Page 28 of Darcy’s Guarded Heart

Elizabeth

“O h, you must take another scone, Miss Darcy,” Mrs Bennet said two days later, as they were all gathered around the table in the dining room. “Hill made them special. And they go so well with the tea. Ah, we must have more tea as well!”

“Oh, I couldn’t, Mrs Bennet. I’ve had two already.

If I have another, I shall simply burst!

” Georgiana said and placed one hand on her stomach.

Indeed, Elizabeth did not blame her. From the moment she had arrived an hour and a half ago until now, Mrs Bennet had refilled her tea and her plate multiple times, for in addition to scones there were assorted sweetmeats, rolls, and many other items loaded upon the table.

“Very well,” Mrs Bennet replied. “We wouldn’t want that! But surely you will take some back with you to Netherfield. Mr Bingley will certainly enjoy them. You can tell him Jane’s help has been invaluable.”

“Did you bake these, Jane?” she said, and looked at Jane, who shook her head.

“These hands did not touch any flour,” Jane said. “My mother likes to make me sound more industrious than I am.”

“Nonsense,” Mrs Bennet interrupted. “You picked the raspberries last summer. That is essential for raspberry jam.”

“Your mother is quite right,” Georgiana said, and Mrs Bennet beamed.

“You see? Miss Darcy agrees with me.”

Elizabeth shook her head and went over to Georgiana while Mrs Bennet bustled out of the room in search of more tea. “You mustn’t mind my mother,” she said.

“She is lovely,” Georgiana replied. “Your house is charming, and the tea was delightful. And the company as well,” she added, but this time she had raised her eyes to Thomas, who was sitting diagonally across from her. He smiled at her.

“We are grateful to have your company, Miss Darcy,” he said because Mrs Bennet had chided the assembled group when Georgiana first arrived and they’d called her by her first name.

No amount of assurances had convinced Mrs Bennet to switch to the informal form of address and thus, Miss Darcy she was—unless Mrs Bennet was not near enough to hear.

“Faith! I should look in on Mrs Annesley,” Georgiana said.

“I think your mother mentioned that she was with the other servants in the kitchen.” She then looked once again at Thomas.

“Would you mind showing me how to get there? She wasn’t feeling well this morning, and I felt terrible making her come with me. ”

“Of course,” Thomas replied and offered his arm. Together, they went out.

A surprising whooping sound followed, accompanied by their mother’s voice.

“Goodness! I did not expect to see you here. Is something the matter? I went to see about the tea and I found it!” she said, and a rattling sound indicated that her mother had taken it upon herself to pick up another teapot for Mrs Hill rather than waiting for it to be delivered, as was proper.

“We are checking on Mrs Annesley,” Thomas said. “Miss Darcy was worried.”

“I see. How very kind of you,” Mrs Bennet replied. “And Thomas, when you have checked on Mrs Annesley, why don’t you show Miss Darcy the gardens?”

“But there is nothing in bloom,” Thomas said.

“Nonsense. Of course, there is! In the back garden, by the bench. There are flowers in bloom,” she insisted.

Elizabeth looked at Jane, who shook her head. “There is nothing blooming anywhere. We are lucky that there isn’t snow yet.” Mrs Bennet re-entered the room and shot them both a glare.

“Leave them be,” Mrs Bennet said. “We are fortunate that the young lady is even allowed to visit. After everything I’ve heard about Mr Darcy and how he treated her at the ball I was positively shocked she was allowed to come.

That Mr Darcy—acting as though our Lydia and Kitty are beneath his notice. ”

“Indeed, he acts as though we are commoners, not gentlemen’s daughters,” Kitty complained, while Lydia stuffed a chunk of scone into her mouth and nodded in agreement.

“Dreadful he is!” Lydia exclaimed once she swallowed. Elizabeth shook her head.

“I think Mr Darcy is rather a refined gentleman,” Mr Collins said.

“We are very fortunate to have his acquaintance. The fact that he allows his sister to come for tea is only due to his regard for the family. Not to sound as though I think rather too highly of myself but there is no doubt he realises who I am, which has influenced his changing of mind.”

“It is only a pity that he did not recognise you at the ball,” Elizabeth said, unable to keep her thoughts to herself any longer.

By now she had heard from a multitude of people that Mr Collins had, indeed, approached Mr Darcy in the exact manner Thomas had described, and that Mr Darcy had rebuffed him in no uncertain terms.

“We cannot blame the gentleman for not knowing me. He knows a great many people and cannot be expected to remember every single one. I am certain that the next time I see him, we shall have a splendid conversation.”

“Georgiana did mention that they are due to visit Rosings Park soon. Perhaps we will see them there when you rejoin Lady Catherine,” Lydia said. “I am certain that must be very soon, so I am surprised that she has been able to stay for as long as she has without you.”

Mrs Bennet’s eyebrows rose, but she said nothing, for the truth was the entire family had wondered just when Mr Collins’s visit— the purpose of which they still hadn’t deciphered—was going to come to an end. For the sake of their sanity, Elizabeth hoped that it would end sooner rather than later.

“Mr Collins, indeed! I am certain my patroness misses me greatly, as I am far more than a simple curate. She always tells me that she could not do without me. However, I cannot return in good conscience without having fulfilled my quest.”

“That sounds rather adventurous,” Lydia remarked.

