Page 32 of Five Gentlemen at Netherfield (Pride and Prejudice Variations)
Parlor
Lucas Lodge
“Miss Mary, how are you?” Colonel Fitzwilliam inquired.
Mary Bennet blew out a breath and managed a slight smile. “I am well enough, I suppose. My elder sisters are carrying the heaviest load at home now, especially Elizabeth. I feel somewhat guilty at times about it.”
“I am certain your sisters do not wish you to feel guilty,” the colonel said.
“No, they do not, of course,” Mary agreed with a sigh. “It is all rather difficult, but…”
She blew out another breath and said, “I would like to speak of something else, if you do not mind. Have you been in London for the last weeks?”
“I have,” Richard replied. “I do not enjoy Town as much as the country, but several friends are there. We were able to attend a small musical performance one evening, which was most enjoyable.”
Mary lit up at these words. “Oh? May I inquire as to what music was being performed?”
The colonel told her, and after a few minutes conversation on the topic of music, gently shifted to discussing travel, and then plays.
Mary found her spirits lifting throughout the exchange.
It was so wonderful to speak with a kindly and charming man, one who, however briefly, distracted her from the gloomy reality of her father’s ill health and the current difficulties of life at Longbourn.
***
Dining Room
Netherfield Hall
Later
The dining room table at Netherfield Hall was, as usual, groaning under a wide variety of dishes in spite of the much smaller party compared to the previous autumn.
Bingley sat at the head of the table, and Miss Bingley at the foot, and Darcy found himself placed near his hostess while Richard was seated closer to Bingley.
Darcy was vaguely envious, as Miss Bingley was often annoying.
“My dear Mr. Darcy, it is wonderful to have you here,” Miss Bingley gushed extravagantly. “I hope that Charles has made it clear that we would all be pleased to have you stay a few days if you like.”
“Thank you,” Darcy said courteously, “but Richard and I will be returning to London on the morrow. My sister, Georgiana, is in Town, and I wish to spend more time with her.”
“Oh,” Miss Bingley exclaimed, “how lovely for you to spend time with your dear sister, who is so accomplished. Is she not, Charles?”
Bingley simply stared at her silently as he finished chewing a bite of ham, and then said, “Yes, Miss Darcy is a charming young lady.”
“Does she enjoy London as much as the country, Mr. Darcy?” Miss Bingley twittered.
“No,” Darcy replied simply.
“Well, in that case,” the lady replied, “I hope that you will tell her that we would enjoy seeing both of you any time you wish. I long to see her again!”
“I will keep that in mind,” Darcy said drily.
“Or perhaps we will return to Town ourselves soon,” Miss Bingley said, turning toward her brother with a saccharine smile. “Now that Sir Quinton is married, there is no good reason for us to bury ourselves in the country.”
“You are certainly permitted to leave,” Bingley said coolly. “I am determined to work hard on managing the estate, but it is quite all right if you and the Hursts choose to leave for London.”
“Oh!” Louisa said, looking startled. “Well, I believe Hurst and I are well settled here for now.”
She looked at her husband, who merely nodded in the middle of drinking down a glass of port wine, and she continued, “Yes, I think we are pleased to be here for the time, anyway.”
“Excellent,” Bingley said drily, and Miss Bingley pouted and fell silent.
***
Sitting Room
Netherfield Hall
The Next Morning
“We would be overjoyed to see you any time, Mr. Darcy,” Caroline Bingley said earnestly, gazing up into his eyes. “I know you are not fond of London in winter, and we have plenty of room here, undoubtedly.”
“Thank you,” Darcy said politely and turned toward Bingley, who was standing a few feet away from his younger sister. “Bingley, many thanks for hosting us so that we were able to attend the wedding.”
“It is my pleasure, of course,” Bingley said and glanced out the window. “Your carriage has arrived. I will walk you out.”
Miss Bingley rose with the gentlemen, but her brother said, “Do not come out, Caroline. It is far too cold.”
