Chapter Thirteen
Caroline Notices
Caroline Bingley noticed everything involving Mr. Darcy.
She had therefore noticed Elizabeth Bennet.
At first she dismissed the interest. Darcy admired beauty; Miss Elizabeth was pretty enough in an unfashionable country way, with dark eyes that were perhaps too lively and a manner far too confident for a woman without consequence.
Caroline had seen Darcy attend handsome women before without any danger to himself.
Then he began smiling.
Not frequently. That would have been alarming.
But at Elizabeth.
Only Elizabeth.
Worse, Elizabeth did not appear impressed.
Caroline found that offensive on principle.
At Netherfield one evening, Caroline attempted the old tactic Elizabeth remembered too well. She rose from the card table, linked arms with Louisa, and suggested a turn about the room. Elizabeth had been reading near Georgiana and knew exactly what came next.
"Miss Eliza, do join us," Caroline said with an airy smile.
Elizabeth closed her book. "Certainly."
They walked. Darcy remained seated with a volume open upon his knee.
Caroline waited long enough to ensure he noticed, then said, "Mr. Darcy, will you not join us?"
He did not look up. "No."
Elizabeth bit her lip.
Caroline frowned. "Surely you must be tired of sitting."
"I am not."
"Then perhaps you might admire our figures to greater advantage while we walk."
Darcy lowered the book.
Elizabeth knew the line from their first life. He had eventually admitted that his remarks about eyes and figures that evening had been among the stupidest things he had ever said while imagining himself clever.
Darcy looked at Elizabeth.
She lifted one eyebrow.
Warning.
His eyes warmed.
"I have already had sufficient opportunity to admire what deserves admiration," he said.
Caroline stopped walking.
Elizabeth nearly walked into Louisa.
Georgiana made a tiny sound behind her embroidery.
Bingley entered at that exact moment and looked around. "What did I miss?"
Darcy returned to his book with infuriating composure.
Elizabeth's cheeks burned.
Caroline stared.
Later she cornered Darcy in the library.
"Are you courting her?"
Darcy did not bother pretending ignorance. "Not formally."
Caroline's face changed. "Darcy."
He closed the ledger before him. Once, he had avoided this conversation through silence. He had never encouraged Caroline directly, but he had allowed her hopes to exist because correcting them seemed unpleasant and unnecessary.
Elizabeth had taught him that ambiguity could be its own form of selfishness.
"Caroline."
"You cannot be serious."
"I am."
"Her family--"
"Will be my relations if I marry her. Therefore I recommend you become accustomed to the possibility before speaking carelessly."
Caroline stared at him. "You have known her scarcely a month."
Darcy went still.
Caroline's gaze sharpened. "Yet you behave as though you have known her for years."
There it was.
Too close.
Darcy forced his expression smooth. "That is an exaggeration."
"Is it? You know when she will laugh before she does. You move things out of her way before she notices them. Yesterday she reached for the teapot and you handed it to her without looking up."
Darcy had done that for half a century.
He said carefully, "I am attentive."
Caroline gave a disbelieving laugh. "Since when?"
Darcy almost smiled. "A fair question."
Her expression tightened. "I had thought--"
She stopped.
Darcy knew what she had thought.
He stood. "Caroline, I value you as Bingley's sister and as Georgiana's friend."
She went very still.
"But nothing more," he finished.
Caroline looked away.
The silence stretched.
At last she said, "I see."
"I am sorry."
She gave him a bitter glance. "No, you are not."
Darcy considered. "I am sorry to hurt you. I should have been clearer sooner."
That made her look back.
For a moment young Caroline looked less polished and more wounded. Darcy remembered that age had softened her eventually, though not until after she had spent years attempting to become exactly what society rewarded.
She left without replying.
Elizabeth found Darcy later standing alone near the terrace doors.
"That looked unpleasant," she said.
"It was."
"Caroline?"
He nodded.
Elizabeth touched his sleeve. "You were kinder than before."
"I was not kind to her by allowing ambiguity the first time."
Elizabeth smiled. "You have become very wise."
"Marriage improved me."
She grinned. "Your wife sounds remarkable."
"Insufferable."
"Poor man."
Darcy leaned slightly closer. "Frequently."
Elizabeth's smile softened.
They stood there a moment longer than strangers should.
Across the room Caroline saw.
This time she turned away.
Georgiana's first weeks in Hertfordshire were not uniformly easy. One afternoon Caroline arranged a small musical gathering at Netherfield and, with good intentions sharpened by ambition, announced Georgiana's performance before asking whether she wished to play.
Georgiana's face went white.
Darcy saw it.
So did Elizabeth.
Caroline smiled toward the pianoforte. "Georgiana, everyone has been longing to hear you."
In their first life Darcy would have expected his sister to comply. He might even have encouraged her, believing success would restore confidence.
Now he remained seated and asked, "Do you wish to play?"
The room became quiet.
Caroline looked startled.
Georgiana swallowed. "Not alone."
Elizabeth spoke before anyone could fill the silence. "Then perhaps I might play with you badly enough that no one notices your mistakes."
Georgiana laughed nervously.
Mary, visiting with Jane, said, "I could turn pages."
Lydia added, "And I shall not sing. That is my contribution."
Even Caroline laughed at that.
Georgiana played with Elizabeth beside her and Mary turning pages. She made two mistakes. No one died. When the piece ended, Georgiana smiled before anyone applauded.
Darcy looked down at his hands.
Bingley came beside him. "Are you crying?"
"No."
"You look--"
"Bingley."
"Very well. You are experiencing dust."
Darcy gave him a murderous look.
Bingley smiled and walked away.
Afterward Georgiana found Caroline alone. Elizabeth happened to be near enough to hear without intending to.
"Please ask next time," Georgiana said.
Caroline blinked. "Ask?"
"Before telling everyone I shall play."
Caroline's first reaction was offense. Elizabeth saw it form. Then Caroline looked at Georgiana's hands and seemed to understand something.
"Of course," she said. "I thought you would enjoy it."
"I know."
"I am sorry."
Georgiana smiled.
The apology was small.
Elizabeth remembered a lifetime in which Caroline rarely apologized because she believed intention excused impact.
Perhaps everyone was being given second chances in ways they would never know.