“He was going to call, but this thing at the gallery came about first.”
“How very convenient,” Elizabeth replied with a shake of her head and an incredulous frown.
“It was veryinconvenientactually, Lizzy, for I would much rather talk to him here than at the stupid art exhibition where there is only one seat in the entire building. But just at the moment he was asking whether he might call on me, Mr Darcy stormed into the gallery, and we got distracted talking about him instead, because—would you believe—it turns out Mr Darcy was in love with you all along! But, I said that you had always hated him and that you were meeting Mr Knowles at the candlelit event, and Sergeant Mulhall said the candles sounded romantic, and that is when we agreed we would meet there.”
Elizabeth held herself very still and tried to extract some sense from Kitty’s diatribe, but it was difficult to focus on anything besides the mention of a certain gentleman. “Mr Darcy was there?” she eventually asked, and rather feebly.
“Yes,” Kitty replied impatiently. Then she narrowed her eyes. “You have gone very pale. What is it to you that Mr Darcy was there?”
“Nothing.” That was accurate—Elizabeth had long ago forfeited the right to claim that Mr Darcy’s business was anything to her, but her heart ached with the weight of that truth. “It has just been a long time since we saw him. Do not change the subject. We are talking about Sergeant Mulhall, whom you will not be meeting at the exhibition or anywhere else, for he is clearly trouble, spreading unfounded rumours and encouraging you to defy your family.”
“He has notencouraged anything of the sort—he expressed his anticipation to meet you this evening! It is youwho is denying him the introduction by refusing to come with me to the exhibition. And as for thesupposedlyunfounded rumours, you will change your mind when I tell you why he told me Lord Rutherford was a cad.”
“I doubt it.”
Kitty flashed a self-satisfied smirk at her. “He was following orders. He was instructed to pass on that warning by his commanding officer—Colonel Fitzwilliam.”
Elizabeth absolutely started. “What?”
“I thought you would find that interesting. But it gets better. It turns out, the warning was not meant for me—it was meant foryou. And guess who asked Colonel Fitzwilliam to warn ‘Miss Bennet’ that Lord Rutherford was a cad?”
“Who?” Elizabeth asked, though so breathily that it was more exhalation than question.
“Why, Mr Darcy, of course!”
“That makes no sense, Kitty. Why would he do that?”
“I told you—he is violently in love with you and did not want you to step out with another man.”
It was almost amusing how wrong she was. Elizabeth might have laughed if the words she must say next were not so painful to speak. “Mr Darcy does not love me, Kitty.”
“He must! Why else would he stick his nose into your business in this officious manner?”
“The answer to that is simple—he would not.”
“Hewould!Do not forget, he has done it before. He warned Mr Bingley against marrying Jane, did he not? And you said he did so because he cared about his friend.”
“Yes, that is true.” Elizabeth wished her sister would stop.
“And he made Wickham marry Lydia to save her reputation. He takes great pleasure in directing other people’s romantic affairs. What makes you think he would not do it again?”
“Because he has no reason to this time.”
“Yes, he does—you!”
Elizabeth shook her head, willing her sister to desist. “Hedoes not love me, Kitty.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he never came back!” she said sharply—and instantly regretted it. She had never disclosed to Kitty what had transpired between her and Mr Darcy. Only Jane, Aunt Gardiner, and Charlotte knew, and their combined pity was more than torture enough. “I am sorry. I did not mean to snap. Can we just?—”
“Were you expecting him to come back?” Kitty interrupted. Her piercing look from earlier had returned. “Were youhopinghe would?”
Elizabeth winced, angry with herself for not being able to think of a pert remark to put her sister off. She was usually quicker witted, but her mind was too full of Mr Darcy and her heart too heavy with sadness to think of anything.
“Lizzy stop being so secretive for once and tell me what is wrong!” her sister said abruptly. “I know you prefer to confidein Jane, but she is not here, so you will have to make do with me. You never know, I might surprise you. I am capable of being sympathetic, you know.”
As shocking as this outburst was, Elizabeth could deny none of it. Shehadkept her dealings with Mr Darcy secret from almost everybody, and shehadassumed Kitty would not be of any comfort to her.
