“I should go and see my aunt,” she said, standing up. He did the same, looking slightly worried.
“I hope I have not said something to upset you, Miss Bennet.”
“Oh no, not at all…I am very happy that we had this conversation, Mr. Darcy. I just… I think I need to go now.”
“Yes… I shall see you at dinner.”
“Thank you… I look forward to it with pleasure,” she said, then she felt silly. Why would she look forward to dinner? She meant she looked forward to seeing him again in the company of her uncle, to protect her from further distress. But she could not possibly say that; she barely dared to think it.
Elizabeth left the library, and in the hall, she breathed deeply. She could still smell his scent, and it made her dizzy.
She went to see her aunt; her uncle was sleeping in the other chamber of the apartment, and the ladies spent some time discussing the events of the day. The doctor had still insisted on Mrs. Gardiner resting her leg, so she could not join them for dinner. The lady refused Elizabeth’s offer to dine together, declaring she simply wished to eat and sleep.
It was obvious to Elizabeth that her aunt was trying to encourage her to be in Mr. Darcy’s company. She could not imagine what her uncle and aunt believed about her relationship with Mr. Darcy; they were intrigued, but they did not insist further upon the subject.
Elizabeth went to her room to change her clothes. It was still early, but she wished to take a stroll before dinner. She planned to go down the stone steps near the greenhouse, then down to the lake. The weather was perfectly warm, but a soft breeze blew gently.
From the balcony of her room, she was amazed to see Mr. Darcy near the lake with a woman and two children, who were playing around him. She could hear their joyful voices but could not make out what they were saying. From that distance, she could barely see the woman except that she was wearing the uniform of a maid.
Curiosity drove Elizabeth to hurry out of the house, but decency advised her not to intrude. Several minutes of struggle passed; she kept glancing at the little group until she saw two other people join them, then she finally left the chamber.
Stepping into the long hall, Elizabeth fought all sorts of feelings. She was curious, but it was more than that.
In a household with so many servants, the presence of children was certainly not unusual. But those children were playing around Mr. Darcy, appearing to be very familiar with him.
When she arrived at the lake, Mr. Darcy was gone, but the two children were still there, chasing each other and laughing, watched over by the same woman — probably older than Mrs. Gardiner — and a younger maid.
Upon seeing Elizabeth, the children stopped for a moment, then ran to her. They must have been around six or seven years old, very much alike — probably twins, though the girl had a lighter hair than her brother.
“Good day, miss.” The boy bowed, while the girl curtseyed rather clumsily but both ceremoniously.
“Good day,” Elizabeth replied in earnest, curtseying too.
“Jenny, Jacob! Come here! Don’t bother the lady!” the woman cried, hurrying to them.
“They are not bothering me at all,” Elizabeth replied, smiling warmly to calm the woman.
“I am sorry, miss. Come, children, let’s go back to the house.”
“Please do not leave because of me,” Elizabeth continued. “Jenny, Jacob, I am pleased to meet you. I am Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”
“Good day, Miss Bennet,” the boy offered, bowing lower, and Elizabeth’s smile broadened. The children were lively, well-mannered, and not shy at all. They looked strangely familiar to Elizabeth, and she wondered whether she had seen them before.
“Miss Bennet?” Mrs. Reynolds’s appearance interrupted the exchange; the children returned to their play, and the woman followed them while the housekeeper addressed Elizabeth.
“I hope the children did not bother you?”
“Oh no, quite the contrary. I have four cousins — one of five, one of six, and two a little older. Jenny and Jacob must be six or seven?”
“Almost seven, miss.”
“So they are about the same age as my cousins. What a delightful age!”
“Yes. Do you need something particular, Miss Bennet? I saw you from the window. Dinner should be ready in an hour.”
“I just wished to take a short walk, nothing else. Everything is perfect, thank you.”
“I am glad to hear that.”
