3. Chapter Three
“Imet the infamous Mr. Darcy that Aunt Sarah always goes on about.”
Elizabeth had arrived at Longbourn and the confines of her family home the day after Mr. Darcy’s insincere apology and was now in her bedchamber with her beloved sister.
“Truly?” Jane held one of Elizabeth’s newest perfumes to her nose. “Was he as handsome as she claimed?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
Jane’s eyebrows rose in surprise and after placing the perfume back on her sister’s vanity, she settled on the bed to watch Elizabeth wash the dust from traveling off her face.
“Why, unfortunately?”
“Because his character does not match his looks.”
“I suspect there is a story here.”
“There is. While I change out of my traveling clothes, I will tell you all.”
Jane dutifully remained on the edge of her sister’s bed and listened, eyes widening upon hearing Mr. Darcy’s egregious insult toward her beloved sister.
“Poor Mr. Darcy,” she murmured. “To be so uncomfortable in public.”
“Only you, dear Jane, would sympathize and not join my rallying cry to string him up by his thumbs.”
“I am not excusing his behavior, only commiserating with him.” Jane plucked the counterpane of Elizabeth’s bed between her fingers. “I know what it is like to be watched and have my worth cataloged based solely on my looks. Such a man as Mr. Darcy, with a noble family, fortune, and seemingly everything in his favor, I am not surprised he thinks highly of himself.”
“Be that as it may, I could easily have forgiven his pride if he had not mortified mine,” Elizabeth quipped. “On the surface, it looks as though his life is ideal, but what makes one person happy can be a prison for others. I would not wish to live my life in the fishbowl of society with every curious person tapping on the glass to see how I react.”
“You, my brave little sister, would go the edge of your fishbowl and tap back.”
“Maybe, but I would rather not be in the fishbowl in the first place. I like living in Meryton with a more relaxed society. What do I care for gossip about who danced with whom, or the endless chatter over which lord or lady has fallen in society’s esteem? There is more to life than all that.”
“I agree.” Jane stood and smoothed down the front of her skirt. “Unfortunately, when our brother reaches his majority and takes over the reins of his estate, one of his duties is to participate in the House of Lords. He will need his family to help navigate the ballrooms and parlors of society, and that job will fall to us as Mamma is unable.”
“Aunt Sarah and Uncle John will also be his staunchest supporters. Trenton will not be solely on his own.”
“True, but the Earl of Tiverton will require a hostess and as his eldest sister, the duty will fall upon my shoulders.” Jane shook out her skirts and made to leave Elizabeth’s room. “We must prepare ourselves to be in the fishbowl of the Bon Ton until Trenton finds a wife and marries.”
“Well then,” Elizabeth said just as her sister opened the door to exit her bedchamber. “It is a good thing both you and I know how to swim.”
“True.” Jane chuckled and stepped out into the hall. “Dinner will be in an hour; I will see you then.”
Afew months later…
“Darcy, old man. ‘Tis good to see you.”
Darcy glanced up to see Bingley enter one of the quieter rooms at their club. He dropped into the chair opposite and signaled a waiting footman to bring him a drink. Since their private discussion at Lady Montrose’s ball, Darcy had not seen his friend Bingley as he had gone to Scarborough for a friend’s wedding.
“Have you just returned?” Darcy asked.
“Yesterday, and according to my youngest sister, not a moment too soon.” Bingley accepted the drink and took a large swallow before placing the cut glass on a side table. “I cannot even count the number of express messages she has sent in the past weeks, hastening my return.”
“Has some gentleman finally made her an offer and she wished you home to start the marriage settlement negotiations?” Darcy teased.
“I wish that were the reason.” Charles took another sip of his drink. “No, she is in a tither over all the gossip being bandied about.”
Panic began to set in. Had word of Georgiana’s near elopement slipped out?
“What gossip?”
“About you and the continual speculation you are actively seeking a bride.” Bingley grinned. “According to a certain gossip column, of which my sister is a religious devotee, since your return from a seaside holiday you have been to at least six balls and never danced with the same lady twice.”
A wave of relief washed over him. His efforts to mitigate any rumors from Ramsgate had been successful. Then, slowly, his mind registered the magnitude of what Bingley said.
“Are you telling me your sister begged your return because a scurrilous rag continually mentions how many times I have danced?”
“Not only that. She also begged my return because she cannot visit your home without my escort.”
