Their visitors stayed with them above half-an-hour;and when they arose to depart,Mr.Darcy called on his sister to join him in expressing their wish of seeing Mr.and Mrs.Gardiner,and Miss Bennet,to dinner at Pemberley,before they left the country.Miss Darcy, though with a diffidence which marked her little in the habit of giving invitations,readily obeyed.Mrs.Gardiner looked at her niece,desirous of knowing how she,whom the invitation most concerned,felt disposed as to its acceptance,but Elizabeth had turned away her head.Presuming however,that this studied avoidance spoke rather a momentary embarrassment than any dislike of the proposal,and seeing in her husband,who was fond of society,a perfect willingness to accept it,she ventured to engage for her attendance,and the day after the next was fixed on.
But she had no reason to fear Mr.and Mrs.Gardiner's curiosity;it was not their wish to force her communication.It was evident that she was much better acquainted with Mr.Darcy than they had before any idea of;it was evident that he was very much in love with her.They saw much to interest,but nothing to justify inquiry.
It was not often that she could turn her eyes on Mr. Darcy himse