Darcy listened carefully, watching for any facial tics or inflexions that might yield… anything. But there was nothing to be found—just the manner of a man who appeared to be everything he claimed. It was unsettling, yet Wickham’s demeanour left little room for doubt. Perhaps Darcy had underestimated him.
The notion bore some examination… some other time when his head was working properly.
“And the local community? How have they received you, Wickham?”
Wickham’s face lit up again. “They have been wonderfully hospitable. The neighbours here are quite charming, particularly the Philipses and the Lucases. Then there is the Bennet family. They have been the most welcoming.”
Darcy’s fingers twitched on his cup, and he dared not look up until he was master of his facial expressions. “The Bennets, you say?”
“Oh, yes. I daresay you will hear that name again,” Wickham replied with a throaty chuckle. “They say Mr Bennet is a man of wit and intelligence, though I have yet to have the pleasure of an introduction. His daughters, however, are both plentiful and delightful, and you will never find a hostess more eager to please than Mrs Bennet.”
At this, Darcy glanced quickly at Bingley. Had he told Wickham about their meeting with Miss Elizabeth? The matter had never arisen between them, for it did not seem pertinent. But now, having reinserted themselves into the social sphere of Meryton, it seemed prudent that, as gentlemen, they would keep the lady’s secret and not risk compromising her dignity.
Bingley, bless him, caught the sudden shift in Darcy’s gaze and, after a question and then an answering guess flashed in his eyes, shook his head subtly. Darcy gave a faint nod in return. The lady meant nothing to him, truly, but… well, hang it all, she did not deserve to be humiliated.
Besides, for so long as he was in the area, it would not do to cultivate the ire of one with such a sharp tongue. Despite the throbbing pain behind his eye, he could not help a smile at that thought.
“Papa, you missed quitethe spectacle. Mrs Long and Mrs Purvis were just here for tea, and I must say, they were in excellent spirits. You could have had your fill of lively company. Lace, ribbon, and shoe roses until you swooned from the splendour of it all!”
Mr Bennet glanced up, quirking an eyebrow over an exasperated scowl. “And that is why I remain firmly lodged in this seat.”
“Oh, come, Papa! They did have some rather interesting conversation.” Elizabeth sat in the chair facing her father’s desk and picked up a paperweight to toy with.
“And what, pray to tell, did these fine ladies discuss that would have rivalled my current reading?”
Elizabeth rolled the weight from one hand to the other. “Oh, nothing of great importance. Just plans for another Assembly in a fortnight, but it might be cancelled if there truly is to be a ball at Netherfield. Imagine the horror of such frivolity!”
“A ball, you say? The very thought sends shivers down my spine. However will my purse survive your mother’s plundering? Am I expected to drag myself from my comfortable house to stand around gossiping with half a dozen coxcombs and one or two blackguards?”
“Those are our neighbours you insult! Come, Papa, it cannot be so dreadful as that. Think of the opportunity to hear endless praise of your daughters’ accomplishments.”
“Yes, the relentless flattery might be my undoing. Perhaps I should wad some cotton for my ears.”
“Oh, Papa!” she laughed. “You do amuse yourself. But truly, you would have enjoyed the company today. Mrs Purvis developed a rather unfortunate hiccough in the middle of tea. There, tell me you would not have found something to chuckle to yourself about later at that.”
Mr Bennet smiled briefly as he conceded the point, but his smile faded as he returned his gaze to the papers on his desk. “I fear my mind is too preoccupied with matters less pleasant than dancing, Lizzy.”
Elizabeth, sensing the shift in his mood, softened her voice. “Is something troubling you, Papa?”
Mr Bennet sighed, setting his notes aside. “More reports of rising winter floodwaters. Many of the fields have been destroyed. The damage to Longbourn’s lands alone is substantial.”
Elizabeth’s brow furrowed as she picked up one of the reports. “How badly has it affected us?”
Mr Bennet leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. “The lower fields are nearly ruined. The tenants are digging ditches to drain it off where they can, but if the normal seasonal rains continue, we may face even greater losses.”
Elizabeth sat down opposite her father. “What can be done? Have you spoken to the tenants?”
“I have, but there is little comfort I can offer them. We must find a way to aid them, but our resources are not endless.”
Elizabeth thought for a moment. “Perhaps we could organise a relief effort. The community could come together to support those most affected.”
Mr Bennet shook his head. “You have a generous heart, Lizzy, but such efforts require coordination and funding. We must be realistic.”
Elizabeth frowned in thought. “What exactly is the situation, Father? Why is the damage so severe?”
Mr Bennet creaked about in his chair, looking weary. “The river has been rising steadily, and it is only going to get worse through the season.”
“But it is so every year,” she interrupted.
