Chapter 14
Darcy saw no point in delay. Once the plans to induce Mrs Bennet to tell the truth were established, he set out for London within a week. A brief delay had been required, for the Bingleys had accepted his invitation to join him in Town, and had some outstanding obligations to fulfil. He was unsurprised by their acceptance. Caroline Bingley would wish to be anywhere he was, and little inclined as Bingley was to leave the environs of Miss Bennet, he seemed to think it his duty to go with his friend.
Once arrived, Caroline Bingley seemed to think she had made a good bargain, for both the Bingleys had been included in this evening’s invitation in his aunt and uncle ’ s London townhouse. Darcy sometimes forgot that the Earl and Countess of Matlock were considered a coveted invitation in London circles, but the first glimpse of glittering ambition in Miss Bingley’s eyes had quickly reminded him. Thankfully, she was well down the table from him. The Bingley siblings had been seated beside each other, opposite Colonel Fitzwilliam and Cousin Harriett.
If Miss Bingley’s social ambition had been unpleasant to witness, it at least had the effect of improving her manners. Though, Darcy thought, she had seemed in better spirits since leaving Netherfield. Gone were her touches of ill-humour, and she joined in the conversation with the rest of the company without any unpleasant barbs. Likely, she saw this as an opportunity to raise herself in Darcy ’ s sights, now that he was not in Elizabeth ’ s reach.
But if Caroline Bingley hoped that distance would provide forgetfulness, she was doomed to disappointment. He found his mind frequently wandering to Elizabeth. What was she doing now? How was she faring with her plan to bring her mother ’ s actions to light, if indeed, there were any actions to bring to light?
“ Darcy, what on earth are you thinking about?” the Countess asked. “ You have been staring away blankly at the wall for at least a quarter of an hour.” His aunt laughed. “ I should not like to think that we are boring you.”
Darcy snapped back to reality, wishing his aunt had handled his inattention more discretely, without airing it before all the company. Indeed, they had all turned their attention on him, curious as to what he had been thinking, no doubt. “ Forgive me, Aunt. I would never want to give the impression that I was bored. I was only lost in thought.”
“ Thinking about his pretty fiancée, no doubt,” the Earl interjected with a mischievous grin. “ Tell us, Darcy, is she as scintillating as Mr Bingley has told us?”
Darcy ’ s mouth grew dry as everyone continued to stare, including Miss Bingley. To judge by the sour look on her face, her ill humour had returned with the first mention of Elizabeth.
He sighed briefly. Darcy wished his engagement had not been brought up. But now that it had, he could not refuse to speak of his fiancée. That would hardly give the right idea. “ Indeed, she is. I have never known a woman with such amiable wit, or such sparkling eyes.”
Though he had thought Miss Bingley could not have looked more displeased, it seemed he had been wrong.
“ How suddenly it all came about! But we are happy for you, Darcy, my dear boy. I cannot say the same for my sister, sadly. Although I am not sure if Lady Catherine has heard of the engagement yet. Unless you have written to her?” his aunt asked.
“ I have not broken the news to her yet,” Darcy admitted. Indeed, he was quite hesitant to do so, for he knew she would be sorely disappointed. Perhaps he had better wait until the wedding was over and there was no recourse before alerting Aunt Catherine to the news. Given her temperament and need for control, it was all too likely that she would try to stop the affair.
And he found he did not want anyone to stop the wedding from going forward. The more time he spent with Elizabeth, the more he was convinced she would be an excellent partner for his future life. She had shown him she did not lack in any area that really counted. She was not perfect, by any means, but he had been beyond impressed that she had humbled herself and come to apologise to him — in person — and that she had not been willing to go forward with the engagement until they knew whether her mother had anything to do with the plot to compromise them.
“ Is she of good family?” His aunt went on. “ Of course, we can only assume that she is, if you have chosen her. I only mean, do we know of them?”
“ Her father is a country gentleman,” Darcy began. “ She has four sisters, one elder, and three younger. More importantly, Miss Elizabeth Bennet is well-read, witty, and attentive to the feelings of others. I believe she will make a fine wife.” Darcy caught his breath, surprised that he had said so much. He had only intended to turn the subject before talk of the scandal could arise, but he found he meant every word of his speech. Thankfully, word of the compromise had not seemed to reach London. With luck, no one need know that their marriage had a rather scandalous inception, one that many of his family would have urged him to escape.
Well, Darcy did not want to escape.
“ She must be quite something, if you feel the need to obtain a special license,” his aunt said, raising her glass as if to toast him. “ My dear nephew, I never thought to see you so impatient. It must be love!”
Darcy could hardly speak for the rest of the dinner. Miss Bingley, too, kept her mouth shut, which he counted a blessing. Bingley had more than enough words for the three of them, and he kept the conversation light and jovial for the rest of the evening.
When it was time to go home, his aunt and uncle saw them to the door. “ We are having a ball in a few days’ time. We hope you will all join us,” his uncle said as he bowed to say their farewells.
