But Mrs. Gardiner was already encouraging her to fetch her bonnet, and Jane was looking at her with such hopeful eyes that Elizabeth could not bring herself to spoil her sister's happiness.
"Very well," she said, her voice flat.
***
They stepped out into the mild Bath afternoon. Mr. Bingley and Jane walking ahead in easy conversation, while Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth followed more slowly, their silence companionable but taut with unspoken thought.
For several minutes, neither spoke. Elizabeth kept her eyes fixed on the pavement before her, acutely aware of Mr. Darcy's presence beside her but unwilling to acknowledge it.
"The library is not far," he said at last. "Just past the Abbey."
"I am familiar with Bath's geography by now, sir."
The sharpness in her tone made him fall silent again.
They walked on. Ahead, Jane laughed at something Mr. Bingley said—a light, musical sound that seemed to mock Elizabeth's dark mood.
"Miss Elizabeth," Mr. Darcy began again, his voice careful, "I hope Bath continues to agree with you. The city can be overwhelming."
It was carefully done—polite enough to sound vague, yet his eyes held a question she refused to answer.
"I find it agreeable enough," she replied coolly.
He said nothing more for the remainder of the walk to the library.
***
The library proved to be a handsome building with large windows and a cheerful blue door. Inside, Mr. Bingley immediately began pointing out volumes to Jane, asking her opinion on this novel or that collection of poetry. Jane responded with her customary grace, and soon they were deep in discussion.
Elizabeth moved toward the shelves of natural philosophy and travel narratives, desperate for something to occupy herhands and eyes. She was examining a volume on the flora of the Lake District when Mr. Darcy's voice came from beside her.
"You enjoy reading."
It was not a question.
"Most people do, Mr. Darcy."
"Not in the way you do." He kept a proper distance, his hands clasped behind his back. "I have observed that you do not simply read for entertainment. You engage with texts. Question them. Allow them to challenge your thinking."
Despite herself, Elizabeth felt a flicker of surprise at his observation. But she tamped it down.
"I find it easier to connect with people who love books," he continued quietly. "They tend to be more thoughtful. More willing to see beyond surface appearances."
The irony of that statement nearly made Elizabeth laugh aloud.
"How fortunate for you," she said coldly, returning the book to its shelf. "To have such discerning criteria."
She moved to another section. He did not follow, for which she was grateful.
They spent another quarter hour in the library before Mr. Bingley declared he had found the perfect novel for Jane. The happy couple led the way back out into the afternoon sun, chattering about the merits of various Gothic romances.
Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy followed once more in tense silence.
They had walked perhaps ten minutes when Mr. Bingley announced that he wished to show Jane a particular shop window display they had passed earlier. The couple stopped, Jane looking at the millinery with genuine interest while Mr. Bingley pointed out various ribbons and bonnets.
Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy stood a few paces away, an uncomfortable silence stretching between them.
It was then that Elizabeth could no longer contain herself. The words escaped before she could stop them, low enough that only he could hear.
