Chapter 9 #3
As soon as Darcy entered, he knew by the sudden silence he had been the subject of conversation. “You must allow me to apologise for my manner last evening. There was no reason to speak so bluntly. I had—”
“Darcy, say nothing about it,” Balfour interrupted him. All the rest were nodding their heads.
“In fact, we have been talking about how best to help you,” added Bingley.
“You need do nothing but enjoy yourselves as—”
“No, no, none of that,” Bingley said. He sat beside him and added in a quiet tone, “Utterson, Balfour, and I have it all arranged. Hurst and I shall take Jane, Louisa, Caroline, and Lizzy to Doncaster today and stay in a convenient inn.”
Bingley lowered his voice. “We thought you might not want guests at such a time. No,” he said as Darcy shook his head, “you won’t say we are not welcome, but you cannot want houseguests now. I intend to take my party towards Scarborough from Doncaster. Enfield will welcome us a few days earlier.”
“So long as you write to tell him first,” Darcy said. Bingley laughed. “I jest, but you need not leave.”
“I know, but we were to leave on the fifteenth in any event. Besides, not all of your friends shall leave you. Balfour’s party intends to remain as planned, and then we shall all meet at Scarborough later.
We know you shall not wish to make pleasant conversation in the evening, but we do not want to leave you entirely alone. ”
Having three guests rather than nine might be easier in the days ahead. That Bingley was still so good a friend after what he had done to keep him from a woman who loved him struck Darcy with a fresh wave of guilt. “I fear you are right. I shall have much to occupy me in the coming days.”
“You must promise that you will take a little respite from business. Balfour and even Utterson will ensure you do not run yourself ragged.”
Darcy promised, and Bingley smiled. “Then it is settled. If you choose not to go to Scarborough in September, then we shall meet again on our return to Hertfordshire in October. And today, Mrs Lanyon is content to draw whilst Balfour and Utterson will go to Lambton with you to start clearing the damage.”
Lambton was an estate village of Pemberley’s. It was wholly within the estate, and every residence and shop, the school, the public house were his responsibility. He and his steward had decided yesterday to begin recovery efforts there, and to meet there with his tenants today.
“I cannot have my guests recovering property or chopping wood.” Or recovering bodies.
Balfour called from his seat, “Darcy, it is decided. Utterson may not be a genius with an axe, but he shall do his best so long as he does not get a callus.”
“And what about you, Balfour?” Utterson said from his side of the table, not lowering his letter. “Have you ever exerted yourself beyond buying a shiny new bauble?”
“Aye, that is a proper, gentlemanly exertion, I grant you, but I think rather that sounds more like you?” Balfour turned back to Darcy.
“We went yesterday to Buxton where Utterson found nothing to his liking in what they call a jewellery shop—it is nothing to London, let me say—but we found there a pawnshop better than the one in Bakewell. This is what happens when we can find no dice game or horserace to bet on. Do not think less of him for buying some poor fool’s pledge.
Show the ladies your sleeve buttons, Utterson! ”
“You are one to talk. You have often been so hard-pressed for money that your fine clothes might be on your back in the evening, and at the pawnshop in the morning.”
Balfour’s eyes darkened, but it did not last. “But not today! You are only jealous, I say.”
Darcy turned to Bingley and gave him a long-suffering stare. “Must they ‘help’?”
Bingley laughed. “Utterson will leave his new sleeve buttons, and Balfour will at the least do what you ask him to.” He lowered his voice. “We all want to help you.”
Darcy nodded his thanks, then looked down the table.
He saw Elizabeth absently staring into her teacup.
If Bingley’s party leaves, Elizabeth shall leave also.
He did not want to part from her with a mistaken understanding of his feelings, but everything was in too sorry a state for him to settle anything on that count.
A servant announced the Hurst and Bingley carriages. They all set aside their napkins and rose to part. Utterson and Balfour announced they would change their clothes and meet him at the stables as Georgiana came to his side.
“Shall I come to Lambton today?”
Darcy felt his chest tighten in pride and gratitude.
He did not want her to see the early effects of the destruction, but he was cheered by how she wished to help Pemberley’s people.
“In the coming days, there will be a great deal to do in regard to charity, but not today. Reynolds and I will put you to work before long.”
She agreed, kissed his cheek, and parted from his guests.
Darcy made his civil goodbyes to the Hursts and the Bingleys, taking care to express to Mrs Bingley how he wished her well and hoped they would stay at Pemberley in October on their way home from Scarborough.
After parting from Miss Bingley, he met Elizabeth.
He wondered if she was as downcast as he felt at her leaving.
“Miss Bennet, you are always welcome at Pemberley. I–I am sorry to see you leave so soon.” He had to be careful what he said; Mrs Lanyon, the Hursts, and the Bingleys were still in the room.
The difficulty he felt in parting from her was very great.
He wanted her to know that his feelings and wishes were the same as they were in April, but everyone was watching.
“I hope . . . I hope this is not your last visit to Pemberley.”
“I am exceedingly sorry that this has happened. Your mind must be oppressed with anxious sensations, and I worry for y—” She dropped her eyes. “I hope that when I see you again you shall have not so grave a countenance, and better news of Pemberley.”
