The evening progressed warmly and amicably; unlike the previous meeting, there were no arguments between the cousins. Darcy felt it prudent to inform his company of his day's adventures, as he was curious to see how they would react to the strange and unexpected visit that had taken place.
"By pure happenstance, I found myself at the Gardiner's for a drink earlier this afternoon," Mr. Darcy said. He did not feel the need to reveal the entire truth of how he found himself there. His sister and his cousin need not know that he had been lurking in a park across the street, hoping to see Elizabeth, as he had not quite reconciled his actions to himself yet.
The Colonel put down his fork in surprise. "The Gardiners! My, oh my. That is unexpected. How did you find yourself there?" the Colonel asked.
"I already told you," Mr. Darcy replied. "By happenstance."
"But that tells us nothing," the Colonel pointed out.
"Yes, dear brother. You have told us something much unexpected, but have not told us how that came to be. Do tell us," Georgiana said.
Mr. Darcy took a bite of his supper and thought for a moment. But what to tell them, he wondered.
"I had taken the carriage to town, and decided that a walk would do me good," Mr. Darcy said. "And so I went for a walk in the first park I came across which happened to be across from the Gardiner's home."
"Well, that certainly was happenstance, then, wasn't it," the Colonel replied with a teasing tone. "What a coincidence that you happened upon the park next to where the Gardiners happen to live."
"Yes, well," Mr. Darcy replied quickly, uncomfortable with the innuendo in his cousin's tone. "That is the very definition of happenstance then, is it not?"
"Indeed," Georgiana replied quickly, oblivious to the strange exchange between the two gentlemen. "And how was the visit?" she asked. She was eager to learn more about Elizabeth and her sister, as well as about the Gardiners.
"It was actually quite pleasant," Darcy replied. “More pleasant than I expected.”
"But you seem surprised by that," Georgiana said to her brother. "Why wouldn't it have been pleasant? Mrs. Gardiner and Miss Elizabeth Bennet seemed very nice.”
Mr. Darcy looked to his sister, who was smiling.
"Yes, yes, Georgiana. I suppose you are right," he agreed. "It is just that I did not expect to like Mr. Gardiner."
"You never expect to like anyone," Colonel Fitzwilliam said off-handedly. "That's half your problem. You should change your expectations and then you would not be so surprised so often when it turns out you like someone."
Georginaa could not help but smile at such a blunt comment, while Darcy replied with a frown.
“I am glad to see you so amused, cousin,” he uttered.
"Brother, since you approve of Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, do you think I might invite Mrs. Gardiner, Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth for tea sometime? I would truly wish to speak more with Mrs. Gardiner. She seemed to possess such lovely memories that I would like to hear.”
Georgiana’s request astonished and disconcerted Darcy. He certainly did not expect it, and he could only suspect what consequences it would bring.
He put down his fork and lowered his eyes. He should not have been surprised by Georgiana's request. She had been speaking of Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth quite frequently over the past several days, and she had made her intentions of befriending the two ladies quite clear on several occasions. Mr. Darcy did not like the thought of having Elizabeth in his house, though. In truth, he wished to, but dreaded the notion at the same time. Once she invaded his home, as she already invaded his heart and his mind, there would be no relief for his torment.
If his impulsive actions of this afternoon had taught him anything, it was that he should no longer entertain the matter of Elizabeth and he should think no longer of his growing affections towards her, or else he would continue to do silly things. Like going to the opposite end of London to see her.
However, he had just given his approval of them, and there was no real reason for him to object to an invitation issued by Georgiana. In truth, it was only the appropriate thing to do.
"I suppose that would be fine, Georgiana," Mr. Darcy responded.
“Excellent! Thank you. Perhaps the day after tomorrow would it be acceptable?” Georgiana continued enthusiastically.
"As you wish. But I will not be here to receive them as I have already made arrangements to attend the Gentleman's Club that day," Mr. Darcy replied.
He had not, as of yet, made any such arrangements but he thought it prudent to be somewhere else if Elizabeth was to arrive. If Georgiana insisted on inviting the Bennet sisters and Mrs. Gardiner, he could not stand in her way as there was no good reason to do so. However, that did not mean that he had to be there when they called.
