Marianne hummed a little sigh as she watched him swiftly don his garments, his fingers working deftly over the buttons of his waistcoat. He glanced over and smiled at catching her out, and Marianne gave an impatient shake of her head as she jolted herself from her reverie.
Lady Rebecca bade her guests take a seat, and Marianne moved quickly to ensure that Charlotte Lucas could not claim a seat beside Mr. Bingley. He smiled again at Marianne, in such a way that she knew they were both pondering the spilled wine with no little satisfaction.
“It is entirely possible my dear girl maynotreturn from London,” Lady Lucas tittered. “My son and his wife Lady Selina intend to play matchmaker for my dear girl. Her poor heart was broken over the death of her betrothed, and I am sure a new attachment shall be her cure. Her brother has always doted upon her, and I am sure he will be praising her gentle manners, her good morals, and her intelligence to anybody who will hear him! I can scarcely bear to part with her, for she is so useful at home. And such a hearty creature, not prone to illness, like some.”
Miss Lucas had the grace to look a little mortified by her mother’s excessive recommendation, but her humility was fleeting. “I have lately reconciled with Lady Selina after an old quarrel that went on too long – just as I have forgiven Eliza for our recent dispute.”
Miss Lucas nodded to Marianne and Elinor with a smug smile. “Lady Selina is Lord Avery’s daughter – I wonder if your sisters may know her, Mr. Bingley. She moves in the first circles, as I understand they do, in London. I hope I meet with Miss Bingley again, for she is so fashionable and vastly clever.”
Marianne tried to keep her smile civil, though her lips twitched, yearning to form a satirical grin. She shared a glance with Mr. Bingley, who had vented his spleen at length about his sisters during their exploration of the attic the day before. Mr. Bingley seemed to experience a similar struggle, but he recovered himself enough to say that he did not know of his sisters having any such acquaintance.
“I had no idea you were in want of a new beau so soon after losing Mr. Collins,” Marianne said sweetly. She turned to Lady Rebecca, who sat on her other side. “My friend here is the niece of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She met her aunt’s late parson, and I daresay took his measure. Perhaps you ought to appeal to Lady Rebecca, who my sister accused just yesterday of having a fascination for making matches. Surely Lady Rebecca must understand what sort of man captured your heart the first time.”
Lady Rebecca discreetly pinched Marianne, while Mr. Bingley began to cough. Marianne clapped him on the back as playfully as Lady Rebecca had done to her. “Lady Selina Lucas, I believe I do recognize the name,” Lady Rebecca mused. “Yes, I recall we have met; she is a very amusing, elegant creature. Ah, but I never imagined you to be related to her… Lucas being a common enough name.”
“Shall either of you be returning to London soon? You cannot really mean to amuse yourselves here for much longer,” Lady Lucas said.
“I am quite resolved to remain at Netherfield for as long as it takes,” Mr. Bingley replied. “That is, as long as I require to fully acquaint myself with the running of the estate, and then I am sure that I shall purchase this, or some other estate – whatever is pleasing….” His gaze had drifted to Marianne, and he turned to offer Lady Lucas a civil smile.
The visit did not last much longer, though every moment of it was an affront to Marianne’s sensibilities. She reigned in her outrage, merely shaking her head in displeasure. Mr. Bingley grinned at her. “You have saved me once again,” he whispered to her.
“I am sure I would spare even your sisters from such a viper, if I could. The conceited audacity of claimingshehas forgivenLizzy!I did well to burn her letter, for I am sure she only wishes to make amends with Lizzy in the vain hope of some profit in the reconciliation!”
“Marianne,” Elinor gently admonished.
Lady Rebecca chortled. “Spare his sisters? No indeed, Marianne! I should think Miss Lucas’s aspirations are just what they deserve to have inflicted upon them! Or better still,yourindignation, Marianne. I should very much like to see you as defiant to them as you are to everybody else who wrongs your friends and relations.”
“Upon my word, I can well imagine it,” Mr. Bingley cried. “Indeed, I would love to see it – shall I invite them to our party, Rebecca?”
The humor instantly vanished from Lady Rebecca’s face. “I daresay that would go as badly for you as it did the first time. And I am sure I would never speak to you again ifall my endeavors were wasted on a fete they only sneered at, subsequently spoiling my own amusement.”
“It is astonishing to me that neither of you have ever given them a thorough set down before,” Marianne mused. “I am perfectly willing to oblige you, though I should likely take more pleasure in it than I ought to admit.”
