Page 19

Whack!

Sitting nearby, Elizabeth saw the fan smack into Mr. Darcy’s face.

As she winced, he grimaced. Her mother began to say something, hopefully an apology and not a recommendation that he should marry one of her daughters.

Whichever it was, the words were coldly received, the reply was brief, and then Mr. Darcy stalked off.

Here was the disagreeable man whom Elizabeth had known to expect. She watched this anomaly with curiosity as he was waylaid by Mr. Bingley, who encouraged him to dance.

“Anything to get out of the way of that dangerous woman with the enormous fan,” Mr. Darcy irritably replied.

Elizabeth looked to see if her mother had heard, but she was only looking dazed and confused. A pity really. Mary would have been pleased if the man chosen for her had fallen out of favour.

But that might yet happen. There was plenty of time for him to cause unforgivable offence.

Mr. Bingley provided an excellent opportunity by suggesting that his friend should dance with Elizabeth.

She saw Mr. Darcy look at her reluctantly and half expected him to say that he preferred to take his chances with the fan after all.

Even the disparagement of her most difficult daughter would be offensive to Mrs. Bennet.

But then Mr. Darcy approached Elizabeth and made to the request with tolerable civility.

She wondered how he might react if she refused.

But she wasn’t going to spoil her own evening on a whim.

Besides, it seemed fair that she should be the one to put up with an ill-tempered partner since her mother had caused him irritation.

They began in silence. Given what she had already observed of him, Elizabeth was content for Mr. Darcy to be the one to speak first. But after a time she comprehended that he intended to go on in this way.

Even though there was no reason to desire his conversation, she could not resist the challenge of compelling this reticent man to speak. “Do you often attend assemblies, Mr. Darcy?”

“No.”

Neither his single-word response nor his tone was encouraging, but Elizabeth did not give up easily. “Are you familiar with Hertfordshire?”

“No.” Again, that was all. He could have at least expressed some interest in better acquainting himself with the county.

“Are you always silent when dancing?”, she bluntly asked.

He made no reply, which Elizabeth took to be all the answer she was going to get. But just as she was thinking the effort not worth continuing, he said, “Not always, but as a rule, I believe the extent of my conversation is equivalent to the extent of my acquaintance with my partner.”

“So you believe that having only just met, we cannot have anything to say to each other, do you?”

“I did not say that.”

“You implied it. But do not worry. I can make do with my own thoughts for amusement.”

They were parted by the steps of the dance, but when they came back together again, Mr. Darcy surprised her by saying, “This is my first time staying in Hertfordshire. I am looking forward to exploring the countryside.”

Elizabeth smiled at this willingness to make an effort, which led her to believe that awkwardness rather than rudeness had been the cause of his reserve. Feeling inclined to draw him out further, she asked “Do you like to walk or will your explorations be done on horseback?”

“I like to do both.” There was another pause, but then he asked, “Do you enjoy spending time outdoors?”

“Yes, very much. I find a great deal of pleasure in nature.”

“So do I. It is a balm for the soul.”

He spoke so feelingly that Elizabeth wondered if he often had need of such a balm. But even her outspokenness did not extend to asking such a personal question. “It is,” she agreed. “Perhaps not so much on a stormy day, but even inclement weather has its own charms of a sort.”

“I have always found it fascinating to watch a storm. As long as it isn’t coming down on one’s head, of course.”

Good heavens. They had resorted to talking about the weather. No wonder Mr. Darcy didn’t care much for conversing with strangers.

But after agreeing upon the pleasure of a sunny day, they muddled their way into other subjects, and Mr. Darcy became a little more talkative, which gave a hint of his being not so disagreeable after all.

For her part, Elizabeth freely expressed her opinions she was accustomed to do.

After one particularly unreserved utterance, she saw discomposure in his expression.

Evidently she spoke too freely for his liking.

But then she realized that he was actually staring over her shoulder and looking very much out of sorts.

As the dance steps turned her about, she surveyed the crowd in that direction, wondering if her mother was somehow causing him fresh irritation. But Mrs. Bennet was nowhere in sight. Perhaps someone else had also irritated him earlier. Possibly inquisitive Mrs. Long or prattling Sir William.

