Chapter 7

Saturday morning, after a hearty breakfast and a swiftly written letter to her mother, Elizabeth went for a walk in the park. As had become her habit, she sang as she walked through the grove, a secluded and pretty part of the park that had escaped Lady Catherine’s fastidious manicuring.

There was a little stream meandering alongside her and she stood on its banks and threw petals of the cherry blossom she was holding into the water as she sang a country song about a shepherd who’d fallen in love with an unattainable maiden.

“Pardon me. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

Elizabeth jumped and pressed her hand to her heart. Standing not ten feet away was a tall man, with broad shoulders and blond hair, a smile on his face as he looked directly at her. She quickly deduced by his clothes that he was a gentleman and assumed he was one of the mysterious nephews, though he was certainly not Mr. Darcy. The man rapidly approaching them, however, was.

“Ah, Darcy, there you are!” cried the blond man. “I was walking along and stumbled across this lovely creature. Shall we introduce ourselves?”

“That is hardly necessary, Fitzwilliam,” said Mr. Darcy. “Miss Bennet, it is a pleasure to see you.” He bowed and she curtseyed, saying nothing. “May I introduce my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam? This is Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn in Hertfordshire.”

Another round of bows and curtseys ensued. “I am pleased to meet you, Colonel Fitzwilliam. Mr. Darcy.” She bobbed again. “Good day.” She walked away from them, leaving the men to look at each other quizzically before following after her.

“You are staying at the parsonage, are you not? Please, allow us to escort you,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said quickly. She stopped and looked at him and then at his cousin before nodding.

“Very well.” She began walking again, now flanked on either side by Lady Catherine’s nephews.

“How do you find Kent, Miss Bennet?” Mr. Darcy asked quietly from her right.

“It is very beautiful,” she answered.

He nodded.

They fell silent.

Elizabeth felt all the awkwardness of having been caught in so indecorous a pursuit by a stranger, and then forced to keep company with Mr. Darcy. Of all people! She had hoped to avoid him as long as possible, and here she was, a foot away from him, walking down the lane like old friends, only they had nothing to say to each other.