“Yes,” he replied, removing his hat.
She nodded; beckoning him to follow her, she led him into a parlour which seemed quite full of ladies. They all rose and curtsied, and he bowed. He asked after everyone’s health and was assured that they were all quite well.
Mrs. Bennet beamed at him as she directed him to sit beside Miss Bennet. “Mary will move to a different seat, will you not, Mary?”
The young lady in question protested that her sister was showing her a new stitch, but Mrs. Bennet would hear none of it, and the seat beside Miss Bennet was soon vacated. Mary settled herself in a chair by the window and began to read, ignoring Mr. Darcy completely.
As tea and little cakes were served, Miss Bennet addressed him. “You and Mr. Bingley had planned to ride over the estate today, I believe?”
“You recall correctly; we spent the morning visiting tenant cottages.”
“So you saw the roof at the Caldwell cottage, the dry well at the Barstow’s, the broken porch support at the Baxter’s, and the cracked door in the tool shed at the Daniels; but given the kind weather, you will have missed the fact that the fireplace in the Ardwell cottage smokes dreadfully and the family can no longer use it.” She laughed at his expression.
“I might have spared my horse the exercise and just come to you, then?” he asked.
“Or to my sister, Mrs. Bingley, yes.”
“I wonder that Mrs. Bingley did not mention it this morning at breakfast.”
“Truly? You wonder why a wife does not show her husband that she knows something he does not? Also, of course, she wants him to make his own decision regarding the purchase of the estate, so it is incumbent upon him to go out on his own and investigate the situation.”
“But how does she – and how do you – know the concerns of the Netherfield tenants?”
“In the absence of the owner, Jane and I have done what we can for them. We do not have the financial resources to make the repairs I have just mentioned, but we have tended them when they became ill, delivered baskets of food and other necessities, given blankets and toys to the new babies, and so on.”
Mr. Darcy was astonished.
Seeing his expression, Elizabeth shrugged. “We could not have done otherwise, Mr. Darcy. The families were in need. Would you not have done the same?”
“Of course,” he said. He would have liked to tell her what he had done for Lady Catherine’s retired butler, but feared it would sound boastful.
Mrs. Bennet had, evidently, been listening to the conversation eagerly. “My daughters are trained in managing households, Mr. Darcy,” she informed him. “While there was never a governess in the house, those who chose to learn were given every opportunity.”
He did not reply, but glanced over at the two younger girls, whose voices had risen high in anger. He could hear that they were quarreling over the possession of a shawl.
Perhaps as a guest, he should show some interest in Miss Bennet’s sisters. He would begin with the quieter one. “Miss Mary,” he said.
The girl’s eyes lifted up in astonishment at being addressed.
“May I enquire as to what you are reading?”
She held up the book.
“Fordyce’s Sermons for Young Women?” he asked, his tone reflecting his astonishment.
“That surprises you, I take it?” she said, with some asperity.
“It does,” he admitted. “I believe the book to be rather outdated.”
“The word of God can never be outdated,” she returned.
“I agree with you completely, but to say that the words of James Fordyce are the words of God rather smacks of idolatry, does it not?”
She put a hand to her mouth, eyes wide.
He continued, “In addition, let us remember that the Reverend Fordyce was involved in a very serious quarrel with another preacher, Mr. Toller, which split the congregation in two. Given that behaviour, I am not at all certain that Reverend Fordyce is a reliable example of Christian life.”
She stared at him for a long moment and then set the book down on the small table beside her chair. “I do take your meaning, sir.”
