Update ch 16
Lady Catherine was thoroughly pleased to have her favorite nephew dressed to perfection and sitting between herself and Anne. She could think to herself how fine a couple they presented. She knew not to say anything within Mr. Darcy's hearing, so she contented herself with hearing Mr. Collins' appreciation of each dish while thinking of a future where she would be alone at Rosings. Anne of course would be at Pemberley, probably with Mrs. Jenkinson also. She was too proud of what would be her greatest achievement to realize how lonely she would be.
She was also too happily lost in these reflections to realize that Mr. Darcy was staring at Elizabeth for almost the entire meal, only looking away when he realized she might notice. Mrs. Collins noticed and felt indescribably happy that her friend might accept such a decent, intelligent, rich, handsome gentleman. She could go on and on about his merits, but she was too busy ensuring her husband and benefactress not notice anything amiss.
The colonel also noticed the staring, but only interjected when he could to keep the conversation with Mr. Collins flowing. This only turned out to be necessary twice throughout the three courses.
Elizabeth was almost completely ignorant of his staring and the conversation around her. Lost in felicity for Jane, she ate each course quickly and quietly, thinking of how happy Jane must be to be with Mr. Bingley again. Perhaps they were on a trip to the Little Theater together. Mr. Gardiner always procured tickets, or maybe the Bingleys had a reserved box. Bingley and Jane would stare at each other instead of the play and the Gardiners would cough slightly to remind the couple of propriety, which the couple would completely ignore.
Laughing, Elizabeth looked toward Mr. Darcy, hoping to thank him silently for the joy he had given her, but he turned away with his disapproving mien each time. Insufferable man! She had already thanked him, so she must accept that to be enough. She would not allow his negativity to affect her. Instead, she turned toward her cousin and pretended to listen while imagining Bingley and Jane's next foray to see the sights of London. The menagerie, Covent Gardens, Hyde Park, the shopping district, and many others flitted through her mind.
When the dinner ended, Elizabeth almost leapt up to walk with Lady Catherine, eager to play the pianoforte and continue being lost in her thoughts. When they reached the drawing room, her demeanor deflated quickly as she noticed the card tables were out. Lady Catherine insisted that she and Mrs. Collins play whist opposite Mrs. Jenkinson and herself so that Anne could rest with Maria before the gentlemen returned. Resigned to listening to the great lady speak plainly of many things she knew nothing about, she took her seat and helped distribute the cards so they could begin.
"Ah, spades, a good trump to be sure!" Lady Catherine began. "Anne prefers hearts to be trump, but I find spades much more to my liking."
Elizabeth refrained from rolling her eyes. Playing her first card, she watched the others play and rejoiced silently when Mrs. Collins won the trick.
The game continued while Lady Catherine spoke of how well Mr. Darcy and Anne had looked at dinner and how much attention the two would garner when they had their first London season together. Mrs. Jenkinson agreed while Charlotte attempted to abstain from making any comment. Elizabeth readily agreed that Mr. Darcy and Anne would look very well together. To herself, she added that with such a wife, he could quietly remain at home and not attend any balls he did not wish to attend.
She then regretted such negative thoughts. She really could not imagine the two together and remembered that the match had been entirely made up in Lady Catherine's mind. Her disingenuous agreement allowed the game to continue, though Mrs. Collins appeared very confused and lost the next three rounds by playing low when she could have won the tricks.
When the gentlemen arrived half an hour later, the tables were reorganized. When everyone was settled, Elizabeth teamed with the colonel against Mrs. Collins and Mrs. Jenkinson. They spoke quietly of inconsequential matters as they played. Every time Lady Catherine would mention loudly enough for all to hear how well Anne might play if she were up to it, Mr. Collins readily agreed, and the colonel hid his laugh behind a few coughs. Elizabeth was better at laughing silently at the colonel's antics.
Mr. Darcy barely heard anything as he strained to hear Elizabeth's laugh. Her back was turned towards him, so he could only watch the curls around her face dance with each silent laugh. Destined to boredom, he wished the evening would end quickly as he imagined walking alone with Elizabeth in the morning.
Anne's coughing fit put an end to the evening. Each group had played three rounds and were glad to end early. The group silently climbed the stairs and split when they reached the top. Lady Catherine's presence meant that Mr. Darcy could make no communication with Elizabeth or even kiss her hand. Instead, he simply looked bored as wishes for a good night's rest were shared. Mrs. Collins took Elizabeth's arm and turned them away with Maria on her other arm. The colonel bumped into Mr. Darcy before anyone could notice he was staring down the hall where the ladies had disappeared. Shaking his head, he turned and moved to his own chamber.
