Darcy's Passions (6 page)

“Will you join us, Miss Elizabeth?” Louisa asked graciously.

“I fear my sister may require my help; I would not wish to interrupt your game,” Elizabeth begged off. “Pray, I will amuse myself with a book instead.”

“You cannot tell me, Miss Elizabeth, you prefer reading to cards? That is rather singular.” Mr. Hurst protested.

Miss Bingley seized the opportunity to disparage Elizabeth in front of Darcy. She offered a calculated cut. “Miss Eliza Bennet despises cards. She is a great reader, and has no pleasure in anything else.”

Caroline's rudeness astonished Darcy. To call Elizabeth “Eliza”
highlighted Caroline's way of showing her disdain. Miss Bingley's lack of proper manners mortified him. Turning to Elizabeth, he expected to see her taken aback as well; instead, he noted that same enigmatic smile, the one she gave him when she found his manners lacking. “Miss Bingley, you misjudge me. I deserve neither such praise nor such censure. I am
not
a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things.”

Good for her,
thought Darcy,
she held her own with Caroline.
How Elizabeth deflected Caroline's criticism impressed Darcy. Verbal attacks with her should entertain him nicely; he anticipated the pleasure of it all. As the evening progressed, Elizabeth, eventually, left her book and drew near the card table. Although she stationed herself between Mr. Bingley and his eldest sister, she played havoc with Darcy's well-being. Awashed with the fragrance of lavender, her nearness placed Darcy's every fiber on alert.

Caroline, aware of the changes in Darcy, tried to recover his attention.“How is dear Georgiana, Mr. Darcy? Is Miss Darcy much grown since the spring? Will she be as tall as I am?”

Darcy's eyes never left his cards, but his awareness of Elizabeth could not be described. “Actually, Miss Bingley, I think she will. She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennet's height, or rather taller.” He shot a glance at Elizabeth, and they momentarily locked eyes.

Caroline's exaggerated regard for Georgiana continued; she wanted Elizabeth to know how intimate she was with Darcy. “How I long to see her again! I never met with anybody who delighted me so much. Such a countenance, such manners. And so extremely accomplished for her age. Her performance on the pianoforte is exquisite.”

“It is amazing to me,” Bingley quickly added, “how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished as they are. They all paint tables, cover screens, and net purses. I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time, without being informed that she was very accomplished.”

Darcy's fondness for Bingley increased. Not only had his generosity placed Elizabeth within Netherfield, he opened up a mode of
discourse of which Darcy knew Elizabeth would react. Challengingly, Darcy asserted, “Your list of the common extent of accomplishments has too much truth. I cannot boast of knowing more than half-a-dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really accomplished.”

Echoing his ideas, Miss Bingley said,“Nor I, I am sure.”

Darcy's eyes rose to look Elizabeth squarely in the face; as predicted, she did not disappoint him.“It amazes me you have such an understanding of women's abilities, Mr. Darcy. Have you studied them thoroughly? You seem to comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman.”

Touché! Darcy had her now; he would let her see he was a worthy opponent for her verbal prowess.“I do comprehend a great deal in it. Just because I am a man, Miss Elizabeth, does not mean I am unaware of what qualities the ideal woman should possess,” he began to lead her on.

Not wishing to lose his appreciation to Elizabeth Bennet, Miss Bingley recited her list of qualities for an accomplished woman.“A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved.” Caroline hoped she displayed her accomplished qualities to Darcy while amplifying Elizabeth's flaws.

Realizing this, he chose an area in which he knew Elizabeth excelled to add to the list: “All this she must possess, and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.”

“I am no longer surprised at your knowing
only
six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing
any
,” Elizabeth bantered.

Savoring the moment, Darcy parlayed his response,“Are you so severe upon your own sex as to doubt the possibility of all this?”

“I never saw such a woman,” Elizabeth bristled. “I never saw
such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, as you describe united. She would be something to behold!” Darcy smiled at the quickness of her mind. He never had a woman speak to him thusly; he found it intoxicating.

