Page 19 of Miss Bingley’s Return

“A sudden thought has occurred to me, Mr. Darcy,” said Elizabeth. “When we were at Netherfield, I recall Miss Bingley one evening expressing certain sentiments about her brother and your sister. Then she made more particular mention of it in a letter to Jane.”

The gentleman’s expression grew pinched, though Elizabeth did not suppose he was annoyed with her. “What did she say?”

Elizabeth paused to remember, then said: “I do not recall, but it was something about hoping for a future connection between two people whose families would take such pleasure in it.”

“That is more than she said at Netherfield,” murmured Mr. Darcy, “and far more than I wish to endure.”

Then the gentleman sighed. “The truth, Miss Bennet, is that Bingley feels some affection for my sister, but nothing out of the common way—it is more akin to how I see her, the affection of an elder brother. Georgiana and I have both understood her wishes, but recently that changed.”

“Oh?” asked Elizabeth, knowing he would not say as much if he did not mean to explain.

“After our return to London,” said Mr. Darcy, “Miss Bingley attempted to push them together, hoping for an agreement, even an informal one. As Georgiana became uncomfortable, I stepped in to put a stop to it.”

“Oh dear,” replied Elizabeth. “That could not have been a comfortable conversation.”

“It was not,” agreed Mr. Darcy. “But it was necessary. In truth, I have considered the possibility of Bingley and Georgiana myself, not because of her sentiments, but because I think Bingley would be good for my sister. Georgiana is only sixteen, and will not be ready for marriage for at least two years.”

“Then you do not disapprove of Mr. Bingley joining your family,” said Elizabeth, injecting a teasing note into her voice to avoid appearing judgmental.

“Not at all,” replied Mr. Darcy, not bothered in the slightest. “Bingley is an excellent friend—should they wish it, I would welcome him as a brother without a second thought.”

“And your titled relations?” asked Elizabeth out of curiosity. “Would they accept it?”

Mr. Darcy considered this for a moment. “My uncle might not appreciate it, but he would not interfere. My aunt, Lady Catherine, would deplore her choice, but I am not in the habit of listening to her ladyship’s squawking.”

“I am certain she would be most disappointed to hear it, Mr. Darcy.”

The visit concluded soon thereafter, and the Darcys rose to depart. As he had promised, Miss Darcy extended an invitation for the Gardiners and their nieces for dinner at Mr. Darcy’s house, and Mrs. Gardiner accepted at once. When they left the room, Mrs. Gardiner turned to her nieces.

“Well, girls, what do you think?”

“Miss Darcy is an agreeable young lady,” said Jane. “I cannot think there is anyone who would disagree.”

“She is shy,” added Elizabeth. “I would not have expected it from a Darcy.”

“Wealth and standing do not preclude reticence,” said Mrs. Gardiner.

“No, they do not.”

“What I cannot understand,” said Jane, “is how this has all come about. Did Caroline not speak of her certainty that Miss Darcy and Mr. Bingley would make a match?”

“That is a mystery I can resolve,” said Elizabeth.

Elizabeth explained what she had heard from Mr. Darcy, and when she was finished, Mrs. Gardiner shook her head.

“While I would have expected nothing less from Mr. Darcy, it does not explain what is happening now.”

“No, it does not,” said Elizabeth. “It is a piece in the puzzle, not the one piece that will make it all clear.”

“You must remain observant,” said Mrs. Gardiner. “In time, you will understand.”

“Yes, I suppose we will,” replied Elizabeth.

Later in her room, Elizabeth considered the conversation with Mr. Darcy, feeling a little unsettled. Mr. Wickham’s comments about Miss Darcy had proven untrue, Mr. Darcy had ended Miss Bingley’s assurance about a connection between her brother and Miss Darcy, and Mr. Darcy was almost a different man from what he had been in Hertfordshire. The uncomfortable realization that she might have misjudged something would not leave her, and she knew she had no hope of untangling anything except by gathering the strings of this mystery and weaving them together when she had them all. Though impatient, Elizabeth knew she had no choice but to wait.

Over the next days, the patterns Elizabeth was seeing remained difficult to understand. Miss Bingley was much in evidence, always friendly, always pressing, but never breaching propriety, never pushing past what was acceptable. Though Mr. Bingley’s attentions to Jane were agreeable to her, Elizabeth could not forget what she had learned from Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Darcy was also more present than Elizabeth had ever expected when they had come to London. The gentleman was ever his reticent self. He was not a verbose man, which made his words when he did open his mouth more noteworthy. Yet Elizabeth suspected the gentleman was taking great care to say only what he meant to say and nothing more.