"Ah, secret meetings," Mr. Bennet teased. "And here I thought you were not good friends."
"Papa!" Lizzy said in a mildly reproving manner. She turned to Mr. Darcy and added in the same tone. "My father has been teasing me about our hidden courtship, sir. What can you have said to give him the impression we are courting?"
"Your father asked me about my intentions last night. I told him the truth. I said I hope to enter into an official courtship and eventually marry you if you will have me, but for now you wished to become better acquainted without creating any expectations your mother might insist you fulfill."
Miss Elizabeth shook her head at him, glowering slightly. Her father reached over and patted her hand.
"It is a father's duty to ask, Lizzy. Do not blame the young man for telling the truth. Now, why do we not enjoy our breakfast while it is hot?"
They had a pleasant breakfast together discussing the latest news Darcy and Mr. Bennet had heard from London. Of course, no papers had come since the snow began, but there was still plenty to discuss. Darcy was a little surprised at first by how much Miss Elizabeth had to contribute, but then he realized it was natural a woman of her intelligence and wit would pay attention to more than just the news of fashion and gossip. It was also clear from their interactions that she and her father often discussed current events. If he had only realized or considered the possibility before, he would have had much less trouble thinking of something to say to her.
As they finished the meal and sipped at the last of their drinks, Mr. Bennet said, "On days when the weather prohibits her walks, Lizzy often joins me in my study after breakfast for a game of chess or a little quiet reading. Would you care to keep us company this morning, Darcy? I understand the two of you might have some misunderstandings to discuss or other topics you might prefer not to canvass before Lizzy's mother and sisters."
Darcy smiled at the offer and turned to Miss Elizabeth. "Do you have any objections if I join you, Miss Elizabeth?"
"None at all, sir. You did promise to tell me more about your life at Pemberley. I assume it involves more than just buying books for the library Miss Bingley praised so highly."
"A library?" Mr. Bennet said with interest. "You are an avid reader, sir?"
"Both reader and collector. Mr. Tamblar told me the other day that you have quite the collection yourself. Both of you, actually."
"I do, although I am never averse to adding to it. Come along. You can tell us both about this library of yours."
They made their way to Mr. Bennet's study, a cheerful and inviting room, at least for someone who found the sight of shelves well-packed with books inviting. The servants had already built up a fire in the hearth which glowed and cracked with warmth. At Mr. Bennet's instruction, Darcy pulled a chair from one side of the room to join the two already sitting either side of a chessboard on a small table arranged on a circle of carpet in front of the fireplace.
"Your collection is even grander than I expected from what Mr. Tamblar told me," Darcy said as he sat. He looked around at all the shelves.
"And when did you visit Mr. Tamblar, sir?"
"A few days ago. Bingley's library can hardly be called one, having more empty shelves than books. I had read all of them more than once on my previous visit and knew if I was snowed in without something new, I might go mad. Mr. Tamblar had just purchased an entire collection of books at auction. I, in turn, purchased many of them from him. They will travel to Pemberley with me when the time comes."
"Leaving Mr. Bingley with an empty library once again," Miss Elizabeth said. "It truly is a pitiable sight, Papa. If I had not been told it was a library, I might have thought it was a disused sitting room with a few books scattered around."
"Well, my friend is not a reader, and those were apparently all left behind by the last tenant of Netherfield. Miss Bingley never even thought to take them away when they closed up the house."
"From what I hear she thought about little beyond getting out the door as quickly as she could to keep her brother from returning here." Mr. Bennet shook his head.
"Have you heard about how he responded when she arrived the other morning despite his letter telling her she was not at all welcome?"
"I heard there was some kind of kerfuffle but did not ask about the details. Was it an interesting moment?" Mr. Bennet leaned forward to hear the tale and Miss Elizabeth looked intently at Darcy as well.
"It had all the makings of an epic battle, sir. Although Miss Bingley is a year younger than her brother, she has bullied and manipulated him for years. He is so easygoing he has never seen much point in putting up a fight. However, he was furious when he learned how she had treated the servants when she left and that she was spreading false rumors of his impending engagement to my sister. He sent her a firmly worded letter that was a thing of beauty in its clarity and forcefulness. I had really never thought he had it in him."