“Well, I should by no means suspend any pleasure of yours, Miss Marianne,” Mr. Bingley said, giving the ladies a roguish wink before declaring that he ought to return to the activities that had been interrupted by their callers.
They all spent the rest of that day as they had done the day before, engrossed in their preparations for the grand party. The third day was much the same, though they were not plagued by any unwanted visitors. Lady Rebecca often exclaimed that she was vastly content to have her new friends at Netherfield, and just as Marianne predicted, she began to speak of their coming to stay there after Jane and Elizabeth returned to Longbourn.
Elinor would defer the decision to her mother, but Marianne declared it impossible that her mother could object to such a felicitous scheme, for it was vastly superior to the prospect of returning to Barton Cottage. And though Marianne was fond of her cousins, the comfort of a bed all to herself and the many luxuries of Netherfield far outstripped the merriment at Longbourn, of which a little went a long way.
Marianne was affected by a mournful sentiment as the sun set on her final day at Netherfield. After the day of festivities on the morrow, she knew not what to expect, and her faith in her mother’s agreement to remain there began to waver. Having passed such an amusing month in Meryton, the prospect of returning to Devonshire was as dismal as when first they went to the cottage.
She was determined to enjoy herself over dinner, for they were to sample every dish and delicacy to be served for the party the following day, as the cook wished to practice everything once over. The four companions soon all found themselves in exceedingly high spirits, and all of Marianne’s private doubts were vanquished, for nearly every dish had been cooked with wine or brandy. It was with high humor and unabashed mirth that the four companions realized the effects the delicious fare may have on the party guests, and yet they laughingly agreed they could countenance no alteration.
As they had done the two nights before, the four companions retired to one of the smaller parlors, where a blazing fire in the hearth made the room warm and cozy. There was little to do now for the party; everything Marianne and her friends had imagined was meticulously planned and embellished – ice skating, cards and other games, performances at the pianoforte and harp, and a grand dinner to be followed by dancing.
There was only one activity Marianne had hoped to include in the festivities, which Elinor had observed that their neighbors may not appreciate as they were inclined to enjoy, and would thus feel the woes of disappointing her. Reading aloud together had ever been Marianne’s favorite way to pass an evening at home with her family, since she was a girl and her father introduced the custom. It had become even dearer to her in recent months; a lively recitation of verse, a chapter from a novel, or even the enacting of a scene from a play had warmed the cold and lonely nights in the isolated little cottage that would never feel like home.
Since this was not to be a part of their lengthy and varied celebration, Marianne had continued her habit of reading aloud with Elinor and their friends at Netherfield, and her sister had been happy to oblige on the two evenings prior. Tonight, Mr.Bingley declared he wished to amaze them all with his talent, for he had been practicing in secret.
Mr. Bingley had selected a few verses from the first canto of one of Marianne’s favorites,The Lady of the Lake. He gave a rousing performance, even by Marianne’s high standards of feeling and expression; she was only obliged to interrupt him twice to coax a greater passion into his address. She applauded heartily at the end of it, and even Lady Rebecca declared that she was impressed – which Elinor observed was likely due to their inebriating meal, and the wine they had all consumed afterward.
When they agreed it was time to retire for the evening, Marianne had begun to conceive a little scheme in her mind. “I am far too eager for tomorrow to come – on such occasions, I can never sleep a wink! Perhaps a little brandy, so that we might sleep easier?”
Only Elinor demurred, but Marianne smiled to herself as Mr. Bingley and Lady Rebecca joined her for a parting drink. When they all made their way upstairs, Marianne hung back. She watched Mr. Bingley disappear down the bachelors’ corridor, while Elinor and Lady Rebecca went into their separate bedchambers. “Yes, sleep well – and swiftly,” she murmured.
Left alone in the corridor, Marianne helped herself to one of the candles from a wall sconce and crept stealthily back downstairs. Her object was the ballroom; in all their preparation, Marianne had detected that Mr. Bingley and Lady Rebecca seemed determined to keep her from entering the space, though Elinor had spent many solitary hours decorating that space.
Thinking to satisfy her curiosity with a glimpse of what they wished her not to see, Marianne held her hand carefully to keep the candle from extinguishing, and slowly moved through the downstairs rooms that had swiftly begun to feel so familiarto her. And then, as she reached for the door to the ballroom, she heard movement behind her, and when she turned round to see if she had been caught out, her candle flickered and the room went dark.
