Darcy and the Accomplished Woman Page 5

  Soon she left to be with her sister. I think Darcy and Charles are not quite aware of the devious way in which some women, such as ‘Miss Lizzy’ try to make themselves seem superior in the eyes of men.

  “Eliza Bennet,” said I, “is one of those young ladies who seeks to recommend themselves to the other sex, by undermining their own. It is a mean trick.”

  “Undoubtedly,” said Darcy, “there is meanness in all the arts which ladies employ for captivation. Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable.”

  Once again Darcy and I think exactly alike.

  In response to a note from Elizabeth, Mrs. Bennet paid an early visit to Netherfield. Accompanied by her two youngest daughters, she was led directly to the sickroom, where, to her great relief, she found Mr. Jones, the apothecary, who assured her it would be dangerously unwise to attempt to transport the patient to Longbourne. Mrs. Bennet’s contentment upon hearing this warning informed all that she had feared Jane would be pronounced well enough to return home, away from Mr. Bingley and his connections.

  “How could an attachment advance if the two probable lovers are not in proximity to each other?” whispered Louisa to her sister.

  “And no attempt to hide her strategy,” said Caroline.

  Meeting the Bennets when they had left the sickroom, Bingley expressed his hopes, “that you have not found Miss Bennet worse than you expected”.

  “Indeed I have, sir,” said Mrs. Bennet. “Mr. Jones says we must not think of moving her.”

  “Moving her!” cried Bingley. “My sisters and I will not think of it.”

  After a pause, Caroline Bingley offered, “You may depend upon it, Madam that Miss Bennet shall receive every possible attention.”

  Once this point was settled, the general discussion moved to the topic of country versus city living. Bingley claimed to be equally happy in each sphere. His sisters echoed him, but with less enthusiasm.

  Elizabeth spoke of the variety of people that could be met with in a country setting. “I am never at a loss for characters to study.”

  Darcy spoke. “The country can supply but few subjects for study, for one moves in a very confined and unvarying society.”

  Mrs. Bennet chose to take offence at this remark. “I believe there are few neighbourhoods larger than this,” said she proudly. “I know we dine with four and twenty families.”

  Caroline was not entirely able to control her countenance after hearing this remark. She caught Darcy’s eye. He looked as he always did, but she knew he was hiding the contempt for Mrs. Bennet and the country that he could not utter.

  From the Journal of Miss Bingley (Netherfield)

  What a trying day! Bennets, everywhere one turned. First, of course, the obligatory visit to the sickroom to check on the patient and her sister. Then, if you please, the mother arrived with two more of the sisters. The house was bursting with Bennets!

  I had hoped that since they came in a carriage, as one is expected to do, they would gather up the two sisters who are in residence and carry them swiftly to their own home, but such was not to be. Unluckily the local apothecary was in the sickroom the very moment the mother arrived and forbade that Jane be moved. So I must play gracious hostess for at least another day.

  Charles, of course, disparaged any idea of removing Jane to Longbourn. He has not seen her since the night of her arrival. If he had, he might not be so eager to keep her here. The looks of everyone suffering from a bad cold deteriorate to a degree, but Jane’s red nose and eyes, her lank hair, her colour, either too red or too white, might cause him to rethink his infatuation with her. Her famous beauty is not in evidence. Dear Darcy and Mrs. Bennet had a contretemps, she claiming that the country had amusements equal to those that can be found in town! Darcy corrected her very politely, but she answered him sharply. For some reason she has a dislike for him that she does not attempt to hide. How peculiar! What can she possibly have against him? I am sure this is the first time they were ever in company.

  One could tell by the way her colour rose, that Miss Lizzie felt embarrassment at her mother’s unseemly words, as well she should have done. Our own mother would never have put us in such a position, for breeding is everything after all.

  Then, to make sure the call ended with a flourish of sour trumpets, the younger sisters approached Charles and importuned him to hold a ball! I have never before experienced this degree of brashness in anyone I have known, child or adult. Charles, however, seemed charmed by the idea and promised that they would pick the very day of the ball once Jane Bennet was well. He little recalls that I will have the planning and managing of it!