“You are kind, very kind to take such a concern in m—my interests at Pemberley.”
Darcy wished he could give a hint that he welcomed her concern and still wanted her to be Pemberley’s mistress.
He hoped to leave on the best possible terms, but nothing of her own affections could be certain and they were not alone.
He would have to wait until they met again under better circumstances.
She took leave from him, thanking him for his civilities, and Darcy held her hand a little tighter than he ought to have. He would have brought it to his lips, but Miss Bingley’s furious glare made him not want to cause Elizabeth any difficulties.
Before he left, Mrs Lanyon asked Elizabeth to speak with her.
He was not certain what they talked of on the other side of the room, but Elizabeth often looked over Mrs Lanyon’s shoulder at him.
Darcy sighed, and readied to meet Balfour and Utterson at the stable.
He feared nothing he saw today would soothe his uneasiness about how to manage this disaster.
“But Lizzy, I thought you had wanted to go to Scarborough?” Jane was utterly perplexed by Elizabeth’s request to stay at Pemberley with Mrs Lanyon.
“Mrs Lanyon’s invitation is generous,” she said eagerly. “I would like to accept it and stay at Pemberley with her for the rest of the month.”
Elizabeth had already accepted this invitation with pleasure.
Darcy had been grave last night, and the idea of leaving Pemberley with so many feelings unsaid was counteractive to her wishes.
As much as a house full of guests right now might add to his worries, she disliked the idea of leaving him alone in trying times.
As to any attentions on his side, they might resume once Darcy’s mind is not preoccupied with the aftermath of the storm.
“I can well understand Mrs Lanyon—anyone—wishing for your company, but why would you remain here when you could be with us?” Jane asked. “You will see her again in Scarborough in September.”
To have the renewal of her acquaintance with Darcy end so soon had been distressing.
Her whole happiness seemed at stake until Mrs Lanyon drew her aside.
Besides, Mrs Lanyon seemed desirous of her company now that they were more at ease with one another.
Jane, whilst professing the opposite, did not need her by her elbow as she once did.
“She prevailed upon me not to quit Pemberley and to instead oblige her with my company whilst her brother and Mr Utterson remain. I know Mrs Lanyon and I could become good friends.” Mrs Lanyon was not an easy person to know; there was something aloof and inexpressive about her at first, but Elizabeth had not recognised her goodness as soon as she should have.
“I like her very well now that I am knowing her better.”
“I was not certain you liked Mrs Lanyon, or that she had any fondness for you. Charles dear”—Jane turned to Bingley—“what say you?”
Bingley shrugged. “I will be sorry to lose Lizzy, but Mrs Lanyon and Mrs Annesley are above reproach. I cannot understand it myself, but if Lizzy wants to stay, I have nothing to say against it, and I cannot imagine that her father would, either.”
Jane frowned. “But how shall she get home?”
“She will stay with Mrs Lanyon and then come north with Balfour’s party when they come to Scarborough. If she wishes to join us sooner or return to Longbourn, you know that Darcy would put her in his carriage with a man to see her safely wherever she wished to go.”
Jane gave her a significant look. “Is this what you want? Charles can tell Mrs Lanyon no for you.”
“I want to stay at Pemberley!” Her sister’s face showed her surprise. “You shall do well without me, you know. You have Charles, and I think that you have found some common ground with Louisa.” She did not mention getting on with Caroline.
Jane pulled her by the hand to the other side of the parlour from Bingley. “You did not even want to enter the house last Wednesday,” she whispered. “Why would you stay near to Mr Darcy after all that has passed between you?”
Elizabeth looked at Bingley, who started and pretended to investigate the drapes on the window. “I would admit Mr Darcy’s attentions as readily as they were offered,” she said into Jane’s ear.
“You are joking!” Jane cried. She then lowered her voice. “Do you have reason to believe Mr Darcy will make his attachment public?”
“I do. We have spoken about Hunsford.” Elizabeth thought back to the way Darcy kissed her cheek during the game’s forfeit. “And I think he has other wishes beyond showing me civility.”
“Are you abusing Mrs Lanyon’s kindness to use her to stay near to Mr Darcy?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “On the contrary. I think that is partly the reason she asked me to stay. She sees our mutual interest and wishes to foster it as much as she wants my company.” She gave her sister a pleading look.
“Very well. But you can never mock Caroline for her attentions if you put yourself in Mr Darcy’s way like this.”
How was it akin to cunning to stay with Mrs Lanyon to be near to Darcy when it was Mrs Lanyon’s idea?
Somehow, Jane did not see that there was something between her and Darcy when Mrs Lanyon had seen it almost instantly.
It felt more wrong to leave Darcy alone now than to do whatever she could to stay near to him.
“The truth is, even if I did not love Darcy as much as I do”—Jane’s eyes softened, and Elizabeth felt her throat close and her heart beat fast—“I care for him and his happiness, and this flood is a great worry to him. He ought to have someone near to him who cares for him, who wants to ease his worries.”
Jane gave her a quick hug, whispering in her ear, “I hope that you are right about Mr Darcy, because you are apt to get your heart broken if he does not love you with the same devotion, and you shall be here all alone if it does.”