Chapter 31 Meeting #2
"I am sorry she is not here, Will," Richard said softly, "but getting to know her relatives is a step in the right direction. Miss Elizabeth is very fond of the Gardiners and values their opinions. You will want them firmly on your side if you hope to pursue her."
"That is good to know," was all Darcy had time to reply.
Mr. Gardiner returned and gestured for them to precede him down the hall.
He ushered the two men into a pleasantly appointed sitting room.
For an instant, Darcy thought Mr. Gardiner had been mistaken when he told them Miss Elizabeth was not present.
Then, he realized the dark-haired woman sitting next to Bingley must be Miss Mary.
With a closer look, he could see the obvious differences in her appearance although in general the two sisters shared a close resemblance.
"Richard!" Bingley and Mary exclaimed with surprised delight at their entrance, at the same time as Madeline said, "Colonel Fitzwilliam! It is so good to see you have returned to us safely."
Richard bowed to acknowledge all of them. "It is my pleasure to be back, and an equal pleasure to see you all."
"Allow me to perform the introductions," Edward offered.
In short order, Darcy was formally introduced to Miss Mary, Mrs. Gardiner, Mr. and Mrs. Cathcart and Miss Lucy Cathcart, the strawberry-blonde he had mistaken for Elizabeth Bennet on previous occasions.
Of course, he was already acquainted with Mr. Damask, although Richard was not and had required an introduction to him along with the others he had not yet met.
"I am very surprised to see you here, Darcy," Bingley said when the introductions and greetings were complete.
"It was not a planned visit," Darcy replied. He could not resist adding, "I was hoping to speak with Miss Elizabeth Rose Bennet, but I understand she has already returned to Meryton."
He saw Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner exchange significant glances with the rest of the room's occupants even as Bingley said, "Miss Elizabeth?
Why would you..." Suddenly the full impact of what Darcy had said hit him.
"Oh!" he added in surprise. He looked at Mary, then looked back at Darcy "Oh! " he repeated.
"Yes," Darcy said, grinning, a sight which seemed to surprise Bingley almost as much as the news. "Richard, here, cleared up the mystery of why no one I asked seemed acquainted with Miss Elizabeth Rose even when I knew she was present at an event."
"I am glad he did, although I must say that we have all been curious for some time how you came to the mistaken belief regarding her name," Gerald said pleasantly. "While we took some guesses, it would be nice to hear the real reason from you."
Darcy explained what he had overheard and what he had not heard that night at the assembly. He saw some looks exchanged, some smiles and some nods as what he said agreed with they had already surmised.
"That is along the lines of what we suspected," Gerald said when the explanation was complete. "The additional detail and your perspective on events makes even more sense."
"You mean, you all knew that Darcy was looking for Miss Elizabeth under an incomplete name?" Bingley asked.
"Yes," Mary replied, "but Lizzy asked us not to reveal her identity unless it was a choice between that or lying."
Although Bingley was still clearly confused, Darcy understood. "I expect she was rather annoyed with me," he said.
"Oh, I think furious would be a far better description," Honoria told him. "She really did not know what to make of your comments and feared saying too much if she corrected you then and there."
"I understand," Darcy said, "although it took me some time to come to it.
As my cousin will tell you, I have always had an unreasonable belief that my aunt is a better person than I have recently learned she is.
Whether her opinions were accurate or not, however, I should not have been spreading them.
This time, the apology I offer is heartfelt and genuine.
I am very sorry for my comments on the night of the assembly. "
Mary spoke up. "As the only Bennet present, I will accept your apology on our family's behalf.
I think it best if we leave your comments of that evening behind and take this opportunity to learn who you truly are, not who you appeared to be then.
We must give you some benefit of the doubt, after all, because you are Colonel Fitzwilliam's cousin and Mr. Bingley's friend.
We think well of them, and they think well of you. "
Darcy bowed to Mary. "You are most gracious, Miss Bennet. I hope the new impression I will make this evening can expunge the poor impression I made before."
"Now that we have settled that matter," Madeline said, gesturing for them to sit. "I would hope to turn the conversation to other things in the short time before we go in to dinner. In fact, I should like to hear from Colonel Fitzwilliam. Please, tell us about your return and your future plans."
Taking the indicated places, the two men sat.
Richard told them of his impending retirement and the steps he had already taken to see it through.
Along with the others, Darcy learned that his cousin already had a purchaser lined up for his commission and would see a handsome return on the transaction.
They were discussing the advantages and disadvantages of some of the estates Darcy and Viscount Rand had identified as possible purchases when they went into the dining room.
~o~
By the end of the evening, Darcy thought it was by far the most pleasant dinner party he had ever attended.
Remembering Richard's comment about having these members of Miss Elizabeth's family on his side, he was determined to put his best food forward and make a positive contribution to the conversation.
After the initial bit of discomfort had passed, he found himself conversing with the others as if he had known them as long as he had known Bingley and Richard.
The conversation flowed freely, including all and never leaving him to feel excluded or out of place.
As they slowly rode back to Darcy House that evening, he thanked Richard for insisting they visit. "I would not have had the nerve to go there on my own," he said, "and that would have been my loss."
"I am glad you enjoyed it. We may not have accomplished the primary goal of reintroducing you to your mystery woman, but we did take a big step forward.
After all, Mrs. Gardiner and Mary both said they would write to her, and we now have an invitation to stay with Bingley at that estate he just leased near Longbourn. "
"The Gardiners and Damasks seemed very pleased that the entire extended family had been invited to stay at Netherfield Park with Bingley so they could all attend Miss Bennet's wedding without straining the resources of Longbourn.
I can tell from seeing them together that he and Miss Mary are well-matched.
There is little doubt he will soon be asking for at least a courtship.
And, clearly, he now has the all-important support of her aunt and uncle to help him along. "
"True. Bingley seems steadier than I remember him.
He was not exactly flighty, but he could be impulsive.
This is a good change for him. And it will be good for him to get a taste of landownership through that lease.
I expect it will be interesting to see what he makes of his time at Netherfield Park. "
"For my part, I was pleased to hear his sisters will not be joining us there, especially because it is a result of Miss Bingley receiving ongoing attention from Mr. Lollard."
"I wish her good fortune there. She has the advantage of both good looks and a good dowry. Her personality is not to my taste, but Mr. Lollard may feel different. She would profit from his family connections while still having much to offer in return."
"Bingley would like to see her well-settled, and I agree, as long as she is not settled with me."
"Hear, hear! And here we are at Darcy House. I am looking forward to a good night's sleep in a comfortable bed. That has not been my experience of late."
"You are most welcome, cousin. I agree it is time to call it a night and a very successful one at that."