The two teams settled themselves with very different ideas of how the contest ought to be approached. Lady Frances sat upright beside Elizabeth with the same calm concentration she had brought to the fencing, while Miss Harriet Sitcombe tucked one foot beneath her and leant forward, plainly ready to answer before Mr Pritchard had finished speaking. The gentlemen arranged themselves with rather less discipline. Mr Hadley lounged against the back of the sofa, Sir Geoffrey continued to question the rules and Colonel Fitzwilliam had chosen a place directly opposite Jane, which suggested that the riddles were not his chief concern.
Darcy sat near the end of the gentlemen's sofa. His conversation with Lady Hortensia had left him looking rather more sober than before, though when Elizabeth met his eye, the corner of his mouth lifted. She tried to give her attention to Mr Pritchard and not to the memory of Darcy swinging her in his arms joyfully less than an hour earlier.
Mr Pritchard unfolded the first paper. "I possess four wings but never fly. I turn from morning until night without leaving my place, and before men may eat, I labour over their food. What am I?"
"A windmill," Miss Drummond called, at almost the same moment that James Blackwood said, "A mill."
Mr Pritchard considered them both. "Miss Drummond gave the more complete answer."
The ladies applauded, while James protested that a windmill was plainly a kind of mill and ought therefore to count.
"If I ask for the name of a gentleman," Lady Frances said, "and you answer only that he is a man, I do not think you will have been especially helpful."
"One point to the ladies," Mr Pritchard announced before the discussion could spread.
He opened the second paper. "I hold more words than any person could speak, and much learning may be found within me. I have many leaves, though I am not a tree, and I can be opened but never enter a room. What am I?"
"A library," Sir Geoffrey said confidently.
"A book," Miss Lacey answered over him.
Mr Pritchard inclined his head towards the ladies.
Sir Geoffrey frowned. "A library contains considerably more words than a single book."
"It does not have leaves, nor can it be held and opened," Darcy observed. "The answer is a book."
Sir Geoffrey looked dissatisfied with both the answer and the explanation. "It was imprecisely put."
"Two points to the ladies," said Mr Pritchard.
The gentlemen drew themselves together with greater purpose after that. Mr Ashcombe urged them to answer more quickly, while Henry Blackwood pointed out that answering quickly had not yet been the difficulty, it was correctness that was tripping them up. Across from them, Amelia lowered her eyes to hide a smile.
The third riddle was read in the same solemn tone. "I am tall and pale, but my life is short. I am of greatest use after dark, and those around me lament when I expire. What am I?"
"A glow-worm," Mr Hadley said.
Mrs Cartwright looked at him, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Tall?"
"A very well-nourished glow-worm."
"A candle," Jane answered through her laughter.
The ladies celebrated their third point with enough noise that Lady Hortensia was obliged to raise one hand. "We have four riddles remaining. The gentlemen are not yet entirely lost."
"That is generous of you," Mr Hadley said.
"It is not generosity, Mr Hadley. It is arithmetic. Now can you all quieten down. It is like I have returned to the school room."
Darcy looked across at Elizabeth and found her trying not to laugh. She failed as soon as their eyes met, and the sight of his answering smile made her forget for a moment that they were supposed to be opponents.
Mr Pritchard selected the next paper. "I run without feet, cut through stone without a blade and sing though I have no voice. What am I?"
"A carriage," Sir Geoffrey said.
"A carriage has wheels," Miss Drummond replied.
"It still runs."
