Chapter Four
When she entered the grand hallway, a footman frowned at her attire.
"May I inquire upon your name?" the man asked.
"Yes, of course," Eden nodded quickly. "Eden Bennet. I'm inquiring upon my sister, Jane." The footman nodded, gesturing for her to follow him.
They reached a large door, and the footman pushed it open.
"Miss Eden Bennet," the footman announced. Eden stepped forward; face flushed from her long walk. Her skirts were covered in mud. Her hair had come loose from her updo, falling around her shoulders.
Everyone stared at her, and Mr. Darcy practically jumped to his feet. Caroline looked her up and down, a small frown on her lips.
"Good Lord, Miss Bennet. Have you walked here?" "
I have," Eden nodded. "I am so sorry. How is my sister?"
"She is upstairs," Mr. Darcy said. He looked to the footman. "Show Miss Bennet the way, Alfred." Eden gave him a grateful smile before following the footman.
Following the footman up the stairs, Eden dropped into a small curtsy when she saw Mr. Bingley.
"Miss Eden!" Mr. Bingley exclaimed. "Oh, I am so glad to see you."
"How is she?" Eden asked.
"She has a violent cold, but we shall get the better of it. I will have a bed made up for you. You must be our guest here until Jane recovers."
"Thank you," said Eden. "You are very kind." Mr. Bingley nodded and stepped aside to allow Eden the rest of the way to Jane.
She walked into the bedroom where Jane lay in bed. The room was dark aside from some candles. The blinds were drawn, making the room gloomy.
"Jane!" Eden sighed in relief.
"Eden," Jane said, face lighting up. Eden leaned down, kissing Jane's forehead.
"How are they treating you?" Eden asked.
"Oh, they're being so kind to me, I feel such a terrible imposition."
"Don't worry," Eden smiled. "I don't know who is more pleased at your being here, Mama or Mr. Bingley."
As if she had ringed a bell, Mr. Bingley appeared in the doorway. Eden looked up at him.
"Thank you, for tending to my sister so diligently, It seems she is in better comfort here than she would be at home."
"It is a pleasure—I mean—not a pleasure that she's ill, of course, but a pleasure that she's here—being ill." Eden bit back a laugh, smiling at him.
That evening found Eden sitting in a grand drawing room, eyes glued onto a book as she tried to ignore the tension in the room. Mr. Darcy sat across the room, writing a letter. Mr. Bingley was nearby, shuffling a deck of cards without a partner. And pacing the room was Caroline who wandered the room looking for a distraction. Her distraction ended up being talking, which Eden detested.
"You write uncommonly fast, Mr. Darcy."
"You are mistaken," he said. "I write rather slowly."
She lingered over his shoulder.
"How many letters you must have occasion to write, Mr. Darcy. Letters of business too. How odious I should think them!"
"It is fortunate, then, that they fall to my lot instead of yours."
"Please, tell your sister that I long to see her," Caroline asked.
"I have already told her once, by your desire."
The grip Eden had on her book increased. She hated small talk.
"I do dote on her," Caroline said. "I was quite in raptures at her beautiful little design for a table."
"Perhaps you will give me leave to defer your raptures till I write again," Mr. Darcy said. "At present, I have not enough room to do them justice."
Her brother had begun pacing the room while the two had been talking and paused, turning to face them.
"It's amazing, how young ladies have the patience to be so accomplished."
"What do you mean, Charles?" Caroline asked.
"They all paint tables, and embroider cushions, and play the piano. I never heard of a young lady, but people say she is accomplished."
"The word is indeed applied too liberally," Mr. Darcy said. "I cannot boast of knowing more than half a dozen women, in all my acquaintance, that are truly accomplished."
"Nor I, to be sure!" Caroline agreed.
Looking up from her book, Eden titled her head at them.
"You must all comprehend a great deal in the idea," she remarked.
"I do," Mr. Darcy said.
"Absolutely," said Caroline. "She must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word. And something in her air and manner of walking."
"And of course, she must improve her mind by extensive reading," Mr. Darcy added.
Ever so slowly, Eden closed her book.
"Well, I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any."
"Are you so severe on your own sex?" Mr. Darcy questioned.
"I never saw such a woman," she said quietly. "She would certainly be a fearsome thing to behold."
"You would not consider yourself an accomplished woman, Miss Bennet?" Mr. Bingley asked.
"I am accomplished in my own right, Mr. Bingley," she answered. "Every woman is accomplished in her own right. For what we lack in one skill, we make up for in another. I daresay my drawing and modern languages are dismal, but I make up for it in music, reading… and dancing."
At her mention of dancing, Mr. Darcy's entire body tensed, and he met her eyes for a spilt second before going back to his writing. Caroline looked to Eden.
"Miss Bennet, let us take a turn about the room." Eden stood, surprised when Caroline linked their arms together. "It is refreshing, is it not?" Caroline asked. "After sitting so long in one attitude."
"And it's a small kind of accomplishment, I suppose."
After their second turn about the room, Caroline looked to Mr. Darcy.
"Mr. Darcy, will you join us?" Mr. Darcy shook his head.
"You can only have two motives, Caroline, and I would interfere with either."
"What can he mean?" Caroline asked Eden. Eden didn't reply, looking away slightly. Caroline looked eagerly at Mr. Darcy, and he sighed.
"Either you are in each other's confidence and have secret affairs to discuss, or you are conscious that your figures appear to the greatest advantage by walking. If the first, I should get in your way. If the second, I can admire you much better from here."
"Oh, shocking!" Caroline gasped. "How shall we punish him for such a speech."
"Wound his pride, tease him," Eden suggested quietly. She was almost ashamed of herself.
Almost.
Caroline was quick to shake her head.
"Oh no, Mr. Darcy is not to be teased." Eden looked to the man in question, and he met her eyes.
"Are you proud, Mr. Darcy?" she asked. "And would you consider pride a fault or a virtue?"
"That I could not say."
"We are doing our best to find a fault in you."
"Maybe, it's that I find it hard to forgive the follies and vices of others, or their offences against myself. My good opinion, once lost, is lost forever."
"I shan't tease you for that. I am sure losing your good opinion is a shame indeed. Especially if one was never given the chance to be in your good opinion in the first place. Now, I believe it is time I retire."
As Eden left the room, she was oblivious to the eyes at the followed her. She made her way back to Jane's room where a cot had been made up for her. She changed behind a curtain into a simple night dress before climbing into her cot. She wrapped her arms around her legs, laying her head on her knees. She stared out into the darkness of the night.
That man, Mr. Darcy, did something to her. He made her feel. As disgusting as that sounded. She had thought to continue wounding his pride yet knew it would only have dire consequences for herself. She may have never been in his good graces, but she would not make it worse.
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