Hertfordshire
It was near evening when Darcy’s carriage pulled up the long drive to Netherfield Manor. Sitting inside the carriage, Darcy still could not believe his good fortune that Netherfield and Longbourn seemed to be in close proximity to each other. He would not be required to search all over the countryside and visit every village that started with the letter “L” to find Elizabeth. As soon as he could, he would find the Bennet household and discreetly ascertain whether Elizabeth had returned.
His spirits were high. He knew it was only a matter of time before he would see Elizabeth.
As Durnham opened the door of the carriage and Darcy pulled himself out, he gave Netherfield manor an appraising glance. It was very suitable for Charles, not too opulent and not too modest. He absently nodded to himself in the conviction that it had been wise for Bingley to merely let it. He knew a word of encouragement to Bingley to remain at Netherfield or a prompting to move on would be taken to heart. But he would not broach that subject until he saw Elizabeth, was able to declare his intentions, and subsequently ascertain her sentiments. If she refused any consideration of keeping their marriage intact, he would not wish his best friend to live in such close proximity to her and would, with persuasive subtlety, advise him to find another, more suitable place to live, preferably in a more distant neighbourhood. But he would give all that was within him and without to win Elizabeth’s heart.
Caroline Bingley and her sister, Louisa Hurst, were sitting in the drawing room when a servant stepped in announcing Mr. Darcy. Caroline jumped up with great joy at this unexpected interruption.
“Mr. Darcy! What a pleasant surprise! What brings you to Netherfield?”
“I have some business in Hertfordshire. I wrote Charles; did he not tell you?”
“Charles? Tell us anything? Never!”
“I apologize.” Darcy looked at both sisters. “I do hope this is not an inconvenience.”
Caroline edged up alongside him and slipped her hand around Darcy’s arm, unaware that he tensed up as she did so. “Oh, Mr. Darcy, on the contrary! This is not inconvenient at all! You have come at just the opportune time!”
“It appears you are going out.”
“Yes. There is a trifling party that Charles has insisted we attend at some lodge in Meryton, and the worst part…” She paused to look at Louisa and nodded. “The worst part is that Charles has found himself enamoured of some decidedly inferior country girl with the most abhorrent family!”
“Where is he now?”
“You know Charles, always so anxious and optimistically cheerful. We are not looking forward to this evening as much as he. Needless to say, he has gone on ahead of us. Oh, Mr. Darcy, you must come with us tonight and put some sense into Charles’s head!”
Darcy shook his head. “I am sorry, Miss Bingley, but I am exceptionally tired. I really cannot go with you tonight.”
“Oh, Mr. Darcy, please reconsider. We are certain that this infatuation of his is ill founded and foolish. You shall see for yourself!”
Darcy sighed. “I am sorry, but I really do not feel as though I can go.” As much as he was aware that he might be able to find something out about the Bennets, and particularly Elizabeth, at such an affair, he felt too fatigued to make the effort required at such a gathering.
Suddenly, Caroline saw things in a new, more amiable light. “Why, Mr. Darcy, how insensitive I have been, selfishly looking at my own concern for Charles and not your comfort. Of course you are tired. But I would be remiss and the poorest hostess if I were to allow you to remain here alone tonight. I shall stay back as well.” She turned to her sister. “Louisa, tell Charles that Mr. Darcy has just arrived this evening, and I have remained back to make sure all is well with him.”
A look of alarm spread across Darcy’s features, and he protested. “No, no! Perhaps it is best that I do go and meet this young lady of whom you speak!” The thought of spending an evening alone in Miss Bingley’s presence quite easily convinced him to reconsider his state of weariness.
Caroline sighed, not really sure if that was the way she wanted it after all.
With Durnham’s able assistance, Darcy bathed, changed, and came downstairs in a reasonable amount of time. When he walked into the room, an audible sigh was heard from Caroline, who was quite sure that she would be the belle of this affair on his arm as well as on the dance floor. She mused that perhaps it would not be so tedious after all.
Sir William Lucas, at whose lodge the party was being held, greeted them at the door. Trying to bring himself up in their estimation, he began to talk of his presentation at St. James and his fondness for superior society.
Caroline Bingley nudged Darcy away, rolling her eyes at her sister, indicating her disapproval of their host. They walked through the crowd, working their way to an area where they could stand off to the side. Darcy eagerly watched for his friend while fighting off the barrage of unflattering thoughts that assaulted him about the nature of this gathering from a habit that had become deeply ingrained over the years.
