Louisa looked doubtful. “That is neither here nor there. How will you facilitate things between them? Charles seemed very taken with the sister, rather than Miss Elizabeth.”
“Charles is very easily steered. A few suggestions here and there, and he will transfer her allegiance to Miss Elizabeth. And Mr Darcy is very proud. When he sees that Miss Elizabeth is interested in Charles rather than himself, he will be disgusted with her and forget all about her. And if not that, he will see how happy Charles is and step gracefully out of the way. You know how loyal he is to our dear brother.”
A small smile played on Louisa’s lips. “And with luck, he might turn to you for solace?”
Caroline lifted her hands in mock innocence. “Why should he not? I may not be as rich as Miss Elizabeth will be, but I am more cultured and accomplished, both traits about which Mr Darcy has waxed long in the past. He prides himself on the fact that dear Georgiana is so accomplished. He must surely want the same in his wife.”
“So that is why you started learning Italian and trying to play the pianoforte, is it? How is that going, by the by?” Louisa asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
“Non lo sapresti.”Caroline came and sat down next to her sister, who laughed at her.
“Do not be cross. I commend you for trying to improve yourself to catch a mate. If you recall, I did the same to catch Mr Hurst. And you know how many times I have been prevailed upon to play the pianoforte since we have been married.”
“We are off the subject,” Caroline said. “The point is that we must try to convince Charles that Miss Elizabeth is the better choice, even if she is inferior in looks. She will have the greater fortune.”
“I am not criticising, sister. I think it is a good plan. But will it work?” Louisa sighed and folded her hands in her lap. “Charles and Miss Elizabeth did not seem particularly interested in each other at the assembly. And there was his foolish remark, as well. Will Miss Elizabeth accept an invitation to dine with us?”
Caroline thought for a moment. “That is a good point. Perhaps if we invite Miss Bennet to come along as well, it will act as an inducement for Miss Elizabeth to accept. Miss Bennet seemed interested in Charles, or at least seemed to like the attention. I admit, she was a little difficult to read. I could not tell if she was enjoying Charles’s attentions for their own sake,or out of the knowledge that it would be quite the advantageous match.”
“There is only one way to find out, I suppose. We shall invite them both and see the best way to proceed. I am sure if we invite them, they will be eager to come, especially if they know the gentlemen will be here as well.” Caroline stood and started toward the door. “I will write the letter now.”
Being well accustomed to composing and sending invitations, she was not slow to accomplish her task. Not half an hour had passed before the invitation — its hook carefully baited with the promise that the gentlemen would be present — was sealed and in the hands of a footman.
As though she were being rewarded for her cleverness and diligence, Mr Darcy was in the corridor when she left her rooms. With a small, private smile, Caroline fell into step with him, heading toward the drawing room for afternoon tea. “Are you recovered from last night?” she asked lightly.
“I am. A pleasant evening, was it not? I think it bodes well for Bingley’s residence here. Are you happy with the house?” Mr Darcy asked.
She offered him her most brilliant smile. “I am. I believe it has promise, to be sure. Only one thing causes me any concern, and that is how confined and unvarying we are likely to find the neighbourhood. There are not many families in the vicinity that would be appropriate dining companions, do not you agree?”
“The degree of elegance will be somewhat lessened from what we might expect in London, perhaps. I do not think it will matter to Bingley, though. He has a very warm and amiable nature.”
“True,” Caroline replied, carefully concealing her disappointment. It did not give her much hope that Mr Darcycould be persuaded to forget Miss Elizabeth when he was already defending the village where she had grown up. As though anyone could be satisfied with a little countryside village, after spending time in London! But Caroline had to try. Her future fortune and consequence depended on it.
Chapter 6
The following day seemed to drag along into eternity while Darcy waited for the appointed time for the Bennet sisters to arrive. When Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst announced they had accepted an invitation to dine with them, he was more excited than was probably wise to show. The prospect of seeing Miss Elizabeth and furthering his acquaintance with her was too tantalising to ignore.
“I am surprised at you, Mr Darcy,” Miss Bingley said as she entered the drawing room. “Did you not say you owed your sister a letter? I have never known you to neglect your duty to dear Georgiana, yet here you stand, full three yards away from the writing desk.”
She smiled coyly at him. An attempt at flirtation, perhaps? “Our guests will be here shortly. Surely it would be impolite to be engaged in writing letters when they arrive,” he answered, still looking out the window.
Miss Bingley sidled up closer, looking out the window with a disinterested air. She parted the curtain and followed his gaze down the road. “I thought Charles and Miss Elizabeth got on very well the night of the Assembly. She would be an excellent match for him.”
He said nothing to this, but her words hit their mark. Darcy clenched his jaw, wishing she would leave him in peace.
“Anyone would be sure to appreciate his good temper. He is always so eager to please, and she seems to have a similar temperament. I am sure her mother would be overjoyed with the match.”
Darcy nodded curtly, telling himself to hold his tongue before he said anything he would later regret. Jealousy was a foolish and clumsy emotion, yet he could not deny that he felt it, even as the carriage turned up the road and made its way to the front of the mansion.
“Your guests have arrived,” Darcy said curtly. “We should greet them.”
Miss Bingley nodded, thankfully saying nothing more. She turned and walked out of the room and he followed at a safe distance, doing his best to regain his composure. When they entered the foyer, Mr Bingley and Mrs Hurst were waiting for them. “Where is Mr Hurst?” Miss Bingley asked.
“My husband is in the study reading the paper,” Mrs Hurst replied. “He will join us shortly, but he said not to wait supper for him. He will be in as soon as he is able.”
Though the excuse was inadequate, no one challenged it. Mrs Hurst was always having to cover for her husband. It was just as well. Without him, the numbers were even for the supper party. With luck, the evening would go smoothly. Darcy rather suspected that Bingley was as eager to further his acquaintance with the eldest Miss Bennet as Darcy himself was for the second, whatever Miss Bingley might have to say to the contrary.
For that, he was glad. Darcy could not entirely explain the emotion. It was only that he thought Bingley’s temperament better suited to Miss Bennet than Miss Elizabeth, doubtless.
