“My mother is in good health, as are my sisters. They have a roof over their heads and plenty to eat. And they have good friends to keep them company.”
“That is all for your family. What about yourself?” Darcy asked.
“I have the same. My aunt and uncle have been good enough to take me in so that I might help with the children. And it is not an imposition, for I love my cousins dearly.” She sighed, though she was smiling at the same time. “Sometimes I cringe to think where we could have ended, and I am even more grateful for our relatively fortunate situation. There are those who find themselves in much more dire straits than we are now in.”
“Were you ever in dire straits?”
“For a time. Another cousin on my father’s side inherited our family home, and even though we were given some time to find a place to live, my mother wanted to move as quickly as possible. We were lucky to have friends who helped us through the transition.”
“You are a very strong young woman, Miss Bennet,” Darcy said. The words came out with a note of sincerity even beyond what he had intended. There were many other ladies he knew, Caroline Bingley being first among them, who were far less content; indeed, who were ungrateful despite all the blessings that had been given them.
“I do not feel strong most of the time,” she said. “But I thank you for the compliment all the same.”
She was too much — too lovely, too charming, and even too wise. Darcy forced himself to answer her with no more than a nod before walking away towards the piano, ending the conversation. It would be the better part of wisdom to talk to Miss Bennet as little as could be combined with courtesy until the visit reached its end, and so he did.
Though it took a considerable effort of will.
When the ladies departed, Georgiana came and sat beside him, giving a wry smile. “Do not think I did not notice.”
He chuckled, disliking the nervous note that he could not keep out of his voice. “Notice what?”
Georgiana rolled her eyes heavenward. “The way you engaged Miss Bennet in conversation the entire visit. If I did not know you better, I would think you were quite smitten with her.”
Darcy tried to conceal how right she was. “That is ridiculous.”
“Hmm. Perhaps not as ridiculous as you might think.” She stood and patted his shoulder as she walked out of the room. Darcy could not argue with her.
Yet he must fight down his feelings, whatever it took. Elizabeth Bennet was a charming young lady, but not someone his family would have thought appropriate to be the mistress of Pemberley. His father had made his duty in selecting a wife quite clear.
Surely nothing could justify a choice that would please only himself.
Chapter 11
Elizabeth stood in front of the mirror as the maid helped her brush her curls down over her back. She was in a pensive mood that night — no uncommon occurrence of late. Absurd as it was, she could not seem to get Mr Darcy out of her head.
Shemust not forget the great gap in status between them, even if he half seemed to. Or was he only indulgent of his sister to the point of not minding such things? Miss Darcy had invited them over for tea with a frequency that could only be a sincere desire for their company, for it certainly went far beyond mere politeness. The invitations were, at least, very welcome. Elizabeth had rarely been so well entertained as with Georgiana Darcy and her too-handsome brother, and Mrs Gardiner and Mrs Annesley were quickly becoming fast friends.
Elizabeth should have been very content. It had been a pleasant day. Her writing had gone well, and the sky had cleared enough for a short walk in the afternoon. She could not account for her sense of gloom that night.
Perhaps it was only that she would no longer have the Darcy’s company, for they were to leave for Pemberley before much longer. The time had flown by since they had been told of their return to their estate in Derbyshire, bringing the dateof their separation with a rapidity that must be due to her reluctance to say goodbye to such charming friends.
Elizabeth knew she ought not to view it with any regret. Indeed, their departure could only do them all good. Mr Darcy would be free to see to his business matters and take care of his tenants, who might need the attention of one with the funds and authority to have roofs fixed and quarrels sorted out. And she would be able to focus on her writing again. Charming as her new friends were, any distraction must be a hindrance to writing her next novel, and the Darcys were disquieting in their quick intelligence and perception. Were friendships to be judged only by their likelihood of leading to her secret being revealed, Elizabeth might have wished her new friends considerably less intelligent.
Miss Darcy had not mentioned her extensive “letter writing” since their first few meetings. Elizabeth attributed the change half to Miss Darcy’s kind discretion, and half to her own increased caution in keeping her hands free of ink, at least to the extent that was possible. Writing more carefully, avoiding the day before she was to visit them, and scrubbing her hands had improved matters considerably.
But avoiding writing before meeting the Darcys also had the effect of putting her sorely behind schedule. Mr Tilney had not been best pleased by her reports. Just yesterday, he had clicked his tongue at her and told her she would have to press herself if she were to make the deadline they had set. Thankfully, they had not yet announced that her new novel would be released at the beginning of the summer months. But Mr Tilney still had his heart set on it and had even begun speaking ofanothernovel, to be published as quickly as she could write it!At that thought, half infuriating and half terrifying, Elizabeth huffed and turned her head sharply.
The maid gasped and Elizabeth gave a yelp of surprise and pain., for the sudden movement had caused her to rip out several strands of hair.
“Oh, please forgive me, Miss. Did I hurt you?”
Elizabeth placed a hand over the tender spot and closed her eyes. “It was my fault, Hattie. I should not have moved, but I was lost in thought.”
“A thousand pardons, Miss Bennet. It won’t happen again.” Hattie, the poor girl, looked on the verge of tears as she stood before Elizabeth, holding the brush. She must have been sorely mistreated in her last position, Elizabeth thought sadly, for any reasonable person would have seen that Hattie was not to blame.
“You are not in any kind of trouble, Hattie. It was my fault. I should not have jerked my head.” She gave the girl a bolstering smile and placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “You have done all you can for me tonight. Why do you not return to your mother in the kitchen, and see if there is a sweet treat left over from tea time?” Elizabeth winked. “Tell her that Miss Bennet has asked it as a special favour.”
“Oh, no, Miss, I couldn’t,” she argued. But Elizabeth could tell Hattie’s mouth was already watering, just thinking of the delicacy she might enjoy.
