Page 14 of Darcy in Distress (Pride and Prejudice Variation #17)
“Misses Bennet, please let me introduce my companions to you,” Bingley said, “Lady Anne Darcy, Miss Darcy, Mrs. Hurst, Mrs. Lockwood, Colonel Fitzwilliam, Mr. Darcy, and I believe you all know Mr. Wickham. My friends, may I please introduce Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, Miss Mary, Miss Kitty, and Miss Lydia.”
There were bows and curtsies, and Lydia promptly exclaimed, “Colonel Fitzwilliam, why are you not wearing your red coat?”
“Well, as to that, Miss Lydia, I confess that at times, I grow tired of the color red,” Fitzwilliam said amiably. “I am also on leave at the moment, so it is entirely reasonable for me to wear civilian clothing.”
Lydia’s pretty face twisted into a pout. “Oh, but I do love a gentleman in a red coat, sir.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam caught the look of discomfort on the face of the older Bennet daughters, and he quickly smiled and gestured toward a nearby couch. “Perhaps I can convince you that a gentleman in a blue coat can be equally interesting, Miss Lydia. ”
Lydia squealed, rather too loudly, and quickly took her seat. “Which militia regiment are you part of, Colonel Fitzwilliam?”
“I am a member of the Regulars. I just returned from the Peninsula in the last month.”
“Oh, how terribly exciting!” Kitty exclaimed, her eyes shining. “I have never been outside England before. Is it so very different?”
“Very different,” Richard agreed and glanced at Wickham, who had seated himself across from the colonel. “Mr. Wickham can speak of that as well, you know; he and Darcy had the privilege of visiting Paris many years ago.”
“Many, many years ago,” Wickham agreed with a comical twist of his lips. “Darcy and I were but children, as this was before the revolution in France. I confess that I do not remember it particularly well.”
“It does not matter in the least,” Kitty declared. “Please do tell us about foreign lands!”
Jane turned toward Lady Anne and said, “Please do sit down, Lady Anne. I hope this day finds you well?”
“We are very well,” Lady Anne responded, looking around her with approval. “Longbourn seems a pleasant house, Miss Bennet.”
“Thank you, we love it very much,” Jane agreed .
“Miss Darcy, I understand that you are a musician?” Elizabeth inquired.
Georgiana, who had taken her seat near her mother, ducked her head shyly and said, “I love to play the pianoforte, yes.”
“Mary and I both play,” Elizabeth said, “though Mary is far more diligent in practicing than I am, and thus is farther ahead...”
Darcy, who had cringed at the initial boisterous behavior of the youngest Miss Bennet, calmed considerably as his mother entered into a cheerful conversation with Miss Elizabeth and Miss Mary, with Georgiana occasionally saying a few words in a soft voice.
Bingley, of course, had placed himself next to his blonde goddess, and was speaking to her with open enthusiasm.
Darcy was quite content to sit and listen, his gaze shifting often toward Miss Elizabeth, whose effervescent demeanor and kind words to his mother and sister enhanced her already considerable beauty.
Ten minutes into their visit, the master of the house entered the room along with two servants bringing tea and cakes.
Darcy found himself enjoying an erudite discussion with Mr. Bennet regarding the scientific experiments of Leonardo de Vinci, which ended with them both in Mr. Bennet’s library, eagerly discussing the details of a copy of the polymath’s Vitruvian Man .
He was almost sorry when it was time for them to leave.
/
“Miss Elizabeth,” Lady Anne said as she stood at the door of the Darcy carriage, “please do tell your mother that I regret she is unwell and that I hope and pray for a rapid recovery.”
“Thank you, Lady Anne,” Elizabeth replied. “I know she will be delighted to receive your kind message. Miss Darcy, Mrs. Hurst, Mrs. Lockwood, it was a pleasure to spend time with you.”
“I enjoyed it,” Georgiana murmured, flushing with embarrassment.
“I look forward to seeing you all again,” Lady Anne said, and stepped into the carriage with the assistance of her son. Darcy helped Georgiana, Mrs. Hurst, and Mrs. Lockwood in and shut the door, and the carriage driver slapped the reins gently, causing the two matched bays to begin trotting.
“Mr. Darcy,” Mr. Bennet said as the gentlemen’s horses were led onto the carriage way by two stable boys. “I will make up a package of books and have one of my boys bring it over to you at Netherfield as soon as possible.”
“Thank you,” Darcy said with genuine gratitude. “Your library is impressive, and you have at least a dozen volumes I have never seen.”
“And as you likely know, the library at Netherfield is a pathetic place,” Bingley said jovially as he swung onto his gray mare.
“If that is so, perhaps you should send some books for the ladies as well, Father,” Elizabeth suggested archly. “It is not merely gentlemen who like reading, after all.”
