CHAPTER TEN
The rest of the party was put out by his sleeping-in. They had already been in sour spirits after enduring a gathering in the most unrefined society of Meryton’s residents the previous evening. Upon hearing the news brought by his steward, however, Bingley’s sullen mood practically outmatched theirs by the time he joined them in the music room after lunch.
“Brother,” began Caroline. “Are you unwell?”
“Did not West inform you that I am perfectly well?” Bingley replied rather curtly.
“He did, but you hardly ever sleep so late, and—”
“I was quite fagged by the dance—well, the dance and the drink together, I suppose,” he answered unconvincingly.
“No,” she remarked. “Something else is amiss. Do you not agree, Darcy?”
Darcy turned from the window. “We know your brother dipped rather deep, as is perhaps not his custom—”
“I dare say, Louisa,” Caroline called to her sister who sat at the piano. “Should we call for Mr. Jones?”
“Let us have no more of this fustian nonsense, sister.”
“I do believe that my opinion is in accord with yours, Caroline,” Mrs. Hurst declared, ceasing her playing mid-chord.
“Darcy,” Bingley pleaded. “Speak for me, man.”
“He may have been a trifle disguised at the assembly, but I believe your brother when he says it has had little to no ill effects on his health this morning.”
“ Thank you ,” cried Bingley. “My usual countenance may be slightly put off by business with my steward, but I affirm to you that I am not in the least physically unwell.”
“If Mr. Darcy endorses such a declaration, then I shall leave it be,” said Caroline. Darcy nodded his accession. “But do be so good as to reassure me that your business dealings have not left us destitute,” she remarked with a facetious smile. Louisa burst into laughter at the thought.
“I can assure you, sisters, that our father’s fortune is on firm footing,” he answered flatly. “The business with my steward which has for the moment vexed my temperament is of a more intimate nature.”
“I dare say,” Louisa called from the piano. “You have not learned anything unfortunate about a particular Bennet girl, have you?”
“Whatever could you mean?” asked he in genuine perplexity.
“Your attention to Jane Bennet would not have escaped even the casual eye,” Caroline answered.
He looked to his friend by the window for support. “Darcy, you do not blame me for my attentions to her?”
“Certainly not,” replied Darcy coolly, moving toward the centre of the room. “At first glance, she is, I grant you, very pretty.”
“At first glance?” Bingley asked indignantly. “I imagine she may be the most beautiful creature on which I have ever laid eyes.”
“What Mr. Darcy means, brother, if I may be so bold,” Louisa broke in, her fingers nimbly playing on. “Is that the eldest Miss Bennet’s connections and fortune are rather beneath your touch.”
Bingley stared at her, mouth agape.
“I might not declare it so categorically ,” Caroline interjected, sensing the need to smooth over her sister’s flat declaration. “Jane Bennet is a sweet girl, and very pretty, I grant you. But a cursory knowledge of her circumstances must alleviate any discomfort you may feel this morning…”
Louisa nodded deferentially from the piano.
Bingley suddenly perceived an outlet for his distemper on account of his nocturnal affairs. He had, indeed, found Jane Bennet extraordinarily pleasant, but his mind had not been made up in any particular fashion in her regard. He imagined, however, that if his sisters believed him to be in agony over what they might consider to be a forbidden, but harmless, example of calf-love, he might escape any further pressing on his more furtive activities. Should he pursue this course of action, he must find opportunities to spend more time in the presence of Miss Bennet, which delighted him also. She was a remarkably charming young lady and though, at present, he had no designs on marriage, any perceived pursuit of her would undoubtedly fix his sisters’ thoughts and would offer him more leeway in pursing his other and more pressing interests. Bingley was surely too honourable to intentionally lead Jane toward an outcome he did not desire outright, so he declared to himself that he would remain open to any possibilities and would not be dictated to by the will of his sisters. He also wondered with some mystification as to the hand of providence, and its, perhaps, placing such a fine and agreeable young lady in his path. Her connections aside, even on first acquaintance he was sure that she would make a most desirable object to any sensible man. He was soundly convinced that, to this point, he had never met a finer young lady in all his movements in society.
“I do hope that, while you may have a decidedly unfavourable view of her circumstances, you would not object to my desire to become further acquainted with her,” he said, feigning concern over their good opinion.
“Of course not, brother,” Mrs. Hurst answered. “In fact, Caroline and I would have you know that we also desire her further acquaintance.”
“Certainly, I do agree,” Miss Bingley added. “From our vantage yesterday evening, though her manners may be unrefined and rather informal, Jane Bennet may, in fact, be the most sensible and agreeable person in the county.”
Bingley furrowed his brow at this. “You are very harsh on a society with which you are hardly acquainted.”
“Bingley,” Darcy started. “You cannot, in good faith, assert that you were impressed by the manner of dress, discourse, or even the particular breeding of the company with which we dined last evening.”
“I thought the company was pleasant and the manners were precisely what I might have expected at any country gathering,” Bingley declared. “They were absolutely charming, every last one of them.”
With this, Mr. Hurst awoke with a start from his podgy stupor.
“And now,” Bingley continued. “I assume you will censure him as harshly as you have me?”
The piano fell silent. “Brother,” Louisa began sombrely. “He is grieving the loss of a friend—”
“And how long may we expect that will he carry on in such a fashion?”
“You do not comprehend the depth to which he has been afflicted .”
Bingley rolled his eyes and turned toward Darcy. “Do you fancy a ride into the village? An hour of fresh air would do my constitution much good.”
“I shall ride with you, if the ladies would permit it,” Darcy answered, deferring to Bingley’s sisters.
“I think it is a splendid idea,” Louisa answered.
“Why don’t you take Mr. Hurst with you?” Caroline requested. “I am sure the fresh air would do him well.”
“Are you quite serious? ” Bingley demanded.
“Why not?” inquired she.
“Because he cannot even stand .”
“I’ll stand enough for two—” the bosky gentleman bellowed from the parquet floor.
Bingley glared at his sisters.
“Then go alone,” Caroline muttered with a dismissive wave of her hand.
“Darcy, shall we?”
The two friends bowed and quit the room.
“Insufferable,” Louisa remarked from the piano bench.
“I heard that,” Bingley called from the hall.
“Do take care on your ride,” she answered quickly before striking up the piano again.