7. Chapter 7
W hen they arrived at Longbourn, Mrs. Bennet welcomed them eagerly.
Darcy introduced her and the youngest girls to his sister and her companion.
Miss Elizabeth invited Georgiana to sit with her and Miss Mary on the couch while Darcy ended up seated far from her.
Not once did Miss Elizabeth look in his direction as they all visited.
Ten minutes later, Mr. Bennet appeared. "Good afternoon! Forgive me for not being here to receive you."
Darcy and Bingley stood to greet him.
"A pleasure to see you, sir!" Bingley said.
"A pleasure, Mr. Bennet," Darcy said, then introduced Mrs. Annesley to the older gentleman.
When the tea tray was brought out, Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth helped their mother serve everyone.
Miss Elizabeth brought Bingley tea while Miss Bennet brought Darcy his tea.
This frustrated Darcy, because he was hoping to observe how Miss Elizabeth would react to his attempts to engage her.
It looked as if he would not get the opportunity, since their visit would come to an end shortly.
Then Mrs. Bennet offered an unexpected boon. “Mr. Bingley, we would love for you and your guests to stay for dinner if you have no other engagements,” Mrs. Bennet said, smiling.
Darcy was grateful for her sudden invitation. Extending their visit at Longbourn certainly suited his purposes. He looked at Georgiana, who appeared happy at the prospect as well. Darcy turned to Bingley and nodded his agreement.
“Mrs. Bennet, we thank you for your kind invitation and are happy to accept,” Bingley said.
“Very good! Now, please excuse me while I go speak with Cook,” Mrs. Bennet said as she stood.
The gentlemen stood as well.
“Oh, Mr. Bingley, would you like to send a note to Netherfield informing them of your plans to dine here?”
“Yes, I would. Thank you.”
“Not at all,” she said. “Jane will show you to the escritoire in the back parlor.”
Miss Bennet blushed, but smiled pleasantly.
“We shall join you,” Miss Elizabeth said suddenly. “Mary and Miss Darcy have been planning to work on Mary’s new sheet music.”
“Oh yes, good thinking, Lizzy,” Miss Mary said. “Would you like to do that, Miss Darcy?”
“Yes, I would!” Georgiana replied with enthusiasm.
“Gentlemen, make yourselves at home. You may join me in my bookroom at your leisure. If the conversation turns to lace and ribbon, I suspect I shall see you sooner rather than later,” Mr. Bennet said with a smile full of humor. He then left the room.
Darcy looked at Miss Elizabeth. “I will join you if I may?”
She smiled politely. “Of course.”
When they reached the parlor, Miss Bennet led Bingley to the escritoire and supplied him with pen and paper.
Through a doorway that led to an adjacent room, Darcy could see Miss Mary and Georgiana were already sitting at the pianoforte, discussing some sheet music.
Miss Catherine and Miss Lydia entered the parlor and walked to a small table not far from the escritoire.
The table was bright with light from a nearby window.
They laid sketches, bonnets, and other supplies on the table, then sat down and began to arrange the items.
Darcy stood behind a couch that sat in the middle of the parlor, his hands behind his back.
He glanced back again to the adjacent room at the sound of the pianoforte, then his gaze moved around the parlor once more until it landed on Miss Elizabeth—who was watching him.
She was standing a few feet to his right and looking at him with one brow arched either in challenge or in question. He was not sure which.
“Is anything amiss, Mr. Darcy?” she asked.
In question then . Though her tone would suggest she does mean to challenge me by asking the question.
Darcy smiled and shook his head. “Not at all.”
She gave him a smile that did not seem to reach her eyes, then turned to Miss Bennet and Bingley.
Bingley finished his note and gave it to Miss Bennet. She summoned a servant, handed the note over, and gave instructions for its delivery to Netherfield.
Darcy noticed Miss Lydia and Miss Catherine suddenly walk over to the doorway of the adjacent room, giggling.
"Miss Darcy!" Miss Lydia called out loudly over the sound of the pianoforte. Miss Mary stopped playing. She and Georgiana both looked up at Miss Lydia. "How do you spend your time in London?"
Georgiana looked at her uncertainly. "Well . . . I have my studies and I also work with my music master."
"But what do you do for enjoyment?" Miss Lydia pressed.
"I find the pianoforte enjoyable, as well as private musicales and the theatre."
"I am sure there are so many handsome gentlemen in town!" Miss Catherine said. "Do you have very many admirers?"
