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“Indeed, I did, sister!” Mrs. Hurst replied.
They put their heads together and immediately began to gossip about Elliot, about Jack, and about anything else they could muster up between them. Darcy paused where he was, torn between following Charles upstairs regardless of what the Bingley sisters thought, and going in another direction entirely. He was saved from having to make a decision when Charles reappeared, looking flushed and happy.
“Elliot is with Jack. He was very pleased to see him. That is to say, Jack was pleased. I did not enter the room, of course,” he added. “But ensured they have everything they need. I suspect Elliot will stay for some hours to see to his brother’s comfort.”
“You will need to send the housekeeper up after him,” Miss Bingley said. “To deal with those muddy footprints!”
“Muddy footprints!” Mrs. Hurst shook her head. “I begin to think that Elliot Bennet has nothing, in short, to recommend him but being an excellent walker, and perhaps having an admirable physique as well,” she added with a touch of fairness, as it was on this criteria that she had picked her own partner. “I shall never forget his appearance just now though. He really looked almost wild. And I know he is an omega, but he is still supposed to be a gentleman!”
“He is indeed, Louisa,” Miss Bingley agreed with relish. “I could hardly keep my countenance. Very nonsensical to come at all! Why must he be scampering about the country, because his brother has a cold? His hair so untidy, so curly!”
“Yes, and his breeches. I hope you saw those. Six inches deep in mud, I am absolutely certain.”
“Your picture may be very exact, Louisa,” said Bingley. “But this was all lost upon me. I thought Elliot looked remarkably well when he came into the room. Dirt on his breeches quite escaped my notice.”
“You observed it, Mr. Darcy, I am sure,” said Miss Bingley. “And I am inclined to think that you would not wish to see any relative of yours make such an exhibition.”
“Indeed,” Darcy said automatically.
“To walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is, across muddy fields and livestock no doubt! And alone, quite alone! What could he mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum.”
“It shows an affection for his brother that is very pleasing,” said Bingley.
“I am afraid, Mr. Darcy,” observed Miss Bingley, in a half whisper. “That this adventure has rather affected your admiration of his fine eyes.”
Would that it had because Darcy realised then that it should have! Caroline Bingley was not wrong. Omegas such as Elliot should not be gallivanting around the countryside by themselves, and they should certainly take more care for their appearance! Their very nature meant that they were supposed to make themselves as appealing as possible to their betters, and this room was full of them!
“And perhaps not just the eyes,” Caroline added.
The scornful nature of her words would have had Darcy replying in the negative regardless of what he was really feeling. “Not at all,” he said. “They were brightened by the exercise.”
And he meant it!
Would that he did not!
Miss Bingley smirked at him, annoyed that she was not able to taunt a response from him, before turning to her brother. “I have an excessive regard for Jack Bennet,” she said. “He is really a very sweet omega and I wish with all my heart he were well settled. But with such a father and mother, and such low connections, I am afraid there is no chance of it.”
“What do you mean, Caroline?” Charles asked.
“You know exactly what I mean,” she replied.
“I think I have heard you say that their uncle is an attorney in Meryton?” Mrs. Hurst asked.
Miss Bingley nodded, for she had ferreted all this information from Jack. “Yes, and they have another who lives somewhere near Cheapside.”
“That is capital,” added her sister, and they both laughed heartily.
“If they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside,” cried Bingley, “it would not make them one jot less agreeable.”
“But it does very materially lessen their chance of mating and marrying males or females of any consideration in the world,” replied Darcy before he could help himself, as was this not what he had been thinking on constantly since he’d considered kissing Elliot’s very inviting lips?
It was not even that the other man was an omega, alphas mated with omegas all the time. Their entire society was built on matches between the classes. In fact, rarely if ever did an alpha mate with an alpha. Almost always matings went up and down. But Elliot…his family…there was no denying that the connections were poor.
To this speech Bingley made no answer, but his sisters gave it their hearty assent, and indulged their mirth for some time at what they considered the expense of their dear friend’s vulgar relations. Mrs. Eleanor smiled thinly alongside them, but Bingley and Darcy shared a look and exited the room.
They spent some time together wandering Netherfield’s grounds and avoiding the topic of the Bennets. Charles’ good humour eventually won out and he soon found something to laugh about again. But Darcy was not laughing because he was beginning to suspect something about Mr. Elliot Bennet, and it was so far removed from what he had expected to find in this provincial little town that he scarcely believed it. Perhaps that was why he stayed with Charles, agreeing as the other man decided he would indeed call for the apothecary, instead of doing what he wanted to do, which was to make his way up the stairs and track down his flustered omega…and see if his suspicions made any sense at all!
Thirteen