"And was it legible?" Miss Elizabeth asked. "I remember him saying his writing was often so full of blotches and had so many missing words it is difficult to understand what he writes."
"He showed this one to me before he sent it. The writing was so clear I would not have recognized it for Bingley's. As I mentioned, he told his sister she was absolutely not welcome at Netherfield. He also wrote to the Hursts, but their letter went astray somehow." Here Darcy gave his audience a significant look. Both Miss Elizabeth and her father raised an eyebrow in identical expressions. He chuckled at the sight.
“She arrived at Netherfield the morning of our dinner with the Gouldings, having obviously set out early from London. The Hursts were with her as well. As she descended from the carriage, Bingley told her very firmly that she was to get right back inside and return to London. He would not have her in his house. I think the Netherfield staff felt the same. I had gone out with Bingley but stayed by the door and I saw the footmen close the door, looking as if they wished they could barricade it against her."
As he hoped they would, his two listeners burst out laughing. "I take it she did not obey?" Mr. Bennet said.
"Oh, no. She said his letter was clearly a cry for help and she had come to see he was not taken in by the locals. When she would not return to the carriage under her own power, he dragged her back to it, picked her up and put her inside and then told Hurst to keep the door closed and not let her out. Bingley then arranged for warm bricks, travel rugs and hot drinks for his relatives and the servants before sending them on their way."
"I do not envy the Hursts that trip back to London," Miss Elizabeth said, stifling a giggle. "Miss Bingley is a match, and possibly more, for Mama when it comes to complaining."
"Bingley sent a large bottle of Hurst's favorite spirits along with them. I expect it was gone long before they reached London. The servants and carriage were Bingley's and he told them flat out that they were not to bring his sister back without express instructions directly from him no matter what she told them as he is the one who pays their salary."
"Will she try to sack them?" Miss Elizabeth asked.
"He has written to his housekeeper and butler at the town house, letting them know that his sister no longer has the authority to make decisions about the staff and asking them to notify him immediately if she tries."
"I would not have expected it of him," Mr. Bennet said. "I took him for a willow wand, but he seems to be a quarterstaff of oak. It is something of a relief, in fact. Jane is so obliging I feared for her if she were to marry a man of too similar a temperament, one who might not place her first in his care but would be blown about by the desires and whims of others." Miss Elizabeth nodded agreement.
"I think the man who left Netherfield in November was a willow wand who bent to every breeze. The man who has returned is the quarterstaff raised in defense of everything he holds most dear. He has surprised me as well, but I would have no qualms entrusting this man with the care of my beloved sister were they both so inclined. I think you may safely trust him with Miss Bennet's welfare should she
agree to accept him."
Mr. Bennet nodded thoughtfully. "I will bear that in mind if I am asked for my consent. Now, tell us about the library at Pemberley. I want the truth, so do not be afraid to boast and brag. As one book lover to two others, give us all the details."
With the introduction of "You must first know that the libraries both at Pemberley and at Darcy House, in London, are the work of several generations…" Darcy launched into the requested narrative. In answer to their many questions he described the relative sizes of each library as compared to the room in which he sat. He discussed the quality and quantity of the books in addition to their subjects and mode of organization. The discussion continued until Darcy's cough, which had been brief and sporadic, became harsher and more frequent to the point where it began to roughen his voice. Miss Elizabeth stopped her father as he was asking yet another question.
"Papa, we are making Mr. Darcy's cough worsen and I am afraid he may become ill again. It is time to stop talking for now."
"Oh, very well, I suppose there will be other times," Mr. Bennet said grudgingly as Miss Elizabeth stood to ring for Mrs. Hill. "Chess does not take much speech. Perhaps you and Lizzy can have a match while I read a bit."
