Chapter 2 Enchanted
Netherfield
Darcy
As far as Fitzwilliam Darcy was concerned, Miss Elizabeth Bennet remained a riddle that he was unable to solve.
To begin with, he struggled to comprehend his intense feelings for her.
It went beyond mere attraction; it verged on an all-consuming fixation.
When she graced his presence, he could not divert his gaze.
And in her absence, his thoughts were involuntarily drawn to her, dominating his every waking moment.
It was not as if he had not encountered many attractive ladies before.
London teemed with genteel, well-educated, and strikingly appealing young maidens.
A significant number of them boasted substantial dowries and influential connections, and they would eagerly grasp the chance to become Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Everyone expected him to marry such a woman.
He was well aware of the importance of wealth and connections for the advancement and prosperity of Pemberley.
This doesn't imply he was solely driven by monetary considerations.
He had always longed for a marriage that resembled his parents' union, one built on affection, respect, and happiness.
He ardently hoped to discover a lady of grace and intellect, well-endowed and well-connected, who could truly be his match.
An impertinent lady with a negligible dowry and no connections fell far short of his vision for a future soulmate.
Yet, Miss Elizabeth Bennet remained an obsession.
It is not as though they were often in each other's company.
They crossed paths merely thrice after the assembly night.
The Netherfield party visited Longbourn once, and the visit was reciprocated.
They also encountered each other at Lucas Lodge, where Darcy, under the persuasion of Sir William Lucas, felt compelled to request her for a dance, only to be refused once again.
Now, that is another conundrum. What is her aversion to dancing with me? Is she a vixen, come to this earth to bewitch well-respected and uptight gentlemen out of their minds? God, I have had enough of her. Prey, allow me to stay away from her company again.
Well, man proposes, God disposes.
Caroline
Caroline, who discerned Mr. Darcy’s interest in Miss Eliza from the outset, was confident that her efforts had already been adequate to impede the growth of that interest.
Thank heavens that Miss Eliza is a spiteful creature. She will chase Mr. Darcy away by herself; it seems I need not do anything further on that count.
She had not been unduly troubled by her brother's infatuation with Miss Jane Bennet at first. She had witnessed Charles in love before, but it had always been transitory.
Unwilling to rest on her laurels, she continued to belittle and disparage the Bennets in front of her brother and his friend, striving to convince them that forming an alliance with the Bennet family would be disgraceful and detrimental to their social aspirations.
However, as days passed, she realized her efforts were falling flat.
Her brother's attraction to the elder Bennet daughter remained steadfast. I need another plan, and for that, I need more information.
An opportunity presented itself when the gentlemen accepted an invitation to dine at the residence of Colonel Forster, the leader of the newly arrived Militia.
This meant that both Charles and Mr. Darcy would be away from the afternoon until late at night.
It seemed like the perfect opportunity to invite Miss Bennet and attempt to persuade her that Charles's affections lay elsewhere.
If Charles doesn’t stay away from her, she needs to stay away from Charles. It seems that I've been having better results working with the female half of the species lately.
However, nothing went right. Miss Bennet arrived on horseback in a torrential downpour and promptly fell ill.
She is now recovering in the Netherfield guest chamber with a severe cold.
Caroline never got a chance to discuss her brother's matrimonial prospects at all.
Miss Bennet was so weak that she had to be assisted upstairs.
Who in their right mind would travel on horseback in such dreadful weather? Doesn't she realize the risk of falling ill? Oh no, this must be Mrs. Bennet's doing. She wanted this to happen.
At least Miss Bennet had shared information about her relatives residing at Cheapside. That could prove useful. And, she will be confined to the sick chamber, so Charles wouldn't have much time with her. It could have been worse.
Unfortunately for Caroline, it did get worse.
Wednesday, November 13, 1811
Darcy
Is she for real? Did she walk all the way from Longbourn? Isn’t that around three miles? Oh, her eyes. She is positively glowing. God, she will be the death of me.
Darcy couldn't believe his eyes. He stared at Miss Elizabeth in sheer astonishment. He was uncertain whether to commend her for the considerable walk she had undertaken to tend to her ailing sister or to chastise her for venturing such a distance unaccompanied. Gratefully, he held his tongue. If he had said anything, it wouldn’t have been received well.
