Page 40 of Cousin Conundrum

“But I have good news on that front. Well, possibly.”

What was Kitty going on about? Elizabeth had wanted to locate her, to see if Kitty had sneaked off again, but now she wanted only a few moments of quiet. “Oh?”

“One of those men is not so eligible at all. Mr. Darcy.”

“He is not engaged to his cousin,” Elizabeth blurted. At the odd way Kitty looked at her, Elizabeth’s cheeks grew hot. “I…that is, he told me that he is not.”

“He told you? I am surprised he spoke to you.”

“What? Why?”

“Well, I was hiding from Mama, so I would not have to dance with Mr. Collins again.” Kitty screwed up her face. “He is a terrible dancer.”

Elizabeth nodded, well aware from her set with their cousin.

“And so I was behind a plant, and Mr. Darcy was standing there, all glowery and condescending.”

“Glowery is not a word.”

“I am certain it is, because that is what he was. Glowery. And condescending.” Kitty shrugged. “Which is not the point. The point is that Mr. Bingley came over and said Mr. Darcy should dance more, and Mr. Darcy said that Lydia was insufferable, and that he cannot even tell us three short, dark-haired ones apart, and then he said, about you and me and Mary, ‘None of the three are handsome enough to tempt me.’”

Tempt him. He’d said to her, ‘Tempt me no further.’ Was that an allusion to his earlier words? Some sort of twisted mockery?

“Lizzy?” Kitty watched her with bright, dancing eyes. “Is that not horrible? Is he not awful? And therefore not eligible at all, and we may permit the Archers, or his cousin he might be engaged to, to have him, do you not think?”

“Yes,” Elizabeth murmured, her thoughts spinning. “Yes, they may have him.”

He could not even tell her, Kitty, and Mary apart? She sought back. Had he used her name? Only starlight illuminated them. Had he even known which ‘short, dark-haired’ sister he kissed? Not Kitty, for she’d called out for Kitty and he’d answered. Still, for all he knew, he had kissed Mary.

In which case, at least Elizabeth need show no shame around him. Let him guess who he’d kissed, for her manners would never reveal it to have been her.

She yanked her shoulders back. “You are correct. He is terrible, and we will squander none of our time thinking on him.” She mustered a smile for her sister, but then frowned. “Where were you? I looked everywhere. Even—” She should not admit to leaving the hall. “Everywhere.”

“Me? I was looking for you, to tell you what Mr. Darcy said. We must have been going in circles, chasing one another.”

“I was told you were in the entrance hall.”

“I was. I hid in the cloakroom for a time, talking with Mrs. Martin. I knew Mama would never look for me there. Mr. Collins stepped on my toes eight times already. I could hardly dance my set with Paul Lucas. My feet still hurt.”

“Mine as well,” Elizabeth admitted. “But he only stepped on my toes three times. He must like you better.”

“Gack. Do not say that.” Kitty grinned. “That is not funny at all.”

“Well, the evening is ending. People are leaving now.” Elizabeth nodded to where groups trickled out. “You will be safe, I believe. This should be the final set.”

As one, they turned to the remaining dancers, to the sight of Mr. Bingley partnering Miss Archer. Again. On the far side of the hall, beside their mother, Jane watched with undisguised sorrow.

“Poor Jane,” Kitty murmured.

“She should not permit everyone to see how she longs for Mr. Bingley.” Elizabeth winced at her own words. After how she’d behaved, she dared to comment on Jane’s conduct?

“I do not believe they can see. It is only because we know her well. They will simply think her tired so late in the evening.”

“Hopefully you are correct.”

“I am,” Kitty said with easy, cheerful confidence. “I cannot wait to tell Mama and Lydia what Mr. Darcy said about us.”

“Must you?”