“ How kind,” Mr Bingley said. “We should be delighted to attend.”
Darcy answered in the affirmative as well before entering his carriage. It was a relief when the coach stopped at the Bingley townhouse and they disembarked, leaving him to carry on alone. He was in a pensive mood, trying to sort out his true feelings toward his fiancée. Was it love, as his aunt had exclaimed at the dinner table? Surely not. He had always prided himself on knowing his own mind. But lately, he seemed to be in a jumble, with his heart taking over his head. It was an entirely new sensation, and one Darcy did not think he much cared for.
He would do best to put the matter entirely from his mind, to clear his head. Darcy resolved to spend the next day on matters of business. In any case, he ought to go by the jeweller’s. It was time to check in on the piece he was having made for Georgiana’s next birthday. If all had gone well, it should be complete, or nearly so.
The next day started out promisingly. The shopkeeper greeted him warmly and brought out the locket that he had designed especially for Georgiana, completed perfectly on schedule. He had hoped it would bring her some joy. Darcy had had a miniature of their mother done by one of his friends in Town, and it would go inside the locket, for his sister to keep near her heart always. Georgiana had not known their mother, poor girl. But he had tried his best to keep her memory alive by telling stories of the beautiful, gentle-spirited woman who had loved them with all her heart.
“ Does it please you, sir?” the jeweller asked. “ See the filigree on the back here?” He turned the piece over and showed the delicate design of flowers and leaves that curled up around the edges of the locket.
“ It is exquisite,” Darcy replied with a smile. “ My sister will love it.”
“ Very good, sir. Well, if there is nothing else, I will package this for you,” he said. He put the locket right side up, set it in the velvet-covered box, and started wrapping the package in brown paper.
Darcy walked around the shop as he waited. Suddenly, an emerald necklace caught his eye. The central emerald was a large, rectangle cut stone, a perfect gem that soaked up the morning sunlight and sent in dancing back in a thousand flashes of light.
It would be perfect for Elizabeth.
Darcy stopped, leaning down to take a closer look. The gems gleamed in the sunlight pouring through the large glass windows, making the light sparkle and dance. Impressive as it was, it was not gaudy, but had a simple, unassuming beauty — just like his fiancée. He was being foolish, of course. The best present he could give Elizabeth was her reputation, and her freedom.
“ I ’ ll take this piece as well,” Darcy said abruptly, wondering what on earth he was doing.
The shopkeeper finished with the package for his sister, then came over as Darcy pointed out the piece. “ Ah, a wonderful choice, Mr Darcy. Your sister certainly is a lucky young lady,” he said. Darcy did not correct the man, already feeling childish for allowing his impulses to take over. With luck, Elizabeth would never be his wife. Elizabeth certainly seemed to hope as much. If her mother did confess to setting them up, he was sure she would insist on breaking the engagement.
His heart sank. Darcy went over to the counter and paid for his purchases. If their engagement was ended, either by the demands of honour or the end of the necessity, he supposed he could always keep it for his future wife, whoever that might be.
But as he walked out of the shop, he knew deep down that he could never give it to anyone but Elizabeth.
Once back at the townhouse, he unwrapped the package and set out the small velvet box which the jeweller had used to protect Elizabeth ’ s gift. He sat back in the little sitting area of his suite of rooms, staring at the glistening piece against the dark, soft fabric.
Was he a fool? If Elizabeth had her way, they would never even get to the altar, much less be faced with the task of trying to make a go of their marriage. Heartsick, he rose and closed the box, wrapping it clumsily back up in the brown paper. Only time would tell if they were forced to be together. And the more he thought of it, the more he felt that such a fate would be anything but unwelcome.
∞∞∞
On the night of the ball, Darcy, Bingley, and Caroline arrived at his aunt and uncle ’ s mansion early. Darcy found a secluded spot as the other guests began to arrive. Now that he was engaged, he would no longer be pursued by every matchmaking mama desperate to have him dance with her daughter. He might stay off the dance floor entirely, if he wished. It was a relief, to be sure. But he found himself wishing that Elizabeth was with him, so he might whisk her out to the dancefloor and hold her in his arms…
“ Tis quite the event, would not you say, Darcy?” Bingley asked, looking about the room. “ Though I would venture to say that while there are many lovely young ladies here, I see none quite so lovely as we had at the Netherfield ball.” Bingley sighed heavily, and Darcy knew he was thinking of Jane Bennet.
He smiled. “ What are you waiting for, Bingley? If you are in love with Miss Bennet, then by all means, marry the girl.”
Bingley ’ s smile widened. “ Am I so obvious?”
Darcy laughed. “ Painfully so, my good fellow.”
“ I would have proposed to her already, if I could only be certain that her feelings matched mine. Sometimes, I find it difficult to tell what she would think of the match.”
