It would be a horrible evening, forced to attend to ladies’ sleeve lengths and their inane conversations about town gossip. Let it not be said he would not do anything for his suffering sister.
CHAPTER THREE
If it were up to Sir William, the family at Lucas Lodge would never have a disengaged evening. Elizabeth knew her mother had a similar nature, but after Mary’s ascension to her post as mistress of Longbourn, Mrs Bennet had to enjoy company in other people’s homes. Mr Collins was a humourless, stupid man who was well-matched to his wife, and neither was inclined to entertain. Perhaps parsimony on both of their parts also had much to do with it.
“No invitation comes amiss to me, my girls,” Mrs Bennet said as they entered the Lucases’ drawing room. “Mary hardly mixes with the world as much as a woman in her position should. They should host dinners and evening parties oftener than they do!”
“Mamma, there is Lady Lucas with the sherry near to the fire. Should you like a good place, you ought to claim it now before Mary does.”
“Yes, my dear, I will greet Lady Lucas. Mary does not circulate amongst a room as much as she ought. Perhaps since Mr Collins comprehends whist a little better, he will pass the evening at the card table and not trouble us.”
Elizabeth thought his playing was likely, but that his comprehensionof the game had not improved as much as one would expect from someone who could, supposedly, match like suits.
After Elizabeth saw her mother settled with her gossiping friends, and Mary amongst them as the wife of the principal landowner of the village, she was free to seek her own amusements. Few could be had at Lucas Lodge without the presence of her sensible friend Charlotte. Lydia had, as soon as her shawl was shrugged off her shoulders, run into the room to speak to the Harrington sisters.
Their conversation focused on the woman who had married Colonel Forster, of the militia regiment that would soon go on to Brighton. Lydia, being disappointed not to have found a husband in Colonel Forster for herself, was eager for other girls to commiserate in her misfortune. She would have accepted any of the higher-ranking officers who had at least a thousand a year, but no such gentleman made an offer. Elizabeth listened to this talk without contributing anything.
“Lizzy, tell Harriet and Pen of what you wore in town. Maria! Come join us!”
“I daresay my letters sufficed,” Elizabeth answered as Maria Lucas joined them. “I wrote in such detail that you ought to be able to tell it as well yourself.”
“Oh, I probably did not read them. Besides, we really want to know what the grander ladies wore.”
All the girls nodded; Elizabeth sighed and described what she had seen worn at the opera. “And the sleeves were not very high above the elbow, and fitted close to the arms. They were ornamented on top with points of satin that matched the gown and were trimmed in a single row of pearls.”
“Did you go to the opera and the theatre often?” one of the Harrington sisters asked.
“No, I was with the Cuthberts, not the Gardiners.”
“I suppose Mrs Cuthbert has stopped trying to get you married.” Lydia gave her a sympathetic look. “Probably because you are not as lively and confident as you used to be before our father died. I hope I have luck like Kitty’s rather than yours when I stay with Jane and Mrs Cuthbert.”
“Would you like to hear about the performance? I sawDie Zauberflöte.” The four girls looked dull; Lydia even grimaced. “I did also attend one evening party, and a lady in attendance wore one of her opera dresses.”
While Elizabeth was describing the short Spanish pointed sleeves, caught up in the centre with pearls, she realised that her audience had gained another member, hovering at its periphery. Mr Darcy, looking as severe as he had in the apothecary shop, was listening attentively to her conversation.What can Mr Darcy mean by listening to talk about pearl stomachers with pendant drops on each side?When the talk shifted to debating satin versus sarcenet, Mr Darcy moved away.
“Did you see that the tenant of Netherfield’s gatehouse is here?” Lydia exclaimed for all to hear.
“My father is always after him to join a dinner or a small evening party.” Maria had not bothered to drop her voice, either. “This is only the third time Mr Darcy has come in the six months he has been here. He does not go into society.”
“We do not need him! He never speaks,andhe keeps a mistress.”
“My father says not to listen to servants’ gossip, and that the woman is Mr Darcy’s sister. He would not invite anyone who was scandalous.”
“Oh, Maria, Sir William would invite anyone with a pulse.”
“I heard from our maid that the womanishis sister, and she is ill,” Pen or Harriet said. To Elizabeth, the sisters were often indistinguishable.
“Mr Collins says never to speak to him.”
“And since when have you followed any attempt to curb you?” Elizabeth asked.
“I am obliged to Mr Collins for my maintenance until I catch myself a husband. Then you can be sure I will not mind him one bit.”
It was at the end of Elizabeth’s tongue to remind Lydia that she would then have to mind her own husband.
“I do not know why he came,” Lydia continued. “He must know we are all speculating about him.”
“Mr Darcy is a young man living alone and must not like it,” Mariasuggested. “Any single man would enjoy exchanging a vacant evening at home for the society of a drawing room.”
