Page 7 of Pride, Prejudice and Prudence

“You find us quite at the mercy of Mr Bennet’s wardrobe,” Mr Bingley explained. “We were dining with the officers last evening, and the rain took down the bridge to Netherfield,” he said.

Mr Darcy added, his tone not matching his words. “We are most grateful to Mr Bennet,” he said, and then added, “and Mrs Bennet, for their kind hospitality.”

Elizabeth noted that all the words he used were correct, but the look he wore, and the tenor of his voice, gave the exact opposite impression.

“Indeed,” Mr Bingley said, in a joyful voice, as if to him this was all a grand adventure. “If not,” he said, looking at Jane, “we would most assuredly have washed away. If you had seen us, Miss Bennet,” he said, and then added, “and Miss Elizabeth, you would have thought us water sprites; we were soaked through!”

Jane smiled at him, and Elizabeth smiled too at the whimsy of the picture he drew of them both.

“Water sprites,” Mr Bennet repeated, obviously equally amused at the image. “More like drowned sailors!”

A blush flashed across Elizabeth’s face, for she had seen Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley when they had arrived, and she had to admit that there had been something magical about the first gentleman’s appearance. Although she could not for the life of her explain what it had been.

The explanation of their attendance at breakfast in Longbourn – and being so unusually attired – having been given, Elizabeth and Jane took their seats at the table.

“I hope to ride over to inspect the stream after breakfast,” Mr Darcy said, addressing the suggestion to Mr Bennet.

“I will accompany you,” Mr Bennet confirmed.

“I would welcome that,” Mr Darcy replied, and Elizabeth could not perceive any undertone to the words.

“I will be able to guide you to the narrowest point, which should allow you to accurately assess the likelihood of crossing to Netherfield.”

“Lord, what is he doing here?” Lydia’s strident voice rang through the breakfast room, and in some ways her outburst was understandable, but Elizabeth wished her youngest sister would be more circumspect.

“What are you dressed like?” her sister continued in a most unladylike manner until her governess, Miss Farnsworth, who had entered the room behind her, gave her a most quelling look.

“Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley were stranded in Meryton as the bridge went down in the rain,” their father explained. The stern look on his face did more to quiet Lydia than the wordless reprimand from her governess had.

“Oh,” she replied in a voice several octaves lower and said no more, as she seated herself at the breakfast table.

Mr Darcy had not missed the impolite pronouncement, but Mr Bingley was entirely engaged in talking to her eldest sister and seemed to barely notice Lydia’s entrance, even though both men had risen and bowed. The shrill entrance by Lydia had brought a halt to all conversation, except for the quiet murmuring of Mr Bingley and Jane.

Before breakfast ended, their father gave instructions for both Archimedes and Mr Darcy’s horses to be brought around to the front. Elizabeth saw Mr Darcy’s eyebrows raise when he heard the name of her father’s horse, but Elizabeth thought it matched him well. She decided to position herself in the parlour as they exited, so that she could see Mr Darcy’s reaction to the beast.

Elizabeth saw Mr Darcy’s mouth drop open at the sight of him.

Archimedes, a name bestowed on him by Mr Bennet because he had a mind of his own, was a great black stallion, standing sixteen hands tall. He was still half wild, and he would only allow either Mr Bennet or Elizabeth to ride him. He eyed Mr Darcy with a look which made Elizabeth happy; she knew that Archimedes would not betray her. He looked as if he were considering having Mr Darcy for dinner.

Elizabeth knew that her father had not always been a good master of Longbourn, but the last few years had seen a change in his attitude. Longbourn was now managed diligently, thereby ensuring that the Bennet family maximised the estate's profits. In order to manage the land properly, Mr Bennet had purchased a fine horse. He had come to Mr Bennet only just broken and not properly trained. This had allowed him to purchase the horse– which in the early days he had called a beast– at a very good price.

“A very fine animal,” said Mr Darcy, in what Elizabeth felt was an understatement.

Chapter 13

“Totally unpassable,” Elizabeth heard Mr Darcy confirm to his friend on his return from the ride to the stream with her father. He then addressed her mother, “I fear, Mrs Bennet, that we will need to continue to impose on your hospitality.” Elizabeth was surprised at his good breeding, a trait he had not shown before.

“But of course,” Mrs Bennet replied. “It is no imposition at all,” she assured politely, even though the look she gave him said very differently. They all knew it was an imposition, maybe not so much with the amiable Mr Bingley, but Mr Darcy was a completely different prospect.

“John has returned from Meryton, and Walter’s has opened his shop,” Mr Bennet confirmed, entering the drawing room having changed from his riding clothes.

“Thank you,” Mr Darcy said, and addressing his friend, he continued. “We should go immediately, Bingley, and see if he can make up some more suitable clothing to get us by, until we can return to Netherfield.” Walters, the tailor who made all Mr Bennet’s clothing, would be glad of the additional earnings from Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley. They were all well aware that in the normal course of events, neither gentleman would have purchased any clothing from him. It had been obvious from the first, that they were accustomed to the quality materials and fashions not readily available in the country town of Meryton.

“What of my sisters?” Mr Bingley asked, having appeared to have only just thought of them. “They will be most concerned.”

“Mr Wilkins was at the stream at the Netherfield side making an inspection,” Mr Darcy explained. “He confirmed that he would get word to the house that we are both safe at Longbourn,” Mr Darcy assured.

“That is good. I am sure they are as yet unaware we are missing, as they would not normally arise so early,” he said, and a yawn, which he hid behind a hand, made it clear that he likewise would not normally rise at country hours. Mr Bingley then rose to his feet, and with a look at Jane as if he would never see her again, he departed with Mr Darcy.