Mr. Darcy's Comfort by Leenie Brown

Author:Leenie Brown [Brown, Leenie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Leenie B Books

Chapter 7

Two days later, as the sun climbed to its peak in the sky, Elizabeth and Mary climbed the path to Oakham Mount. She had finally been able to escape from the confines of Longbourn without all of her sisters and Mr. Collins in attendance. That man spoke so much and so pointlessly! She supposed it was good that he had taken orders, for a love of speaking was an asset for a parson. She was equally as glad that his sermons were prepared beforehand, as that must decrease the likelihood of his rambling off after some lost rabbit in the midst of delivering his sermon.

Elizabeth paused to watch a pair of riders in the distance. They raced along the field and then turned toward her. She stood where she was until she could make out who they were. Then, she lifted a hand and waved.

Colonel Fitzwilliam waved in return before saying something to his cousin and pointing to where she and Mary stood.

“Is that Mr. Darcy?” Mary asked.

“And his cousin.” Elizabeth waved again as Darcy looked her direction. She had not seen either gentleman since the day they had deposited Mr. Collins at her door.

“You seem rather eager to see them.” Mary gave Elizabeth a questioning look.

“I suppose I am,” was Elizabeth’s only reply.

“Why?” Mary prodded.

Elizabeth shrugged. She did not wish to tell Mary that she suspected she liked Mr. Darcy and not just as a friend. How he had managed to worm his way into her good graces with a hasty apology for his behaviour the other day, she was uncertain. No, she thought as the riders approached. It was more than that apology. It was seeing him as a gentleman capable of great depths of emotion that had first endeared him to her. And then, with every disparagement she had heard fall from Mr. Wickham’s lips and replayed in her mind as she lay in bed thinking before drifting off to sleep each night, her esteem of Mr. Darcy had grown. She had determined that her feeling of unease about Mr. Wickham must be accepted as a warning and every word he said scrutinized and doubted.

“Do you like him?” Mary continued.

Elizabeth sighed. “I might,” she whispered. “But please do not tell anyone, especially Mama,” she begged.

“Why should I do that?” Mary asked in surprise. “I hear enough about Mr. Bingley and Jane, and then there is Mama attempting to push me towards Mr. Collins.” She shook her head. “I do not wish to hear any more talk about matches!” She bit her lip and ducked her head. “I can tell you a secret in return that should Mama hear of it, I would be doomed.”

“Indeed?” Elizabeth pulled her eyes away from the approaching gentlemen and turned them toward her sister. “Do tell.”

“You may tell Jane but no one else.” Mary’s tone demanded compliance, and Elizabeth readily gave her assent.

Leaning a bit closer to Elizabeth, Mary whispered, “Mr. Lucas has been sending me letters and intends to speak to Papa when he has completed his studies.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.