It was that thought which returned with persistent aggravation.
Mr Darcy had been there, and had looked at her with that careful, guarded attention which suggested he knew more than he chose to say. Odder still, Mr Darcy had asked for a dance and then spoken of “worst fears,” as if he had been watching for proof of something. And then, as though everything that hadcome before were not strange enough, he had requested her address and thanked her gravely, as though it mattered to him.
What game, Elizabeth wondered, did he imagine himself playing?
It was not in Mr Darcy’s nature to do anything without purpose. If he had chosen to call on her, it was because he believed he had something to gain by it. Darkly, Elizabeth wondered for a moment if he meant to intimidate her into silence. He might mean to ensure that Jane remained at a distance from his friend. Or perhaps he meant only to make plain, in some new but doubtless no less insulting manner, how unsuitable he considered the Bennets to be.
Elizabeth had spent the days since the ball attempting to dismiss these notions as uncharitable, but she had not succeeded.
The Gardiners’ drawing room was pleasantly warmed by the late morning sun, and the ordinary comforts of the house ought to have softened Elizabeth’s temper. Jane sat with some needlework by the window, her expression calm but thoughtful. Mrs Gardiner wrote a note at the small table nearest the window, pausing now and then to glance toward Jane with the quiet, watchful care that was so much a part of her nature.
Elizabeth herself had taken up a book and read the same paragraph no fewer than three times without understanding a word of it.
She was on the point of giving up the attempt entirely when the maid appeared.
“Miss Bennet,” the girl said, “Mr Darcy has sent his card. Are you at home to visitors?”
“Why, yes, certainly,” Elizabeth replied without pausing for thought. In the next instant, she had time to reflect on what she had said and might have called the girl back, had she not already left the room and begun the errand of bringing up their visitor.
Elizabeth took a deep breath, knowing she must calm herself. The die was now cast, and Mr Darcy would be in the room within moments. Whatever the visit might bring, she would not wish to add the embarrassment of allowing him to witness her agitation.
Mr Darcy then being shown in, she took momentary refuge in the ritual of bows and greetings. To Elizabeth’s surprise, he asked after her parents with perfect courtesy, if in rather stilted words. She returned his inquiries readily, but with a brevity suited to the small degree of interest she imagined he must have in the answers. To his credit, Mr Darcy spoke also to Jane and to Mrs Gardiner, and with a degree of politeness and interest that made Elizabeth begrudgingly concede that he could be amiable when he chose.
After a brief pause, Mr Darcy turned to her. He hesitated a little, as though not knowing how he ought to begin. “I wonder, Miss Elizabeth,” he said at last, “if you have heard any surprising news in London of late.”
Elizabeth looked at him in astonishment. He had spoken with a careful emphasis that made it obvious his words were not merely idle chatter, but she had not the least idea what he could mean by them.
“Surprising news?” Elizabeth repeated. “No, I rather suspect you must know more of the London news than I, MrDarcy. I read my uncle’s copies of the daily papers, but surely you do as much yourself.”
“Yes, you are correct,” Mr Darcy said, a little hesitantly, as though she had missed his meaning — unsurprising, as Elizabeth had no idea of understanding him.
“Perhaps you speak of the latest news of the war,” Jane volunteered kindly. “I believe you have a cousin in the army, have you not, Mr Darcy?”
“Yes, my cousin Fitzwilliam is a colonel in the Regulars,” he agreed. Then, as though remembering something, he added. “You are entirely correct, but this is not the news about which I had intended to inquire. I had rather wondered if you had heard much gossip of late.”
“Gossip?” Jane repeated, looking puzzled, as well she might. The stern, silent Mr Darcy, of all people, inquiring about the latest gossip?
It was the absurdity of the thought that made Elizabeth think of another possibility. There was one item of gossip about which she could imagine Mr Darcy inquiring. Last night, Mr Bingley had discovered that Jane was in London — and perhaps he had discovered likewise that his friend had concealed her presence from him. Could he possibly be admitting his guilt and inquiring into whether they intended to speak publicly of it?
“Speaking of gossip,” Elizabeth began cautiously, “I believe you are correct, Mr Darcy. Ihaveheard one item of rather surprising gossip. Perhaps it is that of which you speak.”
“Perhaps,” Mr Darcy agreed, looking a little wary and a little confused. “Have you…have you heard much talk of this rumour?”
Thatwas an oddity. Who should talk of it, if not themselves? But perhaps he was concerned with how far knowledge of his manipulations might have spread.
“No, and naturally I have spoken of it to no one,” Elizabeth told him. “Nor have any of us.” He did not really deserve the reassurance, but neither would she be less than truthful.
“Naturally you would not,” Mr Darcy said at once, a little abruptly. “I wondered, rather, if you had become aware of others discussing the topic — which, naturally, we would all find considerably disconcerting. One cannot wish to hear one’s affairs discussed so freely by those of whom one knows nothing.”
At this provocation, Elizabeth lost her temper. How could he speak so, as though they were equally concerned in the matter, and equally guiltless in it?
Though resolving to speak rationally, she could no longer remain silent. “Mr Darcy, I must confess my surprise at hearing you speak so,” Elizabeth said, keeping her voice even with a great effort. “Let us cease speaking in riddles. Yes, we know perfectly well that Miss Bingley concealed Jane’s presence in London from her brother, and that you likely did the same. We know, and we have spoken of it to no one. Nor will we. We shall be kinder to your reputations than your actions have been. Your character remains a puzzle to me, Mr Darcy, but everything I learn of it paints it blacker. Questionable as your actions have been towards my sister and towards your friend, they are nothing compared to your mistreatment of Mr Wickham. You have acted with little short of inhumanity towards the companion of your youth, your father’s protégé. You have very nearly stolen from him. Can you deny your shame?”
“Lizzy, what can you be thinking!” Jane exclaimed. “How can you speak so before Mr Darcy?”
“Elizabeth, you have spoken much too freely,” Mrs Gardiner added in firm but gentle reprimand. “Please excuse my niece, Mr Darcy. She should not have spoken so.”
Elizabeth drew breath, intending to defend herself, but before she could do so, Mr Darcy held up a hand. “No,” he said quietly. “I thank you, Mrs Gardiner, but while I am innocent of the most serious charge, much of what Miss Elizabeth has said is justified.”