However, once facing Mr. Darcy again, she thought he appeared too upset for the cause to be something so insignificant as an irritating new acquaintance.

Suddenly Elizabeth felt concern for this odd man who was beginning to be unexpectedly likable.

She made a cheerful remark for his benefit, but he continued to look unsettled.

Looking about again, she noticed a trio of officers whom she had not seen earlier. It appeared that they had just arrived. Could Mr. Darcy have a prior acquaintance with one of them?

Her question was answered at that moment. Mr. Wickham looked their way. His eyes widened, his jaw dropped, and then he quickly turned about.

“Are you acquainted with Mr. Wickham?” she asked Mr. Darcy.

“Yes.”

“You must be surprised to see him here.”

“Yes.”

He was back to single-word answers. And more silence.

After a minute Elizabeth impulsively said, in a low voice, “I am about to speak bluntly, which I’m sure you will think extremely bold of me, but please hear me out. If you continue to scowl at Mr. Wickham, you will draw attention to yourself.”

“I didn’t realize that I was scowling at him.”

“Well, you were. And if you keep doing so, people will soon be wondering why you hate him.”

“I don’t hate him. I deplore his lack of character.”

“Almost the same thing.”

“I beg to differ.”

“Let us not quarrel about that. Are you always so difficult, Mr. Darcy?”

“I am not difficult.”

“You are a bit argumentative. But at least you are scowling at me now.”

“No, I am not.”

“Only because you just wiped that expression off your face. But we have achieved a useful purpose in a roundabout way. Now, if you could look at me like I am telling you about all the sights which must not be missed while you are in the neighbourhood, I will instead tell you that since his arrival here, Mr. Wickham has made a habit of complaining to everyone who will listen, and even those who would rather not, about the misfortunes he has suffered at the hands of his godfather’s son. ”

“Mr. Wickham’s misfortunes are of his own making.”

“Do smile, Mr. Darcy. I have just told you about the splendid views from the top of Oakham Mount. You cannot wait to see them for yourself.”

“I cannot wait to leave this assembly. Which I intend to do the moment our dance is done. No insult intended to you, Miss Bennet, but I will not stay in the same room as that man.”

“You must not leave.”

“Are you always so difficult?”

“Yes. I have frequently heard so from my mother. Are you any good at taking advice?”

“I never need any, but I’m very good at giving it.”

“It seems to me that you are in great need of advice at this moment. It is most fortunate that I have some to offer. If your dislike for Mr. Wickham’s character is noticed, then there will soon be conjecture that you are the evil person of whom he speaks so tediously.”

Mr. Darcy’s expression brightened. “You think him tedious?”

“Yes. Whether or not that person, whose name incidentally I have never heard Mr. Wickham mention, is evil—”

“I am not evil.”

“Nor are you smiling. Let me finish. To rephrase that, however his misfortunes came about, I think he talks about them excessively.”

“He lies about them too. Am I smiling now?”

“Not in any natural way. But you will be when you see a charming little wood which is a favourite spot of mine. If only you had come here in the spring, you would have the pleasure of seeing it filled with bluebells.”

“My favourite flower.”

“And mine. What a happy coincidence. But to return to the point, you might want to cultivate the appearance of a cheerful man instead of an ill-tempered one. Then if Mr. Wickham attaches your name to his lies, they might be less easy to believe.”

“I do not care if they are believed. It does not matter to me what strangers think.”

“Doesn’t it? You seemed eager for me to know that you are not evil.”

“I might care what you think. Just a little. But since I am leaving Netherfield first thing tomorrow morning, I will not be here to know what is being said or thought about me.”

“You will tuck tail and run, then?”

“I will remove myself from an unpleasant situation. But I am no coward.”

“No, I do not think you are. However, that is the impression which you will give, and I expect Mr. Wickham will have a great deal to say after you are gone.”

“But as I have said, I am not concerned what others think. The people who matter to me know what kind of man I really am.”

“What about Mr. Bingley, who has been looking forward to your visit? Will you disappoint him?”

“He will understand, and I can visit him another time. After this regiment has moved on.”

“Then you will be returning to a neighbourhood where much may have been said and thought about you. It is fortunate that you are indifferent, but I wonder how Mr. Bingley will feel, hearing his friend maligned at every gathering.”