It was a typical, small country assembly, and with the hint of whispers he heard between Charles’s sisters, they were not impressed either. A sigh escaped Darcy at the realization that he was viewing with an overcritical eye the very people among whom Elizabeth lived.
The three of them stood off to the side as Mr. Hurst went in search of drink and a comfortable chair. Darcy was determined to counter his critical musings with the argument that he had been able to see the beauty within Elizabeth and certainly could give her neighbours the benefit of the doubt and look upon them, as well, without prejudice. But it was becoming more and more difficult as he observed more than one incident of unpolished and unacceptable behaviour.
At length, Caroline began pointing out to Darcy the sisters of the woman Charles apparently was quite enamoured with.
The first sister he observed was at the pianoforte. Her playing was heavy with little interpretation. She seemed to have neither the inclination as to the preference of the crowd nor the desire to accommodate it. He compared her playing with Georgiana’s, and believed this young lady had a lot to learn about the mastery of music. Her playing was sombre as was her countenance. If she was any indication of the woman Bingley had taken a liking to, she would hardly be an accomplished woman.
Darcy’s critical musings on the one sister were suddenly made insignificant by the outrageous behaviour of another. In a voice that was not subdued at all, she demanded that her sister play something they could dance to. Caroline gleefully pointed out her mother, and he witnessed a display of behaviour so wanting in propriety as she quite loudly and rudely made a demand of the daughter at the piano, that he felt quite repulsed. He hated to admit it, but he had to agree with Miss Bingley on her appraisal of this lady’s family.
“Did I not tell you, sir?” asked Caroline, eyeing his disgust at what he was witnessing.
“Their behaviour is distasteful, indeed!” he answered. “It is hardly reasonable to consider how Bingley would be so taken by a woman whose family is abhorrently ill mannered.”
Darcy was curious to see this young lady and discover for himself just what it was that Bingley saw in her.
Caroline cast furtive glances up at Darcy, quite pleased that he was witnessing what had to be an excess of impropriety in the family. At length they saw Charles walk in from another room with the young lady on his arm.
Darcy had to admit she was pretty. She was fair with gentle features. She had a soft smile, but as he watched them make their way through the crowd, he noticed that it did not appear to reach to the depths of her. He wondered if this attachment was one-sided only. If indeed she was willing to make a match solely for his fortune, she might be willing to lead him to believe she loved him. For Bingley’s sake he would keep an eye on this lady.
After speaking to a few people as they came in from another room, Bingley looked up and he saw his good friend. His eyes widened with joy and surprise.
“Darcy!” Bingley exclaimed from across the room. He turned to the young lady next to him, “Come, I see a good friend of mine is here and I must introduce you to him!”
Bingley escorted the young lady over to Darcy and shook his hand fervently. “How are you, good friend? I completely forgot you had written to say you were coming!”
“I hope it is not an inconvenience.”
“Not at all! This is splendid, indeed!” Bingley turned to the lady by his side. “Darcy, may I present this fine young lady to you? Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, may I introduce to you Miss Jane Bennet?”
Darcy’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he heard the name, and he could scarcely proceed with the barest civilities required of him. His heart pounded erratically as he contemplated whether this could truly be Elizabeth’s sister.
Finally coming to his senses, Darcy bowed politely but felt as though all colour had drained from his face. He knew Elizabeth had sisters, but he could not remember if she ever mentioned them by name. If she had, he could not bring himself to recall a single one. A sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach began to overtake him as he struggled to reconcile the fact that Miss Bennet could indeed be Elizabeth’s sister and consequently, this was her family!
After exchanging the briefest of civilities, Bingley and Miss Bennet left him for the dance floor. As he watched them begin to dance the set, he felt even more distressed than when he had first arrived. He watched, as a man watches a play from his seat in a theatre, as events unfolded around him, trying to come to terms with what he was witnessing. Here was his good friend Bingley, beaming. He could tell he was falling hard for this young lady who shared the surname of his own Elizabeth, but the young lady exhibited nothing more than sweet contentment upon her face.
Darcy had no desire to dance, and he rested against the mantel for physical as well as emotional support. He kept telling himself that this certainly could not be Elizabeth’s family. He hoped it was not.
His disheartened demeanour did not go unnoticed by Caroline. Looking over to her sister Louisa, she whispered, “Poor Darcy! What agonies he must be suffering. How distressed he must be in having to endure this!”
With that she rose. “Louisa, I cannot sit here and watch him suffer so. I must go to his side.” She eagerly walked over to him and placed herself beside him, hoping to ease his discomfort. She was all anticipation that he might be inclined to dance at least one set with her.
