Mrs. Bingley’s Sister (The Austen Novels)

Chapter 25

Elizabeth had felt the eyes of everyone on her when their party first entered the room before dinner. She knew Sarah had made her look beautiful, but she hoped she wasn't drawing too much undo attention to herself; the only person's attention she desired was Darcy's, but sadly, it seemed this was not to be borne that evening. Yes, she might have spied him looking at her, but he had been deeply entrenched in conversation with his sister, the tall and pretty Mrs. Llewellyn, and her sister-in-law, the stunningly gorgeous Miss Llewellyn.

Elizabeth couldn't help but see how she might fare next to someone as lovely as the girl; indeed, she was likely only eighteen or nineteen at most, her youthful brightness radiating from her in every direction. Her smile, her laugh, her manners; they all pointed to a fine spirit and a lady of youth and life. Elizabeth tried not to feel so dejected, but she knew without a doubt if she had to compete for Darcy's affections with a lady like Miss Llewellyn, Elizabeth would not stand a chance. But instead of agonizing over Darcy and Miss Llewellyn, she turned her attentions to the Fitzwilliams, as she had always been made so comfortable by the colonel.

"It has been a very long time since we last saw one another, Colonel—I mean, Mr . Fitzwilliam," she said, feeling odd not to be addressing him as colonel. She hadn't realized how much things had changed.

"Still wanting to call me colonel, is that it, Miss Bennet?" Fitzwilliam teased a bit, and then he looked to his wife, "Indeed, I still sometimes look at my dear Isabella and call her 'Miss Swann.'"

Mrs. Fitzwilliam shook her head and waved a hand dismissively. "You haven't called me that since our wedding, Mr. Fitzwilliam! Do not listen to a word he says, Miss Bennet. The man likes to exercise his clever wit upon us all."

Elizabeth liked both of them, and she noted Mr. Swann, Mrs. Fitzwilliam's brother, glancing at her from where he stood with his friend Mr. Cole and his other sister, Miss Swann. Elizabeth leaned forward toward Mrs. Fitzwilliam.

"You have so much of your family here," she observed, "I'm sure it must please you so. I know my sister would be bereft without me, and I her."

Mrs. Fitzwilliam nodded. "Yes, yes, my sister does indeed visit us often. But she lives with my brother, at our family estate Faringwell Abbey, not ten miles from here, you know. He lost his wife last year, in the summer, poor dear. He was quite fond of her, I do believe. His friend there, Mr. Cole, is a clergyman. They have been good friends for some time, I should say."

Fitzwilliam interjected, "Mr. Cole is more than just a friend of your brother's, Isabella."

Elizabeth watched as the lady frowned at her husband, and she wondered what the trouble could be. Fitzwilliam, seemingly reading her mind, went on and said, "Miss Swann and Mr. Cole have something of an understanding between them."

Elizabeth nodded slowly. "I see."

Mrs. Fitzwilliam merely frowned some more at Fitzwilliam, who chuckled and shrugged a bit as he said, "Deny it all you want, Isabella."

"He is of a vulgar family, dear," she said smartly, "My sister can do much, much better."

And here her head turned, and she gazed quite pointedly at Darcy himself, who was too ensconced in conversation with his sister and Miss Llewellyn to notice anyone looking his way. Elizabeth swallowed, realizing Mrs. Fitzwilliam had no mere idle interest in who her sister was matched with; oh no, this woman desired her sister to marry none other than Darcy himself.

This surprised Elizabeth very little, though it disappointed her greatly. Miss Swann, the object of their conversation, was equally as young and beautiful as the Miss Llewellyn, though her demeanor was more subdued. However, upon watching Miss Swann and Mr. Cole, it was obvious that the two seemed to get on quite well. Perhaps she would pay Darcy no mind.

Dinner was finally called, and Elizabeth found herself being offered the arm of a certain Mr. Swann, the brother of Mrs. Fitzwilliam, and he was very kind and courteous to her as they made their way into the dining room. He even ended up sitting beside her, and she did indeed have good conversation with the man. But she couldn't help but feel the disappointment of being so close to Darcy as to be in the same room yet unable to speak with him.

