“Quite well, thank you, Charles, merely feeling a little harangued from all your fussing,” Darcy replied, not wishing his friend to delve further.
Now truly looking at Bingley, who was soon to depart for possibly the most important meeting of his life, Darcy shuddered. Surveying him from top to toe, Darcy was appalled. Starting with the brown trousers, he travelled up to the orange waistcoat and finished with the peacock green jacket. Only the white linen shirt and neckcloth passed Darcy’s approval. Bingley had clearly been letting Caroline order his clothes again, and it could not have been more evident than now.
“Good Lord Bingley did your man lay out those clothes or did you select them yourself? They are a total miss match. Come, we have to rectify this mess before we leave for Longbourn.”
Snatching up a warm roll and cup of coffee, they retired to Bingley’s room to redress him appropriately.
CHAPTER 8
Elizabeth enjoyed an early breakfast and then went straight to Jane’s room. She wanted to help her prepare for Mr Bingley’s visit. He’d whispered to her last evening while Darcy and Elizabeth were in the library, that he needed to speak with her most urgently on the morrow, and would it be quite convenient for him to pay an early call? Shyly, Jane had acquiesced. The gentlemen thanked Mrs Bennet for a pleasant evening then left to return to Netherfield. As the hour was late, everyone retired, except for Mrs Bennet. She had slipped into Jane’s room and began instructing her on what actions and expressions she should make to encourage a proposal from Mr Bingley.
It had been a most uncomfortable few minutes, leaving poor Jane quite upset; indeed, she had fretted until she fell asleep.
The next morning, she was still upset, and Elizabeth was annoyed at how thoughtless her mama had been. Seeking to offer her sister some reassurance, she told her.
“Jane, Mr Bingley fell in love with you when you were just being yourself. Continue in this vein, and he will not be disappointed, I assure you. Mama will not be present and so will have no knowledge if you choose to ignore her directions. Come, wear the dress she indicated and she will be certain that you are adhering to her council.”
Jane wished she had as much common sense and foresight as Elizabeth.
She donned the pale blue dress, with small, white flowers as instructed by her mother. Elizabeth and Cissy finished dressing Jane’s hair, and at last, they were ready to go down and await the arrival of their guests.
They had barely seated themselves in the parlour before Mrs Bennet joined them and began fussing.
“Now Jane, I have told the other girls to stay in their rooms until I send for them. I am sure we can do without their giggling for one morning. Sit up straight girl, and remember all I have said. Goodness, you look excessively pale,” and she walked over and pinched Jane’s cheeks sharply. “Bite your lips child, it helps them look plump and inviting,” she continued.
“Mama, please!” Jane said casting Elizabeth a pleading look.
“Come Mama; let us not be caught unprepared. Shall we take our seats now, and not have idle hands when Mr Bingley arrives?” Elizabeth said, and gently guided her to her favourite armchair.
“You are right, Lizzie. We must not look contrived, and I would have you at your ease, Jane. Just think, two daughters wed. One with five thousand pounds a year and the other with ten thousand, I am so distracted I can scarcely contain myself,” she effused. “I cannot wait to tell your Aunt Phillips, she will rejoice in our good fortune, I know. And as for Charlotte Lucas, who is very plain indeed, she is welcome to Mr Collins. They are well suited.”
“Mama, Charlotte is our friend and undeserving of such censure. She is a good match for Mr Collins. Surely you would prefer someone we know to inherit Longbourn, rather than a total stranger?” Elizabeth said, defending her friend.
Thankfully, the sound of horse’s hooves on the gravel path alerted them to the arrival of their callers, and so Mrs Bennet ceased her rant.
Hill announced their visitors, and the women performed the required curtsies. Before either gentleman could respond or enquire after the ladies well-being, their hostess began to effervesce.
“Why, Mr Bingley, Mr Darcy, how very good to see you, and so soon after your last visit. You are both very welcome. You are well, I hope? ’Tis a lovely day is it not, to be out and about so early?”
Mrs Bennet indicated for the men to be seated, but both declined her offer and elected to remain standing.
