Page 5 of He Taught Me to Hope (Darcy and the Young Knight’s Quest #1)
S trains of music rang throughout Longbourn House. It was always the first sounds heard each morning, as Mary faithfully practised on the pianoforte. As poorly executed as was her performance, it was lovely to Elizabeth’s ears. It enveloped her with a sense of being at home.
Never ones to be bothered by consequential matters, Lydia and Kitty barely partook of the spread of freshly baked loaves of bread, a cornucopia of seasonal fruit, and meats of the finest cuts that characterised Mrs. Bennet’s breakfast table.
The two were always engaged in frivolous, girlish banter on one inane topic after another.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and the eldest daughter, Jane, were also seated around the table.
Mr. Bennet had his head buried in his paper.
Jane tried her best to appear attentive.
Mrs. Bennet could not help smiling with delight at her two younger daughters.
Their antics recalled her to the way she and her own sister had behaved in their day.
The two girls carried on about the newcomers at Netherfield Park, and how their father’s visit must have increased the chances considerably that the owner might fancy one of them.
Most importantly, they rhapsodised over the assembly which was to be held that night, for Mr. Bennet confirmed that Mr. Bingley indeed would attend .
Before long, their chatter intruded upon Mr. Bennet’s enjoyment of his paper.
He stood and folded it before neatly tucking the paper under his arm and heading for his library.
He turned at the doorway to look at the daughters who had so rudely interrupted his morning activity.
“You two are the silliest girls in all of England. My greatest hope is the amiable Mr. Bingley will take either of you off my hands. What a blessing it would be if his mysterious guest fancied the other one of you as well.”
Far from being embarrassed, his pronouncement only served to bolster the girls’ hopes. They stood from the table and danced about the room in jubilation.
“Though I would rather marry an officer, for I greatly favour a gentleman in a red coat, Mr. Bingley is sure to prefer me,” said Lydia.
“No, he shall prefer me, for I am the oldest!”
“But I am prettier and more popular than you!” Lydia boasted.
“Which of us do you believe he will choose, Mama?”
“I shall be quite happy should he choose either of you girls!”
Lydia recalled herself to an unanswered question to her eldest sister. “Oh, Jane, I wish to wear your yellow gown. It will surely enhance my chances of capturing Mr. Bingley’s fancy.”
“No, Jane, allow me to wear it. I should do anything you wish as repayment for your generosity.”
Jane’s astonishment showed on her face. She tried unsuccessfully to satisfy her young sisters in a manner that did not increase their exuberance.
The girls eventually sought their mother’s advice to settle their dispute.
Mrs. Bennet recalled the surprise awaiting her two young daughters.
She prevailed upon them to join her on a trip to Meryton to attend to some last-minute shopping at the dressmaker.
Wholly distracted, the girls danced merrily out of the room behind their mother to don their bonnets and coats.
They barely gave any notice at all to their sister Elizabeth as they passed her in the hallway.
Elizabeth had just come from the kitchen, where she had seen to it young Ben had a proper breakfast before he began his day of adventure about the estate grounds .
Elizabeth was pleased to find Jane alone in the breakfast room.
She took a seat across the table from her dearest sister and proceeded to fill her plate.
She was glad to have been spared her younger sisters’ company.
Elizabeth remarked, “Though I can find very little to agree on with my father of late, I must reaffirm his sentiment as regards my youngest sisters.”
Jane said, “Yes, they are very silly. I fear they are bound to make our family ridiculous with their plans for this evening.”
“What are they about now?”
“Both Kitty and Lydia are determined they should earn Mr. Bingley’s fancy at the assembly tonight.”
“Is it a certainty he will be there?”
“Oh, yes! Our father confirmed it just this morning.”
“Perhaps you should keep a close watch over them to make certain they do not cause too much damage to the Bennet name.”
“I am of a mind to skip the assembly.”
“Why should you not go?” Elizabeth asked. “Are you not interested in earning Mr. Bingley’s esteem?”
“I have no reason to suspect he will be different from any other man of my acquaintance. I believe even my Mother has given up on matchmaking for me.”
“I suppose that to be a good thing, dear Jane. I contend Mama is part of the problem and warrants the greater share of the blame for any disenchanted suitors you may have had. Let her push Lydia and Kitty towards Mr. Bingley and his mystery guest. It can only make you look better by comparison.”