“ I confess, I have wondered the same. However, I think some people are more reserved than others. Miss Elizabeth Bennet has told me as much about Miss Bennet. Perhaps the best course of action is to be a bit bold and ask her?” Darcy knew that if Caroline Bingley had heard him make such a speech, she would come apart at the seams. It was not difficult to ascertain her feelings toward the match, nor those of Mr and Mrs Hurst, who seemed to only be concerned with how much money one had, rather than the contents of people ’ s hearts.
Bingley hung his head. “ My family is not convinced it would be a good idea. But how can I go on ignoring how I feel? I love her, Darcy.” Bingley ’ s smile only grew. “ I love her!” he said again, a little louder this time. Several of the other guests turned to look at him in surprise, but Bingley hardly noticed. “ I would count it an honour to be your brother-in-law.”
“ Technically, we would not be brothers-in-law, but I am grateful for the sentiment,” Darcy replied with a smile. He already saw Bingley as a brother. And if he married Jane Bennet, they would be forever connected through marriages to the sisters. Or at least, he hoped he would.
Sadness suddenly overwhelmed him, worrying over what Elizabeth would find out when she confronted her mother. Indeed, perhaps she already had done, and the matter was already settled. He was eager to return to Netherfield the following day and find out what had transpired.
A few minutes later, Bingley went to ask a lady to dance, one who had been stuck as a wallflower for the first dance set. Miss Bingley found him when her dance set had ended, and stood back, silently judging the rest of the company, no doubt. She turned to him with a brittle smile. “ You look well, Mr Darcy. I am sure you are glad to be back in London, among your own people, are you not?”
Darcy raised a brow but did not want to reveal too much of his true feelings. “ It has been good to see my aunt and uncle.” He looked around the room at all the smiling faces, but could not get another night out of his mind, the night he and Elizabeth’s destinies had suddenly become intertwined. His heartbeat quickened as he thought of them being alone in the library, suddenly locked in an accidental embrace…
But it was hardly an appropriate subject to consider in public. He would do better to think of his future wife’s more substantial virtues. Elizabeth had handled everything with grace and poise, even though it had been the furthest thing from her own wishes.
Miss Bingley did not seem to notice his distraction. “ I must say, are not private balls much more enjoyable than public ones?” She giggled coquettishly and shook her head. “ At least, private London balls. I do not think I will ever get over the Netherfield ball. I have never seen such shockingly countrified manners.” She folded her hands in front of her, seeming very proud of the stab she had taken at Meryton society. “ It is a relief not to be packed in so, as we were at the Meryton assembly. I was fearful of fainting, with so many bodies pressed together. It made the heat unbearable,” Miss Bingley said. “ Are you not dancing, Mr Darcy? I assure you, it is not as hot and uncomfortable as the assembly. I would be more than happy to oblige if you do not have another partner in mind.”
Miss Bingley’s fishing was so obvious as to be embarrassing, but he was not inclined to oblige her. “ No, thank you, Miss Bingley. I am not dancing this evening,” he said dully.
Her face fell, and she turned inward once more, watching the rest of the company in disappointed silence. Darcy could not regret it. Quite the contrary. If anything, he regretted the attention he had once paid her, and which had allowed Miss Bingley to hope. What he had intended only as a tribute of courtesy to a dear friend’s sister, she had interpreted as she wished.
Darcy knew better now. Never again would he be so incautious as to encourage her, even if his engagement with Elizabeth ended. Miss Bingley’s behaviour had shown that she was not and never would be the kind of woman he wanted to spend his life with.
The ball seemed dull and insipid without Elizabeth ’ s wit to brighten the event. He had no fault to find with his aunt’s arrangements, of course. As always, the ball was perfectly elegant and correct. If there was a change from past events, it was only in him.
It was a relief when Miss Bingley found a few people in her acquaintance speak to, and at last left him in peace. But his respite could not last forever. Busy as the Earl and Countess were with their duties as hosts, they nonetheless found time to interrogate their nephew.
“ We are so pleased for you, Darcy. We should very much like to meet this fiancée of yours,” the Countess said. “ Will we have a chance to meet her before the wedding?”
“ I am not sure of that. We plan to be married within the next few weeks,” Darcy replied. “ But we will come through London on the way to our wedding trip.”
“ Well, we will be sure to plan a dinner and introduce her to all of your London friends. Tell us, how did you propose? We have not heard any of the particulars.”
Darcy cleared his throat. “ It was on a whim, really,” he said, leaving out the whole truth. At least his hopes had been confirmed. The news had not reached London, and they could go on with their lives without the shadow of scandal following them — whether they were together or not. The thought of not being with Elizabeth was strangely disquieting. It was silly, perhaps, but he missed her. And he had only been with her a handful of days before. What would it be like to be parted from her forever? To hear, perhaps from Bingley, that she had married someone else?
For her good, he would give her up, if that was what she really wanted. If they could only clear their names.
Darcy straightened his spine, resolving that it would be so. He would have to find a solution. There must be a way to protect Elizabeth — even if protecting her meant granting her freedom. For the woman he loved, he would defy even his own heart.