“It is indeed a fine day, is it not Darcy?” Bingley replied nervously.
He turned to his friend and gave a barely discernible nod. At this pre-arranged signal, Darcy stepped forward and asked,
“Very fine Charles. I believe I prefer autumn to any other month. Ladies, as it is such a pleasant morning, I wonder might you be persuaded to take a turn in the garden. I fear such outdoor pursuits will soon be limited.”
Darcy opened the door to the garden and stood aside.
It was clear to all the reason behind the suggested excursion. Mrs Bennet and Elizabeth rose to oblige, leaving Bingley and Jane alone.
Darcy offered his arm to each woman, and they made their way around the garden. When Mrs Bennet and Darcy began to converse, Elizabeth listened with amusement. Her mother had commented on whether a bee selected a flower to collect pollen from by its colour or scent. It was quite a ridiculous notion, but he attended her query with all seriousness. Elizabeth was only too aware of how silly and distracted her mother could be, something her two younger sisters had inherited. Yet Darcy was being quite charming, and amiable; indeed, she could detect no sneer or mock in his countenance. How things had changed.
After the Netherfield Ball last November, her mama had professed how much she disliked him. Seeing Darcy go to such pains to be civil and solicitous to a woman she knew he thought rude and mercenary, made her appreciate his efforts. And now Bingley was here too, hopefully proposing to Jane at this very moment. He was clearly going to great lengths to prove he was capable and willing to change for her, which for a man like Darcy, was quite prodigious. These observations made her realise there had been a considerable softening of her heart towards him, and she was not unhappy at the prospect.
On their return to the house, they caught a glimpse of Mr Bingley entering Mr Bennet’s library.
Seizing the opportunity, Mrs Bennet disentangled herself from Darcy and rushed into the parlour.
Elizabeth gave Darcy a rueful smile and then followed her mother. Jane’s countenance told her all she needed to know, and Mrs Bennet seized her in a firm embrace.
“Oh, Jane how rich you will be, such fine things you will have and servants aplenty. I knew you were beautiful for a reason. Just think, two daughters wed; we are most fortunate, are we not? Now the moment Mr Bingley takes his leave, I must make haste and visit your Aunt Phillips.”
As her mother bustled out and headed towards the stairs, Elizabeth could still hear her extolling the family’s good fortune. Elizabeth quietly closed the door and turned to face her sister.
“Well Jane?” she asked.
“Oh Lizzie, I shall surely die of happiness, is it possible do you think? He loves me, Lizzie, as dearly as I love him. To think of all those wasted months apart, but I will not dwell on that, for we have a lifetime of happiness to look forward too.”
“Oh Jane, it lifts my heart to see you so delirious, you do not deserve anything less. I take it he has already gone to speak to Papa?” Elizabeth enquired.
“Yes, he could not wait until noon, and father was happy to oblige in seeing him early. He will ride back to town this very afternoon and share our news with his sisters. He will return the day after. Oh, Lizzie, are we not both blessed with good fortune, to marry for love?” Jane asked. “I must go and let my sisters know, that they may share my joy too.” Embracing Elizabeth once more, Jane went to seek out the others.
Elizabeth looked down at her hands. Soon a wedding band would be resting on her third finger too. Walking to the window, she looked out over the
immaculate lawns of Longbourn. Several trees still clung to a few autumn coloured leaves, and they danced and waved in the breeze. Jane’s words rang in her head, “Blessed with the good fortune to marry for love.” Had she been so convincing in her portrayal of loving Darcy that even Jane had been deceived? Before her visit to Kent, she was secure in her opinion of him and had no reason to doubt its source, namely Wickham. Yet on closer acquaintance, she had been exposed to a very different mode of man, one she had actually come to like. And he certainly did not fit in with the tales of woe that Wickham had recited. She must conclude he had taken her reproofs to heart, as he appeared to be making a concerted effort to remedy these faults. Jane and Charles were now celebrating their engagement because of his mediation. His forbearance towards certain members of her family had shown a marked improvement. He even tolerated, if only for short durations, the company of her younger sisters. And with Jane and her marriages, the family’s future was secure, again by his hand.