“I fail to see why. Georgiana is not yet out and does not accept visitors.”
“She does not attend South Audley Street to visit your sister, she comes to see you.”
Darcy’s drink threatened to make a reappearance.
“I have told you, more than once, I will not marry your sister, even if she stages a compromise. I tolerate her existence because she is your sister. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“I have told her, but she refuses to accept the truth. She will not give up the fight until you have said your vows to another lady and the marriage lines are signed.”
Darcy crossed and uncrossed his legs. His level of discomfort rose with every word Bingley spoke.
“In light of what you are telling me, I must revoke my acceptance to visit your new estate.”
“I wish you would not. I am in desperate need of your sage advice. You are the only experienced landowner I have as a friend, and I give my word that Caroline will not bother you.” Bingley leaned forward. “I am confident she will behave. She wishes to exhibit the skills she learned at that vaunted seminary which cost my father a small fortune.”
Darcy decided to give his friend the benefit of the doubt, and if Miss Bingley continued in her delusion, he would simply leave Hertfordshire and give her the cut direct when next they met.
“If you truly wish to learn about estate management, you should leave her in Town the first few months of your lease.”
“I also wish to meet my neighbors and enjoy the local social life. To that end, I need a hostess, otherwise, I cannot reciprocate any invitations.”
“What about Mrs. Hurst?”
“She is in a delicate situation and Hurst does not want any undue pressure placed upon her.”
“Please give your sister and her husband my heartfelt congratulations.”
“You may tell them yourself. The other reason I sought you out was to invite you to dine with us tomorrow evening.”
Darcy lowered his forehead and leveled a dark look at his friend of five years.
“After what you have told me about your sister, do you think that wise?”
“You have suffered her fluttering eyelashes ever since she met you at the tender age of sixteen, I think you can bear it for one night.”
“Her fluttering eyelashes are not the problem. It is the death grip she has on my arm. One of these days, my hand will drop off from lack of blood.”
Bingley laughed and slapped his knee.
“I give you leave to offend my sister. If she latches onto your arm, simply remove her hand, and do not spare her feelings by telling her to desist. If she becomes offended, you have lost nothing. If she accepts your strictures, once again, you have lost nothing.”
“Then, I accept your invitation to dine. However, I am uneasy about going to Hertfordshire.”
“Let me know tomorrow evening. I do not leave for another week.” Bingley cocked his head, as though listening to another conversation. He cast a quizzical look in Darcy’s direction. “Are the rumors of a wager concerning you true?”
“Aye. Ashton wagered he could beat me to Pemberley and I was in the lead when Arion lost a shoe.”
“What were the terms?”
“If I lost the race, I had to dance three sets, one of them the supper set, at twenty balls before the end of the year.”
“Your cousin knew to hit where it hurts, and it also explains your attendance at so many events.” Bingley chuckled at the dark look Darcy shot at him. “What do you forfeit if you do not meet the terms of the wager?”
“I must give Arion to my cousin.”
“Ouch. You love that horse almost as much as you love your sister.”
“True, I am very attached to the ornery beast.”
“How many more events must you attend before the year ends?”
“After Lady Addlesworth’s annual Michaelmas ball, three.”
“Well then,” Bingley said quite emphatically. “I shall assist you and whilst in Hertfordshire, as Netherfield Park boasts a ballroom, I will host a ball and help you meet the terms of the wager.”
“For that reason alone, I may attend.” Darcy felt a lightening of his spirit. “No one will know my wealth and connections. I can be just another country gentleman.”
“Who is Lady E?” Bingley asked, out of the blue.
Darcy paused at the memory of the spirited lady who had taken him to task at Lady Montrose’s ball. Strangely enough, she and her fine eyes had begun to invade his thoughts – and dreams – more than once, and it was unsettling. Especially since the debacle at Ramsgate and how a few choice words that Georgiana overheard from Wickham devastated her equilibrium.
“She is a distant cousin on the Fitzwilliam side of the family. Why do you ask?”
“Caroline keeps muttering about an article in The Tattler where Lady E gave you the cut direct.”
“That was months ago. Why is she lathered up over that?”
“She wants to meet the infamous Lady E and defend your honor.”
“If Miss Bingley did meet the lady and tackle her verbally, your sister would be run out of town by Society. Lady E is not only the daughter of an earl, but also the niece of a marchioness. Lady E’s connections run deep and wide.” Darcy placed his empty glass down. “Advise your sister to worry about her life and find a husband. I am tired of being in her cross-hairs.”
