]'Pray,Miss Eliza,are not the--shire militia removed from Meryton? They must be a great loss to YOUR family.'

"...but exerting herself vigorously to repel the ill-natured attack, she (Elizabeth) presently answered the question in a tolerably disengaged tone. While she spoke, an involuntary glance showed her Darcy with an heightened complexion, earnestly looking at her, and his sister overcome with confusion..."

I know I'm playing devil's advocate here, but something struck me on this read when I got to this part. Is it possible that Darcy was worried Elizabeth might say something wrong? I can almost see him sitting there holding his breath and waiting for her to say something, not knowing but worried about what she could say.

Then in the next paragraph: "Elizabeth's collected behaviour, however, soon quieted his emotion..."

I know that his first concern was Georgiana's feelings if Wickham's name were mentioned, but it seems he wasn't quite sure what Elizabeth's answer would be, or if it would please him.