“You will look like you are scheming.”
“Exactly.But if you do it…”
“It will appear I am scheming,” teased Elizabeth.
“I am sorry to put you in this position.If it is too awkward, pray forget I said anything at all.”
“I am only teasing, Lady Clara.Of course I shall help you.Only, I know for a fact Colonel Fitzwilliam must marry with fortune in mind…” She hesitated and looked inquiringly at Lady Clara.
“Oh, that is of no concern.My dowry is forty thousand pounds.”
Elizabeth’s eyes grew wide.“It is a wonder you are not yet married.”
Lady Clara looked at her pleadingly.
“Right, this is not the time for that discussion.”
“Thank you.”
“Join him with Georgiana and I will call her away shortly.”
Clara squeezed her arm and smiled brightly.“Thank you, Miss Elizabeth.I will not forget your kindness!”
Elizabeth smiled and pressed her arm, then moved to join Mr.Darcy where he was watching them rather quizzically.
“Do I want to know what you are up to with my cousin, Elizabeth?You have a glint in your eye that is quite frightening.”
“Frightening!You do exaggerate, Mr.Darcy.What could possibly be frightening about me?”She smiled teasingly at him and he pulled her a little closer.
“You are positively terrifying when you choose to be, and you know it.”
She laughed gaily.“I am no such thing!I can hardly be held responsible if a great man such as yourself is frightened of harmless ladies.”
“Where are these harmless ladies you speak of?”
Elizabeth laughed again and leaned into his arm.“You are delightful when you tease, Fitzwilliam.I do hope you will continue to practice.”
“I intend to, my love.”
A few minutes later, she said, “Do you think Miss Darcy would like to walk with us?”
“I do not imagine she would object.Did you speak much on the ride?”
Elizabeth sighed.“No, we did not.I had thought she was merely shy, but perhaps you are correct and I have frightened her.”
Darcy looked at her with a frown.“Are you teasing, Elizabeth?You know I cannot always ascertain your intentions.”
“Only a little.We did not speak much, that is true.I eventually thought she might prefer to get to know me as you did—by watching instead of speaking.So I spoke with Lady Clara and she seemed to listen attentively.Perhaps when there are fewer women about she will speak more.”
“Perhaps,” he said thoughtfully.He looked over his shoulder and said, “Excuse me, my dear,” and trotted off to join his sister and cousins.
Soon he was back with Georgiana on his arm.He offered Elizabeth the other and she smiled brightly at him.
Darcy then proceeded to surprise Elizabeth in the most pleasant way.He spoke.He talked of the flowers and plants they were seeing, the peacocks visible under a tree nearby, and the geography of the river that ran beside them.He spoke to Georgiana and herself in turn, eliciting more than one enthusiastic response from the young girl.He was very nearly charming!To add to the joy of the day, Mr.Bingley had fallen so far behind with Jane they could barely be seen, and Lady Clara looked exceedingly pleased with her position on Colonel Fitzwilliam’s arm.
Elizabeth was enjoying the company of her beau and his sister and feeling quite proud of the assistance she had given Lady Clara when there was a rise of voices behind them.She stopped to look over her shoulder.
“Who is that?”she asked.
