Mr Goulding laughed. “That is certainly true.” He finally turned back to Elizabeth, and he asked after her health and that of her family.
Elizabeth reassured him of everyone's health, and then she turned back to Darcy, asking him to resume his description of his Scottish estate.
Even though he wished—quite desperately—to have Mr Goulding’s desire to woo Elizabeth end in failure, he knew he must be polite, and after he finished telling several more details about Kiltullagh-on-Tweed, he asked Mr Goulding what sights he had particularly enjoyed in Scotland.
Mr Goulding’s face lit up. “I especially found William Younger and Company in Edinburgh fascinating, and the Tennent’s Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow.”
Darcy chuckled and said, “I should have thought of those locations as favouritetastesin Scotland, notsights.”
Mr Goulding blushed and said, “I suppose you are correct.” He screwed up his face in thought and finally asked, “What are your favourite sights in Scotland, sir?”
“First, I believe, would have to be the peaks and waterfalls of Glencoe.”
“Oh. My friend and I certainly did not go there.”
“The Hermitage in Perthshire and Fingal’s Cave on Staffa are also amazing.”
“I have read of those places,” Elizabeth said. “They seem to me to be very remote from the usual paths of tourists. Was it difficult to reach them?”
Again, Darcy found himself speaking of his travels, with Elizabeth an eager audience and Mr Goulding a seemingly miserable one.
Soon Mr Goulding stood—the polite half-hour period was over. He stared at Darcy, who collected Bingley and reluctantly made his way through farewells and out the door. The two friends wished Mr Goulding a good night, and he responded with quite rigid courtesy.
At dinner that night, Darcy felt grateful that Miss Bingley had apparently decided that they did not suit. She gossiped, seemingly happily enough, with her sister. Mr Hurst was almost entirely silent as he ate three times the amount of the other men, and Bingley and Darcy were able to talk about the Goulding fellow. Bingley told him everything he knew about the family, which was not all that much: they cared a great deal about maintaining or strengthening the family’s social standing, theyhad three generations of landed gentlemen, their estate was called Haye-Park, and they had hosted two shooting parties already.
“I would not worry about him in the least,” Bingley said.
Even though Miss Bingley seemed to be wholly engrossed with her sister, Darcy did not wish to take a chance that she might still harbour a lingering interest in him and therefore listen for anything that could hurt Elizabeth or his chances to win Elizabeth’s love. He gave a pointed look at Bingley, and his friend caught on immediately and finished, rather lamely, “After all, I believe that Mr Goulding is not as brilliant a shot as you are.” As if the two of them would be speaking of others’ shooting prowess! Or duels!
Later, in Bingley’s thick-walled study, Bingley said, “I imagine that you guessed that, at dinner, I meant that you had nothing to fear about Miss Elizabeth choosing the Goulding heir over you. She does not seem even the slightest bit interested in the man.”
“But her father wishes him to succeed so his favourite daughter will stay close.” Darcy did not worry overmuch, but nor could he feel wholly at ease that he had a rival. After all, even if Elizabeth preferred Darcy, it might be even more important to her that she stay close to her elder sister. Also, she seemed incredibly independent, but that did not necessarily mean that she would choose to defy her father.
He was not even certain whether her father could lawfully force her to marry Goulding. Darcy knew that ladies twenty and under could not marry without their father’s or guardian’s consent, but he was not certain if a father could marry off a daughter without the lady’s consent.
It suddenly occurred to Darcy to find out when Elizabeth came of age. It would be wonderful if her birthday was within a month, less so if it was almost a year away.
Bingley had offered him a glass with a finger of brandy, and Darcy took a sip. He said, “I have not heard how things went with Miss Bennet today. I know it was the first time you were able to really speak with her since I arrived in the area. Did it feel comfortable still? Or was there a noticeable distance that your separation created?”
In response, his friend sighed happily, a huge smile on his face. “I feel just as close as ever. She was sweet and pleasant and ever so grateful for the care she received from my servants.”
Darcy thought of his two very different lists of characteristics he wanted in a wife. He would not have included the words “sweet and pleasant” even on the list he had so swiftly abandoned, and the description seemed impossibly bland now that he knew Elizabeth better. But he did remember writing down the word “demure” on that first list, and it now seemed to him—mere days after saying it—almost the opposite of what he really wished for and needed. He laughed.
“You think me ridiculous, Darcy?”
“No! Do not imagine that I was laughing at you, friend. I was thinking how little I knew myself when I spouted off that first list of characteristics IthoughtI wanted or needed in a wife. The more I think of it, the more simple the list becomes. Just one item, now: Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”
“Well, I think it high time to write a new list, then, Darcy. How about we each write a list called ‘The Five Furies to be Faced in order to Win a Wife’? I would include Mrs Bennet calling for her salts, Mr Bennet laughing at my most sincere efforts, Miss Mary lecturing me on propriety, Miss Lydia flirting with me, and Miss Kitty filling my ears with giggles.”
Darcy scoffed, “You should definitely write that exact list, Bingley, and when your sisters show it to Miss Bennet, she will never speak to you again.”
“Well,thatis not good!”
“Not a bit good. On further thought, however, I am not sure your sisters will be able to read your list—and Miss Bennet is even less likely to be capable of deciphering your writing. So…perhaps you would be safe enough.”
Bingley let loose a hearty laugh but also shook his head in some embarrassment.
Darcy stayed quiet for a moment, considering the idea of making a new list, and he said, “I like a playful list as much as the next fellow, but I believe a practical list has its uses, too.” He found paper, quill, and ink, and he made a short list:
