Glancing over his shoulder, he suddenly remembered his manners. “Mrs Gardiner? May I escort you as well?” He glanced to Georgiana with the smallest look of apology, one he knew she would understand. She grinned encouragingly at him as she accepted Mr Hurst’s other arm and fell in behind them.
Mrs Gardiner graciously accepted his escort and the threesome followed Fitzwilliam with Mrs Bennet and Miss Bingley into the dining room. Mrs Gardiner carried herself with humble dignity, and Darcy was greatly impressed with her unassuming, amiable manner.What a genteel lady she is! I can easily see where Elizabeth learned much of her grace and comportment… sadly, it was not from her mother!Darcy reflected on his pleased acquaintanceship with this elegant lady and what a fine influence she might be for Georgiana.And this is the relation I once disdained for her situation in trade!
Not for the first time since meeting Elizabeth Bennet, he found all of his former notions of civility turned upside down. Not only was he perfectly delighted with this woman’s conversation and manners, but he also wished to know more of her and her family. She had mentioned to him when they were first introduced that she had grown up in Lambton and had even had the pleasure of meeting his mother once, many years ago. He appreciated that her information was given politely, with discretion, not as a blaring demand for recognition as many others might have done. He began to think that, perhaps, notallof Elizabeth’s relatives were embarrassing.
Once into the dining room, his confidence began to flag. Where should he sit? Would it be too audacious to assume a seat near Elizabeth? If he were to take Richard’s advice, he should seat himself near Mrs Bennet. A sudden nervousness caused him to tense until his eyes fell upon the table. Mrs Bennet had used place cards for the night! Stepping round the table, he was delighted to discover that his name appeared between Elizabeth’s and Mrs Gardiner’s. His happy gaze flew to Elizabeth’s face, noting her shrewd smile.
He helped Mrs Gardiner into her chair first, then Elizabeth. As he bent low over her, admiring the glossy curls frosting her alabaster neck, he murmured into her ear, “The cards are most helpful. Your handiwork, I presume?”
She tilted her head slightly, responding under her breath. “Jane’s, actually. You know Jane always wishes for peace and harmony. I, on the other hand, tend to enjoy a good row on occasion and might have seated you betwixt Miss Bingley and my mother!”
A look of horror crossed his face before he could quite squelch it, but the effect on Elizabeth was enchanting. She laughed merrily, with a small wink which he was quite certain she had never bestowed upon him before and may have even been unconsciously done.
He broke into a relaxed grin. “Then, Miss Bennet has my eternal gratitude. Not that I object to knowing your mother better, but I fear my meagre dialogue skills are woefully inadequate for her liking.”
Elizabeth laughed again, her dark eyes flashing, fully ensnaring him under her spell. “Mr Darcy, I believe you give yourself too little credit! I have had the pleasure of debating you on subjects of interest and have not found you deficient. Indeed, you ought very much to enjoy getting to know my father better once he is recovered, for he loves a spirited debate as dearly as I do.”
A flush of pleasure tingled through him. By her own admission, she had not only assured him that he had the capacity to please her but that she expected him to be around to spend time with her father. He wondered if her words had been intentionally chosen to grant him such confidence. By the sudden shift in demeanour he witnessed, he guessed it was not so, but her words thrilled him, nonetheless.
Elizabeth quickly hid her fading smile behind a glass of claret. Casting about for some way of retrieving her good humour, he returned to the subject of her father. “I have, in fact, had the opportunity to speak with your father at great length. I met him out riding the other morning before his unfortunate accident. I found him to be a wealth of knowledge, as a matter of fact. We talked for some time and with great pleasure before parting company.”
Elizabeth could not hide her surprise. “Truly? I had no idea. We knew very little of that morning’s events, and Papa is not normally inclined to morning rides. Was it very early?”
He gave a short, silent laugh. The sentiments of the desperate man who took that wild ride and the hopeful one who sat at dinner this evening were so radically different that it seemed an age ago. “Yes, we rode some time before we watched the sun rise over Oakham Mount together. It is a lovely place. Your father mentioned that you have a special attachment to it.”
She fixed him with a pensive little smile. “Yes,” she replied slowly. “I have. Itisa lovely place, affording an excellent view of the brash young horsemen from Town galloping across Purvis Lodge’s fields.”
He started. She had seen him, even before they had ever met at the Assembly? Of course, the interest their arrival generated would have fixed his and Bingley’s identity in her memory as the future denizens of the vacant Hall nearby. He smiled at her confession of an early notice of him, enjoying her laughing eyes sparkling back at him.
