Chapter 7 #2
“Well, I do agree that it was highly improper, but we had no choice at that moment. And poor Darcy is placed in a most difficult position: he must decide which situation was more improper—riding alone with me for more than an hour, or riding in the rain on the same horse with Miss Bennet. Now he will have to choose which of us he must marry.”
It was precisely at that moment that Elizabeth entered the room, and the first thing she noticed was Miss Bingley’s crimson face, gaping mouth, and heaving chest as she desperately attempted to breathe. She was tempted to ask what was wrong, but Miss Bingley’s irate look changed her mind.
A few minutes later, the Darcys joined them.
Miss Darcy greeted everyone with politeness; Mr Darcy acted the same as ever, paying equal attention to all his guests.
However, every time their eyes met briefly, Elizabeth had the distinct feeling that she could see a trace of redness on his cheeks.
As for herself, she was unable to look in Mr Darcy’s direction without remembering the sensation of being in his arms, and she was certain that she never had blushed as much as she did in that half hour before dinner was served.
During the meal, things settled a bit for Elizabeth.
Mr Darcy asked her opinion more than once; they talked of literature and the theatre—mostly between themselves with a few contributions from Lady Cassandra and Miss Darcy—then he praised her taste in books and openly invited her to borrow anything from his library.
Elizabeth blushed and thanked him, allowing her eyes to meet his while she assured him she would take advantage of such a generous invitation.
She was abruptly brought back from her pleasant reverie by Miss Bingley’s harsh voice. “Miss Bennet, are the militia still in Meryton?”
She attempted to redirect her thoughts from Mr Darcy before answering. “No they are not. They left for Brighton for the summer.”
“It must be a great loss for your family,” Miss Bingley continued.
“We are doing the best we can, Miss Bingley, but thank you for your kind concern. I dare say we shall all survive.”
“Oh, but there was one gentleman in the regiment whose absence I am sure will be greatly regretted.”
“I am not certain to whom you are referring, Miss Bingley.”
“I am sure you do, Miss Bennet. Mr Wickham was a great favourite in the neighbourhood from what I heard, and more than one lady found his presence highly agreeable.”
Miss Bingley’s tone and insistent stare tried to force a confession.
Elizabeth was tempted to answer her accordingly as she turned toward Miss Darcy—intending to roll her eyes in exasperation—but frowned when she saw the young girl’s pallor and trembling hands.
Instantly Elizabeth forgot any offense or rage she might have felt and turned to Mr Bingley, smiling charmingly at him.
“Mr Bingley, you, sir, are one of those whose presence has been greatly missed in the neighbourhood, I must confess. The ball you hosted was one of the most wonderful we had the pleasure to attend. Everybody regretted that you left so unexpectedly.”
Her statement had the desired effect: all eyes and attention turned to Mr Bingley, and Miss Bingley was silenced immediately.
While Mr Bingley, with some discomfort, expressed his regrets at leaving and promised to host another ball as soon as he was settled back at Netherfield, Elizabeth stretched her hand to hold Georgiana’s.
Without drawing attention toward them, she gently asked her younger friend if she were feeling well; the girl’s silent nod did not convince Elizabeth at all, more so as she could feel Miss Darcy’s hand was burning.
She cast a quick glance to the master of the house and saw his worried and tender gaze enfolding them both.
Slowly, Miss Darcy recovered from her distress, but soon after dinner, she asked Elizabeth if she would mind being left alone with the other guests.
“Not at all; do not worry, Georgiana. If you want to retire, please do so.”
“Yes, I would like that, but I do not want to leave you. After all, you are my guest, and I do not want to leave you unprotected.”
The girl tried to smile, and Elizabeth joined her. “Oh, I shall be fine; I have been in the same company at Netherfield, and I managed to escape unscathed.” She laughed.
“Well, my brother will protect you this time; you may count on that,” Miss Darcy said meaningfully, and Elizabeth did not know how to answer.
They exited the room together after Miss Darcy said a quick good night. Elizabeth saw that both Darcy and Lady Cassandra were aware of the reason for Miss Darcy’s poor mood, and her ladyship’s expression was not to be trifled with.
Elizabeth waited while the maid prepared Miss Darcy for the night. She was worried not only because of the feverish state of the girl but also because of her obvious distress, which continued unabated.