Hurst
Mr. Reginald Hurst was always content to be the 'non-existent' person in the room.
Amidst a gathering of people with diverse objectives and considerations in life, a gathering that included individuals whose sole purpose was to exploit others for their personal gains, it was refreshing to be labelled as someone who had nothing to offer.
To others in the room, Hurst was as useful as a lifeboat in the middle of the desert — present yet ignorable.
However, that didn't mean he lacked a life.
He possessed a beating heart with genuine emotions.
He could recognize love when it crossed his path, and he saw it in the demeanour of the audacious, bright-eyed, and beautiful lady positioned at the entrance to the parlour.
She appeared perplexed, anxious, yet determined, and he was duly impressed.
I like her. She looks so genuine. She will make a good wife to some intelligent man who takes the effort to see her for what she is. Wonder if anyone here is up for the task.
He cast a glance at his wife, who was also fixated on the newcomer.
She cannot possibly rival the love of my life though.
Louisa
I can’t believe she walked three miles in this dirt just because her sister has a cold!
Louisa never understood love. That's probably because she had never been the recipient of deep, impersonal love. Her parents might say that they loved her, but Louisa would likely say they moulded her into the woman she is now. Charles, though a good and considerate brother, never exhibited sentiments that could be deemed deep or enduring. His support and protection seemed rooted more in duty than genuine emotion. The less spoken of Caroline, the better. Her husband, ahem, a byproduct of a business transaction. His estate needed money, so he took her as a wife for her dowry. Louisa, a tradesman’s daughter, got a landed gentleman as a husband.
She continued to stare at Miss Elizabeth in utter disbelief.
Elizabeth
Why is Mr. Darcy staring at me like that? I know I look like a fright. Why can’t he turn his head away if he cannot tolerate my appearance?
Elizabeth acknowledged her audacity in venturing on foot from Longbourn to Netherfield.
Yet, the thought of her beloved Jane convalescing within an unfamiliar house—where Miss Bingley assumed the role of hostess—overpowered any reservations she harboured.
Her father's carriage remained unavailable, leaving her to select the most viable alternative.
Nonetheless, as she perceived the collective gaze directed towards her, as if she had sprouted two heads, a growing sense of unease began to creep in.
Did I make a mistake in coming here in this fashion? Even Mr. Hurst is staring at me.
As she stood there uncomfortably, Mr. Bingley, the ever-amiable Mr. Bingley, came forward and welcomed her.
Caroline
What is she doing here? Look at her gown. It is six inches deep in mud. Has she truly walked the entire way?
Caroline couldn't believe her eyes. Just yesterday, the elder Miss Bennet arrived on horseback during a relentless downpour, and now her sister had walked here without even an invitation.
How can her parents allow her to wander around like this without a chaperone? How could a gentlewoman even consider walking three miles alone? Good heavens, Mrs. Bennet is desperate. The earlier I can take Charles and Mr. Darcy away from here, the better.
As she saw her brother move to greet the uninvited guest, she suddenly snapped out of her confusion and headed towards them. Goodness, I forgot I am the hostess here. I mustn't let Mr. Darcy witness any neglect in my duties as such.
Fortunately, Miss Eliza had only sought her sister's company and was promptly guided upstairs with a maid. I hope she remains in her sister’s chamber the whole time and doesn't come downstairs. I don’t want Mr. Darcy to be in her company for any length of time.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth was reluctant to return to Longbourn. Jane was really unwell—her breath laboured, her temperature high, and her complexion pallid. Elizabeth had little hope that the Bingley sisters would care for her sister's well-being.
It seemed that the apothecary, Mr. Jones, had already been consulted, and the decision was for Jane to stay at Netherfield until her health improved. Elizabeth understood the necessity of this decision, although she wished she could take Jane back to Longbourn for her recovery.
As if mama is going to approve. She caused all of this in the first place by sending Jane on horseback when the rain was certain.
There's no other choice. I must request Mr. Bingley to allow me to stay here for Jane's benefit.
If I must endure the company of his sisters and Mr. Darcy, so be it. I can't leave Jane here alone.