Darcy undressed and prepared for bed. Leaning over to blow out the candle, another thought dawned on him. If Miss Bennet felt very ill, Elizabeth Bennet would probably come to Netherfield to take care of her sister. Darcy groaned with the realization that in such a case, Elizabeth would be here in the house with him. He would be forced to spend more time with her.Was the groan from pain or pleasure with the thought? He was not sure. Letting out the breath he did not realize he held, he blew out the candle, closed his lids, and welcomed the portrait of Elizabeth Bennet to his sleep.
Jane Bennet’s fever worsened. In the morning the Bingleys dispatched a note to Longbourn for they decided whether to secure a physician should be one belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Bingley realized the truth of the idea; he had no right to order a physician for Jane Bennet; yet, that fact did not soften his notice. A chaotic state overcame Bingley. “Please, you must calm down, Charles. Everything which can be done for Miss Bennet is being seen to.” Darcy wanted to allay his friend’s apprehension.
“I know, Darcy, but I feel I should be doing more for her.” Bingley allowed his growing regard for Jane Bennet to show.
“Please, Charles, you are doing your best for Miss Bennet. She will recover soon; you will see. Let us join your family in the morning room.Your sisters are concerned for your well-being too.”
Darcy’s words lessened Bingley’s anxiety, and he allowed himself to set aside his misgivings and to be led to the morning room. Although the rainstorm ended, and the land dried out, remnants of the downpour remained. Darcy knew they could not ride out today, and he too remained in a state of disorder; a ride on Cerberus would do him well. So, there they sat, partaking of the morning repast, making niceties, and each of them lost in his thoughts. Bingley worried for Miss Bennet’s well-being; Caroline and Louisa wanted to rid themselves of the duty of caring for someone they only pretended to admire; and Darcy needed to free himself of the unexplained energy which thoughts of Elizabeth created in him.
Suddenly, the door swung open; a servant announced, “Miss Elizabeth Bennet,” and she stood framed in the doorway. Her appearance took all of them by surprise. Mud steeped her petticoat, her hair windswept, and her clothes disheveled.The Bingley party sat in shock—in momentary suspension—at an unannounced visit so early. Simultaneously, both Bingley and Darcy recovered; they sprang to their feet to acknowledge the entrance of a lady into the room. Mesmerized by her image, Darcy stood dumbfounded; in all his nightly musings, he never envisioned Elizabeth to look as such; she was lovelier than ever.
Bingley, thankfully, had the good sense to leave the table to approach her.“Miss Elizabeth,” he began,“please, join us.” She motioned his plea away.“You have come to see your sister. I am so glad to see you. Miss Bennet will benefit by having her loved ones close.”
Sarcastically, Caroline said,“Miss Elizabeth, did you walk here?”
“I did, Miss Bingley. I was worried about Jane,” Elizabeth reasoned.
“Three miles?” Louisa added incredulously.
Elizabeth smiled at their being astonished at her need to see Jane. “I believe so,” came her simple reply. Then turning to Mr. Bingley she asked, “Would it be too much trouble for me to see Jane?”
“We will have someone show you to Miss Bennet’s room,” Bingley chimed in. “When you are able, please advise us on her condition; our apprehension grows. If Miss Bennet needs anything, we are your servants.” Bingley turned to the doorman and indicated for him to take Elizabeth to attend her sister. During this exchange, Darcy did not move; the picture of Elizabeth, which he would add to his mental gallery of her, amused him.
When she was safely out of earshot, Caroline could not contain her distaste for the display made by Elizabeth Bennet. “Did you ever?” she began, but Darcy cut her short by removing her immediate audience. “Bingley, it appears we will be unable to ride out today and look at more of your holdings, but we still may address expenses for the renovations you have considered.” Bingley looked relieved at the possibility. He needed to be away from his sisters and to contemplate what he should do in regard to Miss Bennet.They hurriedly retired to the study.
“Darcy, would it be inappropriate to bring a physician from London to attend to Miss Bennet?” Bingley began tentatively.
“It would be a break in propriety,” Darcy responded in a halting speech. “May I suggest if Miss Bennet’s progress is delayed, her sister should also be given accommodations so she may attend to Jane Bennet. From what I observe of Miss Elizabeth, I find her to be very sensible. She would never allow decorum to get in the way of her sister’s health; Miss Elizabeth would ask, maybe demand, you do more if need be.”
“Of course, why did I not think of that? When Miss Elizabeth joins us later, I will ask her to stay.Your good counsel never ceases to amaze me, Darcy.” As Darcy turned back to the plans for Netherfield, he wondered whether he did the correct thing.
At three in the afternoon, Elizabeth entered the sitting room; she attended Jane all day, with the occasional help of the ladies of the house.The apothecary declared Jane to have a violent cold and in need of more care, and Elizabeth hated to leave her sister, but she must return to Longbourn as evening approached. Wanting to be rid of the competition, Miss Bingley, graciously, offered Elizabeth her carriage, which she accepted reluctantly and then prepared to take her leave. Bingley and Darcy entered the room as this last exchange occurred; Bingley shot Darcy a sideways glance, and Darcy nodded his approval. Bingley’s affirmation could not be questioned. “I will not hear of it, Miss Elizabeth; you must stay and tend your sister. Miss Bennet will recover much faster if you are in attendance.”
