This seemed to mollify Elizabeth to some extent. Darcy glanced at Bennet, wondering if he would remind his daughter Georgiana was not her sister and Bennet arched a brow, silently asking if he dared.
Darcy chuckled as he shook his head because he did not, and more than that, he wanted nothing more than for Georgiana to experience the love and compassion he had since he had entered the house.
“Would you gentlemen like to see the estate and the environs?” Bennet offered. Upon getting an affirmative nod from both, he turned to his daughters and asked who would like to lead the gentlemen on a horseback tour, unsurprised when all four of his daughters chorused that they would go. They excused themselves to go change into their riding habits, proclaiming they would meet the gentlemen at the stables in half an hour.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Entering the stables complex, Darcy could see the structure was even more impressive than he first had thought, and it was not speculation to surmise it was quite possibly more extensive than his own now that he could see all.
The ladies arrived, accompanied by the companion and an additional chaperone, as well as the two grooms who had taken the gentlemen’s horses on their arrival.
It was an extremely enjoyable three hours, and the more time Darcy and Bingley spent in the oldest two Bennet daughters’ company, and spoke with them, the more their hearts were lost to them.
Unbeknownst to Darcy, as Lizzy was collecting the pieces of his, she was losing her heart to him. The more they talked, the more she was able to sketch his character. And the more she discovered, the more she liked him.
Luckily for them, without yet knowing they were admired in return, Jane and Lizzy were very impressed by the gentlemen and felt at last they had met men they may be able to love and respect, not knowing the men were already well on their way to losing their hearts to them. For each couple it would prove happiness was possible and often revealed at the most unexpected of times.
Once it was explained to the gentlemen that they had seen but a small fraction of the estate, Darcy realised with the addition of Bennet Fields and Netherfield Park, as well as the other ex-Longbourn land Bennet had purchased back, and the additional tracts that he had added besides, Longbourn rivalled the size of the land that Pemberley claimed.
Darcy, who was a natural born horseman, was impressed beyond words at the riding ability of all four Bennet daughters. They had no problem keeping up with the men, and in the playful way he always presumed sisters would behave, sometimes raced one another for small distances or surged ahead of the men in a gallop.
Darcy knew horseflesh and was initially concerned when the eldest two Bennet sisters had mounted stallions, noting the younger two rode mares. Throughout the tour, he watched most closely, and was taken aback at the ease of which the two eldest Bennet daughters handled their stallions.
Truth was, they rode better than a lot of men that he had seen. Once his concern proved unnecessary, he watched the two in wonder, especially Miss Elizabeth on her mount Mercury, aptly named for his speed. He suddenly had a vision of her racing him at breakneck speed on their stallions across the hills and dales of Pemberley and was overcome by the warmth of the very pleasant sensation that such thoughts evoked.
When they returned to the house, the gentlemen were invited for dinner which they accepted with much alacrity as with relief of not having to part from their chosen ladies so soon. A groom was dispatched to Netherfield Park to inform the party there that the two men would not return for dinner.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When the groom re-entered the drawing room to inform Bennet his task was complete, his frown made all uneasy.
“Tell us what happened. Is my house still standing?” Bennet asked drolly, making even the groom chuckle despite being well used to his master’s ways.
“Sir,” he nodded at Bennet then turned to Mr. Bingley, “your sister, Miss Bingley, was not happy to hear you had forced Darcy to dine out with…” he hesitated until he saw Bennet nod for him to continue, “a group of country nobodies.” He stated, himself angry on the Bennet’s behalf. “She threw a vase at the door as I was closing it, Sir.” He looked at Bennet alone.
On hearing this, everyone present realised the sad truth, the assembly would more than likely be the end in society for Miss Bingley as she had not displayed the ability to keep herself in check, and likely had not learned to hold her tongue through the course of the day.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
After the most pleasurable dinner Darcy had had in months, maybe even years excepting those with his Aunt, Uncle, and cousins, he was exceptionally pleased, as was Bingley. It may have been simply because Mrs. Bennet had allowed them to sit next to their preferred Bennet daughter, after which there was a brief separation of the sexes.
Fanny had noticed the attention from the gentlemen to her two oldest and was surprised she was so soon required to issue a warning to Jane and Elizabeth just after the drawing room door was closed and the ladies took their seats.
“Girls do be careful with your hearts,” Fanny admonished gently. “I know both gentlemen seem very nice and good, and especially Mr. Darcy with his connection to the Fitzwilliams. But please, make sure that you know you can love them if they ever ask for a courtship which may eventually lead to a proposal. We want you only to accept your future husbands for the deepest love, respect, and esteem you deserve. The kind of love you know helps you become the best version of yourself as it has for me.”
“Mama you should know with the example of you and Papa before us every day, add to that Aunt and Uncle Gardiner’s respectful and loving marriage, and Aunt and Uncle Fitzwilliam’s marriage which proves love surpasses societal obligations, that none of us would ever settle for less!” Lizzy stated emphatically while Jane nodded agreement, her serene smile hiding a heart thudding with the hope Papa would not keep the gentlemen with him for too long.
Bennet chuckled at the astonishment on Darcy’s face as he led them into the drawing room where his ladies were. He felt they had stayed away long enough to give the impression they had not overheard Fanny’s speech to her daughters, unsurprised it raised his family to an even higher estimation in the eyes of the friends.
To hear and see such a family care nothing for position, fortune, or connections was so refreshing after years of dealing with the connivance of theTon. There was no avarice here, just the best of motives by parents wanting only true happiness for their children.
How many matchmaking mothers of theTonwould ever impart advice like that to their daughters? None! The friends were well aware mothers in polite society were too intent to matchmake rather than take their children’s preferences and personal needs into consideration.
A few minutes before the guests were about to depart, the groom who had ridden to town returned with an affirmative response from the Fitzwilliams. The party would include Andrew and Marie Fitzwilliam, and of course their two-year-old son and the heir to the Earldom of Matlock after his father, David, would be with his parents.
The house became even livelier when it was learned the Fitzwilliams were arriving on Saturday. The Bennet offspring all loved their Uncle Reggie and Aunt Elaine, as well as the rest of the family. It was agreed there would be a family dinner on Monday, once Richard Fitzwilliam and Georgiana Darcy arrived.
To complete the party Darcy and Bingley would join them, but without his sisters, though Bingley’s description of Mrs. Hursts reactions as she distanced herself from, and stood up to, the harpy that morning helped them see her in a more amiable light.
