Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner (25 page)

Darcy was firm. “I thank you for your concern for my health, but for the last time, I am not leaving.”

“But if you do not, Charles will stay here and — oh!” Caroline clasped a hand over her mouth and took a breath. In a softer voice, she said, “Mr. Darcy, certainly you have noticed Charles’s attentions to Miss Bennet.”

“Indeed I have. Bingley has been rather transparent in his interest in Miss Bennet.”

“There, you see? He is making a spectacle of himself. If we do not get him away from here soon, it will be too late. He will be forced into a most unsuitable alliance.”

Darcy clasped his hands over his midsection, lightly resting on the cat in his lap. “I take it you are speaking of Miss Bennet. You have objections to her?” His voice was flat, without emotion.

“To Jane herself? No. She is a perfectly lovely girl. I say nothing against Jane — but her
family
! Is there a more ridiculous family in all of England? And their connections — or should I say, lack of them! If we do not save Charles, he will do something exceedingly foolish and destroy any chance of his advancing in society!” She spoke with the assurance that Darcy agreed with her.

Darcy suspected that Caroline was more concerned over her own position with the
ton
than her brother’s. “You have spoken to him about this?”

Caroline threw up her hands. “I have constantly tried to reason with Charles — we had a row in the carriage after church — but he will not attend to my arguments. He is bewitched by his ‘angel!’ Can you believe that he told me not an hour ago he cares nothing for society? All of the work and effort we have done on his behalf to make a gentleman of him will be for nothing. The Bingley name will be a laughingstock.”

Darcy was not aware of any efforts Caroline had undertaken to promote her brother. To promote herself — that was another story.

She continued. “But you — he will listen to you. He
always
listens to you. Mr. Darcy, you must speak to Charles. Tell him to give up this self-destructive courtship before it is too late.”

Darcy weighed the pros and cons of keeping silent. What he was to say would be uncomfortable to more than himself, but Charles was his friend. Darcy’s honor and loyalty to those he valued was paramount, even above his natural reserve. Cassandra, as animals can, became aware of his struggles and, disturbed from her rest, leapt off his lap. Darcy sighed and began.

“Miss Bingley, rest assured I will be speaking to Charles.” Immediately, Caroline’s face lit with a smile, but her good cheer was short-lived. “You are correct that he has been paying extraordinary attention to Miss Bennet. Indeed, I think that he has gone too far to retreat now. He must declare himself and soon.”

“What? You mean you will tell Charles to make Miss Bennet an offer?”

Darcy nodded. “At least request a courtship, although that seems redundant, given his actions to date. A
gentleman
can do no less.” He hoped his emphasis on the word would be enough to stop Caroline’s protests, but he hoped in vain.

“Jane would ruin Charles! An uncle in trade, and another a country attorney. The Bennets go nowhere, entertain no one. And that mother! Can you see Charles introducing that
joke
to London society?”

“I do not see your objections to Miss Bennet,” replied Darcy in an attempt to reason with the haughty woman. “Certainly, her connections are not the best. If Miss Bennet were indifferent to Charles, I might have a different opinion, but I believe his affections are returned.” In fact, Darcy was convinced that they were. He lowered his chin. “Besides, Miss Bennet
is
a gentleman’s daughter. She is a perfectly suitable wife for him.”

Darcy expected that Caroline would have some objection to his reasoning, so he was surprised at her sudden loss of color. “What — what was that you said?” she gasped.

Darcy was puzzled. “I said that Miss Bennet is a gentleman’s daughter and his equal.” A thought occurred to him. “Actually, now that I consider it, she is really a bit above Bingley. A marriage would solidify his standing, I should think and — Miss Bingley! Are you well?”

Darcy saw with alarm that Caroline was swaying on her feet, her face as pale as paper. She grasped the back of a chair while mumbling, “The colonel . . . that is what the colonel said.” She stumbled, causing Darcy to cry out in alarm.

“Good God, what is the matter? Help! Help there!”

