Page 23 of When Elizabeth Said Yes

And so Mrs Collins, her young sister Miss Lucas, Elizabeth Bennet, Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Anne stepped out into the warm summer air, leaving Mr Collins to entertain Lady Catherine, a situation Darcy rather thought Mr Collins would be more than happy with.

"You must excuse our aunt, Miss Bennet," Colonel Fitzwilliam said in his usual easy manner. "She is not used to having her opinions disagreed with."

Elizabeth smiled and glanced at Anne and wondered if her daughter was as long-suffering as she looked. Perhaps not with her health, but with her mother's constant criticism.

"It was very kind of Lady Catherine to call on me when I may not visit her during my period of mourning," she said with a smile. "Mr Collins will be most pleased to have hosted her."

"Indeed. I rather think the fellow might combust if he were any happier."

Not wishing to insult her friend's husband, Elizabeth simply smiled and linked arms with Charlotte.

"You must direct us, Charlotte dear, for the best way to walk. I must admit I walked too far on my last excursion. I was worried I would not find my way home."

She glanced at Mr Darcy, and she thought she saw a sparkle in his eye that was surely reflected in her own, for their meeting was still a secret.

Charlotte smiled. "Well, perhaps we shan't go too far, since Lady Catherine, I'm sure, wishes to depart soon to have plenty of time to change for dinner. The rose garden?"

They all murmured their assent and walked slowly along the path.

Elizabeth glanced behind her to see that Lady Anne seemed to be finding the walk more taxing than the rest, and Elizabeth wondered whether her health was more of an issue than she wished to admit. She put her arm through her cousin's, seeming to need it for balance, and so Mr Darcy and Miss de Bourgh fell back a little from the group.

"Oh, there's Mr Smith, the gardener. Do excuse me, Lizzy. I must speak to him quickly about his plans for the roses."

She disengaged her arm and hurried ahead, leaving Elizabeth walking alongside Colonel Fitzwilliam.

"Are you enjoying your visit to Rosings, Colonel?" she asked.

"Quite well, I must admit. The food is always excellent," he said with a grin and a joking pat to his trim stomach. "And our aunt enjoys our visits, I believe. The countryside is beautiful, so I cannot complain. And I must say it is nice to spend time with my cousin Darcy, for we do not often get the chance to be in the same part of the country for so many days at once."

"You get along, then?" she asked, thinking about her own cousin – well, very distant cousin – Mr Collins, and how very far their relationship was from that of Mr Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam.

"Oh, yes," the Colonel said.

He did not check to see whether Mr Darcy could hear them, but Elizabeth found herself doing so and noticed that Mr Darcy and Anne de Bourgh had not ventured very far from the house at all.

"He is a wonderful man. A little brusque, I know. Not always at ease. But a very loyal friend and a man of honour."

Elizabeth smiled. "That is good to hear. Sometimes it feels there are very few such men around."

"Oh, you are certainly in good company if you are friends with Mr Darcy. Why, only recently he saved his friend from a most imprudent marriage."

Elizabeth frowned. "Oh? What made him believe he could be the judge in such a matter?"

"I believe he knew the girl well enough, and he has known Bingley for many years. He was persuaded that the girl did not hold Bingley in the same affection, and that a marriage would be unwise. I believe there were some complaints about her family too, and so he stepped in and saved his friend from the parson's noose."

"Indeed," Elizabeth said, swallowing, her mouth suddenly bone dry.

So Mr Darcy was the reason that Mr Bingley had left Hertfordshire so suddenly and seemed to have no interest in seeing Jane.

How dare he?

How dare he step in and ruin their happiness? Could he not tell that Jane was merely shy? Why, she was very much enamoured with Mr Bingley. Perhaps more so than the gentleman himself.

Tears filled her eyes, and she blinked them away angrily, not willing to show her upset to this man who thought his friend had done such a wonderful thing, when in fact he had destroyed the happiness of a most beloved sister.

Chapter Thirteen

"Sit down, Darcy," Lady Catherine said after dinner that evening. "Your pacing is making me feel weary."