Page 6 of Requirements for Love (Love in London with Mr Darcy #3)

Elizabeth could hardly keep her features composed as she prepared to meet Mr Darcy’s sister.

Her feelings toward him felt different from what they had been mere hours ago.

He regretted separating Bingley from Jane, or at least regretted assuming Jane had no affectionate feelings for his friend.

He even told him Jane was in town and encouraged him to call on her.

And now he was an attentive host. Mr Darcy’s kindness toward her was unexpected, and his wish for her to be acquainted with his sister was entirely unforeseen. She supposed she had misjudged him. Perhaps his “tolerable” comment at the Meryton assembly had obscured her opinion of him.

But he still treated Wickham despicably. However amiable Mr Darcy might be, however good a friend and brother he was, there was a deplorable shade to his character if he could cheat his father’s godson out of an inheritance.

There was no time for further reflection as Miss Darcy and her companion entered with Bingley. Mrs Annesley was a genteel-looking woman of about forty. Miss Darcy was tall and less handsome than her brother, but there was sense and good humour in her face.

“How do you do, Miss Bennet?” she murmured .

“I have had better days, I must admit,” she said, smiling as she gestured at where her foot rested under the blanket. “However, your brother is doing his best to convince me that I am not an interloper.”

Mr Darcy only gave her a wry look, but Bingley said, “He had better behave well toward you, because now the ladies outnumber the men in his house. It could be a trying fortnight for him if he is not courteous to all his female guests.”

“It will only be trying if Miss Bennet continues to profess that I do not want her here,” he quipped. He then gave his sister a kiss on the cheek and said quietly, “Thank you for coming.”

She nodded, and he led her to sit across from Elizabeth. “Miss Bennet will be confined to the house for a fortnight,” he said as she sat. “And aside from her sister and aunt, I do not think she will have many callers.”

Miss Darcy did not take the hint that this was an opportunity for her to say that she would be glad to keep her company. She looked as though she wished to say something, but she did not know what.

“Are you agreeable to my relying on you for conversation, Miss Darcy?” Elizabeth asked in a lively tone. “I promise any nonsense will serve.”

Mr Darcy grinned, and only then did the confused expression leave his sister’s face. Still, she remained silent. Perhaps she was not accustomed to anyone sporting with her.

“I am grateful to you and to Mrs Annesley,” Elizabeth added in a more serious tone when everyone was seated. “You have come to my rescue nearly as much as your cousin did.”

After a pause, Miss Darcy said, “You are welcome.”

“I am sure you do not wish to act as hostess to a complete stranger, and I promise to be an easy charge.”

Elizabeth smiled amiably, but Miss Darcy only nodded. After more silence, Mr Darcy said, “I am not sure Miss Bennet can keep that promise. She is always trying to move about on her own and risk further injury.”

Was he teasing her? Add that to the list of incredible things to happen today. “Well, I may vex your patience for my entertainment, but since Miss Darcy knows nothing of my character, I will behave for her and try to pass myself off as a person of credit.”

She looked at Miss Darcy for a reply, but she had none to make. Her brother added, “I will attempt to be more at home for the next fortnight, but perhaps you and Miss Bennet have enough in common to get along together for the times when I am called away.”

Mr Darcy gave his sister an encouraging look, but although she smiled at Elizabeth, she said nothing.

“Your friends Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst are full of your praises,” Elizabeth said. “I believe the word Miss Bingley used to describe your performance on the pianoforte was ‘exquisite’.” After another pause, Elizabeth asked, “Do you enjoy playing for others?”

When she realised a response was required, Miss Darcy whispered, “Yes.”

“Well, you will have an eager audience in me, I promise you.”

“And not just because you are a captive,” added Bingley, and everyone laughed. Still, Miss Darcy added nothing, and Mrs Annesley gently prompted her to ask after Bingley’s sisters.

If this was the woman who had been set up to be Jane’s rival, her sister could rest easy. No look appeared on either side that spoke of particular regard. Nothing occurred between Bingley and Miss Darcy that could justify Miss Bingley’s hopes.

Bingley soon parted from them, either because of the hour or because the conversation had languished. “I will pass on the news of your good health to your sister and aunt when I see them tomorrow,” Bingley said to her before he left.

Mrs Annesley then expressed all her enjoyment at meeting her and promised that they would get to know one another well in the days ahead before retiring for the night.

