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“I am certain that my housekeeper or cook could provide the details of how often the tea leaves are used in my homes, but I am not familiar with the details. “

Piqued, she inquired, “Is it something you have no interest in knowing?”

“Miss…,” Darcy paused because he had forgotten the girl’s name.

“Bennet,” Mr Rockland said to provide the name.

“Yes, Miss Bennet,” Darcy continued. “I admit I am not aware of the number of times tea leaves are used in my households. But before you think me uncaring, I ask that you inquire with your father if he knows how many times tea leaves are used in your household.”

Elizabeth pursed her lips before admitting, “I beg your pardon, sir. But I know my father is not aware. It was a subject of discussion recently at our dinner table.”

“There is nothing to apologise for, Miss Bennet. You have given me the solution to my dilemma.”

He smiled as he turned to the store proprietor and said, “Mr Rockland, I shall take a double order of tea leaves. Wrap my gift in brown paper and tie it with twine, please.”

“Certainly, sir. Certainly,” the shopkeeper said, hurrying to fill the order.

~~~

While the stranger and Mr Rockland were at the counter, Elizabeth vanished out the door.

However, she did not immediately walk toward Longbourn.

The gentleman made her uncomfortable and she decided to hide from his stern visage.

To accomplish her goal, Elizabeth made her way to the home of Uncle and Aunt Phillips at the edge of the village.

There she visited with her aunt for almost a half hour and watched the road until she saw the large carriage-and-four pass the house on the road toward Netherfield, the estate that lay next to Longbourn.

The price of sanctuary in her aunt’s parlour was to share her mother’s latest gossip, but then Elizabeth was released to walk home. And as soon as she reached the farms that belonged to her family, she left the road to cross the pastures and fields to avoid meeting the tall gentleman again.

‘He was sure of himself,’ she admitted as she trudged through the muddy field, ignoring the mud on the hems of her skirts. ‘He was exceedingly handsome but forgot my name. And well-read but very proud of himself. Would he discuss the Gibbon with me or brush my questions aside?’

Reaching the last pastures before she would be in the yard around Longbourn, Elizabeth compared the three recent arrivals in Meryton.

‘First was the introduction of the mysterious Mr Wickham at the assembly. He is handsome, well-spoken, and dances very well. But he made more inquiries about everyone’s estates than is polite.’

‘Then, there was Mr Bingley, who is gregarious and friendly. He danced well with every young lady and seemed interested in learning about the life of landholders in the neighbourhood. He did not ask intrusive questions and smiled at Jane the entire evening.’

‘Now, the latest arrival–Mr Darcy–who is equally handsome and well-dressed. He appears to be well-read but haughty. I wonder if he is here to shoot birds or help Mr Bingley settle into the estate?’

As she approached the house, her thoughts of the tall man concluded, ‘I wonder if Mr Darcy dances? Perhaps Miss Bingley will rise from her chair and dance with him.’

Then Elizabeth came to a stop, remembering the stranger’s words.

She realised, ‘The man spoke of his homes–he has more than one house! Ah, Mamma will go spare when she learns about Mr Darcy. There are too many rich men in the neighbourhood at one time for her to pair them off with her daughters. No doubt Mr Darcy is rich as a duke and has a dozen homes where the cooks chop the tea leaves before brewing tea the third time.’

Grinning, Elizabeth decided, ‘If he can forget my name, I shall forget his as well.’

~~~

Without betraying his confusion, Fitzwilliam Darcy paid for the tea leaves and carried the package from the store and into his carriage.

The coachman waited until his employer knocked on the roof of the carriage’s compartment before setting the team in motion.

The muddy street was soon left behind, and the gentleman remembered the intelligent conversation with the young woman–without doubt, Miss Elizabeth Bennet was a gentlewoman.

‘How is she in Meryton?’ he wondered only momentarily.

Then remembering her muddy boots, he realised she had walked to the store.

‘Doubtless, her father is a landowner hereabout, and I shall have the opportunity to see her again this autumn. No doubt she will present a line or thought from the Gibbon and attempt to impress me. There could be no true conversation.’

He remembered more of the conversations in the mercantile and remembered the proprietor saying that George Wickham was present in Meryton.

‘Wickham? George Wickham is here in Meryton?’ he asked, amazed at the coincidence.

‘I have not seen or thought of Wickham in seven years –not since my good father died and George took the cheque for the legacy rather than becoming a clergyman. Never was there a man less suited to be a clergyman than George Wickham.’

Darcy spent a full minute wondering what George had done with the three thousand pounds he received from the Darcy estate. ‘An honest businessman? I cannot imagine that being the path George followed.’

