"Darcy, you did not tell me much about your trip into Hertfordshire" Colonel Fitzwilliam said as soon as the door of Mr Darcy's carriage was closed and they were on their way to Rosing's Park.
"There really isn't much to tell," Darcy answered, slightly annoyed by the interruption to his thoughts, "I stayed with Bingley and his sisters at Netherfield Park. He liked it there but he may give it up"
"Give it up? Whatever for?" the Colonel exclaimed.
Mr Darcy just shrugged and smiled but made no answer and instead looked out the window. Colonel Fitzwilliam was surprised by his cousin's reaction and attributed it to fatigue from travelling so much recently. They rode in silence for over ten minutes before the Colonel broke it by persuading his cousin to tell him what was making him so distracted.
Mr Darcy sighed and replied "well, if you must know, I am excessively pleased with myself for having rescued a friend of mine from a complete disaster that could have ruined his life"
Colonel Fitzwilliam looked at him in shock. This was precisely the reaction Mr Darcy had hoped to get from his cousin and continued with, "a most imprudent marriage to a lady, though amiable and handsome, would have been highly unwise"
"Was he in love with her?" the Colonel asked
Mr Darcy was surprised by the question for he had never even thought of that, "I do not believe he was"
"Well Darcy, you are a very convenient friend to have when such occasions arise." Colonel Fitzwilliam sat back in his seat and looked out the window. Soon afterwards, Darcy turned to Fitzwilliam, contemplating whether or not to tell him that he had seen Wickham during his stay in Hertfordshire but decided against it and, at that moment, Colonel Fitzwilliam turned to him and said "Did you meet anyone interesting during your stay in Hertfordshire?"
Mr Darcy replied that he had and added, "There was a young lady there, who stayed at Netherfield Park for a few days with us. Her name is Miss Elizabeth Bennet"
Colonel Fitzwilliam was immediately engrossed and make inquires about her family and personality.
Mr Darcy told him that she has no connections or wealth but despite all that, she is very accomplished, that she plays and sings exquisitely, and as for her beauty, she is extremely pretty and declared so by all the people in her neighbourhood.
"She is also a great reader, just the sort of young lady I would want Georgiana to befriend" he added.
He said all this with coldness so that his cousin would not think anything of it. He hardly knew why he even mentioned her, or why it made his feel at ease just thinking about her.
But Colonel Fitzwilliam knew his cousin well enough to be a little suspicious and expressed an earnest desire to see the mysterious Miss Bennet.
For the rest of the trip to Rosing's Park, Mr Darcy stared out the window and pointed out to himself the inconveniences of someone with his rank marrying into a family like Elizabeth's.