Page 38 of To Win Her Affections

“You have my compliments, Miss Bennet,” he said, a lighter tone chasing his anger away. “There are few who could endure my sister with equanimity when she is in a temper, yet I declare you have conducted yourself with distinction.

“Not at all, Mr. Bingley,” said Elizabeth, though she could still own to lingering anger at Miss Bingley’s presumption. “Though I will not pretend that her assertions did not offend me, I was in no danger of losing my temper.”

“Which speaks well to your character, I am sure,” replied Mr. Bingley. “If I am not dredging up unpleasant memories, will you not share the gist of her comments?”

“I suspect, Mr. Bingley, that you already understand them.” Elizabeth, determined not to allow her offense to rise again, tried for an even tone. “In short, I am a conniving woman intent upon rising from my position, and have therefore set my sights upon a wealthy man.”

Mr. Bingley winced, but he offered a curt nod. “Only one of those points is true, in my estimation, and it is not about you. I shall say nothing of the hypocrisy, for you understand it as well as I do myself. Let me pledge to you that I shall not allow my sister to impose upon you again.”

“Thank you for that, Mr. Bingley,” replied Elizabeth warmly.

“Perhaps we should depart tomorrow,” mused Mr. Bingley. “If Darcy does not mean to welcome you to Pemberley again, I shall eat my hat.”

“Then you had best develop a taste for it, Mr. Bingley,” replied Elizabeth, laughing. “Before he left her here, he charged me with asking my relations if we have any plans.”

“We do not,” replied Mrs. Gardiner, fixing Elizabeth with a secret smile. “Should Mr. Darcy wish it, I believe we may spend the entire day at Pemberley.”

Mrs. Gardiner then turned a soft smile on Mr. Bingley. “Do not depart early on our account, Mr. Bingley. With her chastening today, I suspect Miss Bingley will say little should we appear tomorrow.”

“Ah, but you do not know all,” said Mr. Bingley, his irrepressible grin returned to his face. “When we depart from Pemberley, I mean to see my family to the north, then I shall return to Netherfield. In November, I made a grievous error to leave and not return—I mean to correct that lack of judgment at the earliest opportunity.”

“My sister will welcome you, and I suspect Jane will too,” said Mr. Gardiner. “You should know my brother may wish to have some reassurance of your intentions.”

“Trust me, Mr. Gardiner,” said Mr. Bingley, “I am willing to hear whatever he wishes to say and abide by any strictures he deems necessary, so long as he does not oppose my suit altogether.”

“Papa will never do that,” assured Elizabeth. “To him, our futures are what we choose to make of them.”

“Then I have some hope,” said Mr. Bingley.

The gentleman approached and took Elizabeth’s hands in his own. “Thank you, Miss Bennet, for speaking to me with such clarity. Hope is a virtue I had not possessed only a few days ago; now I am filled with so much that I am about to burst from it!”

“I am happy for you, sir,” said Elizabeth. “And I am happy for my sister. Though it has taken longer than perhaps it should have, I have no doubt you will make each other happy.”

“With that, I cannot agree more.”

Mr. Bingley nodded and stepped back. “Now, I shall leave you. I must inform my friend and ensure my sister understands what behavior I expect of her.”

When he made his farewells, Mr. Bingley departed, leaving three bemused relations. Mr. Gardiner, never one to allow poor behavior, offered the first comment.

“It is good that Bingley acted to control his sister. Had he not done so, I would have taken a hand. Miss Bingley would not have enjoyed the experience, given her opinion of me.”

“Yes, yes, that is all well and good,” said Mrs. Gardiner. “I am more interested to hear about Lizzy’s day with Mr. Darcy.”

Had Miss Bingley not confronted her moments before, Elizabeth might have found herself a little abashed. “I have no objection to telling you, but I think I might like to refresh myself.”

“Of course, my dear,” said Mrs. Gardiner, taking her arm and directing her to the nearby wash basin. “But you shall not keep us in suspense.”

“WELL, LIZZY,” SAID Aunt Gardiner, after Elizabeth had related some of what happened that day, “I am more convinced all the time that Mr. Darcy admires you.”

“Admires her,” repeated Mr. Gardiner. “If the man is not prepared to propose to you within a fortnight, I shall join our excellent Bingley in eating my hat.”

“The only question,” said Mrs. Gardiner with a delighted laugh, “is your sentiments. Until we met Mr. Darcy at Pemberley, I had thought your feelings for him consisted entirely of contempt. Now I am not so certain.”

Elizabeth did not know how to respond, so she offered nothing more than a helpless shrug. Her relations watched her for several moments, then exchanged the sort of glance that said everything between couples who understood each other.

“You need not say if you do not wish,” said her aunt.

“No, I have no objection, Aunt,” said Elizabeth. “I do not dispute Mr. Darcy’s interest. Should he offer for me, I do not know how I will answer.”