Page 64 of Heiress of Longbourn (Pride and Prejudice Variations)
Bingley followed Darcy into the parlor at Netherfield, aware of a most unaccustomed sense of unease. He had always been a cheerful and genial man, comfortable with gentlemen and laborers, ladies and maids. But now, with his heart’s desire under his very roof, he felt entirely uncertain. Would Miss Bennet ever forgive him for abandoning her last year?
The two eldest Miss Bennets, Anne de Bourgh, and Miss Bingley were drinking tea and conversing courteously, if not enthusiastically. Bingley knew, because he was exceedingly familiar with his younger sister’s facial expressions, that she was irritated but restraining herself, which was about as much as could be hoped for.
“Darcy, Mr. Bingley,” Miss de Bourgh said with a welcoming smile. “It is good to see you this morning. I hope that your ride was pleasant?”
Darcy was, of course, gazing adoringly at Elizabeth’s pleasantly flushed face, but this question pulled him reluctantly out of his reverie.
“It was a fine day for a ride, yes, though in truth, we had a purpose for our excursion. Bingley and I were inspecting the fencing on the southern edge of the estate, and we spoke with one of the tenants, a Mr. Smyth, whose cottage is in a most regrettable state, with a leaky roof and a damaged chimney.”
“What do you intend to do about these problems, Mr. Bingley?” Miss Bennet asked in a challenging tone.
Caroline Bingley bridled noticeably. “It is hardly my brother’s concern, Miss Bennet.”
“Of course it is,” Bingley insisted, sitting down near, but he hoped not too near, the object of his devotion. “This is new ground for our family, Miss Bennet, since my father was not a landowner, but Darcy is instructing me on my responsibilities towards the tenants.”
“It is rather a pity that you did not carry out your responsibilities last autumn,” the lady countered, her eyes glinting dangerously, “but I suppose now is better than never.”
“Yes, er, you are correct,” the master of Netherfield managed. “In truth, I was not sufficiently schooled in my duties here at Netherfield, but I have vowed to learn my role and serve as I should.”
“Serve?” Miss Bingley demanded indignantly. “It is not for the upper classes to serve the lower!”
“On the contrary, Miss Bingley,” Darcy asserted in his deep voice, “those of us blessed to be landowners gain much of our wealth from the toil of the tenant farmers who work the land. From a purely practical point of view, it behooves us to care for those under our direction. Morally, of course, we have a responsibility to those who depend on the estate for their livelihood.”
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you: do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets,” Anne pronounced, a martial light in her brown eyes. “We are all one in Christ and thus must treat others with care and compassion, regardless of their role in society.”
Caroline Bingley stared at Miss de Bourgh as if she were quite mad, but she kept silent. The woman was spouting ridiculous, even seditious rhetoric, but she was a great heiress, daughter of Lady Catherine, cousin of Mr. Darcy,and niece of the Earl of Matlock, and thus must be humored.
“I will arrange to have Mr. Smyth’s cottage repaired as quickly as possible,” Bingley assured them all, though his eyes were on Jane.
“Excellent,” Elizabeth said, speaking for the first time. “Now, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, we ladies were discussing fencing, and since I understand you are both adepts at the sport, perhaps you would care to share some basic principles?”
The gentlemen exchanged bewildered glances before Darcy said carefully, “Fencing? Are you, perhaps, intending to…”
Elizabeth laughed, lighting up her face in a way that made Darcy quite lose his breath. “No, no, we do not intend to take up fencing in the immediate future. It is more that we were wondering about posture and strategy. When you are fencing another man, how do you hold yourself? Is it best to advance boldly? Are you cautious in your stance? Do you attempt to intimidate your opponent, or do you maintain a neutral posture until you pounce, so to speak?”
For the first time since they had entered the room, Bingley was able to tear his anxious focus away from Miss Bennet’s handsome face. He enjoyed fencing tremendously, and he often indulged the joy of matching rapiers with other gentlemen at Angelo’s fencing school in London.
