Chapter 3

 

“Well, my dear, apparently it was not Lady Cassandra that we met last night,” said Mr. Gardiner, good humoredly, after entering the salon to greet his wife and niece.

Mr. Gardiner had spent the morning settling some business and then visiting his club. He had agreed to be home sometime after noon, prior to the time Mr. and Miss Darcy would call. Eager to share his news and latest source of amusement with the ladies, he kept his promise and arrived well before he was due.

“My dear, of what are you talking? Not Lady Cassandra? Then who was she?”

“Well, apparently a kinder, nicer and friendlier copy of her.” He sat upon his favorite chair after he poured himself a glass of his best brandy, watching carefully the effect his words had upon both ladies.

Elizabeth, scrutinizing her uncle closely, frowned in wonder while Mrs. Gardiner’s eyes narrowed. “Mr. Gardiner, are you trying to vex us with your secretive attitude? It is far too early for games of this kind — and the children are not even home.” Her tone was sharp, but her eyes were full of mirth, which proved to her husband she was very much inclined to join in his games.

“Well, Mrs. Gardiner, I suggest you use a more persuasive tone or I shall not reveal what I discovered this very morning, both at my office and at the club. On second thought, perhaps it would be better to keep it secret; I am ashamed to admit how much gossip has reached my ears in a couple of hours. Most of it came from a group of the most honorable gentlemen in Town. In fact, I almost felt as if I had been listening to Mrs. Long.” He hid a satisfied smile behind the glass while his wife sighed in exasperation. He was in high spirits, induced largely because the business which had kept him in town seemed to be coming to a favourable solution. There was other news waiting to be shared with his impatient companions, and he enjoyed himself, toying with their curiosity a little longer.

“Oh, please, uncle, do not try our patience for too long! This is cruelty, you know.”

Elizabeth had rested very little the previous night. She awoke in the morning with her eyes red and slightly swollen. She used all the little tricks she knew from her mother in an attempt to present a decent face when she finally came downstairs to meet her relatives for breakfast. She did not miss their worried glances the moment she took her place at the table, but she rather pretended not to notice. She even told her aunt that everything was well an hour later when Mrs. Gardiner openly questioned her dark mood.

She had spent the next hours preparing both her appearance and her composure for the Darcys’ call. She found herself walking near the window and casting stolen glances outside. When a carriage stopped in front of the house and she heard the main door opening, she instantly rose from her seat, putting her needlework aside. Yet, her anxiety was hardly gratified when she discovered it was only Mr. Gardiner who was arriving. And now...her uncle seemed determined to test her curiosity with a series of strange statements.

“Very well, ladies! You need not be so harsh on me. It seems that the honor of spending the evening in Mr. Darcy’s box did not go unnoticed. At least five persons — be they clients or partners — mentioned it to me and asked me about it. Mr. Thornewill, a client of ten years — visited me today for the first time accompanied by his wife! This has never happened before, and I was quite shocked. Yet, soon enough I discovered that the reason for this astonishing visit was their curiosity to learn more details about the night at the theatre and our illustrious company.”

“Indeed? How strange... I know the Darcys are well known in Town, but I would never believe they could provoke such interest... They are not royalty, after all.” Mrs. Gardiner could not hide her displeasure at the idea of gossips having their way with the son and daughter of the late Lady Anne Darcy. She would rather change the direction of the conversation immediately; her husband, however, was very amused and apparently could not be stopped.

“No, they are not royalty. It may interest you to know it was not the Darcys who were the center of everyone’s interest, but Lady Cassandra. It appears that Mrs. Thornewill’s brother, Sir Drummond Gordon, is the closest relative of Lady Cassandra. Better said, his wife is a cousin of Lady Cassandra’s late mother. Mrs. Thornewill did not waste any time relating to me that Lady Cassandra completely disobeyed Lord Gordon’s advice and left England four years ago precisely because of an enormous scandal relating to him. According to Mrs. Thornewill, Lady Cassandra’s behavior kept London’s society entertained for many seasons as she publicly refused to become engaged to the most eligible bachelor of the season.”

“Oh, come now, Mr. Gardiner! I have been married to you for thirteen years and have never known you to be such a gossip.” Mrs. Gardiner shook her head in disagreement and cast an exasperated glance at Elizabeth. However, though she usually was decidedly opposed to such rumors, Elizabeth could not join her aunt in the mock censure of her husband, as curiosity defeated her propriety and common sense.

“I am not a gossip, my dear... Well...yes I am, but only with you. I hardly spoke more than a word before Mrs. Thornewill. I only tried to disagree when she harshly criticized Lady Cassandra’s manners and character, but I had not the slightest chance to finish even a sentence. When I finally managed to say how delighted we had been with her ladyship’s kind politeness, she told me I had most likely not met the real Lady Cassandra who was presumably the worst type of shrew.

“Oh please... This is entirely unacceptable! No matter how many earls Mrs. Thornewill might have as brothers, she has no right to talk in that fashion to you — a complete stranger. I hope there is nothing more you want to tell us about this subject.”

“Well, actually there is — as I received the whole of Lady Cassandra’s entire biography in less than ten minutes. But I do not want to upset you, my dear, so I shall stop here.”

“Oh, please uncle, do not stop!” Elizabeth’s voice sounded pleading and oddly serious in a conversation which should have been interpreted as mirthful. After exchanging a short glance with his wife, however, Mr. Gardiner decided to indulge her inquiry, but not before teasing her about her newly discovered tendency to gossip. He even went so far as to remark upon her resemblance to Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Long.

“Very well then, let me tell you what I have found out. Both of Lady Cassandra’s parents belonged to well-known, titled families. Her mother, Lady Lavinia Russell, passed away ten years ago and her father, Sir George John Russell, three years later. She was left with a splendid inheritance, including a very large estate in the North which, Mrs. Thornewill assured me, had been terribly neglected.” At this, Mr. Gardiner smiled ironically, his expression proving how little importance he was giving to that statement. In response, his wife only rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation.

“She has no other close relatives except those from Lord Gordon’s wife with whom she was not on friendly terms,” continued Mr. Gardiner. “Apparently Lady Cassandra’s parents had been old and very close friends with Lady Anne and the late Mr. Darcy; after her father’s death, she spent most of her time at Pemberley instead of relying upon the protection of her own relatives. Mrs. Thornewill seemed very put off by this situation, which she believes was highly improper.”

“Well, my dear, though I hate to be of the same opinion as Mrs. Thornewill, I must admit that it appears to be indeed a little strange and not very proper. For a young girl of marriageable age to live in the same house with a gentleman who is not her relative — with only his daughter who was yet a child and his young marriageable son — is not a common situation,” agreed Mrs. Gardiner.

