“I agree…I did not seen the danger before as I never saw any partiality for them on Mr Wickham’s side.”
“I heard his partiality lay towards you,” he said in a low voice, surprising Elizabeth. “I mean…I was told that,” he continued. “I admit, I was astonished, as he usually does not favour clever, witty ladies.”
Elizabeth looked at him, puzzled, wondering who had told him such a thing and why he was even interested. At his last words, she began to laugh.
“Well, then he was only acting in his usual way since I am neither clever nor witty.”
Mr Darcy smiled back as they continued to walk together.
“Mr Darcy, I do not wish to abuse your patience, but there is something else I wanted to ask you.”
“Please do so.”
“Do you have news from Mr Bingley? He is in good health, I hope?”
The answer came after some hesitation.
“I know he is in good health, but I have not seen Bingley much lately. We last spoke in February, when he went to visit a friend in Oxfordshire.”
“Oh…so he was not in London?”
“No.”
“That is strange because…my sister Jane has been in town since January, and she visited Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst.”
She waited for his response, but none came.
“They told my sister that Mr Bingley was in town but was busy with you and Miss Darcy.”
At this, he turned to her, a frown appearing on his face.
“I was informed of your sister’s presence in London. To my knowledge, Bingley had already left by then.”
“Mr Darcy, there is no other way of asking this, even if it might raise a further disagreement between us. I know Mr Bingley’s sisters put great effort into separating him from Jane and keeping him in town, but I sense you were no stranger to this matter either. I am not ignorant of the fact that you never approved of Mr Bingley’s admiration for my sister. Can you deny it?”
“I have no wish to deny it, Miss Bennet. I always take responsibility for my actions.”
They walked in silence for a short while. She felt disappointed by his cold admission of ruining Jane’s happiness. He sounded careless and arrogant, just as he used to be in Hertfordshire.
“I knew his sisters opposed Bingley returning to Netherfield because of his admiration for your sister. And I knew she was in town. I suspect they refused to inform him.”
“I see…so my sister has been suffering for four months because of an evil scheme meant to ruin her happiness, and probably his too. I shall not pretend I am not disappointed and stunned by the complete lack of consideration you — as well as his sisters — showed to Mr Bingley.”
“Miss Bennet—”
“I am sorry, I have a sudden headache. I should return to the Parsonage.”
“Miss Bennet, please, only a moment longer.”
She looked at him. His gaze was dark, and she could not read anything in it.
“Miss Bennet, I did not disapprove of Bingley’s admiration for your sister. In truth, I believe she is one of the most beautifulwomen of my acquaintance, and with her flawless manners, I am sure she is universally admired.”
“She is,” Elizabeth replied with pride. “I am as aware of my sister’s lack of faults as I am of the fact that the rest of my family has plenty. From our situation in life to the breaches of decorum that are not rare for us.”
She expected him at least to attempt to deny it, but to her pain, he did not.
“All those were issues to consider, and they might have been the strongest inducement for Bingley’s sisters. For me, my main concern was my friend’s happiness. I did not want him to be hurt in a marriage where most of the affection lay on one side.”
