Chapter 20
Netherfield House was once more festively decorated, waiting for its guests, and Bingley had long lost his patience.
He was ready very early, exactly as he had been one month prior, and he was pacing eagerly, passing from one window to another, glancing outside to spot, also like that evening one month before, the Bennet family’s carriage.
They had all met in the morning at church, for the Christmas service, and the brief encounter made him miss his betrothed even more.
Trying to read a book, Darcy was also missing a certain Bennet lady and anticipating her arrival, but he was more composed.
After the previous day’s call at Longbourn, which had been an unexpected enjoyable success for everyone including his sister Georgiana, and after his brief exchange with Mr Bennet, he felt less perturbed and managed to sleep through the night.
While Bingley had every right — due to his situation — to be excited and eager for every opportunity to meet his bride-to-be, he had no other choice but to patiently wait for the next occasion to see Elizabeth again.
“Mr Bingley, all the presents are wrapped as you requested,” Mrs Nicholls informed him.
“The presents? Oh, yes, yes, for Boxing Day tomorrow. I forgot. I hope you did not move the velvet box from the desk?”
“No, sir. It is in the same spot where you left it.”
“Thank you. It is a present for my betrothed. Mrs Nicholls, is everything ready for the party?”
“Certainly, sir!” the housekeeper confirmed, then excused herself and left, while Georgiana and Mrs Annesley entered.
“The dinner table looks wonderful. Quite festive, indeed. Your servants have outdone themselves, Mr Bingley.”
Miss Darcy’s gentle appreciation calmed Bingley. “Good, good! Thank you, I am glad you approve of it. I hope Miss Bennet will like it too.”
“I am sure she will,” Darcy interjected. “Do not be so nervous, all is well. You had the good luck and good sense to find a woman who seems to like everything about you. Although, I have to wonder why,” he teased.
“I was very fortunate, indeed. I shall be married in less than a month. I cannot yet comprehend it!”
“Bingley, please sit down, just watching your agitation makes me dizzy,” Darcy said. “If you do not calm down, you will be exhausted before the wedding!”
Bingley soon ceased listening to his friend, as the carriage appeared in sight, and he hurried to welcome the guests. Darcy moved near the window himself, hesitated a moment, then followed Bingley.
The large party entered — including the children he had encountered the previous day — with only Lydia and Kitty missing, but Darcy barely noticed this as his attention was drawn by Elizabeth and her bright smile that made her eyes sparkle.
She seemed pleased to be there. More than pleased, she looked delighted — although certainly not more so than himself.
Everyone was led to the dining room and sat around the large table.
The dinner was an informal one so there were not assigned places.
It was fortunate that — except for Mrs Annesley — they were all already acquainted with each other, so the places were chosen with ease.
Mr Bennet, Darcy, and Mr Gardiner sat close to each other at one end at the table, Bingley, with Jane on one side and Mrs Bennet on the other, were at the opposite end, followed by Mrs Gardiner and the children.
Elizabeth, Mary, Georgiana, and Mrs Annesley were towards the middle of the table, close enough to everyone to be able to participate in discussions but to nobody in particular.
Conversations quickly started. The subject of the ball was brought up by Mrs Bennet, insisting that young people loved balls.
She even mentioned that her youngest daughters preferred attending a small party with dancing and entertainment at Mrs Forster’s house.
Oblivious to how her statement sounded, implying that Mr Bingley’s party was too dull, she continued for some time in the same vein.
The others were embarrassed on his behalf, but the gentleman ignored it.
If he had Jane by his side, he did not care who was missing.
“Netherfield is an excellent house, Mr Bingley. And I know the estate is a good one too. Do you plan to extend the lease in the future?” Mr Gardiner asked.
“I am not certain yet. After I marry, I shall discuss the matter with my wife,” Bingley answered, and Jane blushed most becomingly.
“What a lovely thing to say, Mr Bingley!” Mrs Bennet interjected, making Jane blush more, this time in embarrassment. “But what is there to decide? Of course you will stay here, so my dearest Jane can be near to her mother to benefit from her counsel. Why would you decide otherwise?”
