Chapter 15 #2
By dinner time, Darcy had still not gathered enough composure to face Elizabeth, but refusing to attend would raise more questions that he was unwilling to answer.
When he was about to leave his chamber, he was surprised by Dr Gardiner’s appearance; the gentleman began by mumbling some greetings, then said with apparent uneasiness, “Mr Darcy, my niece Lizzy told me about the incident earlier… I do not know what to say… She begged me to apologise to you on her behalf as she is too mortified to address you directly — and rightfully so. I know I am mortified myself. My sister, bless her heart, is a good woman and means well, but her imprudent behaviour and poor manners might sometimes suggest otherwise.”
“Dr Gardiner, I shall admit I am mortified myself, but I do not suspect Mrs Bennet’s action was deliberate. Let us call it an unpleasant mishap — an accident that we should all forget.”
“I agree, sir.”
“May I ask, how is Miss Bennet? And Felton?”
“My niece is improving daily. She is the best sort of patient. I expected no less from her with her sweet, serene nature. Felton, like all men, proclaims he feels better than he truly does. His leg will take a long time to heal, and the fever and cough still concern me.”
“And Miss Elizabeth? Are there any reasons for concern with regard to her?”
“Fortunately not. She understands the danger, so she will follow my instructions. What about you, Mr Darcy? You looked flushed when I came in. Could you have a slight fever?”
“No, not at all,” Darcy said, feeling his cheeks burning again as he remembered the thoughts that had coloured his face earlier.
“May I examine you to be sure?” the doctor insisted, reaching out a hand and touching his forehead.
“I promise I am well, sir. Would you join me for dinner? I believe we are expected.”
They walked together, chatting about the weather. The moment he entered the dining room and laid eyes on Elizabeth, Darcy had to admit he was not composed, and he certainly had not forgotten the earlier incident.
Her eyes met his, then she blushed and immediately averted her gaze. Yes, it was quite obvious she had not forgotten it either.
“Mr Darcy, how are you feeling, sir?” Miss Bingley enquired. “We are concerned as we have not seen you all day long.”
That is because someone else saw more of me than she should have, he mused, then glanced at Elizabeth again.
“I apologise for any disquiet I may have caused you, Miss Bingley. I am perfectly well. I simply had to attend to some unfinished letters.”
“Have you written to dear Georgiana? Did you mention how much I miss her and how I long to see her in London soon?”
“I mentioned all that two letters ago. I am sure she still remembers,” he replied and noticed Elizabeth hiding a smile behind her napkin. He smiled too, delighted that she seemed to enjoy his sense of humour.
“Dr Gardiner, I heard dear Jane is feeling a little better but the servant not so much,” Mrs Hurst said. “Have you considered what will happen when Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth return home? You will likely go back to London too. What about the servant?”
“Louisa, I have already decided that everyone will remain at Netherfield for as long as necessary!” Bingley interjected.
“It is pointless bringing up this matter again. We have determined you are in no danger of catching some disease. You should not even care who is staying in that wing since it is so far from your chamber!”
“We must consider that Mr Darcy has already been excessively disturbed, and he is our principal guest,” Miss Bingley said.
“It is a wonder how you two are always concerned about Darcy’s comfort, while he seems more bothered by your interventions than by the discomfort itself,” Mr Hurst interjected, sipping from his glass.
“Some women just cannot take a hint,” he concluded, raising his brows and finishing his drink in one long gulp.
The Bingley sisters both turned pale, glanced at each other, then at the rude gentleman, who had treated them with glacial indifference. Darcy cast a quick look at Elizabeth, enough to catch another smile twisting her lips.
“I am grateful to everyone who is concerned about me, though I shall say again that there is no need.”
“You heard Darcy, I hope?” Bingley replied. “In all honesty, even if there are other people in the same wing, as long as each stays in their own room and does not burst in on him, why would he suffer any discomfort?”
Darcy choked on his drink and quickly looked at Elizabeth; flushed with obvious mortification, she quickly lifted her glass to take a sip. Next to her, Dr Gardiner displayed an equal thirst for his wine.
“Am I not correct?” Bingley insisted. He was certainly unaware of the incident with Mrs Bennet, so his statement was nothing but an innocent attempt to clarify the situation.
“You are correct, of course,” Darcy managed to answer. “Would you be so kind as to order the first course? I find I am very hungry.”
Bingley hurried to do so; his sisters began chatting privately, and Elizabeth was silent, giving peculiar attention to her empty plate.
“Miss Bennet, have you begun the book?” he asked, a little impulsively. She startled, slightly confused, and cleared her throat before she replied.
“I have. I completed the first two chapters, and I am enjoying it very much, though I find the Dashwood ladies’ fate is incredibly sad as it is so realistic. We have seen it happen only too often, after the father dies.”
She seemed rather affected, and he wondered whether it had been wise to make his enquiry in public.
“Which book are you speaking of?” Miss Bingley asked.
“It is called Sense and Sensibility. it was recently published, and I am very fortunate to have the chance to read it,” Elizabeth answered.
“Oh…I prefer classic authors, whose value is undeniable. New books can be questionable, so I avoid them,” Miss Bingley declared.
“This one is rather good. Georgiana enjoyed it, and I recommended it to Miss Bennet too, as I knew she was fond of reading,” Darcy declared sternly.
Elizabeth smiled one more time, while Miss Bingley’s face turned red.
Fortunately, at that very moment, the servants entered with the first course, providing good reason for a long silence.
During dinner, Darcy cast repeated looks at Elizabeth over the table; their glances met often, though only for an instant, probably not even noticed by the others.
Each time, however, she seemed more at ease, and her smile became lighter, bringing back the sparkles in her eyes.
She did not appear bothered that she had seen him naked, after all.