Mr. Darcy's Bride

Chapter 26

Even with the consideration of Anne's situation, Elizabeth felt more refreshed after her walk. She certainly felt that she was more prepared to interact, once more, with Lady Catherine. After a brief rest she dressed for lunch. As she left her room, she encountered Darcy in the hallway.

"Did you and Colonel Fitzwilliam have a pleasant morning?" she asked, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He backed away and she stumbled a bit. He put his hand on her elbow to steady her, but then took a definite step back and away from her.

"It was very enjoyable. Thank you for asking," he said, somewhat stiffly.

Elizabeth was immediately on her guard. He had been behaving differently since they had arrived—less relaxed and much more likely to take offense, though this had not yet been directed towards her. Elizabeth had assumed that it was simply due to him falling into those old patterns that most families had, or to the strain of Lady Catherine's presence. However, this felt different, almost as if he was intentionally trying to put a distance between them. She made a note to herself to see if it continued, and asked him further questions about his morning.

It was clear that he was agitated about something, but Elizabeth could not imagine what it was. He was behaving more like the Darcy that she had met at the dance in Meryton, and less like the man that she had gotten to know over the previous months. Elizabeth was quite unsettled by the time they arrived for lunch.

Darcy pointedly pulled out a chair for her next to Anne, and away from where he was sitting. One glance at the triumphant look on Lady Catherine's face gave Elizabeth all the information that she needed about who was to blame for the sudden tension. Of course this was Lady Catherine's doing! What could she have said to Darcy that would cause him to behave in this way?

Elizabeth settled into her seat next to Anne. She had had a thought when she was walking about something that might brighten Anne's spirits, but she suspected that Lady Catherine would not approve. However, considering that Lady Catherine felt it appropriate to interfere in other people's relationships, Elizabeth did not feel one bit guilty about passing her own idea on to Anne.

Elizabeth leaned over and whispered discreetly to Anne, "Do you read, Miss de Bourgh?"

Anne looked a bit startled. "Well, yes," she said. "I read scripture, sermons, poetry..."

Elizabeth knew that what she was about to suggest was, in the minds of some people, improper. She planned to do it anyway.

"What about novels?" she asked.

Anne looked at her, her eyebrows raised. "Well, no," she said. "Mother does not approve of such foolishness."

"It is not foolishness," Elizabeth said, working to keep the passion in her voice from making her louder than her intended whisper. "Through novels, you can live a hundred other lives and go places that you could not even imagine."

Anne smiled. "That does sound like an enjoyable diversion," she said.

"Can Mrs. Jenkinson's discretion be trusted?" Elizabeth asked.

"Well, not always, but she has always kept my confidences when I have asked her to," said Anne.

"Would you ask her to do so in this instance?"

Anne reached out and gently squeezed Elizabeth's hand. "Of course," she said.

"I have brought with me two novels. I have finished one, and it will be easy for me to replace the other. Let me leave them with you. I think you will find them diverting."

Anne smiled genuinely at Elizabeth. "Thank you," she said. "So often people behave as though I am just another piece of the furniture at Rosings. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me."