She turned back to Elizabeth as Darcy returned to the others, and said, “I certainly hope that you like him, for I never thought he would select a lady to marry. He is too exacting. They take bets in London on when he will wed, for no one is ever good enough for him.”
“I am not certain. I thought I did; then he said something that changed my mind. Now I am attempting to decide,” Elizabeth admitted.
“After being chased by every woman alive, including myself, he has chosen the only female who must be convinced. Someone should write a novel about it. I shall speak to that chaperone about it tonight, what is her name?”
“Miss Larkspur,” Elizabeth offered.
“Well, even if I leave here unwed, at least this will be amusing to watch.” Miss Bingley sighed wistfully in Mr Darcy's direction, then turned back to Elizabeth. “Miss Eliza, you have excellent posture, which can only assist you in becoming a superior archer. You are a woman, and I am told your greatest enjoyments are reading and walking, so your arms, like those of many women, are not as strong as your legs. You need additional assistance.”
“I prefer to be called Elizabeth.” Elizabeth could not help but inform the other lady.
“Very well, Miss Elizabeth. Come to the table,” Miss Bingley invited her.
Miss Bingley led her to a nearby table and fit a brace to Elizabeth’s arm. “You need a brace to strengthen your arm, and one of these three fingered gloves for your hand. Does that fit well? It should be snug. It will protect you from discomfort.” She led the way back to the practice course, and began instructing Elizabeth on her posture, displaying how far apart she should place her feet, level her arms, and tilt her head.
When she finished explaining how Elizabeth should place her aim, she said, “Never, under any circumstances, point your bow or arrow at any person or animal you do not wish to harm. Do not spin offtarget when you are distracted or distressed. Someone could be killed if you lost your arrow in such a manner as you did earlier. Do you feel ready?”
“I feel ready,” Elizabeth answered in a steady voice. This had been the instruction she needed. She would forgive Mr Darcy his blunder – again – but she hoped he became less awkward in his courting habits.
“Prepare yourself, and release your arrow,” Miss Bingley instructed.
Elizabeth followed her instructions, and stood open-mouthed when her arrow flew and hit the target. She had not hit the centre of the bullseye. But she had scored.
“That was brilliant, Miss Bennet!” Miss Bingley praised her. “Practice a bit more, but not too much before we begin the tournament, or you will become tired.”
Elizabeth thanked her, and a few other ladies approached Miss Bingley for advice, which she readily shared with the others, gaining herself some new friends amongst the ladies. Miss Crawford was also a skilled archer, and she assisted the others in their practice as well.
“I forgot how much Caroline enjoyed archery,” Bingley said to Darcy as Jane joined the other ladies. “She is not wrong, she was not only first in her year, she was the first in every year. Her school would compete against other ladies’ schools for some accomplishments just before the end of term each summer. She won twice.”
“It is kind of her to help the others,” Darcy admitted.
“She has not told anyone what you said to her last summer, but she has admitted that she no longer desires to be thought above her company, nor cruel, and that she now does her best to model her behaviour on Miss Darcy’s kindness.” Bingley smiled at the sight of his sister helping the other ladies.
“I take that as a compliment, not only that she considers my sister worthy of emulation, but also that she valued my opinion enough to reflect upon it and take action,” Darcy said in surprise. “I will admit, Miss Bingley has greatly improved since last summer. I have not felt uncomfortable once in her company since we last joined you in Highbury.”
“I have high hopes for Caroline.” Bingley turned and helped himself to a biscuit from a platter. “Perhaps she will marry for happiness and find all of her dreams met by her own merits. Not because I have married high enough to place her in good society; she deserves it.”
The competition lasted all afternoon.Darcy spent it in Elizabeth’s company, very careful not to distract her in any way while she was shooting. Miss Bingley was adamant that archery could be dangerous, and that heckling was not to be tolerated, and Mrs Darlington agreed with her.
It transpired that it was not only Miss Bingley and Miss Crawford who were skilled in archery, but also Miss Abernathy, who was the last person anyone expected to distinguish herself. Apparently archery was a common activity for genteel ladies in her village, and she practiced often with her neighbours.
Miss Abernathy won the ladies’ tournament. Mr Pemberton, also a lover of the activity for its romantic nature and connection to poetry, won the pocket knife. Upon learning that the lady who won the copy of Wordsworth was not a reader of poetry, the gentleman arranged to spend the following morning with her, reading from her new volume, and discussing the contents.
Elizabeth placed seventh out of twelve ladies, three places behind Jane, but she was cheerful about it. “In Meryton, I would have placed last, so I can hardly complain. I believe that I shall practice more in the future, now that I understand the technique better.”
CHAPTER 35
One afternoon, the company was playing party games on a day of frightful rainstorms.
“The first game isTwo Truths and a Lie. Since we have siblings here, and so many who knew each other before they arrived, we shall make a rule that you may not answer those of your friends and relations. Who shall go first?” asked Mrs Darlington.
“Allow me!” shouted Mr Talbot. “Well! First, I am the second son of a gentleman! Second, I cut my sister’s hair once. Third, I was left handed as a child.”
“Oh! I should not have liked it if you were my brother!” Miss Bertram exclaimed. “I say your second declaration is a lie.”
“I declare that you were never left-handed,” Mr Whittaker observed. “Your penmanship is too neat for you to have ever been forced to conform.”
The others announced their opinions, and at length Mr Talbot admitted that his nanny had caught him just before he committed his assault on his sister’s locks. “I chuse Miss Bertram to go next!”
