Page 90 of To Win Her Affections

When Mr. Bennet and Mr. Bingley joined them a few moments later, Elizabeth studied them both, anticipating the coming announcement. Mr. Bennet was wry in a way that was familiar to Elizabeth, though tempered with the sort of melancholy a father might feel when confronted with a daughter leaving him. Mr. Bingley appeared a little astonished. The chuckle by her side told Elizabeth that Mr. Darcy had noted it too.

“Mrs. Bennet,” said her husband. “You will be pleased to know that young Bingley here has shown remarkable improvement. The last time he was here, it took him several months, and even then he did not come to the point. This time it has not even taken him half an hour.”

Then he turned to Mr. Bingley with a gleam in his eye. “London has taught you efficiency, sir.”

“Not at all, Mr. Bennet,” said Mr. Bingley, shaking off his stupor. “I have only seen what I was missing before. All I have done is reach out to grasp it.”

“Yes, well, I must commend you for your determination.”

Mrs. Bennet was not understanding the thrust of their jests. Though Mr. Bennet was much more apt to tease his wife, this time he took pity on her.

“It appears that you have two weddings to plan, Mrs. Bennet. Bingley here approached me not ten minutes ago to sue for the hand of your eldest daughter. While I considered the relative benefits of running him off my land, it seems Jane cannot live without him. Thus, I have given him my blessing.”

It was a moment before Mrs. Bennet mustered a response. When she did, Elizabeth was not the only one who wished she had remained in stunned incomprehension.

“Two weddings!” exclaimed she, an expression of uninhibited delight coming over her features. “Oh, Mr. Bingley! I knew that you must see how excellent a wife Jane would be. How happy I am that you have returned!”

“No happier than I am myself, Mrs. Bennet.”

“I am sorry, Mr. Bingley,” said Georgiana before anyone else could open their mouths, “but I am most displeased with you.”

Taken aback, Mr. Bingley stared at her. “You are?” was the only answer he could muster.

“Yes, I am.”

Though Mr. Bingley was nonplussed, Elizabeth could see the glimmer in Georgiana’s eyes that bespoke a coming tease. For that matter, Mr. Darcy appeared to see it too, as he settled back onto the sofa, his arms crossed, the merest suggestion of a smile apparent to one who watched carefully.

“Were you not to marry me, sir?” demanded Georgiana. “Why, your sister made your future very clear on any number of occasions. Shall you now set this expectation aside with nary an attempt to explain yourself?”

Belatedly, Mr. Bingley understood the tease, though he sported a tight grin. Not everyone in the room understood the jest.

“You are to marry Mr. Bingley?” demanded Mrs. Bennet.

“No, Mrs. Bennet,” said Bingley, removing the need to respond from Georgiana. “I have recently become aware that my sister said more than she should. You have my apologies, Miss Darcy, but I have never regarded you with any more affection than my friend’s sister.”

Georgiana was positively brimming with mirth as she said: “I know not how I shall endure this rejection, but there appears to be no other option.”

Then she turned to Mrs. Bennet. “My apologies, Mrs. Bennet—it was an ill-timed jest on my part. I have never regarded Mr. Bingley as my future husband..”

Mrs. Bennet was not amused, but for once she chose tact. “That is fine, dear.”

Turning to Mr. Bingley, she said: “Tell me, Mr. Bingley, will your excellent sisters join you soon?”

“They will not,” said Mr. Bingley, his tone clipped. “Caroline and Louisa are with my family in the north for a visit, and shall not come south for several weeks. When they do, I expect them to go to London, though they shall attend my wedding, of course.”

The way Mrs. Bennet eyed him, Elizabeth was concerned she might say something she should not.

“Yes, that might be for the best,” said she, calming Elizabeth’s fears.

THE DAYS AND WEEKS that followed abounded with wedding talk, such that Mr. Bennet sought the refuge of his study even more than was his wont. He was not the only one who deplored such talk, of course. Miss Bennet endured it with her usual even temper, and Bingley endured it knowing that the sooner the discussions were concluded, the sooner he might enjoy his fiancée’s sole attention. Miss Elizabeth tolerated it with much less patience than her sister. The younger girls contributed little, but that was no surprise, for they were more interested in their newfound companionship.

Thoughts of the girls often brought the youngest to Darcy’s mind, and that, of course, meant Miss Lydia. The news of their arrival back in Meryton had made its way around the neighborhood within hours of her return. While there were a few jaundiced looks in her direction, the story they had put out appeared to be holding—either that, or the neighborhood had opted for polite avoidance of the subject while maintaining a measure of disbelief. As Mr. Bennet had predicted, news of two Bennet engagements coming so close together had driven the matter of Miss Lydia from the gossips’ minds.

As he had expected, Mr. Bennet put certain restrictions on his youngest, such that for the moment, she was not allowed to attend certain events of the neighborhood. Darcy suspected the girl would have protested her exclusion more vigorously had Georgiana not been in similar circumstances. As Georgiana was also not out, and would not start attending local society until the next year, the girls kept each other company while the elders were otherwise occupied. More than Darcy had breathed a sigh of relief at this development.

Miss Lydia’s manners had not seen extensive alteration just yet—the girl was still unguarded and outspoken. Lately, however, Darcy had seen a hint of hesitation before some of her more impulsive acts. Perhaps it was due to Georgiana’s example, though it could also be because Mrs. Annesley, knowing that Miss Lydia would associate with her charge because of Darcy and Miss Elizabeth’s engagement, had taken to giving the girl a little instruction when the occasion permitted it.

As for the other girls, Darcy had found Miss Mary intelligent, though her choice of subject was not always engaging. Miss Kitty, to his surprise, moderated her behavior with considerably more alacrity than he had expected. When he observed this to Miss Elizabeth, she gave him one of those mischievous looks that set fire to his heart.