When he did not acknowledge her, but seemed lost in thought, she offered in a most sympathetic voice, “I can guess the subject of your reverie.”
Darcy was somewhat startled, but he replied coolly, “I should imagine not.”
“You are considering how insupportable it would be to pass many evenings in such society; and indeed I am quite of your opinion. I have never been more annoyed! The insipidity and yet the noise; the nothingness and yet the self-importance of all these people! What would I give to hear your strictures on them!”
“Your conjecture is totally wrong. While I do agree that there are some here who are noisy and carry about them an air of perceived self-importance, I find that there are pleasures that can be found in country manners if one looks in the right places.” In truth, he knew the only true pleasure he could imagine finding here would be Elizabeth.
This did not sit well with Caroline, but she remained steadfast at his side.
The evening passed ever too slowly for Darcy. As he tried to determine whether this was Elizabeth’s family, he began to hear bits and pieces of talk from those around him of “Bingley’s wealth,” “a good match for Jane,” and “Mrs. Bennet will be so pleased.” Even a fool would have been able to discern that the tide of sentiment among the people in this neighbourhood was that Miss Jane Bennet would benefit greatly from a marriage to a man of Bingley’s means, and they were beginning to expect it. The more he watched Mrs. Bennet, the more he realized she was one of those pushy, marriage-minded mothers who would do anything to secure her daughter in a marriage with a man of fortune.
He finally decided the only course of action he could take to ascertain any relation to Elizabeth would be to ask Miss Bennet to dance. But before he did that, he knew it would be only proper to ask Miss Bingley first. Reluctantly, he asked Miss Bingley, who was ever so appreciative, to join him on the dance floor.
As he struggled to maintain a polite manner as Miss Bingley’s dance partner, he remained preoccupied with Bingley’s partner. He had to admit he had never seen Bingley so enamoured, so cheerful. She did seem to bring out, even more, his gregarious manner. But the young lady did not seem similarly affected. His concern rose as he considered Bingley did not even notice her cool, unaffected demeanour. There was no harm in being sweet and pretty, but he had to make sure that his good friend married a woman who loved and respected him for who he was and not for what he had.
He thought of Elizabeth and how different, even from this young lady, she was. A vivid recollection of her lively and playful spirit suddenly came upon him, and he could not believe how he ached for her. He looked back upon Caroline, who was methodically performing the steps of the dance with an air of distinction. She may have all the external attributes of a well-bred, fashionable woman of society, but Elizabeth was overflowing with internal qualities that put her on a higher pedestal than Caroline Bingley would ever be.
With the agony of the obligatory dance finally over, he excused himself and walked back over to Bingley, who was readily willing to allow Darcy a dance with his angel. He was eager for his friend’s approval, and he had no doubt that he would get it.
As the dance began, and Darcy stood facing the sweet-faced Jane Bennet, he wondered whether the two would ever begin a conversation. She was very quiet, and Darcy was at a loss to know how to begin the dialogue that might offer up the information he so desired to hear, or not to hear.
A few rounds into the number, Jane finally spoke up. “Mr. Darcy, how long have you known Mr. Bingley?”
“We have been friends for about eight years now, I think.”
Jane smiled. Darcy sighed. It was now or never.
“Miss Bennet, I believe you have three sisters here. Is that correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
The two dancers separated and Darcy’s heart lifted. Perhaps that is all she has! Elizabeth is not her sister!
When they came back together again, her voice faltered. “But I have one who is not here.”
Darcy was brought abruptly to a halt with her words. He waited for her to continue, as he watched tears form in her eyes.
“She has been gone for several months now.”
Darcy leaned his head toward her as he asked, most reluctantly, but he had to know. “Forgive me if this is none of my business, but did something happen to her?”
Suddenly Jane smiled, “Oh no, sir. Please forgive me.” She wiped a tear from her eye. “It is just that we are so close, and I miss her so.”
Darcy’s heart pounded and he could hear nothing else in the room save what she was saying. “She left for America to visit my aunt and uncle five months ago, although we do expect them to return any day now.”
Darcy closed his eyes as he fought a wave of dizziness come over him. He had to make a mental effort to recall the next steps to the dance, as he wanted nothing at this moment but solitude so he could ponder this revelation.
“You expect her to return shortly?” he managed to ask.
“Yes, the last we heard they were in Liverpool, about to head for home.”
Darcy felt his chest tighten up and he struggled even to breathe. He looked around the room, seeing her mother and three sisters. He could not reconcile that this quiet, demure woman dancing with him, the three vulgar sisters, their mother, and Elizabeth were all from the same family.
