Chapter 3
Elizabeth could scarcely believe her ears; tolerable but not handsome enough!
She felt like crying… but she would not give the rude and extremely unpleasant man the satisfaction of showing him how deeply wounded she was by his careless words.
She made her way towards her mother who was talking to a group of ladies, “Mama, do you mind if I take the carriage and return home?”
“Now?” Mrs Bennet asked confounded.
“Yes, I have a sudden headache. But I will send John back to drive you all back home when the assembly is finished.”
“Oh stuff and nonsense, Lizzy, all you need is a partner to dance the night away and you will be as good as new.” Mrs Bennet answered, unconcerned.
At that moment Mrs Long appeared behind Elizabeth and feigning outrage said loudly, “Oh what a most horrid, disabling and boorish man, Miss Lizzy. As if you require his good opinion...”
She looked around and waited for her friends to finally focus their attention on her, to show the proper interest she had hoped for with her latest bit of gossip.
“You are most certainly more than just tolerable and if he cannot be tempted by your beauty, I daresay it tells us more about his poor taste than your looks.”
Mrs Bennet gasped in horror, “What are you talking about, Agatha, who is this simpleton of a man and what did he say to my daughter?”
Mrs Long beamed as if waiting for that exact question, “Mr Darcy of Pemberley, Fanny. Imagine! He refused to stand up with Lizzy and insulted her for all the assembly to hear.”
Elizabeth blanched, “Mrs Long, I care nothing for his opinion, good or bad, but I would appreciate if you do not spread his words around scattering them for the gossips of Meryton to feast upon.” Her voice cracked.
Lady Anne had been nearby talking to Sir William Lucas; on hearing her son’s name she immediately turned towards the group of ladies, looking bewildered.
Like Elizabeth, she also blanched when understanding dawned on her.
Then without hesitation she walked to Elizabeth and excusing herself, she held the young woman’s arm gently and steering her away from the group of scandalised matrons, took her outside.
“Miss Elizabeth, I am mortified that my own son would speak about a lady in such a fashion. Rest assured he will be made to apologise, Madam.”
“My lady, please do not concern yourself. I mean it when I say I do not care for his insults, but it does not follow that I wish to remain under the same roof as him, nor hear such scornful words repeated by my friends and neighbours.”
“I can totally understand and do not censure you for wanting to escape his company. But if I were you, I would stay and dance every remaining set and laugh loudly just to irk him.” She said, her eyes shining with mischief.
Elizabeth's smile matched the lady’s amused expression.
“I think I like you, my lady, and your way of thinking very much. But at this moment I truly have a headache and I have had enough of this assembly. Unfortunately, there are not enough gentlemen to dance every set with. My father would be more appropriate company for me under my current mood. So I must return home as soon as may be.”
“But of course,” Lady Anne agreed, “but allow me to escort you home in my carriage.”
“No, your ladyship, there is no need; I can walk home for it is only a mile away.”
Lady Anne gasped in horror, “I would not call myself a proper lady if I allowed you, a young maiden to walk home unaccompanied in the dead of night, through the countryside, exposed to every sort of danger hereabouts without offering the means to take you home.”
Elizabeth liked the lady more and more with every passing moment. She laughed at the lady’s reaction.
“There are no dangers hereabouts my lady; the worst I may face is a fox or a badger. The humans inhabiting this part of England are actually very decent people, even though they are decidedly below your son’s lofty standards.”
“Oh do not waste your breath with my son’s foolishness.
” The chagrined lady said, “He is definitely the simpleton your mother very accurately described him as. But in his defence, today is the anniversary of his father’s death and although we have not talked about it, I know his mood is dark for he suffers his father’s absence to this day. ”
“Oh,” Elizabeth said with her eyes filling with tears. “I understand.”
“It is also Miss Bingley’s fault for adding to his dark mood.”
“How so? Miss Bingley was nowhere near him when he decided to strip me of the little beauty that is grudgingly offered to me on a daily basis.”
