Chapter 39 Awkward #3
"I think we left it just a few minutes too late," Sir William remarked as the sound of excited women's voices drifted down the hall to them.
Bennet grimaced. "Well, at least I can warn her not to bother Lizzy.
Come along, Mr. Darcy. It is time to meet your hostess and the one member of this family who most resembles what Lady Catherine may have told you about us.
Just take into account that my wife loves her daughters fiercely, even if she is not always sensible or decorous in how she expresses that love. "
"My Aunt Catherine's comments are forgotten, Mr. Bennet. I will accept your wife on her own merits, not what I have been told about her." Darcy said.
"I hope we can convince my wife to do the same for you," Bennet said with a chuckle as he led them from the study.
The noise increased as they came closer to the front parlor, and it all seemed to be coming from a single person. Bennet stopped at the open door to the room and was greeted with what was almost a screech.
"My dear Mr. Bennet! Are you going out?"
Darcy saw the young woman he knew to be Miss Jane Bennet sitting next to an older woman who had to be her mother.
It was clear that, even though Mrs. Bennet's looks had faded somewhat with age and childbirth, she had once been as much of a beauty as her eldest daughter.
Three other women were also in the room, one as fair as the oldest Bennet girl, although she was clearly much younger and was also a bit more stout.
The other was also young and had more of a brownish tint to her hair than the others.
The last woman was older than Miss Bennet, although not so old as her mother, and bore no family resemblance whatsoever to any of the Bennets.
"I am, indeed going out, my dear," Mr. Bennet said cheerfully. "I have some very important business to complete in the village along with Sir William and this gentleman."
Mrs. Bennet peered curiously at Darcy. "I do not believe I know your companion," she said, in a voice that Darcy thought was far too loud for the room. "And what business could be so important that you must go to Meryton yourself?"
"I will answer your question in a moment but first allow me to introduce you to our house guest for a few days. This is Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. He has accompanied his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, here on important business and has also been of great service to us."
"Mr. Darcy!" she screeched, and Darcy did his best not to visibly wince. "Not the same man who tried to prevent Sir Barnaby from marrying my dear Jane! How can you even allow him into this house, much less invite him to stay?"
Darcy took a step forward and bowed with extreme courtesy.
"I must beg your forgiveness, madam, and that of all your daughters," he said.
"It is true I spoke with Sir Barnaby; however, I intended no actual harm to Miss Bennet or her sisters.
I was acting on inaccurate information from my aunt, and I exceeded the bounds of courtesy in so doing. I am most humbly sorry."
"As well you ought to be," Mrs. Bennet snapped. "It was a most wicked thing to do, trying to break up a happy couple."
"If you will listen for a moment, my dear," Mr. Bennet broke in before she could continue her complaints, "I may be able to convince you that he has redeemed himself."
"I doubt that," she huffed, but then she quieted to let her husband speak.
"Do try to be charitable," he said. "This very day, Lieutenant Brickham of the militia attempted to drag our Lizzy away at gunpoint.
Charlotte Lucas was injured as she tried to stop him.
Mr. Darcy freed Lizzy and stopped Brickham while Colonel Fitzwilliam aided Miss Lucas.
Then Mr. Darcy and the Colonel dumped the miscreant into the middle of that old wild rosebush by the stone bridge over the river. "
"Oh, that girl! I always knew walking would get her into trouble one day!
" Mrs. Bennet said, surprising Darcy, who wondered why, out of all the information she had been given, she responded that way.
Apparently neither Mr. Bennet nor Sir William was at all surprised.
The other occupants of the room looked concerned at the news but remained silent and allowed Mrs. Bennet to continue her side of the conversation unimpeded.
"You have said so before, madam," Sir William replied jovially, "but you must remember my Charlotte was there with her as well, on your own land, and our daughters did nothing wrong. Mr. Darcy and his cousin were most heroic in saving our girls from a completely unexpected danger."
