Chapter 30 #3
“It was quite brief, but I did. Thank you for introducing us.”
“Do you have plans to see him again when you return to London?”
“He said he would call on me next week.” Elizabeth could not restrain a small smile. “Do you remember meeting Mr. Wickham, Jane?”
“Mr. Wickham? When did I meet him?”
“You remember, Jane, I introduced you at Lady somebody’s ball in April. He grew up with Darcy.” Mr. Bingley was correct in assuming that would be enough for Jane to remember.
“He grew up with Mr. Darcy?” Mr. Wickham had not mentioned that to Elizabeth. “He did say he grew up on a large estate in Derbyshire. Did he mean Pemberley?”
Miss Bingley laughed. “Did he neglect to tell you he was merely the son of a steward, Miss Eliza?”
“No. He told me, but he did not mention Mr. Darcy. What did you think of him, Jane?”
“I barely recall him, Lizzy. My focus that night was on Charles.” She gazed lovingly into his eyes.
“Your focus is always on Mr. Bingley. I do not know how you accomplish anything.” Elizabeth chuckled.
“My brother and I do not know him well, but I think you will admire his company, Miss Eliza. He certainly is a handsome man, is he not?”
“He is.” Elizabeth felt her cheeks warming and fought from showing her feelings to Miss Bingley.
“It is freezing out here, Caroline. We must return to the Lodge.” Mrs. Hurst pulled her sister’s arm, and the party turned back toward their carriage.
“Send the carriage to Longbourn, if you please, Louisa. Lucas and I will walk the ladies home. Unless any of you prefer to ride?”
Jane and Mary chose to walk with their suitors, while Elizabeth chose the crisp air and peace of a solitary walk behind them as chaperone. As she walked, she thought of Uncle Bennet’s inconsistent views on marriage.
Mary would not be nineteen for several more months, but her father had formalized her engagement to Mr. Lucas as a Christmas gift, symbolized by the gold chain.
Until that moment it had been unclear to Elizabeth why her uncle had singled out those two daughters for his expensive gifts, but seeing her cousins so happy had made her think she would occasionally wear her charm bracelet again when she returned to London.
She already had fifteen tokens of her uncle’s love, though she may never have cause to receive a betrothal necklace from him.
She smiled as she remembered Mr. Wickham. Perhaps she would, after all.
Mr. Lucas was four-and-twenty and well-known to Uncle Bennet to be responsible. Her uncle was not yet as keen on Mr. Bingley.
Although his oldest daughter was one-and-twenty and could marry without his consent, Uncle Bennet had agreed to her engagement but refused his blessing for her to wed until her betrothed was three-and-twenty, in October.
Having finally met him in July, Uncle did not trust that Mr. Bingley was fully prepared to marry.
Part of his hesitation was his lack of control of his sister.
Uncle Bennet had been disgusted by Miss Bingley’s never-ending complaints about their rented estate, Meryton, and the local entertainments.
He knew Jane saw the best in everyone, but he was doubly shocked at Miss Bingley’s attitude because he remembered that Elizabeth had spent a good deal of time in her company several years ago, having called her a friend.
Elizabeth assured him she had not always been so mean-spirited.
Jane and Elizabeth had both told him Mr. Bingley’s attitude was unlike his sister’s, but Uncle Bennet thought he should curb her tongue.
Elizabeth found this hypocritical given the insults Aunt Bennet even now cast on her, but she of course said nothing, as it was not her place to criticize him.
She was surprised and relieved when Jane gave her father an excuse for Miss Bingley’s behavior: Her brother had invited Mr. Darcy and his sister to join them in Hertfordshire, and Miss Bingley had been sure he would accept, but he wrote that they already had plans with their uncle the earl.
What would she have done if Mr. Darcy had been present for all the merrymaking of the season?
She still felt unsettled when she thought of him.
She had met nobody else in London who could carry on a conversation with her the way he had.
Oh, many friends could talk, and several were good listeners, but only Mr. Darcy had understood her hidden witticisms and references to history and literature every single time and added to them with his own greater knowledge.
That was the only reason she missed him on occasion.
She was glad he had not come to spoil the holiday with his arrogant disdain, however. He no longer spoke to her, and his glares discomfited her no matter how she tried to ignore them. He would have found as much to complain about in the neighborhood as Miss Bingley did.
It would have been lovely to see Miss Darcy again, however. She had not seen her since that one sad day, and she wondered if they would still be friends were they to meet again.