Charlotte Collins' somber expression immediately deflated the jubilant mood of her friend Miss Anne de Bourgh. Charlotte bit her lower lip as Anne craned her neck to look for the arrival of Charlotte's particular friend.
"Miss Elizabeth?" Anne asked.
Charlotte slowly shook her head. "She pushed Mr. Collins too far, I'm afraid, and he ordered her locked in her room."
Anne's mouth dropped in horror at such treatment for a guest, even if she was a relation to Mr. Collins. But more than that, Anne knew they must hide Elizabeth's fate from her cousin, Mr. Darcy. Unfortunately, Anne had no time to explain the matter to Charlotte before a maid carrying refreshments entered her bedroom, followed by her cousin, himself.
Darcy bowed elegantly to the ladies and did his best to hide his own furtive glances around the room; realizing one of the ladies he expected to be in this room was not present.
"Mrs. Collins, I hope you do not mind I have taken the liberty to order some refreshments for your visit. I am afraid my aunt has been too distracted at times to offer proper courtesy to the guests of this home."
"Thank you, Mr. Darcy. I am certain your selections for comfort are very fine, indeed,” Charlotte answered.
Anne took a deep breath and concentrated in speaking with a steady tone. "Mrs. Collins was just explaining to me of how her friend, Miss Bennet, came down with a rather nasty headache this morning and has decided to spend the day resting in her rooms."
Darcy looked quickly between the two ladies, concern creased in the wrinkles of his forehead. Charlotte looked to Anne for some sign of what to do about this blatant falsehood, and why on earth was she lying to Mr. Darcy about Elizabeth? Thankfully, Charlotte Collins was a smart woman and more pieces of her friend's mystery mission began to fall into place. However, now was not the time to inquire further, so instead, Charlotte continued the charade.
"Yes, I'm afraid my friend did come down with a slight ache to her head, but I cannot be for certain it was not at least minorly exacerbated by perhaps some of the mannerisms of her own kin." Charlotte smiled and hoped Mr. Darcy would not think worse of her for speaking ill of her own husband. Instead, the man seemed to understand.
"Did your friend mention anything about wishing to visit Rosings later in her visit? I only ask because I know my cousin is most anxious to meet the woman I nearly killed with my horse. Thanks to my cousin Richard, it's become a bit of a famous story." The usually reserved Mr. Darcy nodded with a smile in his eyes for Anne who rapidly clapped her hands in appreciation.
"Yes, and Richard Fitzwilliam and I played the most delightful card game I am told she taught my sour cousin while he paid penance for his stupidity. Racing the horse on a public road, it's what you've always been warned about."
Charlotte nodded noncommittally and that seemed to be enough to soothe Mr. Darcy's inquiry. Still, with such easy manners between the men and women presumed to wed as soon as may be, Charlotte felt uneasy that such a serious question somehow involved her friend.
As a silence descended the room, Darcy realized he had been blocking the door for the poor maid stuck standing there, looking down at the carpets, during this entire conversation that did not include her. The poor little mouse did not dare to ask the great man to move out of her way, and Darcy's cheeks slightly reddened. "I believe I have overstayed my welcome, ladies, please. Please enjoy your novel, and know that hopefully more than a chapter or two might be read today."
"Fitzwilliam, how so?" Anne asked, before suffering a small coughing fit.
"Richard has invited the parson to the library for drinks. He doesn't believe me how utterly ridiculous the man can truly be." Darcy gave his cousin a sly wink and bowed once more to exit the room.
No sooner had Anne watched the door close than Mrs. Collins began to fret and wring her hands in front of her.
"Whatever is the matter, Charlotte? Don't worry, they will keep him occupied as they say."
Charlotte shook her head. "You don't understand. My husband will boast about bringing his Cousin Elizabeth in line to her ladyship's expectations. He will boast that he is starving her all day today and I'm afraid of what Mr. Darcy might do."
Anne de Bourgh's stomach felt hollow as she considered the significance of Charlotte's fears. While Charlotte only suspected a tendre existed between Mr. Darcy and her friend, Anne knew for certain. Placing her fingertips to her forehead, she pretended to swoon.
“Anne!”
Peeking her eye open, she winked at Charlotte. “Go! Tell them I fainted, I can't possibly be read to today.”
“But—” Charlotte looked confused.
“Darcy loves Elizabeth. If your husband tells him he locked her up, there will be violence. Go!”
Charlotte didn't need any further encouragement. She darted out of the room and rushed down the stairs, feeling her lungs struggle with the sudden exertion. Breathless, she came upon the gentlemen in the library looking a pure fright.
“Mr. Darcy! Anne has fainted.” As Charlotte leaned on the doorframe for support, she observed it wasn't Mr. Darcy that first jumped up. It was the Colonel. And the man who did not move from his comfortable chair was her own husband, who instead looked more like a deer hearing a gunshot. Charlotte caught her breath and moved out of the way so that Mr. Darcy could also leave the room, and for a brief moment, she wondered the joy she might have in widowhood if Mr. Darcy had killed her husband.