Page 53 of Miss Gardiner
Colonel Fitzwilliam stepped into the room, and noted the young woman who stepped forward, to receive Darcy’s greeting. There was another young woman, prettier than their hostess, who stood back and waited to be introduced.
“Mrs Collins, thank you for allowing us to call,” Darcy said before he motioned toward his cousin. “May I present my cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam.”
“Colonel Fitzwilliam, be welcome in our home. I am certain my husband will be pleased to hear you called,” replied Mrs Collins.
“I met Mr Collins at Rosings Park just days ago,” the colonel replied.
Charlotte turned toward Elizabeth, “Colonel Fitzwilliam, allow me to introduce my friend, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, who is visiting from London.”
“Miss Bennet, I am pleased to make your acquaintance,” the colonel said.
“And I am pleased to meet you as well,” Elizabeth replied with a smile, and the colonel noticed there was no introduction between his cousin and the young lady.
“Shall we be seated?” Mrs Collins asked.
Colonel Fitzwilliam’s attention was captured again when his shy cousin moved to sit across from Miss Elizabeth in a pair of chairs close to the sofa where Mrs Collins indicated he should sit. During the entire visit, Darcy ignored Mrs Collins and his cousin, giving all his attention and conversation with Miss Bennet though the young woman made certain to include each person in conversation.
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During their ride back from Hunsford, Colonel Fitzwilliam remained silent, waiting for Darcy to begin any conversation about the young lady.
“Are you going to speak before we sit at Lady Catherine’s table for dinner?” Darcy asked finally.
“I am waiting for you to share…”
Darcy snorted and threw his strongest glare toward Richard. “Whatever do you mean? Do not hide your meanings…”
“Perhaps you failed to notice your rude behaviour in the parlour at Hunsford,” Richard replied.
“Whatever do you mean?” Darcy demanded, pulling Ares to a stop while the colonel continued on Zeus for a time. Finally, Darcy motioned his mount forward and Ares caught up with the other horse in lessthan a minute.
“Darcy, you ignored our hostess the entire visit. Fortunately, she appeared to be amused by your attention to Miss Bennet and when I made comments about insensate ‘boars’ of the porcine variety, she smiled and admonished me to protect her friend’s reputation.”
Now Richard laughed to see his cousin blush to be compared to livestock for a moment but then he asked, “Now, tell me how long you have known Miss Elizabeth Bennet?”
His face blanked for an instant but then Darcy answered, “I have known Miss Bennet for more than a year. Her uncle is Edward Gardiner, a reputable tradesman, in London.”
“A tradesman?” Richard asked, faking his offense. When Darcy’s face grew sour, his cousin laughed again and added, “I have no objections, Darcy. Fighting against Bonaparte, I have cast aside all those notions of class.”
“Her father is a gentleman in Hertfordshire…a landowner,” Darcy explained. “The family is…estranged.”
“Ha!” Richard laughed harshly. “Name me a single family that has not estranged someone in their family tree. If not for Mr de Bourgh’s will, neither of us would aid Lady Catherine in her misadventures.”
“You speak true,” Darcy replied.
“And your intentions for Miss Bennet?”
“Before Christmas, I shall ask her to be my wife. Her sister died in June, and she must remain in mourning until October.”
Now Richard stopped his horse and asked, “Darcy, explain immediately how you and your young lady who is observing mourning, came to be in same village during August. There must be nothing improper!”
“Richard, Miss Elizabeth is wonderful girl, and she will be my wife. And Georgiana admires her greatly! And I would never…she has had too much pain from scoundrels already.”
“Scoundrels?” asked Richard. “Do you mean Wickham?”
“Not Wickham…” Darcy sighed and confessed, “It was Bingley…”
“Bingley? Charles Bingley? The same man on our list for Cousin Anne?” Richard roared.