“That is a most fascinating question, Miss Elizabeth,” he proclaimed. “I believe that the answer depends somewhat on the gentleman’s physique and manner. Darcy, for example, is such a great, tall fellow that any sensible man is intimidated as soon as he steps into his august presence. I myself am shorter and look far more harmless; thus, I find it wise to behave cautiously, even timorously, for a time, and then leap forward when my opponent least expects it.”
Darcy turned an amazed eye on his friend. “So that is how you beat me repeatedly, Bingley? I had no idea that you were so conniving!”
Bingley felt color rise in his cheeks at these words, but was relieved when Miss Bennet actually smiled a little at him. “I think it very sensible,” the lady declared. “I suppose your height gives you some advantage when you fence, Mr. Darcy, given your longer reach.”
“I believe that is true,” Darcy admitted, “though truthfully, I am not an especially brilliant fencer.”
“I find that hard to believe,” Miss Bingley exclaimed.
“No, it is quite true,” Bingley commented, “but Darcy’s moderate fencing skills are more than made up by his pugilist ability. He is a formidable boxer.”
“Are you indeed?” Anne inquired, bending a predatory gaze on her cousin. “How very useful, Darcy. I had no idea!”
Darcy managed a nervous smile. He would not put it past Anne to ask him to give boxing lessons to the ladies, which was an intimidating prospect.
Before this particular topic of conversation could continue, the Miss Bennets rose to their feet.
“I fear we must depart,” Miss Bennet explained, “as we are hosting many of the officers tonight for dinner.”
Darcy jerked slightly at this statement but was reassured when Elizabeth smiled at him and said, “I am certain it will be a most interesting party, but we intend to return to Netherfield tomorrow morning, if that is agreeable to you all.”
“I am already counting the hours,” Bingley avowed, and was pleased when Miss Bennet bestowed another smile on him.
***
Miss Colby tilted her head to inspect the ribbons and nodded to the owner of the store. “Thank you, yes, I will take a yard each of the forest green, purple, and the sky blue. I may return within a few days to purchase pink, but I wish to work on my bonnet a little before purchasing additional trimmings.”
“That is very sensible, Miss Colby,” Mrs. Bamber replied cheerfully. “I am sure it will be a lovely bonnet when you have completed your work on it. Do you have a party you will be attending soon?”
“I am companion to Miss de Bourgh, currently staying at Netherfield Hall, and she expects to be invited to many a party with her cousin, Mr. Darcy, and her host, Mr. Bingley. I will accompany her, so yes, I hope to wear the hat soon in company.”
“I had heard that Mr. Bingley had returned to Netherfield,” the shopkeeper said, carefully measuring and then cutting the ribbon. “He is a very pleasant gentleman and always invited everywhere, and with the local militia regiment leaving for Brighton in a few weeks, there are a great many parties planned as Meryton bids them farewell.”
“I noticed a number of red-coated officers in the streets,” Miss Colby commented in a deliberately casual tone. “Are they a pleasant group?”
“Mostly they give us no trouble,” the shopkeeper remarked, “though a few have substantial sums they owe and have not yet paid, but of course they will pay before they leave.”
Miss Colby was not at all certain this was true, especially if Mr. Wickham was one of her debtors, but she would not worry the woman now. “Do the officers host parties in their own quarters?”
“No, but the assembly hall is available to them most days, and Colonel Forster, a very fine gentleman, has arranged for more than one frolic for the local gentry, which are always greatly appreciated. The captains and lieutenantsof the militia all live in two rented houses on Kybald Lane, just two blocks from here. It is very convenient.”
Miss Colby handed over the appropriate coins and accepted her package of ribbons, then walked sedately out into the street. It was time for her to reconnoiter Wickham’s quarters. With the militia leaving soon for Brighton, she would need to move quickly to retrieve Miss Darcy’s letters.