After much begging and pleading, Elizabeth had finally succeeded in pushing Collins and Charlotte out the door to go on an actual date. There was no sense in Charlotte traveling all this way if she didn't get to go out with her boyfriend. She could tell Charlotte was grateful, but the ever clueless Collins didn't want his cousin to feel left out.
At seven, though, she had settled in the front room with a cup of tea and a good book. She was startled when the doorbell rang. She debated on answering it or not, but then she imagined it was someone who needed to see the preacher and it could be important. As she walked to the door she practiced her little speech on how Collins was her cousin and she'd be more than happy to take a message.
When she opened the door, however, she saw Darcy standing there, waiting.
"Oh," she said, surprised. Her hand subconsciously rifled through her messy hair.
"Want to come in?" she asked finally.
"Thank you," he said as awkwardly as possible.
Elizabeth walked into the living room and threw the blanket over the back and moved her book.
"Are you alone?" he asked, surprised.
"Yep."
"Oh."
"Collins and Charlotte went out…on a date."
"Oh!" He nodded and sat down in the chair by the couch. "Sorry to bother you then."
"No bother," she said, wondering what they could possibly talk about.
As predicted, they fell into a silence. Elizabeth decided to just start with Netherfield.
"You know, I didn't even say bye to you guys when you left Meryton."
Darcy looked at her as though considering something. Instead, he only nodded and looked back down at his hands. Again, silence.
"Do you think Bingley will come back soon?"
Darcy shook his head, "No. Once he makes a decision, it's hard for him to go back on it."
"Oh."
Elizabeth fiddled with her book before Darcy started up this time.
"So David and Charlotte are…a couple?"
Elizabeth tried not to laugh, "Mhm. As strange as it seems, they've been dating for a few weeks now. It must be tough though being in a long distance relationship."
"Ah, well, long distance relationships never last."
"Why do you say that?" she said indignantly, knowing he was referring to Bingley and Jane more than Collins and Charlotte.
He paused with a raised eyebrow before continuing, "Because absence does not make the heart grow fonder, it makes it weaker. Given the chance to get away from your beloved will more times than not make you stop thinking about them all together."
"Is that what you think?" Elizabeth said, almost to the point of getting angry.
He leaned forward in his chair, bringing himself close to Elizabeth and looked right into her eyes.
"Unless you have evidence to the contrary?"
Confused, Elizabeth looked at him blankly. Clearing his throat, he sat back in his chair and picked up a magazine off the side table, pretending to examine it.
"So," he started, "do you enjoy the country?"
Still completely confused, Elizabeth opened her mouth to respond when the door opened quickly.
Darcy jumped up like someone poured cold water down his back and put the magazine back on the table. Elizabeth stood too and watched the entrance of the living room. Charlotte came in and stopped when she noticed Darcy.
"Oh," she said with a smile, "Good to see you William."
"Charlotte," he said stiffly.
"Where's Collins?" Elizabeth asked as she plopped back down on the couch.
"He was feeling really sick, so we came back. He went straight to bed."
"Well," Darcy said as he turned to glance quickly at Elizabeth. "I should be going. Tell David I hope he feels better."
Elizabeth said her good bye and watched as Darcy nearly bolted for the door.
"What on earth was that about?" Charlotte asked, sitting in the chair Darcy had vacated.
"I haven't the slightest," Elizabeth said picking up her book.
"He's definitely in love with you."
Elizabeth laughed loudly, "He hardly said anything to me. In fact, if he was here to see me it was only to judge my actions or something stupid like that."
Charlotte shook her head, "Still, I see the way he looks at you. Hovers around you even. Guys don't do that just to judge."
"You're crazy." Elizabeth said before reclining on the couch and forcing herself to ask Charlotte to tell her all the details of the date.
As Charlotte talked about how funny David was doing this and how practical he was doing that, Elizabeth could tell that Charlotte was more than happy to refer to him as her boyfriend which she did nine times in the conversation. Elizabeth counted.