Gardiner and Georgiana came in, followed by two maids with trays of meats and cheeses and tea and lemonade. The colonel and Jane joined the party around the food and drinks, and the remaining quarter hour was spent in congenial conversation. Darcy offered Mrs. Gardiner and Miss Bennet his farewell and asked to be remembered to Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Barlow until they all met again in September, when he and Georgiana would be back at Pemberley. Elizabeth tried to stifle the surge of jealousy she felt at the way all of them saw so much more of each other than she did of any of them.
Colonel Fitzwilliam mounted his horse after expressing similar sentiments, but for the promise of a reunion as he would be rejoining his regiment. He nodded to them all once more,smiling broadly at Jane, whose countenance gave something away to those who knew her.
“Darcy, shall we be off?”
Darcy took the reins from the groom and turned to Elizabeth, who had managed to make her way to his side. He looked at her for a long moment, seeming to consider what to say. She stood patiently, head to one side, studying him and waiting for that last chance to hear his voice. It almost didn’t matter what he would say. She would savour it.
“I will miss you, Miss Elizabeth.”
She was wrong. It did matter.
The final week at Barlow Hall was spent primarily with the family. Jane and Elizabeth lavished attention on their young cousins. Jane read and Elizabeth played chess with Mr. Barlow almost every day. Though they missed their friends, it was an enjoyable time, and they were all sad when the girls said their farewells.
When the sisters settled into their room in an inn in Lichfield, where their father would meet them the next morning, Elizabeth broke her self-imposed silence on the subject of the two gentlemen who had so clearly become besotted with her sister during their time in Derbyshire. Jane blushed slightly before answering with a happy grin.
“Mr. Bingley is a charming young man, and I was pleased to get to know him during his visit,” Jane said.
“But he is not the man who has captured your heart,” Elizabeth responded. It was not a question.
“No, he is not,” Jane agreed, her smile growing. And then she surprised Elizabeth by admitting, “It is Colonel Fitzwilliam who has done that and, Lizzy, I never knew I could feel this way. I think, I know it is too soon, but I may already be in love with him. He is so good, so kind, so charming, so intelligent and handsome, too. He is so very handsome.” She laughed and buried her head in the pillow.
Elizabeth watched her sister’s face light up with happiness and then listened to her muffled giggles. She could not contain her own grin. She had always hoped that her serene, composed sister would find a man who would discompose her.
Half the night was spent in conversation, and Elizabeth learned that although the colonel had not declared himself, he left Jane in no doubt about his heart, and she felt sure she had been as clear with him.
“He told me he had not thought he could afford to marry, or at least to marry without regard to fortune, and like us, he had always hoped to marry for love,” Jane explained.
“This was a frank discussion.”
“It was,” Jane agreed, eyes dancing with delight, looking not at all guilty. “I am glad of it. Though we had both gone as far as we could in expressing interest without being explicit, I was still uncertain and worried he might be as well.”
“And now you are both certain?”
“As we can be. He will speak with his father. He intimated there might be something that could be done for him with regard to certain family properties. He was simply never interested.”
“But he is now.”
“He is now.”
Elizabeth and Georgiana were as faithful in their correspondence as they promised to be. Thus, before she even left Derbyshire, Elizabeth had an account from her friend of the group’s travel to Mr. Bingley’s aunt’s estate. Apparently, the woman had married a gentleman of some means recently retired from business and successful enough to buy an estate of his own. Even while expressing her delight at the countryside, the home and her brother’s company, Georgiana did not hesitate to share her frustration with the Bingley sisters and particularly Miss Bingley’s blatant interest in her brother. Elizabeth sent her promised missive the day before she and Jane departed, and though tempted, did not include a separate message for Darcy beyond a request she be remembered to him.
Chapter Ten
Summer 1811
