Chapter 4 #2
When the invitation had been issued, Darcy had hesitated to even accept.
He expected no joy or pleasure from such a cacophony as this promised to be.
However, when he hinted that he would rather stay at home, Miss Bingley declared she would not wish him to be lonely and volunteered to keep him company.
This immediately changed his mind. Even the chaos of a soiree at Lucas Lodge would not be as bad as an entire evening’s tete a tete with Miss Bingley.
In the end, Darcy was glad he had attended.
There was a regiment of militia that was to be stationed in Meryton in the coming winter, and a couple of the officers were already in the neighborhood making preparations.
These officers, Colonel Forster and Captain Denny, turned out to be interesting enough company, especially since they were both acquainted with Darcy’s cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam.
This mutual connection immediately gave Darcy a subject to speak on, which paved the way for easier conversation.
Additionally, Darcy gradually became accustomed to the people around him, and he was better able to carry on a few conversations with Mr. Goulding and Mr. Graves, two of the older landowners in the area.
What was more difficult to tolerate was how his eyes kept wandering toward Miss Elizabeth, despite his resolution to pay her no further attention. She was fascinating.
When sitting by herself and not engaged in conversation, there was nothing particularly interesting about her. She was not particularly pretty but most definitely not plain. One eye sat slightly lower than the other and her smile was ever so slightly crooked.
When she was speaking with someone, however, her entire visage changed. Her eyes lit up with her animation, and her cheeks bloomed ever so slightly. The way her lips formed around her words was nearly sultry in their attractiveness.
He had been struggling against her pull for three hours, when Miss Bingley approached him and said, “I imagine I can guess the subject of your thoughts.”
Darcy almost smiled in disbelief, but he managed to suppress the impulse. He did not wish to give her any belief that he welcomed her intrusion. “I doubt it,” he said.
“Of course I can,” she said. “You are thinking how absolutely insupportable it would be to spend many evenings in such company, such chaos. There isn’t even the formality of dancing or cards to hold one’s attention.
It is simply inane chatter about nothing whatsoever.
I must say, I quite agree with such a supposition. ”
Darcy very nearly rolled his eyes. He detested the way she put words in his mouth and then attempted to cater to his vanity by agreeing with them. It was ridiculous behavior.
“I am afraid you are completely mistaken,” he said. “My mind was more agreeably engaged.”
“That is surprising,” she said, and the expression of shock that showed on her face was genuine. She recovered quickly, however, and said, “Do tell. What is this pleasant topic you were pondering in the midst of such unpleasantness?”
Knowing that he was about to deliver a completely shocking reply, Darcy let a tiny sliver of a smile slip through as he said, “I was contemplating the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow.”
Darcy was annoyed when, instead of being surprised, Miss Bingley smiled slyly. “And may one dare ask whose are the eyes that inspired such reflections?”
Good God! The woman thought he was referring to her! Immediately, his only thought was to shut down such pretentions as quickly as possible.
“Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s,” he said.
“What?” cried Miss Bingley in a voice far louder than it should have been. “You cannot mean that bastard, Miss Elizabeth. She is hardly worth looking at, let alone thinking of.”
It was clear that far more people heard Miss Bingley exclamations than Darcy was comfortable with, including Miss Elizabeth, herself.
Darcy’s attention was immediately pulled toward her as she colored in shame, and her gaze dropped to the floor. Only moments later, she was heading toward the side door to head out onto the patio.
Darcy moved to follow her, to apologize, though he knew not what he would say. He only knew that he wished to erase all her sadness. He was stopped immediately by Sir William Lucas.
Sir William said to both Darcy and Miss Bingley, “I should inform you that it has recently come to light that Miss Elizabeth is not illegitimate. In fact, she is not Mr. Bennet’s child at all. Her father is someone else entirely who asked Mr. Bennet to raise her as his own.”
Miss Bingley looked as though she had swallowed a lemon, or more accurately, as if her own sour words had been shoved back in her mouth.
However, since she made no move to say anything, Darcy said, “I apologize for Miss Bingley’s unguarded comment.”
“You are not the one who made it,” said Sir William, looking pointedly at Miss Bingley.
When she still made no move to retract her statement, Sir William sighed.
“The poor girl has been the subject of rejection and isolation all her life. I suppose I can’t blame you for treating her the same as most of her neighbors have.
However, I thought it best that you be informed of the facts of the matter, so that such mistakes are not made again. ”
“I will most definitely keep it in mind from now on,” said Mr. Darcy. “Now, if you will excuse me, I would like to make my apologies directly to Miss Elizabeth.”
Without waiting for Sir William to respond, Darcy made his way over to the door through which Miss Elizabeth had fled mere moments ago.