As always thanks for all your reviews and for following this. All comments and criticisms are welcome :)
"Miss Darcy, are you all right?" Elizabeth asked quietly. The young girl had lapsed into silence and stared into the opposite corner of the room. Georgiana nodded briefly, before truly turning her attention back to them. Elizabeth had been pulled into a conversation with Mrs Annesley, and had been hoping that Georgiana had been attending - she had been to begin with. Jane had been able to come down, and Elizabeth might have worried more for her care had it not been for the fact that Mr Bingley was so attentive of the same. Mr Darcy, in a true change of heart, seemed to be finding himself most peace by not paying any mind to the conversations around him - or so it seemed. Elizabeth would have felt bad - were it not for the fact that it relieved her own worries so much.
Miss Bingley was of course undeterred, even now she was doing her best to gain Mr Darcy's attention, seemingly oblivious to his evident desire for solitude.
"Why yes, of course," Georgiana was clearly forcing the smile that graced her face. "I was simply thinking."
Darcy couldn't help his head swinging up as he heard his sister speak. How short a time ago had it been that she had finally approached him? And he had pushed her away once more. At least Miss Elizabeth was there to keep his shy sister company. Indeed Mr Bingley and Miss Bennet seemed equally apt to help in that – a noble thing perhaps, Mr Bingley had been acting more and more lost the less he seemed to feel he could do for Miss Bennet. Now that she was here, Darcy could hardly believe that Bingley was happy to share the attention of Miss Bennet. In fact, Darcy could almost see that she returned the same. There was a similar eagerness that he could discern, hidden as she turned to him and the slightest of blush, too subtle to have been deliberately placed. Perhaps he had been misjudging the Bennets even more than he had already believed. Certainly that was what Miss Elizabeth thought.
"Miss Eliza Bennet, let me persuade you to follow my example, and take a turn about the room. I assure you it is very refreshing after sitting so long in one attitude." Elizabeth glanced between both Georgiana and Miss Bingley before she rose evidently feeling the poor manners in both responses she might have. Still, Darcy was not greatly surprised when she acquiesced to Miss Bingley, leaving his sister sitting alone. Miss Bingley was incredibly good at getting her own way – it took a continual effort of Darcy's part to keep her at bay.
No sooner did they begin to process though, than he absentmindedly placed the book he had been attempting to read down beside him. His observation didn't last long before Georgiana caught his eye and evidently, she could hardly contain her own amusement. Darcy couldn't help but wish he could explain to her all the reason why she could have attracted his attention other than that which she had immediately leapt to. But she wouldn't have believed him, even if that had been a possibility. Perhaps she knew him too well.
Perhaps she was too hopeful, she thought that things could be left behind and forgotten, when it seemed to all the world that they could not. He was distantly aware of the fact that Miss Bingley had turned in his direction as though to speak – and that would only drag Miss Elizabeth into the conversation further. He rose to his feet swiftly and begged pardon for his sudden absence. He would stay away from Miss Elizabeth, nothing else seemed conceivable.
With Jane's agreement, Elizabeth was more than happy to write to her mother the following morning, begging for the use of the carriage. Elizabeth had found herself with almost mixed feelings about their removal - she had grown accustomed to the company of Georgiana, and a cruel part of her couldn't help but wish that her younger sisters might have shared in some of those amiable qualities. Mrs Bennet certainly didn't seem inclined for them to be leaving Netherfield at any point in the near future - no doubt hoping that Jane would return home with a man courting her, if not actually engaged. Elizabeth couldn't help but feel the unpardonable way in which they would be imposing - and more, although she liked to believe it hardly affected her, dislike of the elder Darcy was colouring her entire view of the place, and not even Georgiana, Jane and Mr Bingley's sweetness together could dissuade her from that deep desire to leave.
The request was quickly made to their hosts, and a resolution was made that they might be sent home the following day - after all, Miss Bingley was already suspicious of the attention Mr Darcy showed to a certain pair of fine eyes even if Mr Bingley would more than happily house them until the Bennets could spare the carriage. He was most anxious for the health of Miss Bennet, but she could be firm when her conviction was stirred and so their earlier departure was set.
