Chapter IX #2
When the Darcy carriage arrived at Bingley’s townhouse the following morning, he found not only his friend waiting for him, but Miss Bingley nearby, her face set like marble.
As Darcy knew her preference for town hours and her custom of never appearing before ten o’clock, there could only be one reason for her presence.
Bingley, curiously, wore an expression closer to sardonic amusement than his typical cheer, though the eagerness with which he regarded everything was not absent.
“Darcy!” greeted Bingley when he stepped from the carriage. “You are punctual to the minute, as usual.”
“Of course, I am,” replied Darcy, avoiding Miss Bingley’s displeasure for the moment. “There is some reason for haste, after all.”
Miss Bingley’s scoff was not unexpected. “Returning to Hertfordshire demands haste? That is curious, Mr. Darcy, for I am reliably informed that your opinion of that neighborhood is as mean as my own.”
“Good morning, Miss Bingley,” said Darcy, unwilling to engage with her. Miss Bingley, however, was determined.
“What is good about it, I cannot say,” said she. “Were we not in agreement about the inadvisability of returning to Hertfordshire?”
“Whatever agreement we had was in your mind alone,” responded Darcy, his tone cool.
“Caroline,” said Bingley, a hint of warning in his tone, “as I informed you last night, the time for discussion is at an end. You would have done better to stay in bed. Darcy and I have decided—there is nothing you can do to alter that decision now.”
“If you persist in this mad endeavor, you will ruin us in society.”
The siblings glared at each other, neither willing to give an inch. When the response came, it was low and measured, unwilling to accept defiance.
“Let me be clear, Caroline. I am returning to Hertfordshire, and you are not to follow. The decision is mine, and I mean to have it—I shall not recant, regardless of your ambitions in society or all your arguments to the contrary.”
Darcy had never seen his friend like this before, and it was clear that Miss Bingley had not either.
Though she glared at him, Bingley remained immovable and unwilling to listen.
After she had stared at him for a time, she sniffed with disdain, threw Darcy a furious glare, and disappeared into the house.
As the footmen had already loaded Bingley’s luggage onto the roof, there was nothing to do but enter and be off.
“Thank you for your insistence and your honesty, Darcy,” said Bingley when the carriage was in motion. “I can never repay you for that.”
Curious, Darcy said: “It is nothing, Bingley, but I will offer a caution. I have no notion what we will find in Hertfordshire, or even if Miss Bennet will receive you.”
“That is true,” acknowledged Bingley, “but at least you have given me the chance. Before you informed me of Miss Bennet’s visit to town, I was not aware of the full extent of my sister’s scheming nature. I shall not be so na?ve as to trust her again.”
“Then she confessed?”
Bingley’s snort spoke eloquently to his feelings. “If you accept my demands to know the truth as confession, then I suppose she did. I am not so foolish as to believe that she told me all, but I believe that I have the important points.”
At Darcy’s request, Bingley related the specifics of what he had learned from Miss Bingley. When he completed his explanation, the intelligence filled some gaps of what Darcy knew, but left other parts open.
“I was aware of her three-week delay,” said Darcy. “When she informed me of it, I told her it was poorly done, but she did not listen to me at all.”
“If I might beg your pardon,” said Mrs. Annesley, who had been listening but not commenting, “even avowed enemies will hesitate to make such an open statement of contempt.”
“Which is exactly what I told Caroline,” said Bingley with a decisive nod. “Her oft-stated claims of friendship for Miss Bennet made her calculated condescension even more egregious. Caroline is not under any illusions about how ashamed I am of her conduct.”
“Miss Bingley could not have liked that,” said Darcy, enjoying his friend's actions to take his sister in hand. Darcy had warned him of the necessity often enough—that Bingley had acted would only assist his friend, not only in society, but also to take control of his house.
Bingley bared his teeth in a grin. “You will find that I care little for my sister’s opinion at present.”
“Then you mean to pursue Miss Bennet?”
“I do,” said Bingley with nary a trace of hesitation. “At present, I do not know if I wish to marry her, but I wish to discover the extent of my feelings and learn her sentiments. If they are aligned, I shall offer for her.”
“Then I congratulate you, my friend,” said Darcy. “Should you persuade her, you will be a fortunate man, indeed.”
“But Mr. Bingley,” said Georgiana, her expression of hurt too disingenuous to be believed, “what of your duty to me?”
Unlike Darcy, Bingley saw nothing of her underlying humor, and for a moment, he could not speak, his eyes wide, his jaw slack.
Mrs. Annesley appeared amused and pleased that her charge’s confidence had grown sufficient to jest in such a way, and Darcy found he could not disagree with her.
Darcy had no notion what Bingley might have said if he remained in this state, but Georgiana’s sudden giggles told him that she was sporting with him.
“Tell me, Miss Darcy,” said Bingley, his face shifting from confusion to disbelief and finally to measured anger, “does your jest spring from something my sister said to you?”
Stifling her giggles, Georgiana fixed him with a grin.
“It was not difficult to understand your sister’s wishes, Mr. Bingley.
The way she behaved when you returned from Hertfordshire in November would have told me if I had not already known.
She has made more than a few injudicious comments in my hearing, not limited to how well we get on together and how agreeable it would be for her if we were sisters someday.
Even knowing of her wish to marry William, I could not misunderstand her meaning. ”
“It seems my need to instruct my sister is not at an end,” muttered Bingley.
“I have also heard comments from your sister, my friend,” said Darcy. “Miss Bingley considers herself the very soul of restraint, but I have always found her ways rather blatant.”
“That is because you pay attention.”
Then Bingley turned back to Georgiana, reached forward, and grasped her hand.
“I apologize, Miss Darcy, if I am injuring delicate sensibilities.” Bingley’s grin and raised eyebrow told Darcy that his friend thought no such thing.