Darcy indicated he would happy to play. He switched seats with Mr. Bennet so as to be directly across the board from Miss Elizabeth. As he set up the pieces, she spoke with Mrs. Hill, who had answered the bell.
"I have asked Mrs. Hill for something to soothe your throat without putting you to sleep," she told him on returning to her seat. Darcy suffered a coughing fit in the midst of thanking her, prompting a hearty laugh from Mr. Bennet.
"I am sorry, lad," the older man said when he recovered his composure. "We should not have kept you talking so long." He picked up a book and began to read as Darcy and Miss Elizabeth decided who would take white by the expedient of Darcy holding the pieces behind his back and Miss Elizabeth picking a hand. She picked black, so Darcy would have the first move.
They waited to begin until Mrs. Hill returned with a mug of her soothing drink for Darcy and tea for all three of them. After taking a few sips of his drink, Darcy made his first move.
The game was well-played on both sides. Mr. Bennet frequently looked over the top of his book to check on the progress and grin or cluck his tongue as the moves were made. Darcy felt he won only by the barest margin, which made the win all the more satisfying. He was just congratulating Miss Elizabeth on her skill at playing when there was a knock on the door.
Bingley entered at Mr. Bennet's invitation, grinning from ear to ear. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth both looked at each other and rolled their eyes in unison as Bingley requested a private word with Mr. Bennet. They excused themselves to accommodate him.
As Darcy walked by his friend, he clapped Bingley on the shoulder and quietly said, "Congratulations, friend." He could hear Mr. Bennet laughing at Bingley's surprised expression as he joined Miss Elizabeth in the hall.
"What do you think?" she asked as he closed the door behind him. "Courtship or betrothal?"
"Betrothal, no doubt about it. That was the smile of a man whose prayers have been answered."
"I would like to go support Jane. Do you dare brave the noise of my mother's joy?" She asked, looking at him with a hint of challenge in her eyes.
"So long as I am not required to speak on the subject of lace or help to plan the wedding, then yes, I dare." He said.
She took his arm and together they headed to the sitting room. It was time to celebrate.
Chapter 16: Dancing and Decorum
Mrs. Bennet's expressions of joy when Mr. Bennet and Mr. Bingley returned to the sitting room to confirm the news were so loud, they could be heard through all Meryton in Darcy's opinion. He wondered if they could hear the ringing in his ears as well. He caught Miss Elizabeth's amused look at his occasional winces, although he was pleased to see her move to Georgiana's side and whisper comfortingly to her when his sister's face took on the look of a frightened doe.
After quickly congratulating his eldest daughter, Mr. Bennet retreated to his study in haste. Darcy wished he could have followed his host, but pride and Miss Elizabeth's challenge kept him where he was. He, also, offered congratulations to Miss Bennet and he meant them sincerely. Each time Mrs. Bennet commented on Miss Bennet's beauty or on how she would make an excellent mistress of Netherfield, he was able to agree with her without hesitation. Through it all, he did his best to remain pleasant and keep his expression equally so.
Finally, Miss Elizabeth took pity on Darcy. He saw an exchange of looks between her and Miss Bennet, which he realized later must have been an apology and request for permission to escape on one side and Miss Bennet's understanding approval on the other. Miss Elizabeth waited until her mother was distracted with another round of congratulations to Bingley before she spoke.
"Mama, I think Mr. Darcy is still a bit worn down from his illness. His sister and I are going to play for him in the music room, so he can close his eyes and get a bit of rest." Without waiting for a response, she took Darcy's arm with one hand and Georgiana's with the other and quickly pulled them from the room. Miss Mary jumped up and followed, but Mrs. Bennet hardly noticed their retreat.
They could still hear the sounds of Mrs. Bennet's excitement from the music room, but it was mere background noise, not the assault on Darcy's hearing it had been before. Georgiana settled on the bench without a word and began to quietly play the music already on the stand, while Mary sat next to her to turn the pages. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth sat nearby.
"I meant to challenge you and see if your behavior really has changed," Miss Elizabeth said softly, "but the joke was on me. I had forgotten how much her raptures embarrass me and misjudged how very loud she would be. You handled it well, by the way."
