“I would not presume to say so. My dear Lizzy, again, I am wondering if you might have been too hasty in your judgment of Mr. Darcy. He treated me with respect yesterday, an old woman with whom he was under no obligation. He holds as a close friend someone who would not be welcomed in many homes of theton.” She hurried to add, “And I am meaning Mr. Bingley, whose father and grandfather worked for their money rather than inherited it. This means that the stink of trade, as is proclaimed by many of the elite of British society, would force the upper ten thousand to reject Mr. Bingley and his sisters out of hand.” She picked up the calling card. “I heard whispersof a ball being held at Netherfield Park as each lady in our community received their invitation. Most did not hesitate to wave their summons under my nose, asking boldly if I received one. I told no one of Mr. Darcy’s special invitation.”
“You will go?” Elizabeth asked, hopefully.
“I will. My finest gown is out of date, but I will wear the ribbon and lace with pride. And I eagerly anticipate sharing a table with Mr. Darcy. I have every confidence that he is a brilliant conversationalist.”
Elizabeth’s confusion almost choked her. She could not be so wrong about Mr. Darcy, could she? There must be something missing or something that she overlooked. She simply could not refute this act of kindness.
Perhaps it was Colonel Fitzwilliam who obtained the gifts and coerced Mr. Darcy to write the note.Indeed!But why would he not have sent his own card? And why would Mr. Darcy set aside the coveted supper spot for conversation with Mrs. Hammond if it was not him who procured the gift?
Completely perplexed, Elizabeth offered, “Perhaps if we looked at your gown together, we might be able to adjust it to a more modern style. After all, to be the supper partner with the wealthiest unattached man at the ball is worth the effort, is it not?”
“Not ‘man,’ Lizzy,” Mrs. Hammond said. “Gentleman.”
Exhaling quickly, Elizabeth sued for peace. “Very well. Gentleman.”
Darcy waited impatientlyfor Richard’s return the next day. Once they were seated with Bingley and Hurst in the study, Darcy quizzed him about his interview with Mr. Trevithickand the railroad. He was particularly interested to know the engineer’s progress as well as speak of the potential for growth in the northern portion of England.
Richard was barely able to sit still in his excitement. “Darcy, Trevithick is a dreamer as well as an inventor. Why, the potential for this new industry will change the world as we know it.”
“What of the man himself?” Darcy asked, pleased at seeing his cousin captivated by anything other than the weapons of war.
“I am convinced that he is as knowledgeable about business as he is about machinery.” Richard gained his feet to pace the room. “He is willing to risk everything of his personal fortune before inviting others to invest. I got the impression that he is not one to admit failure easily. After explaining what went wrong with his first two steam engines, he consulted the writings of Robert Fulton, whose steamboat plies the rivers in America. He believes that the recommendationand information will enable him to increase the speed and duration while reducing the overall weight. It surely will lead to success.”
“Did he provide a prospectus for his plans?”
“He did. We can review them later.” The colonel returned to his chair after glancing at the other two men in the room. Gilbert Hurst was almost asleep. Bingley’s eyes were glazed over. His interest was not business.
A trickle of a breeze entering the room from the gap between the windows and the casing chilled the back of Darcy’s neck.
“Speaking of making sound business decisions, are you certain you want to remain in this house through the cold of the winter, Bingley? You will have a miserable time keeping the rooms warm enough. Was there a reason for burning wood in the fireplaces instead of coal?”
His host shrugged. “I do not know. It was a beautiful day with not a hint of wind when I toured the property. According to the steward, the current owner, who inherited from his father,has no great memories of living here. I assumed something bad had happened in the family. Now that the weather is turning colder, I realize how poorly constructed the main house is compared to the older buildings. Nonetheless, its proximity to Town keeps my sisters from complaining too much. And I enjoy the neighborhood.”
Richard noted, “It is a lovely parcel of land, and the house itself does not look too bad…”
“From a distance.” Darcy was disappointed that Bingley had not asked his advice prior to signing the lease. Wood-framed buildings were rare in England for a reason. Not only was there danger from fire, but selling timber to the Admiralty was a far smarter business decision than using it for construction. Brick and stone were more stable and easier to heat. Besides, the workmanship of Netherfield was less than stellar, something Darcy would never allow for one of his residences.
Bingley poked his thumb at his chest, his chin rising about two inches. He said with a grin, “Colonel Fitzwilliam, I do hope you plan to be here on Tuesday next. I am hosting my first ball to celebrate Miss Bennet’s return to health.”
“Has Miss Elizabeth been ill? She appeared to be the picture of vitality yesterday.” Richard looked worried, which made Darcy fret—though why he could not say, or rather, he cared not to admit.
“No, not Miss Elizabeth, Miss Jane Bennet, the eldest Bennet daughter, the closest female I have ever met to an angel.”
Hurst groaned and rolled his eyes before mumbling, “Did you not say the same with your last ‘angel’?”
Bingley waved his hand in dismissal. “I have even forgotten her name, such is the superiority of Miss Bennet.”
Hurst snorted. “You are fickle to show as much interest in a lady as you do so quickly. If I were her father, I would chase you away like the mischievous pup that you are until you arefully convinced that she is the only woman to capture your heart. Her mother would chain you to her daughter’s bed if she thought it would force a proposal from you even upon a slight acquaintance.”
Though he said nothing, Darcy agreed with Hurst’s comments about the Bennet parents. Bingley was a good man at heart. However, he was untested in handling wealth and responsibility. He was also ripe for being taken advantage of by an avaricious, ambitious mother. As far as Darcy had observed, Mr. Bennet was a disinterested parent, not having attended one social event with his family in the last month. It would be a degradation to be attached to them, even for Bingley.
“And what of you, Darcy?” Hurst asked. “Those Bennets are fine-looking gals. I suppose they are too low for you to consider as anything more than entertainment.”
“Hurst!” Darcy was appalled. Gilbert Hurst might have been raised as a gentleman, but his speech and actions were as low as some of the sailors at the docks. Certainly, the man could not know Darcy’s character or he would never have made such a statement.
Hurst only exerted himself when it came to the pursuit of pleasure. How Bingley could bear his constant company was a puzzle. The fact that the sot was married to Bingley’s eldest sister was the reason. Nonetheless, had Hurst been related to Darcy by marriage—he shuddered at the thought—he would never keep rooms at Hurst’s townhouse. No matter the cost, he would move into rented rooms anywhere else in London.
Richard said, “I look forward to an introduction to the rest of the family. If they are like Miss Elizabeth, then it will be my pleasure.”
