“I have no opinion on the matter, Miss Bingley; I leave such things to the medical men.”
Mr. Hurst unexpectedly said, “I think Charles would be happy to catch anything of Miss Bennet’s!” He laughed at his own witticism, but no one joined in.
Jane was embarrassed, of course, and she turned her face away from Mr. Bingley’s.
Dinner was announced, to everyone’s relief. The seating was rather different tonight. Miss Bingley had Jane to her left with Mr. Darcy to her right. On Jane’s right was Mr. Hurst. Mr. Bingley had Elizabeth on his right and the Colonel on his left, with Mrs. Hurst between the Colonel and Mr. Darcy. Miss Bingley had obviously been at great pains to keep Jane as far from Mr. Bingley as possible, and so poor Jane had no one to speak with except Miss Bingley, as Mr. Hurst would say nothing.
Elizabeth had somewhat better luck; though the silent Mr. Hurst was on her right, she had Mr. Bingley on her left. She hadthe great pleasure of hearing Mr. Bingley’s anxious concern over the state of Jane’s health, and she was called upon to answer a good many questions about Jane’s likes and dislikes. She had never seen a more promising inclination.
She glanced rather often at Mr. Darcy on the far end of the table, struggling valiantly to keep up with Miss Bingley’s endless conversation and attempts to earn his approbation.
“Why does she keep at it, do you think?” Mr. Bingley asked Elizabeth, softly.
“I beg your pardon, sir?”
“My sister. She will not leave that poor man alone, no matter how many times I explain that he has no interest in her.”
Elizabeth could not formulate a reply before Mr. Bingley continued on. “I wonder that Darcy is still willing to befriend me, given how he is harassed by my sister.”
Elizabeth managed to ask something she had wondered since she had first met the Bingleys. “Why is Mrs. Hurst not your hostess, Mr. Bingley? As a married woman, she is far better suited to the role.”
“Because Caroline wanted to show Mr. Darcy what a capable hostess she would be for Pemberley.”
“But you agreed to Miss Bingley’s proposal, did you not?”
He stared at her in wonderment. “I suppose I did! Must have, yes?”
“I would think so.”
He shook his head. “I do not seem able to say no to her. Never have, really.”
Elizabeth realised with a shock that this meant she could no longer consider Mr. Bingley a good match for Jane. What had looked like a most promising inclination moments ago suddenly seemed like a path to heartbreak. What would she say to Jane?
After dinner, the ladies left the gentlemen and retired to the drawing room. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst sat at the piano andplayed a complicated duet; Jane and Elizabeth sat side by side on a sofa.
“Jane, I must talk to you,” Elizabeth whispered, knowing that Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst would not hear her.
“Later, Lizzy, we are being rude.”
“No, listen to me. Mr. Bingley says he cannot say no to Miss Bingley.”
Jane stared at her. “He said that?”
“Yes; you must not encourage him. He will do whatever Miss Bingley says. Guard your heart, Jane.”
“Miss Bingley does not like me.” Jane sounded bewildered.
“Jane, she does not know you; she simply does not like the idea of her brother marrying you.”
“It comes to the same thing in the end, does it not?”
“I suppose it does.”
“What if he asks to call on me?”
“Perhaps you should confront him directly on the subject of his sister.”
“Perhaps…” Jane’s voice trailed off.
