After dinner, the entire party gathered in the lavish dining room, which was filled with great paintings of Lady Catherine's ancestors. Elizabeth lingered in front of one of a woman in a long, black dress.

"That is my grandmother. She was a young widow herself." Lady Catherine said.

"She is lovely."

Lady Catherine's mouth pulled into a tight smile. "A formidable woman," she said with satisfaction as she sat down on the center loveseat. "Now you will play."

Elizabeth had no choice but to take a seat at the pianoforte. She glanced up at the expectant faces looking before her. "I warned you I am not a great talent," she said.

Robert Collins quickly joined her. "Do you know 'A Soldier's Adieu'?" he asked. Elizabeth nodded and started the chords, making only two or three small errors.

"Adieu, adieu my only life. My duty calls me from thee," Robert Collins sang, and to her surprise, he did have a strong baritone voice. She tried to keep up with his rhythm, but he was loud and tended to push the music along too quickly. She noted the surprise on the other party-goers' faces as he sang. She still hit a few wrong notes, but she managed to get through the song adequately, and fortunately, Robert's voice nearly drowned out her playing entirely.

She saw Darcy gaze at her as the song went on. His face seemed to take on a rare flicker of interest. Perhaps he was a greater music aficionado than she realized. His entire expression changed during their song, his eyes becoming lively, while his lips curved upward. She again saw the hint of the man she had seen the other evening. He was a handsome man when he smiled. Which he obviously only did so rarely.

"Sir, you have a lovely voice," Elizabeth said when they finished and others applauded. Robert Collins grinned widely and nodded at the praise.

"Not a superb musician, but certainly charming," Colonel Fitzwilliam murmured to Darcy.

Darcy shot him a warning look.

"Don't look at me like that. I meant Mr. Collins." Colonel Fitzwilliam said.

"Indeed," Darcy replied. "I'll thank you to say no more."

To this, his cousin only grinned.

They played two more songs together and once Elizabeth even sang a duet with Robert Collins, but she was certain no one heard much of her voice over his. After the music, Elizabeth sat and enjoyed a sherry while talking with Colonel Fitzwilliam. Darcy, she noted, excused himself and retreated upstairs.

"You have an excellent musical ear, Mrs. Collins," the Colonel said.

Elizabeth smiled. "But could you truly hear me under Mr. Collin's fine voice?"

The colonel grinned mischievously. "Usually. But is it not the musician's role to showcase the singer?"

"Well, then I suppose I was able to do that."

Elizabeth glanced around. "Has Mr. Darcy retired for the evening?"

"He said he would return shortly. Perhaps the performance moved him and he needs to recover."

"I am certain that was not his experience," Elizabeth said. She recalled Darcy's expression while she played. "You know your cousin well."

"I do. We have always been close. He is practically a brother to me."

"He is a proud man," she said, and then her face grew flushed. Why was she even discussing Mr. Darcy?

Richard laughed. "That he is, but here, he comes by it honestly."

That was true indeed.

"Have you a concern regarding Darcy?"

She started to shake her head even as a thought formed on her lips. "I thought him proud when I first met him, but here he seems more amenable."

The Colonel looked around to make certain no one else overheard. "How did he behave in Hertfordshire? I am quite curious as to his behavior among strangers."

Elizabeth paused, searching for the correct words. "Do you really want to know?"

"That bad?"

Elizabeth smiled again. She liked the Colonel's openness and humor. It reminded her of her father.

"The first time I saw him was at a ball," Elizabeth raised her eyes carefully. "He danced only four dances though gentlemen were scarce and more than one lady was sitting down in want of a partner."

Colonel Fitzwilliam winced as though wounded. "Sadly, that sounds like my cousin. Do I need to mount an apology campaign tour of Hertfordshire on his behalf?"

"Thankfully, you can limit it to the village of Meryton. Fortunately for the whole of Hertfordshire, Darcy's friends decided to quit the countryside early."

The Colonel nodded. "So I was told. Darcy does take his friendships very seriously."

With the word, friendship, Elizabeth fixed her eyes on his. "What do you mean?"

He sighed but remained cheerful. "I should not speak thus, but I believe Mr. Bingley is very indebted to Darcy, who rescued him from an ill-advised match."

Elizabeth's heart beat faster.

"He did?"

The colonel nodded, his face serious. "Darcy is many things, but his loyalty to his friends and family can never be questioned."

Elizabeth tried to swallow. She had a sense of dread from his words.

"Darcy would not generally want this known, but he congratulated himself on saving a friend from an imprudent match. I suspected it was Mr. Bingley."

Elizabeth felt she was both frozen and on fire. "What reasons did he give?"

Colonel Fitzwilliam shook his head. "I do not know the particulars, but there were objections against the lady."

She stopped herself from saying more. What objections could possibly be leveled at dear Jane?