“Not so much adventurous as romantic, Mr Collins.”

“You see, my patroness has sent me here to find a bride.”

A sudden stunned silence settled upon the table. It was quite clear to everyone what he meant to imply. He didn’t mean here as in Meryton; he had meant here as in Longbourn.

He sought to make one of them his bride.

Elizabeth picked up her cup and stared into it as though something in the brew indeed captivated her attention.

Mrs Bennet’s tone alarmed her, as it was the sort of tone she always had when an eligible bachelor presented himself.

Five minutes ago, Mrs Bennet would have taken any young woman who had fallen into such a role as a privilege concerning Mr Collins, but now Elizabeth could see her mother’s mind calculating.

If she could make one of her daughters Mrs Collins, that would mean that Longbourn was safe.

This was an opportunity her mother was not going to let slip by.

As expected, she immediately cleared her throat. “And what of my mind, Mr Collins?” she asked, smiling brightly.

Mr Collins smiled, looking at Jane. “Well, I had come with the intention of proposing to my dear cousin Jane, but I see that I was too late. However, I have such a large number of lovely cousins to choose from,” he said with a smile, winking at Elizabeth, who quickly looked away, alarmed that it might be her he had his eye on.

He had shown no such interest since his arrival, but then one could never know.

Fortunately, she was rescued from any further discomfort by a stern knock on the door.

A moment later, Hill appeared in the hallway doorway. “Excuse me, ma’am,” she said, addressing Mrs Bennet. “A gentleman is at the door. Mr Darcy. He’s looking for his sister.”

Mrs Bennet rose at once. “Oh, Mr Darcy! I had not expected to see him here,” she said, rushing out with a flourish.

“Mr Darcy?” Jane said.

“Perhaps to apologise for the way he acted in front of Lydia and Kitty,” Elizabeth suggested, although she already knew that this was not the reason.

They were not left wondering for very long, for Mr Darcy stepped into the room, and his visit was not one of companionability. In fact, his brows were furrowed, and he looked about the room in a searching manner.

“I shall ring for another cup of tea for you, sir,” Mrs Bennet began. “I was about to do so when he—”

“I am not here on a social visit, and I do not require tea. I do need to know where my sister is,” he interrupted.

“Your sister? She wanted to take a turn about the garden with Thomas.”

“I would appreciate it if somebody could take me to my sister immediately,” he said, his tone sharp, almost like a cat whose tail had just been stepped upon.

Elizabeth got up, sensing that Mr Darcy was close to an explosion. “I shall take you,” she said.

He nodded at her, and she noted that he hadn’t removed his hat yet, so clearly he had no intention of staying. Why was he so upset, she wondered?

They walked together out of the drawing room, just as Mr Collins had risen to his feet and bowed, his mouth half open, it was clear he had attempted to engage Mr Darcy in conversation.

“I had not expected to see you,” she began.

“Do you think I am the sort of gentleman who would allow my sister to sneak away from home when she was explicitly told not to, and I would simply do nothing?”

Elizabeth paused, biting her lips as she realised why he was here and why he was in such a dreadful mood. “Sir, do you mean to say that your sister did not have permission to come?”

Mr Darcy softened somewhat. “No, she did not. She asked me but I denied her request. I suspected that your sisters encouraged her to come anyway.”

“They did not, Mr Darcy,” she said at once. “But perhaps if your sister felt the need to sneak away, that should make you reconsider how you approach this situation.”

“Reconsider what? She made a request, I denied it. It is as simple as that,” he said but did not meet her eyes.

“You still do not think our family is proper? May I remind you that my father is a gentleman, same as you? Your sister is a gentleman’s daughter, same as I, and my sisters…”

“But your ward is not,” he retorted.

Elizabeth understood at once. The affection Thomas held for Georgiana had been obvious to her. Therefore, it was reasonable that Mr Darcy, as her brother and thus intimately familiar with her, would have noticed as well.

“Thomas is an upstanding gentleman,” she said defensively.

“That is the trouble; he is no gentleman at all. But no matter. All will be put to right.”

What did he mean by that, she wondered.

“Georgiana!” he called, and she looked up just in time to see Georgiana and Thomas leapt up from a bench, both looking guilty.

She closed her eyes. Of all the things she didn’t want Mr Darcy to see, it was this.

She had hoped to find the two of them conversing about flowers or some other matter, but instead, they were engaged in rather more intimate activities.

She was almost certain she had seen them holding hands.

She could only pray that Mr Darcy hadn’t.

“William,” she said, but got no further.

“We are leaving,” he stated firmly. “Right now. Where is Mrs Annesley? I shall have to have a word…”

“She thought we were entirely permitted to be here,” Georgiana protested at once. “Do not be cross with her; she has done nothing wrong.”

Mr Darcy sighed. “Very well. It is good of you to stand up for her. But in any case, we are leaving. Now.”

“Mr Darcy,” Thomas said but Mr Darcy only glared at him before ushering his sister back to the house.

“Thomas,” Elizabeth said but he shook his head.

“I told you this was a terrible idea. I wish I had not listened to you and put her out of my head when I had the chance,” he said and Elizabeth’s heart broke for he’d never spoken to her like this before.

She glared at Mr Darcy, wishing that she too had put the man out of her mind when she had a chance to do so.