“I see I am not the only one in this room who can be accused of eavesdropping,” Richard said. At this, Mr. Darcy blushed. His cousin was correct. He had been eavesdropping on the conversation between the shopkeeper and the Bennet girl the prior morning, and he wondered why he had engaged in this activity. Reluctantly, he admitted to himself the lady had grabbed his attention. Her voice had been melodic, and her interests intrigued him. She also carried a light fragrance of wildflowers which reminded him of Pemberley on a spring morning. Once the shopkeeper had replied with her name, however, he was immediately reminded of Mr. Bingley’s morning visit from her father. Her mother was undoubtedly a matchmaking busybody, and her father a man with no control over his household. Regardless of how intelligent this pair’s children might be, the girls would most certainly be unrefined, unruly, and unsophisticated.
“I could not help but overhear. They spoke loudly, and it is a small shop,” Darcy offered. Richard had noticed the earlier blush on Darcy’s face. Richard had called his cousin out for such minor infractions several times in the past but had never received such a response. His cousin could choose to deny it, but he had very clearly reacted to one of the Bennet sisters in a most interesting manner.
∞∞∞
Charles Bingley had decided to go for a ride through the woods of Netherfield. As his mind replayed his guest’s earlier comments expounding on the virtues of the Bennet sisters, he found his horse had carried him to Longbourn.
“Papa, do you know that man?” Kitty asked looking out the window at the approaching figure.
Mr. Bennet looked up from his book and took in the image. “That is Mr. Bingley himself. I do believe his name has been so much upon the lips of every female in this house the man must believe he actually lives here and has returned to his family. At least now, you can all stop pestering me about what he looks like.” Mr. Bennet looked back at his book.
Mrs. Bennet sprang from the couch as if the cushions were on fire. “Oh, Mr. Bennet! Why did you not tell us he would be calling? We are not presentable. Come, girls! Hurry upstairs.” Mrs. Bennet gathered her girls like a mother duck and drove them up the stairs with a speed that impressed even her husband. The girls all hurried toward the window seat that overlooked the front gardens and offered the best view of the front entrance. After much jostling, the two most aggressive girls, Kitty and Lydia, secured the seat while the other three peered over their heads to see a gentleman wearing a blue coat dismounting a black horse.
Mr. Bingley rapped on the front door and after a moment was brought to Mr. Bennet’s study. The young man glanced at the parlor as he passed, but much to his disappointment, he did not find any of the Misses Bennets.
“Good day Mr. Bingley,” Mr. Bennet smiled. He had once been a young single man himself and he had a fairly good idea why the gentleman was calling. The look of disappointment, which appeared on Mr. Bingley’s face after passing through the empty house, confirmed his suspicions. Mr. Bennet was rather amused for at three and twenty he would have wanted nothing more than a house full of women, and now that his wish had been granted he found himself often wishing for nothing more than a house devoid of women. “It is a pleasure to see you again. To what do I owe this honor?”
Mr. Bingley seemed to be searching for words. “Sir, the honor is all mine. I happened to be passing by Longbourn and wanted to thank you for your warm welcome to the neighborhood the other day.”
There was a tap at the door, and both men felt a sense of relief. Mr. Bingley was ill prepared for a longer conversation with Mr. Bennet, while Mr. Bennet detested any idle chit chat. Mrs. Bennet peeked inside then let herself into the study.
“Oh, dear,” Mrs. Bennet said once she was fully inside with the door closed behind her. “I did not realize you had a guest, Mr. Bennet.” Mr. Bennet, hoping that obliging his wife’s unspoken request would hasten his return to solitude, made introductions.
After a few moments of pleasant small talk, which Mr. Bennet found exceptionally grating, Mrs. Bennet brazenly invited her new acquaintance to dinner with so much hospitality Mr. Bingley could not decline even if the Bennets had only sons.
The time for the meal was set, and Mr. Bingley set off toward Hertfordshire looking forward to this evening’s social engagement. It had not even occurred to the young gentleman he himself had house guests, nor did he remember Caroline had informed him it was her role to accept or decline invitations to social events.
“No, Charles,” Caroline was firm. “I need to go into town to collect my new gown, and we must leave tonight to ensure I have it for the assembly.” In truth, Caroline’s main objection was the rumors of the Bennet sisters’ beauty. Colonel Fitzwilliam had left earlier in the afternoon, but their party still numbered five. Charles would feel it was too great an imposition on his hosts to bring the full party and would ask his family to remain at home. He would, however, extend an invitation to Mr. Darcy. If Mr. Darcy were to interact with the Bennet sisters, Caroline would like to ensure the interactions occurred in her own domain and on her own terms. She had not approved of the fact Mr. Darcy had taken note of one of the sister’s reading preferences. In fact, she found it altogether annoying the woman enjoyed something that seemed to be her beloved’s favorite pastime.
