Vol 1, Chapter 4 #2
Each time he looked at his reflection in a mirror, Wickham felt anger at his nemesis’s build.
His perfect nose was at an angle, and one of his front teeth was missing!
What Darcy had done to him would make it much harder to charm what he wanted out of the residents of the town to which he would travel.
It was just one more thing to be added to the ever-growing list of offences for which Wickham held Darcy responsible. He was sure, as sure as he was alive, that one day he would make Darcy pay for all of the offences that the master of Pemberley had perpetrated against him.
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Miss Bingley could not but notice her brother’s interest in Miss Bennet.
There had been a dinner at Lucas Lodge a few evenings previously and her brother had not moved from Miss Bennet’s side, although, strangely, Miss Bennet seemed quite indifferent to her brother.
It was at that dinner at the home of that ‘nobody knight’ that Miss Bingley had been grievously wounded.
As she sat at her dressing table contemplating which of her superior gowns she should wear that day, she could hear the conversation in her head word for word.
Someone had prevailed on the middle Bennet daughter to play the pianoforte, and Miss Bingley was sure that the country hoyden would soon demonstrate her inferiority.
That, to her irritation, was not the case.
As much as she did not want to admit it, Miss Bingley had never heard better.
She gave up her idea to show Miss Eliza up by exhibiting after her since she quickly understood that her own playing would have been nothing in comparison to what she was hearing.
Then, to make matters worse, the chit sang like an angel. She had the best contralto that Miss Bingley could remember hearing. Miss Bingley could not understand how a country miss from an inconsequential family could be so talented and accomplished.
She walked over to where Mr. Darcy was watching the chit sing to find that he was mesmerised by her performance, so Miss Bingley had decided to say something to break the spell.
“I can guess the subject of your reverie,” Miss Bingley asserted as he sidled up to Darcy.
“I should imagine not,” he replied dismissively. Miss Bingley had never allowed anything to deter her, and now was no different.
“You are considering how insupportable it would be to pass many evenings in this manner—in such society; and indeed I am quite of your opinion. I was never more annoyed! The insipidity, and yet the noise—the nothingness, and yet the self-importance of all those people! What would I give to hear your strictures on them!” Miss Bingley stated spitefully.
“Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow.” He corrected her dismissively, though Miss Bingley preened in supposing her meant her.
Miss Bingley immediately fixed her eyes on his face and expressed her desire of his sharing what lady had the credit of inspiring such reflections, believing it to be herself, which meant that at last she was to gain his offer of her becoming the Mistress of Pemberley!
Mr. Darcy replied with great intrepidity, “Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”
“Miss Elizabeth Bennet!” repeated Miss Bingley. “I am all astonishment. How long has she been such a favourite? Pray, when am I to wish you joy?” As she spoke the words, her insides were in turmoil. This was not the answer she wanted to hear.
“That is exactly the question which I expected you to ask. A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love and from love to matrimony, in a moment.
I knew you would be wishing me joy.” Darcy knew he had made a mistake by mentioning the lady’s name, but it had been a reflex response, and he had not, as was his wont, considered the impact of his words.
“Nay, if you are serious about it, I shall consider the matter is absolutely settled. You will have a charming mother-in-law. I will allow that she seems to be very genteel, but I am sure she will always be at Pemberley with you.”
Miss Bingley remembered that she had heard the Bennet estate was entailed, and assumed, as many did, that it was entailed away from the female line.
She was not aware that she had made two errors: one, she never ascertained what kind of entailment it was, and two, as she had never visited Longbourn, she had no idea that there were Bennet sons, so she believed that the Bennets would lose their estate on the death of the family patriarch who had so insulted her.
She had tried to intimate that Mr. Darcy would have to support the widow, but he seemed to ignore her inferences. Even if it meant a compromise, she would have Pemberley and Darcy House as her own!
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Darcy was well and truly confounded. He had developed feelings for a country miss, feelings, he lectured himself, that he could never act on and still fulfil his duty to his name and family.
However, during the gathering at the knight’s house when he had discovered she was a woman of such musical talents, for which her lack of connections may be overlooked by some, she had refused to dance with him.
After the best playing and singing performance he could remember hearing, her younger sister, Edith, no Esther, began to play.
She was good. Not quite at her sister’s level, but certainly not inferior.
In fact she was on par with Gigi. Someone had requested lively airs to dance to, and the youngest Miss Bennet had obliged.
Sir William had stopped Darcy to make some inane comment about dancing when Miss Elizabeth walked nearby, and her neighbour had put her forward as a dance partner. She had demurred, telling Sir William that it was not her purpose in walking across the room to be asked to dance.
Darcy had then immediately requested a dance, and she had refused him without any consideration, in words he would never forget: ‘I find that I am not in the mood to tolerate dancing, and I am in no humour to give consequence to the activity this evening.’ She had turned and walked away without looking back once, which he knew because he had watched her every step as she separated herself from him.
She was magnificent; she had just given him a very public set down, one which no one would be able to identify as a set down. Damn her lack of wealth and connections!
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A note arrived from Netherfield addressed to Jane Bennet. Jane’s mother handed her daughter the note. “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts, Jane,” Mrs. Bennet cautioned her daughter.
Jane opened the note and prepared to read it to her mother and sisters, for Mark had decided that he would rather visit his horse than listen to his sister read her missive.
10 November 1810
Netherfield Park
My dear Miss Bennet,
“I did not realise that you were friends with one of the supercilious sisters, Jane,” Elizabeth teased.
“That is not kind, Lizzy—even if it is true,” Jane teased in return and continued to read.
The gentlemen are to dine with the officers this day, so we, my sister Louisa and I, will be quite on our own.
We invite you to join us for dinner so we will not be bored with just the two of us here. It will be a good opportunity to get to know you.
Please say you will attend,
Caroline Bingley
“They want to make themselves feel superior and will be trying to find out about our wealth and connections,” Jane guessed. It took her no time at all to see the true motives behind the invitation.
“Feel free to decline, Jane,” her mother told her.
“Lizzy is not the only one who likes to sketch characters, Mama. I will join them and see just how ridiculous their questions are.” Jane smiled playfully at her sister.
“You will not tell them about our connections, will you Jane?” Esther asked.