Chapter VII #3
Though Jane threw Elizabeth a significant look, she did not protest, allowing Miss Bingley to lead her back to Mr. Bingley.
Elizabeth watched critically, half wondering if anyone else had noticed the alteration of which Jane had just spoken.
There was, of course, nothing—Jane was as composed as she ever was, speaking with perfect civility, but no particular animation.
To everyone else in the room—and even to Elizabeth, had she not spoken her mind, Jane was as she ever had been.
All might have continued smoothly had Miss Bingley allowed it.
Though Elizabeth was certain Miss Bingley had no notion of Jane’s altered perceptions, she was still intent upon pushing matters forward, and it was this, rather than any notion of the potential failure of her designs, that pushed her forward where she would have done better to refrain.
It became, Elizabeth thought, another error, one that did little to forward her objectives.
“How fortunate this is,” said Miss Bingley in a voice which, though it was not loud, carried to all corners of the room, “that misunderstandings may be corrected and attachments renewed before they are lost entirely.”
Miss Bingley turned a smile on Jane and added: “We are pleased to have you with us, dear Jane, and your excellent sister too! The season would not have been the same without your presence. Charles joins me in this sentiment, I am certain.”
The implication was unmistakable, but the effect was immediate.
Jane, to her credit, said nothing, changed nothing in either her expression or composure, but Mr. Bingley stiffened.
Though he nodded and whispered something that Elizabeth could not hear across the room, Elizabeth could see signs of his withdrawal.
Miss Bingley appeared to sense she had spoken when it would have been better to remain silent, and attempted to redirect the conversation, but her success was debatable at best.
By now, the instinct for Elizabeth’s eyes to search for Mr. Darcy was ingrained, and she found him in another part of the room, speaking with Mr. Harrington.
The former, she noted, raised an eyebrow at Elizabeth, and she put a hand over her mouth to stifle a smile.
The latter did not look at Elizabeth, but she knew he observed and understood everything.
A few moments later, the greatest sign of Miss Bingley’s error came from an overheard conversation.
“Caroline’s attempts, it appears, are becoming easier to see for what they are.”
The voice told her that it was Mr. Hurst, though Elizabeth was careful to avoid looking at him. Mrs. Hurst was next to him, and if her shaken head was any sign, she appeared less than pleased.
“It would be better if she refrained.”
“She will not,” said Mr. Hurst. “This matter has consumed her—she cannot back out now.”
Mrs. Hurst sighed. “Then we must expect the worst.”
“Louisa,” said Mr. Hurst in a tone Elizabeth did not know the gentleman possessed, “your brother has always been more constant than he appears. Caroline believes she can guide, influence, or even persuade him, but he always turns to that which suits him in a way nothing else does. Bingley does not chase endlessly—he circles.”
“Yes, I suppose he does,” said Mrs. Hurst with a sigh. “He has never listened to us when his opinion is in opposition. Persuasion only works for a time.”
Mr. Hurst laughed, surprising Elizabeth—she had always believed that the gentleman had a singular lack of humor, even more so than Mr. Darcy. “You make him sound pig-headed, even immovable.”
“He can be,” said Mrs. Hurst. “If the argument makes sense, he will consider it, but if he disagrees, he will not alter his stance for anything.”
“That shows a man confident in his abilities. Is that not what you both wanted from him?”
Elizabeth could see the grimace that appeared on Mrs. Hurst’s face from the corner of her eye. “It is not unwelcome to me, but you know Caroline’s opinions. This matter is of supreme importance to her—that makes his stance inflexible rather than principled.”
“That is your sister, to be certain,” agreed Mr. Hurst. “In the present circumstance, I believe Caroline must endure it. Bingley may yet choose Miss Bennet, but he will have his way regardless of what Caroline says.”
“When there is no other option, she will desist. But she will not be happy about it.”
“When is she ever happy about anything?”
Not wishing to appear as if she were eavesdropping, Elizabeth moved away and engaged another young lady in conversation, but her mind was not on it.
Through the overheard conversation, she learned there was more to Mr. Hurst than she had thought, and that Mrs. Hurst was not a supporter of her sister’s intrigues.
Of more importance, she now knew that Miss Bingley was no longer guiding events—she was attempting to force them.
Jane was equal to all Miss Bingley’s machinations, but Elizabeth knew Miss Bingley would bear careful watching.
Elizabeth had no notion of how far the woman would take this despite what her family had said, and she did not mean to be caught off guard if Miss Bingley did something unexpected.