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“No, it is not your fault, Miss Elizabeth. I appreciate your wit and your fortitude, but I am confident that you have not misrepresented the situation. If a gentleman has made himself a nuisance to you, he should be brought to heel.” He paused for a moment, as if to collect his thoughts.

“I will accept your judgement that it is not serious. I know I have no right to intervene, but that does not make it acceptable that anyone should bother you. Mr Bennet will take care of the matter for you, I assume?”

For a moment, Elizabeth did not know what to say. The full truth was hardly an option. “My father will help me if it becomes necessary,” she replied at last. “Really, Mr Darcy, I did not mean to upset you. Please forget I said anything.”

He stopped again as they came to the gates of Longbourn.

“I cannot forget it, Miss Elizabeth. It upsets me exceedingly that someone would bother you. You do not deserve that,” he said softly, with a kindness radiating from his eyes that almost made her heart flutter.

She gulped, then pasted a smile on her face.

“I thank you for your concern. It is not justified, but I thank you all the same,” she said.

Mr Darcy nodded. “I shall leave you here, Miss Elizabeth. I do not think anyone will accost you within your own gates,” he said. “Thank you for allowing me to walk you this far.”

His dismissal was welcome, but she felt a niggle of doubt all the same as she curtsied and turned away.

She could feel his eyes on her, and when she snuck a peek over her shoulder, she could see that he still stood outside the gates, watching her.

Did he intend to watch her as she walked all the way home?

When she came around the bend and could no longer see her silent watcher, she allowed herself to become lost in thought once more. Of course, her father would come to her aid if she truly needed him. If it was truly important. She would be a disloyal daughter to think otherwise.

Yet doubts rose in her mind as she thought of the incident only a few days before.

He had not come to her aid with her mother, as she tried to push her into seriously considering Mr Collins.

Nor was he willing to dissuade Mr Collins — not when he might instead have the pleasure of laughing at him.

Clearly, Mr Darcy thought she was not being protected as she should be.

Shame filled her, but she wished she could be confident that her father would rally to her side if the need should arise.

He had not intervened before now, and she wondered if he would even if Mr Collins did propose marriage.

Elizabeth shook her head, a chill running up her spine at the very thought of enduring such a mortifying experience.

With any luck, her continued indifference would cool his ardour, and he would leave her alone.

Perhaps at the Netherfield ball, he would find someone more open to his attentions, and she would finally be free.

When she arrived home, she could see Mr Collins through the window of the parlour.

With a little guilt but more relief, Elizabeth slipped around the back and snuck up the stairs.

Thankfully, she did not meet her mother on her way.

Surely she would have forced her to the parlour to endure another afternoon of Mr Collins’s ridiculous accolades and stories of how fortunate he was to be the recipient of Lady Catherine’s condescension.

Jane was in their bedroom, but to speak with her beloved sister was no hardship.

“Lizzy, my goodness. Have you been out all this time? It has been hours since breakfast. You must be quite famished.” Jane got up from the window seat, where she was working on some needlepoint. “We’ve had luncheon already. Shall I call for the maid to bring up a tray for you?”

“Yes, I think that would be best.” She rolled her eyes heavenward. “I do not wish to be in Mr Collins’ company just yet.” She bit her lower lip, wondering if she should mention that Mr Darcy had interrupted her solitude.

Jane gave her a sympathetic smile and rang the bell for the maid. “Poor dear. He is very determined, one must admit.”

“Yes, that is the whole problem, Jane!” she exclaimed as she sat on the edge of the bed and fell backward. “Do not laugh. It is most serious,” she said.

Jane covered her mouth with a dainty hand and sat down beside her on the edge of the bed. “I am sorry. I know he is not the sort of man you want. But is it not at least a little flattering to have so many suitors after you?”

“If you had asked me six months ago whether I would be flattered in such a case, I might have said yes,” Elizabeth said wearily. “I have come to find that too much attention is as bad as too little. Particularly when Mr Collins is the intended suitor.”

Just then a knock sounded on the door, and Jane directed the maid to bring up a tray of something to eat for Elizabeth, and a pot of tea.

When the girl had gone, Elizabeth sat up and took off the scarf that she had tied about her neck, and removed her gloves.

She tossed them onto the vanity and turned back to her sister.

“What am I to do, Jane? I thought the inheritance was a wonderful blessing at first. Now, I am not so sure.”

Jane stood and came to her, wrapping her arms around Elizabeth’s middle.

She turned her toward the mirror and rested her chin on Elizabeth’s shoulder.

“Do not lament yet, Lizzy. I am sure there is a man out there that will be just right for you. A man who will not be blinded by his greed for your inheritance.” She lifted her chin and kissed her on the cheek. “There must be.”

Elizabeth gave a small smile but continued to look at her reflection in the mirror as Jane moved away to go back to her sewing.

Was there such a man for her? She did not know.

So many gentlemen had sought to court her since the rumour of her grand inheritance had come out, and none of them matched what she had always dreamed of.

Elizabeth reasoned that she would have to marry someone, but she could not bear the thought of settling for a man she did not love.

At the moment, she could see herself marrying none of the men that had presented themselves, Mr Collins, least of all of them.

The maid quickly returned with a tray, but their mother soon followed her.

“Girls, what is this? Mr Collins is downstairs in the parlour, and has been asking after you especially, Lizzy. Come down at once and be with the family!” Their mother bustled them out of the room, any hope of their continued peace broken.

Jane took her hand as they walked down the stairs behind their mother, giving her a light squeeze to say that she understood.

But there was nothing Jane could do to help the situation.

She was reminded again of Mr Darcy’s words. Elizabeth wished she could be confident of her father coming to her aid when she most needed him, but she very much feared she could not.