Chapter 13
Jane’s Bedchamber
Longbourn
Midnight
“A visit to London to stay with the countess?” Jane demanded. “I can understand why Lady Keaton wishes for you to visit, but why me? I am not her close friend.”
“Yes, but you are kind and gentle and charming, and Clara is not as easy in company as we are. Besides, I am confident that you would grow closer to the countess if you spent more time with her.”
Jane tilted her head and asked, “What about you? What do you want, Lizzy?”
Elizabeth hesitated for a moment and then confessed, “I would like it very much. It is rather hard rushing back and forth between Longbourn and Emerald Island year in and year out, and I would be close enough to both estates to send letters quickly, or even journey to one or the other if needed. Moreover, Clara truly is a charming woman, and clever, and I would like to spend more time with her. We would also be able to see the Gardiners often but … but I do not wish to press you, Jane, if you do not want to go.”
“Of course I want to go,” Jane said firmly.
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. “What about Mr. Bingley?”
“What about him?”
“Jane, he seems more in love with you by the hour, and may well ask for your hand in marriage within the day.”
“And if he does, I will refuse him.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “You do not care for him?”
“I do,” Jane replied, reaching over to take her sister’s hands in her own. “I do, very much, but I am not quite ready to commit my life to him. Perhaps I will feel differently in a week, but for now, I too am eager for a change of scenery.”
Elizabeth considered her gravely and then said, “Very well, but Jane, if you do wish to cry off from our visit in favor of spending time with Mr. Bingley, you must tell me.”
“I promise that I will. Now, what of Mamma? Do you think she will be upset by our plans?”
“To have us spend a few weeks in the house of an earl, meeting countless eligible gentlemen of the ton? I am certain she will be enormously pleased, Jane!”
***
Drawing Room
Longbourn
A Few Days Later
All the Bennet ladies were arrayed decorously around the drawing room, save the mysterious and ever-absent Miss Mary, and the one lady Darcy had most hoped to see.
Bingley, of course, had taken the chair closest to Miss Bennet and kept throwing her admiring glances.
The governess, whose name Darcy could not at present recall, was also there, sewing placidly in one corner near the two youngest Misses Bennet.
If Miss Elizabeth was not present, at least neither were Bingley's sisters, and if the one was a grave disappointment, the other was a relief, if not an unexpected one.
The two gentlemen had been in accord in desiring to ride over to Longbourn, rather than order the carriage brought around, as neither wished for the company of the ladies of Netherfield, especially Miss Bingley.
Her arrogant and derisive comments regarding the residents of Meryton in general and Longbourn in particular had not been lost on Bingley and Darcy, nor had her remarkable change in attitude when the Earl and Countess of Keaton had arrived so unexpectedly on that humble doorstep.
Darcy had found Miss Bingley's former views annoying, but even less did he relish the inevitable fawning and flattery directed towards the very family she had only recently concluded was so distasteful.
Lady Bennet, who did not appear to be overly burdened with intellect, might perhaps be cozened by such a blatant change in attitude, but it was unlikely that her daughters would be so fooled.
In this society-strapped locale, Miss Bingley would leap at the chance to ingratiate herself with anyone who greeted a Countess by her Christian name, but a friendship based entirely on social climbing would not be attractive to the daughters of Longbourn.
Darcy knew that Miss Elizabeth would despise such attempts at ingratiation.
Even less, he suspected, would she appreciate the personal, uncivil inquiries that would likely follow from Miss Bingley wondering how the Bennets had first come in contact with such high-born individuals.
He smiled a little to himself at the thought of the stinging and perfectly civil set-down with which Miss Elizabeth would doubtless respond.
He wondered glumly where she was.
It would be impolite to inquire after her whereabouts, much though he wished to do so.
Or, if not impolite, it would at the least betray an unbecoming interest in the fascinating second Miss Bennet.
So Darcy sat mostly in silence, allowing his more garrulous friend to take the lead in extending to the Bennets their invitation to the Netherfield ball.
“Oh, we will enjoy the ball very much, will we not, Jane?” Lady Bennet cried out, turning toward her eldest daughter, who was exquisite in a simple blue dress with an ivory shawl over it.
“I am confident that we will all enjoy it,” Jane agreed with a glowing smile. “Thank you, Mr. Bingley, very much.”
“It is my pleasure, of course. Now, I hope that you are well today?”
“We are very well,” Lady Bennet gushed, and Darcy tuned out the subsequent conversation, which was conventionally dull, and allowed himself to ponder the mystery of Elizabeth Bennet.
She was tantalizing and unexpected, but perhaps it was even more remarkable that she had captured his attention in such a way.
Surely she was not entirely unique in society, but in truth, he had never met a woman like her.
Could it be that she was unique?
“Must you leave now, Mr. Bingley?” Lady Bennet asked, drawing Darcy’s attention, and he realized that Bingley was on his feet. He also stood up as his friend explained, “I intend to visit Lucas Lodge and deliver an invitation there as well, and then I need to meet with my steward.”