  However, if I do this correctly, Darcy will surely notice how well I am able to handle the responsibilities of a large house. Perhaps this is an opportunity for me as well as a duty

  After our guests had left, I teased Darcy about the ‘fine eyes’ he had earlier praised. He merely nodded in agreement, having realized that no girl with such a mother will ever be acceptable in decent society, no matter how fine her eyes are.

  Darcy’s Journal (Netherfield)

  I can only marvel that Elizabeth and her elder sister Jane have survived their breeding. The mother and the younger daughters came today to see if the latter were well enough to remove, but Jones said not. Bingley was openly relieved at this delay, while I took equal pleasure in Miss Bennet’s prolonged illness for a different reason. I welcome the opportunity to watch Elizabeth in her daily round.

  Both mother and younger girls display impropriety to an extreme degree. The giggling daughters went directly to Bingley and demanded he provide the neighbourhood with a ball. Easy as he is, I doubt not that we will soon see a ball at Netherfield.

  The mother chose to argue with me about something very silly. She seems to have taken a dislike to me. I cannot guess the reason. If only Elizabeth does not share her antipathy! I hope she joins this family in the library after dinner. I have a letter to Georgiana to attend to, but I will have opportunities to observe her. I hope, in fact, to discover a way to engage her attention. I find her conversation, scarce as it is, to be original and entertaining.

  When Elizabeth joined the party, she found Bingley and Hurst playing at piquet while Mr. Darcy wrote letters to the admiration of Miss Bingley. She praised the speed and evenness of his handwriting. She praised the ease with which he wrote at length. She alternated praise for his sister with pleas that he include her good wishes to the girl.

  Darcy stood this with tolerable patience, aware that Elizabeth was attending. In order to quiet Miss Bingley he responded mildly but unenthusiastically to her constant remarks.

  “Let Georgiana know what I am quite in raptures with her beautiful little design for a table,” said Miss Bingley.

  “Will you give me leave to defer your raptures, till I write again?” said Darcy, unable to keep the weariness out of his voice.

  “But do you always write such charming long letters to her, Mr. Darcy?”

  “I cannot vouchsafe that they are charming,” said Darcy. And with that, he signed the letter and folded it for posting.

  Louisa Hurst, the only person in the room who had no pursuit, chose to watch Elizabeth Bennet. Louisa was not deceived by their guest’s seeming concentration on her needle. Lizzie was watching and listening to all that occurred. There was no possibility of mistaking the meaning of her small smile. She was amused by Caroline’s flirting and its subsequent failure to win Mr. Darcy’s attention. She was pleased by Miss Bingley’s refusal to admit defeat when she was steeped in it. She took wicked pleasure in observing people who, in her eyes, made themselves spectacles. Louisa could read Lizzie’s thoughts as if they were spoken aloud. She was asking herself, “Why does not Miss Bingley write her own letter to Darcy’s sister?” Louisa felt the flame of vicarious embarrassment. Caroline was flirting so clumsily that Darcy was hard pressed to maintain his manners.

  She was relieved when Bingley and Darcy began to trade comments about which of them was the better lett
er writer. Elizabeth joined in, praising Bingley for his self-proclaimed spontaneity. She appeared charmed by this good-natured banter. She seemed pleased that Mr. Darcy had a lighthearted side, nothing like that of the self-effacing Bingley, perhaps, but likely a pleasing revelation to one who had previously seen only his dignified aspect. Her eyes moved from one of the gentlemen to the other, lingering most often on Bingley.

  Louisa was convinced that Lizzie was thinking, “What a fine husband this man will make for my sister”.

  Perhaps in a move to change the nature of the evening, Mr. Darcy requested of both Caroline and Elizabeth that they favor the group with some music. Before Elizabeth could rise from her seat Miss Bingley and her sister went to the piano with alacrity and immediately sang a duet. They had both a deal of musical ability that made it a pleasure to hear them. When they had finished, Elizabeth excused herself, saying she must see to her sister.

