Page 55 of Knowing Mr. Darcy
Elizabeth thought this was a rather rude, to simply come out with this, but Jane answered straightaway, without any seeming thought to it.
“I am two and twenty, and my sister is twenty,” she said. “You mustn’t get the impression, Lady Catherine, that our mother cares nothing for propriety. It is not that way at all. I think she would have loved to have employed a governess or to have taken us to town every year or to have us all painting and drawing. But my father, you see, he has very precise opinions of things.”
“Yes, and objections to expense, as all men do,” said Lady Catherine. “But that is prudent, of course, with so many daughters to see to, I suppose. Still, one governess would have done for all of you. Do you wish to learn to play the piano-forte, Miss Bennet?”
“Oh, of course, I should quite enjoy such a thing,” said Jane, smiling. “I am afraid that I was always too timid to try. I did not wish to hurt anyone’s ears with my initial attempts.”
Was this true? Elizabeth turned to Jane, wishing her sister might have said something. She had to admit it sounded quite like Jane, being too reticent to go after what she liked. Elizabeth realized that she had little problem in this area, and this was a difference between them. Had she only known, she would have provided the necessary encouragement.
“Well,” said Lady Catherine, “you must come and practice here, then. We have an instrument near Mrs. Jenkinson’s apartments. You will be in no one’s way there, and no one will be bothered by your meanderings. You will come whenever you like, but I should suggest daily if you truly wish to make any headway, and you will play on that instrument. If you need some instruction, your sister can give it to you, I assume. Miss Elizabeth, you know the basics?”
“If my sister wishes to learn, I should be happy to assist her, of course,” said Elizabeth.
Jane turned on her, beaming with a smile that was so bright it hurt Elizabeth somewhere. She had not known that Jane had been hiding away so much, but she should have realized she was.
“I must say, I like you, Miss Bennet,” said Lady Catherine to Jane. “You seem to me to be so very kind and very sweet. You are a treasure.”
“Well,” said Anne. “High praise.”
Lady Catherine ignored her. “I shall do what I can for you, Miss Bennet. It would be my pleasure.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
IT WAS ONthe morrow, when Elizabeth was accompanying Jane for her first lesson on the piano-forte, that she became aware of Mr. Darcy’s presence, for they walked up to the house, and his carriage was there and he was disembarking.
Charlotte had walked with them to Rosings. She knew how to play a bit better than Elizabeth, and it was determined that if anyone was to be a teacher of such things, it must be Charlotte, for Elizabeth would likely become easily frustrated trying to explain things, they thought. It was true that Elizabeth did not think she had much talent for teaching. She found that her own understanding of various processes tended to skip steps, thinking them obvious, but they were not obvious to other people.
So, it was her, Jane, and Charlotte who stopped to watch Mr. Darcy and his party disembark from the carriage. Mr. Darcy was accompanied by his cousin, the lieutenant or colonel, and his sister Miss Darcy. They all stopped when they saw Elizabeth and the others, though.
So, there they were, Mr. Darcy staring at her, and her staring back at Mr. Darcy.
Behind everyone, on the steps to the house, was what looked to be the entire household of Rosings—though Anne de Bourgh and Mrs. Jenkinson were noticeably lacking. Lady Catherine stood at the door, shoulders thrown back, waiting for her nephews to come and greet her.
But Mr. Darcy swerved and came straight for Elizabeth.
Elizabeth’s heart beat faster and faster as he approached.
For his part, his expression seemed grim, almost miserable, as if he were in a great deal of pain. He stopped in front of her, hands clasped in front of him, and let out a labored breath.
She swallowed, looking him over, thinking about how much more enticing he was up close than he was far off. Thinking about—oh, awful things—Mr. Darcy reaching out and touching herface, of all things!
She was blushing. She knew it. She did nothing except lock her gaze with his.
The moment went on and on.
“Mr. Darcy,” said Charlotte, finally. “We did not realize you were visiting Kent.”
Mr. Darcy turned to Charlotte. “Miss Lucas—er, Mrs. Collins, actually, isn’t it? I am sorry for the error.”
“It’s all right,” said Charlotte. “We were not well acquainted in Hertfordshire, sir, but it is such a small world, is it not?”
“Yes,” said Mr. Darcy and turned back to Elizabeth.
“So good to see you, sir,” squeaked out Elizabeth.
“Yes,” said Mr. Darcy.
A long, long silence.
