"Practically all the season's debutantes present in one place - shall that not make the most splendid ball?" Richard asked the present company at large, though it was rather evident to Darcy that his cousin was interested in addressing Miss Elizabeth alone.
"I suppose so, though my personal tastes may differ," Miss Elizabeth replied civilly while Mrs. Collins replenished everyone's tea. These calls at the parsonage, a daily occurrence, supplied Darcy with much comfort and reprieve from Aunt Catherine's unceasing temper. They did not cheer him as his walks with Miss Elizabeth did, but their calm, boring domesticity did yield him some welcome respite.
After years of mutually ignored protests, his aunt and he had finally seemed to accept the irresolution in the other party's stance - and had chosen to stew in quiet resentment on a permanent degree. It had taken a public argument to achieve such understanding, but it was progress of a sort, Darcy supposed.
Before him, Richard continued to flail in his efforts to impress Miss Elizabeth - alluding to simple-minded thoughts and shallow observations time and again, as if she were every other London ingenue. Darcy knew the lady well enough by now to know that her smile was polite, her nod curt. She smiled, but not sincerely.
There was a small degree of self-satisfaction in knowing that he was, as always, far more informed of a woman's intentions than other gentlemen were. Even Miss Elizabeth, the most intriguing and enigmatic of the women he'd ever encountered, had finally grown familiar to him at last.
He reveled in his private victory, all while witnessing Richard's continued social floundering. It was almost comically tragic that Richard was hardly aware of his own shortcomings. The earl and countess hardly needed to worry.
It was clear, at least Darcy thought, that Miss Elizabeth did not care particularly for Richard at all.
"And I said to my cousin, 'One must be careful about these things. One hardly knows if they are trustworthy,'" Richard prattled on with his most recent reiteration of mundanity. He reached for his tea. "If we were to trust every proposition to come our way, we would then - "
His words devolved into a harsh choke, and Darcy looked up fully for the first time since the beginning of their call.
Richard continued to choke as he slid his teacup on the table. Mrs. Collins rose quickly to procure cooler water, while her sister sat watching with a gaping mouth. Miss Elizabeth complemented her friend's actions, moving quickly to assist the choking visitor.
It was pleasant to see Miss Elizabeth acting so calmly and competently.
It was rather less pleasant to see her hand the cool water to Richard as she murmured soothing words - and to see Richard smile at her as if she was the very sun that lit his world.
"Thank you, Miss Elizabeth." Richard did not wait long to offer his gratitude, his voice still strained from the lingering effects of his accident.
"You are most welcome, sir." Miss Elizabeth returned his smile, the hand she had used to pat his back still lingering slightly.
Darcy brooded the rest of the day away.
"Mr. Darcy." The familiar voice came with an equally familiar curtsy the next morning. There was a smile in her voice, a lightness that would have been pleasant under different circumstances.
Having watched her tend to Richard the previous morning, however, and having listened to Richard wax poetic about her unending tenderness and care the rest of the day - Darcy truly had little mood for her games.
"Miss Elizabeth," he greeted stiffly, maintaining every air of superiority.
He was superior. He always had been.
A country nobody and her flirtatious wiles would not topple him.
"Is everything alright, sir?" She noted immediately - a result, no doubt, of her unwavering perception.
"I have things on my mind," he answered vaguely.
They began to walk, side by side, though he failed to offer his arm today.
It did not take long for Darcy to notice that she seemed to dally slightly, as if waiting for him to speak his true mind. The only thing more dangerous than a crafty woman of ambition was one whose intelligence allowed her to outsmart all the others.
Darcy cleared his throat. To his side, Miss Elizabeth leaned her head slightly, as if readying herself to listen.
They walked on.
"I'd like to think, Miss Elizabeth, that after these weeks of friendship we have shared, that we have grown in mutual acquaintance and understanding," he began. "I must admit I rarely maintain friendships with the fairer sex, and I have found yours most refreshing indeed."
She appeared slightly pleased by the praise. "I have rather enjoyed growing to know you as well, sir."
Darcy nodded. "And it therefore surprises me, madam, whenever I witness choices in your behavior that I had not anticipated to see."
"Is that so?"
"Regarding, particularly, your dealings with my cousin."
She stopped short before the next step. Darcy obligingly halted after another stride as well before turning to face her.
She spoke to him with confidence and clarity, as she always did. "I had thought you pleased with the way I guided Miss de Bourgh."
"Ah." Darcy lowered his face slightly into his collar. "It is not of her I speak."
Miss Elizabeth frowned, as if puzzled. There was a charm to her consternation - a sense of instinctive beauty found more often in nature than in the painted faces of London's debutantes.
Then she straightened slightly. "You speak of Mr. Fitzwilliam."
"Indeed." Darcy sighed. It was not a topic he enjoyed, and yet it was a topic he had no choice but to address. "I have noticed, since the start of our acquaintance, that you seem to exhibit no preference for him. And, yet, when the opportunity arises, you seem to have no qualms in raising his hopes."
"His hopes, sir?"
"You cannot be blind to what is before you." Darcy turned askance, uncomfortable and unhappy. "My cousin, perhaps against his own better judgment, prefers you greatly. And you, with the utter cruelty of your sex, continue to encourage his attentions despite having no interest in them yourself."
"I beg your pardon!"
"It is not I you offend."
"And yet it is you who stand here before me, accusing me of intentions that I have clearly never expressed."
"You fool yourself, madam."