“Caroline, I am sure you can wear one of the gowns you brought with you, or if you must go into town, Mr. and Mrs. Hurst could take you,” Mr. Bingley suggested. He had now missed two opportunities to catch a glimpse of these beauties, and he didn’t care for the idea of missing a third. But Caroline was relentless and insisted it would be unfair to burden their sister and her husband with such a task at this late date. She further reminded Charles he should have remembered this errand prior to accepting the invitation. It was with regrets Mr. Bingley sent word to the Bennets explaining business had called him away from Netherfield, and he would be unable to attend that evening’s meal.
∞∞∞
The day of the assembly quickly arrived. The party of five at Netherfield climbed into the carriage. Mr. Hurst complimented Miss Bingley on her new gown. Caroline beamed. She had purchased the gown with the intention to attract a specific gentleman. She had hoped her brother-in-law’s comment might prompt her intended target to look for himself. Her face fell as she realized the compliment would not have this effect.
“If this is your means to request a dance, Mr. Hurst, I shall accept, but only after I collect on Mr. Darcy’s earlier promise,” Caroline said in an effort to remind Mr. Darcy of his forfeit for failing to inform her of his arrival at Netherfield. Mr. Darcy was not a fan of dance and while she could cajole him with effort, she hoped this evening, with the combination of her new dress, his early promise of at least one dance, and her sparkling personality, she might be rewarded with a second dance.
Darcy felt nothing but dread as they approached the fete. He opted to ignore Caroline’s comment. He understood his social obligation to offer dances to the ladies he had accompanied, but a single dance should fulfill this requirement. Mr. Darcy believed nothing good would come from engaging in conversation with the fairer sex this evening. To do so would likely result in the need for further dancing. It was not the dancing itself that Mr. Darcy found objectionable. Rather it was the rumors or conjecture resulting from the activity that bothered him. He did not care to be the subject of conversation, but he detested the idea his action of asking a lady for a dance would cause her to become a subject of such gossip.
∞∞∞
With the Bingleys and their guests going to the assembly, the staff at Netherfield shut down several rooms earlier than normal. The fire embers lost their warmth hours ahead of schedule, and Agnes was able to complete her work earlier than anticipated. Finding she still had some energy and feeling the pangs of homesickness, Agnes decided to journey back to her family’s cottage with the plan of returning to Netherfield the following morning before dawn. Mrs. Butler provided the girl with a lantern to aid on her journey and offered to send David along with her as an e
scort. While such an offer would have horrified the Bingleys, the rules of society, so important to the Bingleys, meant little to those who had to work to avoid hunger. For the masses, an entirely different set of rules applied. For them, the goal was not marriage but survival. “Don’t be silly,” Agnes said, “I have lived in Meryton my entire life. It is entirely safe.” David found himself a little disappointed his help was not required.
Soon Agnes would also regret her decision, for the man who had seen her weeks before had been patient. Many others would have given up after several fruitless nights, but this man had done his research. He knew it was only a matter of time before she would again show an error in judgment and return in the dark to her family home. He could not have asked for better conditions. This dark section of thick forest was nearly always secluded and the nighttime nearly guaranteed such conditions. But he was not as concerned about the abduction as he was about transporting his cargo to London. He wanted to deliver her alive and with as little damage as possible, but these girls had been known to scream which carried the risk drawing attention to his wagon. Of course, she would be gagged, but he took nothing for granted. Fortunately, tonight the town was hosting an assembly. The music and revelry would mask any noises she might manage, and there would be fewer people wandering the streets.
Agnes hummed as she approached the section of the path where her abductor lay in wait. The lantern she carried cast a light that made silhouettes dance on the trees around her. A breeze blew through the air causing her to feel a chill which did not go away after the air settled into an eerie stillness. Her senses were suddenly on high alert, but this did not matter. He was experienced, and a moment later, she felt a rope encircle her neck.
∞∞∞
After making their entrance at the assembly, it took Mr. Darcy less than fifteen minutes to ascertain he was already the source of much discussion. Apparently, those in attendance took a great deal of interest in his income and holdings. How such information had reached the far corners of Hertfordshire he was want to know, but he was glad the crowd showed such a lack of discretion when discussing such matters. It reminded him to be on guard to any attacks aimed at securing a daughter’s future.
He noticed a group of girls who had to be the Bennet sisters. They were, in fact, all lovely. He was immediately able to pick out which sister he had overheard in the bookstore based on the relative heights, figure, and apparent dispositions of the five girls. The coloring of the prettiest daughter was not in agreement with the hair he had observed, and she seemed too timid to have talked so freely with the shop owner. The youngest two daughters were ill restrained and lacked the dignified air of the woman he had overheard. This left two possibilities. The height was the final clue that allowed him to identify the lady who had so intrigued him.
She had a beauty which was strikingly different from the beauty of the woman Bingley was approaching. If he had to guess, the beauty who had caught his friend’s eye would likely be the eldest daughter. Looking at the two sisters together was like comparing a rose to a field of wildflowers. Both were beautiful but one was classically so while the other acquired the definition in a less conventional way. While Mr. Bingley once again took to the dance floor, Mr. Darcy continued to pace the room, eventually stopping near the lady who had previously captured his attention.
