Page 18 of Such Persuasions as These (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

B ehind her bedroom door, Elizabeth shed a few tears over her beautiful gown, but determined that it was still in good enough shape to be torn apart and pieced back together into a fine garment for her young cousin.

So, with hopeful optimism, she folded it and set it atop her trunk so that it would not be taken to launder.

Besides, no matter how skilled the lady’s maid was, there was no way she would be able to remove this blight.

The cause of the other tears she had shed, Elizabeth would not admit even to herself.

She was shocked when morning came, and the dress was no longer there.

Perhaps Miss Bingley had asked Yardley to take a look at it after all.

Elizabeth wished to tell her in no uncertain terms that she had done enough, but she knew that gracious thanks would discomfit the malicious woman more completely.

As she arrived at the dining table, Elizabeth plastered on a syrupy smile and said, “Miss Bingley, I do appreciate your offer to remedy the disaster from last night. You did not have to ask poor Yardley to add to her workload in such a hopeless cause. The gown is beyond repair, I think. In fact, I had determined to tear it to pieces as soon as I was home. But, if you have so much faith in your abigail’s abilities, I shall echo it and hope for the best. Thank you. ”

Elizabeth’s words caught the woman mid-bite and completely off-guard.

Miss Bingley coloured, looked about as if to ascertain if anyone else was as in the dark as she, and then, apparently understanding that she was being credited for doing something kind, simply accepted her gratitude.

“It is the least I could do, Miss Eliza…”

Elizabeth was all smiles towards her hostess, but her mind was working out the details on a plan she had spent all night hatching.

She had determined to utilise what was at her disposal to convince the conniving woman to desist in her abuses.

This would require her to engage in a little connivance of her own, but the resulting peace would be well worth it.

Therefore, after breakfast, she made her way to the library to await Mr Darcy.

“I think you have found out my secret, Miss Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth looked at Mr Darcy with one raised eyebrow, not appearing to comprehend.

Darcy was glad she did not comprehend too much, for he realised after speaking that he had more than one secret regarding the dark-haired maid before him, and only one of them was appropriate for her to find out.

He had walked in moments before and found her sitting in her accustomed chair in the library, stroking Italics, and failing to read .

Taking his seat across from her, he began to expound when she stayed him with a quiet, “One moment,” and afinger raised in the air between them.

Italics had hopped off her lap, and she sprang up before the cat could alight onto Darcy’s.

Stepping over, she picked something up from the table beside him and held it up.

Spread between her two ivory hands was a large linen napkin.

Without saying a word, while gently pushing the cat away with a foot, she motioned that it should be put over his lap.

“Hmm,” he exclaimed, impressed, as he spread the fabric over his trousers and halfway up his torso, tucking it in at the sides. “My valet thanks you.” Why have I never thought of this? Italics took his place on Darcy’s lap and proceeded with his customary affections.

She bowed her head in a quick ‘you are welcome’, before saying, “Secret, Mr Darcy? I believe I have. In fact, I am glad you mention it, as I believe that bringing everything out in the open will save much frustration. You can tell your dearest love that I perfectly understand the lay of the land and have no intention of coming between you two; she has nothing to fear from me.”

Darcy looked up from the cat’s ministrations in consternation, his head jerking back as he strove to comprehend her meaning.

“I am sorry, what?” This was decidedly not what Darcy was expecting her to say, and he was genuinely apprehensive about what was coming next.

“I believe the reason Miss Bingley is behaving so…uncharitably towards me is because she is dispirited that you will not make your understanding known. If you were to make your engagement public, then she would be assured of your affections and would not need to continue this campaign of denigration as if I were some sort of threat to her.”

As the full magnitude of her words dawned on him, his face twisted into a grimace of the sourest sort.

“Wait,” he demanded, lunging forwards in the chair, practically spilling the cat onto the rug. “Are you saying you believe me to be secretly engaged to Caroline Bingley?”