“Ah, yes...well, you need not worry about sharing Mrs. Thornewill’s opinion. I managed to extract a few more details. Lady Cassandra was not quite alone at Pemberley, but with her life-time governess and with her companion, Mrs. Spencer, a lady in her fifties who had lived with her for ten years at least.”

“I see...some minor details indeed.... I am glad you put me at ease with this, husband. So...is there more to this story? You have told me enough to fill an entire novel already. I imagine Mrs. Thornewill spent all her morning in your company.”

“Yes, there is more! And you will be surprised to find that Mrs. Thornewill told me the entire story in less than an hour.”

“Please continue, Uncle, if there is more for us to hear.”

“Well, it was precisely after the late Mr. Darcy’s death when Lord Gordon decided it was time for the family to intervene — on Lady Cassandra’s behalf, of course — and to convince her to settle down and to have her own family. According to Mrs. Thornewill, she was already in great danger of remaining a spinster as she was already two and twenty.”

Both Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner gasped at that statement, much to Mr. Gardiner’s utter amusement. He continued, pleased to see how intrigued his wife and niece were; at least all that wasted time, as Mrs. Thornewill toyed with his nerves and his patience for an entire hour, had ultimately been worthwhile.

“However, Lady Cassandra would not have any of their interference. She had refused the most advantageous marriage arrangement — and she refused it publicly at a ball after having a very noticeable fight with Lord Gordon. Everybody in Town was appalled by her outrageous behavior; Mrs. Thornewill was certain of that. A couple of days later, she left Town and then the country without a word to anyone. It appears that her return now is as much a shock as was her leaving four years ago. Again, she informed no one of her plans, nor did she meet with her relatives, though they learned she has been in Town for nearly a month.”

“I am sure she informed Mr. and Miss Darcy of her plans to return,” said Elizabeth while trying to understand what she had been told. The story surprised — nay, shocked — and intrigued her. At this point, it served to raise more questions than she had initially. Unfortunately, they were questions to which she could have no answers.

“Yes, she most surely did. As for Mrs. Thornewill and Lord Gordon, I think I have heard enough about them. Would you not agree?” asked Mrs. Gardiner, in an attempt to deflect the topic of conversation.

“Uncle, did Mrs. Thornewill tell you the identity of the most eligible gentleman?”

“No she did not, my dear, and I surely did not consider asking. I was afraid she would not end her story before noon, so I did everything I could not to engage her further. However, if you are so very curious, I believe I can arrange a private meeting for you with the lady.”

Mr. Gardiner seemed to grow more and more amused, but Elizabeth remained lost in her thoughts without even noticing his attempt at mockery. It was clear to her that the gentleman meant to marry Lady Cassandra could not have been Mr. Darcy. The first question that bothered her was why, if they were on such familiar terms, did not Lady Cassandra marry Mr. Darcy? Obviously his parents were fond of her, and the two of them appeared fond of one another. Could he have been the reason for her refusal to marry the other gentleman and for leaving the country? But why would she go so far away? Even if her relatives would somehow be opposed to a possible marriage to Darcy, she was of age and did not need their approval. And what was the reason behind her sudden return? She and Mr. Darcy seemed very familiar but he had made her, Elizabeth, an offer of marriage only two months ago — so there could be no sort of arrangement between them. Yet, Lady Cassandra had returned a month after Hunsford and, somehow, Elizabeth was certain she was not oblivious to Mr. Darcy’s proposal. Was this the precise reason for her return? Did the notion that he could marry another woman compel her back to London? There were far too many unanswered questions…

Her head was spinning and she was unconsciously playing with her needlework while struggling to better understand this latest quandary. When the servant announced Mr. and Miss Darcy, she startled so violently that she dropped her needle and sampler onto the floor. She had no time to recover — or to pick up her needlework — before the visitors entered. Remembering her manners, she rose to greet them and remained standing near the settee.

Fortunately, both Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner hurried to greet the guests; and, a few moments later, Elizabeth found herself curtsying with no little embarrassment in front of the young lady and the gentleman, both pleased to see her and, at the same time, puzzled by her reaction.

Miss Darcy took a place on the settee near Elizabeth while Mr. Darcy chose to sit across the room, close to Mr. Gardiner. His gaze rested upon Elizabeth, and she turned her eyes to meet his for no longer than a moment. Nevertheless, she continued to feel his gaze upon her as she spoke with Miss Darcy and expressed her delight in seeing her again. Tea and refreshments were instantly ordered. A few moments passed in relative silence, with only polite exchanges and smiles, as each of them tried to become accustomed to one another’s company. Even Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, usually easy in any company and exceedingly pleased with the Darcys’ visit, seemed at a loss for the proper words needed to start an easy conversation.

“Mrs. Gardiner, Mr. Gardiner, you have a very comfortable home.” Mr. Darcy was the first to speak, his warm and friendly voice drawing Elizabeth’s eyes toward him again.

In fact, his sincere expression, his tone, the little smile at the corner of his mouth all proved to Elizabeth that he was honest in his praise. Certainly, the Gardiner’s house could not be compared to Mr. Darcy’s, yet Mrs. Gardiner took tremendous pride in her home, and Mr. Darcy’s compliment gave her great pleasure.

Elizabeth felt grateful to him once again for his attentiveness toward her relatives, allowing her gratitude to shine in the smile which brightened her face. When their eyes met again, he seemed surprised at first, but then his face instantly lightened and he returned her smile. She felt her cheeks coloring but did not redirect her gaze until her aunt’s voice brought her back from her reverie.

Mrs. Gardiner thanked both Mr. and Miss Darcy — who had joined her brother in expressing her delight with the house — and thus the conversation began tentatively, growing more animated with each passing minute.

Elizabeth struggled not to allow her eyes to be drawn in the gentlemen’s direction too often, but she met with little success. More than once, her glance met Mr. Darcy’s, and for both of them the voices in the room became unclear. This was precisely the reason which forbade her, again, from being as verbose as usual. Yet, she felt considerably less distressed than she had a day earlier, and thus she quite enjoyed the visit overall.

Miss Darcy’s shyness and Mr. Darcy’s reticence seemed to completely vanish, though they were not well acquainted with the Gardiners. Mr. Darcy was not as jovial as the Colonel or Mr. Bingley — and he most likely never would be. But he was polite, even friendly. Or at least he was trying to be… He obviously was taking the trouble of practicing more, as she had advised him a few months ago that evening at Rosings. A smile twisted her lips while their conversation came to her mind again. “I certainly have not the talent which some people possess of conversing easily with those I have never seen before...”