It was indeed rare to find a lady who had such a complicated mind combined with such a bewitching face. Was it possible, he pondered, she had merely been feigning her interest at the bookstore? If news of his wealth had traveled so easily to this small town, might word of his interests also have been spoken? It would not be the first time a lady had attempted to garner his attention by pretending to share one of his interests. Miss Bingley would frequently hold one of the books he had recently finished and stare at him while pretending to read. He knew it was not her means of sneaking a peek at his face. She was simply watching him because she found the words of the page boring. Her act of pretending to read served a more devious purpose. Miss Bingley was attempting to convince him they shared a common interest. Having observed Mrs. Bennet earlier in the evening, it would not surprise Mr. Darcy if news of his fortune and his love of books had led to a similar but better executed plan on the part of the Bennet household.
Mr. Bingley approached and interrupted his thoughts. Mr. Darcy knew he was about to be badgered yet again to hold a stranger far too close and subject both himself and the young lady to a room full of speculation. It was best to give no indication any of the young women present had attracted the slightest amount of his attention. Failure to do so convincingly would likely result in far more than simply a dreaded dance. Mr. Bingley would attempt to encourage him repeatedly during their stay, the news would somehow reach Colonel Fitzwilliam who would tease him mercilessly, and he would practically be held prisoner by Miss Bingley for the balance of his stay at Netherfield. Not to mention certain aspects of Mrs. Bennet reminded him greatly of Lady Catherine. He could only imagine the lengths to which she would go in an attempt to force a match should he give the slightest indication of a preference toward a Bennet daughter.
Bingley directed Mr. Darcy’s attention to the sister of his dance partner. Mr. Darcy appreciated the irony. His friend could always find the perfect gift or say the one thing that would provide him with comfort. It was as if Mr. Bingley intuitively knew his preferences. Mr. Darcy took the opportunity to study her face. Those features could haunt him. Her gaze shifted toward him and he turned abruptly. He then uttered something to his friend to ensure Mr. Bingley understood, in no uncertain terms, he had finished dancing for the evening and he would not be tempted by any of the ladies in attendance. Mr. Darcy failed to consider his remarks were rather biting. Further, he did not know his comments had been overheard by Miss Elizabeth Bennet and were taken at face value.
Chapter 4
After the door of the carriage holding the Netherfield party had closed, Charles Bingley exuberantly proclaimed the people of Meryton were some of the friendliest people he had met. Mr. Bingley had thoroughly enjoyed himself and was very much looking forward to hosting a ball of his own. He further commended the beauty and nature of Miss Jane Bennet.
The other members of his party sat by quietly as he spoke, absorbed in their own thoughts regarding the members of Meryton society. Caroline was happy to see her brother was enamored with Miss Bennet. The lady was indisputably pretty, but if her brother had a preference for the woman, it was safe to say Mr. Darcy would never even consider seeing the same lady in any light other than that of a sister.
As her brother prattled on about Miss Bennet, Miss Bingley realized there were other advantages to feeding her brother’s budding interest. Once she and Mr. Darcy wed, she would no longer be able to run his household and her brother would need of a wife of his own. Of course, Miss Bennet would never do. She had neither wealth nor connections, her family was an embarrassment, she lacked sophistication and refinement, and she was attached to this area of the country. When Charles purchased an estate, it would need to be near her future home, Pemberley. As such, it was best that he marry a fine lady from the north of England. Miss Bennet could, however, serve a role in preparing her brother to court the right woman.
Since Miss Bennet was obviously not a serious option as a bride, there would be little danger allowing her brother to spend time with the lady. Charles was still somewhat awkward in the presence of women and could use some practice with a lady who was not a relation. Preferably this practice should commence as soon as possible to ensure he was prepared for the upcoming London season. And female entertainment might be just the thing to ensure Charles did not run off to go fishing every day, bringing Mr. Darcy away with him. Yes, Miss Bingley would keep an open mind toward Miss Bennet. Once she had enough exposure to properly judge Miss Bennet’s intentions and cunning, Caroline would decide if Miss Bennet would be given the honor of serving her purpose in training her brother.
Mr. Darcy also contemplated the events of the evening
and the people of Meryton. They did seem friendly, but Mr. Bingley had inherited an estate worth 100,000 pounds, and even the devil would be friendly if there was the possibility of getting his hands on such a fortune. Poor Bingley was new to the world of privilege, and his trusting nature caused him to miss the underlying motivations of others. Rather than turning a blind eye to the faults of those around him, Bingley was too naïve to see the faults at all. It was fortunate he had a friend well versed in navigating the treacherous waters of being a single gentleman of means.
Mr. Darcy could see Bingley was in danger of falling victim to Miss Bennet’s charms. Bingley had compared her to an angel. In an effort to help protect his friend’s heart and fortune, Mr. Darcy looked for a fault which might cause his friend to reconsider his growing affection. It would be disingenuous to deny she was pretty, so instead, he pointed out she smiled too often. He had not chosen to spend much time in her presence so his opportunity to find fault was limited. Should he encounter her once again, he would work harder to identify her failings. He was surprised both of Bingley’s sisters indicated an interest in becoming further acquainted with the lady. Why, it nearly felt as if they were doing their best to foil his attempts to shield their brother.
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