It amused Bennet greatly that the man’s ears turned red and he looked rather embarrassed to have some of his words thrown back at him. Darcy was sure, and more than that hoped, Mr Bennet was about to demand he apologise, but the man said nothing.
“Darcy this is Mr Thomas Bennet, the master of Longbourn, Mr Bennet, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire,” Bingley did the honours. Like Darcy, he expected Mr Bennet to ask to speak to Darcy in private to dress him down, but the man said nothing other than answering Darcy’s bow with a half one of his own.
Bingley led his party, including his sullen younger sister, into the room where they were directed by Sir William. He made sure to greet his hostess, the Lucas heir—the younger brother was back at Oxford—and Miss Lucas was in conversation with Miss Elizabeth, before he guided Miss Bennet to a settee where they sat and were soon deep in conversation.
Caroline Bingley was silently fuming. There had been no opportunities to enter Mr Darcy’s bedchamber yet. The door was always locked, and when it was not, the damned valet was within. Twice she had crept up to the door after midnight when she was sure Mr Darcy would be asleep, and each time the door had been secured!
As her elder sister had been chosen as the mistress, she had no access to the keys. She would not lower herself to search the housekeeper’s office, so she would have to find a way to relieve Louisa of her chatelain. The one time she had managed to slip into her sister’s chamber, she had not located any key. She had considered tripping in front of all of the country mushrooms, and she would if it came to that, but she was still determined it would be at Netherfield Park that the deed would be done. Her reasoning was simple. The more witnesses, the greater the chances word she had gained MrDarcy via compromise would reach herfriendsin London, and she preferred they thought Mr Darcy offered for her because she was his choice.
While Elizabeth was speaking to Charlotte, she saw Mr Darcy approach them. She turned to her friend. “Now that Kitty and Lydia are not monopolising the officers’ time, would you introduce me to them please?”
Charlotte led her friend to where the three officers were standing. “Eliza, this is Colonel Forster, the commander of the regiment which will encamp here, his Adjutant, Captain Carter, and Captain Saunderson. The man Kitty and Lydia cajoled to accompany them over there,” Charlotte inclined her head in the direction of the two youngest Bennets and the officer, “is Lieutenant Denny. Gentlemen, Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn.”
“Well met, Miss Bennet,” the Colonel stated after he and his captains had bowed.
“And you, Colonel, Captains. Point of order, I am Miss Elizabeth as the beauty over yonder,” Elizabeth inclined her head, “is my eldest sister and holds the title of Miss Bennet when she is in the room.”
“We stand corrected,” Colonel Forster returned with a grin. He enjoyed impertinence in a lady.
“Where is the rest of your regiment encamped?” Elizabeth enquired.
“They are in Northamptonshire, near the town of Westingham. Do you ladies have suggestions of how we should introduce ourselves to the local populace?” the Colonel asked.
Noting Mr Darcy was close enough to hear, and seemed to be eavesdropping, and knowing how much he disliked balls, Elizabeth formulated a reply aimed at the infuriating man. “You should hold a ball, Colonel. It is the quickest way to ingratiate you and your officers to the locals, and you knownoonedislikes a ball.”
“I will think on your advice, Miss Elizabeth,” the Colonel averred. He turned to his captains. “Come gentlemen, I think we need to rescue Denny from the young ladies, or the young ladies from Denny.” The three officers bowed to the two ladies and made their way across the room towards the Lieutenant.
“What do you think Mr Darcy means by coming close and listening to our conversation with the officers?” Elizabeth asked Charlotte, at a volume she was sure the enigmatic man would be able to hear. “Do you think he seeks to intimidate us with his silent, aloof brooding? Why would a gentleman listen yet never speak to anyone outside of his own party?”
Darcy was about to attempt to make his apology, but hearing the hard edge in Miss Elizabeth’s voice when she spoke of him caused him to stay where he was.
“Unless you ask Mr Darcy those questions, you will never gain the answers you seem to seek,” Charlotte responded. She was sure Eliza did not care to hear from Mr Darcy, she just wanted to tease the man without speaking to him. “Enough silliness, Eliza. It is time for the instrument to be opened. Do not forget you promised Papa you would play and sing for us.”
“What sort of friend are you, always urging me to play and sing when you well know Mary is far more proficient on the pianoforte than I. Also,” Elizabeth turned partially towards Mr Darcy, “I am rather intimidated to play before those who are used to hearing the best performers play. My playing would not be much less thantolerable.”
“You who claims hercourage always rises at any attempt to intimidateher? I think not. I will not allow you to renege on your promise now, especially on so flimsy an excuse,” Charlotte insisted as she led Elizabeth towards the instrument.
‘And I thought I had implacable resentment,’ Darcy thought. How could he gain her forgiveness if she would noteven allow him to make his apologies?
Darcy found himself drawn towards Miss Elizabeth as she began to play. Her playing was not technically proficient, just like she had intimated to her friend, but the feeling she infused into the music was something he had not experienced since hearing his mother perform before she had taken ill.
As he was standing and watching, he detected her overapplied scent before Miss Bingley sidled up and stood next to him. “I am sure I know what you are thinking, to be here among those so far below us…” Miss Bingley started to say when Mr Darcy interjected.
“Miss Bingley, please let me be in peace,” Darcy hissed so only the woman could hear. “I neither invited your presence nor your conjectures. Your sister’s allusions to your memory being that of a gadfly was correct. We are not now, nor will weeverbe at the same level of society.”
The woman slunk back to where she had been sitting and Darcy returned to enjoying the playing of the lady who seemed to make sure they never conversed. Next, she played a lively Scottish air and sang the enchanting words. She had an excellent contralto voice. In fact, her singing was of the best he had ever heard, in Darcy’s opinion.
Elizabeth relinquished the instrument to Mary and went to sit with Charlotte who had joined Jane and Mr Bingley.
“Mama,” Lydia raised her voice above the music, “tell Mary to play something we can dance to.”
“Mary, play something lively, not one of your concertos,” Fanny called out loudly from where she was seated rather than stand to go speak to her daughter quietly. There was no missing the moue of distaste on Mr Darcy’s face, but considering how embarrassed she felt, Elizabeth supposed she could not blame him. She also noticed that her father was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle his family was making in a public setting, rather than check anyone.
Mary began to play a reel and Sir William had the rug rolled back to make an area to dance. Lydia pulled Lieutenant Denny to dance with her, while Captain Saunderson asked Kitty to partner him.
Darcy walked closer to the dancing where Sir William joined him. “Such an elegant exercise,” Sir William opined as he inclined his head to the dancers.
“Yet every savage can dance,” Darcy, who was not in the best of moods at his failure to converse with Miss Elizabeth, retorted.
