Page 11 of Leave Her Wild
“She should be here,” Mrs. Bennet declared. “We agreed we would receive Mr. Darcy in this room.”
When neither Elizabeth nor Mary responded, their mother rushed away. Seconds later, Mrs. Bennet could be heard calling, “Sarah, come to Miss Bennet this moment and assist her with the sash on her gown.”
“You have done a most excellent job of arranging the house,” Mary told her as they stood together in the room in which they were all to meet for this event. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how one saw it, they were the only ones in place despite being the two who had executed the most effort. “I have never seen Longbourn look so picturesque. The family owes it all to you.”
There was no time for Elizabeth to declare what she had executed had been more for her sake than Jane’s, for Mrs. Hill was already showing two gentlemen—the one Elizabeth recognized immediately, along with a man in uniform—into the sitting room. Mr. Darcy frowned. Meanwhile, Mary took the lead, which was so uncharacteristic of her, Elizabeth was jolted from her malaise.
“Good day, gentlemen, I am Miss Mary Bennet. Welcome to Longbourn,” her sister pronounced formally. “Mrs. Hill,would you tell both Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet that our company has arrived?”
“No need,” their father said as he strolled casually into the room. “I have sent our Catherine to fetch Mrs. Bennet and Jane. If you would see to the tea and cakes instead, Mrs. Hill, I would be most appreciative.”
“Yes, sir.” The housekeeper disappeared quickly.
Elizabeth had not yet moved or spoken, for Mr. Darcy’s eyes had again swept over her and, as before, dismissed her as not worthy of his notice.
“I am, as you must have assumed, Mr. Bennet.” Her father bowed to both gentlemen. “While we wait, sirs, permit me to give you the acquaintance of two of my daughters. First, is our Elizabeth.” Both Mr. Darcy and the colonel bowed, while Elizabeth managed a curtsey. “Mary is the third of our daughters.”
While Mary curtsied, the colonel said, “It is a true pleasure, ladies.”
Mr. Darcy had yet to say a word beyond, “Pleasure,” which was directed to her father.
As if on cue, Jane entered in the heartbeat which was meant to be a disastrous lull, but had lost its opportunity. “I apologize, Mr. Darcy. Colonel. I earlier spilled a splash of tea on my sash. I pray you are not disappointed by my delay.”
Mr. Darcy bowed to Jane, as did the colonel. Yet, while the latter smiled forgivingly, for the briefest of seconds, Mr. Darcy’s whole body frowned, as if he considered that Jane was executing some sort of scheme against him. The idea of his disdain irritated Elizabeth further. Soon all were together in the sitting room.
While Elizabeth’s evaluation of Mr. Darcy had not changed, her family was quickly enamored by the man, as well as by his cousin. When they were told to sit, Elizabeth hadthought to sit with Mary, but Mary had tugged Kitty down beside her, leaving Elizabeth to sit on the settee alone until Colonel Fitzwilliam crossed to stand before her. “Might I join you, Miss Elizabeth?” he asked with a bow.
“Assuredly, sir.”
The gentleman settled his sword to the side and joined her on the padded bench seat. “Thank you for accepting my company,” he said softly.
“I am pleased to permit the others to become more fully acquainted,” she said.
“Your sister is quite lovely,” he stated, “and it was quite providential when my elder brother, Lord Lindale, and Darcy and I reclaimed Mrs. Gardiner’s acquaintance and, therefore, your sister’s.”
“It was providential indeed,” Elizabeth responded while attempting to disguise her contempt for Mr. Darcy.
“Although we generally travel through Hertfordshire as we journey from our home estate in Matlock to London and back, I do not believe I have ever been in this part of your home shire. I found it to be very pleasant.”
“We are closer to the border of Bedfordshire than even to Cambridgeshire or Essex. I, generally, prefer not to be on the main roads to and from London, though it is a great bother when the side roads are washed out from a storm and there are goods to be delivered.”
“What type of goods?” the colonel asked.
Elizabeth’s defenses rose quickly, but she attempted to keep them from her tone. “Mostly what one would expect in the southern shires.”
His eyebrow rose, whether in offense or admiration, she could not say. “Such was my error in asking, Miss Elizabeth. I truly do not know what to expect in the southern shires. I foolishly thought asking a woman might be less embarrassingthan asking a man. You see, my father, the earl, is pressing me to sell out my commission. I am to inherit a smallish estate in Oxfordshire from a cousin on my mother’s side of the family. When Darcy and I call upon our aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh . . .”
“Lady Catherine?” Elizabeth asked. “Of Rosings Park?”
“You know the estate?” the colonel inquired.
“Not personally,” she explained. “I was to visit . . .” She did not wish to discuss Lydia’s elopement, especially with not knowing whether either Jane or Aunt Gardiner had mentioned it to Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth seriously doubted such had occurred. Therefore, she explained in simpler terms. “My father’s cousin, a Mr. William Collins, holds the living at Hunsford, which was presented by Lady Catherine de Bourgh of Rosings Park.”
“Darcy never mentioned the coincidence,” the colonel explained.
“Most likely, Jane did not think it important to discuss a cousin we have never met until recently, and even that was a brief encounter,” she said in explanation.
With a slight nod, the colonel appeared to accept her response. “As I was saying, when Darcy and I visit our Aunt Catherine to settle her estate books for tax purposes, I attempt to engage some of her cottagers to learn more of the land, but I am not assured what I have learned would be appropriate for Oxfordshire.”
