Page 14 of Painted with Love

That night, he barely slept at all. At some point, he even considered going to Bingley’s house and attempting to talk to him and apologising again, but it would have been a foolish endeavour. In the end, he realised there was nothing he could do but wait for morning and take Bingley to see Miss Jane Bennet.

***

Darcy had barely finished breakfast when Bingley arrived. He looked pale and tired, and he said little.

“Bingley, I apologise again.”

“Strangely, as upset as I am, I can understand your reasons, Darcy. I believe you would do better to apologise to Miss Bennet if your intervention truly hurt her.”

“I shall. I already considered doing so, but I was uncertain of your plans. That is why I did not mention to her the possibility of you calling.”

“You believed my admiration might have faded by now? Surprisingly, I am not as shallow as you think,” Bingley said, then stopped as Colonel Fitzwilliam entered.

Greetings were exchanged between the men, and then a little after eleven o’clock, they called for the carriage.

“I have not seen you in a while, Bingley. How are you?” the colonel asked once they were situated in the conveyance. “I understood you were out of town.”

“I am well, thank you. I would have been much better if my own sisters had not betrayed me and tried to impose their will over mine by deception,” Bingley said sharply. “And the person whom I considered my best friend, the man I admired the most, seems to have plotted with them.”

“Ah… Perhaps I should not have asked,” the colonel replied.

“I apologise, Colonel, for my bitter and rude answer.”

“Do not worry,” the colonel responded. “You seem quite distressed.”

“I should be the one to apologise. And I have already done so several times,” Darcy interjected.

“May I ask what Darcy has done?” the colonel asked, and it was Darcy himself who replied.

“I interfered in Bingley’s relationship with Miss Jane Bennet. I made a presumptuous estimation about Miss Bennet’s feelings, and I convinced Bingley it would be in his best interest to leave Hertfordshire. And I did not inform him that Miss Bennet had been in town for several months.”

Darcy gave a summary of the story, even though his cousin was already aware of it.

“What upsets me the most,” Bingley said to the colonel, “is that Miss Bennet might have been hurt by their actions. Of course, my sisters were the main culprits! But from Darcy, I expected nothing but honesty. I would not have let my sisters convince me, but I trusted in Darcy’s advice.”

“You might not believe me, but I did consider your well-being. My reasons were honest, but my judgment was completely wrong.”

“So you trusted Darcy’s estimation of a woman’s feelings over your own feelings and judgment?” the colonel repeated.

“I know I am not innocent in this,” Bingley admitted. “I was weak and gullish, and I have every reason to be ashamed of myself.”

“You certainly should bear the greatest share of the blame,” the colonel said harshly “But the thing that surprises me the most is why you would take Darcy’s advice in a matter where he has no experience. It is like Darcy asking for advice from you about estate management.”

Bingley looked at the colonel, his brow furrowed. “You are right, of course,” he finally said.

“The last thing you need is more advice, but if I were you, I would put the past aside, with all its errors, and concentrate your attentions on what happens today. You have the chance to make amends.”

“I needed that piece of advice, Colonel. Thank you,” Bingley replied.

Half an hour later, the carriage stopped in front of the Gardiners’ house. Darcy stepped out first, then the other two. Out of the corner of his eye, Darcy spotted someone at the window, and he recognised the two Bennet sisters. A moment later, both disappeared from sight.

When they knocked, Mr Gardiner himself opened the door, and the first introductions were performed. Then the host invited them in, and in the drawing-room, they met the ladies.

Darcy looked at Elizabeth; she seemed surprised and nervous but smiled at the colonel, who hurried to her. Jane Bennet was pale and silent, standing still, her hands entwined in front of her. Bingley looked no better. Of all those assembled, only the colonel and the Gardiners seemed in good dispositions, and they immediately initiated a conversation. The colonel sat near Elizabeth, with Darcy and Bingley on the other side of the room. Jane Bennet sat between Mr and Mrs Gardiner.

“How kind of you gentlemen to visit us,” Mr Gardiner said. “We are absolutely delighted.”

“Darcy told us about Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth’s presence in town, and Bingley and I could not wait to come and greet them,” the colonel explained joyfully.