Charlotte laughed derisively. “Had that been his intention, I suspect he would have joined the regulars. I shall speak with my father—no details, I assure you, but he will know how to act. Though he may seem nonsensical at times, he will take seriously any threat to our community.” She rose. “I must be going. Mama needs my help with the rest of my wedding clothes. Elizabeth, will you accompany me to speak with your father for a moment?”
After Charlotte secured Mr. Bennet’s agreement that Mr. Collins might lodge at Longbourn, she departed.
“Your mother will be furious, but we can tolerate him here for several days,” Mr. Bennet mused. “Besides, we owe Miss Lucas a kindness for removing him from Longbourn for the last days of his earlier visit.” He chuckled and waved his daughter away.
When Elizabeth returned to the sitting room, she found Jane no longer alone. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy were there, together with Mrs. Bennet.
“Lydia and Kitty have walked into Meryton to call on Mrs. Forster. She is the colonel’s wife, have you met her? Of course you have. She is as lively as my Lydia, though not as pretty, I fear. Her skin is too sallow, and her hair will not hold a curl. Poor dear. Still, she is fortunate indeed to have married such a handsome and suitable man. If only Colonel Forster had not been engaged before coming to Meryton!” Mrs. Bennetlamented. “I am certain he would have fallen in love with Lydia instead.”
Elizabeth inwardly groaned as her mother’s monologue wandered from Mrs. Forster’s appearance to Lydia’s supposed charms and Colonel Forster’s imagined regrets. Mrs. Bennet’s high, carrying voice monopolized the conversation, leaving Jane to smile demurely and Mr. Bingley to nod in bewildered agreement.
With practiced subtlety, Elizabeth slipped into the vacant seat beside Mr. Darcy, grateful for the reprieve. She let one fingertip tap lightly against the table between them, marking him as the object of her coming jest, her grin quick and knowing. “I trust you recognize your fortune in not receiving my mama’s attentions. She reserves those exclusively for her future son-in-law.”
Mr. Darcy laughed, a genuine sound that warmed her more than she expected. “I prefer to remain unnoticed,” he confided, his tone low and confidential. “I know she looks on me more kindly than she once did, and I am grateful, yet she directs her attention elsewhere with untroubled ease. Society has always been a trial, and I much prefer my present obscurity to being smothered with conversation and eager young ladies.”
He shifted almost imperceptibly, their shoulders nearly touching. Elizabeth’s breath caught—not enough to raise alarm, but enough to feel. Though she could not quite admit that Charlotte’s conjecture might have merit and prove correct, she could not deny the thrill of his nearness, nor the warmth it stirred.
“Has your admirer sent another token of esteem?” he asked, his tone still low, as though sharing a secret.
“Indeed,” Elizabeth said, lowering her own voice to match. She leaned closer, sharing the intimacy. “This morning I receivedfive gilded quills. They are finer than any items of a similar nature I have ever owned, and I am eager to put them to use.”
“Marvelous,” he said with an approving nod. “You seem pleased, so I must suppose you are a diligent correspondent. Is it so?” he whispered.
“It is,” she replied, unable to suppress her smile. “I shall pen a letter to my aunt as soon as they depart Longbourn.” She hesitated, then carefully withdrew the locket from beneath her fichu and held it toward him, glancing at her mother to ensure she remained occupied with her conversation. “This is the locket of which I told you.”
Mr. Darcy examined the delicate item, turning it with care between his fingers. It caught the candlelight, casting a warm glint upon the gold. “A fine piece,” he said in a subdued tone, and she thought she saw the tips of his ears redden. He cleared his throat and returned the locket. “Are the Gardiners still here?” he asked, his manner a trifle awkward. “I do not believe I heard when they were to depart for London.”
“My aunt and uncle will remain until New Year’s Day. They will accompany us to Haye Park this evening. Will you and Mr. Bingley be in attendance?” She lifted a hopeful glance to him, fully aware of how much her sister would enjoy the evening if her betrothed were present—and how much she herself was beginning to anticipate Mr. Darcy’s company.
“We will.” His reply was immediate and reassuring. “In fact, I intend to win every gameplayed. Tell me, which do you most enjoy?”
“Oh, I prefer bullet pudding or charades. Both grant me ample entertainment, especially when the company is clever. There is another—The Minister’s Cat—which always sets the company laughing.I enjoyed it at Lucas Lodge and anticipate it might be played again.”2
“Ah, the alphabet game.” He smiled in recollection. “The minister’s cat is an amiable cat...an obstinate cat...a winsome cat. ’Tis all in the timing and wit, is it not?”
Elizabeth laughed. “Precisely! And the best part is when someone forgets their word, or repeats one that has already been said. Kitty often insists the cat is ‘dainty,’ no matter the letter.”
Darcy leaned a fraction nearer, his voice touched with warmth. “Then I must prepare an uncommon string of adjectives. Perhaps I may surprise you with my vocabulary.”
“I look forward to it, sir,” Elizabeth replied with a light curtsy from her seat, her eyes bright. “But be warned—I am quite competitive.”
“As am I.” His expression grew amused, then he regarded her intently. “I believe this evening shall be most diverting.”
Their conversation continued until tea. When the tray was brought in, Mrs. Bennet busied herself with the serving, leaving Jane and Mr. Bingley to enjoy uninterrupted discourse. Before long, the gentlemen rose to take their leave. Elizabeth felt a pang of regret at Mr. Darcy’s parting and wished fervently they had had more time to converse.Well,at least I shall see him tonight.
1. She Walks in Beauty was published in 1814. I took creative license for this story.
2.The Minister's Catis a Victorian-era parlor game, likely originating in the mid-to-late 19th century (around the 1800s to early 1900s). It became especially popular during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), when word games and group entertainments were common in drawing rooms and around the hearth. I use it here for creative purposes.
Chapter Thirteen
December 29, 1811
Haye Park
Darcy
Asheadjustedthefolds of his cravat for the third time, Darcy caught his reflection in the looking glass and shook his head. No amount of starch or symmetry could still the tumult pressing at his heart. He was not nervous—at least, not in the manner others suffered nerves. He was expectant, restless with expectation and dread in equal measure. The evening at Haye Park might prove like any other social call, filled with polite laughter and predictable amusements—or it might mark the beginning of something altogether different.