"He also did apologize and write to Sir Barnaby to retract his statements last year," Bennet added quickly. "And you know both Viscount Rand and Colonel Fitzwilliam are very fond of him."
Mrs. Bennet looked Darcy up and down appraisingly. "Well," she began doubtfully, "I suppose if he did help our Lizzy and he truly is sorry…"
Darcy bowed again and did his best to sound penitent. "I am truly sorry, Mrs. Bennet. I hope you can forgive me." He decided to appeal to her sense of hospitality. "Of course, I can move to the nearest inn if you simply cannot stand to have me in your house." He let his words trail off.
"Nonsense!" she said. "You must stay here if Colonel Fitzwilliam is staying here as well.
As if I would send a man who had saved one of my daughters away to stay at an inn.
The very idea!" She huffed at the thought.
Then something Mr. Bennet had said earlier struck her and she turned to her husband and Sir William.
"But Lizzy! And Charlotte! You said they were attacked - they were not harmed, were they? " she asked.
"Oh, I hope not!" exclaimed the youngest girl.
"Not badly, Mrs. Bennet," said Sir William. "Not as badly as they might have been had Mr. Darcy and the Colonel not come along just then and helped them. Mr. Jones has just been to see them both and said they would be fine with a little rest and time to heal."
Bennet cut in quickly. "Charlotte is upstairs and will spend the night here, my dear.
Lizzy is up resting now, but she may choose to come down later.
Her throat was injured in the attack, and Mr. Jones says it is vitally important she avoid talking for a time.
If she strains her voice, she may not be able to speak again, and that might make it hard for her to find a husband. "
"Well, if that is what he says, then she must simply remain silent," Mrs. Bennet insisted. "Girls, you are not to encourage your sister to talk if she does come down this afternoon."
Darcy saw that Bennet's eyes were twinkling at the success of his comments.
Looking at the others in the room he said, "Yes, girls, that is very important.
While we are talking to you, I should also introduce you to our guest. Mr. Darcy, may I present my daughters?
The eldest, Jane, is sitting next to her mother, as I think you know already. "
Jane stood and curtsied. Darcy offered her a polite bow and Bennet continued with the introduction.
"Of course, you already know Lizzy and Mary, my next two daughters, and know they are not in this room. The next youngest, Katherine, or Kitty as we call her, is closest to the window." Kitty offered her curtsy.
"My youngest, Lydia, is next to her sister." Lydia curtsied as well.
"The other young woman present is Miss Parks, governess and companion to my two youngest daughters," Bennet finished. Miss Parks also stood and curtsied. "Pleased to meet you, sir," she murmured.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all," Darcy said with one more bow for good measure. "Unfortunately, Sir William, Mr. Bennet and I must all meet my cousin in Meryton to deal with the man who attacked Miss Elizabeth and Miss Lucas today."
Mrs. Bennet smiled at him, clearly pleased by the courtesy he had shown. "Yes, well, you three see to it that criminal gets exactly what he deserves. Mr. Bennet, be careful."
"I will, my dear," Bennet said with a smile just for his wife.
"If you have no objection, Mrs. Bennet," Sir William said, "I will be back later to check on Charlotte."
"Of course, of course," said Mrs. Bennet, almost automatically, and turned back to her eldest daughter, all other concerns apparently forgotten.
The three men headed for the front door. They had not quite made it out before Darcy heard Mrs. Bennet say loudly, "Well, I must say Mr. Darcy was much more of a gentleman than I had ever expected. Very like his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam in that, and very handsome, too!"
Darcy turned red as the other two worked to stifle their laughter. They managed until they got outside and closed the door. Darcy turned redder still as the two men enjoyed his moment of discomfort.
"It looks like you have been forgiven, Mr. Darcy," Bennet said finally. "I wonder if she would have done so had you been less handsome?"
Darcy rolled his eyes, but he joined in with the continued chuckles as they made their way to Sir William's carriage, which was still waiting in the drive.