Chapter 10
SERIOUS CONSIDERATION
The next several evenings progressed in much the same manner as the evenings before. Same guests, same pairings, same attitudes. Having exchanged brief pleasantries with one or the other throughout the past days afforded Elizabeth a better understanding of each person’s true nature.
Between Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Miss Bingley, Elizabeth did not know which of the two ladies she preferred less.
She merely had a chance to observe Miss de Bourgh, for that young lady rarely spoke to anyone at all.
At times, Elizabeth did sense hints of genuine affection toward Fitzwilliam Darcy on the part of his cousin whenever the gentleman walked into the room.
However, it was nothing in comparison to the way Miss Bingley was wont to do and say most anything that she suspected might garner the gentleman’s approbation.
Knowing her ladyship’s designs for her nephew, it did not surprise her at all to observe the disdainful manner in which Lady Catherine regarded Miss Bennet.
At least my sister Jane shall not be alone in facing the grand lady’s wrath. Of that, I am quite certain.
The elder Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bennet were content to spend their time away from the others, which came as no surprise to Elizabeth, who suspected the two old friends preferred to escape the drawing-room escapades in favor of quieter times in the master’s study.
Mr. Hurst, Charles Bingley’s brother-in-law, appeared to be quite the recluse, content to recline on a comfortable seat near the fireplace.
It dawned on Elizabeth that she had yet to see the gentleman speaking to his wife.
There is no wonder, she silently considered.
Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley, when she is not putting herself in Fitzwilliam Darcy’s way, are like two peas in a pod, always with their heads together no doubt discussing secret affairs and concocting schemes for the younger to attract the gentleman’s notice.
Whether that particular gentleman was affected by Jane’s charms, Elizabeth could not say, but she did not detect in the gentleman’s manner any similar symptom of disdain that defined his evident lack of esteem for Miss Bingley.
At the risk of devoting too much of her attention to her sister and Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth instead chose to engage the colonel, who sat next to her on the sofa, in light repartee as a means to pass the evening.
“I understand in speaking with your cousin Mr. Darcy that we are soon to expect several additions to our party, sir.”
“I take it that you are referring to his lovely sister, Georgiana, and her companion,” he said. “By the bye, when, pray tell, did you and Darcy have the opportunity to speak on this matter?”
Elizabeth had hoped that her time alone with Fitzwilliam Darcy was something she might not share with anyone, and yet she had opened the door to its revelation herself.
Supposing she was safe with the colonel, she confided, “A few days ago. You see, I encountered him, completely by chance, on my return to the manor house after a solitary foray about the lovely grounds.”
“Indeed, I seem to recall your telling my aunt that you dearly enjoyed long walks.”
“Yes, very dearly,” she said, attempting to rally her spirits to playfulness. “It seems I am quite indebted to your cousin for pointing out the proper route to the manor house when I came to a fork in the path.”
“Yes, I know that spot very well. I would say my cousin’s arrival may well have saved you a great deal of time. You owe him, indeed. Of course, he is a man who has everything. I hesitate to think how you might satisfy your debt.”
“Either you are laughing at me, or you mean to warn me of something, sir. Pray which of the two is it?”
“You are no doubt a sensible young woman—too sensible to suppose I would ever dare laugh at you, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Then you mean to warn me. If there is something I ought to know, then I pray you will do me the honor of telling me, else I shall begin to think the worse.”
“I will simply state that Darcy is not a single man by chance. Indeed, my cousin has remained a single man for so long as he has by design.”
Elizabeth felt a sense of dread in anticipation of what the colonel might then say.
He must have read her apprehension. He said, “I will also wholeheartedly affirm that my cousin is an honorable man. You are in no danger from him. On the other hand, the other expected addition to our party whom Darcy may or may not have mentioned to you—”
“—His father’s godson, Mr. Wickham,” Elizabeth interrupted, feeling grateful for a change in the subject.
“Mr. Wickham indeed. You ought to know that he is nothing at all like Darcy. In fact, were you to find yourself at a similar fork in the road with that particular gentleman, I would strongly urge you to choose one without hesitation and not merely walk but run, as fast as you can, screaming for help all along the way.”
“Oh, dear,” she said, pressing her hand to her bosom. “Certainly, the godson of the elder Mr. Darcy cannot possibly be as detestable as you make him seem.”
“I am afraid he is far worse. Consider yourself forewarned, Miss Elizabeth, and act accordingly. Promise me you will heed my advice.”
Later that evening, Elizabeth was given to wonder about the colonel’s odd, albeit glowing, commendation of his cousin Mr. Darcy’s character.
As best as Elizabeth could tell, Fitzwilliam Darcy was a man of impeccable character, even if he was a bit too taciturn at times.
Still, she sensed with a bit of uneasiness that the colonel was doing his best to warn her about something.
Why did he inform me that Mr. Darcy had remained single for so long as a matter of design? Elizabeth wondered. Certainly it is not uncommon for a man of his age to remain unmarried. The colonel himself remains unmarried. She thought to question him on that once they were better acquainted.
Were I to do such a thing now would surely be interpreted as impertinent.
The last thing she wanted the gentleman to think was that she sat around thinking about his marital inclinations or lack thereof.
Even as the second son, the gentleman must have his fill of female admirers.
He is, after all, the second son of an earl, which much surely enhance his prospects of marrying a young woman with a large fortune.
Smiling to herself, she entertained the idea that something in the range of fifty thousand pounds might be reasonable.
Though not so handsome as Mr. Darcy - the colonel was certainly very agreeable to look at and anything that he lacked in that regard, he made up for with his amiability and charming nature.
Once again, her thoughts harkened back to the colonel’s cousin Mr. Darcy.
Why her every thought led back to him, she could not say.
Pacifying herself with the knowledge that she could hardly tell her mind what to think, she decided it was best simply to give in to her curious fascination rather than squander her time seeking to suppress it.
“My cousin has remained a single man for so long as he has by design.” Elizabeth commenced tapping her fingers.
Those particular words must certainly mean something, but what?
She pursed her lips. Does the colonel mean to suggest that even now his cousin does not intend to relinquish his coveted single status?
Is this the colonel’s way of telling me that his cousin does not mean to give serious consideration to courting my sister—no more than he has with respect to marrying his cousin Anne?
What a troubling thought this was for Elizabeth that her sister might be nothing more than a pawn in the young man’s scheme. “A scheme to do what?” she wondered aloud. “Does he simply mean to appease his father by going along with his ‘agreement’ with my father?”
A chilling sensation rushed over her, and she folded one arm over the other to comfort herself. “Does my sister’s heightened expectations, her kind sensibilities, mean nothing to him?” Elizabeth did not know how she would bear it if Jane’s heart was painfully affected by such a prospect.
“While it is true that there were no promises made on either side of an alliance, and the decision rested solely with the two of them, Fitzwilliam Darcy and my sister, some expectation of sincerity on the former’s part was reasonable to expect.
” Since learning of this peculiar arrangement, Elizabeth suspected that her elder sister had come to rely upon it.