She also decided to keep her eyes wide open and not allow her mind to wander to any mysterious land like Greece or the peak district of Derbyshire. If the thought of Greece could conger up visions of marble nudes sans fig leafs, no telling what she would find dotting the landscape of Derbyshire. At this silly reflection she shook her head and lowered her eyes to the keyboard enjoying a smile at her own expense. Moments later she sensed rather then saw Mr. Darcy approach. When she looked up and saw him standing so close and regarding her with one of his quizzical smiles her heart nearly stopped. "You mean to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by coming all this way to hear me? For if that was your aim you have succeeded most admirably. I have been trying not to fly to the Aegean Sea but my wings simply will not cooperate. They are flapping in the wind and now I fear that it is a hopeless situation."
Darcy's smile deepened at her playfulness, "so that's where you went last night. And what did you see while managing to make Beethoven sound suspiciously like Mozart and Bach."
Elizabeth felt her color rise. "Oh dear, how ungallant you are to refer to my impertinence of last night."
"On the contrary, Miss Bennet. I found great amusement in your... mistake."
"In that case, in answer to your question, I didn't visit the Parthenon or the Acropolis. I walked barefoot along the sea and allowed the wind to whip my hair into a frenzy." Elizabeth grinned at her whimsical description and arched a brow. "I fear I disappoint."
"That is not possible, Miss Bennet."
Well, she thought, Georgianna said her brother was sweet and funny when you got to know him and indeed he was, which made him twice as dangerous. And here she sat flirting with him which was tantamount to playing with fire. She inched closer to the flame. "You don't really know me, Mr. Darcy."
Whatever he might have responded she would never know for Mary approached to say that Mr. Collins was feeling poorly and wished to return to the parsonage. Her disappointment was keen but she attempted to mask it. She stood up immediately and bid him good night, "it's been a pleasure, Mr. Darcy."
"The pleasure was all mine, Miss Bennet."
They made it back to the parsonage just in time for Mr. Collins to alight and lose his most excellent dinner. The sounds of his retching and weeping made Elizabeth almost feel sorry for him. Almost. She left Mary to tend to her husband and ran into the house hardly able to contain her laughter. How the mighty had fallen. It was an uncharitable thought but if anyone needed to be knocked off his high horse it was her dear cousin, William Collins. She hurried to her room and undressed quickly anxious to crawl into her bed so she could think.
It had been an evening to remember starting when Mr. Darcy had approached her with a greeting and a compliment. She was so shocked that he had finally deigned to speak to her she hardily knew how to respond before he turned away to examine the window once more. When Anne and Georgianna joined her she was still bemused by the experience of having him stand so close to her, hearing the sound of his deep voice as he addressed her so gently. But worse was to come. When he once more approached her and offered his arm, time slowed down as he closed the space between them. When she took his arm she made the mistake of looking up into his eyes and realized that she was lost and the thought gave her little pleasure. There could be no future for them despite what Anne and Georgianna might think. By the time he had helped her to her chair her mind had gone blank and numb.
She didn't rouse from her distraction until she realized that Lady Catherine had addressed her and her loquacious cousin was answering for her. Then she heard Mr. Darcy speaking. Still she could not rouse herself to make sense of what was taking place. It wasn't until she heard the word 'prostitute' drop that her senses came alive with a jolt. She came to her feet and wasn't sure what she planned to do next, but fortunately, hearing a gasp from Georgianna kept her from committing mayhem on her cousin. Instead she reached a hand to Georgianna who she was sure had never heard such a word uttered at the dinner table. She remembered how she had made an oblique reference to the Meryton prostitute and how her father has responded with quick anger. What on earth could Mr. Collins be thinking to make such a statement at Lady Catherine's table, of all places? For Mary's sake, she remained silent though inside she was gloating. Her gloating lasted until Lady Catherine slyly acknowledged that she did know the difference between Beethoven and Mozart.
