Chapter 22
ABOVE HIS COMPANY
One morning, when the Longbourn ladies were sitting in the drawing room, Kitty walked over to the window and peered outside.
It had become her favorite pastime with Lydia gone and no one to walk with to Meryton each day.
What she espied was cause for excitement.
“Look, Mama! We are about to receive gentlemen callers.”
Mrs. Bennet dropped her sewing and hastened over to the window. Elizabeth was curious to know whom they were to entertain that morning as well, and she got up and went to the window too. “It is Mr. Darcy!” she exclaimed with more energy than she had otherwise intended.
“Why, Lizzy! Do you know one of those gentlemen?” begged Mrs. Bennet.
Elizabeth had scarcely time to fashion an apt response before their arrival was announced by the doorbell, and shortly afterward the gentlemen walked into the room.
As pleased as Mrs. Bennet was by the prospect, the same could not be said of Elizabeth.
Shocked was what she was. Recalling the disgusted look on his face during the Wickhams’ wedding and the unceremonious manner of his subsequent leave-taking, she had taught herself to believe she would never lay eyes on him again.
Yet, here he is at Longbourn—the last place in the world I might have expected to see him.
She took some comfort in the notion of his being there at that particular moment in time.
Having formed an initial acquaintance with her family during a period when the worst possible examples of the lack of proper decorum had been on full display, Mr. Darcy could have no reason to object to the remainder of Elizabeth’s Longbourn relations.
She whispered a silent prayer of thanks that the Wickhams had taken their leave of Hertfordshire after visiting Longbourn for a fortnight, despite Mr. Collins’s strong advice that her father should turn them away.
By now, those two were far away in Newcastle where they could not harm anyone.
Elizabeth had taken some consolation in the fact that Lydia’s behavior had awakened Mr. Bennet to the necessity of reigning in the high spirits of his daughter Kitty while there was still time.
Mary, who fancied herself pious and bookish, needed no such governing, but her father adopted a similarly stern attitude with her as well.
Adhering to all the usual modes of proper etiquette and decorum, Elizabeth and Darcy each made the requisite introductions in their turn, and soon everyone took a seat.
Elizabeth’s busy mind bustled with conjecture and wonder.
She knew Mr. Darcy could be taciturn, but she did not expect it would be to this extent.
After having made a slight observation on the house and garden to Mrs. Bennet, he sat for a time without speaking to anyone—including Elizabeth.
Thank heavens for his friend, Mr. Charles Bingley.
Mr. Bingley was good-looking and gentlemanlike.
He had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners.
Equally important, the young man, who looked to be around four and twenty, entered readily into conversation with the ease of a long-time acquaintance.
She could tell straight away that he would be a favorite—particularly of her mother’s.
As for Mr. Darcy’s part, Elizabeth did not know what to make of his reticence.
He had been far livelier when he first met the Gardiners, and that had been an unhappy occasion.
Not content to allow him to escape the usual courtesies expected of one’s guests entirely, she said, “How is your sister, Mr. Darcy?”
“Georgiana is very well, Miss Elizabeth,” Darcy replied.
“Does she remain in town?”
He nodded almost imperceptibly. “Yes, she does.” After pausing for a moment or two, he added, “She asked me to extend compliments on her behalf.”
As both were fully cognizant of what had transpired when the two ladies were last together, the subject was pursued no further.
Elizabeth decided to leave her taciturn acquaintance alone with his thoughts. If there was anything more to be said, he ought to be the one to make the start. Her attention was soon captured by his friend—specifically the manner in which he regarded Jane.
The young man’s every look of admiration was bestowed tenderly upon Jane. His every sentence was spoken as though uttered only for her ears.
After a half hour or so, even Mr. Bingley appeared at a loss for conversation.
This suited Mrs. Bennet exceedingly well.
Though sometimes described as a woman of mean understanding, she possessed the eye of an eagle and the cunning of a fox when it came to finding potential suitors for her daughters.
She, too, had paid attention to Mr. Bingley’s fascination with her eldest daughter.
“It is a very lovely day for a walk,” Mrs. Bennet began. “The view from Oakham Mount is spectacular. Jane, you and your sisters ought to accompany our gentlemen callers there.”
Mr. Bingley tore his eyes away from Jane. Clearing his throat, he said, “I should be delighted to see more of the countryside.” He then looked at Darcy. “However, I am afraid I must decline on both our parts. Perhaps another time. I know my friend is eager to be away to London. Are you not, Darcy?”
Taken by surprise, Elizabeth said, “You are leaving so soon, sir?”
His eyes filled with a silent apology intended solely for Elizabeth’s benefit, Darcy said, “Yes, I am expected in town for a family engagement.”
Elizabeth’s ensuing disappointment was short lived, replaced instead by an increasing level of discomfort mixed with embarrassment on her sister Jane’s behalf owing to their mother’s unabashed matchmaking attempts.
“But surely you are at liberty to accept an invitation to take a family dinner here at Longbourn, Mr. Bingley?” Mrs. Bennet interjected. “I shall be sure to instruct Cook to prepare all of your favorites.”
The scheming matriarch always kept a very good table; hence Elizabeth was not at all surprised that her mother would take every possible opportunity to impress the young man on whom she had such anxious designs for her eldest daughter by way of his stomach.
Mr. Bingley shook his head. “In truth, I am obliged to return to town as well to accompany my friend.”
“Pray you will come back in time for the assembly in Meryton. It will be an excellent way to meet all your new neighbors at one time.”
Mr. Bingley smiled. “Indeed, I do plan to attend the assembly.” Here, the young man paused and gazed at Jane. “I would not miss it for the world.”
After the gentlemen had quit the house, Mrs. Bennet rushed to the window. Standing there watching in wonder as they walked away, she called her second eldest daughter to her side.
“How well do you know Mr. Darcy, Lizzy?”
Elizabeth replied that they had formed an acquaintance when she was away in the spring. She went on to elaborate on those details of said acquaintance that she considered her mother ought to know.
“So, Mr. Darcy is Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s nephew,” Mrs. Bennet declared.
“That must certainly explain his being here. He must have called on us as a courtesy to his aunt. I understand she took such prodigious care of you while you were there.” She huffed knowingly. “So, that gentleman is of nobility.”
“Pray what does that signify, Mama?”
She shrugged. “It matters not one bit to me. Why, he is nothing at all like his amiable friend, Mr. Bingley.” Spinning round on her heels to retire upstairs, she said, “Pray Mr. Bingley will one day buy Netherfield Park, affording us many opportunities for his company. As for his friend—the tall, proud Mr. Darcy, whom I strongly suspect regards himself as far above his company wherever he goes—I shall not be the least bit disappointed if I never lay eyes on him again.”