Darcy turned slightly back toward Elizabeth during this speech. He watched as she resettled her shoulders and brought her chin up in an act of defiance. He discovered he developed a fondness for this temerity, and he rued the day he thought her not handsome enough to tempt him.
“Of course, Lizzie,” Mrs. Bennet continued, wrapped in her own self-importance,“but we live in a large country neighborhood here in Hertfordshire; I know we dine regularly with four-and-twenty families.”
Bingley wanted to respond to Mrs. Bennet’s insipidity, but Elizabeth’s obvious embarrassment concerned him; therefore, he kept his countenance. Caroline Bingley could not channel her disdain elsewhere; a roll of her eyes and a shift of her seat away from the offending woman became obvious. She caught Darcy’s eye and offered him an expressive smile, which said,“See what your appreciation of very fine eyes will earn you. Mrs. Bennet will be a regular guest at Pemberley if you pursue your interest in Elizabeth Bennet.”
The party found Mrs. Bennet impossible! Yet again, Darcy felthis back stiffen; she displayed such deplorable manners. Miss Bingley’s distasteful taunt held little consequence; how Elizabeth felt mattered most at this time. No one seemed willing to breach the silence until Elizabeth herself plunged forward in hopes of changing her mother’s conversational intent. “Mama, have you spoken to Charlotte?”
“She was by to see you yesterday, dear. Oh, the poor girl! There is an old maid in the making, for sure. Not that I think Charlotte so very plain, but she is our particular friend. Of course, my Jane is considered to be the most handsome woman in the county. One does not often see anybody better looking.”
“Mama!” came Elizabeth’s protest.The woman’s audacity again amazed Darcy; he rarely experienced such boorishness. To think Elizabeth must live with this brought pity to his mind.
“When Jane was but fifteen, there was a gentleman at my brother Gardiner’s in town so much in love with her that my sister-in-law was sure he would make her an offer before we came away. But, however, he did not. Perhaps he thought her too young. However, he wrote some verses on her, and very pretty they were,” Mrs. Bennet lamented.
Darcy suspected the man withdrew with the knowledge of having Mrs. Bennet as part of his family rather than thinking Miss Bennet as too young. He turned to observe Elizabeth growing impatient with her mother; she actually interrupted this denigration of her friend and the overt promotion of her beloved sister by saying, “And so ended his affection.There has been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the same way. I wonder who first discovered the efficacy of poetry in driving away love!”
Darcy enjoyed how the quickness of her mind and how her wit allowed Elizabeth to take control of an embarrassing situation. He could not resist another response; he quipped,“I have been used to consider poetry as thefoodof love, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Everything nourishes what is strong already. But if it be only a slight, thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away.”
A broad smile of contentment spread over Darcy’s face; he cared not that everyone’s attention was now directed at him and Elizabeth. The connection between them resurfaced. After a few moments, he saw Elizabeth shudder as if she feared her mother would be exposing herself again. Instead, Mrs. Bennet took the more appropriate route of thanking Mr. Bingley for his diligence in caring for Jane and for his acceptance of Lizzy in the household as well. Bingley accepted her “thanks” with unaffected civility and even forced Caroline to respond in the same manner. Darcy stood to the side engrossed in the folly of the scene.The Bennet family circus seemed to be coming to a close; yet, before their departure, he witnessed another social faux pas, brought on this time by the youngest sister.
“Mr. Bingley, we do hope you will keep your promise of having a ball at Netherfield,” Lydia Bennet abruptly reminded him.
“A ball at Netherfield would be the most pleasant of evenings,” Kitty Bennet added to her sister’s outrageous demand.
“And invite the militia,” Lydia said dreamily.“They make excellent company.”
“I am perfectly ready, I assure you, to keep my engagement; and when your sister is recovered, you shall, if you please, name the very day of the ball. But you would not wish to be dancing while she is ill,” Bingley offered a diplomatic answer.
When Mrs. Bennet and her daughters finally left, Elizabeth returned to Jane’s care. Instantly, the Bingley sisters took up their usual censure of the Bennet family, often calling upon Darcy to join them in their mirthful display; he could not engage in their suit even with all of Miss Bingley’s quips onfineeyes. He was a man in turmoil, but Darcy would not befoul Elizabeth Bennet with disparaging remarks. Nothing, including his contempt for her relations, would allow him to do so.
CHAPTER 4
“You take delight in vexing me.”
Leaving the others to their own entertainment, Darcy left the room, closing the door solidly behind him. He turned to ascend the stairs leading to his chambers; he found his ears still ringing with the witty remarks slung at Elizabeth Bennet. Standing perfectly still, closing his eyes, and breathing deeply, he hoped to rid himself of what he witnessed. Literally, sucking in air one last time, Darcy opened his eyes to find himself face-to-face with the image, which haunted his every private moment. Recovering quickly, he said, “Miss Elizabeth, I did not expect to see you here.” He made the appropriate bow as an acknowledgment of her presence.
Returning a small curtsy, she replied only with his name and moved to go past him. It dawned on him Elizabeth carried a tray with an ewer of water and a large bowl. A bit taken aback, he stammered, “Miss Elizabeth, should not one of the maids be doing that?”
“It is true, such should be, but my sister needed fresh water to drink, and I must also bathe her feverish brow. I wished not to bother Mr. Bingley’s staff; they have so much to do already. I fear my family a terrible imposition on his household.”
“Nonsense,” he began, and then he realized it might seem like a reprimand, so Darcy softened both his tone and his words. “Mr. Bingley would expect nothing else from his staff. It is the neighborly thing to do.Allow me to call someone to help you.”
“No,” she pleaded. “I would not want to embarrass myself or my family further in Mr. Bingley’s estimation. Please, Sir, allow me to do this without his knowledge.”
“Very well, then,” he relented.“Would you allow my help? The pitcher is heavy, and the stairs are both narrow and steep.”
He watched intently as Elizabeth dropped her eyes in assent. He stepped forward and took the water pitcher from the tray. Elizabeth paused briefly, not expecting such gallantry. They ascended the steps side by side. Darcy found he could not remove his eyes from her face encased in the auburn curls.At her sister’s room, Elizabeth entered first to place the tray and bowl; Darcy waited at the door’s threshold. Seconds later, she returned to retrieve the water pitcher from his hands.“Mr. Darcy, your kindness was most generous.”
Her eyes did not meet his as much as Darcy prayed they would. “It is my pleasure to be of service to you, Miss Elizabeth.” As she took the pitcher, her fingers touched his in the exchange; the sensation recoiled through his body, Darcy momentarily stumbling back from the shock. Automatically, he forced himself to bow while Elizabeth left him.
He hurried to his room—his mind racing—the brief warmth of her skin against his spreading throughout his body. He must find a way to clear his mind of thoughts of Elizabeth Bennet; he needed a distraction. He retrieved his sister’s last letter from the desk in his bedchamber. Elizabeth’s touch aroused him; he needed to read Georgiana’s letter to refocus and calm his nerves. Of everyone, only Georgiana had that effect on him.
10 November
My dearest Fitzwilliam,
Your letters give me such great pleasure.The accounts of your activities in Hertfordshire are quite amusing. I do not mean to laugh at you my darling brother; I would never think of doing such an unattractive thing; yet, I do find it amusing how your affection for Mr. Bingley placed you in a position to be an observer of sundry activities; I delight at your retellings.
