Chapter Twelve #2
“Darcy is hoping Anne will have a similar epiphany,” Richard drawled.
“So, what do you intend to do about it, Darcy?” Knightley sipped his wine with his usual look of intelligent bemusement.
Darcy knew his friend might have sound advice to offer.
He was several years older, and his disposition was a happy blend of Darcy’s own diligence as master of a large estate, Bingley’s ease in conversation and society, and Richard’s uncanny talent for teasing a person’s weakness.
Darcy bristled, fairly certain he already knew what his friend might say.
But before Darcy could indicate he wished to keep the whole ordeal private, Richard began to boast. “Darcy has acted on my advice for once!”
“Your inference,” Darcy muttered.
Georgiana was only a little acquainted with Knightley, but seemed more amenable to his bride than she had been to Miss Denham. Before Darcy could prevent it, she told Mrs. Knightley, “Richard told everyone that my brother is courting my friend Miss Bennet. Anne has been seething ever since!”
Mrs. Knightley lit up with glee at the scheme.
“Oh! That explains all the evil looks Miss de Bourgh was giving Miss Bennet during the first course—we sat with them. She and her mousy friend Miss Penny whatever were quite rude to Miss Bennet, but I thought she was a most amusing creature! She is very pretty, too. I could sooner imagine you courting her than Miss de Bourgh, Mr. Darcy.”
“She is so much nicer,” Georgiana whispered to her new compatriot.
Knightley furrowed his brows, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “And this is meant to send Miss de Bourgh into a jealous panic, and right back into your loving and forgiving arms, Darcy?”
“Something like that,” Richard agreed with a grin.
“It is my hope that her jealousy will cause her to examine her own heart and find that her fascination with Sir Sidney is a fleeting folly and has been the result of his devious flattery and artifice.” Darcy glanced once more in Anne’s direction, seeing her as he had imagined her when reading her letters and writing his own.
“My regard for her is enduring, though duller than his debauchery, I suppose. But it shall outlast the intransigence of his shallow allure; she will see that.”
Knightley’s expression remained warm, but judgement seeped into his voice. “I see. And what will become of Miss Bennet after you have abandoned her and reconciled with your newly enlightened fiancée?”
“I am not trifling with Eliz– Miss Bennet. Far from it—she thinks the entire thing is excessively diverting.” Darcy smiled as these words passed his lips.
He had read that turn of phrase more than once in Anne’s letters, but since hearing Elizabeth utter the same once or twice, it seemed now to belong entirely to her.
“She is in on the scheme! Ah, no wonder she bore Miss de Bourgh’s incivility with such good humor,” Mrs. Knightley cried. “But what a delightful scheme. I must mention in Miss Bourgh’s hearing that I think you and Miss Bennet a remarkably handsome couple, and vastly well-suited!”
“Emma!” Knightley’s tone was a little stern, but he smiled and gazed at his wife in adoration.
She laughed and raised her hands before her. “I am not meddling—I promised I would give up matchmaking forever—but I only spoke the truth!”
Georgiana gave a gasp of excitement. “Matchmaking?” She and Mrs. Knightley began to whisper effusively between themselves.
Knightley looked between Darcy and Richard with wry amusement. “It is fortunate I have arrived to keep the two of you sensible together.”
When the third course was called, it was all Darcy could do not to yank Sir Anthony out of his chair and claim that coveted place by Elizabeth’s side.
Fortunately, Mrs. Knightley was ready to come to his aid.
She hastily removed one of her pearl earrings and tossed it onto the floor a few feet from Sir Anthony, before lamenting its loss and gave every appearance of a damsel in distress.
Sir Anthony fell perfectly into the trap laid by the flaxen-haired beauty and moved to retrieve the item for her at once. Darcy slid into the seat at Elizabeth’s side and joined her in observing the performance.
“That was ever so kind,” Mrs. Knightley said, making a subtle gesture to her husband to secure the seats at Darcy’s new table. He understood her, and took a vacant seat at Darcy’s other side.
“I do not believe we have been introduced, fair lady.” Sir Anthony bowed and smiled.
“Which makes your kindness all the more gallant, sir.” Mrs. Knightley brushed at one of her curls with her left hand, her wedding ring glinting in the candlelight. “I must thank you again and join my husband.” She bobbed into a curtsey and hurried to sit beside her husband.
“Refusing an introduction is rather rude, Emma,” Knightley whispered to his wife.
She shrugged her shoulders. “Why should I want the acquaintance of somebody who vexes Miss Bennet?”