"I cannot think she does when she is not even out!" Miss Lydia said. "Miss Darcy, how can you stand to not go about in society? I know there must be balls and parties every night! I would wish to attend as many as possible. How you must suffer it!"
"Lydia, Kitty, that is enough!" Miss Bennet said, giving her sisters a look that spoke volumes. Miss Elizabeth had a similar look on her face.
Thankfully, the girls returned to their seats and found occupation with the items strewn about the table.
Miss Elizabeth and Miss Bennet apologized to Georgiana for their sisters' behavior. Though her color was a little high, she assured them she was fine, then she communicated the same to him with a look.
"I apologize, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley," Miss Bennet said, obviously embarrassed. "Would you gentlemen like to take a walk in the garden?”
He and Bingley agreed, so the four of them headed outside.
Miss Elizabeth linked arms with her sister as the two ladies led the way into the garden.
Darcy considered the notable differences in their behavior and that of other, more forward ladies of the ton.
Such ladies displayed bold and coquettish behavior in order to flatter a gentleman or even entrap him.
Darcy learned long ago to be wary of such women—women like his friend’s sister.
From what Darcy had observed, Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth never played such games to garner male attention.
Even now, in this garden, they had him and Bingley to themselves, and still their behavior continued to be above reproach.
Although he was now quite sure Miss Elizabeth did not much care for him, he suspected that Miss Bennet would be receptive to Bingley were he to show serious interest in her.
Yet, she did not put herself forward or try to cling to Bingley when his attention was not on her.
“Mr. Darcy, has it been some time since you were at Pemberley?” Miss Bennet asked.
Darcy recognized her attempt at polite conversation and obliged her. “It has been about two months.”
“Do you have other family in Derbyshire?”
“Yes, of the Darcy family there is my father’s sister and her children, and I also have a great-uncle. My mother’s brother and his family live in Derbyshire as well.”
“How nice to have so much family nearby,” Miss Bennet said.
Miss Elizabeth turned to Bingley. “I understand you hail from Yorkshire. Do you spend much time there during the year?”
“I spend only a few months of the year in Yorkshire. My younger sister, Caroline, prefers London. She loves the endless social whirl of balls and parties that are to be found there. I also enjoy the social scene in town, but I have a love of the country as well,” Bingley replied.
"I share your sentiments. There is always so much to do in London. I especially enjoy the theatre and the exhibitions. Jane and I will be leaving for town next week, and I am looking forward to it, but I shall miss my long walks through the countryside,” Miss Elizabeth said.
“I was not aware you are soon to travel to London. Shall you be away long?” Bingley asked.
“Yes, in fact, we will probably not return until sometime in January.”
Darcy watched as his own astonishment at the news was mirrored in his friend’s face. Bingley turned a surprised expression first on Miss Elizabeth and then on Miss Bennet.
“I see! You ladies will indeed be away for quite some time. Will your entire family make the trip?”
“No, just us. Jane and I go to visit our Aunt and Uncle Gardiner a few times a year. We are very close to them.”
“Ah . . . well, you two will be greatly missed, but I am sure you will have a marvelous time,” Bingley said congenially.
The ladies smiled their thanks to Bingley.
They came to a set of benches in the garden.
“Shall we sit?” Miss Bennet posed the question to the group.
Everyone was agreeable. The ladies sat together on one bench. Darcy and Bingley took the other.
“Miss Elizabeth, you mentioned that you enjoy the theatre. Have you seen any plays recently?” Darcy asked.
When she turned those fine eyes on him, for a moment Darcy thought he saw a look of suspicion in them. It was gone quickly, however, and replaced with a curious glint.
“The last play we attended was The Orphan Heir, ” Miss Elizabeth said.
Darcy smiled. “What did you think of it?”
“I liked it very well. I understood it was a fairly new production at the time and was not performed by the most popular actors, but it was still very good.”
“I agree; it was very well done. I believe the same playwright is expected to have another production on stage in a few months. Perhaps you will have the chance to see it while you are in town.”
“Yes, perhaps.” Miss Elizabeth gave a polite smile, then looked away.
Bingley looked at Miss Bennet and asked, “Do you have plans to attend many balls and dinner parties?”
“I believe we do. Aunt Madeleine wrote in her last letter that she has replied to several invitations already,” Miss Bennet said.
As Bingley continued to speak with the ladies about London, Darcy quietly observed. He had to admit he would be sorry to see them leave the area. Darcy could tell from Bingley’s reaction that he felt the same way.