Page 9 of Five Gentlemen at Netherfield (Pride and Prejudice Variations)

Breakfast Parlor

An Hour Later

Elizabeth poured herself a cup of coffee, added milk, and took a chair between Mary and Jane.

Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, who had risen at the entrance of the Bennet ladies, now sat down, and both gentlemen listened with obvious concern as Jane asked if two riding horses might be lent so that the sisters could return home.

“My dear Misses Bennet!” Bingley cried out when she had finished. “I must request most ardently that you not venture outside at all today. It is still raining, and the roads are sure to be dreadfully muddy. Indeed, the bridge you mention may have been swept away as well!”

Elizabeth took a sip of coffee and looked at her sisters, both of whom were looking grave.

“We do not wish to overstay our welcome,” Jane said politely.

“Oh, I assure you, we are very pleased to have you stay!” Mr. Bingley declared. “Nor could I ever forgive myself if you were to suffer any harm in trying to return home on such a dreadful day.”

Elizabeth suppressed a sigh. Her host’s kindness was genuine enough, and it was true that the long, drenching rain, and exceedingly muddy paths, would make it somewhat risky to return to Longbourn.

Jane had obviously come to the same conclusion, because she said, “Thank you for your generosity, sir. Would it be possible for us to send a note to my parents, as they might well be anxious about us?”

“Of course! We will arrange to do so right away,” their host said.

The door opened at this juncture to reveal Mr. Hurst, Richard Fitzwilliam, Lord Stanton, and Sir Quinton, and amidst the bustle of the group collecting food and drink from the buffet, the topic of the Bennets’ departure ended in favor of enthusiastic eating and the occasional dour comment about the weather.

Elizabeth had just finished her last bite of toast when Mr. Darcy, who had been silent throughout the meal, said, “Miss Elizabeth, I wonder whether you would be interested in playing a game or two of chess with me this morning.”

“I would enjoy that,” she said promptly. She liked playing chess, and Mr. Darcy, who seemed intelligent, might well be capable of giving her a good game.

Half an hour later, the party gathered in the drawing room, though Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley were still above stairs. Given that the ladies were inclined to be viperish, Elizabeth was very pleased by their absence.

She sat down at a small table across from Mr. Darcy, with the wooden chessboard between them and the black and white ivory figures standing neatly on their squares.

The gentleman had given the lady the white pieces, and she moved a pawn and prepared for battle.

The ensuing game was enjoyable to both parties, with Darcy squeaking out a narrow win.

At his invitation, they played again, and again Elizabeth lost, but not so badly that she felt ashamed of her performance.

“You play very well,” she said with a grin, and Mr. Darcy returned the grin and said, “As do you, Miss Elizabeth. I do not intend to boast, but I generally win chess games with relative ease, and these last games were a genuine struggle. Would you care to play another game?”

Elizabeth, who had been largely ignoring her surroundings during play, looked around and noted that Mary was talking with Sir Quinton and Jane was speaking with Mr. Bingley. Her younger sister appeared cheerful enough, but Jane’s expression was oddly wooden, and her eyes were pleading.

She felt a twinge of contrition at the sight and said, “Might I suggest that you play with Jane? She is an even better player than I am.”

Mr. Darcy looked startled and, she thought, dubious, but he nonetheless turned to Jane and said, “Miss Bennet, would you care to play a game?”

“I would, thank you,” Jane replied, rising with alacrity.

Elizabeth stood up as well, and the pair exchanged positions.

Elizabeth, sitting down next to Mr. Bingley, noted the way the gentleman’s gaze followed Jane, though he quickly focused his attention on her and said, “I am pleased that you play chess so well, Miss Elizabeth. Darcy finds it difficult to find worthy opponents.”

“So you are not an enthusiast of the game?” she asked with a smile.

“I am not,” Bingley declared. “I know it is considered a great failing on my part, but I find it dull.”

Elizabeth shook her head decidedly. “You ought not to think that way, not at all. There is no shame in disliking a game that others enjoy.”

“I far prefer cards to chess or checkers,” Mr. Hurst remarked, rather to Elizabeth’s surprise. The only married gentleman in the group seemed to live for food and sport, and he rarely spoke about anything else.

“Why?” Bingley asked curiously, and his brother-in-law explained, “I think it is because there is more luck involved. Chess seems so dreary because the board is set up exactly the same every time, whereas with cards, you may have a terrible hand one minute and an excellent one ten minutes later.”

“That makes a great deal of sense, Hurst!” Bingley remarked with an air of surprise. “I believe that is why I prefer cards to chess as well. I am no great intellectual, and I need the help of good cards!”

“Are you also interested in chess, Miss Mary?” Sir Quinton asked, pulling the pair into the conversation, and Mary said, “No, not at all, but I do not enjoy card games either. How about you, sir? What games do you enjoy?”

“I prefer games that involve physical movement, like billiards and lawn billiards and even spillikins, though that is a child’s game…”

The discussion continued in this vein for some ten minutes, until Jane said softly, “Checkmate, Mr. Darcy.”

Everyone turned with a greater or lesser degree of surprise to see Darcy, his head tilted, regard the chessboard and then nod.

