Chapter 22
Bennet could no longer deny he felt an attraction to Miss Louisa Bingley; however, his first marriage hung over his head like an unwelcome spectre.
Every time he resolved to move forward with Miss Louisa Bingley, an image of his hellish first marriage entered his head. As soon as he decided that for the present they would only be friends, he was able to relax, and the worrying images were banished from his mind.
While Darcy had been away, until Bingley had to leave to escort his younger sister to her permanent home, there had been frequent contact between the residents of Longbourn and Netherfield Park.
During those days, Jane and Mr Bingley had grown closer. Although they would not ignore the company they were with, they spent much time in close conversation.
For his part, Bingley did not want to explore a relationship with Miss Bennet until he had dealt with his younger sister.
In his mind, while Caroline was still locked up at Netherfield Park, he would not be able to give Miss Bennet his full attention.
The lady was intelligent and compassionate to go along with her outward beauty.
Bingley found himself attracted to the first two attributes far more than her looks.
Hence, when he had returned to Netherfield Park one afternoon after some very pleasant hours at Longbourn and the letter telling him to convey Caroline to London arrived, he had felt a sense of relief.
They had departed the very next morning.
Aunt Hildebrand and Lulu had seen him off at first light.
Caroline had been administered laudanum with her tea, so she was asleep.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Louisa was a little confused. There were times she sensed that Mr Bennet relaxed in her company and was possibly feeling what she had begun to feel—very tender feelings—but then as soon as he relaxed in that way, he seemed to don a mask and withdraw.
He was always polite and pleasant, but at those times, it seemed like rather than lower the wall he had constructed around his heart after his first wife, he was adding bricks to the top of it.
The sound of a carriage in the drive snapped Louisa out of her cogitation. Thanks to the express a Darcy courier had delivered the previous evening, Louisa was sure that Mr Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Miss Darcy were arriving.
“Come, Lulu, let us go greet our guests,” Hildebrand said as she stood.
Thanks to the cold weather, the two Bingley ladies waited in the entrance hall to receive those arriving. They did not wait long before the four entered the hall. Mr Nichols and two of his footmen were on hand to relieve them of their warm outerwear.
“Welcome to Netherfield Park,” Hildebrand stated as she dipped into a curtsy. “Let us make for the warmth of the drawing room before introductions are made.”
“That is a good suggestion, Miss Bingley,” Darcy responded. He looked at Anna, who was looking down, her shyness on full display. He was pleased to see that Mrs Annesley touched his sister’s shoulder, which resulted in Anna raising her eyes.
“Our footmen will show your personal servants to your bedchambers,” Hildebrand stated as she led the guests up the stairs to the main drawing room on the first floor.
“I placed your cousin in the second bedchamber of your suite, Mr Darcy. Miss Darcy and her companion are in the double bedchamber suite next to yours.”
“Thank you, Miss Bingley, that is perfect,” Darcy replied gratefully.
As she had met Miss Darcy at Pemberley, Louisa already knew the young lady would not stare at her birthmark.
She was pleased to note that the cousin and companion never gave it a second look.
If it was because Mr Darcy prepared them or their own good sense and manners, she cared not.
She was happy she would not be seen as an object of pity by the new arrivals.
“William, will you introduce our hostess and her niece to us please?” Fitzwilliam requested after they all entered the drawing room.
Darcy performed the honours. He did not have to introduce Bingley’s sister to Anna thanks to their prior acquaintance. “Miss Bingley, I thank you for accommodating three more guests,” he said with a bowed head to his hostess.
“It is no trouble to have more sensible people in the house,” Hildebrand returned. “Now, we have kept you long enough, and I am sure you would like to repair to your suites to wash and change from the road. When you have done so, my niece and I will be waiting for you here.”
The three cousins and Mrs Annesley climbed the stairs to the guest floor and made for their suites.
“Miss Darcy, you did very well, and I am sure it helps that you have met the younger Miss Bingley previously. She seems like a very nice lady who will not push you to say or do more than you are able or desire,” Mrs Annesley opined once they entered her charge’s bedchamber.
