Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
The day after Easter, Darcy departed Kent at dawn. Despite having seen her at Christmas, Lady Catherine insisted he leave Pemberley and go to her estate to review the ledgers and speak with the steward. It had been a wasted trip.
The steward had Rosings well in hand, and Lady Catherine had used each of Darcy’s four days in her home to extoll the blessings a union with her daughter would bring him.
Georgiana was with the Matlocks but would return to school soon for two more months, so he would visit her, take care of some business, and return to Pemberley.
When he arrived at his home in London, he found a note Bingley had sent the day before inviting him to call whenever he reached town. His jovial friend would finish the process of cheering him up that his ride from Kent had started. Changing his clothes and his horse, he called at Hurst’s home.
“Darcy, it was good of you to come,” Bingley said when the butler showed Darcy to the billiards room, where his friend played a solo game.
“I was happy to get your note. How was Hilary Term?” Darcy asked as Bingley handed him a cue.
Bingley laughed nervously. “I passed all but Latin, but I have already engaged a tutor to help me next term.”
“Good, good.”
“I have no need for Latin beyond school.”
“Perhaps not, but I find more enjoyment and opportunities opened to me due to my knowledge of Latin and Greek. Lectures and books about botany and medicine and astronomy rely heavily on the ancient languages, you know.”
“Ha! You sound like Lizzy—or Miss Elizabeth as Caro says I should call her now. Do you know Miss Elizabeth only last week stopped calling me Charles? I am now Mr. Bingley to her.”
“It is only proper, as she is no longer a child…She is not out already, surely?”
He did not like the idea of men preying on the young girl. He imagined he would feel the same when his sister came out, but Miss Bennet had told him in January she would wait another year or two to enter society. Had Miss Bingley pressured her now that Miss Bennet was sixteen?
“No, but Darce! The reason I asked you to come is I want you to meet someone. I have found an angel.” Charles sighed and replaced his cue on the rack.
“An angel. And where did you meet her?”
“In the drawing room. It is Miss Elizabeth’s cousin, Miss Bennet.”
“Miss Jane Bennet?” Darcy asked.
“How did you know? Have you met her?” Bingley looked worried.
So, this was why Bingley called her Miss Elizabeth rather than Miss Bennet. He would be happy to make the switch.
“No, but Miss Elizabeth told me she was coming for the Season.”
“Oh. Well, I danced with her three times last week—”
“Bingley! Do you not think three sets is excessive?”
“Not when it is only one set each evening. We have met at three private balls and a trip to the theater this week with her aunt and uncle,” Bingley said.
“You came out of mourning less than three weeks ago. When did you meet her?”
“Lizzy, that is, Miss Elizabeth, brought her to meet Caroline on Monday last, and I joined them for tea.”
“A week ago? Bingley, do you not think you are rushing into this and being heedless of propriety?”
“Only wait until you meet her, and you will understand.” Charles blanched. “I hope you will not fully understand, as I would not have you enamored, but…I do wish to introduce you.”
Darcy let out a deep breath. “I would like to meet her as Miss Elizabeth’s cousin at any rate, and I cannot imagine I shall attempt to steal your angel away.”
Something about the way Miss Elizabeth had spoken of her cousin made him wary of her. He would consider whether he should counsel his friend against the lady.
Bingley’s shoulders relaxed.
“But Bingley, what are you thinking? You have two more years at Oxford. Do you plan on a long courtship with a hope that she will not find someone else? It is my understanding that this is her first London Season, so she may find other suitors more prepared to marry her.”
Bingley slumped into a chair. “Should I propose right away, then, and have a long engagement?”
“Certainly not!” Darcy was appalled by the suggestion. “Take some time to know her, and give her a chance to understand you. Do you even know how she feels about you?”
Bingley considered. “Not exactly. I think she likes me, but she does not express her feelings so strongly as Miss Elizabeth does. In truth, she is nothing like Miss Elizabeth. Miss Bennet has long, straight, golden hair, and she is nearly as tall as I am.”
Darcy chuckled. “And what of her interests? Her character?”
Bingley looked bemused. “She is a sweet girl, quiet. She gets along well with Caroline and is kind to everyone she meets. Miss Bennet talks of her sisters and her parents. She likes all she has seen of London and would be happy living in the city.”
Darcy nodded. Miss Bennet was indeed unlike her young cousin. Not to say Miss Elizabeth was not sweet. She was—mostly. But she was not quiet or tall or blonde or interested in remaining in London. He wondered anew how well she got on with Miss Bingley.
A footman entered, informed Bingley that Miss Bennet had arrived for tea with his sister, and retreated. Bingley blushed as he turned to Darcy.
“I have requested that the servants tell me when she comes. Caroline does not quite approve of my interest, but I wish you to meet her. Will you join us?”
Darcy agreed and shook his head as he followed his friend.
He had not considered whether Miss Elizabeth would also be in the drawing room, but he could not deny he was happy to find her sitting in the circle with the other two young women.
She looked up at him in surprise before lowering her head, again adorned with a braid.
He saw her smile, though, and was gratified.