Then came their flirtatious exchange after dinner. Remembering how he had looked at her caused her thoughts to grow chaotic and she rose from her bed and stood staring out the window wondering what he was thinking. And if he was thinking of her? She wondered if it was possible to fall in love so quickly or was it just a sexual attraction. She had read enough books and read between the lines to acknowledge that there was such a thing though she had never seen it at work. Common sense told her that there had to have been something between her own parents which had produced five children, but she had never seen any passion beyond an occasional kiss on the cheek. The same held true for Charlotte's parents as well as the Longs and the Phillips. The Gardiners were in another class, however. Elizabeth had seen the looks they exchanged, the fond touches they allowed themselves even in company and they had four lovely children to show for it.
Being a romantic and very young, she had once asked Charlotte if it was possible that God had created one hundred perfect mates for everyone, then disbursed them all over the world. All you had to do was find that one person who would make you whole. Was it possible that she had found her soul mate across a narrow lane? It would be so much better than to have to travel to outer Mongolia to find a husband. After an exhausting night of listening to the wailing of Mr. Collins bemoaning his fall from grace and the soothing sounds of his wife trying to console him Elizabeth fell into a fitful sleep still thinking about Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Across the narrow lane the moment Elizabeth left the room Darcy mourned her loss. She was so damned bewitching she was beginning to get on his nerves. She was like no other woman he'd ever met and knew he was in danger of succumbing to her arts and allurements but was beginning to think that surrendering to her might be a very pleasant experience. More than pleasant. Closer to bliss. He didn't dare go further with his thoughts for he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do next.
When the ladies finally retired to their rooms Darcy and Richard headed for the library where they helped themselves to generous amounts of an excellent brandy. After several comfortable minutes relaxing in their very comfortable chairs Richard suggested that they should hire Mr. Collins for all the parties they attended in the future. "He is the most entertaining man of the cloth I've ever known. His pronouncements are so hilarious I'm afraid to take a bite of food or a sip of wine whenever he opens his mouth to speak for fear I'll choke to death.
"Amused, were you?"
"Indeed I was! Almost as amused by your disposal of him. You didn't see the way he puffed himself up when you addressed him. He's so dense I don't think he even heard what you were saying, only that it was Darcy of Pemberley who was saying it. And I know you won't believe this, Darce, but I swear that I saw a slight smirk on Lady Catherine's face as you toyed with him."
"What did you think of Lady Catherine's this evening?"
"Dare I say she seemed more thoughtful tonight? I haven't decided whether she's scariest when she speaks or when she doesn't."
"What did you think of her remark that she was an expert on stupidity?"
Richard shrugged, "just her usual inane remark. Why?"
"Richard, what would you say if I suggested that our esteemed aunt is not as stupid as she makes herself out to be."
"I'd say that was wishful thinking. She is as dense and stupid as we've known for years. If the opposite were true, that would make us...?"
"Dense and stupid?"
Richard frowned, "That's too embarrassing to contemplate! What would be the point of acting the fool?"
"Beyond a warped sense of humor, I have no idea. But while you were making yourself so agreeable to the ladies this evening, I was watching her and I saw something in her eyes I haven't seen in years."
"And that was?"
"I haven't quite decided. But it wasn't a silly old woman watching her guests. She seemed particularly interested in you and Anne. And I don't think she liked what she saw."
"Anne and me? I can't believe that. Anne and I are just friends."
"True. But Lady Catherine is foremost a mother. And Anne is beautiful, intelligent and very, very rich. Now that she's regained her health, she's become a very desirable woman. Any man with a modicum of sense could see that she would be a catch."
"But what has that got to do with me? Surely our aunt doesn't think I'm trying to steal Anne from you? How could I compete with the Master of Pemberley."
Darcy hid a sigh with a sip of brandy. Talk about dense and stupid. There were few people who knew what job Richard had in His Majesty's armed services. Darcy was one of them. Richard was an undercover agent...a spy. What the hell kind of a spy he was Darcy dared not imagine. If he couldn't see the way Anne looked at him or what Darcy was gently suggesting, there was a good chance that the English would be speaking French within the year.
"What on earth are you smiling at?"
