Chapter 5 #2
Only when Hill had gone did Elizabeth notice the strain beneath her mother’s calm appearance. Anyone else might have missed it, but Elizabeth was watching her closely.
Shortly afterward, the four visitors were shown in.
Mr Bingley looked around eagerly, but with no one present to perform the introductions, everyone stood somewhat uncertainly.
Elizabeth had risen with the rest of her family and now glanced at Mr Darcy, hesitating as she wondered whether she ought to reveal her prior acquaintance with him to her mother quite so soon.
To her relief, she was spared the decision. Before the silence could become truly awkward, her father entered the room.
“Ah, gentlemen,” he said. “You have returned my call with admirable speed. I had not expected to see you again quite so soon, though perhaps the presence of this young lady explains the urgency.” His gaze shifted briefly towards Miss Darcy. “Allow me to perform the necessary office.”
He then introduced Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy to the ladies present, making excuses for his two youngest daughters.
When he came to Elizabeth, her father cast her a knowing glance but made no mention of her previous acquaintance with Mr Darcy, presenting them as though they had never met.
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him slightly, but Mr Bennet merely looked amused.
Afterward, Mr Darcy presented his sister and Mrs Annesley.
That done, the group found their seats. Mr Bingley lost little time in taking a seat near Mrs Bennet and Jane, and Elizabeth could not help noticing how readily his attention settled upon her eldest sister.
Mr and Miss Darcy, meanwhile, settled nearer to Elizabeth and Mary.
Mrs Annesley sat nearby, though a little apart from the younger ladies, as was appropriate for her position.
After a brief survey of the room, Mr Bennet positioned himself between the two groups, where he could listen to both conversations without being obliged to contribute much to either.
“It is lovely to meet you, Miss Darcy,” Elizabeth said, recognising a certain shyness in the girl. Beside her, Mary remained silent as well, and Elizabeth hoped she might somehow ease them both into greater comfort with one another.
“I am pleased to meet you, too, Miss Elizabeth,” Miss Darcy replied. “I confess I have been looking forward to meeting you ever since my brother told me of your meeting.”
Mary turned towards Elizabeth, her eyes full of questions. Mr Darcy noticed the reaction as well, and when Elizabeth glanced towards him, the look in his eyes made it perfectly clear that he found her predicament amusing.
“We have not told my mother about our being stranded at the inn, since my aunt and I did not wish to worry her unnecessarily,” Elizabeth explained. “Naturally, my father knows about the incident.”
“Oh,” Miss Darcy said, looking down at her hands.
“Do not concern yourself, Miss Darcy,” Elizabeth hastened to say. “You have said nothing wrong. I am certain Mama will learn of it soon enough.” She smiled encouragingly. “But tell me, how are you finding Netherfield? I have always been very fond of the house and hope you are comfortable there.”
“We have been comfortable so far,” Miss Darcy answered. “I am uncertain how long I shall stay, but I am glad to have met you and your sisters. My brother said there were five of you.”
“The second youngest, Catherine, is in London with my aunt and uncle,” Elizabeth explained.
“And the youngest, Lydia, is fifteen and has recently been returned to the schoolroom. It is possible you will meet her during your visit, depending upon how long you remain, but for now my parents have decided that she would benefit from a little more time before entering society again.”
“Oh, we met Mrs Gardiner and Miss Catherine a few days ago,” Miss Darcy said with sudden animation.
“My brother had some business with Mr Gardiner, and afterwards he asked whether Mrs Gardiner might call at Darcy House. You see, she knew my mother and father, even if only a little, and I was so pleased to speak with her. Your sister accompanied her on the call, though she was very quiet.”
Elizabeth glanced sharply towards Mr Darcy, her brows rising before she could prevent it. He had not appeared to know Uncle Gardiner when they last met, and she had certainly not expected to learn that her aunt and Kitty had since been invited to Darcy House.
For the remainder of the visit, Elizabeth found herself speaking primarily with Miss Darcy.
Mary occasionally contributed, as did Mr Darcy, though for the most part the two were content to listen.
Elizabeth nevertheless found great enjoyment in the conversation and was particularly pleased when Mary became more animated as the subject turned to music.
It seemed Miss Darcy greatly enjoyed the pianoforte and had recently begun learning the harp.
Mary and Elizabeth were the only Bennet sisters who played any instrument, and after reading about the harp some months before, Mary had expressed a wish to learn it herself.
Acquiring such an instrument seemed unlikely, much to Mary’s disappointment.
Elizabeth was rather less troubled by the impossibility.
Indeed, she sometimes wondered whether another instrument might give Mary an outlet for her love of music that did not involve singing quite so often.
Her sister’s voice was tolerable, but by no means capital, and Elizabeth had occasionally attempted—always gently—to discourage her from exhibiting it too frequently.
Miss Darcy admitted that she rarely sang herself and much preferred expressing herself through an instrument.
Mary appeared intrigued by this, and although a slight flush rose to her cheeks when their father made some dry observation about the advantage of knowing one’s particular strengths, she did not appear offended.
If anything, Elizabeth thought she looked thoughtful.
Perhaps, Elizabeth reflected, her mother’s unexpected admonition had not fallen upon entirely barren ground after all.
The visitors from Netherfield remained for half an hour, and when they rose to take their leave, Mrs Bennet invited them to remain for tea. They readily accepted, and by the end of another hour, the acquaintance between the three young ladies had warmed considerably.
“I hope you will both call me Georgiana,” Miss Darcy said somewhat hesitantly. “That is, if you would not object.”
Before answering, Elizabeth glanced towards Mr Darcy.
She was not entirely certain why she did so, for his sister hardly required his permission to choose her friends, but she found him watching Georgiana with a pleased expression.
When his gaze met Elizabeth’s, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly, as though encouraging her.
“I should be very pleased to, Georgiana,” Elizabeth replied. “And you must call me Elizabeth.”
“And Mary,” her sister added quietly.
Georgiana seemed to relax at once.
It occurred to Elizabeth then that Mr Darcy had seemed particularly anxious for his sister to make new acquaintances.
She recalled his words at the inn on the evening they had all been stranded there together.
Perhaps seeing Georgiana so animated was as gratifying to him as Mary’s increased participation had been to Elizabeth.