“Mr. Collins, sir,” he said, a little out of breath. “Mr. Bennet would like to see you back at the house.”
“But I am accompanying my fair cousins into town,” Mr. Collins replied. “Surely he cannot have need of me again.”
Brooks shook his head. “I do not question the general’s orders, Mr. Collins. I simply fulfil them. And his orders are that you return to the house, for he has need of you.”
Mr. Collins sighed and turned to Jane. “I should very much appreciate an opportunity to walk with you into town, Miss Bennet. Perhaps we might postpone the outing?”
Jane was perilously close to agreeing, so Elizabeth spoke up instead. “Mrs. Keller has given the girls liberty from their lessons for this very purpose, Mr. Collins,” she informed him. “They must make the trip today, or it will be nearly a week before they try again. Are you so very interested in ribbons and Clarke’s library?”
“Oh, we shall certainly choose more novels, Kitty,” Lydia said. “For even Lizzy has finished this one.” She held up a book.
“I never read novels,” Mr. Collins said with an air of condescension. “I findFordyce’s Sermonsmore edifying for young ladies such as yourselves.”
“Mary tried to read that to us once,” Lydia said, rolling her eyes. “Even she could not bear it.”
Mary’s cheeks pinked.
“In that case, Mr. Collins,” Elizabeth said, trying to gain some control over the exchange, “you should not enjoy this visit in any case.” She made every attempt to remain civil. “I am very sorry, but I believe we must go on as planned.” A small tug on Mr. Darcy’s arm was all it required to start them moving again.
“Well, that is settled then. Good day, Mr. Collins,” Mr. Fitzwilliam said, and led Jane away.
“Oh, Lizzy,” Kitty cried as Mr. Collins followed Brooks back to Longbourn. “Thank you! I should have been ever so cross if we had to walk back to the house now. What sort of man does not read novels?”
Mr. Darcy cleared his throat.
“No,” Elizabeth said teasingly. “Surely you have read a novel or two in your time, Mr. Darcy. Not even to discuss with your sister?”
“We have sufficient conversation in our letters without resorting to novels,” Mr. Darcy replied. “I have not nearly enough time to read, and when I do, I prefer to read for edification rather than amusement.”
Elizabeth gazed up at him. “You do not have enough levity in your life, I think,” she said kindly.
“Oh, Lizzy,” Kitty protested. “You would never read novels either, did we not select them for you.”
Elizabeth smiled. “I prefer to follow your recommendations. You are better at choosing the exciting ones than I.”
“Of course we are,” Lydia agreed. She seemed about to say something more, but paused. Elizabeth suspected it would be a comment on how boring her elder sisters all were, but Mrs. Keller’s admonitions had evidently been received with some trepidation, for Lydia closed her mouth without speaking again.
“Was it not impolite of Mr. Collins to seek to postpone our outing, Lizzy?” Kitty asked suddenly. “It does not seem fair of him to request it.”
“I should have walked to town anyway,” Lydia declared. “Terrible man. Trying to spoil everyone’s pleasure because he could not partake of it.”
“Lydia,” Elizabeth warned her.
“It is nothing but the truth, Lizzy, you know it is.”
“Miss Lydia and Miss Kitty are not wrong,” Mr. Darcy said. “It was impolite of Mr. Collins to expect everyone to suspend their pleasure only because he had been called away.”
Lydia smiled brightly. “Ha! Even Mr. Darcy agrees!”
“Mr. Darcy is not a young lady,” Jane said firmly from her position at the front of their group, and Lydia frowned but was silent.
“I beg your pardon, Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy said. “I should not have interfered.”
There was a chuckle from the general direction of Mr. Fitzwilliam, and Elizabeth cast an impish look up at Mr. Darcy. “I shall have my revenge, sir. For when we return home, I shall tell Mrs. Keller that you are a poor influence upon her charges.”
Mr. Darcy’s forehead creased. “Mrs. Keller is very kind to me.”
“Only because you have not stood betwixt her and her duty.”