Chapter 12 #2
Neither of the Bingley sisters understood why rather than admiration or jealousy, they saw derision in the looks from the local nobodies they considered so far below them.
Elizabeth was standing in a group with Mary, Charlotte Lucas, Cara and Mandy Long, and Kathleen Goulding.
She noted with distaste that Mr Darcy seemed to be approaching their group, but thankfully he kept walking until he reached a window, and with one hand behind his back, he stood stiffly staring out into the dark.
“How rude,” Elizabeth hissed.
“To whom do you refer?” Mary asked. She saw the direction of Lizzy’s eyes and knew who had stoked her older sister’s ire. “Lizzy, Mr Darcy is not bothering anyone.”
“No, he is not, but he is slighting his hosts. Mr Bingley greeted the Gouldings as one should, before setting about greeting his neighbours. His sisters are too supercilious to converse with the Gouldings, but at least they remained for the greeting. Mr Darcy just stalked off and now stares at nothing. That way he does not have to lower himself to converse with us nobodies.” Elizabeth huffed.
“Eliza, I know he insulted you at the assembly, but to be fair, you know not why he walked off,” Charlotte suggested. “When they entered, Miss Bingley was attached to his arm, and he did not look pleased. Could he have been attempting to escape her clutches?”
Elizabeth was in no mood to excuse Mr Darcy for anything. “That may be true, but as he claims to be a gentleman, he should have greeted his hosts before running away like he did,” she insisted.
Mary caught Charlotte’s eye and shook her head. When Lizzy was as angry as she was with Mr Darcy, she would not listen to reason. She decided to change the subject. “I see Mr Bingley is seated next to our Jane. I wager he will not stray from her side all night.”
“What think you of him, Charlotte?” Elizabeth questioned. “You were, after all, the first local lady he asked to dance.”
“True, but I believe he prefers the lady he danced with second.” Charlotte inclined her head towards Jane and Mr Bingley. “As to my opinion of the man, he is very amiable and seems to want to please where he can.”
A little later in the evening, Mrs Goulding opened the pianoforte. She invited any young ladies who desired to exhibit to do so.
Caroline Bingley jumped at the chance to demonstrate her superiority. She sat down, her nose in the air, and proceeded to play a sonata. Her fingering was faultless, but she infused it with as much feeling as a dead fish. The applause was light and polite.
Miss Bingley was not pleased. Mr Darcy had not turned to look at her while she played, never mind volunteering to turn the pages for her. On top of that, the locals were jealous because of her masterful performance.
A few local ladies followed; the last one was Kathleen Goulding. The applause for each one was generous and warm, especially for the latter.
“It shows these bumpkins have no appreciation for fine things,” Miss Bingley said to her sister, never bothering to lower her voice. “How dare they applaud more for these nobodies who barely know how to play?”
“It is jealousy, Caro,” Mrs Hurst opined.
“Lizzy, will you perform for us tonight?” Kathleen asked her friend. She turned to Mary, “If Lizzy will not, will you? It is the final performance.”
“You exhibit, Mary; I am not in the mood to do so this night,” Elizabeth urged.
Mary agreed. She made her way to the instrument and looked through the available music. She found one she desired to perform. Mary looked to Lizzy who nodded and made to join her sister to turn the pages for her.
It was at that moment Darcy finally turned around.
He had allowed his anger at Miss Bingley’s presumption at grabbing his arm to fester, and only now could he school his features and be ready to face the room.
He saw two ladies approach the instrument; the taller of the two, with brown hair, on the darker side, seated herself while the other, a petite woman with rich raven-coloured wavy tresses turned around.
It was the one he insulted at the assembly, and rather than being tolerable, she was quite beautiful with the most attractive emerald-green eyes he had ever seen.
If only to himself, Darcy owned that he had not even seen her at the public ball. He had looked in her direction so Bingley would think he had taken in her features and said what he did to make Bingley return to his partner; the same one he was sitting next to at that moment.
How beautiful she was made not a jot of difference.
He was a Darcy of Pemberley and was expected to make a brilliant match.
His mother had said something about how he should choose his wife, but that had been fifteen years past, and he could not recall her words.
He was certain neither of his late parents would approve of some insignificant country squire’s daughter as the next Mrs Darcy.
Elizabeth took her seat and nodded to tell Mary she was ready.
The Bingley sisters were about to snicker about the lack of quality in the next performer, one of the multitude of Miss Bennets from Longbourn, but then the young lady began to play.
