He nodded. “Are you ready, then?”
Elizabeth was holding a novel she had not yet examined. “Yes.”
They all walked with Charlotte and Maria as far as the road that led to Lucas Lodge. As her friends disappeared up the lane, Elizabeth lingered behind the rest of the party. Mr. Darcy waited with her. When her sisters and Mr. Fitzwilliam were far enough away that they could be seen but not heard, Elizabeth began to walk.
“It is nothing of very great moment, Mr. Darcy,” she began. “It is only rather embarrassing. I do beg your pardon if I have concerned you.”
“I would still prefer to know, Miss Elizabeth,” he said in that voice of his that was at once both low and grave. “Clearly something has upset you.”
“Mr. Wickham and the other officers were loitering about the entrance to Clarke’s, and he spoke to me and to Charlotte to force an introduction. We accepted to avoid a scene.”
A muscle in Mr. Darcy’s jaw twitched.
“The end of it all is that the officers appear to have been placing wagers on my behaviour towards Mr. Wickham. From what I could perceive, some of the officers claim it is impossible to charm me, whilst Mr. Wickham has made a bet that he will succeed despite my hardened heart.” She had meant it to be comedic, but to her chagrin, it sounded as though she had been hurt.
Very well, then. Ithadhurt. No young woman appreciated being spoken of as though she was unfeeling. Particularly when her sentiments ran very deep indeed.
“I see,” Mr. Darcy said as though he was speaking through his teeth.
“It is nothing, sir,” she assured him. “Only that I sense something about Mr. Wickham, something harmful that I cannot quite discern. It is unsettling.”
“Perhaps because you sense he is more than improper, he is unscrupulous,” Mr. Darcy replied. “Which is a compliment to your good judgment.” He explained what had happened after dinner with the officers.
“Oh,” was all she could say when Mr. Darcy had completed his recitation. “He was quite bold.”
“As he was today,” Mr. Darcy added. “Will you tell your father?”
“Of course,” Elizabeth said, and Mr. Darcy nodded approvingly.
“I would have felt compelled to do so were you unwilling,” he told her. “I am pleased to find you reasonable.”
Elizabeth laughed a little at this. “Did you think I would confide in you but not Papa? He would have my head on a platter.”
Mr. Darcy grinned. “He would indeed, and I would wish it to remain securely attached to your shoulders. It is a rather pretty head.”
Elizabeth almost said something impudent in reply, but she paused. Mr. Darcy did not seem to think anything of his rather familiar speech. He simply felt comfortable with her, and why not? As the daughter of a man he respected, and a woman with whom he had built a friendship, he would never take liberties with her. Perhaps he had just forgotten himself a bit.
“I will accompany you to your father’s study, if I might. Fitzwilliam and I have visited Mr. Jensen and have information about the carriage.”
“Oh, the new one?” Elizabeth asked, brightening. “I hope Papa will pay a little extra for a larger box. Soon enough, there shall be six of us in the family party alone, seven if Mrs. Quimby joins us. That old coach was too small and always in need of repair. A wheel, the coachman’s seat, a window, the steps . . .”
“Did Mr. Jensen come out to Longbourn to make the repairs?” Mr. Darcy asked quietly.
“No, Papa would only engage Mr. Jensen if he required an entirely new carriage, and he did not wish to take on that expense just yet. Mr. Tobias is approaching sixty-five years of age. He is an excellent driver, but heavy work is not something we can expect of him. Mr. Todd has lately taken on those tasks, along with any other required repairs around the estate.”
“I do not believe I have met him.”
“Oh, I do not suppose you would. He is the father of Nora and Molly. You escorted me to their cottage last week, the day after Jane’s accident, but he was working.”
He nodded.
“Mr. Todd’s wife died when the youngest was barely walking. Therefore, he cannot work a great deal for he cannot leave his girls for long. Papa gave him a cottage on the estate and pays him in return for doing the odd repairs.” She paused.
“How long ago was that?”
“Oh, a month or so before you arrived.”
“July, then?”