Chapter 9
Darcy dressed for the day before dawn broke the night.
He had heard when the others arrived home from the assembly but kept his door locked, as he was in no disposition for conversation.
It was as if joy had burst through the turmoil that had lasted inside him for more than three months and he felt as happy and as silly as a schoolboy.
To happen upon Elizabeth had been the most thrilling and the most worrisome event. If he had arrogantly assumed he had better control over his feelings for her, the brief moment of their exchanged glances had shown him how ridiculous his usual vanity was and how easily fate could play with him.
He had been tempted to return to the assembly immediately, but had decided against such an impulse.
The mere notion that he would have to bear Caroline and Louisa’s enquiring looks, as well as Bingley’s na?ve but disturbing insistence was disquieting.
And he could not simply appear and address Elizabeth out of the blue.
Or could he? While he mused in such a manner, the carriage had already stopped in front of Netherfield.
And another moment passed until he realised that, if she was on the balcony, she might have heard him. He tried to recollect what he had said to Bingley—he would have said anything to be left alone, but his words might have sounded offensive and hurtful to Elizabeth and to anyone who was with her.
How was it possible that he did not see her in the assembly room?
Where was she? Could she have imagined he had ignored her on purpose?
Or that he had purposely offended her and her relatives and friends at the assembly?
How could he be so inconsiderate with the feelings of others?
How was it possible that he had refused so dramatically to dance?
Would it have killed him to have requested even Caroline’s hand for one set?
Moving around the room would have surely allowed him to see Elizabeth before he behaved so uncivilly. What were her thoughts about him now?
Even if he was aware that any bond between them beyond friendship was impossible, he could not bear to know she was there in the world thinking ill of him.
Without sleeping at all, he paced his room, waiting for the daylight.
He did not know Netherfield—he had barely had time to tour it briefly prior to the ball—and even less the estate, so there was nowhere he could go.
His only chance was to wait for Bingley to wake up and to take him for a very early morning ride and encourage him to speak of the ball, which should not be difficult to do.
And it would be even easier to find out where the Bennet family lived.
After that, he would find a way to meet Elizabeth again without exposing her to more unpleasantries, and to apologise to her, if necessary.
***
“Oh! my dear Mr. Bennet,” his wife cried as they sat together in the drawing-room, an hour after breakfast. “We had a most delightful evening, a most excellent ball. Jane was so admired, everybody said how well she looked! Mr. Bingley thought her quite beautiful, and danced with her twice! Only think of that, my dear!”
They were only in the company of their eldest daughters, as Mary was studying and Lydia and Kitty had already left for Meryton to visit Maria Lucas and exchange opinions after the ball.
“I have been thinking, my dear,” Mr. Bennet replied. “I am a little worried that Lizzy came home alone. Are you still unwell, my dear? Should we not fetch Mr. Jones, the apothecary?”
Elizabeth tried to laugh and jest. “Come now, Papa, I did not expect this from you. Calling Mr. Jones for a mere headache? What will become of us?”
“True. But for you to leave a ball early is quite worrisome.”
“Well, I would have left earlier too, if I did not have to stay with my other daughters, as my nerves were quite put out by that arrogant and rude man! Just imagine, Mr. Bennet! To refuse to be introduced to anyone or to dance with anyone and to claim all the girls in the room were barely tolerable! I have never seen such bad manners! It is a shame that Mr. Bingley had such a disagreeable friend and I hope he will not stay long here,” Mrs. Bennet complained angrily.
“Who was that, my dear?” Mr. Bennet indulged his wife, purely for his own amusement.
“A certain Mr. Darcy, from Derbyshire. It is said he has a great estate there and is worth ten thousand pounds a year, but that is nothing if one possesses such an unpleasant disposition and flawed character!”
Mr. Bennet instantly glanced at Elizabeth, his eyebrow arched in wonder, while his wife continued to complain, with much bitterness of spirit and some exaggeration, about the shocking rudeness of Mr. Darcy.
Elizabeth bore her father’s scrutiny, just as she had been forced to bear Jane’s enquiries earlier that morning.
Both of them were acquainted with Mr. Darcy’s name and with his estate in Derbyshire and both made the connection immediately.
To Jane, Elizabeth had explained that his presence in Meryton was as shocking for her as for anyone else and confessed that he had likely not seen her.
