I didn’t say anything.
The colonel grinned at me and then put his head quite close to Elizabeth’s. “He is used to it because he is rich and many others are poor. I speak feelingly.”
I snorted. “Yes, because you’re poor.”
“I’m a second son,” said the colonel, clutching his chest. “I have not the opportunities of a firstborn.”
Miss Bennet was smiling. “Come now, Colonel Fitzwilliam, what have you ever known of self-denial and dependence? When have you been prevented by want of money from going wherever you chose, or procuring any thing you had a fancy for?”
He winced. “Home questions, I admit.” He smiled at me again. “But younger sons, you know, we do suffer. We cannot marry where we choose.”
She barely blinked at this. “You do keep saying that, don’t you?”
“Keep?” said the colonel, furrowing his brow.
She shook herself, looking at me and then straight ahead. “My apologies, Colonel Fitzwilliam. Of course you have never intimated before that you wished to marry me.”
The colonel sputtered, stopping his movement. “Now, wait one moment, Miss Bennet, I don’t believe that I said—”
“You cad,” I said to him, pushing past him. “You just said we were not in competition for her, and you’ve been doing this every Thursday.” I eyed her. “I suppose he doesn’t propose, though. If he did, you would have reacted differently when I proposed.”
“Wait, when youproposed?” said the colonel.
Miss Bennet gazed at me. “He’s never proposed, Colonel Fitzwilliam.”
“Well, that’s good,” said the colonel.
“And if he did, I would say no, on account of what you’re about to tell me, which is that he destroyed my sister’s happiness andbraggedabout it.”
“I don’t even know your sister,” said the colonel.
“I didn’t brag,” I said, spreading my hands. “I promise I didn’t do that.”
“He called it your triumph,” she said, glaring at me.
I bowed my head. “I’m sorry.”
She rolled her eyes, tossed her head, her rather pretty head, and she took off walking again.
The colonel gave me an odd look, and I put both hands on the top of my head and groaned. “Go on,” I said. “She prefers you to me, even though she already knows everything you’re going to say.” I gestured. “Go after her, then.”
He shrugged at me and did just exactly that.
I turned and walked towards the house, putting my back to both of them. She did not like me, and she was the only person I could have a real and true conversation with, the only person who would remember it if I spoke to her. What was I going to do about that?
But moments later, she was there, rushing after me, with Colonel Fitzwilliam rushing after her.
“Where are you going?” she said to me.
I looked over at her. “I don’t know. There’s nowhere to go, I suppose. Once I rode my horse all the way to Canterbury, and then I got a room at an inn, but when I woke, it was Thursday. At the inn. So, I just came back and when I got here, it was still Thursday. Because, it is always and forever Thursday, no matter what.”
“Oh,” she said. “Hmm. I see.”
“What are you two going on about?” said Richard.
“If we wish to speak, Miss Bennet, it will probably be more easily done without others around,” I said.
“Yes, truly, I have noticed that. It’s only that it’s improper for us to be alone together.”
