His cousin sprang to his feet and beckoned for Darcy to rise. “What are you waiting for? Mr. Collins is not about do the work for us.”
“No,” agreed Darcy, following him at a more sedate pace.
“Welcome, Mr. Darcy,” said Mr. Collins, greeting them as if he already considered himself master of Longbourn, though to Elizabeth’s knowledge, Mr. Bennet remained among the living.
“Come in and make yourselves comfortable,” said he, bustling about in a misplaced, overzealous manner. “I will have the servants bring additional chairs to accommodate everyone, and talk to Mr. Hill about neglecting his duties.”
“I think that is my father’s responsibility, Mr. Collins, not yours,” said she, holding her temper by the thinnest of threads.
The day was just begun, yet already the man had found a new level of insufferable. Had Mr. Darcy not arrived with his charming cousin and delightful sister, she might have seriously considered retreating to her apartment and locking herself inside until the next day.
“Of course,” replied he with a great bow. “I am just doing my part to make our guests comfortable.”
A snort of laughter drew her attention to Mr. Darcy, who was giving his sister a gentle nudge with his elbow.
Miss Darcy pressed her lips together, yet the laughter she struggled to contain brought a bright crimson to her cheeks. A quick smile and nod of the head sent her new friend to sit on the bench under the window, where Elizabeth joined her.
“Forgive me, but I could not help myself,” said she, one last giggle escaping her when they took their seats. “I know it is impolite but seeing him bow to you was too funny to ignore. We are not among royalty, unless my brother forgot to tell me. If he had bent any lower, his nose would have touched the floor.”
“Watching him can be amusing,” agreed she, “when he is not doing his utmost to annoy me, which seems to keep him busy every waking hour.”
Elizabeth smiled and lifted her eyes to survey the room. With Mr. Collins loose and unattended, she needed to pay attention. If left alone, he might destroy any remaining vestiges of her composure.
She saw Mrs. Bennet fussing around Jane and Mr. Bingley, which was no surprise; that was sure to increase as she sought to encourage his interest in her eldest daughter.
To her amusement, Mr. Darcy’s cousin had Mr. Collins’s attention. He sat enthralled, listening to the colonel regale him with tales of his adventures while fighting on the continent.
He sent her a smile but did not pause in his narration, and Elizabeth made a note to thank him for coming withMr. Darcy today. He would not understand why she expressed such gratitude, but she needed to let him know she valued his company.
“Your cousin is a unique individual,” said Miss Darcy, bringing Elizabeth’s awareness back, “and I do not mean that as a compliment.”
She giggled, and Elizabeth joined her, keeping her laughter quiet, so as not to attract anyone’s attention, especially Mr. Collins. The less she had to do with him, the less danger to her sanity.
“Fitzwilliam is not impressed with the man,” said Miss Darcy, “but he is too polite to show his opinion. That is just one trait people in Derbyshire compliment him on. As a brother, he is kind, and I love that about him.”
“Commendable qualities that Miss Elizabeth also possesses in abundance,” said Mr. Collins, having approached unnoticed.
She shuddered at the sound of his voice and saw Miss Darcy do the same. Something about the man encouraged revulsion, and her friend’s identical reaction told her others felt the same.
“I am no better than anyone and not as good as Mr. Darcy, apparently,” said she, stealing a glance at Colonel Fitzwilliam, who, to her surprise, shrugged his shoulders. The gesture’s meaning escaped her.
“Nonsense,” argued Mr. Collins, “Miss Elizabeth, you are too modest, which further warms my heart. Lady Catherine has counseled me more than once about finding a gentlewoman with attributes like yours. I am sure her approval will be swift and enthusiastic.”
“You have not ‘found’ me,” said she, the temptation to fasten her hands about his neck growing. She had to get away for this man before they acted without her permission.
“Miss Elizabeth does not appear to need finding,” offered Mr. Darcy, his polite statement the soothing balm she needed.
“I hope I am not intruding,” said he. “We have not talked yet today, and I did not want to live with that regret.”
He acknowledged her tormentor with a brief nod and turned to her again. “And I wanted to rescue you from Georgiana,” chuckled he, gracing his sister with a devilish grin.
“I was not bothering Miss Elizabeth,” insisted the girl, stamping her foot on the floor. “We were trying to become better acquainted, but someone interrupted us.”She sent a pointed glare in Mr. Collins’s direction, but Mr. Darcy ignored her mild anger with the uninvited parson.
“I did not have the chance to finish last night’s story of my military service,” said the colonel, guiding Mr. Collins toward the far side of the room. The man did not resist, and Elizabeth heaved a sigh of relief as she watched them leave.
“Miss Darcy is no bother,” said she, recalling the comment before her opportune rescue. “She is delightful company. Your sister is always polite and well-informed about anything we have discussed. I think you should commend her tutor.”
“I will follow your sage advice as soon as we return home,” promised he, “and I thank you for your kindness. Many women view her as an inconvenience and do not pay her any attention unless she is with me. You welcomed her without hesitation and continued to treat her with respect and affection. You are a remarkable person, Miss Elizabeth.”