It was a complicated piece, Beethoven's Piano Sonata number 26, also known as Les Adieux, that neither Mrs Hurst nor Miss Bingley had come close to mastering, so they had given up trying.
The Bennet chit had not only mastered it, but she played it as well as some of the most accomplished performers either Bingley sister had ever heard.
How was a country mushroom more proficient at the instrument than them?
Darcy had heard Anna try to learn this piece by Beethoven, and she was getting better, but her ability was nothing to the Bennet sister at the instrument’s keys. He was shocked. He had never expected to hear such a good performance away from the first circles in London.
Out of the corner of her eye, Elizabeth saw the abject surprise on Mr Darcy’s face.
She had felt satisfied when she had seen the sour looks on Mrs Hurst’s and Miss Bingley’s faces, but that was nothing to the pleasure she took in Mister, proud and rude, Darcy’s reaction.
She could not help but smirk at the man.
Better still, he had seen the look she had directed at him.
The one he had slighted shot him an impertinent look, which only enhanced her beauty.
Those magnificent eyes glowed with pleasure and mischief.
Surely, she had not been able to tell that he was feeling the stirrings of an infatuation with her?
No, of course not. She would have no way of determining that because he had made sure to keep the Darcy Mask in place, hiding his true feelings.
As he was not sure, he would have to be more careful; he could not excite expectations his class and wealth would never allow him to fulfil.
Jane had enjoyed her time with Mr Bingley exceedingly.
There was only one worrying aspect; all he seemed to speak about was her outward beauty.
As she could not imagine anything but good in people, Jane believed that it was only because they had just met, and once Mr Bingley knew her more, he would speak of more than her external facade.
In the Bennet carriage on the ride back to Longbourn, Fanny Bennet was crowing over how she knew Jane could not be so beautiful for no reason and that it was a sure thing that before too long her eldest daughter would be the mistress of Netherfield Park.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
On Wednesday, just after the midday meal, Hill approached Miss Lizzy and extended his salver, which held a letter for her.
Elizabeth recognised the writing as that of her Aunt Maddie’s right away.
Even though she had hoped a reply would be received sooner, she was very happy to see what her aunt and uncle would have to say about the insufferable, rude, arrogant, and hateful Mr Darcy.
She was sure there would be much condemnation of his behaviour on the pages.
She excused herself and practically ran up the stairs to her chamber. As soon as the door was closed, Elizabeth threw herself onto her bed and broke the seal so she could read the words she was greatly anticipating.
1 October 1811
23 Gracechurch Street
London
Lizzy,
You know how much your Uncle Edward and I love you, do you not? I need you to remember that if our words are not exactly what you want to hear.
The words gave Elizabeth pause. Surely her aunt and uncle would agree with her and condemn Mr Darcy’s behaviour and not her own? She returned to the page.
Allow me to begin with this: what Mr Darcy said was not well done and uncalled for. There is no excuse for his slighting you in that manner, and we will not attempt to justify his actions.
That being said, do you know what had put him in the bad humours you described from the time he arrived? Is it possible his dark mood had nought to do with you, any of your friends, or neighbours?
You mentioned that he was not happy to have Miss Bingley attached to his arm.
I can tell you from what Adam has told me that he intensely dislikes that lady, her older sister as well.
Why, you are probably asking, did he not take his anger out on the Bingley sisters?
I cannot answer that, but I suspect his friendship with Mr Bingley is a factor.
Aside from Miss Bingley being latched to his arm, do you know if he was upset or worried about anything else? Did you, or did you not, hear how his income was freely bandied about?
You wrote about how Mr Bingley was trying to cajole Mr Darcy to dance. Something else we have learnt from Adam is that Mr Darcy does not enjoy public events like the assembly. Before you say it, he does not like high-society balls any more than the one in Meryton.
Let me repeat, before you try to assert I am trying to justify what he said or how he acted in Meryton, I am not! None of the questions I raised or points I made is an excuse for what he said.
All I want is for you to be open to the fact that there may be things at play of which you know nothing. No matter how sure you are about the reasons for what he said, you do not know all.
In the past, your Uncle Edward and I have asked you to think before you speak. I say this because what you said about how you reacted is not very much better than his behaviour, which you so rightly deplore.
How many times have you condemned the gossip your mother and her sister spread? Yet, was that not what you did at the assembly? Yes, it was based in truth, but then again, most gossip is, with the exception of the malicious kind. Lizzy, put your prejudices aside and think about my words.
Remember we love you,
Aunt Maddie
“It is not close to being the same thing!” Elizabeth insisted stubbornly.