“That is entirely true, Miss Elizabeth,” Darcy agreed, looking contrite. “My mother and sister do indeed enjoy reading, though they are more interested in novels than histories and scientific treatises.”
“I will send some novels to you as well, then,” Mr. Bennet declared. “Please do feel free to think of Longbourn as a sort of lending library for the inhabitants of Netherfield.”
“That is very generous of you,” Darcy said, eyeing his neighbor with some suspicion. He knew, all too well, that it was unwise to put himself in the position of owing favors to another man.
“My dear sir,” Bennet said with a wide smile, “I assure you that your very presence in the neighborhood is a true gift. I daresay you have heard that I am something of an eccentric. That is true enough, but then very few people understand my character or my intellect. Not that I disparage anyone for that; I know myself to be a peculiar individual. But you obviously have a powerful understanding. Our time together discussing Da Vinci was most stimulating, and I will gladly lend books if it will keep you in Hertfordshire a little longer.”
Darcy relaxed at these words, and Wickham chuckled and said, “Indeed, Mr. Bennet, we at Netherfield will encourage that as well. There is nothing quite so awe inspiring as Darcy when he is bored and discontent. I have no doubt that both your person and your books will while away many a tedious afternoon for my friend.”
The sound of clopping hooves drew the attention of the group, and Elizabeth wrinkled her brow in confusion as an expensive, well sprung carriage rolled smoothly down the drive toward them. She knew the carriages of her friends and acquaintances, and this equipage was not a familiar one.
“Well,” Darcy said, swinging onto Phoenix, “again, I thank you for a most enjoyable visit, and I hope we will see you again soon.”
“Wait!” Colonel Fitzwilliam exclaimed, putting a restraining hand on the reins of Darcy’s stallion. “Look at the coachman! ”
Darcy did look, and his eyes widened in disbelief. He knew that livery, he knew the arms emblazoned on the door of the carriage, and he even knew the man in the box!
“Jacobs, is that you?” he demanded incredulously of the man.
The coachman pulled the horses to a smooth stop and tipped his hat. “Good morning, Mr. Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam. It is good to see you, sirs!”
Darcy blanched as his eyes shifted to the door of the carriage, which was opening from the inside.
A moment later, to his mingled relief and confusion, a stout clergyman of some five and twenty years, a complete stranger, stepped out.
He could see through the door that the cabin of the carriage was now unoccupied.
“Mr. Bennet!” the clergyman said with a beaming smile. “Good day! I am Mr. Collins!”
“Mr. Collins?” Bennet asked in open surprise. “I confess to a great deal of confusion, sir. You were supposed to visit us on the eighteenth of November, which is still several weeks away!”
The man’s expression shifted from delight to bewilderment. “But sir, you must have received the express of my esteemed patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, yesterday morning, informing you that I was visiting you sooner! ”
“We received no such communication, Mr. Collins,” Bennet replied with a frown. “However, since you are here now – Elizabeth, kindly go inside and tell Mrs. Hill to prepare the guest chamber.”
“Yes, Father,” Elizabeth answered, curtseying to the gentlemen and quickly making her way back to the front door.
“Oh, that is so very kind of you, Mr. Bennet,” the rector said with fulsome gratitude. “I do apologize; I am certain that Lady Catherine will investigate what happened to the express. It is terrible how such men do not fulfill their tasks these days! She will be most displeased!”
“Gentlemen,” Bennet said, turning back toward his guests. “I am certain you are eager to return to Netherfield. Mr. Darcy, I will have that package…”
“Mr. Darcy!” Collins interrupted, his porcine eyes lighting up like stars. “Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley?”
Darcy swallowed hard and grated out, “Yes, I am Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy.”
“Sir, what an honor to meet you, and what a wonderful gift of Providence to find you here at the home that I will inherit once Mr. Bennet passes on to his heavenly reward, which, of course, may not happen for many years! Lady Catherine will be most pleased to hear that you are indeed in the area. I hope you and your estimable mother and sister are in good health?”
Darcy swung off his horse and took an impetuous step toward the clergyman, “How did you know that my family has been residing at Netherfield, sir?”
“Oh, my apologies, Mr. Darcy! You do not know of me, of course! I was recently privileged to win the position as rector of Hunsford, and your wise, amiable, and gracious aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, is my patroness! When she learned that I am heir to Longbourn, and that I intended to visit my cousins in November, she requested that I move my visit up several weeks so that I might have the honor of serving you, Mr. Darcy, in any way…”
“I presume that Lady Catherine told you to write her if Mr. Darcy was indeed at Netherfield?” Colonel Fitzwilliam interrupted.
“Of course!” Mr. Collins said, beaming. “Indeed, I will send an express with that information this very night, and we can only hope that this messenger will do his job correctly!”