Chapter 1
Elizabeth looked down from her favourite spot on earth: the top of Oakham Mount and saw two spirited stallions racing towards Netherfield Park.
The two gentlemen riding the impressive horses were oblivious to the young woman intently watching them from a nearby mount.
Judging by their attire they were men of fashion even when dressed for a morning ride, with their long grey coats flapping in the breeze as they raced towards the neighbouring estate.
One was tall with dark locks and the other perhaps not so tall and with fair hair, but she could not make out their facial features.
She stood watching them as they raced, jumping over fallen trees and bubbling brooks until they disappeared beyond the woods and into the lands of the Netherfield Park estate.
If they were looking to buy or lease the estate the neighbourhood would hear about it soon enough, for her Aunt Phillips was the wife of not only Meryton’s only solicitor but also the man in charge of looking after the estate for the absentee owners.
Her Uncle Phillips would tell his wife and she in turn would tell anybody who would listen.
Meryton was a small community with only four and twenty families and anybody who did not listen to the local gossip on a daily basis was simply left out, since the neighbourhood ran on tittle-tattle.
Elizabeth smiled as she climbed down from Oakham Mount, contemplating that her mother would be amongst the first matrons of the neighbourhood to hear about the newcomers since Mrs Phillips and Mrs Bennet were as close as sisters could be.
Without a doubt Mrs Bennet would claim, very loudly, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife… and who better to provide him with one than herself, the mother of not one or two but five unmarried daughters?
***
Two carriages proceeded at a measured pace up the sweep of the drive, at length drawing before a genteel Georgian house of pleasing aspect. It was elegant in its proportions and marked by that quiet consequence which bespoke the fortune of its present tenant, Mr Charles Bingley.
The grounds, laid out with a tasteful regard for both order and variety, comprised of smooth lawns, scattered woodland and a number of agreeable walks winding with easy grace through the shrubberies and informal gardens.
The whole presented a scene at once refined and unassuming, happily suited to the cheerful temper and obliging manners of its owner.
“Well, here we are.” Lady Anne sighed, “I do not know why I allowed you to convince us to agree to this visit, William.”
“Well, you would not want me to face Miss Bingley on my own, under a roof where she is mistress, would you?”
Georgiana giggled seeing her brother’s distress, as most fifteen year old girls would,
“Oh, I love seeing you trembling in your boots about being in a house where there is a huntress at work.”
Darcy, a man of seven and twenty and known around the Haut Ton for his most impressive fortune… and his taciturn personality when dealing with young ladies like Miss Bingley, just glared at his sister,
“Georgie, I am most definitely not trembling in my boots, but I certainly appreciate your presence as well as mother’s here with me... just in case.” He winked at her.
Lady Anne laughed with a clear and thrilling laugh,
“Do not worry son, Bingley is a gentle and amiable man but he is capable of dealing with his sister if she becomes too insistent in her enticements. But should he fail in his duty, fear not, I will sweep in to rescue you from her clutches.”
Darcy harrumphed rolling his eyes, “there is nothing enticing about Miss Bingley, unless you are considering her turban with the peacock feathers. That perhaps may be enticing to a peahen.”
Georgiana giggled, “Brother, I do not know why you often agree to spend time with Mr Bingley when you know his sister will do everything she can to be there as well. You should agree to meet him at your club only, thus avoiding her.”
“Georgie makes a very good point, son.” His mother patted the intrepid young lady’s hand in approval. “If you fear Miss Bingley this much, you should avoid spending so much time with the family.”
“I do not fear Miss Bingley, but I also treat her with the caution that she deserves.” He sighed.
Their carriage came to a stop and the footman alighted from the top of it, bouncing down to open the door, effectively putting an end to the conversation.
Darcy was the first one out; he proceeded to assist his mother and sister from the conveyance, while the second carriage with his mother and sister’s maids and his personal valet continued its way to the servant’s entrance.
Even before all the newcomers had divested themselves of their outerwear, the mistress of Netherfield, Miss Bingley, was already out of the drawing room to meet her exalted visitors in the foyer. Bingley followed at a more sedate pace.
“Welcome Lady Anne, Mr Darcy and Miss Darcy.” Miss Caroline Bingley curtsied deeply as if the visitors were royalty.
