‘It is called debating. But yes, that was my plan.’ Richard wore a smug grin. While he was not averse to his mother’s matchmaking ideas, he wanted to drive home the point with Darcy that he had insulted the wrong lady. It would be amusing to watch his arrogant cousin squirm.
‘Very well.’ The lady tilted her head and gave her son a searching look. ‘But since you seem to appreciate the lady, why are you not trying to gain her interest?’
Fitzwilliam focused on his plate and mumbled something.
‘Speak up, Richard. You know it is pointless to prevaricate.’
He raised his eyes to his mother and said with a sigh, ‘She is all that is lovely and intelligent. But as you know I am not in the same league as Darcy when it comes to reading. While I like a woman who is intelligent, I doubt that she would be satisfied with me. I think someone a little less highbrow would suit me much better.’
‘You did say she has four sisters, did you not?’ When her son nodded, the countess smiled happily. ‘Perhaps one of them would suit you better.’
‘Perhaps, but do not get your hopes up.’
~T~
At the same time as Colonel Fitzwilliam spoke to his mother, Elizabeth was having a discussion with her sisters over breakfast after she had related the gist of her discussion with the Colonel.
‘Now, Lizzy. We have been patient long enough. We respected your need to consider what happened at the assembly. I think it is about time that you confided in us. I have never in my life seen you as angry as you were that night,’ Jane said coaxingly.
Elizabeth blushed as she sighed. ‘I have given it much thought,’ she said as she toyed with a piece of toast.
‘And…’ prompted Mary when Elizabeth said no more.
‘I suppose that I was mortified because I had thought Mr Darcy exceedingly handsome when he first arrived. There was something about him that attracted me. But later when he called me only tolerable, I felt such a fool. And I was furious, mostly with myself forhaving felt that attraction. Of course, I was also furious with Mr Darcy for his words.’
‘How do you feel now that you know he did not actually mean what he said about your looks?’ asked Jane.
‘My vanity is satisfied, I suppose. I do not feel hurt anymore. But now I am even more angry with him for being rude, conceited and showing a selfish disdain for the feelings of others.’ She glowered as she explained, ‘Did that man not realise that he could have badly hurt my reputation?’
Jane looked stricken. ‘I had not considered that aspect. No one in Meryton would think badly of you for being slighted by a stranger.’
‘No, they would not, but Mr Darcy did not know that. He did not care about anything but his own comfort.’ Elizabeth looked as woebegone as she felt. ‘How could I have been attracted to someone as selfish as that?’
‘He is very easy on the eye,’ opined Mary. ‘I could hardly blame you for noticing an exotic peacock amongst the chickens. At least you found out about his deficiencies before your heart was engaged.’
‘Yes, but now everyone is telling me that he is a better man than what he showed in Meryton. Almost as if…’ She trailed off. Now that she was thinking about it, the Carletons and the Colonel were trying to improve her opinion of Mr Darcy. No… they could not possibly be trying to matchmake. But she had received the impression from the Colonel that Mr Darcy was not often, if ever, complimentary about a lady.
Yet he wanted her to be argumentative with his cousin. Surely that was not the attitude which would attract a man. Her mother had too often commented on how to catch a husband, for Elizabeth to be in any doubt. Gentlemen wanted pleasant and agreeable wives, not women who would argue with them.
It was excessively confusing.
~T~
Notes were exchanged and a time for Lady Matlock’s visit agreed after Elizabeth informed her aunt about her discussion with the Colonel.
The countess and Fitzwilliam arrived and were welcomed by Mrs Gardiner and the sisters. Once introductions had been performed andrefreshments served, Lady Matlock asked their hostess, ‘Did I not see you at the Foundling Hospital?’
‘I do indeed volunteer there when time permits,’ replied Mrs Gardiner, who had seen the countess at the hospital, pleased that the lady remembered her as well.
Lady Matlock was relieved that they had at least one interest in common and chatted politely about the charities they both patronised for a few minutes.
Once assured that Mrs Gardiner would not be a disgrace in any company, she turned her attention to the sisters.
‘I understand that you had the misfortune to encounter a member of my family in less-than-ideal circumstances.’
Even though Jane and Mary looked discomfited by the comment, Elizabeth’s lips twitched in amusement as she had wondered how the subject would be raised. ‘If you consider the foyer of the theatre to be less than ideal, I would have to agree with you. Despite that, and the brevity of the encounter I found Colonel Fitzwilliam to be a charming gentleman.’
Lady Matlock was startled into laughter at how neatly Elizabeth side-stepped the issue. ‘I am pleased that at least one man in my family made a good impression. I am sorry that my nephew did not.’ She glanced at her son who watched the scene with a smug grin and made a decision. ‘Miss Elizabeth, my son suggested that he would like his cousin to learn a lesson and that you would be the perfect teacher.’
