Chapter 32
"While it is just the two of us," Jane said, "will you speak to me of Mr. Darcy?"
"William?" Elizabeth asked blushing.
"He seems partial to you. He was eager to dance with you last night," Jane said gently.
"I own that despite knowing him better, I was still quite shocked when HE suggested we roll up the carpets for another evening of dancing. His reasoning was sound though, it does make good practice for Anne and Georgiana."
"While it was a kindness to wish for them to gain confidence and a greater familiarity with the steps before standing up at the assembly, do you truly believe that was his only motive?"
"I could not say," Elizabeth said softly.
"You cannot?" Jane prodded gently.
Grinning, with an arch tone, Elizabeth answered, "I can say for certain that Lady Catherine has latched onto his consideration of Anne as forwarding the match. We shall have to double down to spare her from her mother's contrivances. Who would have thought, the great Lady Catherine de Bourgh of the equally grand, and likely ostentatious, Rosings Park has such a trait in common with Mrs. Bennet of Longbourn?" Laughing Elizabeth asked teasingly, "Shall you tell her or shall I?"
"I shall let you be the bearer of that particular news, Lizzy," Jane said wryly. "Perhaps when Lady Catherine is done taking you to task for such a remark there will not be enough of you left to have to determine if you admire Mr. Darcy or not. Though if you survive the encounter you will still need to make up your mind."
"Jane!" Elizabeth protested.
"Tell me true, do you admire and esteem Mr. Darcy?" Jane asked.
"I hardly know. I do find him very agreeable. He is intelligent and thoughtful. He had a dry sense of humor that is appealing. I oft have to remind myself that it is only because I am his cousin he treats me with civility now," Elizabeth said wistuflly.
"With the exception of his slight at the assembley, Mr. Darcy treated you with civility in Meryton. He conversed with you far more than anyone else in the neighborhood. Can you honestly when going over your acquaintance with the gentleman, conjure up another instance of unprovoked rudeness," Jane asked. "Rudeness unrealted to my mother or Lydia and Kitty," Jane added when Elizabeth began to open her mouth.
At this Elizabeth closed her mouth and said nothing. She thought back over her interactions with Darcy and was astounded to find that, when not viewed with her prejudice, his behavior, while still overly silent and grave in Meryton, was not as objectionable as she had previously considered. She cringed considering how some of the neighborhood acted and what now appeared Darcy's forbearance in not saying anything. Had not her Aunt Gardiner always advised her not to say anything at all if she had nothing nice to say, Elizabeth thought with a grimace. Her cousin was an honest person and unlike Mrs. Bennet had not voiced his opinions loudly, keeping most of his derision to himself likely, as one should. And could she really blame him for disdaining some? She who had grown up in Meryton with the Bennets had often disdained the uncouth behavior she witnessed. He called her tolerable once, not intending her to hear, and Mrs. Bennet, as well as Lydia, called Charlotte plain often, and to her face at that.
Seeing the thoughtful look on Elizabeth's face, Jane said merrily, "I give you leave to like him, Lizzy. You have liked many a stupider person."
Elizabeth's mouth dropped open in shock, causing Jane to laugh and retreat away, attempting to put the sofa between the two, knowing her sister's revenge would be to tickle her. With a strangled shriek of "Jane!" Elizabeth gave chase attempting to catch Jane amd enact the customary revenge.
Being the more active of the two, Elizabeth quickly caught Jane and began tickling her, as Jane cried out between laughs, "Peace, Lizzy, Peace!"
"Mercy, my Jane? Oh no!" Elizabeth said gleefully as she tickled her sister, resulting in the two undecorusly rolling around the floor.
The sudden opening of the parlor door had both girls freezing. Both slowly looked up into the surprised faces of Henry and Darcy. Mortified the two girls scrambled to their feet; the two gentleman to surprised to say anything. Silence reigned for only a few seconds before Henry began laughing. The others quickly joined in and when Elizabeth and Jane attempted to tender their apologies for the behavior the gentlemen witnessed, Darcy waved their apologies off as unnecessary and Henry declared he could not wait to share such a story with him and Elizabeth's brothers, stating he would enjoy the retelling just as much as seeing it. Elizabeth naturally demanded his silence on the matter, which was exchanged in favor of her owing him a boon of his choosing at his time of choosing. Darcy on the other hand informed her, her secrets were always safe with him and teasingly said, "Unlike your brother, you need not bribe me to keep them, for I am a gentleman."
"Ha," exclaimed Henry. "That's the difference between being just a gentleman and being a brother. A brother needs all the benefits he can rake out of a situation like this, especially when the sister has four other brothers he must compete with for her attention."
