Chapter 1.10 #2
The following morning after breakfast, Mr Gardiner left to take care of business that required his attention before the New Year. Thus, the ladies made plans for a short walk in the park, together with the children, as the snow had covered everything around.
All were gathered in the dining room when the servant entered to announce: “Two gentlemen are here to see Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth…Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley, ma’am.”
Lizzy and Jane sat in shock for a few moments, one turning red and the other white, appearing distressed and bewildered. “Thank you,” said their aunt. “Please wait a few more minutes before inviting them into the parlour.”
The presence of Mr Darcy in Cheapside was something Elizabeth would not have considered when they were on the best of terms; that both gentlemen would call so early and on the second day after their arrival in town seemed incredible.
“Lizzy, Jane, could you please try to calm yourselves? I shall need one of you to be sensible enough to make the introductions, so try to behave normally,” said Mrs Gardiner, shaking her head.
The gentlemen entered and made significant, elegant bows, each attempting to catch the eye of a particular young lady but with little success.
The smile Darcy hoped to see on Elizabeth’s face and the sparkle in her eyes were not there.
He noticed that her countenance seemed different while her eyes purposely avoided his.
Finally, Elizabeth gained her courage and carried out the introductions, her embarrassment making her insecure.
She dared not stare at Mr Darcy but managed to cast a furtive glance at his face as she introduced him to her aunt.
Their gazes locked for a second, but she averted her eyes quickly, leaving Darcy surprised and wondering at her unexpected reaction.
He looks tired but also serene, as if nothing has happened between us.
He acts as if he has done nothing wrong.
If he has not come to apologise, why call on us?
Bingley could not take his eyes from Jane and tried to catch hers for a moment—with little success as her gaze was quite fixed on her hands.
Darcy decided that polite conversation was required. “Mrs Gardiner, please allow me to apologise for this impromptu visit. I hope we do not intrude at an inconvenient moment.”
“Do not trouble yourself, Mr Darcy, Mr Bingley. You are not intruding, although I must say—and I know I speak for my nieces as well—that this is indeed a surprise. We only arrived yesterday, and it is astonishing that you already have heard of our arrival and honoured us with a visit. Did you have any difficulty finding the house?”
“Not at all, I assure you. I received a letter from Mr Bennet last night in which he was kind enough to answer some questions for me. He mentioned that Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth were in town, and we decided to make a brief call today.”
“I see. I am glad you did. Please sit down gentlemen.”
Mr Bingley took a seat close to Jane, but even his less than perceptive nature could register that she did not appear as pleased and easy as she used to be in his presence. However, he was so happy to see her again that he decided to put aside the uneasy feeling and deal with it later.
Indeed, Jane felt no happiness, only a tremendous sadness at being so close to him and knowing that he was merely being polite and wanted nothing more from her. Her hands were trembling, and she pressed them together to conceal her emotions.
For Lizzy’s part, if in Darcy’s absence her suffering was silent and painful, his presence made her spirit rise more daring than before, determined at least to satisfy her numerous questions and demand explanations.
She was angry with him, not just for leaving a month earlier but also for coming to see her as though he were not to blame.
She was especially furious with her father for toying with her and Jane.
Mrs Gardiner, a woman of refinement and an excellent hostess, sensed the tension in the room and, after ordering some refreshments, began a light conversation, pleased to have an opportunity to judge for herself the two gentlemen who brought so much grief to her favourite nieces and so much torment to her sister-in-law.
She only smiled, imagining what Mrs Bennet would have said if she knew both of them were in her house.
Well, apparently Lizzy was wrong in assuming Mr Darcy did not know where Cheapside is and would not come around.
That is a good sign. “Mr Darcy, it is an honour to meet you; I have known and respected your family for a very long time.”
“Indeed, Mrs Gardiner? I thank you; I am delighted to hear that. Are you acquainted with any of my family members?”
“No sir, I have not had that pleasure. But I grew up in Lambton, which is very close to Pemberley.”
“That is indeed a remarkable surprise, Mrs Gardiner. Lambton is a delightful village, and I have many fond memories of it from when I was a boy.”
He then turned to Elizabeth and Jane as much as to Mrs Gardiner, asking, “I hope you left the Bennet family in good health.”
“Yes, they were all in excellent health,” Mrs Gardiner answered.
“Was the weather tolerable when you left Longbourn?”
