“Your blindness is astonishing.”
“As is your greed.”
They stood for several moments, glaring at each other, the air crackling with the tension between them. Then Mr. Darcy bowed, a slight gesture he may as well have refrained from making.
“This conversation is over, Miss Elizabeth,” said Mr. Darcy, stiff with offense. “Know that you will not achieve your designs without opposition.”
Then he stalked away, leaving Elizabeth glaring at his retreating back. The confrontation did not go unnoticed—Georgiana was watching them with concern, while Mrs. Bennet regarded Mr. Darcy with terror and Elizabeth with reproach. Elizabeth remained composed, annoyed with the gentleman, but knowing she had said things she should have swallowed.
In time, the Netherfield party rose to depart, extending warm wishes and promises to meet again soon from Georgiana and Mr. Bingley. From Mr. Darcy, there was nothing but grave silence. The moment they were gone, Mrs. Bennet rounded on Elizabeth.
“Lizzy! What do you mean by antagonizing Mr. Darcy?”
“You suppose thatIantagonizedMr. Darcy?” said Elizabeth, keeping her composure.
“Did you not? The man was most displeased with your impertinence.”
“Or perhapshewas the one at fault, Mama.”
Mrs. Bennet closed her eyes, an unusual attempt at patience when she almost always released her displeasure with cries of anger and expressions of impending calamity. When she peered at Elizabeth again, there was steel in her gaze.
“Lizzy, I require you to cease provoking Mr. Darcy. Do you not know that he has excessive influence over his friend? If you continue to anger him, he might persuade Mr. Bingley away from Jane. Then where will we be?”
“Do you suppose that Mr. Darcy is a friend of Mr. Bingley’s interest in Jane?” demanded Elizabeth. “Has the man not sat in judgment of us all from the moment he came to Meryton?”
“That is exactly why you must take care, Lizzy.”
Elizabeth shook her head, aware that arguing with her mother was akin to trying to lift Longbourn itself with one hand. “You do not need to concern yourself, Mama. Not only will I take care not to antagonize Mr. Darcy, but if you think about it, Mr. Bingley is here of his own accord. He will not listen to Mr. Darcy if he counsels Mr. Bingley to give Jane up.”
“Mr. Bingley has given me his assurances,” said Jane, eyes wide at the argument.
“Until he proposes, it is still uncertain,” snapped Mrs. Bennet.
“There is no need to further discuss this, Mama,” replied Elizabeth. “I shall not vex Mr. Darcy.”
“See that you do not. Jane’s marriage to Mr. Bingley would save us—do nothing to put our salvation in jeopardy.”
With that, Mrs. Bennet flounced from the room. Though Elizabeth was aware that thinking in such a way of one’s mother was not entirely proper, that did not mean it was not the truth. Still, there was no point in antagonizing or worrying her mother. If Mr. Darcy made any attempt to persuade his friend to withdraw, Elizabeth would deal with the gentleman, not that she thought Mr. Bingley would yield. Mr. Darcy had entered a battlefield where the victor had already been determined—he might not accept defeat now, but in the end, he would have no other choice.
MRS. BENNET WAS CORRECTto worry about Mr. Darcy’s actions, and Elizabeth was correct in believing that Mr. Bingley did not mean to listen to his friend. Neither were aware of this, of course, though Mrs. Bennet fretted and Elizabeth dismissed. Georgiana Darcy, however, was present for both, and while she was annoyed with her brother—a novel concept to one who had always looked up to him with a certain measure of awe—she was pleased with Mr. Bingley’s determination to remain unmoved.
“Bingley, this is madness,” said William for perhaps the fifth time since they had returned from Longbourn. “Miss Bennetisa gentlewoman, but she is not the sort of woman you should be considering as a prospective bride. She can bring nothing to the marriage.”
“She will bring herself,” replied Mr. Bingley, unmoved by any argument. “That is enough for me.”
“Do you not concern yourself with the family? Should you marry Miss Bennet, you will be responsible for them should Mr. Bennet suffer an untimely demise. Given the characters of the younger girls, I cannot imagine any of them will find husbands. Do you wish to support them for years to come?”
“Youareharsh, Darcy. Are you now an oracle? Do you have some preternatural ability to predict the futures of all the Bennets?”
“Do not be ridiculous! I am merely trying to save you from a future of regret.”
That sent Mr. Bingley over the edge. “Darcy, I appreciate your concern, but I require you to step back.”
“Bingley—”
“No, Darcy, not another word.” The way Mr. Bingley was glaring at William left no doubt as to his feelings on the subject. “As I told you when you joined me here, I am my own man and will choose my path in life. I have not yet proposed to Miss Bennet, but when I am ready, I shall. The Bennets’ situation does not deter me, and the future implications do not give me a moment’s pause. If you cannot respect this, then I will need you to absent yourself from my company. I shall not discuss this again.”
With that, Mr. Bingley rose and departed the room. William, Georgiana could easily see, was not pleased by his friend’s ultimatum, for he wore a ferocious scowl. Not for the first time, Georgiana wondered why this was so important to him—if Mr. Bingley erred in his choice of a wife and suffered the consequences, what was that to him? Georgiana had her own matter to discuss with her brother, but she knew now was not the time. Better to wait until his temper cooled and then raise the subject—she did not suppose he would be any more pleased with what she had to say than he was with Mr. Bingley’s response.
