Page 45 of Eavesdroppers Never Hear
Jane looked even more thoughtful for some time.
“That word… amiable. This may seem a stretch, but is it possible Mr Bingley has made you suspicious of amiable men?”
“What do you mean?” Elizabeth asked in puzzlement.
“Mr Bingley was the most amiable man I ever met, and he turned out to be a boy in men’s clothing. Perhaps he has made you suspicious. Mr Darcy is not amiable at first meeting, but he is the most honest man I know. Whatever you may think of his manners, he is certainly all man.”
Elizabeth had to think about that for some time and finally agreed. His honesty (even when it was disagreeable) had been very much in his favour.
“I can agree to your point, but I have not honestly given Mr Bingley a thought for some days. Have you?” Elizabeth challenged.
Jane sighed. “I have… but I will not speak about him until we meet again.”
“That seems fair.”
“Perhaps honesty is the right track,” Jane suggested. “Speaking to a single man when you are privately courting may have seemed… dishonest.”
Elizabeth thought about it as the rest of her sisters noisily piled into the coach, accompanied by their still awkward cousin.
She continued thinking all the way back to Longbourn, and then some more as they prepared for bed.
Just before she blew out the candle, Elizabeth turned to her sister and finally answered the question Jane had almost forgotten.
“I worked it out. Speaking with those amiable men did not feel dishonest…it felt disloyal.”
20.Happenstance
Pure luck allowed Elizabeth to meet Mr Darcy the moment he dismounted on Wednesday morning. Of course, luck comes in many forms, and in that situation, it simply meant she was lucky to have enough sense to realise he would appear like clockwork right at the start of calling hours, where she awaited him.
“Good morning, Mr Darcy,” she said as soon as he dismounted.
“Good morning, Elizabeth… I mean…” he said, looking down in embarrassment.
“We are courting. You are welcome to use my given name,” she said with a slightly embarrassed smile.
He smiled back. “My given name is Fitzwilliam, but my sister calls me William. You may choose either.”
Elizabeth laughed lightly. “William, I believe—except when I wish to use the old mother’s trick of stuffing as many names as possible in as strident of a tone as I can manage to indicate displeasure.”
Darcy scowled, raised a threatening finger, and scolded, “Fitzwilliam George Alexander Darcy… you are in trouble, mister…bigtrouble.”
Elizabeth laughed gaily, happy to have the nervousness of the meeting over. She admitted she was anxious about how the two of them would react after a day apart, but the meeting was off to a promising start.
Darcy took her hands and planted a chaste kiss on her knuckle, since they were visible from the parlour and probably observed.
“I am happy to be here. Georgiana is travelling this morning. If you have no objections, I will bring her in the afternoon.”
“Of course, and you should stay to dine. Your cousin as well.”
“How about Bingley?” he asked, then regretted it.
Elizabeth thought about it for a moment. “I am the wrong person to ask. That is up to Jane, but if you were to ask my advice, I would suggest tomorrow as more proper.”
“Understood…” he said looking relieved, “…and I will strive to always ask your advice.”
She looked at the ground shyly. He had released her hands for the sake of propriety, and she was surprised to feel herself missing the contact—which felt odd and slightly unnerving.
She finally looked up. “How was the fox hunt?”