“Thank you, Miss Bingley.” Lady Anne said with a raise of her brows that her daughter and son did not fail to notice. Georgiana suppressed a giggle and her brother flattened his lips.
Bingley bowed respectfully to the ladies and extended a hand to his friend, embracing him and thumping each other on the back most viciously.
“Darcy, Lady Anne and Miss Darcy, we are very honoured to receive you in our new home,” Bingley said warmly, “I am looking forward to your society, ladies, and your expert opinion and training about estate matters, Darcy.”
But before any of them could answer, Miss Bingley added, “What foolishness, Charles, we already know what Mr Darcy will say about this backwater hamlet and this indifferent estate. If only it was in Derbyshire, undoubtedly the best county in all of England… but who cares about Hertfordshire, what is in Hertfordshire for any of us?”
Bingley ignored Caroline’s diatribe and extended his arm to Lady Anne and Miss Darcy to escort them inside properly, leaving Darcy at the mercy of his sister.
Caroline did not wait for Mr Darcy to offer her his arm; she simply grabbed it and turned him to follow the others into the elegant room where her sister Louisa and her brother in law, Mr Hurst, were waiting.
Darcy sighed again…this is going to be a long two months, he thought.
Georgiana looked back and winked at her frowning brother, while Miss Bingley noticed the gesture and completely misunderstood it, thinking Georgiana wished Darcy to pursue her.
Caroline smiled; satisfied with herself… these two months are going to be the culmination of all my dreams… Mr Darcy will finally be mine, she thought, oblivious to how stiffly the man stood beside her.
***
The Meryton assembly was no different than any other country assembly that the Darcys had attended both in Lambton and Kympton many times.
But Miss Bingley had made it impossible for Darcy to refuse to go by insisting that she could very well stay to entertain him, while all the others made their preparations to go.
“Georgiana,” her mother called the young lady, “since this is a country assembly and very likely devoid of members of the Ton, I think you can accompany us, unless you wish to stay home?”
“Oh Mama, could I?” The girl said enthusiastically.
“Why yes, my darling, that is why I am giving you the opportunity. Sooner or later you will have to become accustomed to the scrutiny of others about your person, and there is no better place than a country dance where you are not known at all, to begin your training.”
“Does that mean I can dance?”
Lady Anne laughed, “Only with your brother and Mr Bingley.” She looked around not wanting to be rude, “and Mr Hurst, of course, if he is so inclined.”
The gentleman snapped his head up, taken aback, “oh… I can of course, if you wish, Miss Darcy,” he said uncomfortably, “but I had not intended to dance this evening.”
“Do not fret, Mr Hurst,” Darcy intervened, “Bingley and I will do the honours.”
“I did not think,” Miss Bingley addressed the gentleman of her dreams, hoping to convince him to stay behind, “that you would be interested in attending a country assembly in this dreadful little town, surrounded by insignificant people, Mr Darcy.”
Lady Anne blinked and looked at the young woman, surprised, “I am astonished you think that, Miss Bingley, since I raised my children in a small town and surrounded by ‘insignificant people’, as you call them, very similar to this one. The assemblies in Meryton are no different than the assemblies in Derbyshire, I assure you, and we normally attend as many as we can when in residence in our own county.”
Miss Bingley paled with the rebuke, “but of course, my lady.” She said uncomfortably.
“I just fear that the assembly here in Meryton might be patronised more by the tenant farmers than the gentry.” She smiled trying to charm the mother of her target, “I just wish to protect you from uncultured and uncouth behaviour.”
Lady Anne inclined her head and said nothing further but her son picked up where she left off, “Do not trouble yourself on my mother’s behalf, Miss Bingley.
She is more than capable of protecting herself,” Darcy looked pointedly at the young woman, “and anybody who tries to harm her children in any way, learns very quickly that she is worse than a mother bear.”
Lady Anne laughed, “I am certainly not a mother bear, but I am fearsome when it comes to protecting those I love, be it from real physical danger or strategic machinations. I am indubitably not beneath retaliating where it hurts most: using the Haut Ton’s tongue to do the killing for me rather than a pistol. ”
Mrs Hurst looked at her sister, alarmed; Mr Bingley looked uncomfortable, while Miss Bingley’s countenance went ashen as if she might faint. It seemed Lady Anne’s threats were clearly understood by all, with the exception of Mr Hurst who was snoring in a corner of the parlour, untroubled.