“This is your friend Bingley, whose fortune comes fromtrade?”
“Yes, your Ladyship.”
“Hmph. I cannot abide a public assembly, when anyone affording a subscription fee may mix with the gentry.”
MrDarcy’s nostrils flared slightly. “Lady Catherine, Bingley is a jovial, gentlemanlike man, and myparticularfriend. He enjoys company, and it was only reasonable for him to seek introductions to his new neighbours. The event was entirely proper and, in fact, MrsCollins’s father, Sir William Lucas, served as master of ceremonies. Bingley plans to purchase an estate, and when he does, he will marry and raise his children as landed gentry, and upon that simple change in status, anyone would be glad to know him. I am glad to know him even now. Please do not speak ill of my friend.”
“Hmph.” Lady Catherine turned to her daughter, spoke a few words in a low tone, and gestured with her head in MrDarcy’s direction. Miss de Bourgh obediently joined Elizabeth on the settee near MrDarcy’s chair. As Miss de Bourgh gathered hershawl around her shoulders, Elizabeth poured her a fresh cup of tea.
“Darcy, that was an admirable defence of your friend,” Miss de Bourgh said.
“MrBingley is an amiable young man,” said Elizabeth, as MrDarcy added, “Bingley is a good friend.”
“You know him also, Miss Bennet?”
Elizabeth felt a rogue wish to say something injudicious, but said instead, “Yes, MrDarcy speaks the truth. MrBingley let a house but three miles from my father’s estate.”
As MrDarcy coolly sipped his tea, Elizabeth decided to test him. She said, ostensibly to Miss de Bourgh: “Yes, MrBingley seems a man of many good qualities. My family was rather fond of him. My elder sister, Jane, in particular, liked him very much indeed and was saddened when he quit the neighbourhood.” She sighed a little.
MrDarcy took the bait. “Yet my observation had convinced me that yourmotherwas much more taken with Bingley than your sister.”
His meaning could not have been clearer to Elizabeth, but Miss de Bourgh appeared confused.
“Miss Bennet’s mother? Taken with Bingley? How awkward.”
Elizabeth chuckled bitterly. “My mother did think highly of MrBingley, and to be sure, my father also liked him. But neither of them liked him as much as my sister Jane. Ours is a small neighbourhood, and Jane had never admired any gentleman nearly as much as MrBingley.”
Miss de Bourgh’s pale blue eyes fixed on Elizabeth. “How sad for her. Did he trifle with her?”
MrDarcy hissed, “He did not! He was called away to London on business.”
Elizabeth hoped that Jane would forgive this indiscretion, but it was imperative for MrDarcy to know what an enormousmistake he had made. “I would not accuse him of trifling with Jane, exactly, and neither would she, as she is the most forgiving soul in the world. But he gave every indication of admiring her and paid her every attention, raising her hopes, until he wascalled away,as MrDarcy says. He told us his trip to London would be temporary, and that he would be back within a few days, but the very next day, his sister wrote to say that they were closing up the house and expected never to return. So perhaps, whilst acknowledging that he is in many ways a fine man, we can reasonably accuse him of inconstancy, even if his intentions were good.” She locked eyes with MrDarcy, daring him to speak.
“I may have mistaken your sister’s feelings.”
Although tempted to laugh, Elizabeth could not. “Indeed, yet anyone who observed them together could not possibly have mistaken MrBingley’s feelings. I cannot believe that he did not care for Jane.”
“I am sure he did,” MrDarcy muttered, looking down at his teacup.
Anne de Bourgh’s eyes were alight with interest. “I once read a novel with a story like this. It was terribly sad. How awful to hear of it happening to a beloved sister. Darcy, it seems your friend has made a mistake. Are you going to do anything?”
“What an excellent question.” Elizabeth raised an eyebrow in challenge. “Well, MrDarcy? What shall you do? Anything at all?”
He worried his bottom lip, evidently deep in thought. Finally, he said, “Perhaps I need to have a conversation with him. I shall call upon him when I return to London. Or better yet, invite him to dine at Darcy House, sans his irksome sisters.”
Elizabeth had not been expecting him to express any intention quite so overt.
“And what will you say, Darcy?” Miss de Bourgh was fascinated.
“It seems I should say”—he looked at Elizabeth—“that Miss Bennet cared for him and was disappointed when he failed to return from London.”
Elizabeth shook her head gently. “I think I have a better idea, MrDarcy.”
He raised a brow at her, mirroring her own habit.
“I would suggest that you tell him that Jane is in London, visiting our aunt and uncle, and that you have reason to believe that he would be received there with pleasure. And then leave the rest to him. I feel there has already been quite enoughinterference, do you not agree, MrDarcy?”
He cleared his throat but did not speak. His countenance presented a blend of dread and defiance that she had never seen before.