The time could not pass quickly enough for Elizabeth at least. Every time she entered a room she found herself hesitating that she might encounter the wrong member of the pair of Darcys and Mrs Annesley's improved health had Georgiana conversing in French fluently for good portions of time, an occupation that Elizabeth would have been hesitant to join, even had her grasp of the language been greater than it truly was. For all that Georgiana said that she preferred most occupations over lessons, Elizabeth couldn't help but observe that she seemed to perform very well in them – perhaps that was the effect of having no siblings near enough in age that she could have easily learnt to distract herself. After all, from the way that Miss Darcy spoke about her brother, she seemed to have had far less of the laughter and foolishness that Elizabeth took for granted with her own sisters.
Mr Darcy too viewed the departure with mixed feelings, he couldn't help but reflect on how his sister would miss their guests - nor could he fail to notice the laughter that Miss Elizabeth might take away from their gathering - and yet he couldn't help a great sense of relief that came with the same. That he might not have that sense of uneasiness that came with every thought of her - for his anger had predominantly dissipated, or so he thought, but there was still a deal of bitterness and anger which he scarcely knew to be directed at himself or her.
Beneath it all though, he couldn't help that trace of hope that she wouldn't forsake his sister, and that her words had not been meant so cruelly as they had sounded to his ears.
Still he couldn't remain entirely unaffected as he entered a room to realise that they were to be the only occupants - a situation worse as he couldn't hope to turn around to leave, as that would only make him as terrible as she had seemed to believe.
Elizabeth had informed Mr Darcy that his sister was occupied at present - which she had thought to be an excuse enough to have him leave and stay away, but he hadn't taken the hint, stubborn man that he was. Instead she had to resign herself to half an hour of absolute silence - that was all she could take before she rose to leave, hoping that perhaps Jane was now well enough that she might spend some more time with her.
She had barely risen to her feet before she was called to attention once more.
"Miss Elizabeth," Mr Darcy had an odd expression upon his face as he spoke, almost like nervousness, but that seemed too out of place upon the man's proud features. "I must apologise if I have made your stay here uncomfortable, it was unintentionally done."
For a moment Elizabeth believed that he would continue, but it was not to be. Nonetheless, it was with a great deal of confusion that she fled the room.
Their parting the following day was more than satisfactory for almost all and Elizabeth couldn't help but see how Miss Bingley became rapidly more friendly as the time of their departure loomed. Miss Darcy on the other hand seemed almost as upset by the occurrence as Mr Bingley - the latter was of course trying to hide his discontent with a strong layer of good cheer. Mr Darcy and Mr Hurst merely looked on impassively, hardly stirring to say anything at all - although that was little surprise, neither of them ever seemed to push themselves to conversation if they had a choice.
Their arrival home was less warm, perhaps, but more genuine from what Elizabeth could tell. Mrs Bennet would wonder that they would be so presumptuous to make use of their hosts' carriage and Mr Bennet couldn't restrain himself from uttering some witticisms to hide his pleasure at having his two sensible daughters home at last. For Lydia and Kitty their arrival sparked another opportunity to relate all the most important news of the militia and Mary, hearing the former barely, even raised her head from the tome she was perusing.
Elizabeth was more than pleased to be finally home, she had risen early in her own room surrounded by all of her normal trappings and belongings and couldn't help the great sense of relief that flooded her to know that today she wouldn't be subjected to Miss Bingley's cold civility or Mr Darcy's stern stares, and more she was safe from being confounded by any of them at all.
Her good cheer could hardly be shaken by the announcement of their guest - or at least she chose not to let it - and as she made her way outside, against all of the protests of her mother, the topic could hardly hold her thoughts. She was curious to see what manner of a man her cousin could be of course, but she was gladdened to be away from the house where all but Lydia were focussing on the unknown man. (Lydia was relating, very loudly, all that she knew of the officers and for once not even Kitty had been attending her.)
Much as Lizzy had resolved to keep her thoughts clear of anything unsavoury she couldn't help if her thoughts would drift - she wondered how Miss Darcy was getting along without an obvious friend to deter Miss Bingley (a foolish thought considering the presence of Mrs Annesley who was more than adequately capable to rise to such opposition). More strangely than that was the way she kept thinking of Mr Darcy, a subject which would normally have soured her mood most effectively, and such indeed would have been Elizabeth's thoughts on this occasion were she not too confounded by his own behaviour. She could find no explanation for his apology the previous day, and in no way did it fit with the man she knew him to be.
She was grateful for the interruption to her solitude provided when she caught sight of her dear friend Charlotte upon returning home. She had missed the other woman during her stay and the constant temperaments of her friend and Jane unwittingly did much over the course of the day to steady her reeling mind so that she could even go so far as to meet Mr Collins' arrival with some degree of equanimity.