Page 23 of A Different Impression

“So, Mr Darcy,” intoned Mr Bennet, “I believe if I were to hand Longbourn over to you, you would do infinitely better than I in managing both my estate and my family. Is there anything you do not do well?”

“I am sure there are many things, sir,” Darcy replied. “While I am competent at managing my estate, there are many things I either do not know how to do or do not do well. No man can master everything, but I have striven to do well those things that I must do.”

“You are well-spoken, at least,” Bennet said drily.

Darcy merely inclined his head. Whatever the gentleman intended, he resolved to answer with complete honesty. He had no wish to give Mr Bennet cause to doubt either his character or his intentions.

Bingley asked a question just then and spared Darcy further attention for a time. Darcy observed the gentleman, trying to understand the antipathy he felt from Elizabeth’s father.

When the separation of the sexes came to an end, Darcy and Bingley joined the ladies, while Mr Bennet retreated once more to his book room. Each man gravitated towards his chosen lady and sat beside her. Mary joined Darcy and Elizabeth’s conversation while Mrs Bennet began praising Jane to Bingley. Darcy was pleased to discover that Mary possessed far more wit than he had previously observed. Neither Jane nor Bingley was able to say much to the other, as Mrs Bennet dominated the conversation for most of the visit.

Mrs Bennet appeared oblivious to the other couple in the room, so focused was she on gaining Bingley’s attention for her favourite daughter. Darcy noticed Elizabeth glance towards Jane more than once while Mrs Bennet monopolised the conversation with Bingley. The sympathetic look she directed at her sister spoke volumes.

Eventually, it was time for the gentlemen to depart, and they bid the ladies farewell. Mrs Bennet encouraged Jane to show Mr Bingley to the door and frowned when Elizabeth also stood. She protested, but Elizabeth claimed the need to show Darcy to her father’s study to take his leave.

Standing in the hallway, Darcy took Elizabeth’s bare hand in his to bestow a lingering kiss on it. Elizabeth shivered beneath the touch, and a delicate blush spread across her cheeks when she realised he was watching her.

He rather hoped he would spend the rest of his life coaxing such smiles and blushes from her. Continuing to hold her hand as he moved to board his carriage, he kissed it once again before finally releasing it.

CHAPTER 10

Another Suitor Intrudes

The following morning, Elizabeth dragged Jane along with her to Oakham Mount whilst a bleary-eyed Bingley accompanied Darcy. It did not take long for the two couples to separate, although they kept in sight of each other. Jane and Bingley were quiet and complained somewhat about the other two forcing them to rise so early, but they seemed to find enough to discuss.

Conversation with Mr Darcy remained easy, discussing various topics of interest to each of them. Darcy shared some of the ideas he had discussed with her father the previous day about improving the estate, and Elizabeth was pleased by the suggestions. She had recommended a few of these ideas herself, for she and Jane often visited the Longbourn tenants and reported the needs they observed.

Having heard much of Derbyshire from her aunt, Elizabeth asked more questions about Darcy’s estate and the surrounding area.

An hour passed in this way until, finally, Jane requested to return home. The gentlemen offered to escort them, and Jane readily accepted the offer of assistance as she was already tired from having walked so far that morning. All four chatted together, each lady on the arm of her preferred gentleman, with the gentlemen’s horses trailing behind.

Arriving at Longbourn, Darcy and Bingley began to mount their horses to return to Netherfield when Mrs Bennet came hurrying out.

“Mr Bingley, Mr Darcy, you must join us for breakfast,” she called.

Neither gentleman objected, and so they joined the family.

Kitty had been allowed to join the family for the meal but was unusually quiet, occasionally speaking to Mary or Mrs Bennet even as she seemed to studiously avoid speaking to either gentleman. Mr Bennet seemed displeased with their company, but as Elizabeth and Darcy had been accompanied by Jane and Bingley, even he could find no proper reason to object. When breakfast was finished, he asked both gentlemen to accompany him first to his study and then to ride the estate with him to discuss improvements.

While the gentlemen rode out with her father to inspect the estate, Elizabeth remained at Longbourn with Jane, Mary, Kitty, and her mother. She spent part of the morning reading the new volume she had purchased the previous day before helping Jane with the household accounts. Yet no matter how she tried to attend to the lines before her, her thoughts strayed more than once to Mr Darcy and to what he might think of Longbourn.

Their return was announced by the sound of voices in the hall. A moment later, her father invited both gentlemen into his study for a discussion and a drink. Though Elizabeth felt a pang of disappointment at being denied Mr Darcy’s company a little longer, she understood his wish to know her father better.

Some time later, when the maid came to announce luncheon, Elizabeth went to the study herself to extend the invitation. Both gentlemen accepted readily.

Following the meal, Elizabeth mentioned she had a need to go into Meryton. Darcy volunteered to accompany her along with Bingley and Jane. Mary was asked to join, but she declined. After gathering their things, the four set off to town, walking in pairs.

Darcy and Elizabeth were ahead of Jane and Bingley this time, as both were accustomed to taking brisk walks. They spoke easily as they walked, and, once again, their conversation was wide-ranging, leaping from topic to topic as they found several mutual interests and debated varying viewpoints. Soon, however, they discovered Shakespeare, and they laughingly discussed their mutual enjoyment of that author. Elizabeth, who dearly loved to laugh, preferred his comedies, but Darcy, who was far more serious in nature, tended towards his histories and tragedies.

“Have you attended one of his plays during a stay in town, Elizabeth?” Darcy asked her as they neared Meryton.

“My aunt and uncle were able to procure tickets for Macbeth last spring,” she replied. “I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, although it seemed that many attended for reasons other than to enjoy the play. It was very well done, and I would love to attend another if I have the chance.”

“Perhaps you can persuade your father to allow you to travel to town before the Christmas holidays, and we could attend a performance or two,” he suggested.

Tilting her head in silent enquiry, Elizabeth asked, her voice teasing, “Is this another attempt to convince me, sir?”

“No, Elizabeth,” he said seriously, not giving in to her teasing. “Your father was correct; you deserve to be courted properly. If we were to become engaged within days of our meeting, it is possible that people would think I have compromised you, and I have no wish to endanger your reputation in that way. Although I do still wish for that eventual outcome, I will not pressure you.”