"How long has she waited to have a daughter betrothed, Miss Elizabeth?" he asked.
"From the moment Jane was born, I think," she said ruefully, "but more realistically since she put Jane out at the age of fifteen, a little over six years ago."
"Then we must excuse her excitement. This is a big moment for her. Miss Lucas mentioned your mother's fear of the entail. Not only will she have a daughter married to a good man who has a respectable income, your mother will now have a sense of security that has not been present in her life for years. I can understand that, much though I might have preferred to be in Derbyshire when she first heard the news." He chuckled, and Miss Elizabeth rolled her eyes at him.
Miss Mary gave them both a questioning look before returning her attention to Georgiana and her duty as page-turner. For a time, Darcy and Miss Elizabeth sat together in silence, enjoying the music. As they neared the end of the piece, Miss Elizabeth whispered to him.
"Miss Bingley did not exaggerate your sister's accomplishments on the pianoforte."
"Georgiana has practiced long and hard for that skill, in addition to having natural talent."
"She makes it look so easy that there clearly must be a great deal of work behind her playing," she said. He just nodded.
When she finished the piece, Georgiana switched places with Miss Mary despite the older girl's protest. Georgiana picked out a piece of music from the sheets stored nearby.
"This should do well," she said, placing it on the stand. "Just remember what we discussed yesterday. Stroke the keys instead of striking them. This is a pianoforte, not a harpsichord."
"Is that the problem?" Miss Elizabeth said, then looked embarrassed when Miss Mary turned to her in distress. "I am sorry, Mary. I have always wondered why you strike the keys so fiercely. It just never occurred to me it might be because you began learning with Mrs. Darrell instead of Mrs. Thomas like I did." She turned to Darcy. "Mrs. Darrell had a harpsichord, you see, and taught on that. It only makes sense she would have taught Mary to play in the way best suited for the harpsichord, but the pianoforte requires a different style of touch."
Miss Mary looked hurt. "Why did you never tell me my playing was wrong?"
"I d
id try when you first came out, but I expect it sounded more like criticism than help and you did not want to listen to me."
"Does everyone think I play poorly?" she asked.
"You do not exactly play poorly," Darcy replied. "It is clear you work hard on your music and you have learned several complicated pieces. It is just that you attack the keys so forcefully that the dynamics and nuances of the music are lost. I have noticed that everyone is very pleased when you play dance music. Your style is well suited to those pieces."
Miss Elizabeth gave him a grateful look. It was Georgiana who broke the tension, however.
"Relearning your fingering style will just take practice and thought, Mary. You have already proven you are good at both. Try it on this one. It is a simple enough piece that you can concentrate on how you play rather than working out the notes."
Miss Mary looked at the first page. "Yes, I know this one very well."
"Good. Now think about your fingers and how they are touching the keys."
With Georgiana's gentle hints and encouragement, Miss Mary coaxed a creditable rendition of the piece out of the instrument. However, when she was done, she dropped her hands to her lap and sobbed, almost folding in on herself in her distress. Georgiana wrapped an arm around her shoulder, while Miss Elizabeth joined them on the bench to hug her sister from the other side. There was no room for Darcy to provide any assistance, even if he had known what he might do to help.
Eventually, Miss Elizabeth and Georgiana managed to soothe the troubled young woman and her sobs turned to sniffles, which she stifled in the handkerchief her sister passed to her. When she had herself back under control enough, she quietly spoke.
"I have been making a fool of myself in front of all our neighbors for nearly three years. I always wondered if something about my playing was not quite right, but I was doing it exactly as Mrs. Darrell taught me. I thought if I just practiced more it would come out correctly, but it never did. I could ignore the comments from Mama and Lydia, because they both have little interest in music beyond Lydia's desire to dance at every possible opportunity. It was not until Miss Bingley and her sister came and demonstrated their skill that I even suspected it was something more than just a difference in style between Lizzy and myself. Now it seems I have been playing incorrectly from the very first."
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