“Miss Bennet, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” he said after Bingley had introduced them. “The last time I saw your cousin, she informed me you were coming to London. I hope the Season is all you had hoped it would be.”
The corners of Miss Bennet’s lips lifted minutely before she calmly expressed her delight with all she had seen and done.
She was a handsome young lady, but he could tell Bingley without hesitation that he was not in the least affected by her.
She already seemed like all the other London girls, though perhaps a bit more timid than most. Darcy allowed the conversation to flow around him until he could safely turn to his left and softly speak to Miss Elizabeth, whose voice he had not heard today.
“Have you seen more of London with your cousin, Miss Elizabeth, or are you acting the experienced tour guide for her?” he asked.
“Neither, Mr. Darcy. I visit here with Caroline and Mr. Bingley, but otherwise, I remain at my uncle’s home to continue my studies and help with my young cousins.”
“So, you have seen nothing of London?” Darcy was surprised. “You have lived here for some time now, I think.”
“It was a year about seven weeks ago. I arrived on my fifteenth birthday,” she said sadly but brightened as she continued.
“I like old buildings, so everything is exciting to see. I have been to some museums and parks and even to the theater once. My aunt and uncle and Mr. Bingley took us all. That was before Mr. Bingley died, though, and his children went into mourning. Now that Jane is here, my aunt and uncle take her to events I cannot attend. I have been focusing on my lessons and on the children.”
“You must be a great comfort to your aunt.” Darcy was unsure how to address her mix of sadness and joy. She really was far more expressive than her cousin was, as Bingley had indicated.
Miss Elizabeth nodded. “I try to be. They have done much for me, and I do not wish to be a burden.”
Darcy leaned closer to ask her what she meant.
“Did you eat oranges for breakfast, Mr. Darcy?”
“No.” He laughed at the off-topic question.
Miss Elizabeth inhaled deeply. “I love the smell of oranges.”
He chuckled again. It was something his young sister would say. Darcy’s bergamot soap did have a distinctly orange scent, but he did not feel it right to mention it.
“Mr. Darcy, do you agree?” Miss Bingley placed her hand on his right arm before he could turn the conversation back to questions that would remain unanswered.
Why would Miss Elizabeth feel she was a burden? As he had told her in January, the situation surrounding young women being out or not was hazy. Perhaps he should not have spoken to her, but she was the only person in the room he wanted to converse with at the moment.
“Forgive me, Miss Bingley. To what do you refer?” He could feel all traces of a smile had left his face.
“We are deciding between Mrs. Turling’s ball or an evening at Vauxhall Gardens tomorrow. As Miss Bennet has never been to Vauxhall, and you do not care for dancing, I would choose the garden. I asked whether you agree.”
He looked to Miss Elizabeth, but her head was bowed as she worked on exquisite embroidery.
Had she held that in her lap the whole time they had been speaking?
He had noticed her dark hair and lovely face and had consciously stopped himself from making any further perusal.
Miss Elizabeth would be excluded from the ball, but she might join them at Vauxhall, depending on what the entertainment was and which part of the garden they would visit.
“Vauxhall is an experience not to be missed, Miss Bennet.”
The girl only nodded serenely in reply, exactly as she had appeared each time he had looked at her.
“Will you and your relations join us, Miss Elizabeth?” he asked, turning back to her.
Miss Bingley let out a grating laugh. “Do not be silly, Mr. Darcy,” she said, putting her hand on his forearm again. “Remember, Eliza is not out. She should have left the room when you arrived, but we are so used to her presence that we forgot.”
Darcy was angered on Miss Elizabeth’s behalf, but she continued her neat stitches as though she were indeed not in the room and had heard nothing of Miss Bingley’s affront.
“I would not chase Miss Elizabeth away. If my presence is an issue, I will excuse myself.” He stood and bowed.
“Mr. Darcy, I thank you, but I will go upstairs while you finish your tea and conversation,” Miss Elizabeth said, also standing. “I would not wish to make you uncomfortable.”
“You do not make me uncomfortable. Indeed, I will stay only if you do.” Darcy was perhaps crossing a line of propriety now, but he felt the situation had become ridiculous.
He heard Miss Bingley gasp theatrically, but his eyes remained on Miss Elizabeth as they stood before each other.
“Bingley is a close friend. In fact, he has said he considered me as a brother, and you spend time in his company. Can I not be considered an extension of the family in this regard?”
“Capital idea, Darce! I would hate to give up Miss Elizabeth’s company or yours, as I am back to Oxford on Saturday,” Bingley said.
“And I am back to Pemberley myself in a week,” Darcy said. “Surely we can drink tea together a few times without driving each other to distant parts of the house.”
Miss Elizabeth grinned, but her face fell as she looked past him to her friend and her cousin. “Do you mind, Caroline? Jane?”
Miss Bingley’s words were more sputter than content, but Miss Bennet acknowledged no harm in it, so long as they were all together.
Miss Elizabeth sat, as did he, and they exchanged secret smiles before he turned to speak with his hostess to appease her and observe Miss Bennet to appease his friend and his own curiosity.