Deeply immersed in her memories, Elizabeth attempted to recompose herself when the servants later entered with refreshments. Only then did she notice that her eyes had unconsciously been fixed again in Mr. Darcy’s direction and that he was staring back at her with a puzzled expression on his face. She felt her cheeks burning and averted her gaze, only to meet Miss Darcy’s equally puzzled look.

‘I have made such a fool of myself’ was the only thing she could think of before taking the cup of tea with trembling hands.

While enjoying the refreshment, Mrs. Gardiner expressed, once again, her delight at having them come to call.

“Thank you, Mrs. Gardiner. We are pleased to be here, as well. As I told you last evening, we planned to visit yesterday, but we already had some fixed engagements.”

“Well, sir, I am glad you came today,” said Mr. Gardiner, “because now I can enjoy your visit as well. Yesterday, I would not have been at home at this hour.”

“The pleasure is mine, sir. Colonel Fitzwilliam also wished to accompany us, but he unfortunately could not postpone some urgent business. However, he asked me to assure you he will call as soon as he is available.”

“We would be very pleased to meet with him again.”

“Miss Darcy, would you like some more tea?” Still not completely restored, Elizabeth suddenly realized that Miss Darcy was holding an empty cup in her hand, looking between them, without daring to join the conversation.

“Yes please, thank you,” answered the young lady with a tentative smile. Elizabeth rose from her seat then turned to her brother. “Mr. Darcy, my I offer you some tea as well? Or some coffee?”

“Or perhaps you could join me in the library for a glass of wine, sir?” offered Mr. Gardiner, before Mr. Darcy had the chance to respond. “That is...if you are not in a hurry, sir. I would not want to detain you from other appointments.”

Instead of answering Mr. Gardiner, Darcy’s eyes turned to Elizabeth and met hers, right before she turned to the tray to prepare the tea for Miss Darcy. She felt her heart racing while waiting for his reply. Would he take the opportunity of leaving so soon?

“Not at all, sir. Fortunately, we do not have anything scheduled until later this evening. I would be delighted to see your library and yes, a glass of wine would be splendid.”

“Excellent,” said Mr. Gardiner, with obvious enthusiasm as he rose from his seat and was followed by Mr. Darcy. However, they had no time to exit, as the servant entered with a note for Mr. Gardiner. Regretfully, he excused himself for a moment to attend to it, explaining that he was expecting some urgent news.

Mr. Darcy resumed his place and another moment of silence occurred. Elizabeth offered the cup of tea to Miss Darcy, who smiled shyly. Daringly, without knowing what came over her, Elizabeth turned to the gentleman. “Mr. Darcy, I have not withdrawn my previous offer to you, you know.”

His surprise was obvious and his brows wrinkled slightly as he struggled to understand her meaning. She blushed under the intensity of his stare, but suddenly and with ease she allowed a smile to grace her lips.

“Some tea or coffee, sir?”

“Oh...well...” He looked embarrassed, clearly not knowing what to say. She held his gaze while waiting for his answer, ashamed of actually flirting with him. She noticed he did not demonstrate complete ease at her forwardness initially. Finally, with a barely noticeable twist of his lips, he managed to reply. “Thank you, Miss Bennet, but I have to refuse you this time. I would rather wait for that glass of wine Mr. Gardiner offered me.”

Their glances and smiles seemed to mix and melt together as Elizabeth felt the room suddenly becoming unbearably warm. She hurried to take a small gulp of tea to wet her dry lips then resumed her place near her guest.

“I have to say, Miss Darcy, your visit is a pleasure as well as an honor for us. I imagine how busy you must be and how many engagements you must have.”

“Oh...not so many engagements... We wanted to come yesterday, but we had prior plans with Lady Cassandra which occupied us almost the entire morning. My brother said that we would not have time to visit you for more than half and hour, and we did not want to call in haste. So we preferred to wait another day.”

Instantly Elizabeth’s eyes turned to stare in disbelief at Mr. Darcy, and — to her utter shock — she thought she could notice a trace of redness on his face. ‘He did not want to call in haste... He wanted to have time for a longer visit?’ She recalled Jane’s letter about Miss Bingley’s half an hour cold, rude visit, and the first thought that crossed her mind was that he knew about it and was trying to compensate for that rudeness in some way.

“I thank you for your consideration, Miss Darcy,” answered Mrs. Gardiner.

“The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Gardiner. I am truly delighted to see you and Miss Bennet again. Except for my aunt and uncle and Lady Cassandra, I do not have many other friends in Town.”

Her low voice and shy countenance melted Elizabeth as much as did her words: there was no doubt now that Miss Darcy included them in the small circle of her very few friends. Mr. Gardiner returned at precisely that moment and invited Mr. Darcy to join him. Before leaving the room, Mr. Darcy’s eyes turned to his sister and then to Elizabeth, and she thought she could read a trace of worry etched upon his features. She smiled at him reassuringly and held his gaze until he left the room.

Once the door closed behind the gentlemen, the conversation between the ladies continued in an even more animated manner.

“Lord and Lady Matlock are Colonel Fitzwilliam’s parents, I understand?”

“Yes, Mrs. Gardiner...but they are out of Town now; my cousin is the only one who keeps us company for the moment. He is very kind to me...and so is Lady Cassandra; I am very content that she returned.”

“Is Lady Cassandra a relative of yours?” Elizabeth knew she had no right to question her guest, but she could not hold her curiosity, especially when Miss Darcy seemed inclined to pursue this particular topic.

“No... She is not a relative but she has been a friend of ours for many years. For as long as I can remember, Cassandra has been a part of our lives. I love her as dearly as I would a sister, and I hope she will never leave again.”

“Lady Cassandra seems to be a wonderful lady,” offered Mrs. Gardiner. “It was a pleasure for us to have made her acquaintance last evening.”

“Yes, she is wonderful; both William and I are very happy to have her here. And I can assure you that she was very pleased to meet you, too. She confessed that she enjoyed your company very much.”

“I am happy to hear that. I sincerely hope we did not intrude with our unexpected presence. I know it is not always comfortable to bear the presence of some completely new acquaintances.”

Miss Darcy’s smile grew and she shook her head in disagreement. “Oh, I dare say Lady Cassandra rather considered you old acquaintances after everything I told her about our previous meeting. As for Miss Bennet, she had already heard many things about her from my brother and the Colonel.”

Surprised, Elizabeth’s cheeks colored highly. She doubted her ability to properly understand Miss Darcy’s words. Was it possible that Mr. Darcy had talked about her with Lady Cassandra even before she had made her acquaintance? And if so, what was the nature of their talk? He could not possibly have relayed to her their history, could he? No, of course not... Surely it was not the kind of thing a gentleman would share with a lady, especially one who might be attached to him in the future. Her heart ached and she wondered about the reason for the sudden pain.

“Are you planning to remain in town for long?”

