Old Friends and New Fancies by Sybil G. Brinton Read Free Book Online

the river. Elizabeth found herself obliged to pair off with Mrs. Ferrars, but Lucy, who possessed a considerably larger share of adroitness than her sister, perceived at once that the different methods were necessary to recommend herself to Mrs. Darcy than to Lady Catherine, and had for some days been endeavouring to show herself equal to the standard of elegance required by a young lady. On this occasion she began by expressing warm enjoyment of the concert a few nights before.
"Yes," said Elizabeth, "it was a good concert, very much above the average of those things, I thought."
"Oh, it was charming! I do not know when I have been more delighted! That exquisite Italian song! The air of it runs in my memory still."
"You must have a good memory, for those florid operatic songs are the most difficult things to remember."
"Ah, dear Mrs. Darcy, I fear you undervalue your powers. We all know what an accomplished musician and critic you are." Elizabeth disclaimed; but Mrs. Ferrars continued perseveringly: "You prefer instrumental music, perhaps? It is no doubt a sign of a more cultivated taste."
Elizabeth was somewhat amused. "I do prefer instrumental music, but only because it is the kind I understand best."
"Then of course you appreciated the playing of that young lady, Miss Crawford. I suppose it was very wonderful. Lady Catherine was much struck by it."
"I do not know that it was wonderful, but Miss Crawford has a great gift, and plays with all the feeling and charm one would expect of her."
"You know her well, do you not?" asked Lucy.
"Not very well, but I do hope to know her better."
Lucy meditated upon this: it was not very agreeable news to her; if Mrs. Darcy saw much of Miss Crawford, it would mean that Colonel Fitzwilliam would see a good deal of her, too. Lucy felt that after poor Anne's many failures, success did not look more probable here; and the result of her reflections was the question: "Is Miss Crawford as rich as they say?"
"I do not know what Miss Crawford's fortune is," replied Elizabeth in cold surprise. "She and her sister appear comfortably off."
"Oh, I only meant--" began Lucy, confused. "She is said to be such a great heiress, that I often wonder why she has never married." Then, as her companion did not speak, she added: "They say that perhaps she will be the next Lady Elliot, and that would be most suitable, would it not? his title and her fortune."
"I should not think such a match was very probable, but I scarcely know Sir Walter Elliot," replied Elizabeth.
Lucy could not help pursuing the subject. "Do you think Miss Crawford very pretty?" she inquired?
"She is very graceful and sweet looking; and her face has a great deal of animation, which is always so attractive," answered Elizabeth.
"Her complexion has rather last its bloom, though, and she is so unbecomingly thin," Lucy ventured to say.
"I have not remarked it," returned Elizabeth, vexed with herself for having drifted into anything like an intimated conversation with Mrs. Ferrars. "Shall we join Lady Catherine? She is evidently wanting to collect the party. It must be nearly time to start for home."
Lucy saw that she had made a mistake, and covered it as well as she could by saying: "Oh, but I think Miss Crawford charming, I assure you, and so talented. I wish we could have heard the harp when we were calling on you yesterday morning."
"You will have another opportunity of doing so at my aunt's reception next week," said her companion.
Mrs. Darcy had been quite conscious of the undercurrent in Mrs. Ferrars's mind during this conversation, for she had perceived the aspirations of Miss Steele, supported as she was by her sister, towards Colonel Fitzwilliam; and Elizabeth felt the extreme importance of preventing any hint from being dropped which might open her cousin's eyes to the situation, or even to the fact that anyone thought there was a situation. A word of raillery from Miss Steele, or of archness from Mrs. Ferrars, would be enough to drive