Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
The following morning, his heart full yet light, Darcy knew it was time to ask Bingley about Miss Elizabeth’s family as he had promised himself he would. He had hoped for a chance the evening before, though he later conceded it would not have been an appropriate place for the discussion.
Now, though, Darcy was alone with Bingley in Hurst’s billiards room once again, and he was hesitant to broach the subject. Did he really want his friend to know of his interest in Miss Elizabeth? Not at such an early stage, surely.
“Did Miss Bennet find the party last night to her liking?” Darcy asked casually as he hit a ball into a side pocket.
“She was enchanting…That is to say, she was enchanted,” Bingley corrected himself. “She adores all the entertainments the Season offers.”
“Is this her second time in London? Was last year, when you met her, the first?” Darcy would find out about Miss Elizabeth’s family with an indirect line of questioning if he could.
“No. She had visited her aunt and uncle a few times when she was younger. Before I met her, it had been more than a year, though, since she had been here.”
“So, before her cousin came to live here, then?”
“Yes, I suppose it must have been,” Bingley considered. “Miss Elizabeth came to stay two years ago February, when she turned fifteen, so perhaps Miss Bennet also had a short stay in London when she was fifteen or sixteen.”
“Hmm,” Darcy said. “Why did Miss Elizabeth come permanently?”
“She never said—unless she told Caroline—but I thought she was unhappy to come, as though she had been sent away.” Bingley’s face softened with concern. “Lizzy, I mean Miss Elizabeth, was always a bit guarded when speaking of her family. She did say, though, that her father was a farmer.”
“As am I, Bingley,” Darcy said with a smirk.
“Um, yes. Miss Bennet said something last year, however…”
“Said what?” Darcy prompted when it appeared Bingley would not continue.
“Oh. Well, Miss Bennet said she and her cousin have not been close for years. Something about her mother not wanting her to associate with Miss Elizabeth because of her low-born father. Mrs. Bennet often referred to him as a tenant farmer, although Miss Bennet did not know this to be true. Apparently, it was something of a scandal when Miss Elizabeth’s mother ran off to marry him, though.
But then they both died, in a carriage accident, I believe, around Miss Elizabeth’s first birthday.
She lived with Miss Bennet’s family after that. ”
“Until her aunt could shuffle her off to other relations and away from her impressionable daughters.” Darcy furrowed his brows.
Bingley nodded.
“Is Miss Elizabeth then left to shift for herself? Will her uncles do something for her?”
“Miss Bennet said she thought her cousin’s studiousness stemmed from the knowledge she would need to be a governess,” Bingley said.
“I do not believe even Miss Bennet’s dowry is large, and her father’s estate is entailed—she has three sisters and no brothers—so her uncles can likely not support Miss Elizabeth much longer. ”
“I see.” Darcy nearly tore up the felt on his next shot, so disturbed was he by this news. “And what of the London relations they stay with? Where is their estate?”
“The Gardiners? They have no country house. He is Mrs. Bennet’s brother; he is an importer and owns Gardiner’s Emporium. He did business with my father, which is how we all met Miss Elizabeth two years ago.”
“An uncle in trade?” Darcy was becoming irrationally angry.
How had this not come up when he had met Mrs. Gardiner the previous spring at the menagerie?
They had spoken of her childhood in Lambton, near his own home, and that her father, a rector, had been the second son of a gentleman.
He had not asked about her husband, having focused more on catering to Miss Elizabeth’s and her young cousin’s preferences.
“Yes. They live on Gracechurch Street. That is where we first met Miss Elizabeth. They are good people. And…” Bingley swallowed nervously. “Miss Bennet’s mother’s sister married a solicitor in their home village.”
“And you are courting Miss Bennet? Do you not have plans to buy an estate and become a gentleman?” Darcy practically growled.
“I…yes. Darcy—”
“Your future wife’s connections must be impeccable if you wish to establish yourself well in society,” Darcy said, reminding himself of the reality of his own situation.
He had not realized his feelings for Miss Elizabeth had expanded far enough to make him so unsettled now.
He thought nothing had changed for him the night before aside from an inconvenient and overwhelming attraction to her person.
“I apologize, Bingley. Of course, you know this and will act accordingly.”
