Disdain, Agony, Hope, and Love #Wattys2020

Chapter 35

Darcy's thoughts, however, were no longer on fishing. "When will your wife and niece be coming?" he asked Mr Gardiner.

"I believe they were to visit one of our friends in the village and come here - in fact they should have been at Pemberley quite some time now," finished he glancing at his time-piece.

Darcy had to restrain himself from immedietly getting up and heading back to the house. Such an action would only arouse suspicion in people's minds and so it was with some difficulty, he waited.

After a five minutes, he could not fight the desire to see her again.

"I do not think I shall have any luck today," said he getting up. "I will return to the house. Will you join me?"

Mr Gardiner and Mr Bingley glanced at each other. "In a little while perhaps. I am still willing to hope there will be more fish later," said Bingley. Mr Gardiner agreed and so Darcy excused himself and returned to the house.

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He found the ladies in the saloon, whose northern aspect rendered it beautiful for the summer. They were eating some fruit and Darcy was glad to see that Georgiana was playing the role of a good hostess.

His eyes immedietly searched for Elizabeth. She sat off to one side, far from Georgiana, next to Miss Bingley. Upon his entry, Elizabeth had turned towards him and seemed as if to say something but Miss Bingley had risen and come to talk to him. He soon quickly but politely deflected any attempts to secure him in conversation and made to go and sit in the seat Miss Bingley had vacated but Miss Bingley quickly moved to retake her seat. He chose instead to sit beside Mrs Gardiner.

There was little conversation; Miss Bingley hardly spoke a word (except to himself), Georgiana was shy, Elizabeth uncomfortable and so the bulk of the conversation was carried by Mrs Gardiner and Mrs Annesley. What was more, Darcy soon realised that the suspicions of the entire party were awakened against himself and Elizabeth and so he was unable to even glance at Elizabeth without alerting Miss Bingley or Mrs Hurst.

Not long after his arrival, Mr Gardiner and Mr Bingley returned, the servants carrying another trout as a result of their patience. The fishing equipment were put away, the fish sent to the kitchen and soon with the addition of the two men, the whole party were conversing gaily.

After some time, Mrs Gardiner expressed her desire for some music. She ruefully admitted to being unable to play, a confession which was greeted with haughty smiles by Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst. The former agreed to play a piece, "if Miss Eliza would be so kind as to oblige us with a song?"

Elizabeth, Darcy noticed, was still very deep in thought, and Miss Bingley had to repeat her question another time before Elizabeth agreed.

They all moved into the music room, where Georgiana's new pianoforte stood by the window. Miss Bingley, before she sat down at the instrument, gave Darcy a triumphant smile. He ignored it, merely waiting for her performance to be over.

From his seat near Mr Gardiner, Darcy looked again at Elizabeth. She was talking to Georgiana off to one side, near Mrs Hurst who sat opposite him. Bingley talked quietly to Mrs Gardiner nearer to the piano. Mr Hurst sat next to some food. Georgiana walked towards her brother, leading Elizabeth. Darcy watched in amazement; she did it all so artfully, Elizabeth did not realise that she was drawing closer to Darcy until Georgiana said,

"What would you like to hear Miss Bennet play?"

Elizabeth looked down at him in sudden surprise. Darcy looked up. "Ah - anything you like, Miss Bennet. Is there some favourite of yours, perhaps?"