Page 51

“I shall try not to,” Elizabeth said, and decided that she meant it.

There was a brief silence. Elizabeth expected some command to follow, perhaps that the curtains required adjusting again, but Miss Bingley only seemed tired.

“Is that all?” Elizabeth asked.

“Yes.” Miss Bingley hesitated. “No. If you do ask Mr. Darcy, I beg you would not tell him I sent you. He will think I am meddling.”

“Do you mean lying?”

“I beg your pardon?”

Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest. “I know what you told your brother about Jane. That she had told you she did not wish for your brother’s attentions. You used that as an excuse to keep him here in town when he wished to return to Netherfield.”

Miss Bingley sighed. “I did.”

“And then you came here to sever the connection, hoping that your brother would never discover what you had done.”

“I was protecting him. Your sister, for all her excellent qualities, is not an eligible match for Charles, you must admit.”

“Miss Bingley,” Elizabeth said. “Your brother has wealth, it is true. But my sister is the daughter of a gentleman. The Bennet name is an old one. Our branch of the family may not be aristocratic, but we are landed.”

“Charles could do better.”

“Miss Bingley, my sister is far closer in rank to your brother than you are to Mr. Darcy. Do you not begin to see your hypocrisy?”

“I am not interested in Mr. Darcy,” Miss Bingley said as her cheeks flushed pink.

Elizabeth did not believe that for a moment. “Be that as it may, your brother’s opinion is the one that matters in this case, and he seems to have made up his mind.”

Miss Bingley frowned. “You may go.”

And although she had been dismissed like a servant, Elizabeth obeyed. She did not wish their quarrel to worsen. There was still a good deal of time before Miss Bingley could return home.

As she stepped into the passage, Elizabeth thought about Mr. Wickham. A week ago, she would have dismissed Miss Bingley’s warning without a second thought. The woman disliked her, Jane’s connexion with her brother, and the Gardiners’ connexion to trade. As far as Elizabeth had been concerned, her opinion of Mr. Wickham was no more reliable than her opinion of the Bennets or the Gardiners.

But despite her temper, she could not dismiss Miss Bingley’s second attempt at a warning merely because she was not fond of the source. This was another tiresome development.

When she returned, her aunt was at her escritoire with the household book open before her. Cora was speaking with her.

“The greengrocer’s boy says the holly carts will begin coming in from the country soon and asks is he to send any this year?”

“A little for the nursery,” Aunt Gardiner said. “We shall be at Longbourn so will not need anything else.”

Cora carried the answer away.

Elizabeth thought that despite Miss Bingley’s unexpected stay that their visit was passing very quickly. In ten days’ time, there would be more greenery at Longbourn than any house required, and Lydia would be certain to have endless amounts of mistletoe both hung in the house and tucked in her reticule.

She had nearly recovered herself by the time Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy arrived. As usual, Mr. Bingley went to visit his sister first.

The parlour was full as they awaited his return. Margaret and Eleanor drew upon slates at a side table. Edward had established himself upon the rug with a book of maps. Mr. Darcy was standing before Henry, whose little head was tipped as far back as his neck would allow.

“You are a giant,” Henry announced.

Mr. Darcy regarded him gravely. “Am I?”

“Yes.” Henry’s charming lisp made the accusation considerably less fearsome. “You are the tallest person I have ever seen.”

“That does not necessarily make me a giant.”