Chapter 1.14
The party that gathered in the dining room could not have been more diverse in thoughts and hopes for the evening.
Darcy was still exceedingly angry with Miss Bingley, blaming her for the distress Elizabeth and Jane Bennet had endured and especially for her deceptive suggestion regarding a relationship between Charles and Georgiana.
However, Darcy never retracted the dinner invitation for Miss Bingley or the Hursts because they were his friend’s family; although, after Bingley related to him his tempestuous discussion with her, he concluded that Miss Bingley had received a well-deserved reprimand.
Bingley, directly involved and still resentful, more or less purposefully forgot to mention to his family that the Bennet sisters and their relatives from Cheapside were also invited.
However, in order to avoid a violent reaction, he told them the news in the carriage, and Caroline was choked with anger.
Louisa reproached him—a good opportunity for Bingley to suggest that they could return home if they were displeased.
No matter how angry she was, Caroline never would have allowed Eliza Bennet to be near Mr Darcy an entire evening without her strict supervision.
Entering Mr Darcy’s house, Caroline was uncomfortable at his possible reaction—perhaps he would ask her to leave—but also hopeful she would have a few private moments with him to explain herself and formulate a credible excuse.
Her fear only proved how little she knew Mr Darcy.
He was cold but polite—he could never mistreat a woman in his home—and acted with civil attention as a perfect host towards all his guests, cutting Caroline off at every attempt to approach him.
His avoidance of her and his easiness with the Gardiners made Caroline more indignant and revolted by Mr Darcy’s sudden lack of pride and self-respect.
To be on friendly terms with such people was unthinkable!
When she discovered that Eliza and Jane Bennet were admitted to see Georgiana, her anger was beyond limits, and it took an extreme effort to maintain her decorum.
To make matters worse, as she tried to be polite to those people, she was struck by a shocking realisation: although Jane Bennet had returned, Eliza remained above stairs with Georgiana.
Of all things, this was the most humiliating, considering that Caroline never had been invited to Georgiana’s rooms.
Both Caroline and Louisa greeted Jane with their usual insincerity, and Caroline went so far as to reproach Jane for not having notified her of their arrival in town, thus leaving it to be understood that Jane’s letter was lost. Nevertheless, even they could grasp the change in Jane.
She was as sweet and gentle as before, but her attitude towards them and their brother was different.
She was more attentive than before to Charles—her smiles and gazes open and inviting—but she exhibited a cold, distant politeness towards them.
It was obvious that she knew the truth and would allow herself to be deceived no longer.
Caroline dared to ask about Eliza and received the communication that she was with Miss Darcy and would join them later.
With that statement, Jane closed the subject and resumed her conversation with her aunt and Charles.
She simply dismissed his sister with a determination that infuriated both Caroline and Louisa beyond the limit of their patience but brought a smile of approval to Mrs Gardiner’s lips.
Soon, Colonel Fitzwilliam appeared, and he was a welcome addition to the party. His happy manners, pleasant conversation, and unpretentious behaviour made him delightful company for everyone.
Another hour passed before dinner was announced, and Mr Darcy went himself to escort Miss Eliza Bennet to the dining room, something that, Caroline Bingley reflected, he never would have considered doing when they were in Hertfordshire.
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Elizabeth and Mr Darcy entered the dining room arm in arm, her cheeks flushed and his face lightened by an open smile. No one who saw them earlier when they left the drawing room doubted that something had changed in that short time. The connexion between them seemed altered.
Elizabeth greeted Bingley’s sisters elegantly but coldly, and after Mr Darcy introduced her to his cousin, the whole party proceeded into dinner. Mrs Gardiner watched her niece with pride and joy, more certain than ever about the future of the relationship that seemed to blossom.
Similar thoughts crossed the colonel’s mind as he watched them. He was struck by Elizabeth’s luminosity—as though the air were glowing around her—and by Darcy’s serene countenance. They indeed looked stunning together, and the colonel was not a man easily impressed.
Mr Darcy took his place at the head of the table with Elizabeth on his right and his cousin next to her. On his left were Mr and Mrs Gardiner and then Jane and Mr Bingley, Miss Bingley, and the Hursts.
