“Anything you put your hand to will be magical,” Darcy replied.
“Hopefully, the Bennet’s modest home will not be too much of a disappointment to you, Mr Darcy,” Mrs Younge cut in. “As I told you before, Mr Bennet is an upstanding country gentleman, but with limited means. I should not be surprised if a few of their daughters will be absent tonight.”
Darcy did not care for the way Mrs Younge spoke of the Bennets, especially in front of his sister. “Why should they be?”
“Well, preparing the courses, I am sure,” Mrs Younge purred. She gave a meaningful bat of her eyelashes at him. The intent of the gesture was obviously anything but flirtatious. On the contrary, it was a reminder of the warnings she did not care to repeat within Georgiana’s hearing. Darcy gave her a small nod, indicating that the message had been received.
“They are perfectly able to keep a cook, Mrs Younge,” Georgiana said, jumping to her new friends’ defence.
“And how would you know that, my dear?” Mrs Younge asked.
“Miss Elizabeth Bennet was helping her mother with the meal plans and sent a brief note to see if there was anything in our diets that would need to be excluded.” Georgiana narrowed her eyes. “I think it was very civil of her to ask.”
Darcy wanted nothing to cloud his sister’s evening. He cleared his throat and tried to smooth things over as best he could. “Her mother did not see to the meal? How very helpful of Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”
“I think you will like her very much, Fitz.” Georgiana’s face brightened once more, the tension forgotten.
“I am sure I shall.” Only Mrs Younge saw his raised eyebrow, token of the thanks he owed her for the warning to be on his guard against the wiles of Elizabeth Bennet. He would soon see for himself if she was truly a friend to Georgiana. Woe betide Elizabeth Bennet if she were not. Darcy had little patience for the idea of anyone counterfeiting kindness to gain his favour.
Longbourn was alight with candles in every window. The brick house was old, but well-maintained, from what he could see. And though much smaller than Pemberley, it was nothing for Mr Bennet or his family to be ashamed of. They had barely got out of the carriage when the front door was flung open, the bright candlelight trickling down the steps like a happy little stream, and the whole family came out on the stoop to greet them.
Surprised, Darcy followed his sister and Mrs Younge up the steps, where they were ushered into a small foyer.
“Miss Bennet. Mrs Younge, how good of you to come to our home,” Mr Bennet began. “And Mr Darcy, I presume?” The older gentleman bowed. “What a pleasure that you could join us.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Mr Bennet.” Darcy gave a slight bow at the waist. He was careful not to seem too warm at first. It was not difficult. Georgiana was not the only one with a tendency towards shyness, although Darcy had learned to function despite it.
“Come in, come in,” Mrs Bennet said. She giggled as she led them down the hall toward the parlour. “Cook should announce supper any moment, but until then, we shall get to know each other better. How was your journey, Mr Darcy?”
The woman was talking so fast that he had trouble keeping up with her. They all went into the parlour, which barely fit all of them together. The men stood while the women sat in the chairs and settees, and there were women aplenty. Never had he known a man to have so many daughters, and while he and Mr Bennet stood aside, listening to the female chatter, he suddenly felt overwhelmed.
“How was your journey, Mr Darcy?” Mr Bennet asked calmly. It was such a far cry from what he had experienced thus far in the Bennet household that it took Darcy by surprise.
“It was uneventful,” he replied.
“I hope you enjoy your stay here. My Lizzy and your sister seem to have kindled a fond friendship in the short time they have known each other.” Mr Bennet nodded toward the pair, who were talking quietly in the corner. “I should hate to see them separated.”
“We shall see, Mr Bennet.” Darcy had planned only a brief visit before he went on to London to attend to business for the winter. After his discussion with Mrs Younge, he was not sure he wanted Georgiana to stay in Meryton too long, especially ifthe second eldest Bennet daughter only wanted to use her to get close to him.
A short time later, Georgiana brought the two oldest girls over to him. “Miss Jane Bennet, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, allow me to present my brother, Fitzwilliam Darcy. Fitzwilliam, this is Miss Elizabeth Bennet, who was so kind to me at the first assembly. I shall ever be in her debt.”
Miss Elizabeth Bennet laughed. “You make too much of what I did. I simply greeted a charming young girl who had come into our little town, and I am so very glad she did.” She turned her attention to him. “How do you do, Mr Darcy? Miss Darcy has told us all so much about you, I feel as if we have already met.”
He bowed slightly, exchanging a knowing look with Mrs Younge, who stood across the room with Mrs Bennet, barely paying attention to her excited chatter. Darcy put himself on guard. The family seemed nice enough, but were they perhaps too nice, too charming? After the warning Mrs Younge had given him, it was all too easy to imagine that none of it was sincere. “Pleasure,” he replied simply.
“Miss Darcy has told us extensively about the grounds at Pemberley as well. You must be very proud of them,” Miss Bennet said.
Darcy nodded. “We are.” He made a mental note not to invite Bingley to join him in Meryton. Miss Bennet was a particularly fine example of the blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauties his friend preferred. If the Bennet family truly was as mercenary as he had been warned, Bingley would be easy prey for a woman who united so fair a face with so elegant a figure. It was not surprising that Jane Bennet was considered the beauty of the county. He was only surprised that the honour was not given equally to her sister. Yes, Elizabeth Bennet did not haveher sister’s fashionable height or dramatic colouring, but had no one in Meryton noticed her enchanting smile or the divine sparkle in her dark eyes? He would have to be on his guard not to be taken in, for it would be all too easy to forget his caution in the warmth of that smile.
The rest of the evening passed much like any other country supper, he supposed. It was perhaps less formal than he had expected, but he was not averse to it. After the supper, they retired to the drawing room, small as it was. He sat at the edge of the room, more inclined to listen than to speak, as Georgiana and Miss Mary Bennet played their piece on the pianoforte in another room of the house. The sound travelled easily to them. It looked as if Mr Bennet might actually fall asleep in his chair, while Mrs Bennet and Mrs Younge talked in hushed tones with the younger girls listening intently to every word. Meryton gossip, no doubt.
Miss Elizabeth and Miss Bennet came to sit beside him and keep him company. It was all too easy to see through their plans. Miss Bennet was kind, of course, but she was obviously holding back to let Miss Elizabeth Bennet shine. They had no doubt guessed that the younger, wittier sister would tempt him more than the elder.
“Do you enjoy travelling to London, Mr Darcy?” Miss Elizabeth Bennet asked. “Miss Darcy says that you find yourself there often, on business.”
“I do not care for the crowds, no. But one does not always get to do what one wants,” he replied.
“That is true,” she replied. “What do you do for enjoyment, then? Riding, I suppose?”