There was only one thing that still troubled her, his dealings with Wickham. Elizabeth recalled what Wickham had confided to her. He and Darcy were like brothers from early childhood, even though their social standing was worlds apart. Aware of his son’s loneliness as an only child, old Mr Darcy had encouraged their friendship. In later life, and to ensure Wickham’s future, Darcy’s father had promised him a living from one of the Pemberley parishes, namely the village of Kympton. It was here that she could not match what he had imparted and what she had observed. Wickham had said Darcy would not honour his father’s wishes and had robbed him of that living. To act so would be abhorrent to Darcy. Honour to a man such as he, was everything. And there lie the puzzle. She must also consider two other facts. Firstly, all these events between the two gentlemen happened before she knew either of them and secondly, she had only heard one side, namely that of George Wickham.
It puzzled her why Darcy did not defend himself against these accusations when she confronted him. He had on two separate occasions the opportunity to rectify her conception, on the night of the Ball at Netherfield, and again at the parsonage in Kent. Elizabeth realised, like it or not, she would have to broach the subject with him if she were to gain any clarity on the situation. That was one encounter she was not going to relish, but the animosity between them was evident to all. As for Wickham, could he now be content? He seemed settled in the militia, was well liked by the locals, and appeared to have many friends. Was this not a respectable life for the son of a squire?
Elizabeth was brought back from her reflections by the sound of Lydia and Kitty, who were obviously accosting Mr Bingley in the hallway. They were offering their felicitations on his betrothal to Jane in a very vocal way.
She opened the door and waited for a lull in the fray before also extending her congratulations. Charles then bade everyone a warm farewell and joined Darcy on the front steps.
When Darcy had stood outside waiting for Bingley to conclude his business with Mr Bennet, he used the opportunity to observe Elizabeth. She was gazing out of the window, clearly deep in thought and unaware that Darcy was watching her. Her brow revealed some inkling of the emotions she was experiencing; sometimes raised, sometimes drawn together in a frown. He could only wonder at what the cause was.
As Bingley emerged, Darcy took Charles's hand and shook it firmly while offering him his congratulations. He was pleased there would be at least one ally for him in the Bennet household.
Elizabeth assumed Darcy would accompany his friend to town, where he would offer his support when Bingley imparted the news to Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst. Her question to him regarding Wickham would have to wait.
That evening at dinner, Mr Bennet, being the only male at the table, was again subjected to a barrage of wedding talk. Eager to escape, he quickly excused himself and disappeared to his library. He was not surprised to hear a gentle knock only a few minutes later and his dear Lizzie seeking admittance.
“Well, well my dear, this is all we shall have for the next few months, are you not eager to contribute? I fear all will be decided without you, otherwise?” he mused as he sat in his favourite fireside chair.
“I confess I am happy to leave the arrangements to Mama and my sisters,” Elizabeth replied, sitting on the footstool beside him.
“Very wise, my child. Your mother has been planning a wedding for these last one and twenty years, and I dare say it would have mattered little to her, which one of you walking down the aisle first.”
Her father picked up the poker and began prodding at the embers in the hearth before selecting two small logs to place in the flames.
“So what do you think of young Bingley, Lizzie, a different kettle of fish to your young man, ay?”
“I like him. I think Jane and Mr Bingley are very much in love, and will be quite content together,” Elizabeth replied, purposely making no reference to Darcy, “and your opinion of him, sir?”
“There are few men I can tolerate well in this world, but I think he might be one of them. They are well suited and of a similar temperament. Both so complying that nothing will ever be resolved, so easy their servants will cheat them blind, and with the help of your mother, they will exceed their income every year.”
He paused and looked at Lizzie with a smile. How he would miss evenings like this, he loved her as much as any father could.
“I have invited him and your Mr Darcy to come and shoot with me next week. It will give your mother another excuse to spend a fortune on supplies we do not need.”
They both smiled at the accuracy of his remark. For the next half hour, before Mrs Bennet demanded Lizzie’s attention, Elizabeth and her father enjoyed quiet companionship, surrounded by a cocoon of books.