“Oh, Miss Eliza,” Louisa protested, “you know not of which you speak. Hertfordshire cannot give you a basis to judge Mr. Darcy's sentiments.”

“Are we going to discuss the merits of accomplished women all evening or do you believe, Louisa, you can concentrate on the cards in your hand?” Mr. Hurst's annoyance at such frivolous thoughts showed.

As all conversation came quickly to an end, Elizabeth felt it best she return to her sister's care. Her leaving disappointed Darcy. He felt exhilarated;
it was a beginning,
he thought; tomorrow could not come too soon.

 

“Eliza Bennet,” said Miss Bingley, when the door closed on Elizabeth, “is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own; and with many men, I dare say, it succeeds. But, in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art.”

Darcy found it amusing how Elizabeth's presence affected Caroline to the point she repeated herself.
If she could see herself as others see her,
Darcy mused.
Caroline criticizes Elizabeth for using wily ways to entice men when her flamboyant displays border on rudeness at times.
“Undoubtedly,” replied Darcy, realizing Caroline made her remark for his address, “there is a meanness in
all
the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation.Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable.” Caroline's countenance took on a disturbance and an agitation; her remark won her no new ground with Darcy. Meanwhile, Darcy thought Elizabeth's allurements genuine where Caroline's were purely for show.

 

Elizabeth made another brief appearance saying her sister felt worse, and she begged their pardon for she would not leave Jane
again. Bingley once again urged Mr. Jones's being sent for immediately. His sisters, feigning true concern, said a dispatch for a more eminent physician should be sent. Elizabeth declined the offer for the time being, but she agreed to let Mr. Bingley send for Mr. Jones in the morning if Miss Bennet felt not more herself. This news made Bingley quite uneasy. Darcy noted although Bingley's sisters claimed to care about Miss Bennet's well-being, they consoled their unhappiness, however, with duets after supper.All these questions into what he accepted as appropriate behavior created more turmoil in Darcy; he could not rely on what he always assumed to be accurate portrayals of a person's character.

Darcy wondered if either Caroline or Louisa took ill, would they be concerned for each other or would they turn to the pianoforte instead. In his estimation, Elizabeth Bennet proved herself a remarkable woman. She traversed on foot the distance of three miles in poor conditions to give service to her sister. She refused to be intimidated by Miss Bingley's so-called social mores and his verbal challenges to her. She battled him with an unaccustomed quickness of mind. If Fitzwilliam Darcy chose a “sister” for Georgiana, he would choose the qualities displayed by Elizabeth Bennet over those of Caroline Bingley. As he slid his long limbs under the counterpane that evening, Darcy pictured Elizabeth Bennet standing on the staircase at Pemberley; it was the first peaceful night he had in some time.

 

Rested at last, finding Bingley up hours before his usual appearance in the breakfast room surprised Darcy. Bingley looked distraught; his concerns for Miss Bennet's health played havoc on his normal affability. “Bingley, please sit down.You are wearing a path in the flooring,” Darcy teased, trying to distract his friend's distress over the woman.

“Darcy, what should be done for Miss Bennet's well-being?”

“Charles,” Darcy switched his tone to one more soothing and intimate to help assuage his friend's fears,“one may trust Miss Elizabeth to do what is best for her sister. She will, I am sure, send you
word shortly on Miss Bennet's progress.”

Nearly as soon as the words left Darcy's mouth, a housemaid brought Mr. Bingley a response from Elizabeth. Miss Bennet's health appeared much improved, but Elizabeth wished a note sent to Mrs. Bennet to visit Jane and to form her own opinion on her eldest daughter's health. Bingley dispatched the message immediately. As he did so, Darcy's composure took a turn; he did not need to be reminded of Elizabeth's connections after finally getting a good night's sleep. He even worried Mrs. Bennet herself may choose to stay at Netherfield and send Elizabeth home to Longbourn. How intolerable that would be! Although he could not explain it even to himself, Darcy wanted Elizabeth to remain at Netherfield. Last night was a beginning; he did not want the dawn to bring an end—an end to what, exactly? He remained unsure, but being with Elizabeth took on a new importance to him.