“Your relative youth makes any connection between us unwise at present, and for the moment, I find that Miss Bennet has quite captured my fancy.”
“Oh, Mr. Bingley,” said Georgiana, squeezing his hand then releasing it as was proper, “do not concern yourself for me. To me, you have always been akin to an elder brother.”
Georgiana winked at Darcy and added: “Since William is so stern and you make me laugh, sometimes you occupy a similar place as Cousin Anthony in my affections.”
Bingley laughed. “I shall not take offense, Miss Darcy, for I know that being compared to Fitzwilliam is praise of the highest order.”
“It is,” agreed Georgiana.
“Then I shall meet Miss Bennet with no concern that I have injured your heart,” said Bingley. “The next time I see Caroline, I shall inform her that we have decided we do not suit.”
“I do not know about that, Mr. Bingley,” said Georgiana, her saucy grin more akin to the behavior of a certain bewitching young lady of Darcy’s acquaintance. “Should Miss Bennet send you away and I gain maturity, perhaps you may find me agreeable.”
“Agreeable, yes. But I doubt the earl would appreciate the son of a tradesman courting his dear niece.”
“Uncle would not protest.”
“And the earl does not control Georgiana’s life,” added Darcy.
Bingley shrugged the comment away. “I am aware of the quality of your relations, Darcy. Regardless, I hope it will not be necessary.”
“Please accept my best wishes for your success,” said Georgiana.
With a nod of thanks, Bingley turned back to Darcy. “I know we did not speak of it, but you are welcome to stay at Netherfield with me if you wish it.”
Darcy hesitated, not knowing if he would wish to stay in Hertfordshire. It would all depend on Miss Elizabeth’s reaction to seeing him there. As he had said nothing to anyone about his failed proposal, it was best to demur until he knew more.
“Georgiana and I have only brought a few days’ supply of clothing with us, but perhaps we might stay. We can always send for more clothing.”
“If you are amenable,” said Georgiana to Darcy, “I should enjoy a stay in the country, and I am interested to meet these people of whom you speak; especially Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth.”
Bingley frowned, looking between them. “We have spoken of Miss Bennet, but I do not recall Miss Elizabeth’s name arising between us.”
“If you recall,” said Darcy, “I encountered Miss Elizabeth in Kent. As she informed me the truth of her sister and was a source of intelligence about Wickham’s doings there, Georgiana and I spoke of her.”
“I already knew a little of her,” said Georgiana.
At Bingley’s surprise, Georgiana clarified. “As I understand, she stayed at Netherfield while you were there in the autumn. William wrote about some of the more amusing aspects of her stay.”
Had Darcy thought Bingley was surprised before, now he was positively befuddled.
“You wrote of Miss Elizabeth?” Then Bingley’s eyes narrowed.
“As I recall, one evening in company you told my sister that you were writing to Miss Darcy. Can I suppose that you were writing of Miss Elizabeth while fending off my sister’s offer to mend your pen? ”
“Not at that exact moment,” said Darcy. “I had already written about Miss Elizabeth and the conversation about accomplishments before your sister spoke to me.”
“If you ever see them in company,” said Bingley to Georgiana, “you will see a spectacle, for Caroline does not like Miss Elizabeth at all.”
“Oh?” asked Georgiana, now curious. “Has Miss Elizabeth offended her?”
“Rather, I think Miss Elizabeth’s existence offends Caroline. Though I do not know the genesis of her antipathy, I suspect Caroline does not believe that Miss Elizabeth shows her the proper deference—that is silly, of course, as Miss Elizabeth is a gentleman’s daughter.”
As it happened, Darcy understood the reason for Miss Bingley’s feelings, but he would not say so at present. Perhaps he would not even if, through some miracle, he could ever announce his regard for her.
“I apologize, Mr. Bingley,” said Georgiana, “but I have never agreed with your sister’s focus on matters of class and standing.”
“That is to your credit, Miss Darcy,” said Bingley warmly, as Mrs. Annesley looked on with pride.
“I have never felt like you or your brother look down on me for my origins. Caroline’s opinions on this matter are founded on fallacy—if such things are important, she would not enjoy the position they put her in. ”
“Miss Bingley thinks only of her dowry and tries to forget her descent,” said Darcy, knowing he would not offend his friend.
Bingley sighed and nodded. “Yes, Darcy, you have the right of it. I suppose it is not a surprise that she does so, but it has always distressed me. My father cared for nothing of standing—he wished me to purchase an estate, but he was not so foolish as to suppose we would become acceptable because of it.”
“The way you speak of your father, I wish I had known him, Bingley.”
“As I wish I had known yours.”
Thereafter, they fell into more desultory conversation, and eventually Georgiana began to nap, leaning against the side of the carriage, Mrs. Annesley watching over her.
Bingley occupied himself by looking out at the landscape they were traversing, while Darcy pulled out a book.
That was a miserable failure, as he did not turn a single page in thirty minutes before deciding to put it away.
The journey progressed as most did, through the outskirts of London, and thence to Watford, where they stopped for a brief break. As Darcy had designed, they sighted Meryton through the trees about four hours after they departed Bingley’s house, just a few minutes before noon.
When the carriage pulled into the town and made its way along the dirt road, Darcy noted a measure of unusual activity.
“I say, Darcy,” said Bingley, “it appears something has occurred. Look at the crowd gathered down the street.”
Bingley was correct, of course. But Darcy saw what he had not yet. There, beyond the crowd, were Mr. Bennet, Miss Bennet, and Miss Elizabeth. Then, to Darcy’s surprise, Wickham appeared from a nearby alley and approached the Bennets, his posture one of confrontation. An argument ensued.
“Stop the coach!” ordered Darcy, stepping out when it drew to a halt, Bingley following.