Chapter 17 #2
“Yes, they are beautiful, what of it? You well know that is not how I judge women any longer,” Bingley shot back.
As he looked past the pot, he could make out part of his own sister and Miss Elizabeth next to Lulu.
“There is one of my dance partner’s sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty, and I dare say very agreeable.
Do let me introduce you. I met the sisters when you had already run off. ”
“Which do you mean?” Darcy looked past the large potted plant for a moment.
He looked at her briefly and then turned back to Bingley.
Without lowering his voice, he said coldly: “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy your dance, for you are wasting your time with me.”
“Darcy! Lower your voice, you can be heard.” Had Bingley not needed to return to Miss Mary, he would have pulled his friend outside and berated him. That would have to wait until later.
There was no missing the rebuke in his friend’s voice.
Darcy was certain this was not the last he would hear of it from Bingley.
He hoped the lady had not heard because he regretted the words already.
He had allowed his mood and worry for Anna to overrule his good sense and behaved in a most ungentlemanlike fashion.
As he remonstrated with himself, he omitted to do the one thing he should have: apologise immediately.
Due to not having lowered his voice, those sitting on the other side of the potted plant heard every word that had passed between the two men. Strangely enough, Elizabeth was the only one of the four who did not look outraged.
Bennet was about to jump up and take the rude man to task for insulting his Lizzy. Only his daughter’s hand on his arm kept him in his place.
“Papa, do you remember what I opined when Mr Darcy arrived?” Elizabeth pointed out to her sire.
She saw him nod but still looked ready to deliver a public setdown.
“I am not injured by his words, I promise you. Should he have said them? No, he should not have. Were his words impolite and ungentlemanly? Yes, they were. With all of that, I do not believe that his words were aimed at me as much as an attempt to have Mr Bingley leave him be.”
“Mr Darcy is usually the most gentlemanlike man I have met,” Louisa related.
“When he arrived yesterday, I could tell he was worried about something, and then today, my younger sister, Caroline, who is not with us tonight, would not take any of his hints or direct words that he was not in the mood for her company. I believe that has added to his bad mood.”
“I do not excuse what Mr Darcy said, but I did observe how Caroline grated on his nerves today. From what Charles has told me, he is not very comfortable in groups of strangers,” Hildebrand added.
Elizabeth looked at Papa with an ‘I told you so look’ on her countenance.
“In that case, I will call at Netherfield Park in the morning on the morrow at ten, and Mr Darcy and I will have a conversation,” Bennet decided. “I will not accost him publicly and embarrass him before all in the hall as I wanted to do.”
Knowing how angry Papa got if anyone hurt one of his daughters, Elizabeth was thankful he would not confront Mr Darcy here.
She supposed Papa could have intimidated him by having him exit the hall, then take him to where John and some of his men were waiting.
It was better this way; by the morning much of Papa’s pique would have burnt away, and she hoped by then Mr Darcy would be in a better mood.
“Let us make sure that what he said is not repeated to any of our friends,” Elizabeth suggested. “It will sink Mr Darcy’s character before we have a chance to understand why he said what he did.”
The other three agreed. As the set was ending, the four stood and walked back to where Miss Jones was speaking with her brother.
As they passed Darcy, he saw both the older and younger Misses Bingley, and an unknown man were with the lady he had slighted, he felt worse about what he had said. When the man gave him a frigid look, Darcy felt a cold chill in his spine.
He watched as Bingley led the woman he had insulted to the floor.
He was not blind. Bingley had been correct.
The lady was more than pretty, and he saw her emerald-green eyes shining with intelligence and wit.
As he watched, he saw Miss Bingley sit down next to the first lady Bingley had danced with, who, for some reason was sitting out the set.
He made his way over to them to solicit Miss Bingley’s hand for the next dance.
“Miss Bingley, will you dance the next with me?” Darcy requested awkwardly. He did not request an introduction to the blonde beauty next to Miss Bingley.
“Mr Darcy, did you know that all ladies hereabouts sit out two sets voluntarily?” Louisa enquired.
Darcy’s eyes went wide. Miss Bingley was pointing out the depth of his faux pas without actually mentioning it. She must have heard. If he could have, Darcy would have slunk away to lick his self-inflicted wounds.
“Due to the war with the Corsican Tyrant, there are far more ladies than men. Hence, by all ladies sitting out some sets, it makes sure everyone has a turn to dance,” Louisa continued without giving Mr Darcy a chance to respond.
“As to your request, yes, Mr Darcy, I will dance the next set with you.”
Suddenly, the plant in the corner did not seem large enough to hide him. Darcy felt like he was a rude cad. He now knew he needed to apologise, but he could not simply approach a lady to whom he had not been introduced.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
After his dance with Miss Louisa Bingley—he had requested the Bingleys’ aunt dance a set but she had refused—Darcy had repaired to the card room.
Thankfully the men who were there showed no interest in him.
Not until he saw the other men leaving the room, and one of them saying something to the effect that the ball was over, did Darcy leave.
While they waited for the coach, Darcy would not look Bingley in the eye. Had he not suspected that his friend would order him back inside, Darcy would have retreated and sat on the box next to the coachman.
Bingley remained silent until they made the turn towards his leased estate.
“Not that it would have been better, but do you realise that the lady you insulted, Miss Elizabeth, was not alone? Her father, my aunt, and sister were all seated with her. The large pot plant made it so you could only see Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”
“I am aware of that. I know I need to make my amends. I would have at the assembly, but I had not been introduced to any members of the family,” Darcy stated.
“And whose fault was that? Had you not stalked off, you would have met them,” Bingley shot back.
“That is true; however, after I was separated from you, that Mrs Kingston, with the three daughters, attempted to have me ask her daughters to dance. I felt disdain at her forwardness, so I walked away before I said something I would have regretted,” Darcy explained.
“Like you should have done when I spoke to you,” Bingley returned angrily.
“Yes, that is what I should have done. I did not, and there is nothing I can do to change that. That is why, as I said, I will ride to the Bennets’ estate and beg their pardons,” Darcy insisted.
Understanding that his friend intended to apologise sincerely, Bingley was able to relax.
“Mr Darcy, you will not have to ride to Longbourn to see Mr Bennet,” Louisa revealed. She saw the questioning looks from her brother and Mr Darcy. “Mr Bennet will call at ten in the morning. He would like to have a word with you.” She looked at Mr Darcy when she said the last.
Darcy relaxed a little. Bingley was not as angry with him any longer, and he would not have to go to the Bennets’ estate.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
All four occupants of the Bingley coach were grateful that a certain Miss Caroline was not waiting for their return.
They were all able to head up to their chambers in peace.