Darcy changed to his riding attire and rushed toward the stables; he loved being in the saddle and being out in the open. Cerberus waited for him at the mounting block. Normally, a man of property rode such an inspection of his land in the springtime, but Charles Bingley made an impetuous decision. He only lately decided he should take possession of Netherfield Park, without the usual inquiries of the soundness of the structure or the condition of the land. Then Bingley “begged” Darcy to lend his expertise in what to address in the matter. Darcy’s father spent time teaching his son the responsibility Darcy eventually assumed as the master of Pemberley. He began as a child to accompany his father on the spring inspection of the farms and holdings of their estate; therefore, Bingley’s learning from Darcy fit the need. Ownership of land determined wealth. Darcy inherited Pemberley through a system of primogeniture. As Bingley’s father made his wealth in trade, he held neither ancestral ties to the land nor any real knowledge of the accountability involved in owning an estate.
As the two men rode out that morning, Darcy, in his element, showed his friend the delights of and the responsibilities of being a man of property. Netherfield Park held areas where drainage needed to be addressed, but it also possessed immediate grounds offering paths and parkways for the pleasure of its owner. As both men mounted a hill to take a better view of the prospect leading to Netherfield, Bingley queried,“Well, Darcy, do I have your blessing in this matter?”
“Let us wait a bit longer, my friend,” Darcy began, “until you spend a winter at Netherfield. A fine home in the late summer or early autumn may be a drafty pit in the winter.”
“Darcy, you are the voice of gloom,” Bingley laughed.
Darcy flushed with his friend’s taunt.“Gloom seems like sound reason from my perspective.”
Bingley turned his mount toward his home; as Darcy circled Cerberus to follow, he espied a glint of color moving along the road below them and to the right. Upon closer inspection, he realized a young lady walked along at a robust pace, nearly running.How unladylikehe thought briefly.Yet, her obvious joy at ignoring propriety momentarily intrigued him, and he found himself smiling at the sight of such unbridled freedom.She is delightfully happy.He secured the memory of the girl before moving on.
Upon their return, both men washed the dust of their ride away and retired to the study to recapture their thoughts on Bingley’s investment.“The lodge is stately and will serve you well, especially for shooting parties.”
“The stream is adequately stocked, although the wooded area was a bit overgrown,” Bingley observed.
“Being able to harvest some of the wooded area for heating purposes will serve the estate, Bingley, and you may choose to sell off some of it for profit.Yet, be sure seedlings are available to replenish the area.”
“I never considered that, Darcy.Your counsel is invaluable to me.”
“As for the house itself, the lighting in the dining room, morning room, and study is pleasantly suited, picking up the early light. Of course, for my taste, I hope, Bingley, you will address the library’s need for comfortable furniture and adequate evening lighting.”
“Darcy, I forget how much you pride yourself on the reputation of Pemberley’s library. Although I am not the reader you are, I will certainly address your concerns,” Bingley mocked.
Their conversations continued along this vein until dinnertime when the gentlemen dressed for the meal and escorted the ladies into the formal dining room. Congenial conversation followed the meal of several courses. “We received,” confided Miss Bingley, “several cards and invitations from our neighbors.We expect some of them to call tomorrow to pay respects.”
“I am anticipating becoming acquainted with the locals,” Bingley beamed.
“Do not anticipate the local gentry to offer much toward polite society,” Darcy returned to his earlier qualms. “Country manners, I find, are greatly lacking in a sense of decorum and can often be viewed as vulgar. No doubt many of your neighbors will be intolerable.”
The conversation on what to expect continued over dinner and a game of whist. Bingley’s usual gracious nature hoped for pleasant hospitality; the rest of the party felt the intrusions upon their privacy to be a necessary evil. Either way, those considered to be from “society” in Hertfordshire soon introduced themselves to the Bingley party.
