"…this corridor has hardly changed since I was a child. It receives the most traffic, and so Aunt Catherine wisely keeps it free of all but the smallest ornament." Darcy gestured towards a solid end-table and the one portrait of his uncle that remained on permanent display, a memorial to her husband that Lady Catherine ensured every guest would pass and appreciate.

He was amazed at how much he had enjoyed their short tour of Rosings. Elizabeth had been wonderful company, displaying jus the right amount of interest in all that he wished to show her. He had feared, briefly, that she might find the pastime dull, but she had questioned him with interest about the house's former occupants, and his own memories of visiting as a child, so that he spoke quite freely and unselfconsciously to her. He had even succeeded in winning a few of those smiles he had come to look for in Elizabeth's features and once, when he recounted a tale that ended with both he and a friend - it had been Wickham, but for the purposes of his story, his childhood companion remained nameless - ended up in the lake that could be seen from the window of a certain study. He recalled his uncle's hammering on the window and enquiring upon whether they intended on tackling Poseidon before or after taking tea, and would they like his assistance. He smiled, faintly, at the memory. His uncle had been as friendly as his aunt was proud, and in that instance, he missed him, wishing Elizabeth might have had the chance to meet him, just once.

"And here, you see, we reach the parlour once more." He opened the door with a flourish, anticipating by its silence that it was empty.

"Oh!" An exclamation was followed by an embarrassed feminine laugh, and Darcy recognised his cousin, Anne, hurriedly stuff something into her reticule and stand. "William!" she exclaimed, happily. "And -" She turned a curious glance towards his companion.

"Elizabeth - Miss Elizabeth Bennet," he said, quickly. "Forgive us, cousin, I did not realise you were here." He nodded, stiffly, and the gesture was returned in a polite curtsey from Anne towards her guests.

"Nor I you!" She smiled, and turned towards Elizabeth. "Miss Bennet, I am so pleased to make your acquaintance. I must apologise for being absent on your arrival this afternoon."

"Not at all," Elizabeth said, warmly. "I do hope your friend is faring rather better after your visit?"

"My…friend?" Anne frowned.

"Aunt Catherine said you were visiting a friend who was unfortunately under the weather," Darcy interposed. "Lady Dalrymple? I hope that she was cheered by your presence, cousin."

"Oh." Anne's frown faded, but did not entirely disappear. "Yes, she is quite well."

"That is good news," Elizabeth said, after a moment's awkward silence fell over the room. "It can be of such concern when those one cares for suffer."

"Indeed." Anne glanced behind them towards the door, and Darcy took her cue.

"I wonder if you would care to join us for tea, cousin? I believe there is still some time before dinner, and I wonder that your afternoon's visit might not have left you fatigued.

"No -" Anne stammered. "That is, yes," she smiled, ruefully. "In fact I am quite tired. I hope you will not be unduly offended if I refuse, in this instance, and take to my room for an hour's rest before this evening." She glanced towards Elizabeth. "Do, please, forgive me my rudeness, Miss Bennet. I hope we might be properly introduced and converse a little more freely this evening."

With one last curtsey, Anne excused herself and Darcy and Elizabeth found themselves alone, but for a servant, who Darcy summoned to request a small tea tray be brought for them.

"I hope your cousin is herself quite well!" Elizabeth said, as she glanced at the contents of a small shelf on one wall. "I do not like to think that our presence forced her to leave her sanctuary." Her eyes sparkled, and Darcy smiled.

"Three are plenty of rooms that might make her a better one, if her intention was truly to remain undiscovered," he said, lightly. "I half expected Richard - Colonel Fitzwilliam - to be in here, for he was at a loss for occupation when I left him."

"Perhaps he has found some, at last," Elizabeth said, running her fingertip along the spines of a small collection of books that sat, undisturbed, in a corner. Her voice was tinged with distraction, and Darcy was eager to know which title had caught her attention. At last he could bear it no longer, and asked.

"Do you see any titles you recognise?"

Elizabeth jerked her head up, and smiled, guiltily, at him.

"You have caught me out!" she said, stepping away from the books, and closer to the centre of the room, where he was standing. Folding her arms across her front, she lifted her shoulders in surrender. "I think you can tell a lot about a person by the books they choose to read."

"Indeed?" Darcy arched an eyebrow. "And what insights have you gained to my aunt?"

"She is fond of romances." Elizabeth's eyes shone wickedly.

"Aunt Catherine?" Darcy snorted.

"Perhaps these belong to her daughter, then," Elizabeth said. "I do not criticise the collection: there are a few titles among it that I have read and enjoyed."

"You like to read, Miss Elizabeth." Darcy had intended it for a question, but his words came out flat, and she took them for a statement of fact.

"You do not approve, Mr Darcy?"

"On the contrary, I think it encouraging when a young lady seeks to improve her mind with reading." He paused, a sly smile crossing his face. "Depending, of course, on what she chooses to read."

"Ah, you would not, I think, approve of at least one of these titles." She glanced back towards the books, and smiled. "The Mysteries of Udolpho." She grinned wickedly. "It is thrilling, indeed. Murder, intrigue, and such drama!" She clasped her hands in an affectation of despair. "Mr Darcy, such a tale I can barely describe to one as sensible as you. But it entertains us country folk very well."

Their tea arrived, and Darcy took advantage of the activity to compose his response to her comment. They sat in seats close to one another, but at enough distance that Darcy felt safe to pose his question.

"Do you think me dull, Miss Elizabeth?"

This evidently caught Elizabeth off-guard, for she lifted her eyes to his, and for the tiniest moment she looked upset, anxious, perhaps, that he had read a personal slight into her comment.

"I did not say that, Mr Darcy."

"Ah, but you do not deny it." He sighed. "I am not offended, for I confess there is an element of truth in your opinion." He met her gaze and held it, surprised when she did not immediately look away. "But only an element."