Chapter VI
Georgiana Darcy was in a pensive mood the morning after the dinner party at Longbourn.
It was not so much the events of the previous evening—William had shared his perspective, and Georgiana had seen enough to understand the truth of his claims. But there was something under the surface of what had taken place that she could not quite grasp.
As Georgiana stared out her bedroom window, she noted the park in which Netherfield stood.
Mr. Bingley’s housekeeper had assigned her to rooms that looked out on the back garden, much to Georgiana’s appreciation.
As it was now December, there was little to see there other than the paths, the plots already prepared for the winter months, and the flowers cut down to stems. In the summer, she thought it would be a pleasing sight—the gardens were not so extensive as Pemberley, but few were.
Whether Mr. Bingley intended to settle here, he had not said in Georgiana’s presence, but the place was suitable should he choose it.
“Miss Darcy,” said Mrs. Annesley, her companion, pulling Georgiana from her contemplation of the gardens, “I believe it is time for your French lessons.”
Stifling a sigh—she did not wish to insult her companion, who was everything good—Georgiana nodded and joined her at the desk in the sitting-room of her chambers.
Languages were not Georgiana’s forte, though she applied herself to the study as she did to everything else, wishing to please her guardians.
That morning, however, Georgiana found herself unable to concentrate.
Mrs. Annesley, observant and kind, noted Georgiana’s distraction and released her early.
“Thank you, Mrs. Annesley,” said Georgiana with a smile when the woman allowed her to retreat. “I appreciate you enduring my lack of focus this morning.”
“It is no trouble, Miss Darcy,” replied the woman with a smile. “Effort is desirable, but at times other matters intrude. Perhaps you would do well to speak to your brother?”
Georgiana nodded, acknowledging her insight, then took herself below stairs.
It was at least an hour until they would partake of the noon meal, more than enough time to obtain William’s opinion.
She found him in the sitting-room, as she suspected she might, though Mr. Bingley was nowhere in evidence.
“My dear,” greeted her brother, rising when she entered the room.
“Where is Mr. Bingley?” asked Georgiana, though his absence suited her purpose.
“Bingley is meeting with the steward this morning.” William shrugged, a slight smile adorning his features.
“When we were here before, I would have attended that meeting. Since his return, however, Bingley is taking greater thought for the estate—he declared it routine and suggested I could catch up on my correspondence.”
Georgiana considered this. “You were more involved before?”
“At times, I thought I was doing the work myself.”
“What has changed to provoke this new maturity from Mr. Bingley?”
William became uncomfortable—it was part of the mystery of the previous evening.
It was clear that he disapproved of the Bennets and did not support his friend’s interest in Miss Bennet.
Why that might be so was yet unanswered.
Georgiana did not think that he disdained the Bennets for their position in society, not as the family of Mr. Bingley’s prospective bride, considering he was not even a gentleman by birth.
As for the Bennets themselves, Georgiana did not consider them much different from several other gentle families of lower station in the neighborhood where she lived.
“Perhaps he has grown accustomed to it.”
That was an evasion and nothing less. Georgiana, though she noticed it, decided not to comment. Rather, she turned her focus to the Bennets, hoping to understand.
“Brother, I am curious about last night.”
“To own the truth, I would like to hear your opinion.”
“About the Bennets?” asked Georgiana.
At her brother’s nod, Georgiana considered what she might say. “Elements of the family are boisterous to be certain,” replied Georgiana after a moment’s thought. “Misses Kitty and Lydia are . . . well, let us say that they would benefit from Mrs. Annesley’s instruction.”
William agreed. “To the best of my knowledge, though I will own that I do not know as I cannot ask, the Bennet sisters have never had a governess.”
“That shows in their behavior,” said Georgiana. “Though I will note that Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, and Miss Mary do not show a similar lack of restraint.”
“That is true.”
There was no hesitation in her brother’s tone, no suggestion his admission was grudging. Georgiana did not know what that meant, but she thought that at least he did not disapprove of the eldest sisters.
“As for their parents,” continued Georgiana, “I did not speak to Mr. Bennet, so I can say nothing about his character. Mrs. Bennet is much like her youngest daughters, though she is kind.”
