Page 13 of He Taught Me to Hope (Darcy and the Young Knight’s Quest #1)
“You have said quite enough, Mr. Darcy. I believe I understand your sentiments precisely. You will pardon me, though, if I choose to keep my own counsel on such matters.”
“I would by no means suspend any pleasure of yours,” he coldly replied. She said no more. They completed the dance and parted in silence .
Charlotte Lucas stood beside Mr. Collins and spoke with him at length to learn more of his situation. At seven and twenty, she was quite determined she would find a husband; there was no reason for her to conclude he would not make as decent a husband for her as he would for anyone else.
“Mr. Collins, no doubt you look forward to the joining of your family and the Bennet family in the near future what with your brother’s marriage to my dear friend Mrs. Carlton.”
“Oh yes! But I must admit I am equally excited by the prospect of my own marriage to a particular one of my fair cousins, as well.”
Charlotte could have little doubt of which Bennet daughter he spoke. It was clear to her that he admired the eldest Bennet daughter exceedingly. That could not be good, according to Charlotte’s schemes for herself. She endeavoured to divert his attentions.
“Though it is not truly my place, I feel it incumbent upon me to tell you that the eldest Bennet is likely to be engaged to another very soon.”
Mr. Collins cast a wary look. That was not what he had been led to believe, for he had spoken with Mrs. Bennet of his preference for Miss Bennet soon after his arrival.
“Are you quite certain? I have hinted of my intentions to her mother, and she said not a word of any such prospects. No, I believe you are mistaken.”
“It is likely Mrs. Bennet did not mention it because nothing is official. However, I speak of Mr. Bingley as the likely intended. If you would but look, then you would see for yourself just how much he admires her.”
Darcy and Elizabeth did not have occasion to speak to each other again that evening.
She went out of her way to avoid him, and he was none too keen on seeking her out any further.
Besides, both of their thoughts tended elsewhere, though, ironically along similar lines.
The behaviour of the youngest two Miss Bennets grew more and more boisterous as the evening progressed.
The behaviour of Mr. Bennet himself was hardly better as he made Miss Mary’s poor exhibition on the pianoforte worse by his admonishment against any further attempts.
Poor Mary ran off in tears, a spectacle that caused Darcy to wonder what sort of father would do such a thing to his own child.
All that simply confirmed Darcy’s original opinion of the Bennet family and caused him to wonder about Elizabeth’s motives. Surely, she is not mercenary, he thought. It is far more likely she is anxious to get away from that family of hers.
Darcy soon became aware of the general expectation amongst the locals of a pending engagement between his friend Bingley and Miss Jane Bennet.
He grew more unfavourably predisposed to that notion the more he observed Jane.
He could detect no particular regard on her part towards his friend.
He considered just as Elizabeth was willing to bind herself to a man she did not love, so must her eldest sister be, especially as he recalled the hint of desperation Mrs. Bennet had suggested when she had visited at Netherfield.
Within a day of the ball, the Netherfield staff prepared the manor house for an extended absence. The fine furnishings throughout the house were covered with crisp white linens. All the personal belongings were packed and loaded into carriages. The shades were drawn.
None of the occupants of the carriage seemed particularly pleased with the prospect of returning to London that morning.
The attitudes of Bingley and Caroline reflected the bitter disappointment of hours of arguing.
She had prevailed in persuading him to abandon his hopes for any sort of attachment to Miss Bennet and her dreadful family.
Bingley was disappointed in his friend, as well, not that Darcy had spoken a harsh word against Miss Bennet, per se.
He simply had not said anything in her favour.
He had agreed with Caroline’s bleak assessment of the Bennets and what it might mean in social consequence if Bingley aligned himself with such a family.
Bingley recalled the question he had posed to his friend, in an attempt to rally support against Caroline’s abusive diatribe. “Do you not agree all of that means nothing, if Miss Bennet truly cares for me?”
“I would agree, Bingley. However, I have seen no evidence of any particular regard on her part. She readily bestows her lovely smiles on you, it is true. How is that any different from any of the many angels you have known in the past?”
Darcy was careful to keep his eyes trained out of the window in search of his young friend as the carriage drew nearer to the place where they always had met. Eureka! Darcy eagerly tapped his cane upon the roof of the carriage to signal to the driver to halt.
He climbed down from the carriage and strolled towards his young friend, some twenty or so yards away.
Ben was so excited to see him. It seemed as if it had been an eternity since they had last met.
Ben had planned many exciting adventures during their time apart.
There was so much he wanted to say and do. He ran towards Darcy.
“King Arthur! I have missed you so. Where have you been?” Ben looked in the direction of the luggage-laden carriage. “Where are you going, my King?”
“I am happy to see you this morning, gallant knight. I feared I might not have a chance to say goodbye. You see, it is time I return to my own land, Sir Lancelot. It has been a great pleasure knowing you.”
“No, no, no! Do not go!” young Ben cried as he desperately clung to Darcy’s long legs. Darcy endeavoured to release the child’s tight grip. He lowered himself to his knees to meet Ben’s eyes at his level.
“What is this I see? Do brave knights cry?” Darcy removed his crisp, white handkerchief and wiped the lad’s tears away.
“I do not feel much like being brave,” cried Ben, broken-heartedly. “You are my best friend in the world. You cannot leave me. ”
“I am afraid that I must. Please try to understand.”
What was there to understand to a young lad who had suffered such painful losses during the short span of his lifetime?
A father he never knew, a doting grandfather who loved him dearly, and now a friend who meant more to him than even he could ever know—all of them gone.
Ben fought mightily to stop his tears from falling. “Shall we ever meet again?”
Darcy endeavoured to keep up a brave front in the face of what he knew must be acutely painful for the long-suffering child.
“Brighten up, my young friend. I am a firm believer that goodbye is not the end. The best things in life have a way of working themselves out. Our friendship is strong. It might even have the potential for greatness. If it is meant to be, then, indeed, our paths will cross yet again.”