Chapter Thirty-Five
At dinner that night, Caroline had a good deal to say about the Bennets. “Do you not agree with me, Mr. Darcy, that the family is in dire need of funds?”
Mr. Darcy replied, “I would not dream of commenting on the financial situation of anyone.” His voice did not invite further discussion.
Nonetheless, Miss Bingley refused to be deterred. “Surely you noticed the state of the furniture? The rugs? The straggling bushes at the front of the house?”
Mr. Darcy said, briefly, “Some families spend money on such things; others do not.”
Mr. Bingley put in, “I care not for such matters, Caroline. And did we not already have this discussion? I require a wife who can manage an estate! The finances of her family’s estate are of no consequence to me.”
Miss Bingley was not yet done. “And the estate is entailed, you know, Charles. Louisa had it from Lady Lucas.”
“I do know, Caroline, and we met the gentleman to whom the estate is entailed only today. He seems a good enough fellow, and he is to marry Miss Mary quite soon, so the estate will remain in the family after all.” Mr. Bingley voice was testy.
At this, Miss Bingley sniffed, and all her efforts to draw Mr. Darcy into further conversation on the subject were insufficient.
***
“So, Darcy, what think you?”
Mr. Darcy chalked his cue. “About?”
“Come, come, no need to be coy! About Miss Elizabeth!”
“I think her pretty enough,” Mr. Darcy allowed, keeping his true opinion of the lady’s extraordinary appearance to himself. “But I saw that you could not take your eyes off Miss Bennet.”
“Good Lord, man, she is an angel! An angel come to earth!”
“And the sister of the young lady to whom you have been paying a good deal of attention,” Mr. Darcy replied, quietly.
Mr. Bingley looked away. “True enough,” he said. “But dammit, I had not yet met Miss Bennet, or…”
“Or you would have paid your attentions to Miss Bennet, not to Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy finished for him.
“I fear that you are right, Darcy. But it is no gentleman’s action, to turn from one sister to the other, simply because she is prettier!”
“Bingley.” Mr. Darcy set his cue down. “I know nothing of either sister, other than the fact that both are lovely, though in different ways. I suggest that you take the time to know them both better, though it cannot be denied that you have, from the sound of it, raised expectations with respect to Miss Elizabeth.” He bit those last words out, unhappy with the idea for no particular reason at all.