William did not respond to Georgiana’s comment, appearing a little skeptical. “I hope, my dear, that you will refrain from taking Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia’s likeness. If you did, it would bring you into closer contact with Wickham, for the youngest girls go on and on about the officers.”
“Of that, I have no doubt,” replied Georgiana, rolling her eyes. “I cannot count the number of times Miss Lydia mentioned the officers last night, as if I should be as infatuated with them as she is.”
Then Georgiana fixed her brother with a slightly censorious look. “You cannot suppose that I would be as unrestrained as Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia.”
“No, I do not suppose it. However, a little reminder cannot go amiss.”
Georgiana let the matter rest—she knew her brother did not fear her misbehavior, so there was little point in pursuing the subject.
The lessons from the previous summer with Mr. Wickham were ever before her—caution was foremost in Georgiana’s mind now, not that she would ever be tempted to behave in such an open manner.
“Brother, do I err in assuming you disapprove of the Bennets?”
The way William paused, Georgiana knew he was choosing his words carefully. “There are certain aspects about the family that are impossible to ignore—you have spoken of them yourself.”
“That is true,” conceded Georgiana. “But are they any different from the Teasdales or the Watsons? They are lower gentry, not as refined as those we might move with in London, yet those families do not receive your condemnation.”
“Condemnation is a strong term, Georgiana.” William eyed her. “Is there some reason in particular that you ask these questions?”
“Just a sense that there is something about the family that disquiets you, Brother,” replied Georgiana. “Last night you appeared unsettled several times, and then there was something Miss Elizabeth said that confused me.”
“Miss Elizabeth?” asked William, his manner faintly demanding. “What did she say?”
“It was before you returned to the sitting-room,” replied Georgiana slowly, recalling the incident.
“We had been talking about music. Miss Mary was distracted by something her mother said. I do not recall what exactly, but Miss Elizabeth made a comment that suggested she thought you disapproved of her.”
William gave the impression of being taken aback, though Georgiana could not understand what it meant. His displeasure the previous night had been marked—though William was often inscrutable, he had a habit of displaying his censure for all to see. No one in the room could have been unaware of it.
“Is something amiss?” asked Georgiana when he did not respond at once.
“I do not disapprove of Miss Elizabeth in particular,” replied William at length. “But there is a matter between us at present.”
“Will you not share?”
With a sigh, William nodded. “You are aware that Bingley returned to Hertfordshire against his sisters’ wishes.”
“When you came to Hertfordshire, you were hoping to persuade him back to London,” said Georgiana. “Might I assume Miss Bingley’s concern has something to do with his attentions to Miss Bennet?”
“Perceptive,” murmured William.
“Not at all,” said Georgiana. “It makes sense, if you think about it. Miss Bingley intends me to fill the role of her brother’s future wife, and if she cannot convince me, then some other woman of society will do. Miss Bennet is not a woman of society—of course Miss Bingley would object to her.”
“You are correct. Miss Bingley not only does not approve of her brother’s interest in Miss Bennet, but she has no means of influencing him. Bingley is more likely to listen to me, which is why I came to Hertfordshire.”
“Why?” asked Georgiana. “Mr. Bingley is not the most forceful man—I have often observed that he gives in to his sister’s opinion.”
“That is because Bingley does not appreciate conflict. When he thinks himself in the right, he can be quite stubborn—Miss Bingley does not have so much influence as she believes she does.”
William paused, becoming uncomfortable. “More than this, however, Miss Bingley misled her brother, claiming Miss Bennet had told her in confidence that she did not welcome Bingley’s attention. Bingley discovered it and returned to Hertfordshire, forbidding his sister from coming here.”
“That was not well done, William,” said Georgiana, her distaste for Miss Bingley filling her breast with indignation. “Miss Bingley may disapprove, but her brother is his own man and may act as he sees fit. You know that I do not like Miss Bingley much—this only increases my distaste for her.”
“While I agree with you,” said William, “there is some danger. Since I returned to Hertfordshire, I have learned that the Bennets mean to have Bingley by such stratagems as present themselves. The Bennets’ situation is not good, and the mother is a fortune hunter of uncommon persistence.
If Bingley married Miss Bennet, that would remove the threat of genteel poverty. ”