 

Much to Darcy's amusement and to his horror at the same time, the two youngest Bennet daughters accompanied Mrs. Bennet. After spending the appropriate amount of time with her eldest, Mrs. Bennet and her daughters intruded upon the Bingley household in the morning room.

Darcy stood by the window, pretending to be taking in the prospect. In reality, he wanted to be away from Mrs. Bennet and the reminder she was Elizabeth's mother, as well as the fact if he developed affection for Elizabeth Bennet, he saddled himself to the family also. Such thoughts began to undermine the feelings he held for Elizabeth from the previous evening. Maybe he should consider her only as a diversion after all.

Mrs. Bennet's fawning over Bingley and his estate interrupted these thoughts. Darcy briefly wondered how well Miss Bennet would have to be before Mrs. Bennet thought her daughter should return to Longbourn. Clearly, having Miss Bennet ill and at Netherfield pleased Mrs. Bennet excessively. “Oh, Mr. Bingley, my Jane is a great deal too ill to be moved. Mr. Jones says we must not think of moving her.We must trespass a little longer on your kindness,
Sir; our Jane is the kindest, sweetest soul God ever placed on this earth; she does not deserve such pain.”

“You may depend upon it, Madam, that Miss Bennet shall receive every possible attention while she remains with us,” Bingley added sheepishly.

“Oh, we do hope you plan to stay at Netherfield, Mr. Bingley; it is such a fine estate.”

“I do like it here; I hope to stay a long time, but those who know me well will attest to my changeable nature.” He gestured about the room.

“Mr. Bingley,” Elizabeth began, “that is exactly what I should have supposed of you.”

“Indecision, as they say, brings lamenting for lost days.” Bingley enjoyed their banter. Darcy admired his friend's ability to be at ease in such conversations, and at this moment, he envied the attention Bingley received from Elizabeth. But Mrs. Bennet's reprimand of her daughter interrupted those thoughts. “Lizzie, do not forget your place, child.”

Bingley enjoyed the exchange, though, and replied directly to Elizabeth, ignoring Mrs. Bennet's warning to her daughter. “So, Miss Elizabeth, you amuse yourself with a study of your fellow man—of his character? If I am correct, you begin to comprehend me, do you?”

With those sparkling eyes, of which Darcy found of late so compelling, she retorted, “I prefer to study intricate characters for they are the
most
amusing; in that they have all the advantage.”

Despite his pledge to not get involved in any conversation involving Mrs. Bennet, Darcy could not help but to speak to Elizabeth, specifically, and engage her response. “If you prefer more intricate characters, Miss Elizabeth, the country can in general supply but few subjects for such a study. In a country neighborhood you move in a very confined and unvarying society.”

He found Elizabeth's enthusiasm enchanting as she replied, “Luckily, Mr. Darcy, people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them forever.”

For a brief moment, Darcy and Elizabeth held each other's eyes, and both sported a hint of a smile. Unfortunately, Mrs. Bennet's voice shattered the flash of understanding between them.“I believe you are mistaken, Sir, country society is not lacking in anything of consequence.”

Her affront to a man of Darcy's standing silenced the Bingley party. He started to respond, but a note of the mortification Elizabeth suffered at her mother's hand caused him to stifle his disfavor. The gentleman himself turned silently away, cursing himself for having paid any attention to Elizabeth Bennet and to her poor connections.

Elizabeth, however, softened the disdain he currently felt for her by coming to his defense while trying to smooth the indignity. “Mama, you mistake Mr. Darcy's intention,” Elizabeth blushed for her mother's intrusion into the conversation. “He only meant that there was not such a variety of people to be met within the country as in the town, which you must acknowledge to be true.”

Darcy turned slightly back toward Elizabeth during this speech. He watched as she resettled her shoulders and brought her chin up in an act of defiance. He discovered he developed a fondness for this temerity, and he rued the day he thought her not handsome enough to tempt him.