“Indeed, Miss Bennet,” he remarked. “Congratulations.”

Jane smiled and said, “Thank you. As Elizabeth said, you are an excellent player yourself.”

“You are truly extraordinary to beat Darcy!” Bingley said, and Elizabeth thought she heard not just surprise, but a hint of dismay, in his words.

“Jane is remarkable,” she declared. “My father wins occasionally, and I never can unless she gives me a couple of pawns or even a rook.”

“How did you learn to play so well, Miss Bennet?” Darcy asked, and Elizabeth was pleased that there was no irritation in his deep voice. Many gentlemen felt embarrassed to lose to a lady.

“My father taught me from a young age,” Jane said, “but I truly do not know why I am so good. I am able to look at a chessboard and imagine the possible moves of my opponent and make the moves which allow for the greatest chance of success.”

“That is remarkable,” Mr. Darcy said respectfully, and then he grinned and said, “Would you be willing to play another game with me, Miss Bennet? I confess that I had no idea that I was playing a virtuoso on the chessboard, and I am hoping that affected my performance.”

Jane nodded, and they played once more, and this time the rest of the party watched with eagle eyes as the pair battled for dominance.

Elizabeth, who knew the game well, was impressed with Mr. Darcy, as he held his own for some time before Jane’s remarkable abilities beat down his defenses, and he was checkmated for the second time.

Again, the master of Pemberley seemed impressed but not aggrieved, and Elizabeth gave him full marks for his attitude.

“The rain has ended and the sun has appeared,” Sir Quinton remarked, which drew the party to the windows. Elizabeth, looking out, was pleased that there was more blue sky than clouds now, but unhappy about the ground, which looked muddy and wet indeed.

“Perhaps we ought to investigate that bridge,” Darcy suggested, and Bingley leaped to his feet and said, “Undoubtedly, we should. I do not like being cut off from Meryton.”

“Would you be able to send a servant to check the other bridge as well?” Elizabeth asked. “The foot and horse bridge?”

“Yes, of course,” Darcy said.

***

Drawing Room

Two Hours Later

Elizabeth took a bite of ratafia cake as it seemed the best way to hold her tongue.

The Netherfield cook was undeniably skilled, and the tea, ordered from London, was the very best, and the milk was fresh and tasty.

It was a pity that the delightfulness of the refreshments was insufficient to make up for the onerous trials of the company.

Bingley's sisters were being every bit as unpleasant and haughty as Elizabeth had expected they would be.

It was a mercy that the two ladies were keeping town hours even in the country, for they had not descended from their bedchambers until after noon.

The few hours since they arrived in the drawing room had been tedious, to say the least.

“My dear Miss Mary,” Miss Bingley said as she poured more tea into her own cup. “You simply must go to London if you are to find a good husband. With a fortune like yours, you should be able to find an eligible gentleman in need of funds.”

It was incredibly rude for their hostess to suggest that Mary’s only attraction was her money, and Elizabeth opened her mouth in protest, only to close it when Jane beat her to it.

“Mary is only eighteen years old,” she said coldly, “and is young to think much of marriage. Moreover, given her fortune, there is no need for her to marry at all unless she wishes to.”

Miss Bingley assumed an expression of extravagant surprise and said, “Oh, but surely every lady wishes to marry!”

Jane shrugged negligently and said, “That is not necessarily true. But in any case, I am confident that our father would not wish for Mary to leave home yet, so it is a moot point. But come, I know you and Mrs. Hurst have enjoyed more than one Season in Town. What do you like most about it?”

“What is there not to like?” Miss Bingley cried out rapturously. “The parties, the walks in the parks, the visits to plays. It is so much better than the country in every way, is it not, Sister?”

“Indeed it is,” Mrs. Hurst said. “Have you ever been to Sadler’s Wells? It is incredible, with a large water tank on which sea battles are staged for the benefit of the audience, and…”

The door opened at this juncture to reveal Lord Stanton, Sir Quinton, and Mr. Darcy, all dressed neatly in morning attire. None exuded even the faintest whiff of the stables, which indicated they had bathed and changed out of their riding attire before presenting themselves to the ladies.

Elizabeth stood up and said, “Good afternoon, Gentlemen. Were you able to determine the state of the bridges?”

“We were,” Sir Quinton said easily. “The bridge for carriages will need substantial work, but the foot and horse bridge is in good condition.”

The Bennet ladies exchanged glances, and then all three looked outside anxiously. The sun was shining and…

“Perhaps Mr. Bingley would be willing to lend us a couple of horses so that we can ride home now?” Jane asked hopefully.

Lord Stanton and Sir Quinton appeared startled, and Darcy said, “While I understand your desire to return to Longbourn, I think it would be best to wait until at least tomorrow. It is dreadfully muddy, and while my horse managed it with ease, a riding mare might well struggle to maintain her footing.”

“Indeed, Ladies,” Lord Stanton said gravely, “it would be unwise for you to depart yet.”

The Bennet girls exchanged glances, and Jane sighed and said, “Very well, though we will plan on returning home tomorrow.”