Excitement for the following day would not allow his mind to settle, so instead, he paced his room until he knew everyone would be asleep and moved to the library quietly. Finding the lamps still lit, he entered to find Elizabeth and the colonel laughing as they sat in separate chairs by the fire. He knocked to announce his entrance and attempted to hide his eagerness to join them.
Elizabeth shot up from her seat, knowing she should not be alone with a gentleman so late in the evening. She relaxed slightly when she saw it was only Mr. Darcy. He would not speak of this meeting. "Your cousin has been telling me of his favorite of Shakespeare's plays. As I had predicted, he firmly prefers the comedies and his favorite is Much Ado About Nothing, but of course you know that." She paused and fidgeted with her dress as she realized he would already know his cousin well. Why was she speaking such nonsense?
Mr. Darcy claimed the seat beside his cousin. "Yes, Much Ado About Nothing is a pleasing show when you wish to laugh. However, I prefer more thoughtful productions like Twelfth Night."
Elizabeth reclaimed her seat opposite the men. "So, you prefer comedy as well. I am not sure I would have thought that of you. Your serious mien makes me think you would prefer a more dramatic play like MacBeth, Othello, or Hamlet."
Mr. Darcy observed her for a moment, wondering if she were entirely serious. "It is not my preference when everyone dies at the end."
Elizabeth sat up straight, bristling at his manner. "I suppose their lies and conceits do not sit well with you either."
With a nod, Mr. Darcy agreed with her, so she continued.
"The deceit would make you not prefer Much Ado About Nothing as well. However, there is deceit in Twelfth Night as well."
Mr. Darcy sat up, "Yes, and I cannot approve of it, but there was not much choice in the matter. She was at the mercy of a bunch of men, and to appear as a man was her safest choice."
Elizabeth smiled, "If only women could be safe just as themselves. However, it would have made the play less interesting."
They discussed the merits and plot of Twelfth Night for so long they did not even notice the colonel leave. When the clock chimed midnight, Elizabeth startled. "I ought to return to my room. I only came to pick a new book."
Mr. Darcy rose with her, but he could not wish for her to leave. In a bid for time, he asked how she liked her last book.
"I had read it before, so it was not surprised to find that I enjoyed it very much." Feeling a little nervous about being alone with him, she moved to the pile of books that he had picked for her before. Other than a book that Maria had borrowed, the pile remained the same.
"Which shall you choose now?" Mr. Darcy asked as he poured two glasses of port and moved to her side.
"I believe I am in need of more of a comedy this time." Elizabeth said as she moved through the pile and selected A Comedy of Errors from the short selection of Shakespeare in the pile. When she turned to observe his reaction, she was surprised to see him offer her a drink. They had remained unnoticed for this long, perhaps a few more minutes would not harm her reputation. She took the drink and resumed her seat. "Not a single tragedy in your pile, I see now. I should have taken that hint to realize you would prefer a comedy."
His only thought was that he would love to read the book to her and listen to her laugh at all the right points. That would make his ideal evening, nestled together at Pemberley.
Elizabeth frowned at his lack of response, so she took a sip to give him time. She coughed, as the port was stronger than she was used to.
"You do not drink port often," he stated, finally being brought to the present.
"My father has offered me his on occasion, but no, port is generally not given to ladies. It is a little strong but incredibly tasty."
Mr. Darcy smiled. "Perhaps one of these evenings I shall offer you a brandy. If you can get past the strength, the taste is incredibly…" He paused as he realized he did not know how to explain.
"The blend of fruit and oak is interesting." She offered.
Mr. Darcy could only agree as he wondered if she had already tried some with her father as well. He wanted to be the one that taught her about his world. He wanted to share everything with her. Not wishing her to guess his thoughts, he took a quick drink, but he misjudged the movement, and took a larger gulp than he had intended, causing him to cough for a full minute.
When he recovered, he found Elizabeth's lips pursed together to stop her from laughing at him, but her eyes were nearly watering from holding back her laugh. "Perhaps you should stick with port until your constitution is stronger, Mr. Darcy." She took another sip in an attempt to remain calm.
Not trusting himself to take another sip, he set his drink down and asked after her new book. Finding out that she had read it with her sister Jane brought a more natural conversation. He described how he enjoyed reading it to his sister in his youth.
The clock had to remind them of the passage of time, and this time, Mr. Darcy allowed her to leave, hinting that he hoped to meet her on her walk in the morning. Elizabeth knew not how to answer and simply restated that she enjoyed the path along the grove. "It is not too far, and the grove is very pretty with daffodils and bluebells dotting the path."
