Chapter 4
Mr. Darcy Visits Longbourn
Kitty rushed into the drawing room. “Mother, a carriage comes down the drive.”
“Maybe it is the Longs with their nieces,” Mrs. Bennet said, sitting up and setting her cap to rights.
“I will ring for tea,” Mary said.
Lydia looked out the window facing the drive. “I do not think it is the Long carriage, Mama.”
“Oh, move over, child.” Mrs. Bennet waved Lydia aside, gasping when Mr. Bingley stepped from the carriage. “Oh, dear heaven above, it is Mr. Bingley. Jane? Jane, you must put on the new pink gown.”
“Do please cease, Mother. He will hear you and might leave out of embarrassment,” Elizabeth said, whispering into their mother’s ear. “Remember why the last suitor left?”
“I am certain it had nothing to do with my behavior, no matter his claims,” Mrs. Bennet said tartly.
“You push suitors away rather than draw them in. If you would but stop trying to manipulate our every turn, you may get the results you want.”
“I do not think—”
“That is the problem. You never think before you speak. The Darcys and the Bingleys of the world do. You will embarrass Jane if you do not cease.”
“You have no right to talk to me in such a manner, Miss Lizzy.”
“Your way did not work. Try allowing your daughters to speak when they are addressed. And, above all, ask them to dinner.”
“That is an excellent thought. Why did you not suggest such when the carriage was spotted? Now I must wait to speak with the cook. Suggest for you young people to go out walking the moment they agree upon it. Then Mr. Bingley will see Jane with a bloom to her cheeks. A very excellent thought indeed.”
Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy, and Miss Darcy were announced.
“It is a pleasure to see you again, Miss Darcy,” Jane said, taking Elizabeth’s arm.
Elizabeth knew Jane drew her away from their mother to ensure no further cross words betwixt them.
“I wanted to call with my brother after telling him how much I enjoyed meeting all of you,” Miss Darcy said.
“La! You can have any of my sisters you wish. Take them with you, I beg of you,” Elizabeth said, pleased to see Miss Darcy’s cheer.
“And if I instead choose you to take me?” The ringing of Miss Darcy’s laugh filled the room.
“I am certain your brother would scowl at your choice.” Elizabeth glanced at Mr. Darcy, knowing she challenged him.
“Please do be seated,” Mrs. Bennet said.
Elizabeth flinched. All of Mrs. Bennet’s daughters were well aware of her calm, or rather, perceived solemnity. A word, a gesture could set their mother calling for her salts, desperate for attention.
“Thank you, madam.” Darcy bowed to her, grunting low in his throat when his sister nudged him. “I want to apologize for my boorish behavior at the assembly. I have no excuse and wish to convey my regrets. My unfortunate remarks that your daughter Miss Elizabeth overheard were unpardonable.”
Elizabeth, unwilling to let him see how hurt she had been, turned away so that she might master her emotions.
“Think nothing of it, Mr. Darcy. You had seen Jane. Elizabeth is nothing compared to her,” Mrs. Bennet said, giving, what was for her, a magnanimous gesture of forgiveness.
Jane and Miss Darcy both gasped. Miss Darcy’s eyes filled with tears. Jane, too, had tears in her eyes. Mr. Darcy’s thunderous expression and Mr. Bingley’s displeasure caused Mrs. Bennet to twist her handkerchief in her lap in her confusion.
“I thank you for reminding me again, Mother,” Elizabeth said to break the silence.
Ignoring her mother’s glare, Elizabeth pulled the linen from her pocket. She walked to Miss Darcy, giving her own square to the younger lady so she could dry her tears.
“Please,” Mr. Darcy murmured, handing Elizabeth his.
“I beg you, do not cry, Miss Darcy. No true harm was caused,” Elizabeth said to reassure the girl. “Mr. Darcy, I regret you felt forced to apologize. As you are now aware, your remark echoes my mother’s sentiments. Think no more of it. But if you yet require my forgiveness, know it is granted.”
“I appreciate your generosity, Miss Elizabeth. Still, I find myself in disagreement with you and your mother. My words were spoken in haste, and I regret, very much regret, the lost opportunity to partner you in a set.”
