Darcy ignored her continued poor behavior. “Fitzwilliam can escort her here tomorrow if I send an express at once.”
“Invite the colonel too,” said Bingley, Darcy knowing he viewed Fitzwilliam’s coming with anticipation. They had always gotten on well together. “There is no reason for him to escort her here and then return to London.”
“I shall do just that,” said Darcy with a nod.
Bingley’s suggestion to invite Fitzwilliam to stay meshed well with the plans taking shape in Darcy’s mind. Distraction was Darcy’s best option until he could determine how he might go about persuading Miss Elizabeth that her future need not lie with the silly and ineffectual parson. If there was any talent Fitzwilliam possessed, Darcy knew it was the skill to distract, for his never-ending stories and ability to speak to excess had been his strengths since he had been a boy. And Collins, Darcy knew, was a man easily distracted. A few comments from Fitzwilliam and Collins would feel all the privilege of being the focus of attention from the nephew of his patroness. He would have no time for such mundane considerations as wooing the woman he meant to marry!
The suggestion that Georgiana join them did not displease Miss Bingley. Beyond her initial comments, Miss Bingley’s words the subsequent morning, when they were waiting for her arrival, informed Darcy of her expectations regarding his sister’s coming.
“What a delightful notion it was to invite your sister to join us, Mr. Darcy,” said the lady. Darcy had forgotten how many times she had spoken of her pleasure that morning. “What fun Christmas will be with your dear sister’s presence. And the dear colonel too, of course! Why, I dare say with such company to hand, we do not need to go out!”
“What nonsense are you speaking!” exclaimed Bingley, sparing Darcy the need to respond. “I mean to go to Longbourn this very morning after Miss Darcy arrives.”
“Why do you feel the need to do such a thing?” demanded Miss Bingley at once. “Miss Darcy will need to rest at the very least before we expose her to the excesses of the Bennets.”
“I do not suppose Darcy proposed to invite his sister so he could keep her confined to Netherfield,” replied Bingley. “Besides, you know I wish to invite the family to Netherfield on Christmas day. And there is the Christmas assembly tomorrow night, too.”
Miss Bingley blanched while Darcy looked on. He had forgotten about the Christmas assembly on the twenty-third and had not been aware of Bingley’s intention to invite the Bennets to Netherfield on Christmas day. While he rarely appreciated assemblies, this one would work to his advantage, for he could think of several ways he might further drive a spike into Collins’s wheel. As yet, he had no specific plan for Christmas, but his presence would be a boon if only to keep Collins from being in Miss Elizabeth’s sole company.
“I do not think we need to offer such gestures, Charles,” said Miss Bingley, the edge of whining invading her voice. “We already hosted the neighborhood once; is that not enough?”
“I dare say it is enough,” said Bingley. “As I do not propose to invite the neighborhood, your sensibilities are safe, Caroline. We shall invite the Bennets only.”
Dismayed, Miss Bingley turned a beseeching look on Darcy. “I cannot imagine you wish your sister contaminated by the likes of the Bennets, Mr. Darcy.”
Darcy chuckled and shook his head, which did not please Miss Bingley at all. “The way you speak, I might think you consider the Bennets diseased.”
“They may as well be,” muttered Miss Bingley. “A disease rendering them incapable of anything resembling propriety.”
It did not bear saying that a woman who pursued a man who had no interest in her in defiance of all that was proper couldhave no reason to complain of another’s behavior. Miss Bingley, Darcy knew, would not see it in such terms, and he had no interest in correcting her perception.
“In fact,” said Darcy aloud, “I have no qualms at all about introducing my sister to the Bennets.”
Miss Bingley regarded him, trying to make him out. “Given the behavior of some members of that family, I am surprised, sir.”
“Yes, I suppose the younger girls would benefit from improved behavior,” agreed Darcy. “At the same time, my sister is reticent. I cannot but suppose she would benefit from the society of those who do not lack confidence. As for her behavior, Georgiana would not follow any example that would not be proper; I have more faith in her than that.”
Miss Bingley’s countenance softened. “I suppose you must be correct, Mr. Darcy. Your excellent sister would bring others to her, rather than follow them.”
“Thank you for your conviction in my sister, Miss Bingley,” replied Darcy, inclining his head in appreciation.
It was at times like these that he remembered Miss Bingley was not all pride and the lust to climb society’s ladder. Had he thought she saw Georgiana only as a means of ingratiating herself with him, he would have severed the acquaintance long before. Yet it appeared Miss Bingley esteemed his sister. If Georgiana did not consider Miss Bingley her closest friend, at least she respected the woman in return, which allowed Darcy to keep the friendship intact.
When Georgiana and Fitzwilliam arrived later that morning, it was to the happy greetings of all. Contrary to Miss Bingley’s expectations, they were just as eager to visit Longbourn as Darcy and Bingley were to go themselves.
“I should be happy to make the acquaintance of my brother’s new friends,” said Georgiana in her quiet voice. “I understandthere are young ladies of my age among them.”
Miss Bingley shot a look at Darcy at this evidence of her prior knowledge of them. There was nothing for her to say to him, so she turned her attention back to Georgiana.
“Of course, you wish to make their acquaintance, Georgiana, and so we shall. Only take care, for the Bennet sisters are not of your level of society and display manners such as you are not accustomed to.”
“I am not unacquainted with country manners, Miss Bingley,” said Georgiana, understanding that if Darcy deemed the Bennets suitable acquaintances, it could be nothing to Miss Bingley. “I shall meet them with the same reserve with which I greet those near Pemberley.”
Clear though it was that Miss Bingley could imagine no one who boasted residence in Pemberley’s neighborhood could be anything other than of the highest society, she smiled and nodded.
“Yes, Darcy,” said Fitzwilliam, fixing Darcy with a knowing grin, “introduce us to these new friends of yours. I find I am curious, indeed.”
It was beyond Darcy’s ability to hope to satisfy his cousin with anything less than a thorough explanation. At the moment, he appeared content to allow events to unfold as they were. As Darcy counted on his cousin’s support, he was not opposed to explaining the matter to him in full, but it would not do to be explicit in front of Miss Bingley. As such, Darcy nodded in his cousin’s direction, and they departed at once.