“No, Mrs. Gardiner. We plan to leave town for Pemberley in a fortnight. My brother has invited Lady Cassandra as well as Mr. Bingley and his family to join us. You are familiar with the Bingleys?”

“No, we are not,” answered Mrs. Gardiner. “By the time we arrived in Hertfordshire, Mr. Bingley and his family had already left Netherfield.”

“Mr. Bingley is a friend of my brother. He is very amiable and very kind.”

“Yes, he is,” agreed Elizabeth, though her thoughts about the amiable and kind gentleman who so hurriedly gave up his happiness and Jane’s were not entirely cordial.

The gentlemen’s entrance and their animated voices talking amiably interrupted their conversation and brought Miss Darcy back to her shy mood again. Elizabeth’s eyes were instantly drawn toward Mr. Darcy, and she saw him looking as good-humored as Mr. Gardiner — that small smile never leaving his face.

“We decided not to be separated from your charming company for too long, ladies. I hope we are not intruding,” said Mr. Gardiner.

“No, not at all. We were talking about leaving London in the near future, and Miss Darcy was just telling us that the family planned to depart for Pemberley very soon.”

“Indeed we are, Mrs. Gardiner, and it is quite a coincidence that Mr. Gardiner and I were talking about the same subject. In fact, I asked him if you intended to visit Lambton during your tour.”

“Well, we have not planned our traveling agenda in detail, as it largely depends on my husband’s business. But I would really like to see Lambton again as I have not been in the area for quite some time,” answered Mrs. Gardiner.

“As I mentioned to Mr. Gardiner, if you will be in the area, I hope you will inform us of your presence. It would be a pleasure to have you all as our guests at Pemberley. Mr. Gardiner and I just discovered that we share a passion for fishing, and I would be glad to supply him with fishing tackle and point out those parts of the stream and lake where there is usually most sport.”

Elizabeth’s astonishment was great. Upon hearing him, she regarded Darcy openly in disbelief. Had he just invited the Gardiners to Pemberley? This could not be; she must have misunderstood him. His words “…those whose situation in life is so decidedly below mine...” instantly resounded in her mind.

Yet, his invitation was clear and no misunderstanding could be applied to it. But what could be the reason for such extraordinary civility? This time it was not Miss Darcy who initiated the overture, as she had when she invited them for tea. It was him, his own will and desire, which prompted his rather insistent request for their presence at Pemberley and for Mr. Gardiner’s company at fishing.

“Well, sir, if we are in the area and will not be intruding upon your privacy, of course, it would be an honor for us to visit you at Pemberley,” answered Mrs. Gardiner, with no little emotion. Clearly, the honor of his request had not escaped her.

“Excellent! Then it is settled...that is...if you happen to be in the area, I mean.”

Elizabeth dared to cast a quick glance at Mr. Darcy again and once more was surprised to see the expression of delight upon his face while he smiled at her with a shyness she had not seen before. He looked almost like....like he is the one feeling honored that we are possibly to visit Pemberley. She did not avert her eyes from him until Miss Darcy’s shy voice, expressing her pleasure with that possible visit, drew Elizabeth’s attention toward her. Elizabeth felt too overwhelmed by emotion to speak more than a few polite words, consumed between the excitement and dread of actually being invited to Pemberley, still shocked to see both Mr. and Miss Darcy excited by the prospect.

“Mr. Darcy, now that you have revealed to me the secrets of your lakes and streams, I have to warn you I intend to take every advantage of your generous offer. For a day of fishing, I would be willing to walk all the way to Pemberley, I assure you.”

Mr. Darcy began laughing — an open, unrestrained laugh — causing Elizabeth to glance at him in amazement. He is even more handsome when he laughs, was the thought which instantly turned her cheeks crimson.

“Well, sir, I certainly hope you shall not have to walk; you seemed to possess a very fine carriage. Besides, walking to Pemberley would be a little too much — even for Miss Bennet,” Mr. Darcy offered in a light tone, casting a brief look in the direction of the lady.

Elizabeth turned her eyes to him, shocked by his words. Her face flushed, wondering if he were mocking her. But when their gazes met, she could see his eyes were smiling as joyfully as were his lips. He was not making fun of her, he was laughing at her and with her. She could not help but join in his amusement.

“Mr. Darcy, that was a very cruel joke...to expose me so in front of my relatives and Miss Darcy! I had hoped this would be a dark secret which would be kept hidden forever.”

She felt his worried stare searching her face and attempted to reveal to him she was not truly upset. She allowed her eyes to laugh when she teased him as she had done many times before. This time, however, her teasing seemed to cause his face to lighten even further.

“Ah...yes...that walk to Netherfield,” laughed Mr. Gardiner. “But that is hardly a secret, my dear. Other than Miss Darcy, the rest of us are quite familiar with the story.”

“I have to beg your forgiveness, Miss Bennet; I did not intend to be cruel at all.” He seemed not to have noticed Mr. Gardiner’s remark. His eyes remained locked with Elizabeth’s as they both continued smiling at each other. “In fact, I have to declare my admiration for the courage and determination you proved by walking all that way in order to be close to your sister. I think it was a remarkable gesture.”

She tried to reply but it was not easy as she felt the room dizzyingly warm around her, and his intense gaze made her breathing difficult.

“Oh, I do know about the story! My brother relayed it to me in his weekly letter from Netherfield. Let me assure you, I can testify that he was impressed, and he has repeated it to us several times since. I am sorry for your desired secrecy, but even Lady Cassandra knows about it.”

While Miss Darcy seemed heartily amused, Elizabeth’s expression changed in a moment as did Mr. Darcy’s. She perfectly remembered Miss Bingley suggesting what Mr. Darcy should write to his sister and his wary responses to her. ‘Yet he wrote to his sister about me from Netherfield?’

“Miss Bennet, please allow me to explain this. I beg you to believe that no harm was intended...” There was such a serious sorrow in his voice as he spoke, that Miss Darcy’s face turned white, suddenly realizing she had possibly made a mistake of some kind. Panicked, she looked from her brother to Elizabeth and then toward Mrs. Gardiner as though seeking support. Elizabeth’s emotions suddenly changed again while witnessing both her guests’ uneasiness and apparent discomfort. She gently touched Miss Darcy’s arm then turned to Mr. Darcy and started to chuckle, interrupting his apologies.

“Sir, I was only teasing you. Please do not feel the need to apologize — I know my appearance that day at Netherfield was quite a story to tell.”

“Not at all, Miss Bennet, I assure you; you took my meaning incorrectly. It is true that I related the incident to Georgiana in my first letter, but only in the light of your obvious devotion and care for your sister.”