You, cousin. Just you"
"Never mind me. If what you say about Lady Catherine is true, you might be in serious trouble, cousin. If she was as intrigued as I was watching Miss Elizabeth regarding you during your tete-a-tete at the pianoforte you'll be in for a lecture before nightfall tomorrow."
"And how did Miss Bennet look at me?"
Richard grinned broadly. "As I gazed at you both I was reminded of Adam and Eve."
Darcy rolled his eyes. "They were kicked out of paradise."
"Romeo and Juliet?"
"Two suicides."
"Eloise and Abelard?"
"For heavens sake, Richard. He was castrated for his pains."
"I give up. How about just, plain Darcy and Elizabeth?"
"There's nothing plain about Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Richard."
"And exactly what are you going to do about it?"
"I have no idea."
Richard's amusement grew as he regarded his cousin. He knew Darcy had never been in love and was having a hard time coping with his feelings. He'd been raised in a society expecting much from the heir to the vast estate of Pemberley and he had always been obedient to the wishes of his family. Now he was seven and twenty, lonely for a companionship that only a woman could offer and she was not what he had expected. She was more. She was pert and saucy and not at all impressed by his wealth and station in life and she was lovely. He saw wedding bells in his cousin's future and it was about time.
Yes, it had been quite an evening. The clown from the parsonage had been entertaining, Darcy had actually spoken to Miss Bennet, Lady Catherine had behaved herself, and Anne looked radiant. He had forgotten just how beautiful Anne had been in youth. Now that she had regained her health, the men would be after her. He hoped that she was smart enough to avoid the fortune hunters that would be swarming all over her once she returned to Town. He would make it a point to visit her every chance he got. Just to look after her.
Elizabeth still felt groggy when she finally made her way down to the breakfast room. Her prayers were answered when Mary informed her that Lady Catherine had not treated Mr. Collins too harshly. His penance was that Sunday's sermon would set forth all the reasons that the world was a better place because of women. Mary actually chuckled when she repeated Lady Catherine's admonitions. "She has directed that the title of Sunday's sermon be 'The Natural Superiority of Women.'"
Elizabeth smiled thinking how busy Mr. Collins would be for the next several days. "I'm relieved, Mary. I was afraid Lady Catherine would send him packing."
"Oh, no, Lizzie. She wouldn't do that. She knows I'm with child and she is quite solicitous. She wants me to use the sickroom at Rosings when my time is near."
Wonders never ceased.
Richard was half right when he predicted that Lady Catherine would have a few chosen words to impart on the morrow but it wasn't to Darcy. She planned to speak to Anne and had her summoned as soon as she disposed of Mr. Collins.
She had just spent an exhausting hour with Mr. Collins putting up with his sniveling apologies and was hard pressed not to lose her temper with this poor excuse of a man. She must have been crazy to hire him...or drunk. She'd been imbibing a bit too freely in the past few years and that had to be her only excuse for hiring such a dunce. His ignoble stupidity had lost it's appeal and she wanted nothing more than to rid herself of him but she couldn't. She had his poor misguided wife to think of now. She had demanded that he seek a wife and he had, much to her surprise. Now the poor girl was with child. The repercussions on Mary would be too severe to contemplate. She was stuck with Mr. Collins.
Now she had to worry about Anne. If her eyes didn't deceive, her beloved daughter was heading for heartbreak and she wasn't sure she could bear it if Anne was hurt. Her illness had robbed her of so many good years. Now if she had given her heart to Richard her future would be bleak. It was all too much.
When Anne entered the room Lady Catherine wasted no time. "What exactly is going on between you and Richard?" she demanded.
Her mother's bluntness surprised her though she was not surprised at the question. Since Richard's arrival she had felt Lady Catherine's eyes on her, examining, quizzical and thoughtful at various times. Anne supposed her love of Richard showed on her face. Darcy and Georgianna were aware of it for she didn't bother to hide it from them and now her mother had seen it too. The only one not in on her secret was Richard himself, poor lamb.
"Nothing, unfortunately."
"And when did this 'nothing' begin?"