“Next time we are at a ball and this Lady E is in attendance, I would have you point her out to me.”
“I am not likely to see her again. She has returned to her father’s estate and, from my understanding, rarely attends Town.”
Darcy watched the rolling hills of Hertfordshire flow by in a ribbon of green, gold, and rusty yellow. Autumn was his favorite season with the living color of changing leaves painting the landscape. However, his pleasure in the passing scenery was muted by the grating voice of Miss Caroline Bingley. May the Lord help the man who married her. It most assuredly would not be him, no matter how much she put herself forward. He knew Ashton had a bet on the books the determined miss would have him compromised and leg-shackled before he turned thirty, but Darcy was determined that with this bet, his cousin would lose.
His thoughts turned introspective. It was not that his cousin had placed the wager that had him disgruntled, it was the number of ‘so-called’ friends who put money on a successful outcome. His and Bingley’s wagers against the bet were the only outliers on the page. Of that, he was glad. If the brother of the anticipated bride was not in favor of her succeeding, his chances to avoid any attempt of a compromise by Miss Bingley were increased tenfold. Regardless, he and his valet would remain vigilant during their stay in Hertfordshire.
His attention was caught by Miss Bingley’s outraged gasp from a conversation she’d been having with her brother.
“And you only now thought to inform me of this assembly?”
“I meant to tell you earlier, but in the rush to get all the paperwork signed before taking over the lease, I forgot. It was as we passed the Red Lion Inn did it come to mind.”
“We are going to a local inn for a ball?”
Miss Bingley was almost shouting at this piece of news.
“It is a local assembly for the whole village. Sir William Lucas brought me the invitation personally last week and I purchased tickets on our behalf. ‘Tis a perfect backdrop to meet our new neighbors and engage in a few dances.”
Bingley slid Darcy a sideways glance and winked. He almost smiled, knowing his friend had accepted the invitation to give him another venue to meet the terms of his wager.
“I shall not go, and I am certain Mr. Darcy has no desire to attend such a low-brow affair.”
“On the contrary, I look forward to it.”
He did not wish to attend a local assembly filled to the rafters with strangers, but with only three more balls to attend before the year was out, this small assembly suited his needs. Two of his three requisite dances would, of course, be filled by Bingley’s sisters. He had no doubt Miss Bingley would attend now that she knew he was going. That left him to find a suitable partner for the supper set, and there were always matrons lining the walls at these events.
They safely arrived at the manor house, to which Miss Bingley wrinkled her nose with disgust. He could not fathom why as he thought the estate a good prospect for Bingley. Mid-sized with a record of decent profit, Netherfield Park was an excellent place for his friend to learn estate management. Darcy left the siblings in the main foyer and followed a maid to his suite of rooms in the guest wing and refreshed himself before making his way downstairs where all of them had agreed to meet in the main drawing room for tea.
Upon entry into the crowded assembly hall, Darcy unconsciously held his breath. With so many people in attendance and the evening unusually warm for mid-October, he waited for the scent of unwashed bodies and cheap tallow candles to hit his nostrils. A tall gentleman with bushy sideburns approached them, the broad smile on his face made his flushed cheekbones look like ripe apples.
“Mr. Bingley! We are so glad you came. Although the first set has already begun, you have plenty of time to petition a pretty girl for a dance, if you choose to do so.” He turned and brought forward a young woman. “This is my eldest daughter, Charlotte Lucas.”
“A pleasure, Miss Lucas,” Bingley said with enthusiasm. “If you are not engaged for the next set, might I ask you to partner with me?”
“It would be my pleasure, sir,” Miss Lucas answered with a small dip of a curtsy.
“Capital,” Sir William exclaimed and lightly clapped his hands, seemingly very pleased with how the introductions had gone in his daughter’s favor. “Would you do the honors, Mr. Bingley, and introduce the rest of your party?”
“Yes, of course,” Bingley said waving an arm in their general direction. “This my eldest sister, Louisa, and her husband, Mr. Hurst of Dorset, and my younger sister, Miss Caroline Bingley, along with my very good friend, Mr. Darcy of Derbyshire.”
