Darcy and the Accomplished Woman Read online

  DARCY AND THE

  ACCOMPLISHED WOMAN

  A Pride and Prejudice Tale

  Linda Phelps

  Copyright © 2014 Linda Phelps

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 1500707503

  ISBN 13: 9781500707507

  No one can be really esteemed accomplished, who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages to deserve the word, and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expression, or the word will be but half deserved.

  Caroline Bingley

  Undoubtedly there is meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation. Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable.

  Fitzwilliam Darcy

  Also by Linda Phelps

  Charlotte

  A Pride and Prejudice tale

  Young Adult

  Have You Seen Me?

  Have You Seen Uncle Leo?

  Caddie!

  For Susan

  The best DIL anyone could ever have

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER ONE

  At Caroline Bingley’s turn to congratulate the bride and groom, she produced the exquisite smile she had practiced in her looking glass. She shook the hand of George Longstreet as if he were the most casual of acquaintances, embraced Anne Longstreet (nee: Constable) and wished the couple joy. Having performed this part of the obligatory congratulations without the least sign of distress, she entered the drawing room to wait with the other guests until the wedding breakfast should be served. Much of fashionable London was in attendance, and Caroline met all friends and acquaintances as if pleased to see them on this occasion.

  “Such a happy event!” said she to each of the women with whom she was especially intimate. “And didn’t Miss Anne –I mean to say, of course, Mrs. Longstreet-- look lovely?”

  The women stated their agreement with her words and spoke of the bride’s clothes, the flowers that filled the drawing room with sweet smells, the fine appearance of Mr. Longstreet, and how happy both bride and groom seemed to be. Caroline detected only a hint of satisfaction in some of their faces, but at the first opportunity she moved to a window and appeared to watch the arrival of carriages.

  “I cannot leave without speaking to you,” said a voice. Caroline turned to face her brother’s friend, Mr. Darcy. They bowed to each other. “You are looking very well, Miss Bingley,” said he.

  Caroline thought she caught a slight note of surprise in his voice, as if he had expected to find her pale and unwell. So Mr. Darcy had also heard the rumours of her broken heart. There were no secrets in their London circle. “I thank you, but I am never ill,” said she.

  “I am pleased to hear it,” said Mr. Darcy. He stared at her for a moment, as if appraising her appearance. Caroline was not disturbed by this. Doubtless he thought she was unaware of his interest in her, but what woman could ignore such signs? Most men’s assessment of women was not so undetectable as the men believed. As she smiled at him, she did her own appraisal. Darcy was a well-looking man, taller than she, perfectly clothed, and the owner of vast holdings in Derbyshire from which he was known to derive a considerable income. This time her smile was genuine.

  “It is a pleasure to see you, Mr. Darcy,” said Caroline. “Now that my brother is staying in London, you must call on us. Perhaps we will host a dinner.”

  “I should enjoy that,” said he, “and now if you will excuse me, if you can direct me to Bingley, I must speak with him before I travel north.”

  “You go to Pemberly, do you?” asked Caroline. Mr. Darcy nodded, bowed briefly and set off in pursuit of Charles Bingley.

  Caroline resumed looking through the window at the street. Darcy’s attentions, mild as they were, had done much to ease her sense of humiliation. She did not doubt that her friends had witnessed the encounter. Let them talk about that for a few minutes and leave off sympathizing with her loss of George Longstreet.

  Again she was interrupted. “You are unkind to our guests,” said a voice. Caroline whirled to face the younger brother of the groom.

  “I?” said she. “Whatever can you mean?”

  William Longstreet eyed her curiously. “Surely, Miss Bingley, you are aware that many of your friends search for the despair behind your smiling face. A beautiful face, as always, and that golden silk quite becomes you.”

  “Despair?” said Caroline. “I have no idea what you think you are saying, but I am entirely pleased by this event. Anne Constable is an intimate friend who is deserving of good fortune, and your brother is an excellent husband for her.”

  “Perhaps I have been misinformed,” said William Longstreet. “I cannot count the number of your friends who have assured me that you hoped my brother would become your own excellent husband.”

  “They are mistaken,” said Caroline. “I esteem your brother and rejoice in his union with Miss Constable.”

  “I find that unfortunate,” said William Longstreet, “for if you were hiding a broken heart, I could add praises for your poise and courage to my usual compliments on your beauty.”

  “Your compliments indeed,” said Caroline. “Mr. Longstreet, we have known each other too long for this charade to continue. Your praises were amusing once, but I fear they have become merely annoying. Either make me laugh or leave off addressing me.”

  “I think,” said he, “I will continue to issue them. Who knows? Someday you may respect my feelings as today you do not. Does not the jester sometimes speak the truth as he performs his antics?”

  “Not a jester like you. Not a word you say is to be trusted. However, I charge you to speak of my complete indifference when this wedding is the topic. Tell all your friends.”

  “I? I am much too discrete to indulge myself by passing time in such a fashion.”

  “When ever have you exhibited discretion in repeating stories, the truth of which you can not verify?”

