“Why did you call on the Gardiners and Miss Bennet?” Bingley’s tone was accusatory.
“You asked me to join you so I could judge whether she held you in any special regard.”
“No—before that. Why did you take Miss Elizabeth’s letters to Miss Bennet in the first place? You were already aware of her being in town. If you only wished to apologise for your interference, you did not need to call in Cheapside beforehand.”
Darcy sighed. He had acted despicably. “My pride caused all that you and Miss Bennet have suffered,” he began haltingly. “I had strong objections to the Bennet family, and I then truly believed that Miss Bennet did not return your affection. I had my own motives for wishing her to be indifferent to you, but my conviction was based on reason and not hope.”
Bingley gave him a puzzled look. “What other reasons could you have held?”
“I was concerned with the utmost force of passion required to overcome those objections in my own case.” Bingley’s eyes narrowed. “I found a lady in Hertfordshire whom I was attracted to and whom I deemed an improper candidate for marriage because of her lack of fortune and low connexions. I felt utterly bewitched by her. I knew if you returned to Miss Bennet, I would often be thrown in the company of her sister.”
“Miss Elizabeth?” Darcy nodded. “You werein lovewith Miss Elizabeth last autumn?”
“I was, although I can say with great feeling that I love her better now than I did then.”
“She was the sister I attempted to obtain for you as a dance partner at the assembly. I said she was pretty, but you barely allowed her to be tolerable—and not handsome enough foryou.”
Darcy winced; his harsh remark would haunt him until he was in his grave.
Bingley continued with more energy. “But you and she argued at every opportunity! If truth be told, I would have assumed she disliked you. She never courted your attention. I daresay she preferred to provoke—” Bingley gave him a shrewd look. “Ah, I see. Yes, I can understand the allure she must have held. So you removed me from Miss Bennet because Miss Elizabeth has relations in trade and no fortune. Not suitable enough for your noble and honourable family?”
“Let it never be said that you are deficient in understanding.”
“This still does not explain your delivering Miss Elizabeth’s letters or even speaking to her about Miss Bennet and me while you were both in Kent.”
He did not want to mention his ill-worded—nay, unkind—proposal. Nor did he want to share his innermost thoughts with anyone, save Elizabeth, but seeing Bingley’s habitually jovial countenance turned into an angry glower convinced him he could not remain silent.
“I came upon Miss Elizabeth alone one evening and asked her to marry me.” Bingley’s eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. “I told her I liked her against my will and that my sense of her inferiority had finally been conquered. She said she could not accept the man who had ruined her sister’s chance at happiness. She had many other reasons for refusing me that I do not care to discuss, but she was entirely justified. She told me I was the last man in the world whom she could be prevailed upon to marry.”
“Oh, Darcy.” Bingley sighed heavily. “Why on earth are you coming with me to Hertfordshire? You will often encounter Miss Elizabeth. And you still have not answered why you delivered her letters to Gracechurch Street.”
“It was a way to begin to earn her forgiveness for my interference in her sister’s affairs.” He could not deny that he also wished to give her happiness in the hopes of lessening her ill opinion of him. “I gave her a letter explaining myself the morning after my proposal, and it gradually removed her former prejudices against me. I have attended to her reproofs and believe I am now a gentleman worthy of her. We misjudged one another since the beginning of our acquaintance, and I have been properly humbled. During these past six weeks, we have come to know each better than we did throughout all the rest of our relationship.”
“You intend to petition for her hand a second time?”
Darcy allowed himself a smile. “I have already been accepted and need only to obtain her father’s consent.” He sighed with contrition. “Meddling in your affairs was beneath me, Bingley, and I beg you to forgive me.”
“It is not in my nature to be spiteful or merciless. I forgive you.”
Bingley spent the rest of the journey speaking of Jane. Darcy knew he owed it to his friend to smile and agree that his “angel” was all that was lovely as he continually asked for Darcy’s assurances of Jane’s regard. Although he preferred to tell his friend to decide for himself, he was so pleased at having been forgiven that he readily eased Bingley’s mind.
“When I wrote my orders to Nicholls to prepare for our arrival, she responded with the goings-on in the neighbourhood. You will be delighted to know that Wednesday next is the midsummer assembly.” Bingley kept his tone neutral, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. Darcy attempted not to betray his displeasure, but based on Bingley’s roaring laughter, he assumed his opinion on public assemblies was well-known.
“Come now, Darcy, I never met with pleasanter people than at the Meryton assembly. I promptly became acquainted with everyone in the room, and it could be to your advantage to attempt the same this time if you are marrying Miss Elizabeth.”
“I concede that I should speak more and not appear as if the event was a punishment.”
“Miss Elizabeth’s criticisms must have been addressed for you to promise such a thing!” He laughed at his expense again. “And will you dance?”
“I will act civilly to everyone. Must I also dance?”
“Yes, I think you must. And after you have danced with Miss Elizabeth, you must seek an introduction with young ladies notof your acquaintance.”
Their conversation waned as they neared Meryton. Darcy’s thoughts turned to Elizabeth’s father, the final impediment to him bringing Elizabeth home as his bride. He would call on Mr Bennet at the earliest possible hour the following morning.
ChapterTen
When Darcy was shown in to Longbourn’s library, Mr Bennet scarcely opened his lips and gave all the appearance of wishing he could indulge in a strong drink. He bypassed the social niceties and said abruptly, “You want to marry my Lizzy.”
