“Thank you, Miss Elizabeth,” said Miss Bingley happily. “You have been very kind.”
“You are welcome, Miss Bingley, and I thought I would mention, some of us gather in my sitting room in the evenings after the others have retired, and we make merry late into the night. I am told you are used to the society of your sister, so if you find yourself in need of feminine company, you have only to knock upon our door,” Elizabeth offered.
“Oh thank you!” Miss Bingley exclaimed. “Ithasbeen quiet at night, so I am certain I shall join you sometime. I heard all about the popped corn. That American seems like an interesting girl.”
Elizabeth had noticedthat Lord Chesley had begun to pay a great deal of attention to Miss Bingley. They both enjoyed town, and spoke often about the merits of living in the city, with its society and entertainments. Miss Winslow took great exception to the loss of the only nobleman in the group to the daughter of a tradesman, and became positively intolerable in company.
With only three weeks left of the house party, one was finally beginning to see affinities take form between the guests; the gentlemen lined up in the garden each morning when the weather allowed for assistance from Major Bartholomew with bouquets. Miss Abernathy had discovered a newfound interest in poetry, and a passionate tutor in Mr Pemberton. Miss Bertram and Miss Crawford were as thick as thieves with Mr Talbot and Captain Lytton.
Colonel Gordon seemed very taken with Miss Irving, who arrived in Mrs Darlington’s carriage each morning, rain or shine, to spend the entire day. Her father dined with their party each evening, and she returned home in his company at night. Elizabeth was uncertain why, but Mrs Darlington was putting forth a great deal of effort to convince Mr Irving to attend as many of their activities as possible. Perhaps she thought that the constant presence of a vicar gave the party respectability.
Jane was the second to receive an unwanted proposal the day after young Edith arrived. Elizabeth had just returned from strolling the portrait gallery with Mr Darcy. Though it was filled with paintings of the people who owned the house before Mr Darlington inherited, and who were of no relation to their host, Elizabeth would take any opportunity for exercise, considering the terrible weather outdoors.
Elizabeth and Mr Darcy had broken their fast early that morning, so the rest of the company had just finished theirs and were crowded near the breakfast room when Elizabeth and Darcy appeared in the downstairs hall.
“Is someone else getting the mitten?” Darcy asked Miss Dutton, amused that he might know what was happening this time.
“Well ain’t you the Philadelphia lawyer.” Miss Dutton responded, returning Darcy to his usual state of perplexity when she spoke.
“Awhat?” Elizabeth gasped in mirth, unable to control her giggles.
“A smart one.” Miss Dutton craned her ear to the cracked door shamelessly.
“Ought we to be eavesdropping?” Darcy asked, his eyebrow raised in disapproval.
“Maybe not, but Miss Bennet doesn’t care for Mr Fletcher, she might need saving,” Miss Dutton said just as Bingley rounded the corner.
“What about Miss Bennet and Mr Fletcher?” he asked.
“Janeis currently in receipt of Mr Fletcher’s addresses?” Elizabeth gasped. Miss Dutton was correct. Jane did not like Mr Fletcher at all, his stern disposition too overbearing for her serene kindness. Elizabethwould have to thank Abigail Dutton later for considering this and paying attention.
The harbinger of propriety, Lady Millicent, crept over and pressed her ear up to the door next to Miss Dutton, as Miss Larkspur scribbled furiously in a corner with her pencil and pad of paper. Mr Bingley stood frozen, face entirely white, looking panicked.
“D-d-darcy…” he stammered. “Miss Bennet would not...”
“Come now, Bingley, you have no desire to be here when they come out. You need a glass of brandy, immediately.” Darcy went directly to his friend and clapped him upon the shoulder.
“But, Jane would never, I am certain of it,” Bingley insisted.
“I am certain you are right, but I went through this myself, just over a week ago. You are better off in the study when they come out. You will hear the news soon enough.” Darcy winked at Elizabeth, who blushed, not having realised that he had been distressed by her proposal from Mr Cartwright. The idea of him as shaken as Mr Bingley affected her profoundly. She had forgiven him in person for his cruel words the morning she had overheard him and Mr Bingley, but the last week in his company, and this new revelation had done much for securing that forgiveness in her heart and restoring her admiration of him in full measure.
No more than two minutes passed before Mr Fletcher emerged from the room, his face bright red and set in stone. It was patently clear he had no joyful tidings to share, but he said nothing and only stormed towards the hall that led to the gentlemen’s staircase.
Mrs Darlington and Edith joined them in the hall just as he left them, and their host said, “I presume he must have offered for Miss Bennet?” When those present confirmed her query, she sighed. “I saw that coming a fortnight ago. He is my cousin’s son; I warned him that he would not succeed, but he refused to listen.”
“Do you think he will leave early, like Mr Cartwright?” Elizabeth asked curiously.
“I doubt it. My cousin has not much to start Samuel with in life, and his best course of action is to find a wife with a modest dowry here. I am certain he will select another and try again before thesummer ends.” Mrs Darlington shook her head and said to Edith, “Run along and see Miss Marmaduke for your lesson, dear, while I go upstairs to speak with my cousin.”
“Someone ought to put poor Bingley out of his misery. That’ll be me, then.” Captain Lytton gave the ladies a smiling salute as he left them.
Miss Crawford, Miss Bertram, and Miss Abernathy all dispersed to the drawing room as Elizabeth entered the breakfast parlour to see if Jane was well. Her poor sister looked rather shaken. “Are you well, Jane?”
“Oh Lizzy, I am so mortified! Were they all outside the door the way they were with you and Mr Cartwright?” Jane covered her face.
“They were, but not in teasing, Jane. Everyone was rather worried for you, because Mr Fletcher is so stern, and they all know you prefer Mr Bingley.” Elizabeth came around the table and took her sister’s hand. “They have all gone away, now. Mrs Darlington thinks Mr Fletcher will remain until August, and try again with a different lady, however, so you will have to see him again.”
“What will Mr Bingley think of me?” Jane said in misery.
