Chapter 8. Miss Bingley’s Friendly Call
One afternoon, Elizabeth and Georgiana enjoyed tea after practicing on the pianoforte when the Darcy butler, Mr Jones, came in the parlour and announced, “Miss Caroline Bingley.”
Elizabeth watched as a tall, elegantly dressed woman swept into the music room and her mind focused on the bright silk gown, a material that would be very hard to clean and with wear in the middle of the day, unlikely to last long.
The turban included feathers–another expense that would require replenishment at regular intervals.
She wondered, ‘With her blond hair and fair complexion, the lady would have been more attractive in pale blue muslin in the middle of the afternoon...’ before she returned to the conversation.
“...it has been too long since we have been in company, dear Miss Darcy! How have your lessons progressed? I know you mastered the Mozart I sent you last Christmas.”
Elizabeth observed the new visitor carry the conversation without pause and their hostess retreat into her shy past behaviours with no opportunity to introduce the original guest. Then Miss Bingley asked a new question that captured Elizabeth’s attention.
“And where is Mr Darcy? It has been too long since I saw him last. He has hidden himself away this fall–does he still hide behind his business letters like my brother Charles?”
When Georgiana looked toward Elizabeth with an appeal in her eyes for support, Elizabeth sat forward, “Good afternoon, Miss Bingley. I am Elizabeth Bennet, a friend of Miss Darcy. We were just discussing Shakespeare.”
The smile faded from Miss Bingley’s eyes as she seemed to notice the third person in the room for the first time.
“It is usual to wait until an introduction before speaking to strangers,” she said coolly.
“And it is customary to allow the hostess to make the introductions before carrying the conversation to the Channel and back,” Elizabeth responded.
“Miss Bennet spoke to aide me, Miss Bingley,” Georgiana said in defence of Elizabeth. “My friend is everything proper and ladylike. Miss Bingley, may I introduce my most particular friend, Miss Elizabeth Bennet from Hertfordshire.”
Turning to Elizabeth, Georgiana introduced the new visitor. “Miss Bennet, allow me to introduce Miss Caroline Bingley, the sister of my brother’s good friend, Mr Charles Bingley.”
Both visitors recognized that the second introduction had not named Caroline as a ‘friend’ of Miss Darcy–only the sister of her brother’s friend.
The smile slipping from her face a little more, Caroline began questioning Elizabeth on her intimacy with the Darcy family.
“How is it you became acquainted with Miss Darcy?”
Smiling at Georgiana, Elizabeth replied, “We met while walking in the park one day. We had conversation and with Mr Darcy’s approval, we have begun a friendship that includes music and discussion of books.”
“Oh, I am certain you have never met anyone as accomplished as Miss Darcy with the pianoforte,” Miss Bingley replied. “But I never knew an accomplished lady who was spoken of for her knowledge of literature.”
Elizabeth asked, “And how is it your brother knows Mr Darcy, Miss Bingley?”
“My brother is Mr Darcy’s particular friend from university. We are very often together at engagements here in town and dine at each other’s homes frequently. We have been guests at Pemberley, their great estate in Derbyshire.”
“We have not seen the Bingleys in some weeks,” Georgiana explained. “I believe my brother sees his friend at their club when they are both in town.”
Seeing Georgiana flustered with the visitor’s familiarity, Elizabeth asked, “Miss Bingley, would you care for tea? We have just begun to serve and there are extra cups on the tray.”
Georgiana sat forward, “Forgive me for not offering, Miss Bingley.”
As Georgiana poured the tea, Miss Bingley frowned at Elizabeth, but the original visitor ignored the overdressed lady.
Taking the teacup from Georgiana, Caroline observed, “You are staying overly long Miss Bennet.”
Georgiana responded immediately to the hint that Elizabeth should leave. “Miss Bennet attended the lesson with my pianoforte master this afternoon. We are practicing a duet for my brother and there is one section we cannot complete in a satisfactory manner.”
“Pianoforte lessons at your age, Miss Bennet? You must be four-and-twenty years.”
Elizabeth was surprised by Miss Bingley’s sharp remark but replied in kind, “Thank you Miss Bingley. I have always hoped to appear mature and refined–for an older woman to think I was close to her age is a great compliment.”
“I am not four-and-twenty!” Caroline replied, setting down her teacup.
Now Georgiana joined the fray saying, “But Miss Bingley, you have been three-and-twenty twice. Both times, my brother and I attended suppers at your sister’s home...”
“I must be leaving now Miss Darcy. I just remembered that I must see to a matter at home. Thank you for tea,” Caroline said rising and leaving the room without acknowledging Elizabeth or curtseying to Georgiana.