"Darcy believed his friend to be in danger and used his influence. You see, Darcy does care deeply for loved ones."

Elizabeth knew the Colonel believed what he uttered. To him, Darcy was no villain. But Jane! Her mind clouded with unwanted thoughts.

"Excuse me, Colonel. I am developing a sudden headache." Elizabeth stood up, and very nearly felt her legs buckle beneath her. The colonel stood and grasped her arm to steady her.

"Mrs. Collins, I prattled on far too long. Do forgive me. Allow me to escort you from the room."

"No, Colonel. It is no doing of yours. Please excuse me. Will you make my amends to Lady Catherine?"

"Of course."

Elizabeth pulled away and willed her legs to move until she reached the threshold of the room, moved past the gilded entryway and toward the great staircase.

As she ascended the stairs, out of the corner of her eye she saw someone descend from the floor above. Bother. It was the last person she wanted to see. The architect responsible for her sister's despair: Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth's mouth twisted.

For a moment, she considered turning away entirely. She could not stand face-to-face with him. But where would she go? Outside? To the servant's entrance to sneak upstairs? No, he had done her world enough damage. She would not run away like a wounded animal from him. Her back straightened as they each reached the midpoint of the stairs.

His face was cheerful. "Mrs. Collins!" But then he saw her expression. "Are you unwell?" His brow furrowed with concern.

"I am perfectly well," Elizabeth said more loudly than she meant, and she pulled back as if he were a hot iron that might burn her.

Mr. Darcy blinked at her, confused. "I am returning to the party. May I accompany you?"

"No," she said quietly. "Please excuse me." She pushed past him and continued up the stairs, moving quickly so he would not see the tears filling her eyes.

"Mrs. Collins," he called one more time, but Elizabeth moved more quickly to get up the stairs to her chamber as fast as she was able.

In her room, while everyone else was downstairs, Elizabeth pulled out the letters she had received from Jane in London the past few weeks. In them, she saw that while Jane had seemingly depicted the ordinary activities of visiting London, there was sadness there as well. And, somehow, despite their proximity and similar acquaintances, she'd not crossed paths with Bingley in London. Elizabeth could only presume this was evidence that Bingley was avoiding–or being kept from–Jane.

Darcy watched Elizabeth hurry up the stairs, his own heart hammering. She obviously was upset. He fought an urge to follow her that was both ludicrous and improper and would be disastrous to them both.

Had his aunt somehow insulted her? That seemed most likely, though he was struck by the fear in her eyes. It wasn't so much fear as something else. Revulsion. As though she were disgusted by him. Darcy was not overly vain, but knew he generally did not cause revulsion in others.

He looked around the room to see what might be the cause of her despair. His aunt and Sir William sat drinking tea on a loveseat, while Miss Maria Lucas sat on a nearby chair and turned the pages of a book. Robert Collins, stood nearby talking to seated Charlotte Lucas. His cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliams, stood looking out a large window that looked out on the fine park.

"What has happened to Mrs. Collins?" Darcy asked as he joined his cousin at the window.

"Oh, there you are. We were talking pleasantly, and then she said she had a headache and went upstairs. You see, I literally bore women to tears."

"What did you speak of?"

The Colonel sighed. "Nothing of import. We spoke of your friend, Charles Bingley."

Darcy's jaw tensed. "What about Bingley?"

Colonel Fitzwilliam shrugged. "I simply told Mrs. Collins what a good friend you are." He looked at Darcy innocently. "I was defending you. If that somehow offended her, I blame you."

"What did you tell her about Bingley?"

Fitzwilliam shifted from one foot to another. "I just said that I've known you all our lives and that you were a loyal person. Surely no harm can come of that."

"Did Aunt Catherine say anything to upset her?"

"I don't think they spoke at all." Here, Colonel Fitzwilliam hedged. "I only said that Bingley was indebted to you after you rescued him from a poor match last year. Sang your praises. You can thank me later."

Darcy felt his head might explode. "Richard…" Darcy said, rubbing his forehead with a hand. "What have you done? The woman I separated Bingley from is her sister."

The Colonel stopped fidgeting. "You said it was due to an objection of her family."

Darcy nodded once, tersely.

"What on God's green earth would possess you to object to her family?"

Darcy looked down. "It is complicated." He rubbed his head again. "And I may have been too hasty."

Colonel Fitzwilliam shook his head. "Oh, Darcy."

"You must help me undo whatever you have done."

"I will do what I can." Colonel Fitzwilliam popped a grape from a nearby silver tray into his mouth. Darcy sighed heavily and sank into a nearby chair. He looked up at this cousin, clearly annoyed.

"I think you need to reconsider your attachment towards Mrs. Collins."

Darcy opened his mouth to defend himself to his cousin and paused for several long moments.

"You are absolutely correct," Darcy said after a moment and clapped Fitzwilliam on the shoulder.