“Elizabeth,” Miss Darcy suddenly spoke with a trembling voice, “I was wondering how Miss Bingley knew—about Mr Wickham, that is. I doubt William told her, but then who did? I know Miss Bingley would not do anything intentionally to harm me, but I am afraid she may have talked to others. How many people are aware of the…incident at Ramsgate.”
“Georgiana, you misunderstood Miss Bingley. She knew nothing about you or Ramsgate, and she meant no reference to you when she mentioned Mr Wickham’s name.
I am the one she tried to make uncomfortable as I considered that gentleman a trusted friend at the beginning of our acquaintance.
She only wanted to make me look bad in front of—
“She tried to make you look bad in front of William? I never knew her to be so mean! Elizabeth, I am so sorry! I think she is jealous, you know.”
Elizabeth blushed and chose not to answer; she changed the topic again.
“I think you should try to sleep now, miss. As you said, I am indeed your guest, and I expect you to entertain me properly tomorrow morning, so you will need all your strength.” She decidedly insisted upon the matter until Georgiana finally declared herself defeated and obeyed.
∞∞∞
When Elizabeth returned to the others, they were gathered in the music room, but nobody was playing. She presumed Miss Bingley had performed already, and she hoped nobody would insist on her doing so. She was in no mood for entertaining.
Mr Darcy and Lady Cassandra hurried to meet her, asking about Georgiana. She could assure them that Miss Darcy seemed quite well when she left her, but still Mr Darcy looked worried.
“I will send a servant to Lambton to inform your uncle and aunt that you are well, Miss Bennet; I will also fetch the doctor, just in case.”
Elizabeth did not think Miss Darcy would need a doctor, but she offered no opinion on the matter; after all, prudence was a good thing when health was involved. She only thanked Mr Darcy for his consideration.
“Will you return to Lambton too, Miss Bennet? If the rain stops, I mean,” Miss Bingley intervened.
“No, Miss Bennet will certainly not return this evening,” answered Mr Darcy sharply, and his interlocutor was instantly silenced.
Another few minutes passed while they enjoyed their drinks. Lady Cassandra broke the silence with a strangely friendly voice.
“So, Miss Bingley, you find Mr Wickham’s presence agreeable? I would not have guessed that; I was certain your interest lay in another direction.”
“I beg your pardon?” Miss Bingley startled, almost dropping her glass. “I most certainly did not. How did your ladyship get such an idea?”
Elizabeth looked at Mr Darcy and saw his glare, impossible to misread, which asked Lady Cassandra to cease the upsetting joke immediately. However, her ladyship turned her head toward Miss Bingley, ignoring him.
“Oh, but you just confessed it; there is no need to deny it now. After all, we are among friends here; you must not feel embarrassed.”
“Lady Cassandra, I assure you, you misunderstood me. I was not talking about me! I barely know Mr Wickham at all.”
“Barely know him and yet you feel inclined to him so quickly? Strange, but not singular; it has happened to many other young ladies before.”
“No, no!!! Nothing can be further from the truth! I had always known Mr Wickham to be an unworthy gentleman, and I knew of the poor opinion Mr Darcy had of him. How could I have been inclined toward a steward’s son anyway?
It was not I but other ladies in Hertfordshire who found Mr Wickham’s company agreeable.
My sister and brother can testify to that! ”
Shifting between mortification and amusement, Elizabeth saw both Mrs Hurst and Mr Bingley nod in agreement, but Lady Cassandra seemed to ignore them completely.
“Oh, you are only trying to play at modesty, Miss Bingley, I am sure. You mentioned to me that you barely knew any ladies in Hertfordshire and had no close acquaintance among the inhabitants, so how could you have known their preferences?”
Unable to form a reply to such an open censure or find a valid argument to justify her behaviour, Miss Bingley stared in helpless silence at her ladyship, squeezing her glass with both hands.
Elizabeth admitted to herself that she greatly enjoyed the way Lady Cassandra was torturing Miss Bingley. However, she felt she could not remain silent any longer; the notion that Mr Darcy knew the truth, as well as her own conscience, made her determined to speak.
“Lady Cassandra, Miss Bingley is correct; the general opinion about Mr Wickham was quite favourable in Meryton from the first day he arrived. As someone very wise once told me, Mr Wickham was blessed with such happy manners as may ensure his making friends, though it is less certain he may be equally capable of retaining them.”
Though she did not dare look at Darcy, she felt his stare.