Darcy thoroughly approved of his friend’s bride.
There were two more empty seats at their table and Sir Anthony surveyed them with interest. He began to move that way when the Bevans, who had sat there before and remained chatting nearby with Lady Denham, returned to the table. Sir Anthony looked around at the ballroom with mortification.
At the next table over, Anne’s companion Miss Lovelace looked down at the empty seat at her side. She reached over and removed the little dog from Anne’s lap and placed the animal on the empty seat. Sir Anthony huffed and skulked away in search of companions who could bear his company.
When they were all seated, Mrs. Bevan observed, “Your table seems to be quite popular tonight, Miss Bennet, and so we could not resist. What fascinates the whole room is certainly good enough for us.”
Mrs. Knightley grinned across the table at Elizabeth and winked. “Mr. Darcy told us something especially fascinating about you, Miss Bennet. I heartily approve!”
A most becoming pink blush graced Elizabeth’s cheeks. “Did he?”
Mrs. Bevan looked up with alacrity. “How fascinating? If it is especially intriguing, it may find its way into my next novel.”
To her credit, Mrs. Knightley looked between her husband, Darcy, and Elizabeth. “May I?”
Elizabeth glanced at Darcy, her eyes so lit with mirth that, despite his better judgement, he could not have dreamt of silencing her. “I confess I should rather like to hear Mrs. Bevan’s opinion of the matter to which I suspect you refer.”
“We rely upon your discretion, of course,” Mrs. Knightley said to Mrs. Bevan.
“Mr. Darcy wishes to win back a certain lady who has forsaken him for another, by means of pretending to court Miss Bennet. Her jealous passion shall turn to… well, just passion, I suppose. Is that not romantic? And as dear friend of his sister’s, Miss Bennet had consented to aid his cause. ”
Mrs. Bevan had been smiling at Mrs. Knightley with eager interest, but her countenance altered. “Oh. Your courtship is a ruse, then. Well, that is unexpected—but interesting indeed.”
Elizabeth let out a little sigh, as if disappointed by Mrs. Bevan’s reaction. “Would it not make for interesting fiction?”
Mrs. Bevan leaned toward Elizabeth to whisper; Darcy heard her say, “I do not know if I would call that comedy or tragedy, my dear.”
Elizabeth gave her a tight smile and whispered back, “If that folly is not to your liking, I shall tell you a story tomorrow at tea of another of my ghastly romances—this one involves scandalous letters.”
Mrs. Bevan smiled appreciatively, and then both women looked up; Darcy just had enough time to turn his face away and pretend he had not heard them. He privately resolved he would call on Elizabeth tomorrow during tea, in the hope that he might hear her story for himself.
“I should love to hear more about your work, Mrs. Bevan” Mrs. Knightley said. “I have read all of your novels, of course; but how ever do you get the ideas? And how do you find the time?”
The Knightleys began to speak with the Bevans with a noticeable determination to leave Darcy and Elizabeth to their own devices, and Darcy was not sorry for it.
“I sat with your uncle for the first course. I do not know if he mentioned my visit earlier—I enjoy his company almost as much as I do yours.”
“He will be relieved to hear it. He did mention your visit. He fears he spoke too much of Sanditon, and did not wish to give the impression that he was angling for an investment.”
“In fact, I would be interested in investing; at least purchasing a small home here for summer use. Georgiana has grown very fond of… Sanditon.”
“I am glad. I should be pleased to see more of… Georgiana.”
Darcy stared at Elizabeth as a slow smile played across her face. If only Anne could gaze at him in such a way. “I was touched by your uncle’s affection for his late wife, who must have been a remarkable woman. My father was much the same, after my mother died.”
Elizabeth sighed. “It is romantic, and yet rather sad. Having had such a great love, there is little chance of him ever finding happiness with another, and he has so many years ahead of him still.”
“You must be glad your father has found his happiness.”
“He grieved my mother’s loss, but he had loved a woman before he met my mother, when they were both far too young to marry.
He knew that she had been widowed, and sought her out when his mourning was over.
I suppose it is an argument in favor of second attachments, though my stepsister Marianne is firmly set against them. ”
“Is this why you have resolved to be content as you are? You mentioned once that you had loved and lost,” Darcy prompted her.
“I suppose, if only because it taught me my own foolishness. I formed an attachment after my mother died, and for a time I found solace in it, but then it ended. He is married now, and I wish him well. There is little more to say.”
Darcy sipped sadly at his wine. “So it would seem that we have both fallen in love and been wounded since our first meeting in Hertfordshire.”