“This is a lovely idea, Georgiana,” the colonel replied. “If I happen to be in the neighborhood, I might come to greet them too.”
"Would you like to join me at the club?" Darcy asked, addressing the Colonel.
“I might. But when did you make the arrangement? I have heard nothing of the kind until now,” the colonel responded.
“Some time ago,” Darcy explained briefly. “Georgiana, will you be comfortable entertaining them by yourself?”
“Of course, if I have your permission!” She rarely had the opportunity to be the sole hostess to guests and suddenly she looked delighted by the idea.
“You do. Now let us finish our dinner.”
The evening progressed pleasantly, and the conversation turned toward the Gardiners and the Bennets several times. Later, Georgiana played for them , and even through the music, Darcy could think of little else but Elizabeth and her expected presence in his house.
&&&
Two days later, Georgiana Darcy received her guests with a flourish. Having few friends and even fewer chances to learn more details about her late mother, she had thought of nothing else but that visit.
Elizabeth, Jane and Mrs. Gardiner received the invitation with surprise, pleasure and great interest.
Neither of them expected to ever be in Mr. Darcy’s house. And to be invited to tea by a young lady of such great consequence only three days after they first met was unexpected. Even more so since they still did not receive any word from Miss Bingley. By comparison, Miss Darcy’s gesture seemed even more striking. Elizabeth could not help but wonder about the purpose for such an invitation and about Mr. Darcy’s opinion on it.
Darcy’s townhouse was just as Elizabeth expected: large, handsome, and impressive in its elegance. Inside, Elizabeth was again astonished to notice that everything was exquisite and classy but not intimidating. The moment they entered, Miss Darcy’s friendly reception made them feel warm and welcome.
Jane and Georgiana were introduced to each other and then the party moved toward the drawing room. Refreshments and drinks were immediately offered and each of the ladies chose a comfortable seat.
They were still slightly awkward, trying to acclimate to each other, searching for the best subject to open the conversation.
The servants entered with plates of food and drinks, then exited immediately. Georgiana so much wanted her guests to think highly of her, that she had gone to great lengths to prepare a richer selection of meat, cheese and sweets, as well as tea and other drinks than an afternoon call would require. Her efforts did not go unappreciated, as her guests thanked her repeatedly, while enjoying the treats.
“I am very pleased that you could come today,” Georgiana said.
“We are delighted to be here. You were very kind to invite us, Miss Darcy,” Elizabeth declared.
“It is my pleasure, I assure you,’ Georgiana responded.
“You have a wonderful house,” Jane added.
“Thank you. It is my brother’s house, actually. I prefer to leave with him now, as my companion Mrs. Annesley is visiting a relative in Scotland.”
“I am sure Mr. Darcy is a caring brother. And your admiration for him is also admirable,” the elder sister
continued.
“One cannot imagine a better brother. Everything I have said about him is well deserved and too little compared to his true worthiness,” Georgiana declared, shyly but decidedly.
“Is Mr. Darcy well, I hope?” Elizabeth suddenly inquired.
“Oh yes, very well, thank you. He is at the gentlemen’s club, with my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam.”
There was no further conversation about Darcy, but the discussion moved smoothly toward Derbyshire, Pemberley, Lambton and the Darcys.
For half an hour, the ladies enjoyed their mutual company, growing more at ease with each other. From Derbyshire to music and plays and books, the conversation flowed easily.
Jane was still pale, quiet, and slightly intimidated. She was looking around, admiring Miss Darcy’s appearance and her obvious education, while considering that Mr. Bingley had many reasons to favor this young heiress over her.
The animated chatting was abruptly interrupted by the arrival of a most unexpected guest, startling and silencing the ladies, leaving at least one of them breathless.
The servant entered and announced ceremoniously: "Mr. Bingley. For Mr. Darcy." Then he quickly bowed and left the room.
