The company met a little later for the formal dinner and Bingley stood frozen in the middle of the room when Elizabeth entered the parlour. He looked a little panicked at Darcy who stood back and watched his friend flounder.
Elizabeth quickly walked to the young man and offered an elegant curtsy, “Mr Bingley, how good it is to see you again. How are you sir?”
“Miss... Miss, Miss Elizabeth...” Bingley stammered.
She smiled kindly at the man, “Are you well, sir? I hope you are not displeased to meet an old acquaintance unexpectedly.”
Bingley finally recovered, “Miss Elizabeth it is such a joy to see you again. It must be almost five months; nay it is in fact past five months already since we all danced at Netherfield Park on the twenty seventh of November.”
“I believe you are right, sir. How time flies.” Elizabeth exclaimed.
Bingley nervously looked past Elizabeth to the door as if expecting somebody else to walk in after her.
“Please tell me Miss Elizabeth, is your family well and all your sisters? Are theyallstill at home?”
Elizabeth chuckled to herself; Mr Bingley did not know how to be subtle. “Yes they are all well. Thank you, sir. And no, my sister Jane has left home, for she is in London at the moment.”
At that moment the gong outside the dining room was heard announcing that dinner was served.
Mr Darcy quickly made his move and offered his arm to Elizabeth who winced but recovered quickly. She had intended to torment Mr Bingley a little before telling him that Jane was on her way to Kent the next day. But she was unfortunately, perversely thwarted by the punctual and not to be denied dinner bell.
Bingley offered his arm to Mrs Jenkinson, the Colonel to Lady Catherine and Dr Denville to Miss de Bourgh.
The table was too large for such a small party for Lady Catherine insisted in serving every dinner in the formal dining room. So the eight people were scattered and far from each other while conversation was restrained if not completely impossible. The only person who appeared at ease was Lady Catherine, who seemed to be able to cast her voice as efficiently as a stage actor on Drury Lane.
After three courses of lavish and extravagant food, Lady Catherine stood in stately fashion and led the ladies out to the drawing room, while the gentlemen stayed back to smoke cigars and drink port.
Once in the drawing room Lady Catherine took over arranging the seating, “Miss Bennet, please sit by Mrs Jenkinson. Anne, please sit alone as Darcy is about to come back and he needs to spend more time with his intended.” She looked pointedly at Elizabeth, “Darcy is a magnificent catch and there are many women of low birth who will try to ingratiate themselves with him. You must be more active regarding your betrothed Anne, to safeguard him against those scheming women.”
Elizabeth looked at Miss de Bourgh and was astonished to see that the woman could grow paler than she already was. The poor lady looked liked a trapped bird; her eyes grew even larger on her thin face and her hand trembled as she tried to adjust her shawl nervously.
However, Lady Catherine did not notice her daughter’s distress or simply ignored it, “You are going to play for us Miss Bennet, please make yourself useful.” Her ladyship demanded.
“Yes my lady, if you wish.”
“I would not tell you to play if I did not wish it.” Lady Catherine retorted angrily, “You are the only player here unfortunately. Be that as it may, you are but an indifferent substitute for my niece, as Georgiana’s execution is of the first style, incomparable, for her taste is beyond reproach even for one so young. Yet I make no doubt that had I applied myself in earnest to the pianoforte, I should have equalled the best performers of the age; I would have been a true proficient.”
Elizabeth made no answer to the futile, absurd notion and simply got up from the sofa and removed herself to play the instrument as the men returned to the drawing room.
Seeing Elizabeth at the instrument Bingley went straight there and sat beside her with a smile. Elizabeth smiled back and continued playing the tune she had chosen.
After a few minutes Lady Catherine’s voice was heard above the music, “Now that you are living at Rosings, Miss Bennet, you must practice more. There is a pianoforte in Mrs Jenkinson’s room and you would be in nobody’s way, you know, in that part of the house.”
Darcy looked ashamed of his aunt’s ill breeding and made no answer. He moved closer to the instrument and stopped in front of it while playing with his signature ring.
“You mean to frighten me Mr Darcy by coming in all this state to hear me? But I will not be alarmed, though your sister does play so well. There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me.”
“Miss Bennet I know you find great enjoyment in occasionally professing opinions which in fact are not your own.” He smirked.
“Ah!” cried Bingley laughing. “In that at least I am quite experienced. I confess that I sometimes miss the pleasure of seeing you both so spiritedly engaged. There was always something remarkably entertaining in it; though I admit I was vastly content not to be the object of your attentions.” He smiled at Elizabeth.
“You do us an injustice Bingley,” replied Darcy, with a smile that belied the gravity of his words. “Miss Bennet and I have never been at war. We have only differed in such a manner as to improve one another’s discernment.”
Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled as she answered, “Indeed, Mr. Darcy I am relieved to hear it. For I should be most distressed to discover I had forfeited your good opinion, since I am given to understand that once lost it is lost forever.”
“On the contrary,” said Darcy, with a warmth that did not escape her notice, “in your case it is secured far more firmly than you suppose.”
Elizabeth frowned and blushed deeper.What does he mean in my case?