Miss Darcy’s maid was already unpacking her trunks.
“Yes but will she still want to know me when…” Anna left the rest unsaid because her maid was in the chamber.
“Has anyone who you care about treated you worse?” Mrs Annesley pushed.
Anna shook her head.
“There is your answer. I know you are nervous about meeting the five sisters of whom your brother spoke, but allow me to ask you this: would your brother want you to be known to anyone if he doubted the reception you would receive?”
‘William would do anything to protect me,’ Anna owned silently.
‘None of the things I feared have come to pass. I have not been banished; the Fitzwilliams have not rejected me; and William and Richard still love me. I have to trust William’s judgement because I know how faulty my own has been.
’ Aloud she said, “You have the right of it, Mrs Annesley. I will try to calm my fears and wait until I meet the Bennet sisters to see how they treat me after I speak to them about…you know.”
“That is wise, Miss Darcy. There is no reason to assume the worst before you meet them,” Mrs Annesley said encouragingly.
Feeling a little better about everything, Anna had her maid assist her to wash and change, while Mrs Annesley made for her chamber on the other side of the shared sitting room to do the same for herself.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bennet was working on his ledgers in the study when Hill informed him that callers had arrived in the drive.
He left the ledger open on his desk, so he would know where he had left off when he returned to his work.
He made his way to the drawing room to join his daughters as they waited for their guests to be shown into the room.
Elizabeth was hoping it was a certain tall, handsome, dark haired gentleman from Derbyshire who had returned.
‘Lizzy, do not be silly. Even if you have begun again, as far as he knows you are the practically penniless daughter of an insignificant country squire, and he is a wealthy man, related to nobility, and a member of the first circles of the Ton. Do not allow your expectations to be raised by a dream which can never be,’ she admonished herself silently.
When Mr Darcy entered the room, she did not see the others with him, only the man himself.
Her traitorous heart whispered that where there was life, there was hope.
It was then she noticed the three in the party she did not know. There was a blonde young lady, about her own height, possibly a little taller, a man, not as handsome as Mr Darcy, but certainly not homely, and an older lady whose dress was not as fine as the other ladies of the group.
“Misses Bingley and Mr Darcy, welcome to Longbourn,” Bennet said as he bowed. “Will you make the others in your party known to us?”
“Richard, Anna, and Mrs Annesley, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Mr Thomas Bennet, the master of this estate, Miss Jane Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, Miss Mary, Miss Kate, and Miss Lydia. Bennet, ladies, it is my pleasure to present the Honourable Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam of His Majesty’s Royal Dragoons, my cousin and co-guardian of this young lady, my sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy.
Also with us is her companion, Mrs Annesley,” Darcy stated by way of introduction.
“Welcome to Longbourn,” Jane responded in her role as the hostess.
No matter what she had promised herself, Anna felt very nervous. She relaxed a little when the two youngest Bennets asked her to come sit with them.
As soon as their guests took seats, Jane rang for tea.
She was disappointed that Mr Bingley was not with the group, even though she was now aware—thanks to Lulu handing Papa a letter from her brother explaining the necessity of his absence—that he would return as soon as he was able.
She pushed aside her feelings of missing him.
After all, he had had to leave with the light the day he departed, it was understandable he had not been able to stop at Longbourn himself.
She felt very sorry for Mr Bingley, knowing that he was carrying out a very unpleasant duty.
As soon as the maids who Mrs Hill had been supervising placed the tea service and plates of cakes and biscuits before her, Jane asked each of those she had just met for their preference.
Richard Fitzwilliam thought he must have died and gone to heaven with so many beautiful angels before him.
Before they came to Longbourn, Darcy had warned him that Bingley was unofficially courting the eldest Miss Bennet, and he was hoping to attract the notice of the second sister.
Darcy had been candid about his insult at the assembly and his apologies.
As Miss Elizabeth had agreed to begin again, Darcy had some hope of success, even if he would have to work hard to show her he was not the arrogant man he had been that first night.