The Comte’s pretty sister very civilly enquired if she might be permitted to take the ladies on a drive through the park whilst the gentlemen were making their tour. Elizabeth was eager to fix an opportunity to find out more about her brother in his absence, and, as Georgiana was equally anxious to avoid the Comte, both Darcy ladies accepted with alacrity. Amélie was not above seventeen, and shared her brother’s good-natured and generous spirit, as well his genius for conversation—and this to a surprising degree for one so young and sequestered. She was not tall as was Georgiana, but had a very natural innocence to her countenance, a light, pleasing figure, and hair of a most beautiful light brown. To frame such natural attractions, she wore a plain muslin gown, with only a brown ribband below the bodice, the same colour as the fine shawl tied gracefully about her shoulders. She put on a straw bonnet made all over with white tulle, upon which were fastened a few white ostrich feathers on the outer brim and one under it, which had a most charming way of curling up behind her face. Elizabeth had never seen the like; never had borrowed feathers been placed to such an advantageous effect. At that moment, Elizabeth thought to herself, neither the finest silks nor gossamer lace could improve upon such a picture of perfect beauty and nature; no amendment could yield an effect so artless, yet so completely elegant. There was something special about a Frenchwoman’s toilette that produced a result of enchanting taste and refinement, which every Englishwoman tried in vain to purchase—with widely varying degrees of success.

By the time the ladies in the Phaeton reached the wooded area of the park, it had become clear that this mademoiselle had no ulterior motive for her kindness; her intention was simply to shew the friends of her brother every possible civility. Georgiana and Elizabeth enjoyed her knowledgeable explanations of the history of the château, the number of gardeners employed to maintain the extensive grounds, the varieties of fish resident in the vast lake, the names of the trees, and the forms of the parterres and fountain which dominated both sides of the château. Feeling that they must soon reach the end of the sheer volume of numbers that formed the basis of the ground’s description, Elizabeth attempted to steer the conversation toward her primary interest.

“You must be plagued with guests here. It is so beautiful, no one would ever wish to leave; do you frequently entertain friends of your brother?”