Her progress was so quick that the other two ladies were unable to rise to curtsey before she was gone.
They returned to their seats and remained silent until they heard Mr Jones close the front door. Then Elizabeth turned to her friend and said, “Miss Darcy, I apologize but what did I do to offend Miss Bingley?”
“Apparently your offense is that you have my brother’s approval to visit with me and she learned that you have become my friend–something she has long desired but never achieved. Last spring, she visited every day until we removed the knocker on the door to prevent visits.”
“She visited every day?” asked Elizabeth. “Are her acquaintances so few?”
Georgiana shook her head and continued. “Miss Bingley desires my brother’s attention.
After each visit, she sought to speak with him in his study, but she was thwarted when William altered his business calls to the early morning or late afternoon so that there are no carriages or horses outside the door during the appropriate hours for calls.
We rearranged the coach yard to accommodate business callers who enter a side door to approach my brother’s private offices. ”
Elizabeth frowned. “Her persistence is amazing.”
Georgiana nods. “This autumn, my brother curtailed his engagements with Charles Bingley at our home. I dared not mention that Mr Bingley comes for family dinner once a week–when the table only consists of William and me–Mr Bingley does not include his family.”
Elizabeth looked out the window. “I have sisters and a mother who often speak inappropriately and leave me shamefaced Miss Darcy. I feel for Mr Bingley, and I have not met him.”
“May I tell you a tale Miss Bennet?” asked Georgiana.
“Certainly,” Elizabeth replied.
“But I have a condition.”
Surprised and pleased, Elizabeth smiled. “Please reveal your condition.”
“Since I have named you as my friend, I should very much like to call you ‘Elizabeth’ and for you to call me ‘Georgiana’.”
“I should be very pleased–Georgiana.”
“Very good then,” Miss Darcy said. “Now, my tale is this–in summer, my brother invited Mr Bingley to visit us at Pemberley for the harvest. Mr Bingley has some interest in becoming a gentleman with an estate, but my brother insisted that his friend learn what is involved before making the purchase.”
“That is a wise direction,” Elizabeth agreed.
“On the afternoon of the third day of Mr Bingley’s visit, a carriage arrived at Pemberley with Miss Bingley, her sister and brother-in-law. Miss Bingley had convinced Mr Hurst to bring them to Pemberley without an invitation.”
“Without an invitation? But why?” inquired Elizabeth.
“During harvest the gentlemen must be in the fields from dawn to dusk with the steward and farmers... Gentlemen certainly do not dine at normal hours at that time of year–they retire early each evening to rise before dawn to be out when sun rises.”
Georgiana rolled her eyes. “Miss Bingley was disappointed that my brother had no time to act as host and she voiced her opinion. I fear she hoped to arrange a marriage with my brother, but William suggested that she look elsewhere for a husband. In any case, Mr Bingley left with his family only two days later, well before the harvest was complete.”
Teasing, Elizabeth asked, “Is Miss Bingley not rich enough to tempt your brother?”
Georgiana shook her head vehemently. “My brother does not need to marry for riches. According to my aunt, the Countess of Matlock, my brother needs a wife with good sense and a gentle smile. I am certain Miss Bingley does not have any sense, and her smile never reaches her eyes. She merely displays her fangs.”
Elizabeth laughed at Georgiana’s characterization of the visitor as the door opened and Mr Darcy entered, smiling to hear the laughter.
“Good afternoon, Georgiana, Miss Bennet. May I be so bold as to ask what has made you laugh?”
“Allow me to send for a fresh pot of tea, William. Elizabeth can explain,” Georgiana said before she moved to ring the bell to summon a maid.
Fighting to regain the proper face for a young lady visiting acquaintances, Elizabeth finally explained. “Miss Darcy’s caller–a Miss Bingley–left us with a quandary and our laughter appeared to be the only exit.”
His face a mask for a moment, Mr Darcy asked, “Did Miss Bingley have any invitations or invite herself to supper?”
“No, she was not here that long.” Georgiana explained as she returned to the sofa. “She attempted to engage in a verbal battle with Elizabeth but retreated from the battlefield after the first barrage.”
Darcy smirked. “My sister has warned me to mind my opinions in your presence Miss Bennet; perhaps Miss Bingley will learn from you. My friend Charles Bingley has urged his sister to allow him to arrange a match for her, but she resists any suggestions.
“According to what Mr Bingley says, she resists most strenuously,” Georgiana said as she poured her brother a cup of tea, Elizabeth handed him a plate to hold biscuits, and they settled into a pleasant conversation of their progress with reading and understanding Shakespeare.
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