To Elizabeth’s astonishment, Miss Darcy’s eyes were twinkling. So she was not shaking because she was anxious. She was trying not to laugh. Then, as Miss Darcy handed the teacupto Miss Bingley, the edge of her finger hit the teacup, and some of the tea spilt into the saucer.
Miss Bingley did not notice, but as she raised her cup, drops of tea dripped onto Miss Bingley’s muslin dress.
“Caroline, look!” said Mrs. Hurst. “You are dripping all over your clothes! They are quite ruined.”
Miss Bingley looked down and jumped up angrily, glaring at Elizabeth. “Look at what you have done! You have destroyed my dress! Now I will have to go home to change, and I will have to throw it away! It is impossible for the washerwomen to remove tea stains, no matter how long they scrub.”
Without even taking her leave, she marched out of the house. Mrs. Louisa Hurst apologized for their sudden departure, bid them farewell, and hastened after her sister.
“Oh, dear,” said Elizabeth, trying her best not to laugh. Indeed, she should not. It would only encourage Miss Darcy further.
“Was it very bad of me?” asked Miss Darcy. “I should not have done it. She will complain to William, and he will be very upset with me.”
“Let her complain,” said Elizabeth, laughing. “It is true you should not have done it, but I think we can make an exception in this case. In any case, she believes I am responsible, not you, so I will be the one to face your brother’s wrath.”
Miss Darcy’s shoulders slumped. “Oh, dear! I am so sorry. I did not realize— I will go to Darcy House right away and tell him what happened,” she said, contritely. “I will not allow her to malign you.”
“You need not worry about me,” replied Elizabeth, cheerfully. “He might be an ogre, but I do not fear his claws.”
“Whose claws?”
At the sound of Mr. Darcy’s baritone voice, Elizabeth gave a little jump, taken completely by surprise. Her heart skipped a beat, then picked up speed. Why had no one announced him?Had he been in the house all along? He must have been in the library.
He was leaning against the doorframe. He looked particularly handsome this afternoon, his starched cravat matching the cream paint of the frame, his dark curls and raven coat forming a pleasing contrast.
Miss Darcy stared at her brother with wide eyes. “We were just funning—” she said. “Miss Bennet did not mean it that way.”
“Which way?”
“I see I will have to confess,” replied Elizabeth hastily, trying to make light of an awkward situation. She had no idea how much he had heard. “I am afraid it wasyourclaws I was referring to.”
“I see,” he said, his eyes searching hers, his lips softening, “So tell me, what kind of animal have you cast me as? A bear? A lion? Please tell me it was not a cat. I could never survive the indignity.”
His voice felt like a hum against her skin. How could that be when he stood at such a distance? She shivered.
She had to drag herself back to his question. How could she answer without causing offence?
“Rest assured, it was not a cat.” She brightened as she thought of a way to distract him. “If you were an animal, what type of animal wouldyousay you were?”
He looked bemused. “No one has ever asked me that question,” he said.
“Think carefully,” she said. “You will have to justify your answer.”
He looked ready to reply, but there was another knock on the front door. Elizabeth thought that Miss Bingley might have heard Mr. Darcy’s voice and had returned, but Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived, saying he had come from Darcy House, and they had sent him here. He had a few matters to discuss.
The game of matching Mr. Darcy to an animal ended as the two gentlemen retreated to the library, leaving Elizebeth to speculate about the answer. She was disappointed. She was hoping to spend more time with Mr. Darcy, but the gentlemen left soon afterwards, leaving Elizabeth feeling somewhat bereft.
Later, when she went up to her bedchamber, she laughed at herself for her silliness. She would no doubt see him tomorrow. In any case, it was ridiculous to be frustrated that he had gone out with his cousin. If Jane heard about it, she would think Elizabeth was half-way to falling in love.
She had not written Jane a letter for several days. At first, she thought she might mention her juvenile behavior to her sister but then thought better of it. She would rather not invite speculation at her expense.
Chapter 21
Bingley had warned Darcy that his sisters were back, and that Darcy would soon be receiving an invitation from the Hursts for dinner. He had even consulted Darcy to ask which day would work best for him. Darcy planned to refuse the invitation, but apparently his sister was invited, too, which meant, so was Miss Bennet. After wrestling with himself, and trying in vain to resist temptation, he accepted. If nothing else, at least it would give him the chance to admire Miss Bennet from a distance.
He arrived in a separate carriage from his sister’s, but at the same time. It was immediately apparent that there had been a misunderstanding, and Miss Bennet had not been invited. Miss Bingley looked dismayed to see her, and Darcy prepared himselfto make a cutting remark and leave if Miss Bennet was made to feel unwelcome.
“It is no trouble at all to rearrange the seating,” said Miss Bingley, smiling at Darcy as if she was doing him a grand favor. “I will have an extra setting placed at the table,”
