Elizabeth was reading a book she had borrowed from the lending library about Derbyshire when Mrs. Gardiner rushed into the parlor, looking animated.
“Hurry, Lizzy. Put your things away. Mr. Darcy is here. I heard him talking to the butler.”
“Here?” She jumped up. Heavens! There was no time to go upstairs to change her clothes.
“Am I presentable?” she said.
Her aunt reached out, smoothed down some wayward curls and tugged at her clothes.
“As presentable as you can be in a plain morning dress. I wonder why Mr. Darcy did not send a note as he did last time.”
“It seems he has a tendency to take people by surprise,” replied Elizabeth.
“Well, he is back after all! I told you he liked you, did I not?” said Mrs. Gardiner.
Elizabeth’s pulse quickened at the thought, but she shook her head. “We do not know why he has come yet.”
There could be a hundred reasons for him calling, Elizabeth told herself. He might have changed his mind about the rocking horse and had come to retrieve it. Or he had come to apologize to Elizabeth after making assumptions about her lineage. Or could be nothing more than a morning call to enquire about Maggie. There was no need to give any significance to his sudden appearance.
She waited for footsteps to announce his arrival, but some time passed, and nothing happened.
“He must have gone to the library to speak to Mr. Gardiner,” said her aunt, looking mystified. “I wonder why?”
“So he has not come to see me after all,” said Elizabeth, with a sad smile. Once again, Elizabeth felt the bitter bite of disappointment. He had come to see Mr. Gardiner, no doubt on some business matter. She felt silly for thinking otherwise.
“Maybe Mr. Gardiner will invite him upstairs to have some tea,” said her aunt, hopefully.
“Maybe,” Elizabeth was unconvinced.
It was vexing to think he was under the same roof, yet he had not taken the trouble to come up to see her. Well, she was not going to sit here and sulk. She took up her book and started to read, but every sound, every squeak of the stairs, every voice she heard distracted her.
She grew more and more annoyed with herself for giving him so much attention, when he was indifferent. She strove for equal indifference, determined to control her unruly feelings.
She fought. She struggled. And she succeeded. She read about the Peaks of Derbyshire without even once looking up from the book.
She was pleased to find that, when Mr. Darcy appeared unexpectedly in the doorway, accompanied by Mr. Gardiner, she was able to face him with perfect composure. She was as serene and self-possessed as her older sister. Jane would be proud of her.
“Mr. Darcy would like a private moment with you, Lizzy,” said her uncle.
The composure collapsed. She looked at her uncle in bewilderment. What could this mean? She wondered if she hadheard it right, or if her uncle’s statement was the product of some strange hallucination.
But then her aunt came to her feet, and the Gardiners stepped out, leaving her alone with Mr. Darcy. This could only mean one thing, surely?
Her heart was beating so loudly she was not sure she would be able to hear anything he said.
“Would you like to take a seat, sir?”
“Thank you, Miss Bennet. I prefer to stand,” he said. “I am here because I have heard some disturbing news.”
A sinking feeling churned in her stomach. “Miss Georgiana!” she exclaimed, “She has not taken ill, has she?”
He looked startled. “No, no, nothing of the sort. This is something entirely different.” He cleared his throat. “It has come to my attention that our misadventure in the park had led to serious consequences. Apparently, my cousin has heard serious rumors which implicate you.”
He hesitated.
She felt as if he had thrown a pitcher full of cold water on her. Pursing her lips together, she strove for a different kind of equilibrium.
“Are you saying—?” It was impossible for her to complete the sentence. Uttering the implications out loud meant acknowledging the situation.