And now, she would have to repeat the entire story to her father, despite her distress.
“I do not hesitate to say—and Mrs. Phillips and Mrs. Long both agreed with me—that Mr. Darcy is a most disagreeable, horrid man! So high and so conceited, and he walked here, and walked there, fancying himself so very great! I wish you had been there, my dear, to have given him one of your set downs!”
“I wish I had been there too,” Mr. Bennet unexpectedly replied, with another meaningful glance at Elizabeth.
“Anyway, I quite detest the man, just as much as I adore Mr. Bingley!” Mrs. Bennet concluded.
At that very moment, the door opened and John their servant entered, announcing most ceremoniously, “Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy to see Mr. Bennet.”
Then he bowed and exited, allowing the two gentlemen to enter, causing real bewilderment for the ladies of Longbourn—equally strong, although for different reasons.
Mr. Bingley’s broad smile faded as he noticed the ladies’ uneasiness.
Mr. Darcy remained a few steps behind him, as though he was waiting to be allowed in.
Elizabeth’s mind became a tumult of thoughts and wonders that she could not comprehend, nor make sense of.
Only hours ago he had given no acknowledgement of her and now he had come to her house, obviously of his own will.
She was utterly shocked and equally mortified at her mother’s apparent displeasure and the glares she was throwing at Mr. Darcy.
“Gentlemen, what a pleasant surprise! Do come in, please,” Mr. Bennet invited them.
“We do not wish to disturb you, we will only stay for a few minutes,” Bingley said. “We took a long ride as I wished to show Darcy Netherfield Park and the neighbourhood. We happened to be near Longbourn and we only stopped to greet you briefly. I hope we are not intruding.”
“Not at all; quite the opposite,” Mr. Bennet replied to Bingley, whose attention was entirely captured by Jane, then he turned to Darcy.
“I have not had the pleasure of meeting you before, Mr. Darcy, although I have heard a lot about you.”
“The pleasure is mine, I assure you, Mr. Bennet,” Darcy said with a formality that sounded cold and haughty compared with Bingley’s joyfulness.
Mr. Bennet offered his hand and Darcy took it with a strong and respectful grip.
Bingley readily sat next to Jane, as Mrs. Bennet suggested. Darcy remained standing, looking uncomfortable, glancing at Elizabeth for a moment, then he addressed the ladies in a manner most unexpected.
“In fact, I am ashamed to admit that I missed the opportunity to become acquainted with Mrs. Bennet, Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth last night at the assembly. In fact, I only noticed Miss Bennet, as she danced with Bingley. I do not recollect seeing either Mrs. Bennet or Miss Elizabeth,” he declared and the three in the room who caught the meaning behind his words quickly approved of it.
Elizabeth’s face flushed at his readiness to dissipate her doubts.
“Yes, I heard you left early and quite unexpectedly,” Mr. Bennet replied. “It is a small town, Mr. Darcy, rumours travel fast.”
“I am aware of that, Mr. Bennet. Bingley spoke very highly of your family and I have come to properly introduce myself to the ladies and to apologise for my outrageous behaviour. I can only hope for your forgiveness, although it is undeserved,” he said, bowing to Mrs. Bennet, who sat stunned and breathless.
“In my friend’s defence, I must say that he had no plans to visit Hertfordshire and even less to attend an assembly. I insisted more than I should have, although I knew he was not at all fond of ball and parties,” Bingley supported him.
“Bingley is very generous, but the fault for my ill manners is entirely mine. Unlike Bingley, I do not possess that talent to feel comfortable in unknown company, nor to introduce myself to strangers.”
“Perhaps you should practise more, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth heard herself saying. He turned to her and their eyes locked.
“Most certainly, Miss Elizabeth!” he said.
Mrs. Bennet had hardly recovered from her astonishment, but she quickly realised that she had Mr. Darcy in her drawing-room, apologising to her—news that would surely be the talk of Meryton!
It was an honour granted to her, one that surely Mrs. Long, Mrs. Phillips and even Lady Lucas would not believe.
“Well, let us forget that, Mr. Darcy,” Mrs. Bennet said with sudden amiability.
“Of course we forgive you; after all, you are a stranger and not accustomed to our ways. But it is such a pity that you left without dancing. I assure you we have many pretty young ladies who are excellent dancers. Mr. Bingley may tell you.”
“I do not doubt that, ma’am,” he said.