Chapter 10 #2
“Ah. Those are happy circumstances indeed. Miss Bingley, I recall, is a very conscientious hostess and particularly aware of her guests. I do believe she must be quite content with the arrangement, and no doubt takes every opportunity to dote upon you while her brother is away from home.”
There was no mistaking the archness in her tone and Darcy was delighted.
His speech had yielded the desired effect.
He said, “Quite is a bit of an understatement, I fear. As much as I wish to hold Bingley accountable for abandoning me to such indulgent solicitation, I can hardly blame my besotted friend for preferring the company of your sister to that of myself.” He inclined his head towards the two lovers.
“I am happy for them. They are much in love and make a charming couple.”
The sincerity in his tone coaxed a gentle smile from Elizabeth.
“I cannot argue with you, and though I am sorry for your sake, their obvious devotion to one another thoroughly warms my heart. Whenever they are together the strength of their attachment renders them completely lost to everyone and everything around them. I imagine theirs will be a blessed marriage and one of great joy, although my curiosity demands to know how they will fare amongst the society of strangers when they appear so oblivious to all else in the company of their dearest friends.”
Darcy found her smile both bewitching and contagious.
“Yes. I can well imagine encountering them at Haymarket Square or Almack’s on a Wednesday evening, the height of the London Season in full swing around them while they are absolutely oblivious to the splendour of the place, or the puffed-up self-importance of its patrons. ”
“I was unaware the esteemed Lady Patronesses of Almack’s issued vouchers to gentlemen whose fortunes were acquired through trade, no matter how significant their yearly income or beautiful and genteel their wives. But on this I shall defer to your superior knowledge of the subject.”
Darcy’s smile slipped from his face. Mortified, he inwardly chastised himself for such a thoughtless remark.
Of course, neither Bingley, nor his Miss Bennet, nor any of their relations would be granted admittance to such an exclusive venue as Almack’s, where even the privileged second sons of those who moved in the first circles of London society were excluded—a penance for the order of their births.
He frantically tried to think of something to say to make his blunder less but found himself at a loss for words.
It was Elizabeth who filled the silence, but despite her teasing words, Darcy thought he detected a note of contrition.
“I believe you are correct, sir. Mr Bingley and my sister would undoubtedly become so absorbed in their own society they would entirely forget themselves in such a glorious setting as London, and everyone else for that matter. In fact, I shall likely be left to shift for myself during the coming month—and this after I have foolishly agreed to reside with them in the same house!”
“You are for London as well?” He was shocked but by no means displeased by such an unexpected turn of events. “I had not heard.”
“I cannot imagine that you had,” Elizabeth replied with a cryptic turn of her mouth. “Rather than stay with the Hursts in their home, Mr Bingley has taken a house for us. I will be at their disposal.”
Darcy could hardly believe his good fortune. Elizabeth residing in London was a most promising prospect. Though it cost him considerable effort, he resisted the urge to grin like a fool. “And how long will you remain in town?”
“A little more than a month, I believe.”
“I see,” said Darcy as he endeavoured to conceal his growing excitement.
Though he had hoped Bingley would grant him leave to remain at Netherfield once he and Jane removed to London for their honeymoon, Darcy had no idea that his heart’s desire was to accompany them to town as well.
There was no denying that having Elizabeth in London was a far more effective way to carry out a courtship, as it would afford him an opportunity to call on her and to improve her opinion of him away from the interfering eyes of her family and friends.
This included the accursedly agreeable Mr Ellis, whose relationship with Elizabeth not only gave every indication of being one of long standing, but also one of mutual pleasure.
When coupled with Mrs Bennet’s unchecked enthusiasm for the match, the possibility that a deeper attachment existed between them was becoming increasingly difficult for Darcy to ignore.
Darcy had been in Hertfordshire for a week, but not until that moment in her mother’s drawing room had he been granted any real opportunity to converse with Elizabeth for more than a few brief moments since the assembly.
Any prior conversation was brief and always under the watchful eyes of others.
Aware of her fondness for walking out, Darcy had made a point of riding within the vicinity of her father’s estate each morning with the hope of encountering her alone.
Luck, however, was never with him. He had not been given so much as a fleeting glimpse of Elizabeth among the barren fields and wooded paths of Hertfordshire—not even a flash of her skirts among the trees.
They had dined together several times since the assembly, but the parties had been so large and boisterous that very little private discourse was had by anyone beyond the most basic of civilities or mundane discussions.
Darcy also had the misfortune of being seated so far from Elizabeth on each occasion that he had found himself struggling against the constant, almost overpowering urge to crane his neck to better see the curve of her cheek as she conversed with her neighbours at the other end of the table, usually with Mr Ellis, who appeared more than happy to be her constant dinner companion.
At one point, Darcy wondered whether Elizabeth might have had a hand in the orchestration of the seating, though he soon realised that could not possibly have been the case, as not all the dinners were held at Longbourn.
Though there were times when Darcy had noticed her eyes upon him, the way Elizabeth avoided conversing with him only served to make him acutely aware of the fact that she was still far from being at ease in his company.
Whether Colonel Fitzwilliam’s conjectures were correct, and she was merely so mortified by her family’s connexion to Wickham and dreaded Darcy’s opinion on the subject, or whether Darcy’s own fears were closer to the truth, that Elizabeth’s opinion of him was still so very low, the master of Pemberley honestly could not say.
He only knew that things could not continue as they were between them, not if he hoped to win her heart.
Now that Darcy was armed with intelligence of Elizabeth’s plans, he was presented with another option, one he determined to make the most of.
He resolved to quit Netherfield the moment the Bingleys did and follow them to town without delay.
He would not waste such a precious opportunity to spend time with Elizabeth in London.
As newlyweds, he knew the Bingleys would likely sequester themselves at home for a good portion of their stay.
Darcy’s head filled with countless delightful images: escorting Elizabeth to the theatre, to the opera, to museums and exhibitions, to tea rooms and coffee houses, to book shops, and, of course, to Hyde Park. The possibilities were endless.
There was, however, still the issue of propriety.
As he was a single gentleman and Elizabeth an unmarried lady, they would never be allowed to be entirely alone together.
Darcy also knew that Jane, no matter how preoccupied she might become with Bingley on her honeymoon, would never be so careless with her favourite sister as to consign Elizabeth unto Darcy’s care without the supervision of a chaperon.
Despite the fact he had followed her into the back hall of the Grey Goose to speak with her, he had no wish to jeopardise Elizabeth’s reputation.
Then there was the matter of a hostess. As his uncle had pointed out before Darcy had left London, the fact that he did not presently have one would keep him from entertaining Elizabeth in his London residence.
These issues would certainly have to be addressed, but for the time being Darcy was content to sit quietly beside the woman he loved in her mother’s parlour and formulate his plans for the hours he hoped to pass in her company while in town.