Elizabeth was quiet during breakfast and the short journey to Pemberley which seemed to take no time at all unlike yesterday's journey. The jolt of the carriage stopping, and the footman opening the door and lowering the steps jolted her out of her reverie.
Then Mr. Darcy reached into the carriage for her hand, and she paused in her movement to stand up from the bench. She had expected more time to compose herself before seeing him again. Especially since her uncle would not tell her, nor her aunt, what transpired during the meeting between Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Darcy yesterday.
She breathed deeply, pasted on a smile, accepted his hand and stepped out of the carriage. Mr. Darcy helped Mrs. Gardiner down, then placed Elizabeth's hand on his arm and led them up the many steps of Pemberley.
Elizabeth felt her cheeks flush though she had willed herself not to blush. It was prodigiously difficult to pretend she had not been standing in front of him yesterday, bedraggled, lake scum in her hair, with her dress nearly completely transparent.
Her gaze did not stray from directly in front of her as they climbed the steps. It was not until they reached the landing that she noticed Mr. Darcy had not spoken either. And now it was too late to break the awkward silence.
Elizabeth moved her hand from his arm after they entered the imposing house. Her slippers tapped on the white marble floor as she walked to stand next to her relatives. The Gardiners' expressions were quite removed from awe and wonder they had displayed yesterday.
"Please, come into the sitting room," Mr. Darcy requested. "But Miss Bennet, could I request you stay here with me for a moment?"
He looked nervous, a sight she had not seen before, not even at the first assembly in Meryton.
Elizabeth turned towards the sitting room, as it was just off the foyer to the left. It was one of the rooms they saw on the tour yesterday with Mrs. Reynolds. Elizabeth turned her head away, as if she was giving the cut direct to the housekeeper, who was not even present, though she loomed large in her absence. Yesterday's humiliation, lack of a maid and given a servant's dress to wear, dampened her usual cheerful disposition.
The Gardiners did not give a hint as to the conversation about to be had with the owner of the house, but she did not have to be a learned scholar to know the subject of the discussion to be had.
"I must apologize again Miss Bennet, for the embarrassing situation we found ourselves in yesterday. Never have my sheep behaved so ill."
Her lips turned up at Mr. Darcy apologizing for his livestock. "Sheep have a mind of their own. Please do not punish them too severely. I am sure he thought my light colored day dress was another ram encroaching on his territory."
He did not share her smile, but instead seemed to gather himself. "Miss Bennet, I…I would be—"
"—I am sure she did not — oh, Mr. Darcy, there you are!" Miss Bingley and her sister smiled and preened as they gracefully flitted down the main curved staircase to Mr Darcy's side, not even sparing a glance at her, that she could tell.
Elizabeth stepped back, her heart beating rapidly. Against all odds, all manner of reason, it had seemed that Mr. Darcy had been about to renew his proposal to her, though she had so thoroughly thrown in his face once before. She took another step back, unable to tear her gaze away from the tableau in front of her. The Bingley sisters were at Pemberley, obviously staying as guests most likely for at least a month. She was surprised, although she remembered that Mrs. Reynolds had said the day before that a large party would be arriving the next day.
She was startled by a noise behind her and turned to see what it was. Mrs. Gardiner stood just inside the sitting room, confusion plain on her face, which grew the longer she took in Elizabeth's demeanor. Mr. Gardiner stepped out into the foyer, his visage changing quickly to a polite smile, but not before she had seen his thoughts clear as day on his face.
Elizabeth had seen that look only once before, when Mr. Gardiner had been betrayed by a shipping company that sold products he had ordered to a rival merchant. Products Mr. Gardiner had already paid for from East India. The shipping company had returned Mr. Gardiner's investment, but the damage to his company had not been so easily undone.
Mrs. Gardiner crossed the foyer and wrapped her arm in her niece's. Mr. Gardiner followed standing on Elizabeth's other side.