Bingley narrowed his eyes at Darcy. “Are you well?”
“Of course. Forgive me. I got little sleep last night. Perhaps I should go home.”
“No, no. Stay, I beg you. My sister will never forgive me if I let you leave.” Darcy grimaced, but Bingley continued, “Miss Bennet and her cousin will also arrive soon. You like talking to Miss Elizabeth, do you not?”
“How can you have noticed whether I do when your attention is entirely on her cousin?” Darcy asked petulantly.
Bingley chuckled nervously. “Yes, well.”
A footman came to inform them the ladies had assembled and their company was expected.
Not following Bingley immediately, Darcy breathed deeply to settle his turmoil. How had he not known? Why had she not told him?
Why should she have? He had not been courting her and had never raised any of the kinds of questions he had finally asked his friend.
As he thought back, he recalled her making comments on more than one occasion about not wishing to be a burden and appreciating the kindness of her relatives though she was not close to her cousin.
She had endured Miss Bingley’s poor behavior.
Was it because she felt she was beneath the other woman?
Now that he thought if it, Miss Bingley did sometimes treat Miss Elizabeth almost as a pet.
He had noticed something off in their friendship but had attributed it to age.
Was not this why he had arranged for her to visit the menagerie?
The menagerie that was practically around the corner from her home.
Miss Elizabeth had even said that morning that she had walked nearby but never quite to the Tower.
He thought it an odd place for a stroll but had not questioned her.
She probably thought he knew all of this about her already, as the Bingleys did.
Bingley! Why had he set her up as an ideal match for him from the beginning?
Frequent comments about their compatibility had wormed their way into his mind.
Surely some of the blame for Darcy’s mistake fell on his friend.
No. It was his own responsibility to guard his heart and seek information. He had only himself to blame. Anger at his own carelessness and the feeling of loss it had engendered threatened to crush him, and he groaned, a megrim starting to form.
He had let his hopes rise from the moment he had laid eyes on her the evening before.
They had smiled and conversed through a lively jig, and he had continued to think of her as he was coerced into a dance with Miss Bingley.
He had attempted to speak more with Miss Elizabeth throughout the evening, but Miss Bingley was always there, demanding his attention.
He had told Bingley the truth when he said he had slept little the night before.
He had instead thought of Miss Elizabeth and how much she would love the open space, clean air, and woods of Pemberley.
He still longed to show her his home. But now he knew he never could.
He forced himself to join the others, but his feet were lead, and his head protested the growing noise and light as he approached.
Elizabeth knew her dance with Mr. Darcy the evening before had been only between friends, but Caroline had left her in no doubt either after the dance or this morning.
She, Jane, and their aunt had departed before the others, and this morning Caroline spoke of Mr. Darcy’s increasing attentiveness to her as the night wore on.
Elizabeth recognized that Mr. Darcy could choose any wife he liked, but she hoped he would find someone who loved him—as she did, she almost thought before smothering the unwelcome thoughts—someone who loved him for himself and not for his wealth.
It was clear Caroline cared only for his money and estate, which she also talked about with barely a pause this morning.
Apparently, she had been invited to Pemberley for Christmas and spent a great deal of time with Georgiana and her brother.
She was pulled cheerfully from her unsatisfactory thoughts when the man himself entered the room a few minutes after Mr. Bingley.
She felt her brief, involuntary smile fall as she took in his dark look.
His gaze fell on her, he scowled more deeply, and he looked away.
What was that about? Could he be upset with her in some way?
She looked at Mr. Bingley but saw only happiness as he now sat beside her cousin.
Elizabeth watched Mr. Darcy give a slight bow to the room but no warm greeting as his friend had done. He then went and sat heavily in a chair apart from the group and stared at the rug in front of him.
“Mr. Darcy,” Caroline tittered. “Why do you sit so far away? Come, join us.”
He grudgingly got up and moved slowly toward his hostess.
The Hursts were out this morning, so he had the choice of a seat on a chaise lounge beside Bingley and Jane, which would place him next to Caroline, or a comfortable bolster armchair on the other side of Jane, with herself on his right, where he would face Caroline.
To Elizabeth’s surprise, he chose to sit between Bingley and his sister, making her feel isolated.