  “I am prepared to relate two of those stories when next I call on you,” said Longstreet. “Once they are generally known, your failure to capture my brother’s estate will be old news.”

  “As I have said, you have indeed been misinformed. While I admire your brother greatly, there was never any attachment between us.”

  He smiled at her, one eyebrow raised. “I am relieved to hear that repeated with such delightful emphasis. One could almost believe you. It would not do for Miss Caroline Bingley to be disappointed in love. But to draw the eyes of society from her, I will call on our friends, and should the topic of Miss Bingley’s disappointment arise, I will deny that it exists

  “I give you leave to speak, but they will not believe you.”

  “I will say that you have told me of other men in whom you have an interest.”

  “I have done no such thing.”

  “I will suggest that Mr. Darcy is only one of the men who shows you attention.”

  “That is not in the least true,” said Caroline. “I am only acquainted with Mr. Darcy because he is my brother’s friend. He does not show me attention, nor do any other men. Mr. Longstreet, I beg you, do not create a story about me and another man. There is no such man. You will make a fool of me.” She turned from him, thinking, but it will do no harm if you let your just married brother George know that a better man than he is aware of my attributes.

  He placed himself directly behind her as if he watched the road over her shoulder. “Miss Caroline, I will tell no story that might harm you. From the days we
played together as children, I have attended to your wishes, even before you speak them. Do you recall the wedding breakfast in this very house that followed my father’s union with my stepmother?”

  “I do,” said Caroline. “We had been banished to the nursery. You stole cake from the table and brought it to me. When I was called to appear before the guests, my dress was spotted with crumbs. Louisa almost perished from the shamefulness of her little sister.”

  “Similarly in this instance, I will serve you by telling the ladies that one of those men who courts you is I myself, that I suspect you wait impatiently for me to offer you my hand.”

  “They will surely not believe that!” cried Caroline. “They will know you speak nonsense.”

  “That they think I speak nonsense about you and me is exactly my intention. Then to divert them entirely from the topic of your inconstant heart, I will laugh and introduce the subject of Sir Jonathan Elder and his children’s governess.”

  Intrigued despite herself, Caroline spoke. “Mr. Jonathan Elder? Pray tell me—no don’t say a word. Mr. Longstreet, I have heard quite enough. I have no desire to hear scandal. I would be pleased if you would choose someone else with whom to share your ridiculous stories. Indeed, I would be more pleased if you kept them entirely to yourself.” So saying, she turned from him and joined her sister.

  “Caroline, are you well?” whispered Louisa Hurst?

  “Very much so, I assure you,” said Caroline.

  “Another hour and we will leave,” said Louisa. “Can you bear it for that long?”

  “If William Longstreet is kept away from me, I shall have no difficulty remaining at this celebration”

  “He does admire you, and he has a command of the methods that raise your spirits.” said Louisa, “Perhaps—”

  Caroline sighed. “I pray you, Louisa, do not speak of such a thing, not now, not ever.” With relief, she followed the servant’s summons to the dining room, where was spread an exceptional feast. She ate little however.

  At the earliest possible moment Caroline and her sister joined Mr. Hurst in the carriage for the ride through London streets to their home. Louisa took Caroline’s hand and held it tightly, as she had in the carriage earlier as they rode to honour the wedding of George Longstreet.

  Darcy’s Journal (London)

  Bingley writes that he is touring areas close to London in search of a country house to rent. He hopes to be in residence in such a place before the hunting begins. I wish him success. It would be well for me to have a place to hunt without coming from London to Derbyshire. I think further that it would be well if I were to become better acquainted with his younger sister, Caroline. She is a handsome woman, educated and accomplished in many areas. As one of the unmarried ladies of London society, she seems to me to be exceptional.

  Miss Caroline Bingley’s Journal (London)

  Charles writes that he has found a perfect situation in Hertfordshire, wherever that might be. It is only a few hours from London, which is all I care about. The place is called ‘Netherfield’, and according to Charles it is a handsome, comfortable house situated within a village near a town called Meryton. I suppose I must go to keep house for him, no matter how dreary the prospect. How will I find amusement? One knows that Charles will be hunting or riding every day, and what am I to do?

  Yet in one way I anticipate this removal. I long to be away from those women who stare at me with sympathy while they relish my supposed unhappiness at Mr. Longstreet’s taking of a bride. They are convinced that I wanted him for myself, and nothing I can say will shake their ideas. I have acted with perfect dignity throughout this adventure. Luckily, I felt nothing but friendship for George Longstreet, but so few will accept that fact. They would much rather think of me as suffering from a broken heart.

  For this reason, and this reason alone, I long for our removal to the country. It is tiresome to pretend not to hear the whispers about me. Hasn’t Miss Bingley lost colour? Does she seem thin? Are her eyes surrounded by the dark skin that indicates sleeplessness?

  I have access to mirrors. I look as well as I ever have, better than most of my friends, in any event.

  I will insist that Louisa and Mr. Hurst be invited to keep me company.

