Page 25 of Pride, Prejudice and Prudence

“What can he mean to be dancing with both Jane and I and yet disappearing without any adieu,” she said.

“You must admit, Lizzy, that his singling us out for such attention, when it is well known that he prefers not to dance, added to our acceptance by the ton?”

“It may have given us some credibility,” she reluctantly admitted, “but it in no way excuses his ill-mannered departure with a proper farewell.”

“How can you speak of him thusly?” Lydia inserted, her face red and her fists clenched. The anger in her words was clear for everyone at the table to hear. No one replied to this outburst, for everyone was equally surprised at Lydia defending Mr Darcy.

“It was he who saved me,” she said in a whisper, the anger now gone from her voice, which now held only a quiver.

“Saved you?” Elizabeth asked.

“Yes,” Lydia replied. “He came for me, and he punched Mr Wickham in the face, and he saw me safe to Mr de Grey and his maid. Her whole family looked at her in silence, and the whole story poured out, haltingly but clearly.

It had been Mr Darcy who had arranged for the gentlemen from Derbyshire to search for her. It had been he who had searched day and night through the seediest parts of London until he had discovered her. It had been he who had seen to it that Mr Wickham would never again be seen in England. And it had been he who had assured her that she was safe and that her reputation – and that of her sisters – was unsullied.

Chapter 42

Elizabeth awaited Lady Matlock’s ball with trepidation, rather than excitement. She both wished to see Mr Darcy and wished not to see him in almost equal parts. She knew that she owed him an apology, but she had no idea as to how she was to open such a discussion with him. She would be in a ballroom so she needed to be careful what she said, for it could be overheard or misinterpreted. She also knew deep down that with Lydia’s information, she needed to reexamine every interaction she’d had with that gentleman. Had she misunderstood him from the start? Surely that could not be so; everyone in Meryton agreed that he was a proud, disagreeable man. But would a proud man have undergone such degradation to save her sister, and indeed her whole family?

Music streamed from Lady Matlock's house, as the Bennet family pulled up outside. Lady Matlock greeted them with warmth as they entered, and Elizabeth’s eyes scanned the ballroom, looking for any sign of Mr Darcy. When she did not immediately see him, she was not concerned, as she was sure that he would not miss his aunt’s ball.

Elizabeth was especially sure of his arrival when she spotted Mr Bingley and his sisters. Jane saw Mr Bingley before he saw her, and she grabbed Elizabeth’s hand seeking comfort and reassurance. Miss Bingley saw them before Mr Bingley did, and Elizabeth saw her trying to draw her brother in the opposite direction. How long did Miss Bingley think she could hide Jane and Elizabeth from Mr Bingley while attending the same exclusive ball? Elizabeth was proven right in this when not minutes later, Mr Bingley saw Jane and Elizabeth. His astonishment at seeing them was complete, but he rallied tolerably and moved immediately in their direction. He greeted Jane, his voice breathless, yet only barely remembered to greet Elizabeth.

“How nice to see you again, Mr Bingley,” came the voice of their mother, coming up behind Jane and giving him a look which made it very clear that it was not nice at all. Before Mr Bingley could respond to this not very amiable welcome, Miss Bingley arrived at his side and spoke first.

“I wonder at you being at Lady Matlock’s ball, have one of you married some old friend of hers, perhaps? For I cannot think of any other reason you would be invited to such a ball?” The implication was clear, not merely that they were beneath such company but that they would marry a man old enough to be their father to gain entrance to such an event. It was meant as a pure insult, but Miss Bingley had failed to take account of who might overhear her.

Lady Palmer, one of the older patronesses of Almack’s, overhead and interceded. “Many a successful ton marriage has been between a young lady and a man who might be considered rather more mature in years,” she said. “I, for one, see no problem with such a marriage, so long as both parties are of similar stations.”

Miss Bingley had no immediate reply to this, mainly, Elizabeth thought, because she was doing a very convincing impression of a fish... She did not need to reply as Lady Palmer continued.

“No lady invited to this event would be of a station that one would need to be concerned about.” And this seemed to be the end of it, but then she looked Miss Bingley up and down. “Although,” she said, speaking to Mrs Bennet, “I have heard that Lady Matlock invited some friends of her nephews who are part of the nouveau riche,” and shaking her head, she moved on.