“Thank you, sir; you are very kind, though I do not deserve such praise.” Her tone was earnest but soft as if to put an end to the subject and alleviate any uneasiness he or Miss Darcy might still have had concerning it.

A strange feeling overcame her as she realized how easily a single word from her could put him in misery; he seemed truly worried that he might say or do something which could be considered offensive to her. She could easily understand that his apprehension stemmed from her harsh words to him that evening at Hunsford ...your conceit, and your selfish disdain for the feelings of others... How could she have been so cruel and so wrong?

Thankfully, the conversation returned to more neutral topics, and soon the guests prepared to leave. While taking their good byes, Miss Darcy invited both Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner to join her for tea on one of the following days. Her invitation was accepted without hesitation and this time Elizabeth did not wonder about its meaning: if the invitation to Pemberley was Mr. Darcy’s doing, this one belonged entirely to Miss Darcy. Throughout their visit that afternoon, Elizabeth was able to ascertain that both Darcys seemed to be taking an interest in her. While she did not dare to admit the reasons behind their kindness, she was pleased to notice it; gone was most of the awkwardness which had gripped her before whenever she was in their company.

Her aunt and uncle showed the guests out. Before they had reached their carriage, Elizabeth recalled she had not yet returned the opera glasses to him! “Mr. Darcy, would you please wait a moment?” she cried and almost ran to her room, without offering any explanation to her companions who looked after her askance.

She returned a couple of minutes later, gasping for breath, and handed the glasses to him. “Sir, please forgive me for neglecting to return them to you last evening. I simply forgot and would most likely have forgotten now, too. I was very distressed and...” she stopped in mortification halfway through her confession and felt her cheeks burning under his intense and questioning stare. She dared to hold his gaze a moment longer, enough to see him slightly frown before his face lightened again and his eyes regarded her with mirth.

She averted her eyes while he took the glasses from her, their fingers touching briefly.

“Miss Bennet, there is no need to apologize; it would have been perfectly acceptable to return them at a later time, say on a future meeting which I hope will happen very soon.”

He bowed to her in perfect politeness then joined his sister who was already in the carriage. Miss Darcy waved her delicate hand at her while the horses took off, and she responded with a wave of her own — but her gesture was meant for both Miss Darcy and her brother.

***

Elizabeth spent the rest of the time before dinner in her room, lost in deep contemplation of everything that had occurred.

The nature of Lady Cassandra’s connections with the Darcys was clearer, yet this did not put her mind completely at ease. At first, when remembering Miss Darcy’s words, she impetuously assumed that Lady Cassandra had returned to ensure she became Georgiana’s true sister. This seemed to be the most logical conclusion, moreover, as the attachment between both Darcy siblings and the Lady was obvious and openly declared. With their considerable fortunes and their situations in life, theirs would have been one of the most advantageous matches of the year.

However, though her mind searched for the logic, her intuition — nay, her heart — knew this could not be the case. No matter how hard she had tried in the past few days to convince herself that Mr. Darcy’s attentions meant nothing but politeness, after that last call, she was forced to reconsider her judgment. He was polite, to be sure; he was also kind and friendly and very considerate. Everything she had reproached him about that day in Kent was no longer visible in his manner. But it was much more than that. His eyes, his small gestures, his smiles were more eloquent than any words he could have uttered. But, could she really trust her intuition in reading his eyes and his smiles? She had grossly misjudged him before when she was certain he had looked at her only to find fault and wrongly assumed his small smiles meant nothing but disdain. How could she be certain she was correct now?

“I have misunderstood him so completely in the past; it is likely I am making the same error again. Because of it, I feel that now I am a poor judge of character indeed...” Then how could she allow herself to be deceived by vain hopes? Hopes? Hopes of what? Surely I cannot expect him to renew his proposal, can I? Oh, but do I wish he would?

Then Lady Cassandra appeared in her thoughts again. Yes, she would have certainly been the perfect match for Mr. Darcy in every respect. However, her closeness to him seemed...different than what Elizabeth would have expected. She could not say for certain in what way it was different, she just felt it was. On the other hand, her ladyship’s attitude toward her was not in the slightest bit offensive, not even when she appeared in the box upon Mr. Darcy’s arm; quite the contrary — she had declared her to be beautiful and smart. That could mean either that Lady Cassandra was not affected by Mr. Darcy’s attentions toward her or that Lady Cassandra was so certain of Mr. Darcy’s affection for her personally and of his devotion that nothing could shake her faith in their relationship.

Closing her eyes, Elizabeth leaned on the bed as her head spun and her temples ached with sharp pain. When she managed to calm herself a little, the recollection of everything that transpired between them in the last few days offered her a measure of relief. Since meeting in the park, Mr. Darcy in her eyes surely did not behave as a man attached — or who was very soon to be attached — to another woman. The way he talked to her in his house, the way he touched her fingers when he handed her into the carriage, the way he looked at her, his attentions toward her relatives, the astonishing invitation to Pemberley — it was not possible that all of these reflections could prove to be mere coincidence or harmless flirting.

Even more so, Miss Darcy’s friendly behavior from the first moment they met could not have any other explanation. Evidently, she had heard a most favorable report of Elizabeth, no doubt from her brother. In fact, he had confirmed that very thing on more than one occasion; he had openly admitted that he had spoken and written to his sister about her even in the first weeks of their acquaintance. Suddenly the idea of Mr. Darcy acting so politely toward her and her relatives only to please his sister lost all its merit and seemed quite ridiculous to Elizabeth. Of course, it could have been just that which had occurred when they first met, and Miss Darcy was very insistent upon having their company for as long as possible. Yet, he could easily find many ways to not continue their acquaintance. He could have easily called on them briefly so as not to appear rude and then removed his sister from Town and put an end to their newly born acquaintance. Her presence could not be easy and pleasing for him unless he…

Unless he is still fond of me…

The mere thought made her shiver and she wrapped her arms around herself. More than an hour passed wherein she questioned her own feelings and wondered if she would really wish for him to ever renew his proposals — presuming, of course, this would ever be possible.

The next morning another surprise interrupted Elizabeth’s newly found tranquility: Mrs. Gardiner received a note from Lady Cassandra with the most astonishing content. Her ladyship personally invited the Gardiners, along with their niece, to a private ball she was hosting in a week’s time.

A heated and prolonged debate followed after receiving the invitation, Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth both wondering about the lady’s reason for wishing to introduce them — new acquaintances for her — into the intimate circle of her friends at such a private event.

It was obvious according to Mr. Gardiner. In his opinion, the ball was a reason to reintroduce Lady Cassandra herself into the London society which had eagerly anticipated her return. He believed the guest list would be comprised of persons who were every bit as pretentious and illustrious as Lady Cassandra. In such refined company, their modest presence would surely look strange. However, the tone of the note which accompanied the formal invitation was warm, even friendly, as per Mrs. Gardiner. It read that “it will be only a private ball, with no more than 40 guests and a few of them are close friends of mine and old acquaintances of yours.” It was a clear indication that the Darcys and the Colonel would be present, too.