Lady Anne noticed that although Elizabeth was trying hard not to sound hurt, she failed… what young lady would not be deeply wounded by such blunt attack on her charms?
“Miss Bennet, I hope you know that you are a very handsome woman, while anybody who says otherwise is either blind or indeed has no taste or wit, as Mrs Long pointed out.”
Elizabeth swallowed hard trying to keep hot tears at bay; all she wanted was to lay her head on her papa’s lap and have a good spell of sobbing.
Lady Anne noticed that the young woman was at the end of her endurance, “please wait here, I will get Georgiana and together we will escort you home in our carriage.”
Elizabeth shook her head, “My lady…”
“Do not 'my lady' me, young lady.” Lady Anne said feigning displeasure, “I will be back directly.” And she disappeared inside the building to return shortly after, holding hands with a younger woman.
She signalled to one of her liveried footman who approached her and she sent him for her carriage. As they waited Lady Anne introduced the two young ladies to each other, “Georgiana, this is Miss Elizabeth Bennet. She is feeling unwell and I have offered to escort her home in our carriage.”
They curtsied to each other, “Miss Darcy, what a pleasure to meet you.” Elizabeth prayed that the young woman would resemble her mother rather than her brother.
Georgiana immediately put an end to her doubts by smiling openly, “Miss Bennet, the pleasure is all mine. But why are you leaving so delightful an assembly so early?”
Elizabeth looked apprehensively at the mother and wondered if the lady would keep her equanimity, were she simply to abuse her son as he deserved in explaining to the daughter, in no uncertain terms that her reason for leaving was the lack of good manners portrayed by none other than her brother...
although he might, perhaps, all things considered, have an excuse to be grumpy.
But instead she said, “A sudden headache and your mother has been very kind as to offer to escort me home in your carriage.”
The girl looked mournful, “but of course we will take you home. It is just a pity you have to forgo the rest of the delightful dances.” Turning to her mother, “But Mama, I expected William would dance a few more sets. He danced only with Miss Bingley and myself.”
Lady Anne smiled and concealed her uneasiness, for she knew how rude her son had been in refusing the young woman. “Indeed Georgie, I think your brother would benefit from dancing more, but no matter, another day perhaps?”
The carriage arrived and the three ladies entered it, being assisted by the footman, who then perched himself at the back of the conveyance as they set off to Longbourn.
***
From a window in the assembly building Darcy saw his mother and sister enter their carriage accompanied by the young lady he had refused to dance with but a quarter of an hour earlier. He frowned in confusion; where were they going with the stranger?
He was not particularly worried since Turner and Fowler, the driver and footman were more than capable of keeping his family safe. But he could not help but wonder if something was afoot.
He waited impatiently by the window and only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the conveyance coming back some time later.
When they drove past the entrance and again took their place in the line of carriages, without his family members disembarking, he marched outside and signalled to his footman, an eager fellow who went to him without delay.
“Fowler, where are my mother and sister? I saw them leaving with another woman but it seems they have not yet returned.”
“They wished to be taken straight back to Netherfield, sir.”
“They went home?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What about the other young woman?”
“We drove her back to her family’s estate, sir.”
Darcy felt ill-used, displeased but could not say why. “Very well, please inform Turner that I also wish to go home now. While you bring the carriage I will inform Mr Bingley. Thank you, Fowler.”
Darcy returned to the dance and quickly found his friend and pulled him aside to whisper in his ear that his mother and sister had already left, that he also would be making his way home to check on them.
When a perplexed Bingley looked at him, Darcy simply said, “There is nothing to worry about… I will see you later.”
Darcy then saw Miss Bingley trying to get to him and he nearly broke into a run. Gently but firmly pushing past the throngs of people blocking his way, he reached outside and then he did run. Even before he leaped into the carriage he gave the order for his driver to go without delay.
His mother and sister had retired to bed by the time he arrived at Netherfield, preventing him from questioning them regarding their sudden departure from the assembly.