Though Jane would never admit it, she had grown quite gun-shy, especially in the aftermath of Mr. Collins’s visit to Longbourn.
She might have actually welcomed his attention.
Geoffrey Collins was tall, handsome, and though a bit taciturn, he was a kind and respectable gentleman.
The fact that he preferred Elizabeth over all the other Bennet daughters, from the moment of his introduction, was clear and somewhat disconcerting for Jane, who was always thought of as the beauty of the family.
Jane certainly harboured no resentment towards Elizabeth. She knew Elizabeth was only doing what she felt she must in consenting to marry Mr. Collins. Elizabeth studied the concern in Jane’s face and interpreted it as thinly disguised indecision.
“You should go, Jane,” Elizabeth insisted. “I have a good feeling about tonight. It is your night.”
“I will consent to go on one condition. You must agree to go as well.”
“I genuinely have no desire to attend the assembly. I would rather spend the evening here with Ben. I find his company far more delightful than I would that of those in attendance at a crowded public ballroom. In light of my situation, I am not certain it would be advantageous for me to attend. I am sure my presence would not be well received by the young ladies present and their matchmaking mamas.”
“Lizzy, you are engaged, not dead. After all, Mr. Collins is not to return to Longbourn until Christmas. Surely, he does not intend you should sit at home every evening.”
“Perhaps you are right. If that is what it takes to get you to agree to go, then I shall go as well. However, I must warn you. My mother may have ceased her matchmaking attempts, but I certainly shall not. I shall do all I can in seeing that you are admired by Mr. Bingley.”
“Dearest Lizzy, the last thing in the world I want is to get my hopes up for this evening.”
“Jane, do not be disheartened.” Elizabeth thought surely her eldest sister’s time was nigh. “Trust me. I really do have a very good feeling about tonight’s assembly.”
“Then, that is even more reason for you to attend, my dear Lizzy. It seems you have enough confidence for the both of us.”
Ben had awakened rather early that morning. He was very eager to see King Arthur. For two days in a row, Ben waited in the same spot as where he had first encountered his new acquaintance. Both days, the pangs of hunger prompted him to abandon his faithful watch .
That day, not only did he eat his breakfast, as his mother had insisted, but he also had stayed behind in the kitchen upon his mother’s quitting the room to pack extra provisions. He was intent upon waiting as long as was necessary for King Arthur’s return.
Ben raced past his mother on his way out the door.
Elizabeth followed him outside and stood at the top of the porch steps. She called out to him, “Please wait just one minute, young sir. Where are you off to with such a heavy load?”
Ben paused and reluctantly retraced his steps back to his mother’s side. “I am off for an adventure with King Arthur, Mama!”
She examined his stuffed satchel. It was weighted heavily with ripe, green apples. She smiled at the thought of how faithfully he kept to his story. “Is that the reason you have so much food?”
“Yes, it is. I have not seen him for a few days, so he must have been on a journey. I suppose he might be famished upon his return.”
Elizabeth kissed her son on his temple and tousled his thick dark curls. “Have fun this morning, Sir Lancelot. Remember not to venture off too far away from our castle.”
The past couple of days, Darcy had remained secluded at Netherfield Park.
It had taken a while longer than he might have hoped for his bruised shoulder to heal enough to allow for a vigorous horseback ride without undue comfort.
The one advantage he attributed to his malady was the excuse it had provided him in not having to meet any of the Bingleys’ local callers.
He was grateful to enjoy the solace of a solitary jaunt throughout the countryside once more. Mindful of the near collision with the fanciful young lad the last time he was on that path, Darcy approached that same spot with caution.
Ben spotted him from a distance and quickly climbed down from the fence to await his approach. Genuine enthusiasm beamed brightly on Ben’s face.
Darcy, who had been in a rather sour mood after having been trapped at Netherfield Park with Bingley’s annoying sister Caroline, immediately sensed a lightening in his mood. It was clear the little fellow had been waiting for him. Darcy could only wonder how long that might have been.
He climbed down from his stallion as Ben ran to him.
“Good morning, young man.”
“Good morning to you, too, King Arthur! Have you been on a great journey? I have awaited your return for days.”
Darcy smiled in recollection of their little game. “I am sorry, young sir. I had no awareness you were awaiting my return.”
“There is no need for you to apologise to me, my King.”