“And connections! Do not forget the lack of connections, for you will gain nothing more than my two uncles in the law and trade, and one silly parson!”
Darcy responded to her infectious laughter. “I hope you will pardon my wish that Mr. Collins willnotbecome a connection.”
“No, my father made his opinion clear when he removed Mr. Collins from our home.”
With a shake of his head, Darcy returned to the original conversation. “Miss Bingley is not a reprehensible woman, but she is ambitious. Jameson Darcy was not the first man to whom she recommended herself. While she may realize she has no chance of separating us, I cannot but suppose she will come here with at leastsomeintention to recommend herself to me.”
“Then she will learn disappointment,” said Elizabeth. “For I do not mean to give you up.”
“Nor I you,” averred Darcy. “There cannot be another woman your equal, and certainly not Miss Bingley, of all people. If she is civil, she may use a connection to me—assuming Bingley’sinterest in Jane is as sincere as I suspect—to make a good marriage.”
“It may be best if you attempt to communicate that to her as subtly as you can.”
“Elizabeth is not incorrect, William,” said Mrs. Darcy when he returned to Netherfield. “You cannot state it without disguise, of course, but there are benefits to your acquaintance with her brother.”
“Should the opportunity present itself,” said Darcy, “I shall do so.”
The rest of the morning, Darcy retired to his study to finish a few tasks still awaiting his attention, wishing to dispense with any lingering concerns before Bingley’s visit and his upcoming wedding. While they were all of low importance, matters he might have pushed to the side, such activity distracted Darcy, giving him a welcome occupation while he waited for his friend’s arrival. It had always been thus, for he was not an idle man.
At length, Darcy rejoined his mother and Georgiana as the time for the Bennets’ arrival was upon them. Georgiana’s cheerful greeting proved she was eager for the company of her friends and pleased to be free of lessons for the morning; Mrs. Younge, seated nearby, was her usual taciturn self, but she did not appear displeased. Since she had proposed the Ramsgate scheme the last time and Darcy put her in her place, she had been most circumspect in his company. Darcy had no choice but to confess to a certain measure of distaste for the woman, for she did not endear herself to others with her behavior. According to Georgiana’s testimony, she was an acceptable companion and educator, so Darcy would not act to remove her based on personal animus.
When the Bennets arrived, Darcy had no eyes for anyone other than Elizabeth, a curiosity considering Mrs. Bennet accosted him at once. The way Elizabeth regarded him suggestedmirth and curiosity about how he would handle her. Darcy allowed a grin at her, then turned to her mother.
“William! What is this I hear about you wishing to change the date of your weddingagain?”
Mrs. Bennet’s daughters were in stitches at their mother’s outburst, and Darcy could not but acknowledge it had been predictable. Not wishing to offend her, he turned his attention to soothing her nerves at once.
“Hello, Mother Bennet,” said he, catching up her hand and bowing over it, stopping her rant before she could release it. “Let us sit down and talk for a moment, and I shall explain my thoughts.”
The way Elizabeth regarded him, he knew she was diverted by the way Darcy had handled her mother, so much that she waved a hand in a shooing motion as if telling him to get on with it. Darcy obliged, leading Mrs. Bennet to a nearby sofa and then beckoning Elizabeth to sit next to him, which she did without hesitation. The other ladies found their places, the youngest Bennets next to Georgiana, and Darcy turned the conversation to the matter at hand.
“Tell me, Mrs. Bennet,” said he when she turned her attention on him, “do you suppose that Mr. Collins knows our wedding date?”
A frown settled over the matron’s face. “Yes, I suppose he does, for we spoke of it in his presence.”
“As I suspected,” replied Darcy with a nod. “If Collins knows it, then he will have told Lady Catherine.”
Mrs. Bennet’s eyes widened as if she had not considered it. “Do you suppose she will act to disrupt your wedding?”
“The truth is, Mrs. Bennet,” said Darcy, “that I cannot predict her ladyship’s actions, for she has been most irrational since the moment I made her acquaintance. What rational woman pushesan engagement on a man she does not know to take the place of one of dubious legitimacy?”
It appeared Darcy had given her something to consider, for she fell silent for a moment, her gaze moving between Elizabeth and Darcy. “Then you wish to change the date—”
“To prevent her from interfering,” agreed Darcy. “If we move it forward and she comes to Hertfordshire, she will find that we are already married.”
“She cannot change it anyway,” said Mrs. Bennet.
“That is true. Yet I would not have Elizabeth’s wedding interrupted by a woman intent upon objecting to our union. Mr. Smith will not listen to her, but it would be a disruption nonetheless.”
As Mrs. Bennet nodded, an interruption arrived in the form of the housekeeper, Mrs. Nichols, entering with visitors trailing her. It was Bingley and his sister, and though Darcy hoped to finish the conversation before their arrival, they had come a little earlier than he hoped.
“Darcy!” exclaimed Bingley, stepping forward to grasp Darcy’s hand in greeting. Darcy noted his eyes strayed to Miss Bennet more than once. “How excellent it is to see you, my friend. I hope you have recovered from your travels.”
“I returned several days ago, Bingley,” said Darcy.
“Of course, you did!” was Mr. Bingley’s enthusiastic response. “And Pemberley? Was it all you expected it would be?”
“It is an excellent property,” replied Darcy, noting Miss Bingley moving toward them. “I cannot imagine anyone would not approve.”