Caroline made her way into the chair, not responding to Darcy’s entreaties about her well-being. In fascinated apprehension, Darcy watched as the lady’s expression changed from shocked incredulity to absolute devastation. Her body shook and her eyes filled with unshed tears. It was as if every dream and expectation Caroline owned had been utterly exploded. Darcy could make no sense of this. Their conversation surely could not have caused such an intense reaction, and Caroline’s words earlier seemed to involve Colonel Fitzwilliam, not himself. What the devil was going on?

A moment later, Bingley was in the room, followed by Georgiana, Jane, and the remaining Bennet daughters. Bingley rushed to his sister’s side with words of concern, Jane on his heels, doing the same. Georgiana, rather, went to Darcy, and the others watched the scene with varying degrees of curiosity.

Finally, Caroline was successfully entreated to speak by her alarmed brother. She assured all that she was well but felt unequal to the company assembled and begged leave to return to Netherfield. Her request was instantly approved, and her subsequent apology for leaving so abruptly was likewise accepted. Miss Bingley rather slowly rose from the chair, clinging to her brother’s strong and steady arm, and made her curtsy to Darcy.

Georgiana moved forward to assist Mr. and Miss Bingley. “I will help you,” she said in a relatively calm voice.

Caroline turned abruptly to her. “Dear Georgiana! Such a good friend you are to me!”

Georgiana was taken aback by Caroline’s intense look. “It . . . it is no trouble.”

Before Georgiana could move, Caroline’s hands shot out to grasp those of Georgiana. In a rather passionate voice, the lady exclaimed, “My dear,
dear
Georgiana you
must
believe I am sincerely attached to you. I
am
your friend, truly I am!”

Georgiana was clearly frightened by the manner in which Caroline assured her of her friendship, and Darcy knew she was of half a mind to flee from a person she supposed to be unhinged. Georgiana was not the only one who held this belief. There was not another person in the room who did not think Caroline had lost her senses.

But with true Darcy courage, Georgiana stood her ground, told Caroline that her declarations were unnecessary, and even squeezed the lady’s hands to comfort her. Caroline nodded weakly and then allowed her almost panicked brother to lead her out of the house to their carriage.

Darcy was still flabbergasted at the performance when the ladies returned, all with the same question, although most put it more politely than Miss Lydia.

“Lord, Mr. Darcy! What in the world did you say to Miss Bingley? I think she has gone daft!”

Chapter 14

M
ONDAY MORNING DAWNED BRIGHT
and cold, not surprising for late November. It was too chilly for Elizabeth to walk out before breakfast, so she postponed her ramble. At the table, she learned that more than her own plans for the morning had changed. Kitty was pouting that Mrs. Annesley had cancelled drawing in the rose garden for fear of freezing their subject, Mr. Darcy. As Jane and Georgiana entered the room, Elizabeth realized not all outside activities had been abandoned.

“What a lovely riding habit, Miss Darcy,” gushed Mrs. Bennet. “And Jane, you look very smart, indeed! Are you to ride this morning?”

Miss Darcy, well-bred, polite, and still a little reserved, did not laugh at the older woman’s folly. Instead she said kindly, “I received a note from Colonel Fitzwilliam last evening. My cousin returned from Town yesterday and has brought my horse. He and Mr. Bingley will call this morning, and we are to have a ride. Jane — that is, Miss Bennet, was invited as well.”

“Oh!”

Elizabeth turned at Lydia’s disappointed cry. She saw that her youngest sister was not a little jealous, and Elizabeth hoped Lydia would not make a scene. Instead, it was Kitty who complained of losing her drawing companion, and she had to be consoled by Mrs. Annesley and Georgiana. Kitty was mollified with Miss Darcy’s assurances that they would sketch together the next day. In the meantime, Kitty would continue her lessons inside. Only a little while passed before it was announced that the gentlemen had arrived. The entire party donned their spencers and bonnets and went outdoors to greet them.

Elizabeth was surprised at Miss Bingley’s attendance with the Netherfield party, for she had been told of Caroline’s mortifying outburst in Mr. Darcy’s room the day before. She was somber and serious, but true to her fashionable nature, the lady’s riding habit was of the latest style and exceptionally fine. Miss Bingley would have cut an imposing figure if only her hat were more in proportion to her head.

