Chapter 7 #2
Miss Elizabeth Bennet … that was, Miss Wantage …
was a most remarkable lady. She assumed none of the airs and graces so common among the ladies of the haut ton, nor did she whisper shyly into her teacup.
Her behavior was all that was decorous, with no forwardness of manner or vulgarity to mar her conversation.
To a man jaded by the socialites and debutantes of high society, she seemed all the more extraordinary.
He shook his head and forced himself to consider the partly written page on the desk in front of him.
He needed to bend his considerable intellect to what was fair and right regarding the tenants and the field in question.
But to have to deliberate such a mundane question when he would much prefer to contemplate Miss…
The door opened abruptly, and his butler entered with Mr. Bingley in his wake.
Darcy happily dropped his pen and stood up, his eyes carefully inspecting his friend’s countenance.
Two days previously, Bingley had been in this very room with an anxious expression and a pale face.
Today, his eyes were crinkled with pleasure, and he sported a broad smile on his cheerful face.
Darcy found himself grinning back and, he said, as his butler left the room, “Am I to assume that all is going well in your life, Bingley?”
Bingley nodded enthusiastically and marched over to the bottle of Madeira. He poured himself and Darcy a drink, handed over the appropriate glass to his friend, and said, “You must celebrate with me, because Miss Jane Bennet loves me and is engaged to be my wife.”
Darcy was startled to discover that in the midst of his happiness for his friend, there was a strange swirl of envy.
It must be wonderful to fall in love with a lady and offer for her.
It was so simple for Bingley, whose fortune was derived from trade.
He did not have responsibilities to an old and ancient name.
He was not being pressured by his older relations to wed a cousin who, while feeble, was heiress to the estate of Rosings in Kent…
“Congratulations, Bingley,” he said, lifting the glass in a toast. “To Miss Bennet.”
“To Jane,” Bingley said reverently, and both drank.
“Sit down by the fire,” Darcy urged, and as soon as Bingley had obeyed, he also took a chair and said, “When do you intend to marry?”
Bingley hesitated, and his joyful expression shifted into one of uncertainty. “As to that, we are not entirely certain.”
“Is there some reason for a delay?” Darcy asked in a studiously calm tone. He knew, of course, that from the Bennets’ perspective, Elizabeth had disappeared into the bowels of London. That was bound to cause some issues with planning a wedding.
Bingley wrinkled his nose, looked into the fire, looked back at Darcy, leaned forward, and said in a soft voice, “Darcy, I know I can trust you to keep silent on a matter of importance.”
“Of course.”
Bingley sighed and proceeded to explain that Elizabeth Bennet had run away from home to avoid being married off to the heir of Longbourn, that Mr. Bennet had hurried to London in an attempt to find her, and that thus far, no one had successfully tracked down the second daughter of Longbourn.
Much of the story Darcy already knew, though he felt a stab of genuine fury on learning that Bennet had threatened to lock his own daughter in the attic and feed her only bread and water.
Even if it was an empty threat, and he did not know Bennet well enough to determine that, it was cruel in the extreme.
When Bingley finished his tale, Darcy remained silent for a minute in contemplation.
His first instinct was to tell his friend that he knew exactly where Elizabeth Bennet was and that she was safe, but a moment’s cogitation made him think better of such an admission.
Bingley was engaged to Jane Bennet and would not wish to keep secrets from his beloved.
Miss Bennet was, as far as Darcy knew, an incredibly honest young woman, who would likely find it difficult to hide the truth from her anxious family, regardless of her views on the proposed marriage between her sister and Mr. Collins.
“Do you think that Bennet’s enthusiasm for the match between Miss Elizabeth and Mr. Collins has subsided with the news that you will marry Miss Bennet shortly?” he asked carefully.
Bingley huffed and said, “One would think so, but probably not. I offered for Jane yesterday morning, and we journeyed to their relations’ house in Cheapside last night in order to ask Bennet his blessing, which he gave.
As it was growing late, I only had a few minutes to talk privately with Jane, but she said that her father was definitely angry at Elizabeth, and she feared that even with the prospect of a very good marriage for the family, he will not give up his determination that his second daughter marry the heir. ”
Darcy felt his heart sink at these words, but he kept his face blank and said, “I presume Miss Bennet is very concerned about her sister.”
Bingley groaned and ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it.
“Yes, she is very worried. Among her many manifest advantages, she has a tender heart, and Elizabeth is her most beloved sister. She is overjoyed at our engagement, but the disappearance of Elizabeth is casting a pall on the normal pleasure of our betrothal.”
Again, Darcy was tempted to speak, and again he forced himself to stay quiet.
“Do you have any advice?” Bingley asked.
“I do,” Darcy said after another minute of cogitation.
“I suggest that you purchase a license and marry in Meryton within the next fortnight. Furthermore, I recommend that you send notices to all the newspapers regarding your upcoming marriage in Meryton. Miss Elizabeth may well read the notice, which will, perhaps, give her the freedom to return home.”
“That is a marvelous idea!” Bingley said, leaping to his feet.
“I am eager to make Jane my bride, and I hope that Elizabeth will indeed return. Perhaps Bennet will soften once we are well and truly married, and I think we can all agree that Elizabeth is safer at Longbourn than in some filthy boarding house.”
“Naturally,” Darcy agreed.
“Thank you for your help. You are a wonderful friend, and I hope you will journey to Meryton to attend my wedding.”
“I will try my best to do so,” Darcy replied truthfully.