When she too was gone, there was a shift in the energy in the room, as like when all the company was gone and the family was at ease with only each other.

And yet she was not family, but at least she felt less like an intruder than she had this afternoon.

Darcy leant forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Georgiana, I do hope you will help me occupy Miss Bennet. ”

She looked between her and Mr Darcy with a pleasant smile and said, “Yes.”

No other comment or suggestion was forthcoming, and Mr Darcy’s expression faltered.

She saw that Mr Darcy was eager for his sister and herself to get acquainted.

She had expected sneering civility from Miss Darcy, more like what she received from Miss Bingley or Mrs Hurst. Wickham had said that Miss Darcy was exceedingly proud, but the observation of a very few minutes convinced her that she was only exceedingly shy.

There must be some subject the two ladies could canvass.

After all, she had sisters Miss Darcy’s age.

Elizabeth grinned and dropped her voice.

“Miss Darcy, my younger sisters are fifteen and seventeen and are always going on about beaux. I dare not assume that all young ladies are wild to marry, but perhaps there is a handsome man you are fond of that you and I can discuss when your brother is not present.”

Rather than smile and join in her fun, Miss Darcy dropped her eyes. Elizabeth felt her brother looking at her gravely. In fact, Mr Darcy’s sharp gaze felt hot. “Why do you suppose a man preoccupies Georgiana’s thoughts?” he asked. “Have you heard something of the kind?”

She might have questioned why he spoke so harshly on so trivial a subject, but for Miss Darcy’s sake, she directly replied, “You need not be frightened. I never heard any harm of her.”

Her new acquaintance looked as though she might never speak again.

There was a tension in brother and sister that had not been there before.

It was now up to her to put Miss Darcy at ease and find some way to help Mr Darcy’s shoulders settle back down to their typical place.

Perhaps she ought to turn the attention back to herself.

“Well, neither my sister nor I are in town to marry, but I mention handsome young men only because we have a mother who would like me settled as soon as possible, if you know anyone,” she teased with a laugh.

“I will be impertinent and tell you a secret, for there is no faster way to invite a friendship. My mother is deeply disappointed in me for refusing a proposal last autumn. Nothing less than my being betrothed by May would please her. ”

“Who proposed to you?”

She looked at Mr Darcy in some surprise. His question seemed to burst from him, and it came from feeling more than politeness. Why would he care one way or the other if she married?

“You cannot expect me to answer that.” He seemed to realise his rudeness and looked abashed.

This had all gone horribly wrong. Now everyone was out of sorts.

To ease the sting of her retort, she said to Miss Darcy, with a long look at her brother, “Actually, I would have to find a husband before May. I am in town only until March.” To Mr Darcy, she said, “My friend Charlotte Lucas has lately married my cousin Mr Collins, and I will visit her.”

Elizabeth saw the flash of understanding in his eyes. “The man who opened the Netherfield ball with you?”

She nodded, surprised he remembered. She would have thought he remembered Mr Collins as the obsequious man who had dared to introduce himself to him.

Turning to Miss Darcy, she said, “As he is your aunt Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s rector, perhaps someday we will all meet in Kent visiting our families. ”

Mr Darcy said something about going to Kent at Easter with Colonel Fitzwilliam, and then Miss Darcy leant toward her.

“If I may…why did you refuse him, the man your mother wanted you to marry?” Miss Darcy’s face was awash with curiosity.

“His family is perfectly respectable, as is his situation in life. But I could not respect him , and his affection for me was entirely imaginary. I would never have made him happy, and I know that he would have made me miserable.”

“You want to marry for love?” she asked with a wistful smile.

Elizabeth kept back her smile at Miss Darcy’s girlish hopes.

Her feelings were not wrong, after all, and it would wound any very young lady to be thought na?ve.

“I intend to, but I still must marry prudently, and I would never hope to disoblige my family. But, yes, my affections and his must be equally engaged.”

“Is your mother truly pushing you to marry?”

Elizabeth sighed. “My mother always said if a rich man, no matter what he is, offers for me, I would be a fool if I do not marry him. Thankfully for my future happiness, my father does not hold to the same narrow-minded idea. I will not marry to oblige my mother and need only consult my own feelings.”

“Have you a gentleman in mind?”