‘I shall observe George and his behaviour. He will not remain hereabouts for long.’

~~~

The Darcy coach turned onto the drive leading to Netherfield’s door in the late afternoon.

A footman was positioned beside the front door, and Caroline Bingley stood at the window in the morning parlour, waiting for the carriage to appear.

She recognised the coach-and-four in the drive and stepped back to not appear at the window when Mr Darcy stepped down from the elegant coach.

‘How fine that coach will look on the street when I visit the shops,’ Caroline thought as a predatory smile spread across her face. If she knew how such a smile changed her appearance, she would never allow it to reappear.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Caroline strode to the door that led to the hall and instructed the footman, “Mr Darcy will be at the door soon. When he knocks, you will wait until I tell you to open the door.”

“Yes, Miss Bingley,” the man replied. He had been told of the change in hostess by Mrs Hobbs, but still, he must obey the younger sister.

The knock came, and Miss Bingley waited until the second knock before motioning the footman to open the door and allow the visitor entry.

Fitzwilliam Darcy stepped across the threshold to find Miss Caroline Bingley waiting beside an open door that led to a parlour.

Her greeting was verbose and overly long.

“Miss Bingley, thank you for the welcome,” Darcy interrupted the young lady. “And I arrive bearing a gift.”

Eyes glittering, Caroline answered, “That was most kind of you, Mr Darcy.”

Her hands outstretched with a gleeful expression on her face, Caroline took the package wrapped in brown paper and twine into her hands.

She immediately set the package on a table in the hall and pulled on the twine.

It did not break, and Caroline continued to wrestle with the package while Charles appeared in the hallway with Louisa and Geoffrey behind him.

“Darcy! It is good of you to come and help me,” Charles said as he noticed his younger sister pulling on the twine without success.

“Charles, Mr Darcy brought me a gift,” she announced.

Louisa pushed her way forward with her snips and said, “Let me cut the twine, Caroline.”

“Hurry,” the younger sister replied. “I am certain it is some beautiful cloak or lace for a dress.”

Charles and Geoffrey glanced toward Darcy, who did not appear disturbed by Caroline’s words. With the twine snipped in two places, Caroline could open the package. When she identified the gift, the gentlewoman fell silent for a long, heavy moment.

Then she announced to everyone in the manor, “Tea! Mr Darcy brought tea leaves as a gift!”

While Geoffrey and Charles muffled their snickers, Louisa said, “A singular gift, Mr Darcy. Fresh tea leaves are always needed in a good home.”

The lady gathered the package from the table while Caroline stepped away. Louisa glanced toward her sister, who remained silent. Turning back, Louisa handed the package of tea leaves to the footman, who disappeared into the back of the manor where Mrs Hobbes would be found.

“Your gift is most appreciated, Mr Darcy,” Louisa said. “I plan to invite several neighbourhood ladies to tea in the coming days, and fresh tea will make their visit memorable.”

~~~

When it was time for supper, the family and their visitor gathered in the same dining room used for breakfast. Mrs Hobbs made certain the platters of food were placed on the table and then departed with the footman.

“A single course, sister?” asked Miss Bingley from her new place to the left of her brother. Across the table, Mr Darcy placed food on his plate while Charles smiled at Louisa, who sat in the hostess’ seat at the other end of the table with her husband to her left.

“Yes, Caroline,” Louisa replied. “There is no reason to have the footmen here for unnecessary moves of bowls and platters tonight.”

Caroline Bingley was discouraged in her campaign to gain Mr Darcy’s attention and listened quietly as the man spoke with Charles about rents, tenants, the steward and ploughing the fields in autumn. She cared for none of their conversations.

At the end of the meal, Mr Darcy spoke to Miss Bingley and inquired as to her observations of the neighbourhood.

While her family cringed, fearful of the next words to be spoken, Caroline expressed her frustration with the lack of fashion and suitable conversation at the one gathering she had been forced to attend.

“Then you should have remained at Netherfield, Miss Bingley. At my home in Derbyshire, I spend most of my nights reading in my library.”

“In the winter, I am sure, but what of all the months in London?”

“My library in London offers a quiet location to read as well.”

Caroline’s confusion was obvious in her next question. “But you receive invitations to dinners and reviews every night of the week, I am sure of it.”

“Indeed, but I never respond to any of them unless there is something of importance to the prime minister or the Countess of Matlock.”

“But when you marry, you and your wife will attend the glittering gatherings, surely.”

“No, my wife will enjoy reading by my side,” Darcy stated as a simple fact.

Caroline did not attempt to hide the disappointment on her face. When the footman returned with a teapot, everyone noticed the fresh tea served after dinner.

~~~