“Yes it was; thank you.”
Elizabeth finally spoke. “Unlike the day you departed from Netherfield, Mr Darcy, when, if I remember correctly, the weather was dreadful! I am happy to see that you arrived in London safely.” Her harsh tone and sharp gaze left Darcy bewildered.
Mrs Gardiner and Jane startled at her daring and reproachful statement. The hostess looked with censure at her niece to remind her of civil behaviour, but Elizabeth kept her eyes locked with Darcy’s in a silent battle of wills, full of unspoken questions.
At this, Bingley’s attention was caught, and he intervened genially. “Thank you for your concern, Miss Elizabeth. Fortunately, we left immediately after the ball before the weather worsened, and we arrived quite safely.”
Elizabeth turned to look at him, displeased by his easy tone, and missed seeing Mr Darcy’s frown though it did not escape Mrs Gardiner’s notice.
“However,” continued Bingley, “Louisa and Caroline arrived with great difficulty two days later. They were forced to change carriages twice.”
“I am sorry to hear that,” offered Jane, hardly able to lift her eyes.
“Oh, do not distress yourself, Miss Bennet. It was their impulsive decision that put them in a difficult situation. They had no business in town.”
“I hope Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst are in good health,” continued Jane.
“Yes, they are. They will be happy to learn of your coming to town.
Jane exchanged a quick glance with her sister and then looked uncomfortably at Mr Bingley again. Elizabeth could take no more and, ignoring her aunt’s earlier silent reproach, interrupted again in the same brash manner.
“Mr Bingley, as far as I know, your sister has been informed already. Jane wrote to Miss Bingley about our arrival in town several days ago.”
“Oh really?” Bingley’s eyes widened in astonishment. “I wonder why Caroline failed to mention such an important thing to me.”
Yes, Mr Bingley. I wonder too! thought Elizabeth.
“Perhaps she did not receive the letter?” tried Jane timidly, embarrassed by the conversation.
“Yes, perhaps, or perhaps I did not listen carefully. I must confess that in the last weeks I have spent most of my time at Darcy’s town house and have not paid much attention to my sisters. I think she at least told you about that.”
The force of his statement, made so openly, easily proved Miss Bingley’s assertion of his attentions to Miss Darcy.
Jane felt dizzy, and her face went white.
She was compelled to grasp the couch and close her eyes for a moment; her reaction did not go unnoticed by everyone present.
With an extraordinary effort, Jane continued, as her heart was breaking.
“Yes, Miss Bingley did mention you were closely engaged with Mr and Miss Darcy. I hope Miss Darcy is in good health?”
Both Darcy and Bingley looked at her in astonishment, turning their gaze to Elizabeth and then to each other.
Mrs Gardiner had the oddest sensation that they were having a conversation in a foreign language she did not entirely understand.
She was about to put an end to the charade by intervening with some direct questions, but Darcy’s deep, grave voice restrained her.
“No, she is not yet fully recovered, Miss Bennet, but she is improving. Of course, she is not in any condition to leave her room yet, but this morning she was considerably better, which is why I decided to leave the house for a few hours and seize the opportunity to call upon you.”
Jane raised her head and looked at him in surprise, while Elizabeth, with little control over her words, burst out, “What is wrong with Georgiana?”
Four pairs of eyes stared at her, and she blushed and tried to form a more proper inquiry; happily, her aunt was perceptive enough to save the situation.
“I can understand Lizzy’s precipitate question, Mr Darcy, as we are all surprised by this revelation. Is Miss Darcy unwell, sir?”
Mr Darcy shifted his gaze from Mrs Gardiner to Elizabeth and then to Jane, the intense set of his brows revealing his wonder.
“I am sorry, Mrs Gardiner; I did not mean to burden you with our family problems. I dared to speak of it only because I presumed you were already aware of my sister’s accident.”
“It is not a burden, Mr Darcy, I assure you. But as far as I know, neither I nor my nieces are aware of any misfortune suffered by Miss Darcy.”
“I understand that now, and I must say I am quite surprised. Miss Bingley assured us that she explained the whole thing very clearly in her letters to Miss Bennet.”
Bingley’s voice was as serene as usual. “Oh, who knows what Caroline was thinking? She can be so forgetful sometimes. I am sure she wrote about some fashionable things, omitting what was really important.”