“At least Miss Bingley possessessomediscretion. She disparaged her in my company alone, and while she considered Miss Elizabeth a rival, she did notopenlydisdain her. Even if she had, I have every confidence in Miss Elizabeth’s ability to defend herself.”
Georgiana smiled. “The more you speak of her, the more eager I become to make her acquaintance.”
“She is the most excellent woman I know,” averred Darcy. “She is intelligent, poised, witty, kind, happy, caring, and a whole host of other adjectives that I cannot bring to mind at the moment. When you make her acquaintance, you will understand.”
“Then we must visit her tomorrow,” said Georgiana. “I shall not be satisfied until I become acquainted with this paragon.
“But you will dominate all her attention, so I must know about her sisters!”
Darcy chuckled. “I do not think Miss Elizabeth would allow me to keep her attention when she is equally impatient to make your acquaintance. But I shall oblige you.
“Her elder sister, Miss Jane Bennet, is Bingley’s love. While she is sweetness personified, Bingley will hoard her time far more than I ever will her sister. As for her younger sisters, the next youngest, Mary Bennet, is a devotee of the pianoforte, though I do not consider her performance so fine as yours. The youngest sisters are lively, but I suspect are too much so for their own good.”
“Then I shall be happy to make their acquaintance, but not emulate them,” said Georgiana.
“That would be for the best.”
“Very well, Brother. I hope you plan to depart early enough tomorrow to allow us to visit.”
“I do,” replied Darcy. “Fitzwilliam has indicated a desire to return to Hertfordshire with us. When I departed from the docks, I left him in no doubt he must be here before we depart, or we will leave without him.”
“Good!” cried Georgiana. “Let nothing stand in the way of my new acquaintances!”
Darcy laughed with his sister and then left to change out of his travel wear. Snell remained at Netherfield, as Darcy could manage himself for one night. Already, his sister’s enthusiasm for the morrow’s return enhanced his own, until he felt himself as excited as she. Enjoy Georgiana’s company though he did, Darcy knew the evening to come would be interminable.
Chapter XXV
Surprisingly, though it should not have been, Miss Bingley did not fawn over Georgiana when she arrived. As Darcy had a healthy respect for the woman’s ability to see what she wished, he would not have thought it odd had she ignored his reproof and continued in her quest to gain his approval. She had taken it to heart, or perhaps it was more correct to say that he had offended her so much that she did not think it necessary to offer her those compliments and excessive deference that had been so essential before.
She was not unkind, he supposed, as she welcomed Georgiana with civility, asking after her journey and expressing appreciation for her coming. To Darcy, Miss Bingley had nothing to say, which Darcy preferred. When the time came for Georgiana to retire to her room, it was Darcy who guided her there after Miss Bingley told him which room she would occupy. As they walked, Georgiana turned to him with the light of mischief in her eyes.
“If I did not recognize her, I might never have thoughtthatwas Miss Bingley. When you consider her behavior at the dinner just before the end of the season, the woman before us today is a different person!”
“Are you complaining?” asked Darcy, throwing a wry grin at his sister.
“Not at all,” said Georgiana. “A stay at Netherfield free of her cloying attentions will suit my inclination very well, indeed.”
“Yes, I suppose it will,” said Darcy.
“The only question I have is whether her good humor will survive the news that we mean to visit Mr. Bingley’s neighbors at once.”
That was a good question, and one Darcy could not answer, though he jested: “Miss Bingley’s humor was not at allgoodwhen we arrived.”
Laughing, Georgiana agreed he had the right of it. When they reached her door, his sister promised to join him within fifteen minutes, and Darcy left her to refresh herself for their departure.
Darcy had suspected Miss Bingley was not of a mind to keep her opinion to herself when informed of their plans, so her response was no surprise. There was no reason for her to practice restraint, for Darcy had disabused her of the notion that he favored her, thus she was free to allow them all to see her distaste for the Bennets without disguise.
“I will own that I cannot understand this fascination for Longbourn or the Bennets,” said Miss Bingley, her sniff of contempt accompanying her statement.
“Dearest Georgiana,” added she, her tone and words a closer approximation of her usual behavior, “I know not what your brother has told you, but Longbourn is not a place I believe it wise to visit often. The family is not the best behaved, as you shall no doubt see within moments of making their acquaintance. I would not see your sensibilities offended when it was within my power to prevent it.”
“William has promised to introduce me to the Miss Bennets,” said Georgiana. “I cannot wait to make their acquaintance, so I insisted he take me there at once.”
“There is no need for you to go if you do not wish, Miss Bingley,” said Darcy. “My sister, however, is of age with several of those ladies and is eager to meet them.”
Miss Bingley said nothing more to dissuade them, but she also did not refuse to go herself. Why that might be Darcy could not say, for it could not be a wish to prevent Darcy from speaking with Miss Bennet—she had not misunderstood his meaning, for her behavior had altered enough to give the lie to thatsupposition.
As an addendum to Miss Bingley’s agreement to go to Longbourn, Darcy noted when they alighted from the carriages that she was sullen and uncommunicative, her reproachful glances at Lady Catherine evidence that something had happened between them. As Darcy recalled, the lady had offered to ride with Miss Bingley, so she might have had some chastisement in mind. Anne clarified matters as they entered the estate.