A small voice, resonating from his past, his upbringing, and his connections spoke out, You can still annul the marriage and she need never know you actually considered otherwise!
They finished the dance in silence, for which Darcy was grateful. He was anxious to leave and settle his nerves and rationally think out all the implications of this!
That night in his room, Darcy tried to decide what to say to Bingley or whether to say anything at all. The fact that his friend had developed an interest in Elizabeth’s sister provided a very interesting state of affairs. He pulled out the marriage certificate, which he had secured in a dresser drawer inside a book, and fingered it gently.
He looked at her signature and ran his finger lightly over it. How did she ever end up in that family of hers? Her eldest sister was sweet and kind; he could easily credit her with that. But her other sisters and her mother would be a disgrace to his family! He shook his head, determining he would think of them no longer tonight.
***
At breakfast the next morning, Darcy encountered a highly agitated Caroline Bingley. “Mr. Darcy, please come sit down and settle something for us.” Somehow he had a feeling this had to do with Miss Bennet. The fact that her brother was not amongst them at the moment prompted him to suspect that Miss Bingley would unleash all her pent-up anger and sisterly concerns.
She cleared her throat before she began. “Mr. Darcy, you know how concerned we are for Charles’s welfare, and how he sometimes acts in very foolish ways, making unwise decisions.”
“Especially in the area of love,” Louisa added.
“Bingley’s affairs are his own concern, Miss Bingley.”
“Miss Bennet is a sweet girl, Mr. Darcy. But look at her family, her connections; she has nothing to offer him. She is just not the kind of girl and her family is not the kind of family that Charles should marry into. Her mother… certainly you observed last night how ill mannered her mother is!”
Darcy closed his eyes, mentally preparing how he should respond. It was true that Charles had made some unwise decisions before in the area of love. He was not so much concerned now that Miss Bennet was wrong for him, wrong at least in the way Caroline thought she was wrong. He was more concerned that his friend would continue to shower his undivided attention upon this lady and then, as he had frequently done in the past, decide she was not the one for him and leave her. That might eventually put him in an awkward situation with Elizabeth.
“Please do something, Mr. Darcy. Say something to him. He will listen to you, I know!” She leaned in closer to him. “You are staying with us for some time, are you not?”
Darcy looked at her. “As it turns out, I will most likely remain here for a while.”
A look spread across Caroline’s face that seemed to erase any previous thought or concern she may have had. A wide smile appeared, and she thought, at least she hoped, it was because of her that he chose to remain at Netherfield. She was satisfied that the longer he remained here, the better opportunity for him to see for himself the insupportable situation Charles was putting himself into. Caroline was also determined to take full advantage of his presence in her home for her own ambitions.
She was quite astonished, then, with Mr. Darcy’s next suggestion.
“Miss Bingley, I think it would be most cordial for you to invite Miss Bennet to lunch or tea with you and Mrs. Hurst.”
Caroline looked at him open-mouthed. “You cannot be serious! Why should I encourage this intolerable infatuation of his?”
Darcy looked at her intently. “Because he is your brother, and at the moment, Miss Jane Bennet is the object of his regard. If, indeed, he were to decide to marry her, there is nothing that you or I would be able to do about it, and it would be best if you had exhibited friendliness to her at the onset.”
Caroline pinched her eyebrows together. “Mr. Darcy, you underestimate your influence over my brother. Just say the word; give him some sort of warning or discouragement, and he shall end it. I tell you he greatly respects your opinion.”
Darcy let out a short breath, knowing she was most likely correct. “Still, Miss Bingley, I should extend the invitation if I were you. It will be an indication of your goodwill toward both your brother and this young lady, and it will give you an opportunity to get to know her better.”
Caroline knew that if she continued to argue with him, it might spoil her chances with him. She had to let him know she respected his opinion as well.
“Mr. Darcy, now that you mention it, I think it is an exceptionally good idea to invite Miss Bennet over, do you not agree, sister?” She looked over at Louisa with a sly smile.
Louisa looked at her suspiciously, with every intention of speaking to her candidly about this later when they were alone. “Certainly, Caroline.”
“I shall write directly and invite her to come to tea with us tomorrow!”
Darcy pushed the chair back and brought himself up from the table. “If you will excuse me, ladies, I shall be out riding and seeing all that this neighbourhood has to offer.”
Caroline only let out a disappointed “hmmm,” as she watched him leave the room.
Louisa immediately leaned over. “Upon my word, Caroline! Why would you want to invite Miss Bennet over for tea?”