CHAPTER 9
Darcy and Bingley left for London directly after lunch, ensuring their arrival in town before dusk. They went straight to Airwhile House, Darcy’s London residence, to freshen up.
Miller, Darcy’s butler, who had also served his father before him, was one of his most trusted servants, and he greeted them in a formal but warm manner.
“Welcome home sir, I trust it was a good journey?”
“Thank you, Miller, it was uneventful. Mr Bingley will be staying here tonight; could you ask Jennings to assist him please?”
Darcy’s suites of rooms, as well as a number of guest rooms, were kept in a state of constant readiness.
Advising Miller there was to be an overnight guest at such short notice would cause no inconvenience to the staff.
“Come, Charles, you can bathe and change before we continue to Oak Lodge. I will meet you in the library in one hour,” Darcy said, and the two men made their way upstairs.
On opening the library door, Bingley saw Darcy was already within and just about to pour himself a drink.
Turning to Bingley, he raised the bottle.
“Brandy Charles?” he offered. “I thought a little fortification might be in order before we divulge the good news to your sisters,” and he poured another glass.
Darcy and Bingley had first met at Cambridge; He saw how the younger man struggled to make friends, no doubt because his father’s fortune came from trade, but he was a congenial fellow, and Darcy liked him. Although Bingley had inherited enough money to ensure that most of polite society would accept him, there were still a few that would not. He needed a powerful friend, a sponsor, someone from the highest echelons. That is where Darcy came in. With his fortune, pedigree and connections, he was invited to every event society had to offer. If he actually attended one, which was rare, then the hostess’s credibility increased tenfold. Even the Prince Regent turned his ear to Darcy for advice, favouring him over his now infamous confidant, Beau Brummel. Befriending Charles had not enhanced Darcy’s fortune or his social standing; indeed, there were some who would say it had bruised it. But Darcy was rich enough and powerful enough to ignore such slights. In truth, there were very few people who would risk his wrath, purely to cut Bingley. Besides, Darcy realised he needed a friend like
Charles, even though he came with the baggage of an acid-tongued sister. Their personalities complemented each other perfectly. Darcy was responsible and studious while Bingley was affable and enthusiastic. It was for this reason he had agreed to Bingley’s request, to be present when he revealed his betrothal to his sisters.
“Yes, thank you. I think I might need it,” Charles said apprehensively. The slight quiver in his voice revealed how nervous he was.
“I appreciate your support, Darcy. Caroline and Louisa made it quite clear they did not approve of my attachment to Miss Bennet. They have made several derogatory remarks about Jane’s family, quite openly too.”
Darcy decided this would be an ideal opportunity for Bingley to try flexing his muscles of authority. After all, Caroline and the Hurst’s enjoyed the lifestyle they did only by the good grace of Charles. He supported them all, even Louisa and her husband, who had almost depleted Louisa’s dowry. And Caroline would only receive her twenty thousand pounds’ dowry when she married. Their gratitude was to treat their brother with ridicule and contempt. Too long Bingley had let them ride roughshod over him; it was high time he took command of his own household and his life.
“So Charles, have you considered how you will impart your news,” Darcy asked.
“I have,” He replied, “I am resolved to be firm and tell them the truth. I am in love with Miss Bennet still, and she returns my affection and has done me the great honour of accepting my hand in marriage. We will be wed six weeks after you and Miss Elizabeth. In early February; ’tis all agreed with her father,” he finished with a satisfactory flourish.
“And if they should object or find fault. How will you deal with their rebuke?” Darcy quizzed.
“I,” he paused, “I will not stand for it?” he hesitantly asked rather than told.
“You most certainly will not stand for it,” Darcy interjected, “you will use a firm tone, maintain eye contact and stand tall. Good God, man, they live on your benevolence and will toe the line if they wish to continue doing so. Do you want to marry Miss Bennet, or do you want to live a life of regret with your sisters and Hurst?” Darcy demanded.
Mr Darcy's Struggle Page 6