With a tight yet emboldened smile, he turned his attention to the rest of the table. It would not do to ignore everyone else entirely! He noted that prudent Jane had seated herself and Charles on either side of Mrs Bennet, trusting in Charles’ affability to defuse any improper behaviour from the matron of the house. Mrs Gardiner sat between himself and Bingley, near enough to assist in diverting Mrs Bennet.
To the other side of Elizabeth was Georgiana, and beyond her Kitty, then Lydia Bennet. Next to Jane, opposite Mrs Gardiner and Darcy, were the Hursts. Richard found himself squarely between Mrs Hurst and Caroline, with silent Mary Bennet next to the latter. Richard appeared less than enthusiastic about the situation until he realized that Georgiana was nearby. Lydia Bennet also was not far away at the end of the table and more than welcomed his frivolous attentions. Darcy relaxed, fully appreciating Jane Bennet’s wisdom and looking forward to a pleasant evening.
Dinnerdidindeedpasspleasantly. Elizabeth had approached the event with much trepidation, but all her worry was for nought. Darcy had proven a surprisingly conversant dinner companion, both with herself and her aunt. Still labouring under her earlier impressions of him, she had truly been expecting him to shun her wonderful aunt’s company. Instead, he had purposely engaged Mrs Gardiner, leaving Elizabeth free to get to know Georgiana better.
The girl appeared much recovered after her shock from the day before. Her spirits had returned, and she chattered delightfully with both Elizabeth and Kitty and even Lydia when the latter was ignored by the handsome colonel. The younger girls enthusiastically mined her for information on the latest London fashions. Georgiana, for her part, verily sparkled with glee at the rare opportunity to speak with such unpretentious girls of her own age.
Elizabeth remarked to herself that Kitty was more reserved than normal and that her hazel eyes flicked uncertainly between Georgiana and her own sister Lydia. Hope began to bud in Elizabeth’s breast. Perhaps all was not lost for Kitty if she was beginning to uncomfortably take note of the contrast between raucous Lydia and graceful Georgiana. She pursed her lips and decided to encourage that friendship.
Elizabeth’s gaze swept the table. Jane was taking pains to become better acquainted with Louisa Hurst, and her efforts were beginning to bear fruit. Mr Hurst even found himself capable of responding to Jane’s sweet cheer and thoughtful conversation. Elizabeth smothered a proud smile. Leave it to Jane to discover even in Mr Hurst a pleasant dinner companion!
Mary and Caroline Bingley had less than nothing to say to one another, ensuring quiet from that region of the table, although Mary gazed rather steadily at Georgiana. Caroline’s attempts to control the conversations of others nearby were diligently thwarted by Colonel Fitzwilliam at every turn. Elizabeth felt true regard for Darcy’s cousin as she observed his cool dismissal of Miss Bingley and his careful manipulation of Lydia from across the table. The man was masterful!Had he been the one to speak for me, I doubt I should have even objected!
Her thoughts seized. Perhaps… Colonel Fitzwilliam was not shy about his lack of wealth. As he had hinted once the day before, he would need to marry a woman of fortune to maintain the lifestyle to which he had been brought up. She did not fit that criteria, nor seemed the colonel capable of a violent enough attachment, as far as she could tell, to overcome such a difficulty. As she had once reflected to herself regarding Wickham, a marriage of only tolerable felicity could turn sour quickly if a couple had not the proper resources to live as they were accustomed. Darcy certainly had that, and then some.
A conviction began to turn in her bosom. It was not Darcy’s resources which began to improve her opinion of him. Though he was more recalcitrant than his cheerful cousin, there was a depth to Darcy that she felt she had only begun to plumb. As a student of characters, she had discovered early on that he was an interesting puzzle. How she could have misconstrued some of the most basic elements of his character, she still could not fathom, but the more she learned of him, the more fascinating he became.
He engaged her quite frequently over dinner in discussions of her favourite books and plays. She found they both favoured Milton, as well as Scott and Donne. She brought up the works of Byron, and Darcy made a face. Surprised, she asked, “Do you not like his works? I should have thought you might.”
“His work is, I grant you, superior enough. His character, I cannot abide. The man is a blackguard and a wastrel. A more unprincipled, hedonistic degenerate I never wish to encounter.”
Elizabeth arched her brows, surprised almost beyond words that Darcy would excoriate the celebrated poet with even stronger language than he used for Wickham. “You know him?”
“Of course. We were at Cambridge together briefly, though we did not frequent the same circles. He came to me once to ask sponsorship for the publication ofEnglish Bards, though I expect he knew I would turn him down.”
“May I ask, what is it about him you find so offensive?”
Darcy reddened, then lowered his voice. “I regret that I cannot relate more of my opinions in public, nor with an unmarried lady. It would be most unfitting, as there are some things I doubt your father would approve of me sharing with you.”