The words struck Jane with such force that she nearly dropped her tea cup. Mrs. Gardiner gasped, and Elizabeth abruptly stood up. Georgiana was at a loss as to her guests’ reaction, but she rose to greet the new visitor.
Mr. Bingley entered the drawing room with a large smile on his face, bowed to Georgiana, then his eyes spotted the others. He stopped and turned pale; gulping a few times, his mouth and eyes opened wide in disbelief.
Upon seeing him, the eldest Miss Bennet became very pale and nearly fainted, leaning back into her seat.
Mr. Bingley instantly took steps towards Jane, glancing at the others.
“Miss Bennet? Miss Elizabeth? Are you well? What are you doing here? What an astonishing surprise! What happened? Where is Darcy?” he asked, barely coherent.
“Charles, I believe you know Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth. And this is their aunt, Mrs. Gardiner. They came to have tea with me. Please join us,” Georgiana invited him.
As Jane slowly recovered, Bingley searched for a chair, undecided where to sit, glancing at her, then back at Georgiana.
"But, but what are you doing here?" he asked Jane, who, with the help of her sister, had managed to bring herself back into an upright position on her chair.
Elizabeth turned to Mr. Bingley then. "I might ask you the same thing," she replied, curtly.
Georgiana sat very still, and exchanged a look with Mrs. Gardiner. The lady was clearly as shocked as everyone else, but managed to keep her countenance.
"I have come to call on my friend, Mr. Darcy," Mr. Bingley said, still standing in the middle of the drawing room.
The women absorbed his words, as the tension in the room increased. Finally, Georgiana broke the silence and said kindly.
"My brother is not here. He has an appointment on the gentlemen’s club. But we are pleased to see you, nevertheless. "
“Yes, so am I,” he mumbled, glancing at Jane again, who seemed at the limits of her composure again. Elizabeth glared at him with a harshness that Bingley had never seen before.
Bingley understood that the ladies were shocked to see him, as he was to see them. However, why they were in London, how they met Georgiana and already befriended her, why Elizabeth was so angry, and why Jane was displeased with their encounter, he could not say. He was surely pleased – happy - to see them – to see Jane - so much in fact, that he could hardly keep his eyes from her.
"I did not know that Darcy would not be at home, just as I certainly did not know that you would be here," Bingley added.
"I suppose you did not, sir" Elizabeth said, curtly, as she held Jane's hand. "I suppose we were the last people you expected or intended to see."
Elizabeth watched Mr. Bingley's face turn from surprise to sadness. He began fiddling with the buttons on his waist coat.
"This is true. I was given no notice that you were in London. But that does not make the surprise less pleasant. I apologize most profoundly if I interrupted your tea. I should leave you know. I will look for Darcy at the club then.”
"No notice?" Elizabeth asked, puzzled and growing angry. “In truth, we expected you were informed about our presence from at least two reliable sources. Your sisters and Mr. Darcy himself."
Mr. Bingley stared at her, dumbfounded. “But I have not talked to Darcy in quite a while. And my sisters knew you were in London?”
Jane was purposefully not meeting his gaze, which made him feel all the more uneasy. He glanced around, like trying to understand what was happening.
"Jane wrote to your sister herself. And Mr. Darcy also wrote to you. He told her as much,” Elizabeth continued, aware that her voice was cold and almost rude. Jane’s distress was too much to bear and Mr. Bingley must be held accountable for it.
Mr. Bingley's confusion was now complete. "I have received no such letters, nor such news. I honestly did not know of your presence in London. If I knew … When did you arrive? How long will you stay?”
“Mr. Bingley, would you like a drink?” Georgiana interjected in that distressing moment.
“I would like a little more tea,” Mrs. Gardiner added, in an obvious attempt to calm the situation.
"We arrived almost a fortnight ago. We had the pleasure of meeting Miss Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam by chance. And Mr. Darcy said he wrote to inform you we were in town," Elizabeth uttered, but then stopped, struck by a painful revelation. If Mr. Bingley was telling the truth, then surely Mr. Darcy had to lie them. And the proof was right there, in front of their eyes. Mr. Bingley's sincere shock at seeing Jane spoke the truth, whereas Mr. Darcy's words did not.