Mr. Darcy reached for her hand, but she had already turned away. He felt more awkward than ever as he watched her leave. At the door, she paused to wish him a pleasant night.
The following morning, Elizabeth was woken rudely by Maria. "How have you not risen already Eliza? Mr. Collins is in such a good mood. He cannot stop speaking of how wonderful it is to rise on the Lord's Day in a guest chamber of Lady Catherine's choosing. I can hear him through the door even now."
Elizabeth listened closely, and sure enough, she could hear her cousin's voice in the hall. She could hear a faint mumbling sound get slowly louder and then fade away. He must be pacing back and forth in his eagerness to get to the church.
Shaking off the last vestiges of sleep, Elizabeth moved to the window and looked out at the cheery morning. "It is a glorious morning. I hope the sermon is quick so that I might go for a walk after."
"Little chance of that." Maria harrumphed as she collapsed on a sofa in the sitting room attached to Elizabeth's bedchamber. "Mr. Collins must praise all he has seen at Rosings this morning, for such condescension as this cannot go unmentioned, even though it was simply the right thing to do."
Elizabeth caught Maria rolling her eyes and laughed silently at how much her impertinence was wearing off on the impressionable girl. "Will you help me dress, Maria?" she called as she moved to her dressing room.
"Why is your maid not here?" Maria asked as she came in to help.
"On Sunday, our maids ought to be allowed to sleep longer. I told my maid she would not be needed. It is the right thing to do. Sunday is meant to be a day of rest and reflection." And she thoroughly hoped to have a long walk after services to reflect on current circumstances.
"I know that, but Lady Catherine does not seem to adhere to such strictures. My maid was up quite early to help me dress, and I know there are quite a few other maids working through the rooms. Miss de Bourgh must be kept warm, so the fires would have been lit early, as they are every morning." While she spoke, Maria buttoned up Elizabeth's dress.
"We should not add to their duties on Sunday, even if it is standard for them." Elizabeth huffed in annoyance that Lady Catherine would not give her servants more time to themselves. Her maid had been ever so grateful for the chance to remain in bed longer.
A knock at the door followed by Charlotte's entrance changed the conversation. "You look lovely, Elizabeth. Shall I fix your hair? We ought to leave soon so that we can walk to church. My husband has just left so that he might arrive first so that he might prepare to welcome everyone."
Elizabeth listened in the hall and was pleased to hear nothing. She readily agreed to Charlotte's offer and sat quietly while Charlotte tugged and teased her hair into a suitable coiffure.
"There! Your complexion is greatly enhanced by the color of your gown, and the gentlemen ought to enjoy gazing at you with your hair so pleasantly arranged."
Elizabeth thanked Charlotte for the simple style that suited her quite well. "Shall we begin our walk?" she asked. She was determined not to think of the gentlemen.
Maria stood abruptly. "Miss de Bourgh offered to let me ride in the carriage with her. She cannot endure such a long walk, so the carriage must be in use. It is no trouble that I ride with her, for there is always plenty of room."
Elizabeth realized Maria was rambling because she was nervous. "Then you can pass the time with Miss de Bourgh. She enjoys lively conversation in the morning and would like to get to know you. Shall I take you to her room?"
Maria froze in a peak of nerves at the thought, causing Elizabeth to laugh. "She is a woman. Even with the title, she is no better than you or I. Give her a chance, and I think you will like her quite well. She could use more friends."
Maria nodded. If Elizabeth thought she would do well, then she would trust her. Elizabeth led the way to Miss de Bourgh's room and encouraged a few topics of conversation before leaving her friends to get to know each other.
Charlotte and Elizabeth found the colonel and Mr. Darcy in the foyer waiting for them, looking impeccably dressed. Once greetings were exchanged, they began their walk to the church.
The colonel immediately claimed Charlotte's arm and led her quickly down the path, hoping Mr. Darcy would have the sense to walk slowly with his beloved. "What do you think of the couple behind us. Shall we see them married before long?" The colonel began their conversation.
Charlotte blushed and nodded, very unsure about sharing her personal thoughts with someone she had only known a couple of weeks. As the colonel described his plans, Charlotte relaxed and offered a few suggestions of her own. So long as they were in agreement that the couple would do well together, she decided she could assist them to coming to an understanding. Elizabeth would need quite the push to get her to accept Mr. Darcy, and it would be a splendid match.
Behind them, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy walked in almost complete silence. Mr. Darcy could not stop thinking of how lovely Elizabeth looked, and Elizabeth paid more attention to the scenery than to the silent man beside her. She was comfortable walking with him, and she decided she did not need to fill their time with conversation, which suited him quite well as he dreamed of future walks with her as his wife.
