“I shall tell Miss Darcy to insist that you borrow it. And, if she cannot do that,” Elizabeth added, “I shall next take it up with Mr Darcy, and we all know how cross he will be to be put to any trouble. He might dismiss you without character reference if you refuse.” She tried to keep her expression stern, but was smiling before she finished.
Carew pursed her lips. “I agree only to save you from troubling Mr Darcy, although he would never act that way. He is a good master and has been civil to me since we were friends as children.”
I was completely wrong about Darcy.“Please, borrow it when you visit your father. He is very proud of you, I am sure.”
The maid’s prim lips now turned into a smile. “Miss Darcy always tells me to take a flower from one of her bonnets to put on my own when I go to see him.”
“Then you shall appear lovely when you see him next.” Carew’s reflection in the mirror showed pink cheeks, and Elizabeth said, to distract her from her embarrassment, “How did Miss Darcy pass her day?”
“She lasted half an hour with Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley before she rode through the park. And then Mrs Annesley decided that she needed to practise the harp, without an audience. I then needed my mistress to provide me detailed instructions on how to care for her silk gown, so she spent the rest of the afternoon in her apartments.”
“I am glad Miss Darcy has good friends who truly care for her happiness. I want to know her better. I think I shall also try to know Mrs Lanyon better.”
“Miss Darcy is only shy, but best of luck with Mrs Lanyon, ma’am. She is reserved.” Carew bid her to stand to give her a final inspection before sending her to the dining room. “Some of the servants think hergood enough for Mr Darcy, but now I wonder if a reticent woman would be attractive to the master. It might be more prudent that a man like him marry someone who might give him a little more liveliness.”
Carew curtseyed and was gone before Elizabeth recovered enough to thank her for her help.
After dinner,where the topic of well dressing was discussed with energy, Elizabeth helped Miss Darcy prepare the tea and coffee. They fell into a chat about where best to walk in the park and where to visit in Derbyshire. Although shy, Miss Darcy answered Elizabeth’s questions readily, and Elizabeth felt that after a few more conversations, preferably whilst not in a large party, Darcy’s sister might be completely comfortable around her.
“I wish her gown had left more to the imagination, and less to the eye,” Louisa said quietly as she took her teacup, with Caroline following behind her. “Mrs Lanyon forgets she is a widow.”
“Nor is her Titus hair a flattering coiffure,” said Caroline, with a look towards Mrs Lanyon. “But, if one has too wide a forehead or crooked eyebrows, one must do what one can to attempt to remedy the defect.”
Elizabeth saw Miss Darcy’s reddened face. Just like Mrs Lanyon, she also wore her hair cropped, with it crimped prettily around the forehead and temples. Caroline and Louisa quickly realised their error and did their best to repair the damage, complimenting Miss Darcy’s fine and regular features and how the short style suited her particularly well.
Between her embarrassment and their fawning, now Miss Darcy might not speak for the rest of the evening.
“You had to spend the day with Mrs Lanyon, Eliza,” Caroline said after Miss Darcy had been flattered into mortified silence. “How did you tolerate it?”
Caroline liked nothing more than to speak unkindly about whomever was not present and whomever she feared might form an attachment with Darcy.“I must have been too subtle before when I tried to make it clear how little I like your rude manner of talkingabout Mrs Lanyon.” Elizabeth walked away, and then turned back. “I actually spent the entire day with Mr Darcy, and I tolerated that very well, thank you.”
She then left them to sit with Jane and Mrs Lanyon. Elizabeth was tense with anger, and sat silently until Jane included her in their conversation.
“Lizzy, Mrs Lanyon was saying she had great success sketching Bakewell today. She had a lovely view from Castle Hill.”
“Have you convinced her to allow us to see her drawings?” Elizabeth asked her whilst looking at Mrs Lanyon.
“You would not need to see them, Miss Bennet. You spent the day there yourself. You saw it with your own eyes.”
Elizabeth persevered in friendliness. Since their conversation by the stream, she suspected that once past Mrs Lanyon’s reserve and modesty, she might be an interesting acquaintance. “But not from the perspective that you must have had. Unless Mr Darcy is going to take us all to climb that hill, you might, perhaps, let us view them.”
“I would like that, but only if Mrs Lanyon is willing,” Jane added. “Do not let Lizzy trouble you if you had rather not.”
“Jane, dear!” Caroline called. “You must not like your seat. Come tell Miss Darcy about the necklace Charles bought for you.”
Jane sighed quietly, and then begged their leave to talk with her sisters.
Elizabeth noticed the anxiety visible on Mrs Lanyon’s face. Elizabeth said quietly, “Jane takes all of the good in people, and none of the bad. Sheknowswhat they are like, but she wishes to be on good terms with her husband’s sisters.”
The widow’s brief look of extreme discomfort was gone. She resumed her needlework in silence, her expression all complaisance.
Elizabeth felt she ought to make it plain what she thought of Caroline’s behaviour. “Miss Bingley’s dislike originates?—”
“I do not need you to describe Miss Bingley’s character flaws to me,” Mrs Lanyon said shortly without looking up. “I understand her feelings towards me and her motives very well.”
“Forgive me.” Elizabeth was abashed. “I only meant to say how little I approve of her myself.”
She rose to leave when Mrs Lanyon said softly, “I am sorry. I know you do not share her opinion. That is why I helped you on Friday.” Elizabeth sat down and thought back to Friday, but only shook her head in confusion. “You and Mr Darcy struggled to speak to one another, although it was plain you wanted to. Had I not asked about the flowers at Matlock’s wells, you would have stolen glances at one another but not spoken all evening.”
