Elizabeth, however, was not satisfied and continued to tease at him until he revealed enough for her to discern the reason for his presence. It all came out two days later.
“Tell me, Papa, how is Longbourn? Dare I suppose the spring planting is well underway?”
“I suspect it is,” was all her father would say. “Mr. Peters handles most aspects of such tasks, as you know. There are no troubles of which I have heard.”
Displeasure marked Elizabeth’s visage, a fact that her father did not misunderstand, though he turned back to his book, feigning unawareness. “And the house and all the servants? What of the neighborhood? I do not suppose you have any news to impart?”
“I believe, Daughter, that you have asked after news of the community several times already. As I am not an eager participant and do not indulge in gossip, you can hardly suppose that I possess much information you would find interesting.”
“You have not told me about the house,” said Elizabeth.
“It yet stands, to the best of my knowledge.”
“I cannot but imagine it is rather quiet since you came to London.”
“It was quiet when I was still there.”
Elizabeth regarded her father, a hint of understanding entering her gaze. “It differs from when we are all in residence, is it not?”
“Oh, I dare say it does,” agreed Mr. Bennet. “Then again, when you or Jane are absent, staying in London with the Gardiners, there is little difference in the level of noise in my home. For that matter, Mary’s absence also provokes little change.”
“My mother has rarely been from home.”
Mr. Bennet offered his affable agreement. “Yes, that must be the reason for my inability to find peace in my home, for yourmother and youngest sisters create enough noise for an entire regiment of soldiers.
“Then again,” continued he with an affectionate smile for his youngest, who giggled in return, “Kitty and Lydia have discovered a hint of quietude in their manners.”
“Perhaps they have,” said Elizabeth, not sparing a glance for her sisters. “Yet it still must be quieter at Longbourn than here in town. There aresixof us in residence now, after all.”
“Yes, I suppose there are. Yet I find I can more easily discover solitude in this house behind the stout door to your library.”
“Not so much as you would experience at Longbourn, with only the servants moving about the house.”
Mr. Bennet smiled his agreement and turned back to his book. The girls rose at that moment and indicated their intention to return to their rooms, and they departed, followed by a sour-looking Mrs. Younge. Elizabeth allowed them to depart, though Darcy did not think she noticed the companion at all. When they were gone, she turned an accusing look on her father.
“You have astonished me, Papa, for I never thought I would see the day when you would act to put yourself in a situation where you must endure the noise you have deplored since I was a girl.”
“What do you mean?”
Though he expressed a lack of understanding, Mr. Bennet’s expression of glee informed them of his pleasure in the game.
Elizabeth regarded him for several moments. “You missed the company of your family! After assuring us all how much you would enjoy your time alone, you could not bear an empty house!”
Mr. Bennet laughed and reached forward to grasp his daughter’s hand with affection. “I might have thought you would understand long before this, Lizzy, for I have given you enoughclues.” He winked and added: “Do not tell your mother or your sisters—I have a reputation to uphold, you know.”
After such a declaration, there was no recourse but to laugh at her father’s outrageous statement, and as she had often claimed, Elizabeth loved to laugh. “Then are you about to become a man about town? Do you mean to take London sitting-rooms by storm and dazzle them with your wit?”
“Not at all,” was Mr. Bennet’s unconcerned reply. “My disinclination for society remains in force.”
Later, when they were alone, Elizabeth was not silent about her suspicions. “You knew.”
Darcy grinned at his wife and gathered her into his embrace. “I did. Your father informed me the day after he arrived, though I already suspected.”
“Why did you not tell me?”
“Was there any purpose in it? You have spent the past few days dueling with your father, and unless I am quite mistaken, you both enjoyed it. Why should I deny you that pleasure?”
There was nothing to say to that, and Elizabeth did not try.
