Chapter 2 #2
She seemed to consider his words for a moment. “That is kind of you, sir. Perhaps we could step into the breakfast room. I do not imagine it will take your friend very long to come to his point.”
Darcy chuckled as he followed her into the bright dining nook. “No indeed. Whatever Bingley does—”
“—he does in a hurry,” she finished with a teasing grin. “Yes, I do remember his speaking at Netherfield of his preference for accomplishing tasks quickly.”
Buoyed by her playful manner, Darcy pulled out his watch. “Five more minutes should do the trick,” he mused.
When Elizabeth laughed at his wry prognostication, Darcy was struck anew with the wild delight he took from inspiring her amusement. Especially now, when anticipation of further sources of joy seemed to make her nearly giddy.
They had only time enough for Elizabeth and Mrs Hill to freshen the breakfast teapot before the moment came.
The sound of a door opening, then quick steps—which Darcy identified easily as Bingley’s—could be heard treading down the hall, presumably to Mr Bennet’s library.
Elizabeth set down the teapot, whirled on the spot, and immediately went into the vestibule, where she found Miss Bennet emerging from the sitting room.
There was a glance between the sisters that was so warm it made Darcy turn aside. It had held a silent confirmation of all Miss Bennet’s sudden onrush of feeling, which Elizabeth clearly felt in answer. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Elizabeth pull her sister into a warm embrace.
“Oh, Lizzy, why cannot everyone be as happy as I am?” cried Miss Bennet, moved to tears by overwhelming joy.
“I am to be his, and he is to be mine. We are to be married. But oh, I must go to my mother,” she finished in a rush.
Then, with almost Bingley-like eagerness, she straightened and pulled away to flee up the stairs and seek out Mrs Bennet.
When Darcy turned to face the vestibule again, Elizabeth was standing with her hand against her mouth, smothering a smile, even as Mrs Bennet’s cry of triumph reached their ears from above stairs.
In a clamour of chaotic cheer, the Bennets all descended again upon the sitting room not many minutes later.
Mrs Bennet did not hesitate to lift up her eldest child as the worthiest of daughters and brides, and Mr Bingley as the best of future sons and the most fortunate of grooms. When Bingley returned to their party from his interview with Mr Bennet, Mrs Bennet reaffirmed these praises upon hearing his success in receiving her husband’s blessing.
Darcy was just master of himself enough to shake his friend’s hand and offer his own congratulations.
Mrs Bennet, brimming over with the weight of maternal feeling and the seriousness of wedding plans, began immediately to voice the most pressing of her queries.
“Oh, Jane! And dear Mr Bingley! We must plan a date for the wedding! We must have time for the banns to be read, unless you seek a special licence. What day will you choose? Will you wed by special licence? But perhaps that would be too hasty, for the days are already drawing towards Christmastide.”
Bingley paused but a moment before he answered, “If my bride is amenable, I had thought to wed after the New Year—perhaps the day after Epiphany, which as it happens, was my own dear mother’s birthday.
Would that be sufficient, do you think, to prepare for such an event?
” Miss Bennet smiled up at him, which gave him the courage to affirm, “Then on the seventh of January it will be.”
“That feels but minutes away, though it is a month and a day!” exclaimed Mrs Bennet.
“I know what I must do. I shall write immediately to cancel our plans to host my brother’s family at Longbourn for Christmas and instead beg them to take us to them in London, for we must secure Jane’s wedding clothes without delay!
Gracious, mere weeks to prepare her wardrobe and plan the ceremony! ”
“Mama,” said Elizabeth in a softened tone, “I am sure my uncle and aunt Gardiner will understand the need to change our plans and will be as helpful as they can.”
“Of course, of course, and at least it will be convenient that they are so close to the shops and warehouses,” Mrs Bennet went on before adding in dismay, “But we shall be in quite close quarters there on Gracechurch Street. We shall hardly have the room for all the spare hatboxes, the sundries, and all our trunks and travelling clothes!”
“Mama,” said Elizabeth again, more firmly, “my aunt Gardiner will ensure everything is managed well, I assure you.”
As the women continued to discuss their arrangements, Bingley shifted in his seat and turned to Darcy.
“Darcy, it just occurred to me that my own plans this month will need to change. I know it will sorely disappoint Caroline not to come to Pemberley for Christmas this year, but I shall need to meet my solicitor to prepare the settlement, so I must rely on the Hursts to keep me in London and near to his office—and to my intended bride.”
“I understand completely,” Darcy replied, feeling equal parts regret for being unable to enjoy the companionship of his friend at Christmastide yet relieved to be disappointing Miss Bingley with the same deprivation.
At the thought of Miss Bingley and her inevitable indignation at her brother’s engagement, Darcy sat forwards with concern and caught his friend’s eye. “Do you think your sister will make your stay with the Hursts an unhappy one?”
Bingley’s grimace betrayed his dread, but he shrugged his shoulders. “She will have to learn to manage her ill feelings.”
Darcy frowned. Then he paused as he considered how Bingley’s new plan would affect the feelings and plans of his own sister, who loved company at Christmas and who, after her difficulties at Ramsgate that summer, would have benefited greatly from the distraction and merriment of hosting friends.
The idea of only himself and his sister celebrating Christmastide at Pemberley seemed suddenly very lonely.
“My house in town is always open to you, Bingley, at any time you need,” Darcy offered before he surprised even himself by adding, “In fact, Darcy House has the accommodations for a large house party. It—it would be a clear solution to both the tension in your family and the Bennets’ need for more rooms. If I were to host you and the Bennet family for Christmas, it would also convey to your sister my own support of your union, which I hope would hold some influence towards her own acceptance. ”
Bingley’s mouth gaped for a moment before a wide smile overspread his entire countenance. “Do you mean it, Darcy? You would host me and all the Bennets for Christmas?”
Blast it! Darcy was becoming as impulsive as Bingley! He paused for a moment to consider before replying, “I shall have to write to my housekeeper and to Georgiana to prepare them. This will be quite challenging for my sister as a young hostess, but with me and Mrs Annesley there to guide her—”
“By Jove, Darcy, if you are not the most generous friend a man could ever find!” Bingley surged to his feet and clapped Darcy on the shoulder warmly. “I have a feeling this will be a very happy Christmas indeed!”
Bingley’s gesture of impetuous gratitude had not escaped the ladies, who turned to look at the gentlemen. Elizabeth’s eyes, round with curiosity, locked on Darcy’s own and compelled him to speak.
“Bingley and I were discussing the alterations to our own plans for the coming weeks, when it occurred to me that my house in town would provide convenient and ample accommodations for your family and for Bingley as well.” Here he paused and turned to Mrs Bennet, whose wide-eyed expression mirrored her daughter’s.
“If you and Mr Bennet would be amenable, would you accept my invitation to a house party at Darcy House during Christmastide?”