  After the men had retired, Caroline took her sister aside. “Did you notice how Mr., Darcy directed his gaze to Miss Lizzie as we sang?”

  “Indeed I did,” said Louisa.

  “I am sure he finds fault with her appearance. After these last days he finds her even less ‘tolerable’ than he did at the Assembly Ball.”

  “Perhaps,” said Louisa, “but his notice of her can be interpreted differently.”

  “I believe Darcy took offence at remarks she made when she defended Charles. It was quite insolent of her to take his side in such a manner.”

  “We were all commenting on the topic,” said Louisa.

  “And that is another way she has appalled Darcy,” said Caroline. “I’m sure he was disgusted, as we all were, at the liberties she took in entering into a family discussion. After all, she is here as a guest, an uninvited one at that, so her effrontery is doubly shocking.”

  “Sister,” said Louisa with care, “perhaps you should judge less by appearances. Things are not always as they seem to be.”

  “That is exactly what William Longstreet said to me before we came to the country,” said Caroline, “but often appearances are all we have to help us form our opinions.”

  Darcy’s Journal (Netherfield)

  I have tried anew. While Caroline played, I asked Miss Elizabeth to dance. Although she denied me, her manner was one of sweetness. She professed to believe I asked only so I could despise her taste. Where did she acquire such an idea? I despise nothing about her. Perhaps she was teasing. Sometimes she turns her head as if to hide a smile from me.

  “Mr. Darcy,” said Caroline, “it is a fine dry day. Let me persuade you to follow my example and take a turn about the gardens.”

  “I will be pleased to join you,” said Darcy. As they strolled along the paths, Miss Bingley said with a smile, “I hope you feel you are progressing in your pursuit of Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

  “I pursue no one,” said Darcy mildly. “I have found her stay here to have enlivened our evenings to a degree, but I assure you I will make no attempt to delay her departure.”

  “But you will not have the pleasure of seeing her fine eyes,” said Caroline. “Nor, once she and her sister have left, can we expect many calls from her mother and younger sisters. I believe you should be about the task of coming to know them more intimately. To be sure, they will want to visit you at Pemberly once you have made your conquest.”

  “You are amusing yourself, Miss Bingley,” said Darcy, “but the idea is ludicrous. I am aware of appearances and proprieties.”

  “Yes, but when a pair of fine eyes bewitches a man, he may forget all. In any event, I hope you will give your mother-in-law a few hints about holding her tongue from time to time. You might also suggest that the daughters be not allowed such open pursuit of the officers, for I’m sure their antics in that line are the talk of Meryton society, such as it is.”

  “Happily, none of this is my concern.”

  “Oh, and you must design a way to check your lady’s propensity to exhibit conceit and --I must say it—impertinence.”

  “Have you anything else to offer for my domestic felicity?”

  As it happened, Caroline had several such offerings. She amused herself by helping him picture the Bennet family at Pemberly. “How astounded your servants will be and your housekeeper, although I am sure none of your tenants will have any interest in the situation. They will not discuss it among themselves.”

  At that moment they were met at another walk by Elizabeth Bennet and Mrs. Hurst. Caroline coloured. How loudly had she been speaking? What might the others have overheard?

  “You used us abominably ill,” cried Louisa, “in running away without telling us you were coming out.” At that, she took Mr. Darcy’s arm, so that he had a sister on each. This maneuver left Elizabeth with the option of walking behind them or making her own way.

  “We should turn onto the avenue,” said Mr. Darcy. “This path is not wide enough for four.”

  But Elizabeth refused to join them. She seemed almost to be relieved to escape their company.

  Once she was safely at a distance Caroline Bingley said, “Yes, Mr. Darcy. I’m afraid you will be faced with the task of instructing her in the tenets of good manners. Louisa, did you see how she ran from us?”

  “Ah, so you have been discussing Mr. Darcy’s imminent marriage to Elizabeth Bennet with her fine eyes,” said Louisa. Darcy saw that she was well acquainted with Caroline’s witty remarks on this topic. In time he managed to turn the subject away from himself and his comical lady love, but he was not at all sure the remarks would not be hurled at him again when he was in the company of either of the sisters.