“Mr. Bingley,” Elizabeth nearly gushed, “your kindness is most appreciated. I desire to stay with Jane if your offer is sincere.”
“Then it is settled,” Bingley added quickly. “We will send a servant to Longbourn to acquaint your family with your stay and to bring back a supply of clothes for your needs.”
“I am in your debt, Mr. Bingley.” Elizabeth curtsied and happily returned to her sister’s room. This satisfied Bingley, but if he took note of his sister’s face at the time, he would have seen displeasure. Caroline wanted the Bennet family out of Netherfield as soon as possible. She realized Charles favored Miss Bennet; she also recognized Darcy’s growing interest in Elizabeth Bennet. She would need to be observant of the dynamics surrounding this household. Her plans for Charles’s future and her plans for her future with Mr. Darcy were being challenged, and Miss Bingley never accepted defeat easily.
It was half past six before Elizabeth joined the party again, having been summoned to dinner.“I am afraid, Mr. Bingley, I cannot give you a favorable response to your inquiry. My sister shows no improvement.”
“That is dreadful to hear, Miss Elizabeth,” Caroline intoned, although she quickly returned to the needlework she held in her hand.
During dinner Darcy hoped for an opportunity to speak with Elizabeth, but Caroline strategically placed her next to Mr. Hurst. Darcy made conversation with Caroline. He split his attention, however, hoping for gems of Elizabeth’s conversation, which he could use later.
Elizabeth returned to her sister’s care after dinner, and Miss Bingley immediately began to abuse her. “Miss Elizabeth’s manners, I find, are very bad indeed; they are a mixture of pride and impertinence. Did you notice, Louisa, she cannot hold a civil conversation; she has no style, no taste, and no beauty of which to speak. Country ideas of such appealing qualities must be far below those of refined societies.” Darcy shuddered listening to her crassness; he wondered at how little he knew about Miss Bingley. He once found her to be dignified. When was that exactly?
Louisa Hurst joined in her sister’s aspersion of Elizabeth Bennet. “She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, but being an excellent walker. I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She really looked almost wild.”
Caroline cackled, “She did, indeed, Louisa. I could hardly keep my countenance.Very nonse
nsical to come at all! Why must she be scampering about the country because her sister had a cold? Her hair so untidy, so blowsy!”
“Yes, and her petticoat; I hope you saw her petticoat, six inches deep in mud!”
Bingley came to Elizabeth’s defense.“I thought Miss Elizabeth Bennet looked remarkably well when she came into the room this morning. Her dirty petticoat quite escaped my notice.” Bless him, thought Darcy. Maybe he will be able to handle Caroline some day after all.
Caroline turned her attention to Darcy. “You observed it, Mr. Darcy, I am sure, and I am inclined to think that you would not wish to see your sister make such an exhibition.To walk three miles or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is, above her ankles in dirt and alone, quite alone—what can she mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum.”
Caroline’s references to the boorish behavior of the locals wore on Darcy’s patience.“Her sister was ill; it shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing.”
“Mr. Darcy, you must agree, however, that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes.” Caroline’s voice displayed her desperation.
“Again you are mistaken, Miss Bingley. They were brightened by the exercise.”
Darcy hoped his comment would stifle Miss Bingley’s censure of Elizabeth, but it did not. “Did you know, Louisa, the Bennet family has an uncle who is a country attorney and an uncle who owns a warehouse in Cheapside?”
“I do not understand all this emphasis on material wealth when one judges a person’s merit; even if the Bennets had enough uncles to fill all Cheapside, it would not make them one jot less agreeable.” Bingley felt the need to defend his preference for Jane Bennet.
“Unfortunately, Bingley, other people will judge differently. It must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world.” He hated to say it, but the facts were true. Men of fine society would not consider the Bennet sisters as probable mates, and although he found Elizabeth Bennet to be more than appealing, he knew he could not marry her.
Darcy’s speech gave the Bingley sisters permission to continue their condemnation of the Bennet family’s vulgar relations. Bingley, on the other hand, made no answer; he wanted to change the subject, but the reality of the situation did not allow him to open up another avenue of defense. Darcy, too, could not shake the uneasiness he felt each time Caroline mentioned Elizabeth in a negative light.
Eventually, the sisters ceased their humorous attack and removed to Miss Bennet’s room for an update on Jane Bennet’s condition. It was late in the evening before Elizabeth, however, rejoined the Bingley household.The party sat at loo when she returned; Darcy anxiously observed her again. During the day he decided he once more desired Elizabeth’s company. Plus, he reasoned having her here would give him some time to really get to know Elizabeth Bennet. He had no one with whom he must share her responses. Darcy looked forward to once again engaging her in a verbal battle. Elizabeth would see him differently; she would increase her regard for Fitzwilliam Darcy. That idea played to Darcy’s sense of pride; what woman would not desire his attention? No one Darcy met before refused his consideration.
“Will you join us, Miss Elizabeth?” Louisa asked graciously.