"I cannot fix on the hour or the spot, or the look or the words which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew I had begun. But begin, I did. And it's no passing fancy if that's what you're thinking. "
"Oh Anne," Lady Catherine sighed, "you're looking for heartbreak. Richard is a soldier and a playboy. He isn't looking to connect himself to one woman. He doesn't want to worry about a wife and children. How many times have you heard him say that?"
"He doesn't have to stay in the army."
"And you can also forget about him and marry Darcy."
Anne shook her head violently, "no, I can't. I adore Darcy, but I don't want him as a husband any more than he wants me as his wife. Mother, I'm a wealthy woman and you can't send me off to Norfolk to be a governess for someone else's children and you can't force me to marry a man not of my own choice. I am going to Town and open the townhouse and I want you to come with me."
Lady Catherine stared at her daughter in shock. "To what purpose?"
"For the last ten years we've been patient and nurse. It's time we become what we were before my illness. I want to be mother and daughter again. I want us to go to town and go on a spending spree. Paint, paper, drapes and furniture. I want the house brand new. And when we're done, I want us to entertain lavishly. I want the world to know that the De Bourghs are back in town. We've been prisoners here at Rosings for too long and it's time to put an end to it."
Lady Catherine offered a wry smile, "and is this how you plan to capture Richard's heart?"
"I already have his heart, mother. He just doesn't know it yet."
Charles Bingley entered his townhouse in a much lighter mood than he'd been in when he'd left London the week before. He'd lingered in Hertfordshire on the pretense of studying the Netherfield house and grounds but in reality he was really studying Miss Jane Bennet. He found her a delightful creature and was sure he was in love again but remembering the many admonitions of his best friend Darcy, he was going to take it slowly this time. There would be no rushing to make his intentions towards her obvious. Attending so many balls and dinners with Darcy he'd had numerous occasions to observe the machinations of mothers on the prowl for it was universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife whether he wanted one or not.. Mrs. Frances Bennet had taken this truism to heart and had chosen him as her future son-in-law and had no qualms about showing it. Of the two assemblies and four dinners he'd enjoyed during the past week there was never an occasion when Mrs. Bennet hadn't sung Jane's praises while denigrating the charms of any other young ladies in attendance. If Charles Bingley hadn't been so kindhearted he would have laughed openly at Mrs. Bennet's obvious ploys. He smiled thinking of how Darcy would react to such a mother though there was little chance that the Master of Pemberley would ever connect himself to the Bennets of Longbourn.
He was still smiling when he entered his drawing room and saw his sister Caroline standing in almost the same spot he'd last seen her. This time, however, her face was not contorted with anger but a smile of welcome. "Charles, what a lovely surprise. I've missed you."
He studied her warily. As usual, Caroline had ignored his directive not to be here when he returned. "Have you? I thought I was your least favorite brother."
Caroline laughed, "you're my only brother and I love you dearly. I want to apologize for my words last week. I don't know what got into me. Will you forgive me?"
Bingley wasn't fooled for a minute but was determined to hold onto his good mood. He also thought it was an opportune moment to break the news of what he had done. He watched her carefully as he imparted his news. She did not disappoint. Her face drained of color as she stared into the eyes of her brother. Then she turned from him but said nothing. He continued to regard her in silence until he saw her shrug and turn back to him. "If you have only leased the estate then no real harm has been done. In fact, it might be a very clever move on your part, Charles. It will prepare you to be a gentleman farmer with little risk. Indeed, the more I think of it, the more I'm pleased. Mr. Darcy has often said that he would be pleased to teach you how to run an estate and now you can hold him to his promise. I, of course, will be delighted to be your hostess."
Bingley nodded in agreement and poured them both a glass of wine. He had to admire his sister for her quickness of mind. From shock and anger her brain had moved from dismay to the reality of living in the same house with Fitzwilliam Darcy for several weeks. There she would be able to show him what a remarkable woman she was. She would show him her prowess as mistress of an estate and dine with him at least twice a day. It was an opportunity heaven sent and Caroline couldn't contain her rising spirits. Bingley regarded his sister in growing amusement tinged with sadness. Darcy would never succumb to her charms but she still clung to her dream of winning him. Poor Darcy. Poor Caroline.