"I - " She huffed, as if in great anger. Darcy stole a glance at the flush of her cheeks. "I have been friendly with Mr. Fitzwilliam, sir. Surely, you cannot begrudge me for exercising common social grace."
"And yet there is nothing common about the way you engage his favors."
"My interactions with your cousin have been nothing but innocent!"
"I would beg to differ."
"What could you possibly think I may be doing?"
"I have seen it happen, so very many times." Darcy's sigh grew long, deep, and sorrowful. "A woman with limited prospects, no matter her charms, finds herself compelled to engage the attentions of the very first suitor who can promise her security and status. It matters not whether her heart is engaged. It only matters that she successfully ensnares the man in question."
"Ensnare, sir?" She practically screamed at him. "I would think - I would hope to think, Mr. Darcy, that I have grown enough in your esteem to escape such lowly attributions."
Darcy closed his eyes briefly. "I merely state what I have observed time and again."
"How can you possibly think that I am after your cousin when everything I do and say has – " she trailed off of her own accord.
Darcy glanced away, unable to face her indignation. Despite not meeting her eye, he felt the warmth she radiated from her sheer force of will. It was a warmth that drew him like a moth to a flame.
He did not quite like the feeling of being so very helpless.
He cleared his throat once more, aiming with every fiber of his being to bring to a close this most difficult of conversations. "I ask you one question, Miss Elizabeth, and I hope I shall gain a truthful answer."
He felt rather than saw how she lifted her chin. "Yes?"
"Do you or do you not have any intention of engaging my cousin's feelings for the purpose of marriage?"
"No, I have none," she replied instantly. "And even if I did, you hold no command over me."
She spoke the truth, he knew. No one could hide one's genuine feelings when riding upon the crest of personal affront.
Kingdoms had fallen for less.
"Very well," said Darcy. "I thank you, madam, for your honesty."
Then he nodded curtly, bowed stiffly, and walked away.
The dim light from the smoldering fire basked the room in a dark orange hue. Darcy primed his drink in his hand before taking the occasional sip. He did not enjoy his walk this morning, even if it had been the one time he had stayed truest to the task his uncle had given him.
There was little pleasure to be had in arguing with a woman as remarkable as Elizabeth Bennet.
He frowned as he emptied his drink, contemplating if he ought to replenish it.
The door flew open before he could decide.
"Oh, Darce, are you ready to wish me happiness?" Richard nearly twirled into the room before collapsing on the couch across from his cousin. The radiant smile he sported had Darcy wondering, for a heart-stopping moment, if Richard had already proposed and been accepted.
"And why should I?" Darcy cocked his head to the side. The slight blur of his senses was not enough to entirely usurp his manners, nor his curiosity.
"I am to be married to the most wonderful woman in the world!" Richard declared.
Darcy fought hard to mask his sigh. "Are you engaged?"
"I most wholly intend to be in the following days. I have seen you speaking with Miss Elizabeth - and I must believe you approve as well."
Darcy's frown harshened. How difficult the entire blasted situation was!
"You believe she would accept?" He asked, taking a phantom sip out of his own empty glass.
"Is there reason for her not to?" Richard asked, rather innocently.
Darcy rolled the inside of his cheek between his teeth.
He let it go.
"I suppose there is not."
"Indeed." Richard grinned. "One must take measures to guarantee one's happiness, after all."
Darcy nodded somberly. Miss Elizabeth's clear and immediate denial of any intent towards her cousin still echoed in his mind. The firm way she had informed him immediately afterwards that he had no business controlling her stung much more.
"Are you certain of her acceptance?" Darcy posed carefully, willing himself to guard the confidences he had been able to glean in the past weeks.
"You doubt she would?" Richard glanced Darcy's way, his young body still mostly stretched upon the length of the couch.
"Women can be fickle," Darcy chose to generalize. "A kind word or a pleasant social countenance do not necessarily imply an interest in matrimony."
"Surely, you do not consider Miss Elizabeth a flirtatious harpy?"
Darcy paused momentarily, thinking and yet striving not to think of how exactly he considered Miss Elizabeth.
"I do not," he said.
"Then it is settled!" Richard sprung to his feet, clearly smitten. "I shall propose to Miss Elizabeth tomorrow and secure our mutual happiness as soon as can be arranged. I insist that you rejoice with me."
"Must I?"
"Has your conquests left you no capability for happiness?"
"I - I frankly do not know."
"You suspect women far too much, Darce. They are, after all, rather simple creatures."
Darcy could not help thinking that anyone who considered Miss Elizabeth a 'simple creature' most certainly did not deserve her hand.
"And you are certain she would bring you joy?" Darcy asked diplomatically.
"Must you doubt me at every turn?"
Darcy swallowed. "I certainly do not attempt to do so."
"And yet you do." Richard sighed loudly. "I swear, my man, that you are far too much of a pessimist. It is no wonder that you have managed to argue yourself out of any possibility of love altogether given your dubious history with the fairer sex."
"You think me tainted?"
"In your hopes for humanity, at least."
Darcy nodded, still frowning. He considered carefully before uttering his next words.
"Well, I suppose you could choose to attempt to prove me wrong."
Richard's frown transformed into a smirk. "That I shall."
A/N: I'm sorry that Richard is basically a plot device. I like the colonel in canon. I really do. I just needed him to serve the plot for this particular story. As for D&E, I guess we did sort of get a set down after all! I do tend to forget what I've drafted a year ago. Eeck. I hope you enjoyed this update!