"Yes, I would!"
Elizabeth scowled as she walked out of the tea shop.A village such as this?What exactly did he mean by that?
She had hoped to come to know Mr. Darcy on a more personal level. Besides Malcolm Dean, what else might they have in common? However, she decided not to engage him in conversation. His manner was not open or welcoming. Each person who had attempted to engage him beyond his views on the weather met with little success. From the quality of his dress and that of his sister’s, Elizabeth could deduce that the Darcys were wealthy. Perhaps he thought himself above his company. Well, if he did, so be it! It was no loss to Elizabeth. She had no interest in getting to know a gentleman who considered her to be beneath him.
A village such as this!She huffed.Insufferable!
What was the point in deepening an acquaintance with someone who would not see her as an equal? One could certainly not be friends with a person if there was no mutual respect. All her life, Elizabeth had witnessed how ill-suited her parents were for each other. It was not because her mother was the daughter of a solicitor. It was because she was uneducated and silly. Her father did not respect her. He avoided her as much as possible, and when he could not, he ignored her. Elizabeth could not tolerate such a marriage.
Elizabeth relaxed in her window seat, looking out at the garden below. She wondered how long Mr. Darcy would be in the neighborhood and how often they would be thrown together.
She heard a knock at the door and called for the person to enter. Jane entered the room and walked to the window seat, smiling at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth chuckled and moved over so she could sit beside her. “I believe I know what is on your mind.”
Jane sighed happily. “Mr. Bingley is so handsome and so amiable.”
“He certainly is,” agreed Elizabeth. “I noticed you two were often in deep conversation.”
"He was very easy to converse with. I hope I have the opportunity to get to know him better.” She looked at Elizabeth. “What think you of Mr. Darcy?”
“I wish he were as amiable and easy to converse with as your Mr. Bingley.”
“Is he not?” Jane asked.
Elizabeth shook her head. “No. He is polite, but that is all he is. I could not help but wish to know him better when I learned today that he and I are both reading Malcolm Dean. I hoped we might discuss Dean's first volume.”
“Was there no opportunity to do so?”
“There was opportunity,” Elizabeth said, shrugging a shoulder, “but he would not have welcomed it. It became apparent that Mr. Darcy considered us beneath him. So I left him to himself.”
Jane’s brows drew together in consternation. “Goodness. And Miss Darcy seems like such a sweet girl.”
“Yes, she does. I do not want to avoid her because she may feel slighted. However, I do not want her brother to think we are ingratiating ourselves upon their society either.”
Jane looked at her with a pensive expression. “I suppose our only recourse is to let their behavior guide our own.”
Elizabeth nodded in agreement. “I told her we would pay her a call on Friday. I guess we shall see how things play out from there.”
"Let us not be too hasty in forming an opinion of Mr. Darcy. He may be a fine gentleman who improves on closer acquaintance."
Elizabeth chuckled at her sister's tendency to absolve everyone. "Very well, Jane, I shall try not to be too hasty."
They had been sitting in the drawing room for a while when Jane delicately cleared her throat and glanced at Elizabeth. Knowing what was coming, Elizabeth quickly looked back down at her book to hide her smile.
“Mama, we have a surprise for you,” Jane said.
Mama looked at her eldest daughter. “A surprise?”
“Yes. While we were in Meryton today, we made the acquaintance of Mr. Bingley and his guests.”
Mama’s mouth dropped open, and her eyes widened in shock. “Mr. Bingley?!” she shrieked. “And you are just now telling me? You sly things, keeping such important information from your mama! Oh dear me! This is such good news! And what is his friend’s name?”
“His name is Mr. Darcy. His sister, Miss Darcy, is also a guest at Netherfield,” Jane said.
“How nice! We shall see them both at the assembly, I dare say!” Mama said excitedly.
“I doubt we shall see Miss Darcy, Mama. I do not believe she is out,” Elizabeth said.