“I received no news… No news at all…” Bingley repeated, now taken aback.
Everyone was silent for moment longer, as they all tried to sort out for themselves what was happening. Mr. Bingley understood now Jane's reaction to his presence. Surely she thought that he knew she was in town, and that he had not come to call on her. Surely she thought, then, that he did not want to see her. It was no wonder then that she looked about to faint when she saw him. But then could this mean that she did hold some genuine interest in him? That she was not as indifferent to him as he believed when he left Netherfield?
Jane, on the other hand, was gaining the color back in her face, as she quickly came to realize that Mr. Bingley was faultless. Someone had deceived him. He did not purposely ignore or neglect them. He looked astonished and distressed. He was the same good man that she knew and came to admire. This notion brought so much hope back to Jane that she instantly started to feel better and rewarded Bingley with a charming smile. Bingley was bewitched.
Elizabeth seethed with anger towards Mr. Darcy. He outright lied to her! He was still meddling in Jane and Mr. Bingley's affairs, just as she had suspected all along. He was trying to keep them apart after all. Why else would he lie?
"It sounds as though it was a simple matter of miscommunication," Mrs. Gardiner finally stated, breaking the silence and the thoughts of everyone in the room.
Georgiana readily agreed. “How fortunate that everything is clear now. My brother will be pleased when he hears of your visit, Charles. Will you stay with us, if you do not have other fixed engagements?”
Jane smiled at him again and his decision was instantly made. “Of course. I would like that very much. No, I do not have any fixed engagements.”
Georgiana smiled broadly and gestured for Mr. Bingley to take a seat, which he did, quite quickly, next to Jane.
The visit proceeded and Jane slowly recovered from her earlier distress, exchanging glances with Bingley and even talking to him. He asked about her family, about his acquaintances in Meryton and about how she enjoyed staying in town.
Their feelings for each other were so clear, that Elizabeth’s ire against anyone who attempted to separate them increased. She struggled to turn her attent
ion to Georgiana. She could not help but like Miss Darcy, even if her brother was the most awful man. Georgiana was sweet and sincere, and she showed no other interest in Bingley than that to a good friend. She looked at Bingley and Jane talking together with genuine warmth and obvious approval.
“I hope my brother will come home soon. He will be so pleased to see Mr. Bingley. And you, of course.”
“Mr. Darcy is fortunate that you have so much faith in him and see nothing but the best in everything he does,” Elizabeth said, concealing her disdain less Georgiana took her words to heart.
“Because he is rarely wrong and even when he is, he means well. He is the most generous man, so caring and attentive to other’s needs. He always offers help and support when he thinks it is needed.”
“I see … But is it not possible for him to sometimes be wrong in estimating that a certain kind of help is needed? Is there no danger that his intervention could do more harm than good?”
Mrs. Gardiner glared at Elizabeth with silent rebuke, but Elizabeth ignored her aunt’s wordless reproach.
"No, never!” Georgiana responded readily. “He has helped so many people, even those who did not deserve his generosity. I really am so very fortunate to have a brother such as he. He is the closest person in the world to me."
Elizabeth did not enjoy hearing someone sing Mr. Darcy's praises, even if it was his sister. Mr. Darcy had lied, and had intentionally separated Mr. Bingley from Jane. But she knew better than to interrupt. She could not insult Mr. Darcy to his sister, as that would also be insulting Georgiana. Besides, Jane’s reunion with Mr. Bingley was the answer to all her prayers and anything else could be forgotten for the time being. She might have the opportunity to settle things later with Mr. Darcy.
&&&
Later in the afternoon, just when the ladies prepared to finally leave after such a long, pleasant and eventful visit, Mr. Darcy returned home.
The master of the house was obviously astonished to find them still there. They should have been long gone. The visit had lasted considerably longer than propriety would require. The ladies looked all at ease, refreshments were still on the plate, and conversation still carried on and among them. Moreover, with a broad grin on his face, Bingley was there, too.
In a More Amiable Light Page 4