“Colonel Fitzwilliam, I beg you would pretend you never saw me like this, weeping on the ground in Lady Catherine’s grove.”
He smiled gently.“I will never breathe a word of it, Miss Bennet.I am sorry for distressing you.”
“I have distressed myself.I have had a taste of my own vanity and the flavor is bitter.It is no fault of yours.”
He nearly disagreed with her, but then said nothing and looked determinedly past her left shoulder, letting her know he was there if she needed him, but giving her the privacy she clearly desired.Eventually, his leg began to cramp, and he sat down near her, his back against a tree trunk and his legs stretched out before him.
Elizabeth was so surprised by this action that she forgot to castigate herself for a moment and nearly laughed at the fact that an earl’s son was sitting beside her in the grass at Rosings.
“Colonel, just when I think I cannot be more shocked, you rise to the occasion.”
He smiled and tipped his head theatrically.“I strive to please, madam.”
She smiled rather sadly and said, “I have come face to face with my own shortcomings today, and I find myself rather mortified, not only at what I have found, but that you have been witness to it all.”
“I beg you would not make yourself uneasy.Wickham has a talent for deception I have seldom seen duplicated.You cannot blame yourself for being taken in.”
“But I can blame myself for what I did with the information I swallowed so unthinkingly.”She shook her head as he looked on in worry.“I suppose I owe your cousin an apology now.”
She said the last so grimly and with such an expression of dread that he could not help but smile.“Darcy will understand.His own father was taken in by Wickham.I doubt he is expecting an apology, anyhow.”
She made a resigned face.“Regardless, I owe him one.”A frown line appeared between her brows.“Though I hate to give him the satisfaction of thinking even worse of me than he already does.At least now he can despise me for my gullibility—I can hardly fault him for that.”
“Why should you think Darcy thinks badly of you?”
“He has always disliked me.”
“Has he?”
“Yes.”
“What makes you think so?”
“His behavior, his expressions, his words,” she said, as if explaining why the sky was blue.She let her head drop back.“And now I have given him irrefutable proof of his superiority.If I were more magnanimous, I should let him enjoy the victory.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam chuckled and shook his head.“You needn’t worry.Darcy thinks very highly of you.”
She scoffed.
“Truly, he does.He has sung your praises more than once.”
It was impossible to hide her incredulity.The idea of Mr.Darcy singing anyone’s praises, let alone her own, seemed as likely as Lady Catherine allowing someone else to speak at dinner.
She leaned her head back and sighed.“Your sisters are very lucky to have such a brother.”
“What makes you say that?”
“You are very patient with weeping women.”
He laughed softly.“I only have one sister, and I do not believe I have ever seen her weep.She is two years my senior and spent most of our childhood ordering me about.”
Elizabeth gave him a weary smile.“That is what elder sisters are for.Regardless, you have been very kind to me today, and I thank you for it.”
“I am most disturbed for having distressed you.Truly, Miss Bennet.I had no wish to give you pain.If there is anything I may do for your comfort, you need only ask.”
She rested her hand on his sleeve.“Thank you, Colonel.You are kinder than I deserve.”
“Nonsense.I wish I could do more.Surely you know, Miss Bennet, you are deserving of every kindness?”
