Page 120 of The Long Road Back to Yesterday

“Yes, thank you, sir.”

He served her before returning the dish. His eyes lingered on hers.

“It is my pleasure, Elizabeth.”

When she turned her attention from him, she found Miss Thorne watching them with fixed attention. Elizabeth acknowledged her with a slight inclination of her head before taking a bite of the salmon.

The conversation turned to books, and one of the gentlemen mentioned a recently published work. Elizabeth had read a favorable account of it but had not yet read the book herself.

“You have not read it yet, Elizabeth?” Darcy asked.

“No, sir, not yet.”

“I have a copy at Pemberley. Perhaps we can read it together.”

“I should like that very much, sir.”

His lips curved slightly.

When Elizabeth returned her attention to her plate, she noticed Miss Thorne across the table. The young woman was watching them again, but this time her expression was more thoughtful than curious. Their eyes met, and Miss Thorne lowered hers to her plate.

After dinner, the ladies withdrew to the drawing room. Miss Thorne sat beside Elizabeth.

“I hope you will forgive me for speaking plainly, Miss Bennet. Our families have known one another for years, and I have been at Pemberley more times than I can remember. Mr. Darcy’s mother was very kind to me when I was a child. I suppose I always imagined Mr. Darcy would marry someone from Derbyshire.”

She looked down at her hands.

“When I was fourteen, I decided that someone would be me. My mother knew what I hoped for, and I believe she hoped for it as well. There seemed no reason it could not happen, except that Mr. Darcy never gave any indication that he had considered it.”

Elizabeth began to understand.

Miss Thorne smiled a little. “You need not look so concerned. I am not about to weep over a hope I abandoned years ago. I am only surprised by what I have seen tonight.”

“I am sorry if the news of our engagement caused you pain.”

“It did not, though I confess it has shaken my pride. For years I wondered whether I might become the sort of woman Mr. Darcy would admire. I tried speaking less when he was near and once attempted to read a dreadful book because I had seen him carrying it.”

Elizabeth listened intently.

“I did not get beyond the fourth chapter. Eventually, I abandoned both the book and my efforts to become someone else.”

“I think you were wise.”

“I stopped expecting Mr. Darcy to notice me years ago. What surprised me tonight was discovering that I had been wrong about him.”

Miss Thorne raised her eyes to Elizabeth’s.

“I thought perhaps he was simply a cold, reserved man who paid little attention to such things because he considered them beneath his notice. But he does care, and he is thoughtful.”

“I have yet to meet a more thoughtful man than Mr. Darcy. He is an excellent brother to Georgiana, and I have every reason to believe he will be an excellent husband to me.”

Miss Thorne glanced toward the dining room doors.

“I used to think there must be something wanting in me because he never looked at me as I hoped he would. Tonight I discovered there was nothing wanting in either of us. He simply did not love me.”

The gentlemen began to enter the room, and the two women turned to watch them.

Darcy appeared among them, listening while their host spoke to him. His gaze moved across the company until he found Elizabeth.