“For my part, she is more amusing than annoying. Something like a fly I need to swat away from around my head. If you decide that is what you need to do, do so, but do it because it is what you as a family chuse to do, not because you think it is what I desire,” Darcy replied.
“On another note, there is something that I am sure will interest you. You will have more good chess opponents other than Lulu. Yesterday, my nearest neighbour to the east called…” Bingley related what Mr Bennet said about his family and chess.
Darcy remembered the still-standing record at Cambridge. One Thomas Bennet was unbeaten for three years,and if his memory served, his late father used to play against Mr Bennet via the post. Darcy remembered Father commenting how he used to win occasionally against Mr Bennet, but then, there came a point, and thereafter, he never won again. That Bennet was in Hertfordshire. Would it not be a small world if he got to challenge the same Mr Bennet against whom his late father had played?
Darcy was aware that Miss Bingley was a very good chess player. The time she and her brother had been at Pemberley for a month, he had only managed to win twice more than her, and every game had been a hard-fought battle.
He had never heard of a female chess prodigy, and certainly not one of fifteen, but Darcy had long ago learnt to never underestimate his opponent.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The youngest Bingley remained in her bedchamber licking her wounds for the rest of the day. She was not seen again by the other Bingleys or their guest and took a tray in her chamber for dinner.
Caroline had been using the time to convince herself she had misunderstood Mr Darcy. He could not hold her in so much disdain, could he? Rather than what had been before her face, Miss Caroline chose to believe what her mother had told her about it being her task to raise the Bingley name up to the heights of society. Soon, Mr Darcy would see that she was the perfect wife for him. He would discover that by his own will, or she would force the issue.
Besides, Mr Darcy was wrong. She was an educated woman who knew exactly how to behave in the highest society! Her aunt, Charles, and devil-marked Louisa were all wrong. They were just jealous because she would be part of the first circle, and she would never know them again.
It could not be her aims which were wrong. It was exactly what Mama had prepared her for. She decided she needed to change her tactics. She had heard her aunt, Charles, and the blemished sister discussing some assembly ball the local mushrooms were having on the morrow. That was the place she would impress Mr Darcy. She would dress in her new ensemble for which she had used the last of her allowance. That, combined with the jewels her mother had left to her, made Miss Caroline sure that she would outshine one and all.
She told herself the other residents of this estate would apologise to her soon enough. They would miss her company greatly and understand she was punishing them with her absence.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“I wonder why dinner is so much more peaceful,” Hildebrand quipped.
Rather than missing herscintillatingcompany as the youngest Bingley imagined, the four in the dining parlour were far more relaxed than they would have been had she been present. Without the three Bingleys having to keep an eye on Caroline, they were able to enjoy their dinner far better than when the latter was present.
There was no separation of the sexes after the meal when the four retired to the drawing room for tea. After Hildebrand served tea, it was drunk, and the tea service removed, the latter lady looked at her nephew. “Did you inform Caroline what time we will be departing for the assembly on the morrow?” She asked.
“I did, and in fairness, I will inform her again on the morrow. That way, she cannot claim she did not know,” Bingley responded. “Lulu, you will come with us, will you not?”
“I will, Charles, but I will wear a veil.” Louisa held up her hand to stop the protest. “Even though the men who called here have undoubtedly reported mydisfigurementto their families, I would prefer not to be the centre of attention. Unlike my younger sister, I do not think everything is about me.”
“In that case, I will not try to convince you otherwise,” Bingley promised.
“Back to my youngest niece. What do you plan if she is not ready to depart at ten before seven?” Hildebrand enquired.
“We will depart, and I will leave instructions that she is not to be transported to the hall under any circumstances.” Bingley turned towards Darcy. “Please instruct your men that my sister is not permitted to commandeer your coach.”
“It will be done,” Darcy agreed.
“She is my sister, so I have tried not to banish her from my homes, but I am afraid we are fast approaching that point,” Bingley said to no one in particular. “This is all thanks to our late mother and her dreams of rising in society.”
“That is true, but Caroline is no longer a child,” Hildebrand refuted. “She is a woman full grown of four and twenty. It is past the time we can blame only my late sister-in-law. Yes, she planted the seeds, but Caroline has chosen to ignore everything which proves that she is on the wrong path. I am afraid my niece will only learn once she well and truly ruins herself.”
Louisa entertained the company on the pianoforte in the adjoining music room. After more conversation which had nothing to do with Miss Caroline, the four in the drawing room made their way upstairs to their chambers.
Chapter 16
Notwithstanding the assembly that evening, come Friday morning Longbourn was calm. As each of the three sisters who would be attending knew what she planned to wear, there was no need to begin to prepare hours before the public ball.
While the eldest three Bennets went to the assembly hall with their father, the youngest two would not be alone. Besides Mrs Dudley, who would remain home with them, Maria Lucas and Cara Long would be with their friends. Their parents, or in the latter’s case, adoptive parents, had taken Bennet’s example and not allowed their daughters out until they were at least seventeen.
Miss Jones would accompany Mr Bennet and his three eldest daughters to the assembly. Besides keeping an eye on the sisters, it allowed her some more time in her brother’s company.
The day of the assembly, Elizabeth saw no reason to change her morning routine. Rather than ride her mare Venus, named for the Roman goddess of love, not the planet, she elected to take a walk. Per Papa’s instructions, she never left the house alone, and on this morning, Brian was her escort.
First, Elizabeth made for the bag containing fruit and vegetables for the horses. She extracted a blemished apple and a carrot. With those in hand, she headed towards Venus’s stall.