Laughing, Mr. Gardiner remembered Lady Cassandra’s remark about the ‘young heiress of the Ton’. Ultimately, their curiosity defeated their other reasons to decline and a note of acceptance and gratitude was send back to Lady Cassandra. Half an hour later, Mrs. Gardiner — together with her niece — toured all the shops she knew in search of the most perfect gowns for them to wear to that special event.

***

“Charles! Charles!! Charles!!!”

The excited voice of his sister grew louder and louder, and he felt it as a sharply as a knife slicing through his head.

Charles Bingley was not feeling well at all. In fact, he had not felt himself since the previous November when he left Netherfield. He had spent the entire Season in town, and his sisters had dragged him to every event to which they could secure an invitation, but nothing managed to draw his attention; nothing managed to distract him from the remembrance of Jane Bennet. He spent nights and days thinking of her; and, though his suffering did not diminish at all, he came to the conclusion that she had every reason not to return his affection. After all, she was the most perfect woman he had ever known and he, Charles Bingley, was only a man, like so many bachelors of his age. He had nothing to truly recommend him, except his five thousand a year; but, even in this aspect, there were so many others with far better situations than his own and more worthy of the affections of the angelic Miss Bennet. He had resigned himself to the loss of her, and pledged to continue loving her forever even if he did one day become the husband of someone else. Never did he believe he would ever be able to find her equal.

Suddenly, there was silence again and he hoped his sister had ceased searching for him. However, when the door to his study opened abruptly causing him to nearly topple off his chair, he realized his wishes for peace were in vain.

“Charles, look what I just received!” cried Miss Caroline Bingley while Charles struggled to resume his place on the chair.

“Caroline, for heaven’s sake! What happened? Did somebody die? And what is that? It looks like nothing more than an ordinary letter to me...”

“No, Charles, this not a mere letter!!! It is a letter from my friend Annabela, who has informed me that Mr. Darcy has been spotted about town in the company of Lady Cassandra who has just returned after being abroad. And now Lady Cassandra is hosting a private ball and we are not invited! Charles, who is Lady Cassandra and what, pray, is she doing with Mr. Darcy?”

To Bingley, Caroline’s pique sounded like bells clashing inharmoniously. Desiring nothing so much as to be rid of her, he rose and walked to the door.

“Caroline, I cannot follow you and do not even want to try. I will only tell you this: I do not know who Lady Cassandra is. I have never met her and only heard the Darcys talk about her a few times.”

“You heard them talking about her? And why did you not inform me? We should have returned sooner. I think we should return to town in a couple of days to prepare for our departure to Pemberley.”

Before exiting, Charles looked at his sister as though he did not understand the language she was speaking. He shook his head in misapprehension: “Caroline, as I said, you have lost me... Why should I have told you about Lady Cassandra? And why should we return so soon? You may do as you want, but I surely do not intend to hurry and chase Darcy and this lady about London. Be pleased that Darcy invited us to Pemberley at all or we would have remained in Town for the summer after you insisted that I give up Netherfield. As for Lady Cassandra, I forgot to mention to you that she will be at Pemberley, too — so let us hope we will have the opportunity of seeing much of her there.“

“You forgot to mention? Hope? I do not hope for that at all, Charles. The only hope I entertain is to see dear Georgiana and of course Mr. Darcy! As for this lady... Charles! Charles, where are you going?”

But, Charles Bingley was already out of the house and had asked for his horse to be saddled. Desperately, he wanted to be alone with his thoughts once more.

~/~/~/~

Three days after the Darcys’ visit, Elizabeth and her aunt received an invitation for tea from Miss Darcy for that afternoon; or, if they were already engaged, any other day they might find convenient would suffice.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Gardiner had a few fixed engagements to attend. Moreover, as Mr. Gardiner’s business had finally come to an end, they were busy planning to start their tour a few days after the ball. However, she advised her niece to accept the invitation for herself if she wished, instead of remaining alone in the house that afternoon. This was advice Elizabeth accepted with no hesitation.

A couple of hours later, Mrs. Gardiner dropped her niece in front of the Darcys’ townhouse before continuing along on her own. Before accepting the invitation, Elizabeth had asked and was granted the opportunity to be transported home in a carriage belonging to the Darcys.

Various feelings arose in Elizabeth as she stood in front of the main door. Miss Darcy had not mentioned a word about her brother, so Elizabeth could not presume he would be present. She did not know if she desired or dreaded seeing him again, but she had decided to enjoy the company of Miss Darcy as much as she could without allowing any dark thoughts to mar her time there.

As soon as she entered the house, Elizabeth was greeted by the same housekeeper she had met on her previous visit, and then a servant showed her to the music room where she was told Miss Darcy was awaiting her. As she neared the room, the sound of the piano caused her to realize that the rumors of Miss Darcy’s expertise on the pianoforte were not exaggerated. The moment she appeared in the door frame, Miss Darcy hurried from her place with such an open smile brightening her face that Elizabeth, before realizing what she was doing, embraced her affectionately. Her chagrin at her forward conduct all but vanished at the sound of Georgiana’s welcome to her.

“I am so happy to see you again, Elizabeth.”

Suddenly realizing the impropriety of her address, Miss Darcy hurried to apologize but Elizabeth laughed and confessed she had long wished to ask Miss Darcy to address her by her given name, but had not had the occasion to do it previously.

When the housekeeper entered, together with a servant carrying the plate with the tea and desserts, the young mistress and her guest were both at the pianoforte, playing a duet. She smiled affectionately — though with no little surprise — when she heard her young mistress laughing loudly and saying, “No, no Elizabeth, not like that! You must practice more.” Rather than being offended, Miss Darcy’s admonishments only served to provoke her guest to laugh louder.

The housekeeper left the room shortly, allowing them their privacy, but she listened briefly at the closed door. She knew it was highly improper — and she would severely punish any servant found eavesdropping — but she could not help herself. In the past year, she had heard Miss Darcy laughing so rarely that the sound of the young girl’s mirth moved her to break even her most staunch set of rules.

Elizabeth had not had such a pleasant interlude in quite some time. The couple of hours she spent with Georgiana were a continuous source of enjoyment and revelation for her. First, she discovered that, like her brother, Miss Darcy improved on closer acquaintance. Once she was able to put her shyness aside, she proved to be a very lively companion with a kind, sweet disposition and someone who was inclined to find amusement in almost everything. Her talent at the pianoforte amazed Elizabeth, because it was more than a simple consequence of practicing diligently. Both Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst were very proficient at the piano, but they could not be compared with Georgiana at all.

