Page 126 of The Mistress of All & Torn

He appeared surprised but laughed. “You are very hard on me, Miss Bennet. I did take your rebuke to heart, and I have already tried to improve my manners. Do I not deserve some recognition for that?”

“No, she is not. Too hard, I mean,” Bingley interjected again, his tongue loosened by another glass of brandy. “She is only being her usual self.”

This time, Elizabeth and the earl both laughed wholeheartedly.

“Well, that is a relief as I always complain about being treated differently,” Lord Alveston concluded.

“Then you must be pleased. According to my brother, I am mean and disrespectful to everyone,” she said, stepping towards the pianoforte.

It was placed in the corner of the dining room, and Elizabeth easily understood the reason. Since Lord Alveston could not walk without help, and it was challenging to be moved from one chamber to another, his grandmother arranged everything to his convenience.

“Oh, I did not say you were mean or disrespectful,” Bingley said, looking at Jane in panic, much to the others’ amusement. It was obvious he had been enjoying the brandy rather too much. “But you are very intelligent and always win arguments. Or at least most of the time. More often than anyone else of my acquaintance. Perhaps on a par with Darcy.”

Elizabeth was arranging her music sheets, looking for something to play. She startled, feeling her cheeks burning as disturbing memories invaded her. She remembered the evening when she had performed on the pianoforte at Rosings and the sharp conversation she had had with Darcy. At that time, she had been sure that his primary purpose was to make her feel uncomfortable.

“Darcy?” Lady Kendal asked. “Lord Matlock’s nephew? I knew his late parents. Are you acquainted with him?”

“Yes, I am proud to say he is my closest friend, although I have not seen him much lately.”

“I do not know much about young Darcy, but his mother was one of London’s beauties and his father was a very handsome man. And an excellent landlord,” Lady Kendal said.

“And Darcy is the same. An excellent landlord. And very intelligent—he actually knows everything about anything,” Bingley said enthusiastically.

“I am sure that is not quite so,” Lord Alveston said. “But your loyalty to your friend is praiseworthy.”

“I tell you, I cannot remember any circumstance when I asked him something and he did not have the answer,” Bingley insisted.

“Mr Darcy is a remarkable gentleman. He has been a good friend to Mr Bingley,” Jane said, supporting her husband.

“And one of his greatest merits is that he owns one of the most beautiful estates I have ever seen. Pemberley, in Derbyshire,” Mrs Gardiner interjected.

“Elizabeth and Darcy have never been good friends. Their acquaintance started rather poorly and never improved,” Bingley explained. “Darcy is someone who has been scolded harshly by Elizabeth, due to his haughty manners,” he told Lord Alveston, as though confessing a secret.

“That is not quite true,” Elizabeth heard herself speak. “Mr Darcy and I did not make the best first impression on each other. I would rather say we misjudged each other, but we both corrected that in time. Mr Darcy is certainly a man who improves on better acquaintance.”

“Are you acquainted with his betrothed too?” Lord Alveston asked.

“Yes,” Elizabeth replied, hoping the others would not notice her blush. “We had the pleasure of staying at Pemberley for a fortnight last summer. Mr Darcy was not there, but we had a lovely time with his sister, his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Miss de Bourgh.”

“How lovely,” Lady Kendal said politely.

“Shall I begin?” The conversation was making Elizabeth more distressed by the minute.

“Yes, please!” Lady Kendal invited her.

“Now, do you have any preference as to what I should play?” After another brief debate, Mr Banfield’s eldest son sat by her side, helping her to turn the pages. And she began to play—one song, then another. She allowed her fingers to move across the keys while her thoughts flew to Mr Darcy. Yes, he did improve on better acquaintance. But no, she would not have the time or the chance to correct her misjudgment.

When Elizabeth eventually completed her performance and received genuine praise, Lord Alveston apologised and asked to retire. All the blood seemed to have drained from his face. His lips were white and his eyes narrow, as if trying to shield themselves from the light.

“I hope we shall meet again soon,” Lord Alveston addressed everyone. His voice was low and weak, but the warmth was impossible to miss.

“Miss Bennet, I hear you play chess very well. Perhaps I could challenge you sometime.”

“I would like that very much, my lord. I only hope you do not mind if I defeat you.”

“I cannot make any promises regarding my behaviour, since I do not recollect being defeated in the last few years,” he said with mock gravity.

“There is a first time for everything,” Elizabeth teased him, and Lord Alveston nodded in approval. He wore a little grin, but even that seemed too heavy for his lips to carry.