  Miss Bingley’s Journal (Netherfield)

  Charles proposes to give the ball he promised to the younger Bennet sisters. “There are some among us to whom a ball would be rather a punishment than a pleasure,” said I, showing Darcy that I understood and sympathized with his reluctance to endure such an evening. He caught my eye and nodded in appreciation.

  Charles, however, is determined to entertain the neighbourhood. He claims to be quite willing to have Darcy stay in his rooms and read or sleep if that is how he chooses to spend his time, but there must be a ball.

  Happily, the older Bennet sisters plan to leave us tomorrow after church. I began to believe we would be lodging them always.

  I must wear something new for the ball. Something quite splendid will be needed. Darcy will be watching to see how I handle myself as hostess.

  Darcy’s Journal (Netherfield)

  I have not uttered more than ten words to Elizabeth Bennet in these last 24 hour, and those ten words were spoken gruffly, almost to the point of incivility. If she had any hope that I was becoming attached to her, it will be gone now. I neither spoke nor looked at her. When she left for her home at Longbourn, I gave her a distant and indifferent farewell.

  Caroline was aware of what I did, and I have heard no more remarks about ‘fine eyes’. I little knew that my casual remark would become a part of history, brought up on any occasion. I blame myself for not having foresight. At the time I was somewhat annoyed with Caroline for her frequent claims of knowing my mind. On this occasion I was inspired to contradict

  She was correct in assuming I felt a slight interest in Elizabeth Bennet. She is quite unlike most ladies with whom I am acquainted. That interest is, however, entirely in the past.

  In any event, we are all, except for Bingley, delighted to have the house to ourselves again.

  Miss Georgiana Darcy’s Journal (Maidenstone)

  I am to be a guest at Bingley’s house for a fortnight! There is to be a ball and I will be allowed to attend. So many strangers! Yet it sounds a pleasant experience. Brother is annoyed when I am shy, so I will be entirely at my ease. I will smile without ceasing and say “With pleasure, sir” to any who ask me to dance. I will have a new gown. Mrs. Cassidy and I have looked at the latest ladies’ magazines, and I believe we have found the perfect one, lovely, but not beyond the skills of our local seamstress to produce. I have already sen
t for the fabric and accoutrements.

  Other than this news Brother’s letter is a little puzzling. He remains at the Bingley house in Hertfordshire. He relates that Miss Caroline Bingley longs to see me. How can that be? We have met only once. It is true that she seemed very amiable, but I had just come to London after my escape from Mr. Wickham and shame, and I did not take the opportunity to form a good idea of her. At that time I was not trustful of new acquaintances. (Indeed, I will not be trustful soon. My lesson has been well learned.)

  She also compliments my design for a table, which Brother has shown her. It is not remarkable in the least. So what is the reason for the praise? She may be a truly warm and welcoming person. I hope she is a woman who I will come to know and love. As I have no other female acquaintances with whom I can keep company, her companionship will be invaluable once we are in town for the winter. In the end she is the sister of my brother’s greatest friend, Mr. Charles Bingley. What recommendation can be stronger?

  I understand, of course, that this friendship is furthered for the possibility that I may one day call Caroline Bingley ‘Sister’. Brother may marry Miss Caroline Bingley. If that is his purpose in calling me to Netherfield, I will wish him joy.

  Brother relates a rather peculiar story. It seems one of the neighbourhood women, invited to dine with Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst, came to call on horseback, and was drenched when a heavy rain occurred. As a result she became ill and had to stay at Bingley’s house for some days. She was joined by her sister until she was well enough to return home.

  Brother advises me not to travel by horseback, and if I can avoid it, not to travel when it rains. I need his advice in several areas, but these are not 2 of them.

  What strikes me as odd is that he does not give the name of the sister who fell ill but refers to the sister who tended to her as ‘Elizabeth’ on several occasions.

  I have succeeded in keeping my mind from Wickham for almost a week. Perhaps it is true that I will eventually forget him. It will be easier now that I have a ball to anticipate.