12 | twelve.
TACITURN WALTZ OF WORDS.
Although the rest of dinner turned out to be rather lackluster, as nothing could really top the scrutiny of the Bennet's lifestyle, Elodie could hardly stop thinking of the astonishment Lady Catherine kept towards the way her family worked.
It seemed that everybody that had associated themselves with the family, had formed some sort of opinion about them. And their opinion wasn't always positive.
Elodie knew her mother and a few of her sisters were wild and lacked many real manners, it was a fact she couldn't deny, but for others to treat her family as if they were odd fools didn't sit right in her stomach. She still had a sense of loyalty.
As the company moved back to the grand drawing room after dinner, Elodie wished for nothing more than to leave with her little sister. She felt out of place and as if she was intruding upon the company and felt even more so when Lady Catherine requested that she play the pianoforte for them.
"Oh, no, I couldn't." Elodie said with wide eyes. "Lizzie is far more proficient than me." Lizzie gaped as her older sister put her on the spot and kicked Elodie's shin for revenge. Elodie held back a yelp of pain.
"Music is my delight." Lady Catherine insisted. "In fact, there are few people in England who have more true enjoyment of music than myself. Or better natural taste."
Elodie stared blankly at Lady Catherine, hoping she would get lost in a long story and forget all about her request or something of that sort.
"If I had ever learnt, I should've been a great proficient." She nodded her head at her daughter. "So would Anne, if her health would've allowed her." Lady Catherine then looked towards Elodie expectantly, her beady eyes pressuring her more and more every second that passed.
To end her own suffering, Elodie simply sighed and moved across the room to the beautiful pianoforte. It must've sat untouched in that corner for quite some time as dust had begun to form along the ivory.
Elodie scoffed under her breath. She had caved under the scrutinizing gaze of Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
Figuring she shouldn't stall any longer, her fingers ran along the black and white keys, pressing them rather hard as she forced her playing to sound atrocious. If she played horridly, she would never be asked to play for anyone ever again.
After plunking upon the keys for a minute or so, Elodie felt a broad form make it's way into the corner of her vision. She immediately knew it was Mr. Darcy. Her gaze flitted between him and the piano as he stared down at her, his lips sewn tight.
"Do you mean to frighten me and worsen my playing, Mr. Darcy?" She asked with a playful lilt to her voice. Mr. Darcy cracked a smirk but shook his head, an expression that Elodie hated to admit was rather attractive.
"I know that I cannot alarm you even if I should wish it." He responded quickly after, his body leaning on the piano for support.
Colonel Fitzwilliam, if Elodie had remembered him correctly, saw their interaction and started towards her as well, his strides powerful and confident. "What was my friend like in Hertfordshire?" He asked as he came to the side of Mr. Darcy.
Elodie unintentionally missed a note and cringed, but continued to play regardless of her mistake.
"Prepare yourself, Colonel." She stopped pressing the keys and sat back in the bench. "When he came to the assembly ball, he danced with nobody even though gentlemen were scarce and there was more than one lady without a partner."
It was now Darcy's turn to cringe as he was reminded of his stoic attitude at the assembly ball all those months ago, it was especially embarrassing to remember since his friend was there to listen.
"I knew nobody beyond my own party." He tried to reason, though was shot down by Elodie when she tsked at him. "And nobody can be introduced at a ball." She shot back.
Colonel Fitzwilliam smiled at her retelling of the night. It certainly sounded like his friend.
He then stepped away at Lady Catherine's most vehement request, leaving Mr. Darcy and Elodie alone again.
"I do not have the... talent of conversing easily with people I have never met." Mr. Darcy lowered his voice and his eyes traveled to the floor. He shifted onto his other foot.
Elodie felt she should pity the man for his awkward nature, but she didn't feel any particular way towards him on that subject and felt it was best to leave him be.
"Maybe you should take your aunt's advice and practice." She responded absentmindedly as she started up her song again, forgetting that she was meant to play horribly.
Mr. Darcy said nothing in return as he slowly backed into his spot on the couch. Elodie continued playing.
___________
"Lady Catherine seemed rather fixated on you last night." Elizabeth slowly sipped at her morning tea and adjusted her pale brown shawl as her sister looked up from her book rather sharply.
"I'd rather she forget I exist wholly." Elodie responded. Truly, she wished to never be in Lady Catherine's company ever again if she could help it. There was simply too much scrutiny.
"And when you started playing piano..." Elizabeth mockingly melted into the seat, her eyes rolling to the back of her head. "You had won her heart." She sat up straight again when Elodie let out a long string of laughter.
"She was rather attentive to me, wasn't she?" Elodie mused, enjoying her little sister's enthusiasm. "Speaking of someone's attentions... Darcy seemed to delight himself in conversing with you." Immediately, Elodie frowned.
She frowned because she had noticed that as well, and she wished that she hadn't seen him look at her from across the room the whole night.
"You are too bold, Elizabeth." She muttered, relieving herself from the conversation as she continued her book. Lizzy seemed to deflate a little at her sister's darkened mood, especially since she meant only to tease her. But it seemed she brought up a sore topic.
Just before Elizabeth could stand up from her seat, the door to Charlotte's cottage flew open and in came a puffing Mr. Darcy, his gloves and coat still on and a rather petrified look upon his angular features.
The two girls rose quickly and curtsied, Elodie diverting her gaze as best she could. Finding that her sister refused to speak, Elizabeth sighed lightly and stepped forward.
"Please Mr. Darcy, be seated." But the man shook his head lightly, gaze following the outline of the room.
Elizabeth pulled her hands behind her back awkwardly. "I'm afraid Mr. and Mrs. Collins have gone on business to the village." He nodded and looked to the form hidden behind the dark-haired teenager.
Noticing this, Elizabeth shifted to the side more to reveal Elodie who lifted her head in betrayal. He looked from Elizabeth, to Elodie, then to Elizabeth again. To Elodie, it seemed like he wished Elizabeth would leave the room.
"This is a charming house...I believe my aunt did a great deal to it when Mr. Collins first arrived." Mr. Darcy commented in the direction of Elodie.
She smiled but tightened her jaw. This was just much too awkward for her, and surely for him as well. What was his point in being here? "Her kindness in appreciated greatly, I'm sure." She finally said.
The three then stood in silence for what felt like a century. The only sounds they could hear were the chirping of birds and their light breathing.
Then the door opened, which seemed to snap Mr. Darcy back from his thoughts.
"Good day, Miss Elizabeth." His gaze lingered on Elodie. "Miss Elodie." Elodie curtsied in farewell as he darted out of the room, sliding expertly past Charlotte and Mr. Collins.
"What on earth have you girls done to Mr. Darcy?" Charlotte crowed when she had closed the door.
Elodie quickly shifted her feet towards the large windows, her eyes following the retreating form of Mr. Darcy upon his midnight horse.
Their interaction had been quick but confused her immensely. Had he wished to say something to her?
She ducked behind the curtain so that she would hopefully hide herself when he turned his head to get one last look at the cottage.
"I... honestly have no idea." She finally responded, heart beating out of her chest.
END OF CHAPTER XII.