  Further, to prove to the world that I am by no means grieving for a lover who has rejected me, I will suggest that the freshly wed Mrs. Anne and Mr. George Longstreet would be a welcome addition, if we can tear them away from their wedding journey. That will prove to the world that I am not in the least unhappy about their union.

  I do wish that I had not constantly confided my hopes to Louisa, for now it is impossible to convince her that I was never in love with George. She cannot but recall the past several months during which I told her of my hopes and disappointments regarding him. Let us pray she feels a degree of remorse for the encouragement she gave me. “He will speak soon, I promise you. He is in love with you. Plan your wedding clothes so we can begin to shop as soon as George has spoken.”

  Louisa claims I am insane to want Mr. and Mrs. Longstreet, but I am certain it will be easier to meet George for the first time since his wedding breakfast without all of London looking on, rejoicing at my humiliation at his defection. I will meet him without the least unease. I will use an opportunity to make it clear by my demeanor that my affections were not at all touched nor were my feelings injured by Mr. George Longstreet.

  I will find a tactful way to indicate that George’s brother, William Longstreet, is not one of the party we hope to entertain. He can be amusing with his tales of the foibles of our friends. If he were a woman he would be considered an absolute gossip. I do rather enjoy his outlandish praise of my person, but I need no such puppy following me to store up anecdotes with which to regale his friends in town.

  Most importantly I am pleased to know that Mr. Darcy is expected to come to stay. I have seen him for years, but have never been on any sort of amiable footing with him. Certainly Mr. Darcy is superior to any Longstreet, and not only because he is taller and more handsome. George Longstreet’s income is nothing compared to that of Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy has a famous estate in Derbyshire and is known to have an income of 10,000 a year. Unfortunately he is not so agreeable as George. He is a quiet man by nature, and his face is not expressive of the amiability he doubtless feels, but once he has come to know me more intimately that will surely change. George Longstreet will be forced to consider if Anne Constable was the correct choice when he sees what sort of man I have attracted.

  Darcy is a great friend of Charles. Although no one has spoken of it to me, I suspect that Louisa and Charles hope for an attachment to form between Mr. Darcy and myself. I must suspect that he is invited to Netherfield not only as Charles’s friend but so that Mr. Darcy and I can become familiar to each other. It is pleasant to know that my brother and sister are planning for my future. Further, should I become engaged to him, all of London will envy me. My friendship with George will be forgotten.

  Darcy is at an age and time of life when he begins to need a wife and who better for the position than I? I’m sure I’m sufficiently handsome and well bred for the role. I have excelled in acquiring the accomplishments expected of a woman of my class, and since the death of my father I am able to bring financial assets into the union.

  In truth, this rural sojourn may advance all our hopes. When in London, Darcy keeps largely to his own town home and engagements, while we keep to ours. We do not meet as often as I would like.

  Therefore who can predict the consequences of Mr. Darcy coming to stay at this ‘Netherfield? He will be at our table for each dinner and will join us each evening in our entertainments.

  This exile to the country might well have a more interesting conclusion than I have previously imagined.

  Mr. Darcy’s Journal (Pemberly)

  Bingley writes that he has rented a house which he will occupy before Michaelmas. He is impulsive by nature, so I hope he has chosen wisely. He may well have chosen the first house he viewed
. I expect I will go to stay for a time after he is settled. It will give me an opportunity to see more of Miss Caroline Bingley. I find I have a certain interest in knowing her more thoroughly. She is a handsome young woman. If she has her brother’s charming manners, we shall progress to intimacy without difficulty.

  Miss Bingley’s Journal (London)

  It is done. Charles is already in residence in Netherfield. Darcy is to stay with us for some weeks. If nothing comes from our association, he still will be a welcome distraction from our new neighbours, who seem not to be particularly well-bred. Charles writes that he has been called upon by the most important men of the district, some gentlemen farmers and an attorney, if you please. Further, there is a militia stationed in the nearby town, so he has been called upon by several of the officers. What can the wives and daughters of such people be like? I suppose I will be expected to serve as an example of correct dress and behavior to them.

  I understand that no mistress has been in residence in Netherfield for some years. Thus I shall not blame the local women for their rustic ways, for they have been deprived of superior society upon which to model their deportment. I am sure they will admire and learn from Louisa and me. Let us hope they are not intolerable in their fawning. In any case, we will do what we can to put them at their ease when they come to call. We will remember how infrequently they have had the opportunity to observe a better sort of society. It will be dull for us, but one must do what is necessary when one stays in the country.

  I must remember to tell Louisa to speak to Mr. Hurst about his habit of lying on a sofa after dinner. It is a rather endearing custom when we are en famille. Still I would not wish him to practice this informality when in the presence of our new neighbours. He does snore.

  Mr. Darcy’s Journal (London)

  Can any neighbourhood warrant Bingley’s enthusiasm? I comprehend that he has now leased his first country house, and that he is anxious to appear as the master of it before myself and his sisters. We go down on the 12th, in proper time to partake of a country ball on the 15th. He promises us pleasant people and pretty girls, although he has met only a few of either. One wonders what passes for handsomeness in a woman in Hertfordshire. I well know what one is expected to admire in Derbyshire.