She desperately wanted to have another conversation (or was it a flirtation?) with him, but she began to lose all hope the more she saw of the younger women. Why would he want her, when he could presumably have either Miss Llewellyn or Miss Swann? They were surely not a day over twenty, yet Elizabeth was eight and twenty now, practically an old maid sitting upon the shelf. As the dinner went on, Elizabeth's confidence she had prior to dinner had abandoned her.

When the ladies finally withdrew, Mrs. Llewellyn, whom Elizabeth imagined as Miss Darcy all these last years, sat close to her.

"Miss Bennet, I learned about you a very long time ago," the young woman said, causing Elizabeth to blush.

"Well, I hope the reputation which proceeds me is a good one?"

Mrs. Llewellyn laughed and nodded. "Indeed. I was merely going to say, my brother had written me correspondence during his long stay that autumn in Hertfordshire so many years ago, when Mr. Bingley met your sister, and he wrote of you on occasion—"

This learning made Elizabeth color very deeply, indeed.

"—and he wrote of you walking a whole three miles to nurse your sister!"

Elizabeth, still blushing, laughed and said, "Oh, my, I do hope you were not scandalized from that particular anecdote."

"No, no, Miss Bennet of course not,” Mrs. Llewellyn said with a laugh, “I thought it wonderful and exemplary. I had always wanted a sister of my own, you know, and if I had to choose one, I would have desired her to be such a sister as that."

This made Elizabeth feel rather good, though she noted the irony of Mrs. Llewellyn's unwitting desire: had Elizabeth accepted her brother so many years ago, she would have indeed had gained such a sister.

She liked Darcy's younger sister the more they spoke. She was bright and kind, although a little shy at first. But it seemed that the more Elizabeth talked with Mrs. Llewellyn, the more the lady opened up and confided in her.

"Miss Bennet, see you Miss Llewellyn there?"

Elizabeth nodded. The men had arrived, and Elizabeth's stomach churned slightly to see Miss Llewellyn curtsy to Darcy himself before taking the man up in conversation, even going so far as to take his arm. Elizabeth turned her eyes away and settled them back on Mrs. Llewellyn.

"I am aiming to make a match between her and my brother," she said, to which Elizabeth's face colored. Mrs. Llewellyn didn't seem to notice, however; she was too busy watching her brother and the young lady.

"Oh?" was all Elizabeth could muster, to which Mrs. Llewellyn nodded.

"Indeed. Now, it is difficult, of course, because William is so reserved and taciturn, at times, as I am sure you are probably aware. He keeps such a dour expression on his face—in fact, he is usually less so here at Pemberley, but I think hosting guests is a bit of a trial for him. No matter. He will warm up to our little house party, I daresay, and when he does, why, I think he and Miss Llewellyn will make a fine match, do you not? Look at how well they appear together."

Elizabeth did as she was bid, and she certainly looked. She let out a wistful sigh, which luckily Mrs. Llewellyn did not seem to notice. She watched as the young Miss Llewellyn chatted away quite prettily to Darcy while on his arm, and he gave her his full attention, as a gentleman like him was wont to do. Elizabeth could only watch for a moment before looking away and merely saying, "I do indeed see how well they look."

This prompted more excited chatter from Mrs. Llewellyn on the subject, until things naturally changed course. They spoke on other topics which troubled Elizabeth hardly at all. Mrs. Llewellyn was a sweet tempered young woman, and Elizabeth could not deny she liked the young lady very much, but it was clear how little idea she seemed to have of the nature of Elizabeth and Darcy's past, but that only made sense. Why would he have ever divulged of such an event as a rejected proposal to his sister, who was still barely more than a child at the time?

Elizabeth only cast her eyes Darcy's way a few times, and each time he was either in conversation with Miss Llewellyn or Miss Swann, or even both. Elizabeth knew she was kidding herself if she considered she might honestly have a chance to even speak with the man, let alone endear herself to him.

So she sat near her own sister and made herself busy talking with the Bingleys and the Fitzwilliams. After a while, the night was getting late, and everyone stood to retire. Elizabeth expected no one to escort her at all, except that Mr. Swan appeared and offered his arm, which she took. She did not look around to see who was on Darcy's arm—probably one of the two younger, more suitable young ladies there—and she allowed this congenial man to lead her from the room.

If Elizabeth had looked, however, she would have seen Darcy staring off after her, as he had been trying to reach her before Mr. Swann.