Elizabeth will be there.
He abhorred the way his guts twisted at the thought. Good God, was he so little master of himself that he could not set eyes on her without incident? He clenched his fist around the reins. There was no danger for him at Longbourn, and he would not be frightened into inaction by the pathetic fluttering of his recalcitrant heart. Better to get it over with—fetch Anne and leave Hertfordshire this very afternoon.
Ever angrier at the irrepressible feelings that had plagued him for the last three months, making every decision ten times harder than it ought to be, Darcy turned his mount and set out defiantly towards Longbourn.
7
Mrs Philips stayed only a quarter of an hour. Any longer and she would have forfeited the chance of being first to announce Mr Darcy’s return to the rest of her acquaintances. She might have chosen to stay had she known who would call next at Longbourn. As it was, the pleasure of revealing Mr Darcy’s arrival to his cousin fell to Mrs Bennet.
“Darcy has come for me?” Miss de Bourgh replied with an air of ingenuous satisfaction. It was a fleeting look. Her countenance rapidly hardened into a more superior expression. “Of course, he is devoted to me.”
“You were not aware he was coming?” Elizabeth enquired.
“No, I understood he was occupied with his friends in town, but I expect he wishes for me to accompany him there.”
Elizabeth did not doubt it. Mr Darcy seemed intent on whisking everybody he knew away from Hertfordshire.
“Ought I to understand that you will be travelling with him now?” Mr Collins enquired, looking thoroughly miserable.
“Of course! What an absurd question! I do not know why you look so unhappy about it. You have been desirous of returning to Kent for days. Now, you may go.” Miss de Bourgh turned to Mrs Bennet abruptly. “Are you planning to introduce this lady to me?”
Mrs Bennet floundered but was rescued by Jane, who calmly introduced Mrs Gardiner.
“And you are Mr Bennet’s sister, are you?”
“No, madam. My husband is Mrs Bennet’s brother. We are come up from London for Christmas.”
“Whereabouts in London?”
“Gracechurch Street. Near Cheapside.”
“Oh,” Miss de Bourgh replied, managing to imbue the word with the whole of society’s disgust for the middle class. It marked an end to her interest, and after an appraising look and a sniff, she turned away from Mrs Gardiner to address Mr Collins. “You certainly have some unfortunate connexions, sir.”
Mrs Gardiner’s polite smile never faltered, yet Elizabeth could perceive she was offended. It rankled deeply that somebody as intelligent and genteel as her aunt could be considered an unfortunate connexion. Indeed, given Miss de Bourgh’s conduct, she rather thought the fastidious Mr Darcy might consider her just as objectionable a connexion.
“As have we all,” she retorted.
Miss de Bourgh’s eyes snapped to hers. “Oh yes, you are not much better pleased with mine, are you? No matter. You do not have to like Darcy.Youare not marrying him. Are you?”
“No, madam. The distinction of that connexion is all yours.”
“Quite so. When one’s own connexions are exceptional, it would be nonsensical to evenconsidermarrying elsewhere.”
Lydia snorted indecorously and murmured to Kitty, “That was not enough to convince Lizzy to marry Mr Collins.”
“Lydia!” hissed her mother, aunt, and eldest sisters in unison.
Elizabeth pitied Mr Collins his obvious embarrassment, yet she had been certain Miss de Bourgh already knew this. Though, if she did, that did not account for the present turn of her countenance, which was narrow-eyed suspicion.
“Pray excuse my sister’s indiscretion, though I must confess, I thought Mr Collins had already informed you of this. Your remark about my not approving of cousins marrying made it seem?—”
“I was obviously referring to myself and Mr Darcy, not you and Mr Collins.”
“I see. But why would I disapprove of you marrying your cousin?”
“Why did you refuseyours? You told me you had no suitors.”
“And I spoke true. I do not.”
