“She persists, though I have told her plainly I have no interest,” he said. “I made the mistake of telling her once that I thought your eyes were fine. Now she seeks to diminish you at every turn.”
Elizabeth stopped, meeting his gaze. “And do you truly hold that opinion?”
“Yes,” he said, his voice low. “And there are many more things I admire—your wit, your spirit, your kindness, and the way you look at the world with both intelligence and warmth.”
Elizabeth knew not how to reply. His words seemed to reach straight through her layers of composure, warming her inside and out until she could feel the heat blooming in her cheeks. “You leave me speechless, Mr. Darcy, a state that not many can claim to have inflicted upon me. You must congratulate yourself.”
Mr. Darcy’s laugh, low and rich, was precisely the reaction she had hoped for, and the sound seemed to lingerbetween them as they continued to the stable. The master there welcomed the stray warmly, and the little creature wasted no time in making itself comfortable in a pile of straw, curling into a contented ball. “Not to worry, miss,” a groom assured her, “I shall see it is well-fed.”
They left the building by a quieter path, their steps unhurried, the stillness between them companionable. “I confess I am not eager to return,” Elizabeth said at last. “Miss Bingley will surely be sour.”
“Do her words cause you much pain?” he asked, his expression shadowed with concern.
She lifted one shoulder. “She is not so unlike others who have attempted to make me feel inferior. Miss Bingley sees me as competition, though you have tried to disabuse her of her misconceptions. It was plain she did not wish for Jane and me to stay. Indeed, I believe she wished to strangle her brother for extending the invitation.”
“Bingley has always had an impulsive disposition. I would wager he would decamp to London in a trice if something there caught his fancy. Fortunately, Hertfordshire is exactly where he wishes to be.”
“He will not abandon—“Elizabeth broke off, biting her lip. Alarm pricked at her, though she could not say why.
Mr. Darcy’s reply came without hesitation. “No, I believe Bingley will remain at Netherfield Park.Though it is unofficial, he courts your sister. I have never seen him so enamored, so desirous of a lady’s company.”
Elizabeth’s relief was immediate and profound, though she tried not to let it show too plainly. Jane’s heart was tender, and the thought of it being broken was intolerable.
They finally turned back towards the house, entering through the main doors and climbing the stairs to the guest wing. There, they parted ways, each going to their own chamber to change for breakfast. The bundle from Mrs. Nicholls remained in her pocket, untouched due to Miss Bingley’s interruption. Still shaking her head in amusement, Elizabeth called for Nora to assist her.
Elizabeth entered the breakfast room to the sound of Miss Bingley lamenting, in tones of exaggerated suffering, about the stray cat. Mr. Darcy, seated at the far end of the table with a newspaper in hand, glanced up as Elizabeth walked in. She caught his eye and, with the briefest lift of her brows and a quick, conspiratorial twist of her mouth, made a face that nearly undid his composure. He let out a short, involuntary snort of amusement and quickly disguised it with a cough.
Elizabeth moved to the sideboard and began to fill her plate with eggs, ham, and a warm roll. The comforting aromas of freshly baked bread and spiced apples filled the air, mingling with the faint scent of coffee. She had just reached for a spoonful of fruit, the syrup glistening in the morning light, when Miss Bingley’s voice, sharp and cool, cut across the room.
“I cannot imagine,” she said, with a delicate shiver of distaste, “why anyone would wish to handle such a wild beast. It is quite beneath the dignity of a lady.”
Elizabeth set down the serving spoon with deliberate care, her expression perfectly composed. Before she could answer, Mr. Darcy lowered his newspaper and replied evenly, “The cat was perfectly adorable. Perhaps I shall gift one to Georgiana for Christmas.”
Elizabeth turned to him with a smile that held both amusement and warmth. “One of Longbourn’smouse mastersrecently had kittens. You might choose from there. They are excellent hunters, though I imagine Miss Darcy would prefer one of the gentler sort.”
Miss Bingley’s lips tightened, a hint of annoyance in her eyes. “And how is dear Georgiana? She must be nearly astall as I am now.”
“She is about Miss Elizabeth’s height,” Darcy answered without hesitation, his gaze briefly flicking towards Elizabeth.
Elizabeth caught the quick flash of sourness that passed over Miss Bingley’s features before the lady smoothed her expression. At that moment, Jane and Mr. Bingley entered the room, their cheerful “Good morning” brightening the atmosphere like a sudden shaft of sunlight.
“I trust you both slept well?” Jane asked, glancing between her sister and Mr. Darcy before taking a seat near the middle of the table.
“Perfectly, thank you,” Mr. Darcy said politely, resuming his place but keeping his attention discreetly on Elizabeth.
Mr. Hurst, already halfway through a plate of cold meats, leaned back in his chair and addressed Mr. Bingley. “When shall we have some sport, man? It has been far too many days without a decent outing.”
“Later this afternoon, if it is agreeable,” Mr. Bingley replied, reaching for the coffeepot and pouring a cup for Jane with an easy smile. “The weather promises to be fair enough, and I think a bit of fresh air will do us all good.”
The gentlemen murmured their agreement. Jane, her cheeks faintly pink, said softly, “It will be a lovely day for it.”
Miss Bingley, with a languid glance in Elizabeth’s direction, announced, “The ladies will no doubt occupy themselves quite well without you. We might enjoy a few games of cards, arrange a small musical display, or perhaps take a turn about the gallery. A quiet afternoon indoors can be every bit as diverting as galloping about the countryside.”
“I should prefer the countryside,” Elizabeth murmured lightly, though her tone was polite.
Miss Bingley arched a brow. “In this chill? I suppose you are more accustomed to braving the elements than most.”
“Indeed,” Elizabeth replied evenly, “I find the air invigorating, much like you claimed earlier this morning.”
