Page 46 of Darcy's Guarded Heart
A surprising whooping sound followed, accompanied by their mother’s voice. “Goodness! I did not expect to see you here. Is something the matter? I went to see about the tea and I found it!” she said, and a rattling sound indicated that her motherhad taken it upon herself to pick up another teapot for Mrs Hill rather than waiting for it to be delivered, as was proper.
“We are checking on Mrs Annesley,” Thomas said. “Miss Darcy was worried.”
“I see. How very kind of you,” Mrs Bennet replied. “And Thomas, when you have checked on Mrs Annesley, why don’t you show Miss Darcy the gardens?”
“But there is nothing in bloom,” Thomas said.
“Nonsense. Of course, there is! In the back garden, by the bench. There are flowers in bloom,” she insisted.
Elizabeth looked at Jane, who shook her head. “There is nothing blooming anywhere. We are lucky that there isn’t snow yet.” Mrs Bennet re-entered the room and shot them both a glare.
“Leave them be,” Mrs Bennet said. “We are fortunate that the young lady is even allowed to visit. After everything I’ve heard about Mr Darcy and how he treated her at the ball I was positively shocked she was allowed to come. That Mr Darcy—acting as though our Lydia and Kitty are beneath his notice.”
“Indeed, he acts as though we are commoners, not gentlemen’s daughters,” Kitty complained, while Lydia stuffed a chunk of scone into her mouth and nodded in agreement.
“Dreadful he is!” Lydia exclaimed once she swallowed. Elizabeth shook her head.
“I think Mr Darcy is rather a refined gentleman,” Mr Collins said. “We are very fortunate to have his acquaintance. The fact that he allows his sister to come for tea is only due to his regard for the family. Not to sound as though I think rathertoo highly of myself but there is no doubt he realises who I am, which has influenced his changing of mind.”
“It is only a pity that he did not recognise you at the ball,” Elizabeth said, unable to keep her thoughts to herself any longer. By now she had heard from a multitude of people that Mr Collins had, indeed, approached Mr Darcy in the exact manner Thomas had described, and that Mr Darcy had rebuffed him in no uncertain terms.
“We cannot blame the gentleman for not knowing me. He knows a great many people and cannot be expected to remember every single one. I am certain that the next time I see him, we shall have a splendid conversation.”
“Georgiana did mention that they are due to visit Rosings Park soon. Perhaps we will see them there when you rejoin Lady Catherine,” Lydia said. “I am certain that must be very soon, so I am surprised that she has been able to stay for as long as she has without you.”
Mrs Bennet’s eyebrows rose, but she said nothing, for the truth was the entire family had wondered just when Mr Collins’s visit— the purpose of which they still hadn’t deciphered—was going to come to an end. For the sake of their sanity, Elizabeth hoped that it would end sooner rather than later.
“Mr Collins, indeed! I am certain my patroness misses me greatly, as I am far more than a simple curate. She always tells me that she could not do without me. However, I cannot return in good conscience without having fulfilled my quest.”
“That sounds rather adventurous,” Lydia remarked.
“Not so much adventurous as romantic, Mr Collins.”
“You see, my patroness has sent me here to find a bride.”
A sudden stunned silence settled upon the table. It was quite clear to everyone what he meant to imply. He didn’t mean here as in Meryton; he had meant here as in Longbourn.
He sought to make one of them his bride. Elizabeth picked up her cup and stared into it as though something in the brew indeed captivated her attention. Mrs Bennet’s tone alarmed her, as it was the sort of tone she always had when an eligible bachelor presented himself. Five minutes ago, Mrs Bennet would have taken any young woman who had fallen into such a role as a privilege concerning Mr Collins, but now Elizabeth could see her mother’s mind calculating. If she could make one of her daughters Mrs Collins, that would mean that Longbourn was safe. This was an opportunity her mother was not going to let slip by.
As expected, she immediately cleared her throat. “And what of my mind, Mr Collins?” she asked, smiling brightly.
Mr Collins smiled, looking at Jane. “Well, I had come with the intention of proposing to my dear cousin Jane, but I see that I was too late. However, I have such a large number of lovely cousins to choose from,” he said with a smile, winking at Elizabeth, who quickly looked away, alarmed that it might be her he had his eye on. He had shown no such interest since his arrival, but then one could never know.
Fortunately, she was rescued from any further discomfort by a stern knock on the door.
A moment later, Hill appeared in the hallway doorway. “Excuse me, ma’am,” she said, addressing Mrs Bennet. “A gentleman is at the door. Mr Darcy. He’s looking for his sister.”
Mrs Bennet rose at once. “Oh, Mr Darcy! I had not expected to see him here,” she said, rushing out with a flourish.
“Mr Darcy?” Jane said.
“Perhaps to apologise for the way he acted in front of Lydia and Kitty,” Elizabeth suggested, although she already knew that this was not the reason.
They were not left wondering for very long, for Mr Darcy stepped into the room, and his visit was not one of companionability. In fact, his brows were furrowed, and he looked about the room in a searching manner.
“I shall ring for another cup of tea for you, sir,” Mrs Bennet began. “I was about to do so when he—”
“I am not here on a social visit, and I do not require tea. I do need to know where my sister is,” he interrupted.
