“What can Mr.Darcy mean by staring at me so?”She tilted her head in his direction to indicate him to her friend.“He has been watching me throughout our conversation.”
“Perhaps he finds you pleasant to look at.That dress is lovely, and your hairstyle is very flattering this evening.”
Elizabeth made a face.“Thank you, but we know what he thinks of us all.We would be a punishment for him to stand up with, remember?”
“All except Jane, of course,” replied Charlotte with good humor.
“Of course!Jane is the exception to a great many things.”Elizabeth’s good humor returned, and she determined to ignore Mr.Darcy for the remainder of the evening.And she would have done so, too, but the man made himself difficult to ignore.
When she spoke with Lady Lucas, he was in conversation with the man beside them.When she conversed with the Miss Longs, he appeared to listen to her conversation.When Charlotte urged her to play and sing, he watched her performance most carefully.He is likely waiting for me to make a mistake and hoping I will prove the inferiority of the company.She concentrated more than she normally would have and put more effort into her song with the result of loud applause at the end.She blushed becomingly and left the instrument—stepping outside to the terrace in the hopes of cooling her heated cheeks.The way he looked at her!What was he thinking with such a display?
Darcy left the party at Lucas Lodge with the pleasant image of Elizabeth Bennet at the pianoforte replaying in his mind.Her posture at the instrument, her fingers dancing over the keys, and the curl on her neck that bounced when she turned her head quickly.She was a delightful woman, and he could not think why he had not noticed her before.Nothing could come of it, of course.She had no connections and no fortune to make up for the lack of propriety uniformly shown by her family.And what a mother she had!Mrs.Bennet was the most ridiculous, crass woman he had ever had the misfortune to know.She was not mean-spirited—he was generous enough to admit that—and she did seem to have a solid grasp on which gowns looked well on her and which did not—a talent he wished Bingley’s sisters would attain.But she always spoke too loudly for the distance to her conversation partner, and she would speak most indelicately about vulgar topics.Asking after his wealth and his connections as if she were keeping a list of all the young men she met and categorizing them according to desirability.So far, his generally aloof demeanor had kept her at bay, but such a determined woman would not be held off for long.
He must be certain to keep his admiration for Miss Elizabeth concealed lest her mother get wind of it.She would make his life a misery and likely worse for her daughter.It would be a kindness to avoid her.He would enjoy her company for the little time they had left before her mother noticed, and then he must think of her no more.It would be easy.It was not as if he was in love.He was only a little bit fascinated by her.That was all.
Chapter 4
Netherfield
Elizabethwatchedwithafrown as Jane left Longbourn.Miss Bingley had sent an invitation to dine, and instead of sending Jane in a carriage like a civilized lady, Mrs.Bennet had sent her on horseback in the hopes that the impending rain would cause Jane to spend the night, and she would then be able to see Mr.Bingley in the morning.Elizabeth shook her head.It was utterly humiliating!What kind of gentlewoman arrived on horseback for a dinner engagement?At this time of year!It was not as if Jane was joining the hunt or had stopped by for tea while out on her daily ride.She shook her head.Jane felt the indecorousness of it, but such was her desire to forward her relationship with Mr.Bingley that she complied with the ridiculous plan.Elizabeth could only hope Jane would arrive before the rain and avoid a drenching.
Jane did not.By the time she arrived at Netherfield, she was nearly wet through.She made it through the first course of dinner, but it did not take long for her new friends to comment on her flushed cheeks and her glassy eyes.Jane had not changed her clothes when she arrived, not wanting to trouble her hostess, and had been sitting in wet garments for some time before she grew feverish.
Miss Bingley had no choice but to have a room prepared for Jane to rest and send a maid to tend to her.She would have sent her home, but her brother had the carriage, and she could hardly send Jane off on horseback in the pouring rain—though the idea had crossed her mind.
It was a nuisance having an ill guest, but what was a hostess to do?
Elizabeth received a note from Jane the following morning.Her sister had a sore throat, a fever, and a headache, but she was otherwise well.Elizabeth nearly groaned in frustration.This was her mother’s doing.
She quickly finished her breakfast and set out for Netherfield.Mrs.Bennet might protest, but she could not leave Jane on her own in such a house.Miss Bingley and Mrs.Hurst did not strike her as familiar with the sickroom.
She found Jane more ill than her sister had admitted to and set to tending her immediately.When it came time for her to leave, Miss Bingley grudgingly offered to allow Elizabeth to stay and nurse Jane.Elizabeth knew she had only made the offer because her sister had protested so pathetically when Elizabeth was telling her goodbye.She also supposed Miss Bingley would be happy to relinquish the responsibility of Jane’s care to someone else.Elizabeth accepted the offer, sent a note to Longbourn requesting a trunk of clothes, and settled into the room next to Jane’s.
Elizabeth was heading down the corridor to request more water and cloths when she heard a whimper.She stopped and looked about but saw no one.Did one of the ladies keep a pug?The sound could have come from an animal.
She continued on her way and heard the sound again but louder this time.She finally realized it came from just behind a door to her left.She pressed her ear to the door and heard what sounded like a child crying.“Is anyone there?”she asked.Were there children on staff?Some houses employed them, though she had not seen any at Netherfield yet.
The crying intensified and Elizabeth leaned down to speak through the keyhole.“Are you all right in there?”
The child wailed and said something that sounded likeNanathough she could not be sure.
“Is anyone with you?”She did not want to open the door and find it was Mr.Hurst’s room, but neither did she wish to leave a child crying on its own.She rapped on the door rather loudly, but there was no response besides more crying.Sighing, she said, “Would you like to come out of there?”
There was a sniffle and a strained, “Yes.”
Elizabeth looked down the corridor and saw no one she could turn to for assistance.She reached for the doorknob, took a deep breath, and turned it.She had to give it an extra shove as the child seemed to be sitting against the door.She looked down and saw a boy of about two years or perhaps a little older with a splotchy face and tears tracking down his cheeks.A quick look told her he was alone in the room.
She immediately knelt down to his level and took out her handkerchief.As she dried his tears and wiped his nose, she asked, “Were you not able to open the door?”
The boy shook his head woefully.Netherfield was an old house, and the doorknobs were all at the height Elizabeth’s ribs.No wonder he had not been able to reach it!
“Is your mother here?”
He looked at her oddly.
“Do you have a nurse?”
He seemed slightly more interested at that word, but still said nothing.
