CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“She arrived on horseback ?” Bingley asked, incredulous.
“We could not have been more surprised, ourselves,” Caroline answered, taking her place across from Darcy on the settee in the drawing room.
“There was rain for nearly six straight hours,” said Bingley, while uneasily stirring the burning timber in the fireplace.
“She was thoroughly sodden when she arrived,” Louisa interjected. “We were quite taken aback by her appearance, although to her credit, she displayed some degree of poise in attempting to gather herself.”
“She did indeed,” Caroline continued. “However, by tea it was quite clear that she had taken ill.”
Bingley looked toward Darcy worriedly; his friend returned his glance with a concerned sigh.
“Mr. Jones has seen to her, Bingley,” Darcy began. “Every attention is being paid to her. Most likely, she caught a chill and will be mended in the morning after being allowed to rest.”
“I certainly hope so.”
Bingley thought his sisters might be alarmed by the level of concern he showed for Jane’s illness, and then realized that he had not feigned concern whatsoever. In his genuine anguish over the health of the eldest Miss Bennet, he again began to suspect that he was developing feelings toward her that might soon grow beyond his control. Oddly enough, he had no wish to curtail them, either.
“How did you enjoy dinner with the officers?” Louisa inquired suddenly, as if to change the subject.
“Fine enough,” her brother replied.
“And Mr. Darcy—did you enjoy the company this evening?” Caroline asked, leaning forward in his direction.
“I would hesitantly say it was among the finest society I have experienced since our arrival,” he answered flatly. “Colonel Forster, particularly, is a pleasant and agreeable man. Would you agree, Bingley?”
“Yes, indeed,” came the haphazard reply.
“Certainly, the company of regimental officers could not hold a flame to the lofty society of Lucas Lodge ,” the younger Miss Bingley teased. Darcy raised a brow and cocked his head toward her. Caroline leaned back and snickered under her breath.
The following morning, to the shock of the entire party, Elizabeth Bennet was announced in the breakfast parlour, having received word at Longbourn that Jane had fallen ill. Elizabeth was vexed by her sister’s absence from breakfast, as it served as a poor augur of her state of health.
“Miss Elizabeth,” Darcy murmured in surprise, as all three gentlemen stood in her presence, Mr. Hurst most unwillingly, a piece of ham dangling from his mouth.
She curtsied and replied, “Thank you all for your kindness in receiving me and for your attentions to my sister. May I inquire after her condition this morning?”
“Unfortunately,” Bingley began with genuine concern, “she is a great deal unwell. I am afraid she slept very ill.”
Darcy watched Elizabeth and was struck by the handsome ruddiness of her complexion, having walked several miles at a quick pace.
“She is awake, but quite feverish,” said Caroline.
“Sister,” Bingley called, “would you be so kind as to take Miss Elizabeth to Miss Bennet—unless of course you would like something to eat first?”
“No, I thank you,” answered Elizabeth. “I would be exceedingly grateful to be taken to her at once.”
“Of course,” replied Bingley, motioning toward his sister. Caroline tepidly stood from the table and led the way toward Jane’s room.
Elizabeth spent the better part of the day with her sister. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst for their part, dutifully paid the occasional visit to the room, but spent the majority of the day japanning and speaking French to each other. Mr. Hurst silently brooded by the window, thinking damnable thoughts about the French, brought on by he could not imagine what. Bingley paced from room to room, occasionally picking up a book, only to throw it down disinterestedly after reading but a few lines. Darcy observed this, thinking his friend’s concern for the eldest Miss Bennet had moved past feigning mild attraction in a direction which could not be suitable for a man of his position. Bingley’s sisters were not nescient to their brother’s demeanour either and, being ignorant of his plan to use Jane as a ruse against them, drew much the same conclusion as Darcy.
What each of them utterly failed to notice was Mr. Darcy’s unrest. He sat going over ledgers for his business ventures but was distracted enough by the competing sensations of weightlessness and heaviness which he had been experiencing since the unexpected appearance of Elizabeth Bennet that morning, that he struggled to perform basic arithmetic, often arriving at sums that made him either far richer or far poorer than his true circumstance. Indeed, he blotted out several calculations altogether, and did his best to conceal his discomposure. When it was announced that Elizabeth would stay the evening, he was at once concerned for her sister’s wellbeing, and oddly delighted that he would be granted the occasion to dine with her.