Page 31 of Eavesdroppers Never Hear
“Perfectly said,” he replied with a smile.
Darcy resisted the temptation to kiss her as he took leave of the other ladies, and when he peeked his head into the library to do the same, and when he put on his coat and gloves, and when she walked him out to his horse.
All those times he resisted—but it was a close thing.
15.Correspondence
“Lizzy, the backgammon board looks like a few three-year-olds spent the morning making up a castle game with the pieces.”
Elizabeth gave a short laugh at Jane’s assertion. They were standing in the driveway watching Mr Darcy ride away. At a point just outside the gates, the gentleman turned his horse around and pointed definitively at a specific spot on the ground. Then he tipped his hat, spun, and rode off towards the Schotte estate.
“Is there some significance to that spot?” Jane asked curiously.
“I suspect that is where he threw down the gauntlet,” Elizabeth said with a laugh. “The day they followed us from Netherfield, he tipped his hat to me while I carried you in the back door, but he did not have his hat. As they returned, he told Mr Bingley he intended to marry me. I suspect that was where the deed was done.”
“That is very romantic,” Jane said with a sigh that was not disappointed per se, but it at least bordered on discontented.
“Yes. Our conversation this morning was somewhat disturbing, but also exceedingly romantic—which might explain the game pieces,” Elizabeth said with her own wistful sigh as he rode out of sight.
“It sounds like the man can be very charming when he wants to,” Jane said innocently.
Elizabeth sighed and looked carefully at her elder. “He most certainly can! So can our father.”
Jane visibly winced, which was a considerable deviation for a lady who liked to keep her cards close to her chest. Reliving their parents’ marriage was something they both feared far more than they were willing to admit. The worst of it was that neither wasentirely certain their parents were unhappy as such. Sometimes, the sisters even suspected their parents enjoyed their misery. It was just not the way they wanted to live their lives.
“Are you afraid you will not be able to work out which Mr Darcy you are courting?” Jane asked softly.
“I suppose I should be, but I am not. I am certain I will come to know the man enough to trust him in time. Keep in mind that just over one day ago, he made his apology at the church. This is all very new to me.”
“I believe you have had more honest conversation in that four and twenty hours than our parents have since they married. Do not wait too long or overthink it.”
“I will not. I have promised an answer before the new year, and I think it will come much sooner. I am still frightened by the whole thing, and uncertain of my feelings, but I hope it will become clear over time.”
Jane nodded, and they walked around the garden a bit. The wind was light, and it was slightly cold, but they were dressed warmly and the price of a fire in the drawing room was more than either was willing to pay just yet.
~~~~~
“Mr Bingley will return on Thursday,” Elizabeth said quietly.
“Did Mr Darcy say any more than that?”
“No, he only mentioned it in passing in case you might be interested.”
“Why should I care?”
Elizabeth sighed. “You should not, but I believe he did not want you to be surprised if the gentleman visits Longbourn. I do not think he has any opinion regarding the two of you. Even if he had one, I doubt he would feel entitled to it, and he certainly would not speak it.”
“Perhaps he is already looking at me with the eye of a protector. It is the sort of thing a brother would do.”
Elizabeth thought a moment. “That would be in character. I get the idea he expects you and Mary to live with us. You understand that he is confident he will succeed… though he tries to stop just short of presumptuous.”
“I cannot fault him for that. I am relatively confident in the outcome myself, though I applaud your caution.”
Elizabeth was tired of that subject, so nudged it along. “Do you have an opinion about Mr Bingley?”
“What do you mean?”
“We left Netherfield Wednesday, so it has been five days. I suspect you were hurt by the debacle, but I do not know how much. How do you see him now: Indifferent acquaintance? Spurned suitor? Friend? Enemy? Do you even care?”