Miss Bingley remained completely silent to the relief of her brother. He took the moment of silence to beseech Jane for a dance, to which she acceded. Elizabeth watched as Mr Bingley led Jane to the dance floor for their set. She could see that Jane was happy, but cautious in her interactions with Mr Bingley. He had let her down once, and Jane was not silly and would not allow her affections to be easily engaged twice.

The evening progressed, and there was no sign of Mr Darcy. Elizabeth had to admit that he had not come. Jane showed every sign of enjoying the ball, and Elizabeth believed that she had also convinced everyone of her own enjoyment, but Jane had not been fooled. The evening ended without any sign of Mr Darcy, and when she, Jane, and their mother entered their carriage to go home, Elizabeth had to admit that she was disappointed.

Chapter 43

Mr Bingley arrived at the house on Connaught Place the next morning at the start of visiting hours. While he was not the only suitor looking to call on Jane, he was the most ill-favoured by their mother. Elizabeth also had callers, but like Jane, she had not felt any real interest in any of the many young gentlemen she had danced with.

Mr Bingley had more than one major issue to overcome in trying to court Jane. Firstly, he had to try to undo the harm he had caused by leaving Netherfield without a proper farewell, having raised the expectations of all in the neighbourhood that he would be seeking a courtship. Secondly, he had to try to mitigate the ill-judged comments by his sister at Lady Matlock’s ball, and, more particularly, towards the modiste. No one, not even Jane, was willing to aid him in either endeavour.

He sat stiffly on the settee, holding a posy of roses, watching as another suitor provided her with a rare orchid and compared her beauty to the flower. Elizabeth could see Mr Bingley looking at his pink roses with dissatisfaction, but Elizabeth knew that Jane was unlikely to be swayed by this piece of flattery.

Elizabeth’s own suitor had come with a mixed bunch of wildflowers, an unconventional choice, which showed he had some inkling of Elizabeth’s personality, as well he should, for she had told him about her love of nature and walking. Percy Merville was the first son of Viscount Worthington, and he had a lively air and features which were engaging, if not exactly handsome. Elizabeth liked him and thought she would not mind getting to know him better.

Jane’s caller was a viscount in his own right; his father having passed away two years previously. Viscount Williamson was tall and handsome, and Elizabeth thought, entirely too full of his own importance. Jane had danced with him the previous evening, and she had told Elizabeth that she felt more like a decoration than a person. Elizabeth could see what Jane meant, for the way he looked at her held nothing of interest and everything of avariciousness.

When the Viscount and Mr Merville had completed their allotted time, Mr Bingley and another gentleman whom Elizabeth had danced with, but whose name she could not recall, took their places.

Elizabeth hardly had any attention left for her caller, because she was interested in hearing what Mr Bingley would say to Jane. There was also another reason she was interested in Mr Bingley. She hoped that there would be an opportunity to ask after Mr Darcy. She felt it would not be either improper or unusual to ask after him, given that they had all attended a ball at his aunt’s house the previous evening.

The opportunity came at the end of his visit, as both gentlemen rose to withdraw from the drawing room. Mr Bingley turned to Elizabeth and expressed joy at seeing her again, and wished her well. Elizabeth replied similarly but explained how surprised she had been that Mr Darcy had not been in attendance the previous evening. Mr Bingley explained that Mr Darcy had decided to return to Derbyshire, wishing to spend some time with his sister, Georgiana. Such a reply was neither completely true nor wholly false, but it was the answer Mr Darcy had told Mr Bingley to give to anyone who questioned his unexpected absence from the season. It was an answer that explained nothing and satisfied Elizabeth not at all.

Jane and Elizabeth attended many more balls and soirées during their first season in London. Mr Merville continued with his attentions to Elizabeth until she felt he was beginning to feel some affection for her, after which she hinted delicately that her heart was not engaged. He took her rejection easily and seemed gratified that she had not allowed his interest to continue unmatched.

Jane continued to have many callers, one of whom was Mr Bingley, but she remained guarded in her encouragement to him. As the season drew to a close, neither Jane nor Elizabeth wished to continue any interactions with any of the gentlemen who had expressed an interest in them. Mrs Bennet remarked that it was all well, as it was only their first season and they did not need to be in any rush to choose husbands. Such sentiment recalled Elizabeth to the time before Jane’s first being out in Meryton, when Mrs Bennet had said the complete opposite.