“I fear my sister may require my help; I would not wish to interrupt your game,” Elizabeth begged off. “Pray, I will amuse myself with a book instead.”
“You cannot tell me, Miss Elizabeth, you prefer reading to cards? That is rather singular.” Mr. Hurst protested.
Miss Bingley seized the opportunity to disparage Elizabeth in front of Darcy. She offered a calculated cut. “Miss Eliza Bennet despises cards. She is a great reader, and has no pleasure in anything else.”
Caroline’s rudeness astonished Darcy. To call Elizabeth “Eliza” highlighted Caroline’s way of showing her disdain. Miss Bingley’s lack of proper manners mortified him. Turning to Elizabeth, he expected to see her taken aback as well; instead, he noted that same enigmatic smile, the one she gave him when she found his manners lacking. “Miss Bingley, you misjudge me. I deserve neither such praise nor such censure. I am not a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things.”
Good for her, thought Darcy, she held her own with Caroline. How Elizabeth deflected Caroline’s criticism impressed Darcy. Verbal attacks with her should entertain him nicely; he anticipated the pleasure of it all. As the evening progressed, Elizabeth, eventually, left her book and drew near the card table. Although she stationed herself between Mr. Bingley and his eldest sister, she played havoc with Darcy’s well-being. Awashed with the fragrance of lavender, her nearness placed Darcy’s every fiber on alert.
Caroline, aware of the changes in Darcy, tried to recover his attention.“How is dear Georgiana, Mr. Darcy? Is Miss Darcy much grown since the spring? Will she be as tall as I am?”
Darcy’s eyes never left his cards, but his awareness of Elizabeth could not be described. “Actually, Miss Bingley, I think she will. She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s height, or rather taller.” He shot a glance at Elizabeth, and they momentarily locked eyes.
Caroline’s exaggerated regard for Georgiana continued; she wanted Elizabeth to know how intimate she was with Darcy. “How I long to see her again! I never met with anybody who delighted me so much. Such a countenance, such manners. And so extremely accomplished for her age. Her performance on the pianoforte is exquisite.”
“It is amazing to me,” Bingley quickly added, “how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished as they are. They all paint tables, cover screens, and net purses. I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time, without being informed that she was very accomplished.”
Darcy’s fondness for Bingley increased. Not only had his generosity placed Elizabeth within Netherfield, he opened up a mode of discourse of which Darcy knew Elizabeth would react. Challengingly, Darcy asserted, “Your list of the common extent of accomplishments has too much truth. I cannot boast of knowing more than half-a-dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really accomplished.”
Echoing his ideas, Miss Bingley said,“Nor I, I am sure.”
Darcy’s eyes rose to look Elizabeth squarely in the face; as predicted, she did not disappoint him.“It amazes me you have such an understanding of women’s abilities, Mr. Darcy. Have you studied them thoroughly? You seem to comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman.”
Touché! Darcy had her now; he would let her see he was a worthy opponent for her verbal prowess.“I do comprehend a great deal in it. Just because I am a man, Miss Elizabeth, does not mean I am unaware of what qualities the ideal woman should possess,” he began to lead her on.
Not wishing to lose his appreciation to Elizabeth Bennet, Miss Bingley recited her list of qualities for an accomplished woman.“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 expressions, or the word will be but half deserved.” Caroline hoped she displayed her accomplished qualities to Darcy while amplifying Elizabeth’s flaws.
Realizing this, he chose an area in which he knew Elizabeth excelled to add to the list: “All this she must possess, and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.”
“I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any,” Elizabeth bantered.
Savoring the moment, Darcy parlayed his response,“Are you so severe upon your own sex as to doubt the possibility of all this?”
“I never saw such a woman,” Elizabeth bristled. “I never saw such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, as you describe united. She would be something to behold!” Darcy smiled at the quickness of her mind. He never had a w
oman speak to him thusly; he found it intoxicating.
“Oh, Miss Eliza,” Louisa protested, “you know not of which you speak. Hertfordshire cannot give you a basis to judge Mr. Darcy’s sentiments.”
“Are we going to discuss the merits of accomplished women all evening or do you believe, Louisa, you can concentrate on the cards in your hand?” Mr. Hurst’s annoyance at such frivolous thoughts showed.
As all conversation came quickly to an end, Elizabeth felt it best she return to her sister’s care. Her leaving disappointed Darcy. He felt exhilarated; it was a beginning, he thought; tomorrow could not come too soon.
“Eliza Bennet,” said Miss Bingley, when the door closed on Elizabeth, “is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own; and with many men, I dare say, it succeeds. But, in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art.”
Darcy found it amusing how Elizabeth’s presence affected Caroline to the point she repeated herself. If she could see herself as others see her, Darcy mused. Caroline criticizes Elizabeth for using wily ways to entice men when her flamboyant displays border on rudeness at times. “Undoubtedly,” replied Darcy, realizing Caroline made her remark for his address, “there is a meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation.Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable.” Caroline’s countenance took on a disturbance and an agitation; her remark won her no new ground with Darcy. Meanwhile, Darcy thought Elizabeth’s allurements genuine where Caroline’s were purely for show.
Darcy's Passions Page 4