During the introductions, Bingley had turned slightly to his left and his eyes lit up. Darcy looked to see what caught his friend’s attention, making note of a handsome older woman being brought forward, three dutiful daughters following in her wake. The minute Darcy saw one of the daughters, he knew Bingley had found his next angel. She was tall and graceful with a perfect symmetry of features, complete with a rosebud mouth and clear blue eyes, all beneath a golden cloud of hair. She seemed vaguely familiar to him, but he could not place why. When the second daughter stepped into view, his back stiffened in surprise.
Lady Elizabeth!
So taken aback, he missed the introduction to the matron but caught the names of the daughters.
“…her eldest, Miss Jane Hamilton.”
“Miss Hamilton,” Bingley said with a low bow, never removing his gaze from the blushing young lady.
“Next we have Miss Elizabeth Hamilton and Miss Mary Bennet, the eldest daughter with her husband, Mr. Bennet.”
“Miss Elizabeth, Miss Bennet.” Bingley gave yet another polite half-bow and no one corrected his form of address.
Darcy could not help the small frown which creased his brow. He turned his focus back to Lady Elizabeth and she gave a small shake of her head. If her proper form of address was Lady Elizabeth, it was logical the elder sister, also a Hamilton was his cousin, Lady Jane. It seemed they did not want his party to know their status.
He should not have been surprised at their reticence. Even his own extended Fitzwilliam family did not speak much about the Hamilton branch, given the fact the children had been so very young when their father had died and was raised in Hertfordshire. His aunt, Lady Courtland, was the only one who stayed in close contact with her nieces and nephew.
The next set began and Bingley, with apparent reluctance, escorted Miss Lucas to the floor. Given the downcast expression on her face, the older lady knew she stood no chance of keeping his undivided attention now that Miss Hamilton had been introduced. Hurst, his wife, and Miss Bingley deliberately moved a few steps away, avoiding all contact with Mrs. Bennet and her three daughters. Darcy was too polite to abandon them without some form of conversation and did not want Lady Elizabeth, or rather, Miss Elizabeth to castigate him further. He had greatly offended her the first time they met and would not commit the same mistake twice.
“Do you dance, Mr. Darcy?”
He was shaken out of his reverie by the seemingly innocent question from Mrs. Bennet.
“Not if I can help it, Madam.”
“You are serious!” Mrs. Bennet declared. “How is it that a handsome young gentleman is not enjoying the company of young ladies? I will not pressure you though, I know what it is like to have someone make you do something you have no wish to do.”
“Mrs. Bennet,” he said. “May I be so bold as to ask if you would grace my arm during the set before the refreshment break?”
“Me?” She outright gasped, and flicked open her fan and waved it about in front of her face. “Oh my. Oh, oh, oh…”
“Mamma.” Miss Elizabeth stepped forward and took hold of her mother’s flailing arm, and tucked it close to her side. “Mr. Darcy is a gentleman and would not harm you in any manner. He has asked if you would like to dance. You do like to dance, yes?”
Her mother turned hopeful eyes toward her daughter and breathed out, “Oh, I do so like to dance, but I cannot. What would Mr. Hamilton say?”
Miss Elizabeth gave her sister Miss Bennet a strange look.
“Mary will take you to Mr. Bennet. If you are lucky, he might prove willing to discuss all the lovely gowns the ladies are wearing.”
“But someone must dance with Mr. Darcy. We cannot leave him without a partner.” Mrs. Bennet looked at him and smiled wide. “My Lizzy will dance with you, Mr. Darcy. She is very good at dancing.”
Both Miss Elizabeth and Darcy sucked in a shocked breath, with Darcy recovering first.
“The honor would be mine, Mrs. Bennet,” he said with a low bow. “That is if your daughter wishes to grant me her company.”
“Mr. Darcy is all politeness,” Elizabeth said, displaying a tight smile. “How can one refuse such a request?”
“Of course, you shall dance with Mr. Darcy. Especially as he has asked you so nicely. It does my heart good to see such amiability and good manners in one so young.”
“Your daughter inspires me to behave in a more gentlemanlike behavior.”
He dared not look at Miss Elizabeth but felt the heat from her glare. Time, it seemed, had not softened her anger at his idiotic insult. There was not much he could do about that now, so he gave her and Mrs. Bennet a polite nod of the head and approached Miss Bingley to request her company for the third set and Mrs. Hurst for the fifth. Only then did he relax and retreat to the back of the hall to avoid the crush, a megrim throbbing behind his eyes. After tonight, only two more balls and his debt of honor would finally be paid.