Secondly, Elizabeth had the great surprise to find that Miss Darcy knew many details regarding her brother’s stay in Hertfordshire and Kent. While she showed no evidence of being aware of Mr. Darcy’s proposal to her, she appeared to know everything about Mr. Collins, her confrontations with Lady Catherine and even her discussions with Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst. It was obvious Mr. Darcy had talked a great deal about her — and Elizabeth’s heart started beating irregularly at this new proof of his interest in her.

When Georgiana informed her that her brother was not at home but that she expected him to return soon, Elizabeth felt both relief and disappointment. She would have liked to see him, too, but she was pleased to have some time becoming accustomed to his house and the idea of being near to him even when he was not there physically with her. In time, she grew more at ease in Georgiana’s company and was beginning to feel as if she had known her all her life; even the prospect of seeing Mr. Darcy again caused her no more distress.

They were playing and singing together at the pianoforte and did not notice when the door opened, revealing in its frame Mr. Darcy and Lady Cassandra.

***

Darcy had been out the entire morning and tried to finish his business as quickly as he could; Georgiana had told him about Elizabeth’s visit and he hurried home, forgetting about a previous engagement with Lady Cassandra. When he arrived to discover her waiting for him in front of his house, he was subjected to a round of merciless teasing before he was able to enter. He was indeed anxious to see Elizabeth again and did nothing to conceal that desire.

The call at Gracechurch Street had given his spirit a boost to some degree. No matter how harsh he had been with himself, he could not deny the obvious: Miss Bennet was not as opposed to him as he previously imagined. She seemed uncomfortable in his presence and her manners were more restrained than before, but that was understandable considering their prior history.

For months his words from that evening at the parsonage had tormented him and drained all his power, strength and energy. In that period, he felt empty and lifeless; in truth, he had been empty and lifeless for far too long. But, of course, that only proved once more how much he deserved Elizabeth’s reproaches: he was indeed selfish and inconsiderate of the feelings of others. Consequently, he had plunged into black despair and remained there, pitying himself, without any care for his sister or all the distress and suffering he had caused her. If not for Cassandra...

He could still not believe he had the fortune of meeting Elizabeth again and was allowed the chance of showing her he was not so mean as to resent the past. And, after all those little signs he thought he could see during his call, he was determined to do everything in his power to obtain her forgiveness and lessen her ill opinion of him by letting her see that her reproofs had been attended to...

Of course, he could not be certain of the accuracy of his judgment — after all, he had failed so miserably in recognizing her feelings, as well as those of Jane Bennet and Bingley. His presumptions had caused nothing but suffering to everybody around him, so this time he promised himself not to act in haste. He would show her he had taken her words to heart and changed because of her and for her; he would not conceal his feelings behind challenging talks and silent stares across the room; he would show her — and everybody else — his preference for her, but he would do it with as much decorum as possible, careful not to embarrass her or place her in an indelicate situation.

He heard the sound of music and followed it, stopping at the doorframe. Darcy watched, mesmerized, as Elizabeth played a duet with his sister, laughing, at perfect ease — so beautiful and natural in her enjoyment. He wished for nothing other than to have her acting and looking so contented in his presence.

However, just as he feared, the moment she noticed his presence, her laugh died on her lips and she hurriedly rose from her chair. Her cheeks became crimson and she tried to avoid his eye, causing his doubt to again be roused. Clearly, it was his presence which made Elizabeth uncomfortable. Yet in her uncle’s house she seemed so different... Perhaps this was the reason, he thought while advancing toward them. Perhaps she felt more comfortable among her relatives than when she was here in his home.

He finally approached and bowed to her, expressing his delight to see her again, but he did not persist in inflicting upon her more of his attention than was strictly necessary. He took a seat quite far from them, allowing her the opportunity to regain her composure while talking to Cassandra.

He intended to interfere at some point, when Lady Cassandra insisted Elizabeth play and sing. He noticed her reticence; he did not want her to feel obliged to comply with anybody’s wishes while in his house. Yet, she agreed in the end, starting to play — and he was certain the sound of her voice was the most beautiful he had heard in a long time. In an attempt to rid her of her embarrassment, he struggled to direct his eyes away from her. However, in the end, her beauty was simply too much for him to withstand, so he permitted himself to gaze upon her and hoped he was not the reason for her high color and embarrassment.

“Miss Bennet, you play very well indeed. It is a pleasure to listen to you,” said Lady Cassandra as soon as Elizabeth ended her song.

She knew her cheeks were already burning under the penetrating stare of Mr. Darcy — she even lifted her eyes a few times and met his — yet the compliment took her by surprise, and she was certain it was responsible for her blushing even more. “Thank you, Lady Cassandra, you are too kind. However, I know only too well that I am not very good; I am neither as proficient nor as talented as Georgiana.” She did not fail to notice Mr. Darcy’s surprise at the familiarity of her address, but he did not seem displeased at all to hear her.

“I agree you are not as proficient or talented as Georgie but, then again, very few people are. However, your interpretation is very enjoyable, a true pleasure to hear.”

“Indeed,” Mr. Darcy finally intervened, “to hear you playing and singing has always been a pleasure, Miss Bennet.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“So, did you two young ladies have a pleasant time?” asked Lady Cassandra, as Elizabeth managed to breathe deeply in an attempt to calm her emotions.

“Yes, we did; Elizabeth is the most delightful company.”

“Yes, so she seems. Miss Bennet, how is your time spent in London when you are not going to the theater or visiting Darcy’s house?” asked the lady, with a tone that confused Elizabeth and made her wonder about the meaning of her words. Only a moment later, the lady continued: “Do you miss your family?”

Elizabeth hesitated a moment before answering: “Yes, I do, very much. Though I am very fond of my entire family, I must confess I mostly miss my father and my eldest sister, Jane.”

“Yes…Miss Jane Bennet… Darcy told me about her.” Elizabeth’s face paled and unconsciously turned to him; was he telling everything to Lady Cassandra?

“From what I have heard, she is remarkably beautiful,” she continued.

“Yes, she is. Thank you. But aside from her natural beauty, she is a most kind and gentle lady and has the sweetest disposition.” She stopped and turned to Georgiana. “She is very much like Georgiana in many aspects.” Miss Darcy blushed, taken aback by the compliment.

To Elizabeth’s shock, it was Mr. Darcy who spoke further. “Georgiana, I did not know Miss Bennet’s true character well enough to see the similarities while I was in Hertfordshire, but now that Miss Elizabeth mentions it, I am sure she must be right. She is far more perceptive than I am. While I fancy myself a good judge of character, I have learned I am by no means always correct in my initial impressions.”