The lady wrinkled her nose but obediently sat down, and the colonel, Darcy, and Bingley walked out of the sitting room, down a hall, into the vestibule, and then outside. It was a cold day, with a substantial wind, but Darcy far preferred a chill to Miss Bingley’s prattling.
“I am sorry about that, Darcy,” Bingley said once the three men had reached the bottom of the steps. “I am aware that Caroline has been tiresomely attentive to you.”
Darcy did not bother to argue that statement and instead said, “I confess to confusion. She was not pursuing me a few weeks ago, not at all. Why is she acting in such a bewildering fashion?”
Richard laughed aloud, attracting a puzzled look from his cousin.
“What?” Darcy demanded.
“It is clear, is it not? During the house party of several weeks ago, Miss Bingley was hopeful of capturing Sir Quinton, a baronet, or better yet my brother Zachary, heir to an earldom. Both of those gentlemen are no longer in her sphere of influence, so she has, reluctantly, turned her attention to you.”
This was so obvious that Darcy felt rather stupid for a moment, but then he asked, “Why not you? I am a mere nephew of an earl, and you are a son.”
“A second son with no estate,” Richard said drily. “I am confident that Miss Bingley far prefers Pemberley to being married to a mere younger son. Now come, it is time for us to leave. Thank you, Bingley, for your hospitality.”
“Thank you for coming,” Bingley replied.
***
Darcy Carriage
On the Road to London
One Hour Later
“Darcy?” Colonel Fitzwilliam said suddenly.
Darcy had been staring blankly out the window, his eyes fixed on a few fat snowflakes dancing in the wind, and it took him a few seconds to leave his visions of a pale but lovely maiden in favor of looking at his cousin.
“Yes?” he asked vaguely.
“I have been thinking it over, and I want to make Miss Mary Bennet my wife.”
This woke Darcy up. “You do?”
“I do. I know she is not as handsome as her sisters, but she is a rational and kindly woman. Also, she is rich, which will allow me to live in the manner to which I am accustomed.”
Darcy felt his eyebrows rise toward his hairline. “That does not sound particularly … romantic, Richard.”
The colonel shrugged and said, “I do not pretend to be a great romantic, though I do wish to care for my wife. Miss Mary is a delightful woman, but I do not see any signs that she is a great romantic either. If she accepts me, I think we will be happy together.”
“Because she is rich?”
Richard tilted his head and said, “It is more than that, Darcy, truly. But I would not be happy in penury, and I acknowledge that. Moreover, if I do offer for her hand in marriage, I will tell her that part of her attraction is her money. I want to be honest, as I believe it is the only way to build the trust that will make for a happy match.”
Darcy considered this for a minute and then nodded. “I think that would be the honorable and wise thing to do, and I wish you well in your pursuit of the lady. But how will you proceed? You are currently stationed in London, and they are in Hertfordshire, coping with their father’s illness.”
“I have heard the Bennet ladies speak of their uncle, a Mr. Gardiner, who owns a warehouse in Cheapside. I am planning to visit him and ask his advice on the situation.”
Darcy frowned. “A tradesman? Do you really think he can help?”
“He is doubtless a sensible man,” the colonel pointed out.
“And as I said, I have heard the inhabitants of Longbourn speak well of him. I do not need your permission, Darcy, but I am extending an invitation. If you desire to wed Miss Elizabeth, I suggest that you accompany me to visit Mr. Gardiner.”
Darcy deliberately turned to look out the window again, his mind a chaotic maelstrom of longing and confusion.
He wished very much to marry Elizabeth Bennet, but her position in life was lower than was expected for Mrs. Darcy of Pemberley.
Even if he was willing to set those concerns aside because the lady was all that he wanted in a bride.
Still, it would be impolitic to begin a courtship with Mr. Bennet still in such fragile health, and Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth and, yes, Miss Mary too, so very weary beneath the burden of managing the estate.
On the other hand, perhaps such a courtship would be welcome?
