“Iam sorry I am not doing much to help make her more bearable.”
“You are doing wonderfully,” Maria whispered. “This is the most she has said since she arrived.”
Charlotte nodded her agreement, and Elizabeth huffed a small laugh. “Perhaps because she is not getting the answers she desires. I shall try and behave myself better.”
“No, pray carry on as you are. The more opinions you give, the more complying you makemelook. At this rate, I shall be her absolute favourite by dinner,” Charlotte replied with a sly smile.
Elizabeth duly continued to give detailed responses to an increasingly arbitrary succession of enquiries until, without warning, Miss de Bourgh announced, “I shall drive you home now, Miss Bennet.”
“Home?”
“Yes, whilst the weather holds.”
Elizabeth had intended to stay longer but did not wish to gainsay the woman outright by insisting upon it. Nevertheless, she could see no justification for taking the gig. “I thank you, but Longbourn is not far from here. There is no need to have the horse brought out.”
“It is no trouble,” Miss de Bourgh replied, once again demonstrating that her understanding of the word did not extend beyond any imposition to her own person.
At least, Elizabeth supposed, a ride in the gig would fulfil her promise of helping to keep the woman entertained. Thus, after less than an hour at Lucas Lodge, Elizabeth found herself being driven back to Longbourn at an interminable pace and in painful silence. What little of Miss de Bourgh’s face could be seen beneath her bonnet and a dozen scarves looked pale and drawn, and were it not for the steady control with which she drove the gig, Elizabeth might have worried she was sickening in the cold.
“It was good of you to take the time to come and meet Charlotte before she moves to Kent,” she said at length.
Miss de Bourgh stared ahead at the road and sniffed. “My mother was called away. I had no other demands on my time.”
“I see.” This was not information Elizabeth would be sharing with either Charlotte or Mr Collins. Better they continue in the belief that it was a kindly meant condescension. “My cousin speaks very highly of your mother. She sounds like an estimable lady.”
“People always admire my mother. She has an overactive sense of charity and a predilection for frankness. She frightens everybody into reverence, eventually. I understand you are acquainted with my cousin Mr Darcy.”
Elizabeth was so busy being amused by the first remark that the second took her aback. She had not expected to hear his name, which was silly really, given that he was one of only two acquaintances she and Miss de Bourgh had in common.
“Yes, I know him a little.”
“You know him well enough to have danced with him.”
“Dancing with Mr Darcy and knowing him are not mutually connected endeavours. He did not say very much.”
“All praise to him, in that case. Would that more gentlemen could learn to be less fascinated by the sound of their own voices.”
“Perhaps, thoughsomeconversation whilst one is dancing can be pleasant.”
“That depends on what is being said. Given the choice between enjoying the moment and having it ruined by an inane discussion that is of no real interest to either party, I should always prefer companionable silence.”
Companionable silence!Elizabeth reflected with amusement. She rather thoughtmisanthropic taciturnitya better description, but she kept the notion to herself.
“What about when you were not dancing? Did you have occasion to speak to Darcy much at other times?”
“Not overmuch, no.”
“You did not spend much time with him, then?”
“Other than the few days I stayed at Netherfield with him, no.” Upon receiving a rather horrified look and hearing Mrs Jenkinson’s muffled gasp from where she perched behind them on the parcel shelf, Elizabeth explained. “My sister had a fever and was instructed by the apothecary to stay there until she was well enough to return home. I stayed to nurse her.”
Miss de Bourgh flicked the reins and the horse skittered forwards, drawing another, louder gasp from her companion. “How convenient!”
“Excepting Mr Bingley, and perhaps my mother, I do not think anybody involved considered it so, least of all my sister.”
“So, you had no conversation with Darcy the entire time you were there?”
“Well, obviously we hadsome.”