Sir William Lucas and Mr. Bennet numbered among the first to call on Mr. Bingley. Sir William made his fortune in trade, according to Caroline, and the King honored Sir William with a knighthood after an address made at St. James during Sir William’s mayoralty. Evidently, Meryton offered Sir William as the only titled gentleman in the village. Mr. Bennet, a member of the landed gentry, on the other hand, possessed a small estate in comparison to Netherfield. Darcy’s smugness crept out when his suspicions of country society received confirmation.
“Mr. Bennet has five daughters, Darcy,” Bingley applied to his friend as they played billiards after dinner.“Maybe we can find you a fitting mate among them; I have it on good authority they are reputed beauties.”
“Please excuse me if I tell you how I find those prospects to be very distasteful; I plan to marry a woman of wealth and standing, one who will reflect well upon my family. Beauty alone could not be my requisite. I need a woman who is healthy enough to secure future generations for Pemberley. Of course, a woman with superior intellect and strength of character would be desired.”
“What do you say to love, Darcy?” his friend asked incredulously.
“Love would be an asset, but my first concern must be what I owe to my family.” Darcy studied his friend. “Duty comes before affection.”
Bingley stopped and looked up from his shot, “Then I do not understand why you avoided marriage for so long. Surely by now you could find a woman who meets your standards. My own are not so stringent; I still hold with hopes of marrying the woman I love, no matter what her financial standing may be.”
Arching his eyebrow, Darcy said, “Maybe Mr. Bennet has a daughter you will prefer.”
“Maybe so,” Bingley mused.“I think I will return Mr. Bennet’s visit in a few days. It is possible I will be able to assess the truth regarding his beautiful daughters.” He laughed as he played the next ball into the side pocket.
Mr. Bingley’s foray to Mr. Bennet’s manor of Longbourn offered no new realities. Unfortunately, he did not meet the young ladies in question. Their reputed beauty remained unconfirmed. The Bennets extended an invitation to dinner, but Bingley deferred; he had obligations in town and could not accept the honor extended to him.
Rumors swirled about Meryton; the Bingley party would attend the upcoming assembly.The rumors included exaggerations of the size of the intended party, thinking it to be eight to ten in number. In reality, after completing his business, Bingley returned to Netherfield with only his brother Mr. Hurst as company.
Dressing for the evening, Darcy did not anticipate a pleasing experience. Normally, he detested large gatherings, being animated and congenial only among his close acquaintances; in fact, in large gatherings he took on a different persona. Even among those of refined tastes, Darcy often withdrew within himself. Those whoencountered him found a daunting scowl plastered upon his face. His attitude toward a gathering involving anyone who could afford a ticket bordered on pure disdain. He despised, according to all reports, dancing.
Of a like disposition, Caroline and the Hursts suffered an appearance at the assembly as a social duty to support their brother.A full moon shone brightly as the party descended from their carriage outside the Meryton Assembly Hall. Sir William Lucas welcomed them first, coming forward after the party disposed of their evening wraps. Ironically, as Bingley and his sisters stepped into the crowded assembly hall, the music stopped, and the dancers made their turn and came face-to-face with city fashion. After Sir William’s amiable greeting, he ushered the group to a place of prominence in the room, stopping only to introduce his wife Lady Lucas and his eldest daughter Charlotte.
Crossing the room at the back of the Bingley party, Darcy became astutely aware of the impression they made on those assembled. He realized within five minutes both his and Bingley’s financial wealth would be rumored among all those in attendance. This type of monetary evaluation played common among the upper class. Often he heard it said a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. Darcy assumed the premise permeated the thoughts of those of a lower level too.
Shortly upon their arrival, the party met Mrs. Bennet and the elder daughter. Miss Jane Bennet, he found, had golden hair, eloquent Greek features, and deep blue eyes. Darcy thought Miss Bennet attractive; in fact, she proved the only one of any note in the room, but he possessed no real desire to make her acquaintance. Immediately taken with Jane Bennet, Bingley, on the other hand, requested a turn on the dance floor with her.