Miss Elizabeth had been too pale, her eyes too shadowed, during their conversation.
Yet she had smiled and even laughed, as they spoke.
The clever wit that had so enchanted him was unimpaired, but oh, how tired she had looked, nearly ill with it! It had wrung at his heart.
He loved Miss Elizabeth and could hardly bear to see her so worn with no hope of reprieve.
Perhaps, just perhaps, he could be of assistance after all.
At the very least, he could ask Mr. Gardiner his view of the situation, and the man, who doubtless knew his nieces well, would be able to give him good advice.
“I will come with you, Richard,” Darcy said firmly.
“Good,” the colonel replied.
***
Mr. Gardiner’s Warehouse
Two Days Later
Morning
More than one visitor had commented that Mr. Gardiner's office was a reflection of its inhabitant.
It should be, for he had spent many years and a reasonable number of pounds making it so.
It was not grand or imposing, but neat and sensible, well-organized, with sturdy furniture, and elegant in its simplicity.
A boy came in every day to sweep the simple wood floor and dust the bookshelves that lined the walls, and once a week to polish the oak desk and the several chairs arrayed to either side of it.
A fire of reasonable size made the room comfortable in winter.
All in all, the office was perfectly to Mr. Gardiner's tastes, showing a nicety of design and practicality, and his tradesman guests usually seemed pleased with it. At the moment though, his guests were gentlemen of a much higher class than his own, and he regarded them in wonder. It was bewildering for such men to call on a mere tradesman, and it was even more shocking to learn of the gentlemen’s intent.
“Please, Mr. Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam, sit down,” he said, gesturing toward a pair of chairs.
They did so, and Gardiner took a moment to collect himself before he said, “Please allow me to be certain of my facts. Colonel Fitzwilliam, you wish to wed my niece Mary Bennet, and you, Mr. Darcy, wish to marry my niece Elizabeth Bennet?”
“I do,” Darcy said gravely, and Richard contented himself with a firm nod.
Mr. Gardiner leaned back in his chair and regarded his guests in wonder. He was, as a man of the world, well aware that as wonderful as his nieces were, they were not the cream of society, and thus their ability to attract two such eligible gentlemen was rather astonishing.
“May I ask why you wish to marry my nieces?” he asked abruptly.
The two men looked at one another, and Darcy said, “I would like to start, if I may. Miss Elizabeth Bennet is lovely, of course, but it is her mind and character that so draw me in. When I left Hertfordshire some weeks ago, I thought perhaps it was mere infatuation that drew me to her, but when I saw her again at Sir Quinton’s wedding, well, it was as if we had not been parted for more than a day, and her magnetism was, if anything, even stronger than before.
I love her, Mr. Gardiner, with all my heart, and I wish to make her my wife, to carry her away from her home where… ”
He trailed off, flushed a trifle, and looked away.
Gardiner was frowning now. “Mr. Darcy, what are you referring to?”
The young man bit his lip and then turned back. “She is so very tired, I can tell. Pale and drawn, with dark circles under her eyes. I understand her love for her father, but this is wearing her … but I must apologize, sir. I ought not to speak of this, as Miss Elizabeth would not appreciate it.”
Mr. Gardiner leaned back in his chair and sighed deeply.
“I ought to have known that she was struggling,” he said quietly.
“My second eldest niece has always been a hardy and brave soul, and her letters have been cheerful enough. Moreover, a steward is now assisting with the estate, which I thought would help considerably. However, he is a young man and likely still learning his duties. I should have known it is too much for Elizabeth.”
“I would say, sir, that it is rather too much for the three eldest Misses Bennet,” Richard said quietly. “Miss Mary also looks very tired, though she said that Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth carry the lion’s share of the load at Longbourn.”
Gardiner sighed again and said, “Well, gentlemen, something must be done, and if you truly wish to wed my nieces, perhaps you would be willing to assist me?”
“I will do anything,” Darcy quickly vowed, “anything at all.”