Darcy and Bingley looked at each other uncomfortably, and began to purposely make more noise with their boots as they continued down the long hall, hoping to make their footsteps heard.
“I must insist that it is quite impossible! We cannot possibly attend!” Miss Woodhouse was not to be moved.
“There is one thing, Emma, which a person can always do, if they choose, and that is their duty; not by manoeuvring and finessing, but by vigour and resolution!”
By this point, Bingley was purple with indignation, and Darcy saw fit to clear his throat loudly, and to begin making evenmorenoise with his boots, practically stomping as they traversed the hall in an effort to be heard.
“I believe the exit is this way, Bingley,” Darcy said loudly. He did not have to. He and Bingley could have just crept silently away, but Darcy wanted Miss Woodhouse to know she had been overheard. She ought to be embarrassed by such speech.
They heard a feminine gasp, followed by small footsteps scurrying away, then louder, more purposeful footsteps approaching. Mr Knightley stepped out from behind a column. “Gentlemen, I did not know you were visiting Hartfield today. Have you seen Mr Woodhouse?”
“We have. We are just showing ourselves out. Good day, Mr Knightley,” Darcy said firmly to Mr Knightley, putting an end to further civilities. It was obvious that the pair had been overheard. The least the man could do was allow them to leave without mortifying Bingley any further.
“Of course,” Mr Knightley said, allowing them to pass.
Bingley was quiet for several minutes as they mounted their horses and departed.
“I am sorry, Bingley,” Darcy said to his friend.
“It is all right. I do still experience such prejudices, but not often any more, thanks to your friendship,” his friend replied. “However, I do not think it is gentlemanly of me to force my society where it is not wanted. Mr Jarvis left yesterday, and I am close to selecting a new steward from those your friend Mr Lambert recommended. In the future, my new steward can take up any necessary business with Mr Woodhouse’s man. What was his name? Mr Hunt?”
“Yes, that is his name,” said Darcy. “That is probably for the best. The gentleman himself is a decent enough sort, but it is obvious he is preoccupied with his health and managed by his daughter. She hasmade it clear that civilities are unwanted. You should not force them upon their household.”
The stewardat The Gableshadbeen cheating his employer, by a number of creative methods, all of which Darcy believed he had uncovered. The owner of the estate made it clear when Bingley took it over that she wanted no scandals nor notoriety. The steward was turned out without a reference and with none of the treasures and comforts upon which he had squandered the estate’s funds, but he was not turned over to the magistrate. Darcy and Bingley had assembled a list of candidates for the new steward’s position, and after careful consideration including reviewing the references provided, agreed upon the best. That having been accomplished, they changed and met the ladies for dinner.
“Caroline, I wish you to write to Mrs Weston tomorrow, and say that we are sorry not to attend their dinner party, but that we must tender our regrets due to a family matter for which I must travel to town,” said Bingley.
“Are weto go to town, Charles?” gasped Miss Bingley, “Please say that we may!”
“No, Caroline, you will not go to town unless you plan to remain there and stay with friends. I am going for one night only,” said Charles.
“What is the family matter, Charles?” asked Mrs Hurst.
“To be perfectly forthright, Louisa, there is not one,” confessed Charles. “We have suspected that Miss Woodhouse has been intentionally snubbing us. I received confirmation of that today, and evidence that she has declined Mrs Weston’s invitation in an effort not to become acquainted with us. It is my understanding that Mrs Weston and Miss Woodhouse are great friends, and that Miss Woodhouse owes Mrs Weston these attentions. I will not be the thorn that grows between two friends. I have already decided that this estate is just right for what I need to learn, but I will not be purchasing it.Since I am not to remain permanently, I will not willingly create fights amongst my neighbours, at least not right away. Perhaps Miss Woodhouse will be obliged to acknowledge us at some point, but I will not force it just now. You two have not led me to believe that you are pining for the company of the neighbours.”
“No, no, of course not!” agreed Caroline.
“It has occurred to me, Caroline, that it is in your best interest to stay here and learn the duties of the mistress of an estate, but if you do not wish to remain, as I said, I will conduct you to London and leave you with friends, if you have one that might invite you.”
Caroline was sorely tempted to escape this backwater, but she would not squander the opportunity to show Mr Darcy how perfect she would be at running his household. “I could not abandon poor Georgiana here, Brother,” she said. “I will remain.”
“It will be enough, I think, if I go to town,” Bingley mused. “Then the rest of you might stay at home without it causing too much gossip.”
“I beg to differ, Bingley,” said Darcy. “Let Hurst and I join you. We can stay at Darcy house, and return in a day or two. I am certain I will have correspondence waiting for me in any case and could do with an afternoon in my study. With no men in the house, and Georgiana not even being out, it will be more plausible for the ladies to remain at home.”
“If Mrs Weston puts it about that we will not attend, I am certain Miss Woodhouse will change her mind and give her friend the respect she is owed,” said Bingley. “It is better for the neighbourhood this way. I am certain we will dine with the Westons another time. Perhaps we will invite just them and perhaps a few other families here for a meal. They are good people, and this will show that we have not slighted them.”
Miss Woodhouse did indeed changeher mind, but it was not only the news that the residents of The Gables would not attend thathelped her decision. When the Westons visited Hartfield, they also informed her that Mr Weston’s son, Mr Frank Churchill, would be arriving in time for the dinner.
Mr Weston had been widowed when his son was just a babe, and he had also been experiencing significant financial troubles. His wife’s much older sister had no children, and Mr Weston had been bullied into giving up the boy to the Churchills’ guardianship, to be their heir, for the sake of the child’s future. Mr Weston had been prevented from visiting the boy for many years, but the young man’s aunt had died three months previous, and his uncle two months before that. He had just left off his period of mourning, and would now go out into society with a black band upon his arm.
Miss Woodhouse had been hearing of the merits of two people for most of her life. The first – Jane Fairfax – the niece of Miss Bates, was an orphan that lived with Colonel Campbell and his family as a companion for their daughter, who had no siblings. Jane Fairfax was poor, but she did have access to a superior education, and was better than anyone living at singing, pianoforte, the harp, drawing, painting, dancing, languages, and every possible accomplishment known to females in their society. Interesting things happened to her constantly; Emma Woodhouse detested her very name and loathed hearing about her.
The second – Frank Churchill – was the other person of whom Miss Woodhouse had been receiving monthly reports for most of her life, and those accounts were of a great deal more interest to her. She had been romanticising Frank Churchill, and waiting impatiently to meet him, since she was thirteen-years-old. It was with great alacrity that Emma Woodhouse accepted the invitation to Randalls once it was offered again.
CHAPTER 5
Perhaps one might say that Miss Woodhouse had been paid out for her snub to the residents of The Gables, for fortune did not smile upon any of her hopes for being courted by Mr Churchill in the following weeks. Darcy, Bingley, and Hurst remained in London for two days while Darcy attended to some business. As planned, the ladies of The Gables stayed home the night of Mrs Weston’s dinner.