At the church, the colonel and Mrs. Collins paused to allow them to catch up. Elizabeth's smile was unaffected, which Charlotte hoped was a result of her growing attachment to Mr. Darcy. She smiled suggestively, but the look was lost on Elizabeth who was distracted by the arrival of Lady Catherine's carriage.
As Elizabeth had suspected and Maria predicted, Mr. Collins would not stop talking. An hour was insufficient for Mr. Collins to explain how humble he was to be living with the condescension of Lady Catherine and the grandeur of Rosings. He also spoke of the importance of giving. Elizabeth wondered if he was hoping tithes would increase with such a speech to put towards building a new parsonage. She hoped this was not the case.
Elizabeth sat between Charlotte and Mr. Darcy. When the service ended, she waited for both her companions to engage in conversation before she quietly slipped away unnoticed, or so she thought. She was halfway to Rosings before she realized she had no desire to return so quickly and turned towards her favorite grove. Once she was happily ensconced at the base of a handsome oak tree, she allowed her mind to wander.
An hour later, she was interrupted by a horse fast approaching. Standing quickly and smoothing out her dress, she turned in time to see Mr. Darcy leap down from his horse directly in front of her. He was breathing quickly, and he seemed to be quite panicked. "When you were not at Rosings, I feared you had come to harm on your walk."
Elizabeth bristled that he would leap to conclusions as easily as he leapt off his horse. "I am used to solitude on Sundays. I often walk apart from my family so that I may reflect on my own."
"This is not Longbourn. You should tell someone when you will not return quickly. As it was you left without a word." He was still breathing heavily, but he was clearly trying to master his emotions. "I was ready to form a search party if you were not here. I remember you prefer this grove." He looked around to ensure they were where he thought he was. He could not describe his elation when had seen her unharmed under the tree. Such thoughts were best left for private moments. "Shall we return to the house?"
Elizabeth thought about refusing his hand and walking a different direction, but she remembered to be kind to the nephew of her hostess and accepted his arm. They walked back in silence again. Mr. Darcy attempted conversation a few times, but he was cruelly cut with her curt responses. When they entered Rosings, the butler led them to the dining hall where the others had already tucked into sandwiches.
While they ate, Mr. Darcy regretted having let himself worry. Rosings was a perfectly safe place, especially the woods around the house. He had always ensured the tenants were well kept and averted poverty whenever he could, for that was the cause of much suffering in most towns which created a haven for ruffians. It was not his place to censure her, even if his actions were well meant.
Lady Catherine, feeling quite exhausted listening to Mr. Collins for so long, insisted the afternoon ought to be a time for rest and excused everyone to their chambers. Most of them met in the library, where Mr. Darcy convinced Elizabeth to read Much Ado about Nothing with him to the delight of Colonel Fitzwilliam, Charlotte, and Maria.
They were halfway through the play when a servant entered to tend to the fireplace. Elizabeth watched the servant closely. When the servant left, Elizabeth asked. "Surely one day without a fire will not cause too much of a chill. I am used to servants having the Lord's Day free of work."
Mr. Darcy took a deep breath before he responded that he allowed most of his staff at Pemberley the day of rest as well. "However, my aunt believes that her needs cannot be met without plenty of servants. Some do have the day off, however, I have compromised, and the butler ensures that everyone has at least half a day of rest, so that the running of the estate is not diminished too greatly. Lady Catherine does not realize that only a quarter of the staff are attending her, for she never really pays attention to who lights the fires anyway."
Elizabeth accepted this response for a moment, but at the next break in their reading, she asked why he had so much leeway with the servants. She had heard multiple times that Mr. Darcy was involved in the hiring of servants at Rosings.
Mr. Darcy blushed slightly. "My aunt insists that I keep abreast of matters here at Rosings. By having me address the servants' issues, they are more agreeable and less likely to quit without notice for I am more willing to listen to their grievances and make changes to keep them in line. My aunt can be quite formidable with them, and for the first year after her husband's death, she had almost lost all of her servants. We now have a better system to ensure retention."
Elizabeth nodded. She imagined Lady Catherine would not be the best person one would wish to work for. Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, had an air about him filled with honesty and integrity. He would never cheat a servant out of fair wages, and he probably paid them more to listen to Lady Catherine's dictates with forbearance.
After a quiet dinner, Elizabeth offered to play the pianoforte before Lady Catherine could insist the servants bring out the card tables. Elizabeth was getting used to Mr. Darcy turning the pages for her and did not let it bother her. The evening ended peacefully and uneventfully for everyone.
AN: Thanks for reading!