“Lucas Lodge?” their hostess repeated with a look of consternation.
“I do hope ... that is, well, they are a charming family, of course, and the Lucas daughters are good girls, though not at all pretty. Not that I think Charlotte so very plain, but then she is our particular friend. I do not like to boast of my own child, but to be sure, one does not often see anybody more handsome than my Jane. I do not trust my own partiality, but it is what everyone says.”
Darcy was startled at this vulgarity, and looking around at the three Bennet daughters in residence, noted that all wore expressions of embarrassment.
“Without a doubt, Miss Bennet is very beautiful, as are all your daughters,” Bingley said genially, which provoked the matron to declare, “Yes, all but Mary inherited my beauty, and Mary is a genius, you know, just like her father. I find it very odd that my own daughter adores calculations and recording observations and staring through telescopes, but I suppose it is kind of God above to allow my husband one daughter who shares his passion.”
“Indeed,” Bingley said and bowed. “Until we meet again, ladies.”
***
On the Path to Lucas Lodge
Ten Minutes Later
The clopping of the horses' hooves on the hard-packed dirt of the road was a pleasing accompaniment to a singularly beautiful scene.
Sycamores and oaks lined the road to Lucas Lodge, and they were all aflame with their autumn raiment.
Red rowan berries gleamed like jewels amongst the glossy leaves surrounding them.
Squirrels scampered along, their cheeks packed full of the season's ripe nuts, while birds chirped overhead.
“I say, is that Miss Elizabeth?” Bingley asked suddenly, provoking Darcy to turn his attention from the foliage to the path ahead of them. He squinted and said, “I believe it is.”
The lady, dressed in a dark pelisse with a green cap on her head, was making her brisk way toward them down the path, and Darcy made a sudden decision. “Bingley, I would like to apologize to Miss Elizabeth for my rude remarks at the assembly. Do you mind going on without me to Lucas Lodge?”
“Your…,” Bingley began and then frowned. “Do you think she heard you?”
“I did not think so, but ... yes, she did,” Darcy said grimly.
Bingley wrinkled his nose and said, “Of course, Darcy. That is, we can speak more of this later.”
Miss Elizabeth was now but thirty feet away, and Darcy pulled Phoenix to a halt and swung out of the saddle, though he kept a firm grip on the reins.
Bingley trotted forward on his horse and paused briefly to speak softly to the lady before continuing onward.
Darcy waited patiently as Miss Elizabeth continued walking toward him, and he could not help but note her vigorous movements, her cheeks pleasingly flushed with exercise, and her sparkling eyes.
She came to a halt ten feet away from him and tilted her head in a beguiling way. “Mr. Darcy, good morning.”
“Good morning,” he replied, bowing, though rather awkwardly since he was holding his horse’s reins, and she curtsied back to him with grace and without any hint of supplication.
“Miss Elizabeth,” Darcy said, “I wish to apologize for my unkind words at the Meryton assembly. I was rude and arrogant, along with being stupid, because while I may not be handsome enough to tempt you, you are most certainly handsome enough to tempt me.”
The lady lifted one eyebrow and said, “I confess to some surprise, but certainly I accept your apology, Mr. Darcy. I will not apologize for my own response at Lucas Lodge, however. I am rather inclined to think that you deserved it.”
He could not help but chuckle at this blunt statement, and he said, “You are correct, of course, that I entirely and completely deserved it. Now I beg you to refuse me without compunction if you wish, but may I please be honored with a set at the upcoming ball at Netherfield Hall?”
She considered for a painfully long moment and then nodded briskly. “Yes, you may have the fourth set, Mr. Darcy.”
“Thank you,” he replied gratefully.
She shifted her eyes past the gentleman and his horse and said, “Now, if you will excuse me, I need to return home.”
“Of course,” Darcy replied, promptly swinging himself into the saddle and guiding Phoenix to one side of the path so that Miss Elizabeth could walk by.
He waited until she had proceeded some twenty feet beyond before urging Phoenix into a walk.
Given that Bingley was probably already at Lucas Lodge, he might as well ride toward Netherfield Hall, though he would take his time about the journey.
A few minutes later, he found himself humming a tune, which was unusual for him, but then again, he was genuinely pleased with life. He had apologized to Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and she had forgiven him, and they would dance together at the Netherfield Ball. Yes, he was happy.
***
Jane’s Bedchamber
Longbourn
Midnight
“Well, that was good of Mr. Darcy to apologize, at any rate!” Jane remarked.
Elizabeth, seated next to her elder sister on a settee, reached her hands out toward the fire to warm them.
“I suppose, though I suspect the reason for his sudden change of opinion can be attributed to the Earl and Countess of Keaton landing unexpectedly on our doorstep. I suspect that Mr. Darcy considered our family beneath his notice until it became obvious that we are friendly with Lady Keaton, and now he has decided that he needs to treat us with courtesy.”
“That is a cynical view, Lizzy.”
“And yet, I rather think that I am right, Jane.”