Elizabeth felt herself softening toward him when she saw the appreciation in Mr. Darcy’s expression and his efforts in helping his sister overcome the shock of Mrs. Bennet’s speech.
“Thank you. Any of us would find it agreeable to become better acquainted with those of your party, sir,” Elizabeth said, acknowledging his effort to smooth things over.
“I see we have visitors,” said Mr. Bennet, standing under the lintel.
Elizabeth hastened to perform the service, not trusting how her youngest sisters or mother might speak of the gentleman. “Father, may I introduce Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy. You are already acquainted with Mr. Bingley. Mr. Darcy, Miss Darcy, this is my father, Thomas Bennet.”
“Mr. Darcy, the very rich man who twice slighted my Lizzy last night? That same man who looked down on our neighbors and friends is in your drawing room, Mrs. Bennet? Quite the coup for you, my dear,” Mr. Bennet joked.
Elizabeth stared at her father in horror, having never known such humiliation at his hand before. She could see his confusion when Miss Darcy stood to depart.
“Perhaps another time for tea, Mrs. Bennet,” Mr. Bingley said. He held out an arm to Miss Darcy and escorted her from the house.
“Indeed. Quite the coup. Good day,” Mr. Darcy said, bowing before he, too, left the room.
“Well, that was a bit dramatic, was it not, Lizzy?” Mr. Bennet chuckled when the front door shut.
“If, by dramatic, you are describing the humiliation our parents visited on their daughters today, you would be correct.”
“A perfect example of why to curb your tongue, Lydia. How an uncouth display drives people away, suitors and new acquaintances alike. I will not come down for dinner,” Jane said, then quit the room.
“Do not speak to your mother in such a manner,” Mr. Bennet said, stepping out into the corridor. “Return to this room and apologize, Jane.”
“I but follow your example, Father. But then, I was not speaking to you or Mother. I spoke to my youngest sister, who lacks grace and manners. You insult all our family to our neighbors with great frequency, so I am confused by the admonishment,” Jane said in so pleasant a manner, Mr. Bennet laughed.
Jane was shaking, so upset was she. Her tone may have been sweet, but she had not spoken in jest. As comprehension dawned, their father’s expression shifted to one of surprise, then anger. When he tried to find the words to admonish her, none came. As a result, he stood mute when she walked away.
“Mary, in watching our mother speak to Lizzy, I see how unkind I have been to you and all my sisters. I apologize for what I said this morning. The insults were cruel and untrue,” Kitty said.
“Thank you. Would you and Lydia like to walk with me in the gardens?” Mary stood.
“I am not really as bold as Lizzy suggests, am I?” Lydia asked, taking Mary’s arm.
“Have you ever seen another carry on, hail gentlemen from across the street, laugh loudly for attention, or run around like they are five?”
“I suppose you mean Aunt Madeline’s small children act with more decorum.”
“It will take a great effort to correct your behavior, Lydia, but I have yet to meet young ladies more determined than are my sisters. Our father declares us to be the silliest girls in England when he speaks to our neighbors, even to strangers. I have made a great effort to change his opinion, but he has not changed his opinion of me. I, too, must continue to improve. Let us apply to Jane and Elizabeth and follow their example,” Mary said, leading her younger sisters from the room.
As they left, it was impossible to avoid overhearing the words of their parents spoken in anger.
“How dare you insult Mr. Darcy. And in front of his sister? You drove Jane’s Mr. Bingley off, Mr. Bennet. Badly done.”
“Am I mistaken, or did you insult Elizabeth in front of the exalted Mr. Darcy?”
“You would not believe what that girl said to me just before our visitors entered.”
Mary shut the door to the drawing room. “I wonder, had they argued this way long ago, what might have changed?”
The sisters moved down the corridor to where Jane waited.
“It is more interesting to me that they think they still have something worth arguing for,” Elizabeth said, looking toward the room where their parents continued to berate one another.
“We can but hope. Our true concern must be for our sisters, Lizzy,” Jane said, curling her arm around Elizabeth’s.