"Mrs. Hurst, Miss Bingley, you remember Miss Bennet?" Mr. Darcy looked at her again. "And these are her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner from London."
At the mention of the city, Miss Bingley looked at the older couple before turning to her sister. "London? Would they not be the relatives Jane previously mentioned when she had luncheon with us at Netherfield? The ones in Cheapside?"
Miss Bingley sniggered until Mr. Darcy's scolding stare silenced her.
He turned back to Elizabeth and her relatives. "Miss Bennet and the Gardiners are my guests for supper and music afterwards. Let us go in the sitting room."
Mr. Darcy stepped towards her, but Miss Bingley would not let go of him and moved with him. But it did not signify, as Elizabeth was in no mind to pay him any attention, even if he looked at her with longing and contrition. Elizabeth turned, and accompanied her aunt and uncle into the sitting room.
Miss Bingley claimed a settee next to a winged armchair, most likely where Mr. Darcy would sit. Mrs. Hurst joined her leaving her husband, who wandered in without speaking to anyone except to ask when supper would be called.
Elizabeth sat on a sofa next to Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner near the Bingley sisters who were in the midst of describing all the latest fashions and fashionable locations they had seen while latest in London. Which could not have been for Mr. Darcy's benefit, as had he not been with them in London?
It was as disagreeable an experience as it had been at Netherfield. She longed for Mr. Bingley to show to improve the conversation. Where was he? Certainly he would have been in the party that traveled from London? Finally, Miss Bingley's soliloquy paused and Elizabeth was able to ask that very question. Which Mr. Darcy was not given time to answer before Miss Bingley answered for him.
"My brother Charles I am sure will be down soon. He is helping Miss Darcy with some of the fingering for one of the pieces she has been studying on the piano." A sly smile directed at Elizabeth accompanied her address, before she turned back to the object of her fixation. "Your sister and my brother have become such good friends while we have been in London, would you not agree, Mr. Darcy? They are so well suited to each other; both have such pleasing temperaments."
Elizabeth started when she felt Mrs. Gardiner's hand cover her clenched fists where they rested on her lap. She flattened her hands and pasted a pleasant smile on her face though she would rather have been anywhere else. She knew it would be the height of rudeness to stand up and wander away from this grouping, but she could not listen to Miss Bingley discuss her brother's happiness with Mr. Darcy's sister, and their suitability, any longer. Not when her sister Jane had still not yet recovered her happy nature from Mr. Bingley's abrupt departure and absence from Hertfordshire.
"Pardon me," she stood trying to keep her amusement at Miss Bingley's shocked countenance contained. "I cannot help admiring the fine instrument at the other end of the room. Please excuse me, but I need to take a closer look."
She knew her boorish behavior and should have concerned her, especially Mr. Darcy's opinion on the matter. But his estimation in her mind had fallen since their meeting yesterday. Elizabeth was not sure what her uncle and Mr. Darcy had discussed last evening, but certainly an apology to her should have been forthcoming.
Perhaps that was what he had been about to say to her before the Bingley sisters so rudely interrupted him in the foyer. But it was no matter; she walked to the piano and sat down to examine it.
Miss Bingley's voice sounded behind her. "Miss Bennet is quite dedicated to her studies. She read books at Netherfield instead of playing cards or conversing with others in the room and now she chooses to inspect a musical instrument instead of enjoying her host's and guests company."
Elizabeth clenched her fists on the ivory keys. She was far enough removed that they could not see her glare. A deep breath, and then she concentrated on the exquisite instrument before her. It must have been just purchased. The keys were quick to respond, none sticking like the piano at Longbourn. She could be very happy practicing on this.
"Miss Bennet was an excellent conversationalist yesterday. Please excuse me, she needs someone to turn the sheets for her."
Her fingers stopped as she looked toward the far end of the sitting room, where Mr. Darcy was quickly walking towards her. She then glanced behind him to the Bingley sisters stricken features, and bowed her head to hide her smile.