“For the last two years I have been considering purchasing an estate. Leasing Netherfield was the first step — a necessary one, in order to learn about managing one of my own — and Darcy promised to assist me. He did so and he also promised to assist in finding and choosing a proper one to purchase. For the time being, I am perfectly content with Netherfield. Of course, my sisters always insisted I should take Pemberley as an example. But, upon my word, it would be easier to purchase Pemberley — which would be impossible anyway for Darcy would never consider selling it — than to copy it!”
“I agree with you, sir! I doubt Pemberley could be copied,” Mrs Gardiner replied. “But I am sure there are many other estates appropriate for a young family.”
“Owning an estate is not as rewarding as one might assume,” Mr Bennet said.
“A great many responsibilities, a great many expenses, and not enough yield. At least this is what my twenty five years as master of Longbourn have taught me. But perhaps it is my fault. It might be my lack of skill and inclination for such endeavours. And Longbourn is a modest estate. I cannot even begin to imagine what it means to manage a property five times larger.”
“Darcy here seems to do it without much effort,” Bingley said. “He is the cleverest man I know,” he concluded genuinely, without even realising his praise directed solely to one of their party might sound offensive to the others.
“It is simply a matter of knowledge shared and effort in learning the skills. I was fortunate to have good teachers and my father’s excellent example,” Darcy said, nodding his thanks to Bingley, but somehow embarrassed by the attention.
“Yes, well, I had neither, and I confess to not much effort on my part either,” Mr Bennet admitted.
“Mr Bennet, if you need some suggestions to increase Longbourn’s income, I am certain Darcy would advise you,” Bingley eagerly, if clumsily, added.
“Of course,” Darcy quickly added. “I hope Mr Bennet knows that I would be happy to be of service and assist him in any matter he considers I could be of use.”
Mr Bennet sipped from his glass.
“You are too kind — both of you, gentlemen — to worry about my income. However, considering that Mr Collins will inherit Longbourn one day, I have no intention of improving it any way. My time — and yours — could be better used.”
“I cannot argue with that, Mr Bennet,” Darcy replied. “I am sure you know perfectly well what the best employment of your time and effort is.”
“Let us raise a toast to that!” Mr Bennet concluded. “There is one thing that I envy you for, though.”
“You do?” Darcy continued, engaging in Mr Bennet’s jocular manner.
“Yes. Your library. Considering your passion for books and the ancestry of your estate, the library must be spectacular.”
“Yes, it is!” Bingley replied hastily. “The largest and most elegant I have ever seen. And so many books! One could hardly count them, let alone read them. But it is also true that I am not very fond of reading — surely not as much as Miss Elizabeth or Darcy.”
Mr Bennet exchanged a quick look with Darcy, and for a moment he wondered how and why those two men — so different in age, character, passions and nature — were such close friends.
That was not the strangest thing in regard to Darcy’s inclinations; there was another one — much more confounding and stupefying— that affected his family directly, one which Mr Bennet needed all his equanimity to believe and accept.
“I confess I am very proud of my library — it is the legacy of many generations and I contributed with as much effort as I was able. I cannot comprehend neglecting it when I am aware of how much work has been put into it,” Darcy said, turning to Mr Bennet.
“I know you will appreciate it as I do, and since I have enjoyed your library and your brandy several times now, it would be my pleasure if you could return the visit and come to Pemberley soon.”
Mr Bennet was about to bring something to his mouth, but he stopped half way with his fork in mid-air. Elizabeth gasped, while Mrs Gardiner looked utterly stunned. Had Mr Darcy just invited Mr Bennet to Pemberley?
“You are exceedingly kind, Mr Darcy, but for me, travelling such a long distance is unlikely,” Mr Bennet finally said.
“I am sorry to hear that. However, if you change your mind, please know the invitation is extended to your entire family,” Darcy said, with a glance around the table.
“Jane and I shall go to Pemberley in the spring and you may all come with us!” Bingley said enthusiastically. “Travelling would be far more pleasant with a larger party, and Pemberley is so vast that it would accommodate everyone.”
“Let us not make plans at Mr Darcy’s expense,” Mr Bennet tried to keep things under control. “As for you, Mr Darcy, you should be more cautious with such an invitation when you address it to a family of at least twelve.”
Darcy smiled, calm and comfortable; his eyes met Elizabeth’s for a moment, but he had no time to guess what she was feeling in regard to the invitation or whether she understood that it had everything to do with her. He turned to her father and answered,