After a brief pause, Mr. Darcy replied. “I did promise to spend the autumn at Netherfield, and I am not in the habit of breaking my promises. Or letting down a friend. Doing that would be worse than putting up with the proximity of a man I despise.”

“You said you don’t hate him.”

“Apparently I lied. But I assure you that lying is not a habit of mine.”

“You will be happy to know that I believe you.”

“I am indeed. I have the feeling that your good opinion is worth earning. And your advice might be worth following. But the fact is that I am the one with just cause for grievances against Mr. Wickham. How am I to bear his presence?”

“By doing your best to ignore it. And finding pleasure in the company of new acquaintances. In a moment I shall introduce you to one of my friends, and you are going to dance with her next.”

“Am I?”

“Yes. You will find her soothing. She will not tell you what to do.”

“As she is a friend of yours, I find that hard to believe.”

“You will soon see for yourself. And you will talk to her, preferably in sentences of some length, and don’t forget to smile a great deal because you are excessively fond of dancing.”

“That is news to me. I have always thought of it as an obligation.”

“Good heavens! Where have you been dancing?”

“Almack’s. And private balls. Where I am expected to do my duty to the young ladies in attendance, whether or not I know them well enough to feel comfortable with them.”

“Well, now you dance with strangers for the pleasure of it. Do you know what pleasure is?”

“Of course I do. It’s…”

“That wasn’t supposed to be a difficult question.”

“All your questions are difficult, Miss Bennet. However, you have made an excellent point. I will do as you command.”

“I think you meant to say as I advise.”

“No, I definitely meant command. I begin to think it a pity that a lady cannot take up a commission in the army. If you were in charge of our forces in the peninsula, the war would have already been won. You would have insisted upon it and had your way, I believe.”

“You flatter me excessively. But I doubt that Lord Wellington has any need of my assistance. He will win this war; I am certain of it.”

“Then he will, to be sure. I don’t suppose you are ever wrong about anything.”

“I assure you that I am not infallible. I do make mistakes. Like everyone does.”

“But you have a great deal more confidence than most people. I envy you that.”

She looked at him in surprise. “You strike me as a man who is sure of himself.”

“In some ways I am, but sometimes I do not feel very confident at all. Like on evenings such as this one, among an unfamiliar company. I have not the ability which some people—like you—possess of conversing easily with strangers.”

“I shall let you in on a little secret. The more one talks, the easier it becomes. And now—” for the dance had just ended “—you can put in some practice. Before you meet my friend, I shall introduce you to some of the officers. Don’t worry, we will not go near a certain gentleman.

But you are going to make an excellent impression upon his fellow officers so that he will be hesitant to speak any lies about you. ”

“An excellent plan, but how am I to do this?”

“You will have to make it up as you go along.”

“I have not the talent of making things up.”

“You are going to do your best to acquire that talent in the next few minutes.”

“You are a severe taskmaster, Miss Bennet. But also very perceptive. And possibly a friend, although I am puzzled to understand why you are helping me.”

“I’m not entirely certain myself. Perhaps because you are Mr. Bingley’s very good friend, and I have an excellent opinion of him.

Although disposed to think the best of everyone, he is not a stupid man, and I do not believe he would choose his friends unwisely.

Perhaps because Mr. Wickham enjoys complaining of his sufferings, but he fails to convey the impression of having actually suffered any real hardship.

Or perhaps I just like difficult people who have to be coaxed out of silence. ”

Mr. Darcy smiled at this. And he smiled a few more times while making a creditable effort with the officers and then afterwards dancing with Charlotte.

Later, he smiled a great deal while dancing a second time with Elizabeth and chatting like they were old friends, which she was beginning to feel they were.

As the evening came to a close, he whispered in her ear, “May I leave now?”

“If by leave, you mean return to Netherfield, then yes, you may,” she replied in amusement. “But not if you mean returning to London. That will never do.”

“No, it won’t,” he agreed. “I cannot leave this neighbourhood without seeing Oakham Mount, and your charming woods, and all the other sights you are going to show me.”

“Am I?”

“Yes,” he replied confidently. “Starting first thing tomorrow morning.”