Shortly after making Elizabeth’s acquaintance, Colonel Fitzwilliam understood why Darcy was attracted to her.
Very attractive, though not as beautiful as her sister, she was bright and clever in a pleasant, friendly way unlike Miss Bingley’s sharp, aggressive intelligence.
Moreover, Elizabeth Bennet had vitality, liveliness, and brightness.
She was more restrained, however, than the colonel expected after Darcy had admiringly related to him some of their verbal duels of the past.
Well, maybe she is not as witty as Darcy said, but she definitely has the most remarkable eyes, thought he, sitting near her and having the opportunity to admire her profile, her long lashes, and the diamond gleam in her look at close range.
Nevertheless, he was astonished that his cousin could appreciate Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s charm and openness, for she appeared to be more his type than Darcy’s.
Then again, nobody ever seemed to be Darcy’s type until now.
The colonel was not displeased with his observation regarding the Gardiners—the infamous part of Miss Elizabeth’s connexion.
Mrs Gardiner was a beautiful and fashionable woman, obviously accustomed to polite society.
Her manners and the way she countered Caroline Bingley’s attacks proved that.
In the few hours since they had met, the colonel had seen that Mr Gardiner seemed to be unusually well informed about almost every aspect of London’s business life.
The colonel had no adequate information about the other members of the Bennet family, but the fact that Mr Bennet was a respectable gentleman—as Darcy informed him a month earlier on his return from Hertfordshire—was a good sign.
So, too, was Jane Bennet, not just for her remarkable beauty but also for her sweet countenance and pleasant manners.
As for Elizabeth Bennet—obviously, her situation in life required prudence in marriage, and Darcy was by far more than she ever could have hoped to attain.
The colonel thought everyone would consider her a fortune hunter; he himself had considered the prospect likely.
However, though he could not form an opinion from being in her company for only a couple of hours, he could not deny the attraction between her and Darcy.
Oh, for heaven’s sake, he is more ridiculous than Bingley, just staring at her and smiling like an old tomcat.
She in turn was glowing every time she looked at him—or every time he looked at her, which is pretty much all the time.
A sudden revelation struck him: the bond between them was stronger than he imagined!
The way they entered the dining room together, and the fact that she had spent so much time with Georgiana…
Has he already proposed to her? He gulped down the remaining wine in his glass, even more troubled.
He had to find a way to speak with Darcy as soon as possible.
If he were in a position to give Darcy advice, Colonel Fitzwilliam certainly would recommend to him more patience and discretion before entering into such an engagement. But he never considered for a second trying to persuade Darcy against Miss Elizabeth.
First, having known Darcy intimately for a lifetime, he knew such an attempt would not meet with success, and only a quarrel would ensue. Darcy never made a decision in haste and, before deciding, always considered and analysed all the implications and outcomes.
Furthermore, seeing Darcy so altered and serene was a joyous sight—especially after the past weeks of sleeplessness and torment caused by Georgiana’s illness.
If this is the doing of Miss Elizabeth Bennet…
well, she has my approval, fortune hunter or not.
Darcy, no doubt, is much taken by this country girl.
The colonel was not reconciled to the fact that the dutiful, proper Darcy would decide to marry someone so beneath him.
He wanted most of all to be sure that his cousin was rationally considering what he was doing and not merely experiencing a blind interlude of violent passion for a woman’s charms. For if that were the case, the passion—and the colonel knew about passion—would slip away, but the regret and bitterness would remain forever.
It would be disastrous for not only Darcy but also for Elizabeth and both their families.
∞∞∞
So caught was the colonel in his meditations that he barely noticed his other companions.
Caroline Bingley’s rage, carefully suppressed for a time, escaped her control when Mrs Gardiner spoke about the gentlemen’s visit a couple of days earlier. “Mrs Gardiner, from what I hear, Gracechurch Street is quite far away. It must have taken you a great deal of time to cross town today.”
“No indeed, Miss Bingley, we arrived in a short time, I might say. But of course, we had the advantage of Mr Darcy’s excellent carriage.”
“Ah…” continued Miss Bingley, “well, it is understandable that you do not have your own carriage, for it is an expensive investment.”