Elizabeth’s eyes, wide open in surprise after hearing him admit to this publicly, locked with his; and, for a few moments, they stared wordlessly at each other. Upon his countenance was the deepest regret which he took no pain to hide.

“I am also told that you have three other sisters besides Miss Bennet — is it true?”

“Yes.”

“Are they all as beautiful as your eldest?”

“Well, they are my sisters and I do love them very much, so I am by no means objective. But I dare say they are all pretty and pleasant in their own ways.”

“I can hardly imagine how that must be…with so many sisters of different ages around you?” “For me, it is truly wonderful, although I have to confess it is a little tiresome sometimes.” “Yes, I imagine that. Do all you sisters play the pianoforte as well as you?”

“My other sisters do not play at all, except for one. Mary, the sister next to me in age, also plays and sings.” She felt slightly embarrassed as she recalled the last time Mr. Darcy had heard Mary singing at the Netherfield ball. She wondered what the meaning of all these questions was. It appeared very likely that the gentleman had already told her almost everything about their situation.

“Well, I have to confess I do not play either. I never had the patience to learn. Mrs. Ashburton, my governess, suffered greatly because of this; she had always considered it a personal failure of hers. But, of course, the fault was entirely mine.” She laughed, and Mr. Darcy asked about Mrs. Ashburton’s health. Lady Cassandra answered that she was well before returning her attention to Elizabeth.

“How many governesses did you have, Miss Bennet? I believe only one would not be enough for all of you.”

“We never had any governesses.” Elizabeth began to feel amused by the similarity of these questions to the ones Lady Catherine had asked her the first time they met.

“What, five daughters and no governess?” was Lady Cassandra’s surprised reaction and Elizabeth could not contain her laughter any longer. Embarrassed by her outburst, she covered her mouth with her hand, then started to apologize.

Lady Cassandra’s brow rose in wonder at her. “Did something happen, Miss Bennet? Did I say something so funny?”

“No, you ladyship, please forgive me... It is just that...”

“Oh come now, it is very rude to laugh like that without sharing the reason for your amusement with us.”

“Lady Cassandra, I dare say that insisting any further to discover what Miss Bennet does not want to share with us, would be equally as rude,” intervened Darcy soundly.

His interference, though in her favor, did not make Elizabeth any easier. In fact, it had quite the opposite effect. Lady Cassandra appeared offended, but her expression changed in a moment. Things seemed to become tense only because of her silly reaction, and Elizabeth decided to put it to an end as soon as possible even if that meant taking the risk of giving even more offence to her hosts.

“I beg you to forgive me. My behavior has been rude indeed. I was amused by the fact that your ladyship’s questions were quite similar to those Lady Catherine asked me last March.”

The effect of her words was exactly what she was afraid of. Mr. and Miss Darcy frowned deeply, and Lady Cassandra remained speechless for a few moments before shaking her head and exclaiming, “Heaven forbid! Is that true? Oh dear, you absolutely must forget this instant that I ever asked you those things... The same questions as Lady Catherine? That is the very worse thing that has ever happened to me!” The expression of distress on her face seemed so earnest that Georgiana started to laugh, quickly joined by the lady herself.

Their reaction left Elizabeth unsure of what to do next. Mr. Darcy looked not in the slightest bit amused and threw glances full of reproach toward both Lady Cassandra and his sister. However, neither of them ceased their laughter, ignoring his silent censure. Finally he voiced his displeasure. “Miss Bennet was very kind to tell us the truth, and now I do not see the reason for your endless amusement regarding our aunt.”

Again Elizabeth felt embarrassment, yet his voice and his disapproving looks were directed to the other two ladies. Georgiana did not remain indifferent to her brother’s words, but Lady Cassandra was not at all affected. She even dared to continue, her voice full of mockery while she fought the urge to laugh. “Oh, please forgive me, Darcy. You are right; your aunt is all affability and condescension. One cannot regard her with too much deference.”

At her words, Mr. Darcy’s expression changed even more and he cast a quick glance at Elizabeth. She noticed he was completely mortified, and he had good reason to be, in her opinion. Elizabeth could easily recognize that phrase as belonging to Mr. Collins, and Lady Cassandra could not have known it if Mr. Darcy himself had not related it to her.

She felt sorry for him while considering that it was very cruel and unladylike for Lady Cassandra to use his own words, spoken in jest sometime privately, against him. She decided to help him out of this distressing situation and started to talk about how kind Lady Catherine had been to her cousin and his new wife, Mrs. Charlotte Collins.

Mr. Darcy did not fail to understand her purpose and offered her a small smile of gratitude. Lady Cassandra, however, did not seem completely pleased, yet she accepted the change of topic, inquiring about Mrs. Collins’ family and her connection to the Bennets.

Shortly after this exchange Elizabeth declared her intention of leaving: her call had lasted more than two hours which was considerably longer than propriety dictated. Mr. Darcy rose to ask for the carriage, but Lady Cassandra stopped him.

“Miss Bennet, if you can bear my company a little longer, I would be delighted to take you in my carriage.” Elizabeth looked at her in utter shock, noticing that the Darcys were as surprised as she was. “I thank you, your ladyship, but I would not want to trouble you. My uncle lives in Gracechurch Street and it is not very close...”

“Oh, I know where Gracechurch Street is, Miss Bennet, and I feel quite in the mood for a longer ride before returning to my own home.”

Elizabeth cast a short glance toward the Darcys, and she noticed Mr. Darcy’s eyes searching her face closely; very likely she looked disconcerted and he had noticed. She could refuse and he would surely offer her his carriage, but why all these ridiculous hesitations? Surely Lady Cassandra did not present any kind of danger to her. She struggled to change her expression, careful not to cause another awkward moment after the one regarding Lady Catherine.

“Thank you, Lady Cassandra. Of course, I accept your kind offer.” “Excellent! Let us go then. And during the ride we may talk about the ball. What color gown will you wear?”

They went toward the carriage, closely accompanied by the Darcys. Lady Cassandra entered first, helped by the gentleman. She reminded them she was expecting them later for dinner.

Georgiana took a very warm leave of Elizabeth, embracing her while Mr. Darcy bowed politely and took her hand to help her into the carriage, again holding it longer than necessary. She blushed as she knew the other two ladies must have noticed his gesture but found the courage to smile tentatively as she thanked him.

“I hope to meet you again soon, Miss Bennet,” he said as he closed the carriage door and the horses started to move. Elizabeth kept looking outside the window a few more moments until the house and the Darcys could be seen no longer; only then did her eyes turn to her companion.

One short glance was enough for her to understand that Lady Cassandra had no intention of talking about the ball whatsoever.