When the carriage stopped before Netherfield, his mother moved forward to greet them, and after they had exchanged pleasantries, she regarded them, amusement pushing her lips into a smile.
“I suppose you wish to visit Longbourn?”
“At once!” cried Georgiana. “I cannot wait to make the acquaintance of all Kitty’s sisters.”
A laugh met her exclamation. “So you shall. Mrs. Bennet sent an invitation to dinner this evening. When you are all refreshed, we may depart for Longbourn at once, for I expect they are no less impatient to receive us.”
With that, the travelers went to their rooms to mend the damage to their appearances wrought by their time in the carriage. Darcy, his enthusiasm exceeding even Georgiana’s, was the first to descend, and there he met his mother waiting for his appearance.
“I see you cannot wait to return to Elizabeth’s presence,” said she, favoring him with a knowing smile. “Unfortunate though it is, I have tidings for you, for you have a rival for the lady’s affection.”
Any such suggestion was beyond outlandish, for Darcy and Elizabeth had been destined to marry for at least the past four years. Darcy, noting the anticipation on his mother’s face, responded in like fashion.
“Must I resort to pistols at dawn? I am surprised at Elizabeth, for she must know what I will not give way.”
A laugh escaped her lips. “No, William, I cannot suppose you must enforce your claim with the use of violence. The rival is that in his mind only, and he is perhaps the most ridiculous manI have ever met in the bargain. I judge we have a few moments before your companions join us, so I shall tell you.”
There was no time for a full accounting, so his mother gave him only the barest explanation of the Bennets’ visitor, his interest in Elizabeth, her disinclination for his company, and her father taking him to task for his presumption. Darcy thought he recalled some mention of Bennet’s heir, though he could recall no specifics. For a man to pay attention to a woman with such haste after making her acquaintance without taking the trouble to discover if she was already engaged was not the act of a rational man. Darcy was tempted to become angry, but he thought laughter would become his best weapon.
“He has desisted then?” asked Darcy when his mother concluded her tale.
“I have not visited in two days, but when I was there the day that Mr. Bennet reprimanded him, he displayed all the petulance I would expect from a child of five.”
“Then I shall watch and wait to see how he behaves. If he continues to overstep propriety, he will need to deal with me.”
“Oh?” asked Fitzwilliam, who arrived in Georgiana’s company at that moment. “Is there some other man sniffing around your lady?”
“Mr. Bennet’s cousin and heir,” provided Mrs. Darcy.
“What is the connection?” asked Fitzwilliam with some curiosity.
“A cousin to some degree. I am not certain even Mr. Bennet knows the exact connection.”
“Elizabeth will never even look at him twice,” averred Georgiana. “It took only a few moments in her company to know how devoted she is to you.”
“The state of Elizabeth’s constancy does not worry me,” said Darcy, nodding to his young cousin. “It is the actions of this man staying at Longbourn. He sounds like a chucklehead, indeed.”
“Then let us depart for Longbourn at once,” said Fitzwilliam. “Should he see you with Miss Bennet, he will have no choice but to desist.”
They all agreed, though Mrs. Younge said nothing—Darcy noticed her watching him and wondered what she was about. The desire to be in Elizabeth’s company again overcame any consideration of his cousin’s companion, and he focused instead upon departing at once to be at Longbourn as soon as may be.
When approaching Netherfield from the north, there was a small track wide enough for a carriage that led from Stevenage, so he had not yet passed through Meryton that morning. The main road from the estate led through the nearby community, so it was wider and better maintained, allowing for swifter travel. As they passed through, Darcy pointed out the town, not that there was much to see, for the road to Longbourn was a wide fork at the very northern edge of the village.
As the carriage proceeded along the path leading to Lucas Lodge and Longbourn in the distance, Darcy fancied every rock, every tree was familiar to his questing eyes; the closer to the estate they traveled, the more his anticipation grew. When they passed the turn-off to Lucas Lodge, the carriage traveled up the side of a hill and soon reached the grove of trees where Longbourn village stood outside the manor grounds. At the end of the street sat the gates to Longbourn.
“Oh, look, is that not Elizabeth?” exclaimed Georgiana as they neared the gates.
Darcy followed her pointed hand and saw the figure of a woman on a path in the woods, one Darcy knew was a favorite of hers. On the verge of ordering the coach to stop, Darcy saw the unmistakable shape of a tall man dressed in black following her. The memory of his mother’s account of the Bennets’ parson relation entered his mind, and he reacted at once.
“Stop the coach!”
When the conveyance rolled to a stop, Darcy lost no time in opening the door and stepping down, breaking into a run after the retreating pair.
THE DAY AFTER HER FATHERspoke to Mr. Collins, Elizabeth had a reprieve from him, for the man spoke little, though Elizabeth felt the burden of his eyes on her. What he could mean by it and why he was so fixed on her, Elizabeth could not say, but she remained wary of him.
The next day—the day William was to return—silly Mr. Collins reappeared, though now he was not so blatant as he had been before. Whereas he had all but showered her with his attention the first few days of his stay, droning on about his happy situation, his patroness, and his assurance that she would find his home to be to her taste, now he focused on banal matters that bore no open resemblance to his previous speeches. Underneath, however, Elizabeth fancied she saw something of his purpose, for he was not exactly subtle.
“You show a pleasing piety when reading the words of the dear reverend, Cousin,” said Mr. Collins that morning with approval. “A woman who follows Fordyce’s counsel cannot go amiss.”
