Chapter 4 #2
Several days later, the Darcys set out for Netherfield.
Georgiana and Mrs Annesley occupied one side of the carriage, while Darcy sat opposite them, his thoughts returning rather too frequently to Hertfordshire—and to one particular young lady he expected to find there.
His sister’s words a few days before had given him pause, and he had been unable to put Miss Elizabeth from his mind.
Bingley had departed the day before, but Darcy had decided to give his friend a day to settle in before arriving with his sister in tow.
Amongst other things, Bingley needed to learn what arrangements had already been made for Netherfield’s Harvest Home, which was to take place on Michaelmas Day, only three days hence.
It would provide a useful introduction to some of the responsibilities that came with being master of an estate, as well as an opportunity to meet his tenants and some of his neighbours.
Darcy could not deny that he also hoped Miss Bennet might attend, and something told him that she would.
The day after their arrival, Mr Bennet paid a call upon Bingley, and Darcy happened to be in the study during the visit.
“Mr Darcy,” Mr Bennet said after they were introduced. “I understand from Mrs Gardiner that you met her and my second daughter the night they were stranded at the Falcon Inn in Waltham Cross.”
“I did, although I should say that I knew Mrs Gardiner long before she married Mr Gardiner,” Darcy said easily, his face reflecting his slight amusement.
From what he had learnt of Mr Bennet, Darcy was not particularly impressed by him, but neither did he wish to earn the man’s ill will.
He wished to visit Miss Bennet—Miss Elizabeth, as she would be known here—and did not want her father to stand in his way.
“Yes, that is what she said,” Mr Bennet drawled.
“Whatever passed between the two of you seems to have had quite an effect upon my wife. My two youngest daughters are no longer out as a result. Somehow, it all appears to lead back to Mrs Gardiner’s meeting you, although I confess that I do not quite understand what you did. ”
Darcy raised a brow at this, for he could not imagine what Mrs Gardiner might have said.
“She departed almost a se’nnight ago, and there has been wailing in my house ever since,” Mr Bennet said.
“I cannot explain it either, sir,” Darcy replied.
He could scarcely imagine how any of this could be attributed to him, but he also wondered at any man willingly allowing five daughters to enter society at the same time.
At the very least, the funds saved by not dressing the youngest two in finery might allow the family to put something aside towards the girls’ dowries.
“Between the coming of Mr Bingley—” he glanced at him before turning again to Darcy “—and then the news that you would come, my entire household has been aflutter for what seems nearly a month,” Mr Bennet continued, barely acknowledging Darcy’s reply.
Bingley shifted slightly in his chair, though Mr Bennet appeared not to notice.
“I confess that I very much wish to tell the two of you that you are welcome to whichever of my daughters you prefer, but I suppose that is rather much for a first meeting.” His mouth twitched. “So I shall only say that the three eldest are likely the best of the lot.”
Darcy was not certain whether the man was serious.
“Jane is rather pretty, and some consider her ‘the jewel of the county,’ though that is chiefly Sir William. My Lizzy is the most intelligent.”
At the mention of Miss Elizabeth, Darcy found himself listening more closely.
“But if you prefer a girl who reads sermons, perhaps Mary will do for you,” Mr Bennet continued. “It is fortunate Kitty and Lydia are no longer out, for they are rather silly.”
He sighed, though Darcy suspected there was little genuine distress behind it.
“Of course, now I shall be forced to listen to their complaints whenever the rest of my daughters attend some social event my wife has decreed those two may not attend—at least so long as you gentlemen are housed at Netherfield.”
Darcy could not understand the man’s sardonic and almost lethargic attitude towards his daughters.
It was nearly as though he wished they would never wed, but surely that could not be the case.
Five daughters must place a considerable strain upon the man’s income, and he could only benefit from seeing at least one of them well married, particularly when none would have a home at Longbourn once Mr Bennet died.
Precisely a quarter of an hour after Mr Bennet arrived, he stood and began to take his leave. Bingley immediately rose to accompany him from the room, and Darcy followed.
“Well, gentlemen, my wife will be pleased to learn that I have done my duty and visited my new neighbour,” Mr Bennet said as they entered the hall. “I dare say she will be even more pleased to discover that I have met both of you, rather than only you, Mr Bingley, as we anticipated.”
A servant appeared with Mr Bennet’s hat, which he accepted before turning towards Darcy.
“Of course, she has no idea that you have already met our second daughter, and I have a feeling her reaction when she learns of it will be most interesting, particularly after what Mrs Gardiner said about you and your consequence. At least she will not be pushing any of my daughters towards you—”
He paused and regarded Darcy with rather more attention than he had shown him thus far. It took nearly all of Darcy’s self-command not to shift beneath the scrutiny.
“—but then again, perhaps she will.”
He settled his hat upon his head, his mouth twitching slightly as he stood in the open door.
“En garde, gentlemen.”
With that, he stepped through the door and was gone.
Darcy stared after him for a moment before turning towards Bingley. His friend appeared equally at a loss for what to say.