“Louisa, I am greatly surprised you have to ask. I do believe you have been married too long! I am trying my hardest to get that man to notice me while he is here, and letting him know I think highly of his opinion and totally agree with him is one way to do it!” She looked over at the now empty door. “Besides, Mr. Darcy is most likely aware that while Jane Bennet is here, we might be able to discover all sorts of disreputable information about her family that we shall be able to use against her!”
The two sisters looked at each other and snickered, while Mr. Hurst continued to deplete the food on the table.
Darcy walked out to the stable, asking the stable hand to ready his horse, Thunder, for riding. With some seemingly innocent questions, he ascertained the whereabouts of Meryton as well as Longbourn. He would do some riding to clear his head and while he was at it, see if he could find the place Elizabeth called home.
Thunder was saddled and eager for an outing around the countryside. Darcy understood Longbourn was about three miles southeast of Netherfield, so he set out in that direction. Thunder was more than anxious to expend some of his energy, and Darcy allowed him the freedom to gallop through some open fields. As the horse was given free rein, Darcy tried to rein in his thoughts.
He could not get Elizabeth’s family out of his mind. Their behaviour was rude, unrefined, and completely inappropriate. So unlike Elizabeth! Her eldest sister seemed to be of the same upbringing as Elizabeth, and he wondered how there could be such a disparity between them and their sisters. Her mother . He sighed as the uninvited thought challenged him as to how he would ever be able to introduce her family to his own family… to his friends.
Pushing that thought brusquely aside, he came upon a road and slowed down, following it at a brisk canter. Not much farther along he came across a modest two-story home that was set back a ways from the road. A wooden sign marker off to the side was inscribed with the name Longbourn .
His heart skipped a beat as he looked across at the home, wondering if it indeed was Elizabeth’s. Is this where she grew up? Where she took her walks? Where she formed all her hopes and dreams?
A noise drew his attention and he saw two young girls come flying out of the house, one carrying a bonnet. He did not want to draw attention to himself, so he gave his horse a slight kick and walked it slowly down the road, occasionally turning to see if he could recognize the girls as the Bennet daughters from the night before.
They were not paying any attention to the road out front, and so were quite careless in their behaviour. One shrieked, “Give me back my bonnet!” while the other waved the bonnet in the air, taunting, “Just try to get it back! It looks much better on me!”
Darcy’s stomach churned as he realized he was watching the Bennet girls he had seen last night. He hated to admit it, but this little display between the two sisters was another example to reinforce Caroline’s partially correct views of the unsuitability of the Bennet family.
Darcy rode on a little farther up the road, enjoying the crisp autumn day, but knew he ought to return shortly. He felt a chill in the air and if he suspected correctly, it felt like rain. As he turned back, he imagined Elizabeth taking walks along this very road. He pondered whether her love for walking was drawn from a desire to escape the oddities that were displayed in her house by her family or merely to enjoy the beauty of the hills and dales around her home.
Noticing the clouds begin to collect above, he decided to head directly back to Netherfield. He could feel a north wind sending its tendrils of shivering cold, and brought Thunder to a gallop.
By the time he reached Netherfield, Charles had joined his sisters. Darcy walked in and handed his coat and riding stick off to one of the servants.
“Did you have a nice ride, Mr. Darcy?” asked Caroline.
“Splendid, thank you.”
“I was just telling Charles that I will be sending a note to Miss Bennet inviting her to join us for tea tomorrow while you men are out.”
Charles perked up. “I think that is a marvellous idea, Caroline. I am glad you thought of it.”
Caroline smiled a contented smile, but then quickly added, “Oh, but Charles, I must give the credit to Mr. Darcy. He is the one who came up with that most agreeable suggestion.”
“I believe Caroline and Louisa will have a wonderful time with Miss Bennet tomorrow!” Charles declared exuberantly. Charles looked over at his friend. “Do you like her, Darcy? Do you not think that she is an angel?”
“She seems very sweet, Bingley. But why are we to be out? Where are we going?”
“We, good friend, have been invited to dine with the officers.”
“We have?”
“Yes. The timing could not be more perfect. Miss Bennet can spend the time getting to know my sisters while we enjoy the company of the officers.”
Darcy pursed his lips upon hearing this, feeling disposed to think that what he had intended in his suggestion may now not be feasible. He had hoped to be able to glean a little more information about Elizabeth from her sister. Now he could only hope that the visit with the officers would end early enough for them to return to Netherfield before Miss Bennet left, although he doubted it would. He certainly could not expect to hear any favourable information about her from Charles’s sisters.
He could only hope it would not be too long before another opportunity presented itself to find out more about the woman for whom he impatiently longed.