Elizabeth giggled. “I must tell you a shocking thing about her, but she in fact approached you as a joke and not out of any real sentiment. But she found you rather too imposing to carry it off in the manner she intended.”
Bingley was delighted by this tale also. “There is no object I know so imposing as Mr. Darcy, especially on a Sunday night, in his own lodgings, and when there is nothing to do.”
This consideration did not fully please Mr. Darcy, but he kept his polite smile.
There was another cry from the sofa demanding that they attend to their game and stop speaking nonsense.
They did so, and after another round Miss Bingley said to Mrs. Hurst, “I marvel that your husband is more intent on uspaying attention to the game than we are, even though he has retired from the field.”
This statement did not please Mrs. Hurst. Her expression suggested that she rather took her sister’s words as a criticism, and whilst she no doubt acknowledged thejusticeof said critique, she did not wish to have it bandied about.
All quiet.
Clinking of pennies. But then they ran out of a sufficient supply, and Mr. Bingley rang the bell to demand the footman acquire more for them, since they were not to play with real coins.
That was the sort of thing that made Darcy smile at the grandness of the newly rich. He was fully aware that there were a great many people on his lands for whom even a penny was a matter of consideration, being a substantial portion of a day’s wages.
Upon returning to the table, Bingley said to Elizabeth as they waited, “I perceive that you have been very fortunate to have fallen in the hands of the Bennet family.”
Elizabeth had turned herself into a charming young woman of spirit while making those impressions. She was dressed modestly, and with an unflattering arrangement of her hair, but the smile made all of that meaningless.
She was pretty, beautiful, and vivacious.
Bingley’s question brought stiffness.
Eyes narrowing. A breath let out. She slumped and turned a bit away from the table to not look directly at any of them. The dimples disappeared. She smiled again, with a smile that did not meet her eyes. “I am always exceedingly grateful to them.”
“See,” Bingley said, “That is what I said. I dare say that Mrs. Bennet is like a mother to you, and Jane, I mean MissBennet, and the rest like your sisters? That is what Jane has said. That you’ve been raised amongst them like a sister.”
Elizabeth immediately showed that wide, false smile again. “Mrs. Bennet always shows me great condescension and kindness. I am grateful to her. I cannot be more grateful. Of course, Jane is the sweetest. Of course she is like a sister.”
“Ha,” Mr. Bingley looked at Darcy and Miss Bingley, as though Miss Elizabeth’s reply to his leading questions said anything at all. “You are very fortunate. Is it not the case that you are Mr. Bennet’s favorite?”
“Certainly,” Elizabeth replied with a real smile. “I love Mr. Bennet as much as I would if he were my own father.”
“You do not think that you have been made rather too much to be like a servant?” Mr. Darcy asked with a frown.
“I am very grateful,” Elizabeth replied. “It is only right that I help when I might. Besides, I am not a servant.”
“Have you had a chance to learn the normal accomplishments?” Mrs. Hurst asked.
Mr. Bingley cheerfully answered for Elizabeth, “Of course she has. It astonishes me how every young woman is so accomplished. You all net purses, draw pictures, play on the harp, paint tables. I have never heard of a woman spoken of for the first time, except I am immediately informed that she is most accomplished.”
“Miss Elizabeth, would you agree with Mr. Bingley that you have been given all the accomplishments?” There was a false sweetness to Miss Bingley’s tone.
Darcy could tell thatshehoped for this conversation to convince her brother to think less of Jane Bennet.
“I…” Elizabeth hesitated.
“Do you draw?” Miss Bingley asked.
“I have no skill there. But…” She then frowned and looked down. There was a line in her forehead, and Darcy wondered what it meant.
“Play piano?” Mrs. Hurst asked.
“Not at all. Nor the harp or even the flute, if you plan to ask.”
“Fine embroidery and dancing?”
