apologetically.
The colonel looked into her eyes, his expression one of sincere care. “I hope it is nothing very upsetting.”
Elizabeth smiled at him. “I am very happy that I will see my family soon, my sister Jane especially. We have not seen each other since January.”
“You are close, you and your sister.”
“Very. Jane is the eldest, and I am the second daughter. We have three other younger sisters, but though I care for other girls and love them, only Jane is my true confidant and friend.”
Mr. Darcy walked to them then, putting an end to their conversation. Soon Colonel Fitzwilliam returned to his place near Lady Catherine, and they were left alone.
“What have you been talking about with my cousin?” he asked with an unpleasant scowl on his face, deforming his handsome features. Was she to watch this charming expression for the rest of her life?
“I think he was concerned about my low spirits tonight.”
Darcy stepped closer and blocked her view of the room. “He is a second son; he cannot marry as he wishes, Elizabeth.”
She lifted her chin high and spoke with cold dignity. “I fail to understand why you tell me this.”
He gave her a dark, unreadable, serious look, his lips pressed in thin line. She could feel his breath on her cheek, he was so close.
“I am afraid we shall not see each other before your journey back home.”
She looked up at him. His voice was cold, angry.
“My uncle, the Earl of Matlock, has asked me to come to Matlock as soon as possible.” he explained. “I must go tomorrow, together with Colonel Fitzwilliam.”
“Has something happened?” she asked tentatively.
“Yes, but it is not the time or place to speak of it now. I will tell you everything when we meet again.”
“I hope that all the matters concerning your family will be resolved...,” she began, but Lady Catherine’s voice interrupted her words.
“Nephew, what are you telling Miss Bennet? I must have my share in the conversation.”
Elizabeth glanced up at Darcy to see him rolling his eyes. She smiled at him, and he returned it, his eyes glowing with warmth, his bad mood miraculously wiped away with her smile.
“We have just been discussing the state of the roads from here to London, Aunt,” he lied without blinking, as he stepped after Elizabeth, who returned to her previous place.
The rest of the evening went uneventfully, till the carriage was called for the Hunsford party. Everyone seemed astonished when Mr Darcy, without a word of warning or any sort of explanation to his actions, walked them to the carriage, something he had never done before.
After Mr. Collins shakily stepped into one of the grand vehicles of his noble patroness, Darcy handed in Mrs. Collins.
Elizabeth was the last to get in. He stepped to her.
“Can you come to the grove in the morning?” he whispered, and she felt his gentle grasp on her elbow, the other hand intimately rested on the side of her hip.
“I will be waiting,” she heard as he lifted her into the box.
***
Elizabeth was both surprised and relieved to fall asleep easily, almost the moment her head touched the pillow, after the dinner at Rosings. She expected another sleepless night, full of disturbing thoughts and fears. Instead she slept like a babe. She must have been very exhausted.
When she awoke , her first thought was that it had to be very early as there was very little light seeping through the closed curtains. Shivering, she stalked to the window and saw gray skies and drops of water on the glass.
She drew the curtains wide to let in more light and glanced at the clock on the small mantelpiece.
A few minutes after six, Mr. Darcy was probably already waiting for her. Should she go? She could not decide what to do. The weather was hardly inviting. This was one of the days she wanted to crawl back into a warm bed. Eventually, with a sigh, she walked to the water stand and began her toilette, shivering repeatedly at the cold water
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