Also unexpected was that Mr. Bingley had a horse in tow and Colonel Fitzwilliam had two. Elizabeth quickly deduced that Mr. Bingley’s extra mount was for Jane’s use, but she could not understand why the colonel had brought a pair. Was Georgiana to choose between the two?

Georgiana greeted her cousin sweetly and one of the horses with great affection, entirely ignoring the other animal. Mr. Hill assisted Jane and Georgiana to mount their horses.

“Miss Lydia, how are you this fine morning?” Colonel Fitzwilliam called out.

Elizabeth beheld her sister, standing apart from the others, arms crossed over her chest, obviously sulking. “Very well, I thank you, Colonel.”

The colonel leaned over his saddle, a grin on his face. “Hmm, I think the lady is not in the best of spirits, is she, Bingley?”

Mr. Bingley, completed engrossed with Jane’s comfort, took a moment to recall himself. “Pardon? Oh, yes. I believe Miss Lydia could use some cheering up.”

Colonel Fitzwilliam turned to the other man. “Do you think riding out with us might serve?”

“The very thing!” Bingley said with a laugh. “What say you, Miss Lydia?”

Lydia was astonished. Her eyes popped wide open; her jaw fell to her chest. For once, she was speechless.

“Miss Lydia, do you wish to join us this morning?” asked Colonel Fitzwilliam kindly.

Lydia found her voice. “Do . . . do you really mean it?”

Caroline narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. “She is not wearing a riding habit,” she observed.

The colonel turned to his companion. “Oh, I do not think that will be an impediment, Miss Bingley. We are in the country, after all. I believe society will forgive us if we are generous.” Elizabeth saw something — she was not sure what — in the colonel’s look that caused Caroline to color and turn away. Colonel Fitzwilliam turned again to Lydia. “Will you join us, Miss Lydia?”

The girl practically screamed her happy agreement and dashed to the horse’s side. Elizabeth knew that Lydia had some partiality for horses, but watching her sister’s exhibition caused Elizabeth to understand that she had underestimated Lydia’s love of the large imposing beasts. As for herself, she felt no jealousy; the only way someone could convince Elizabeth to ride was to have Mr. Collins chase her, waving a special license.

Lydia was soon seated upon the horse named Miranda, assisted by Hill’s strong hands and accompanied by Mrs. Bennet’s squeals of delight. Elizabeth was proud to see that Kitty’s smile for Lydia’s good fortune was devoid of envy. Apparently, her sister was content to stay at home with her art.

It suddenly occurred to Elizabeth that she did not know her younger sisters as well as she ought. She would have expected Kitty to protest most vigorously the attention showed Lydia as she had done so many times in the past, but she did not. And Lydia’s excited reaction to the simple offer of a ride was entirely out of proportion to Elizabeth’s previous understanding of the girl’s character.

To be proven wrong was disconcerting, Elizabeth found. Even Mary was not as Elizabeth thought her. How was it that Elizabeth had no idea of Mary’s determination to improve her playing, Kitty’s enthusiasm for art, or Lydia’s intense love of horses? Had she spent so much time in Jane’s company that she had ignored her younger sisters? If so, what kind of sister had she truly been?

Meanwhile, Caroline had made some sort of decision. Instead of ignoring Lydia, she began to assist Colonel Fitzwilliam and Georgiana in showing Lydia the finer points of riding posture. True, her words were more pointed and less kind than those of the colonel or the heiress, but Lydia was so engrossed in her lessons that she clearly took no offense. In fact, once Lydia was somewhat satisfactorily seated upon Miranda, she was gushing in her praise of Caroline’s attire. This pleased the other woman, and Elizabeth saw that the colonel was very amused by it all.

Caroline was aware of Colonel Fitzwilliam’s enjoyment and was clearly none too happy. “And what is it you find so amusing, Colonel?” Her voice dripped with sarcasm.