F or the second time in less than half a day, Darcy stood next to Bingley in Longbourn’s entrance hall. Earlier, after their discussion with Mr. Bennet about his daughters, they had only stayed a respectable amount of time, although both had desired to throw propriety to the wind and stay all day.
Fortunately, before they had even left Mr. Bennet’s study, the man had made it easier for them to keep to a proper length of time for a call by suggesting that they join his family for dinner.
Apparently, he was concerned about how his wife was going to receive the heir to the estate, who was to arrive that afternoon.
To her, this guest was a mere stranger who would one day claim her home.
In truth, Darcy felt sorry for the lady. An entail on an estate often put females in precarious situations once their husbands died. He did not, and would not, blame her for not wishing to welcome the fellow.
“I assume that drone we hear must be that Collins fellow about whom Mr. Bennet spoke,” Bingley whispered as Mr. Hill deposited their outerwear into the arms of a waiting footman.
A low rumbling masculine voice could indeed be heard emanating from the drawing room.
Mr. Bennet had had nothing good to say about Mr. Collins.
Though he himself had never met Collins, Mr. Bennet had known the man’s father, and if the son was anything like the father, he would not be the brightest nor the pleasantest of fellows.
“He sounds like a right old bore,” Bingley added in another whisper which was slightly louder than before.
“That he is, sir,” Longbourn’s butler whispered in reply. “Not that I tell tales unless I have been instructed to do so.”
“And have you been instructed to tell us that a guest of the house is a bore?” The thought was shocking to Darcy, but then, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were not typical of the landed gentry. At least, none of his acquaintance.
“Perhaps those were not the exact instructions, sir,” Mr. Hill answered, “but a bore is close enough to what was related to me to say.” He tipped his head indicating that the footman should hurry on his way with Darcy and Bingley’s things.
“I was told to warn you that Mr. Collins is as Mr. Bennet feared – insufferably dull both in interesting topics of discussion and intellect.” The man smiled.
“However, I was not to tell you any of that until you had been parted from your hats and coats and the carriage was no longer in front of the house.”
Bingley chuckled. “I do suppose that makes it harder for us to escape.”
“Though not impossible,” Darcy added with a shake of his head and a wry smile. His uncle would be quite delighted to hear about this bit of scheming on Mr. Bennet’s part. Darcy could certainly see where Elizabeth had gotten her keen mind.
“Do you wish to escape, sir?” Mr. Hill inquired. Darcy’s face must have given away his surprise at the inquiry for the butler hastened to add, “I can have your things and the carriage retrieved.”
“No.” The word seemed to erupt from his mouth as it was said with a great deal of force.
He cleared his throat softly, regained control of his emotions, and proceeded to explain himself in a much more measured fashion, “What I mean to say is that I wish to see Miss Elizabeth no matter the trying people I will have to endure to do so.”
“I am happy to hear it,” the butler said as he led them the short distance to the drawing room.
Darcy had extensive experience in tolerating painfully trying people, since, every spring, he sat at his aunt’s table and in her drawing rooms, and his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, was excruciatingly difficult unless getting precisely what she demanded.
And, because each spring, at least once during his stay, he stressed to her that he was not going to marry her daughter, he had become accustomed to bearing a great deal of displeasure.
His refusal and subsequent failure to meet his duty to the family as she saw it was more than she could countenance each and every time, and yet, she would not desist from her demands.
Perhaps that was why he had been able to put up with Bingley’s sisters for so long. Surely between his training at Rosings and his time spent with Caroline and Louisa, he would be able to reach the end of the evening without losing his temper and saying something he should not.
Mr. Hill paused at the drawing room door and looked at Darcy. “I quite dislike it when Miss Lizzy is disappointed.” The skin near the man’s eyes crinkled as he smiled softly, disclosing to all that Elizabeth was a favourite of his.
Darcy gave him a nod of acknowledgment. He would not hold the admission against Mr. Hill, for he, himself, also found that Elizabeth was his favourite Bennet. And he wanted both her and her family to continue to find him to their liking. Indeed, he wished for their opinion of him to grow.
With that goal in mind, Darcy leaned towards Bingley and whispered, “Please do not provoke me tonight,” as Mr. Hill stepped into the room to announce them.
“If I do, it will not be purposefully done,” Bingley assured him.
And that, Darcy knew, was the best for which he could hope from his friend.
It was not an excuse to dismiss a lack of effort.
Bingley could be a trial at times, but he was a man of his word.
No folly would befall Darcy by design. “Try to keep from coming to my defense too quickly if the need arises.” That was where the danger usually lay.
Bingley would take it upon himself to promote Darcy or move him to better himself and, from time to time, created something of a disaster in the attempt.
As Darcy stepped inside the drawing room, the first person he saw was Mr. Collins.
The fellow was not small or well-tailored.
He was plainly dressed in a drab brown suit.
His face, as well as his person, was full and soft, and his hair, though Darcy knew him to be a young man, was already receding and growing thin.
“Mr. Darcy, I am delighted to meet you,” Mr. Collins said with a bow before a formal introduction could be made.
“Do I know you?” Darcy attempted to keep the annoyance he felt at the man’s forward approach from colouring his words.
“Oh, my, no!” Mr. Collins cried. “But I have heard a great deal about you from Lady Catherine de Bourgh, my esteemed patroness.” This was accompanied by a second bow.
“You have heard of me from my aunt?” Mr. Bennet had mentioned that Collins was a parson, but he had not mentioned that the living he held was the one at Hunsford.
The man’s head bobbed up and down with great rapidity. “She is a very kind woman with much praise for you.”
“Kind? Lady Catherine?” Darcy chuckled. “I believe you are the first to describe her to me in such a fashion.” It seemed best to let Mr. Collins know from the beginning of their association that a connection to his aunt did not raise him in Darcy’s esteem.
Mr. Collins opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again without saying a word.
“It is very good to see you again, Mr. Darcy,” Mrs. Bennet said. “May I introduce you to our guest?”
“I think you must since he seems to know who I am, and I have yet to make his acquaintance.”
Her eyes grew wide but sparkled in amusement.
“So it would seem,” she said before gesturing to Mr. Collins.
“Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, this is my husband’s heir and cousin, Mr. Collins.
He has come to visit for a time. Mr. Collins, these are Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley.
Mr. Bingley has just let Netherfield, which is but three miles from here, and Mr. Darcy is his particular friend.
” She turned immediately from Collins and looked at Mr. Bingley.
“I trust your sisters and Mr. Hurst are well.”
“Oh, very.”
“Excellent. And the preparations for your ball? Are they going well?” She glanced towards her daughters.
“You will sit with Jane, of course, and Mr. Darcy, there is a seat near Elizabeth. Mr. Collins, you will need to move down one. Mary, you may come sit with me.” With these instructions given, she turned back to Bingley with an expectant look.
“I have not heard a word of complaint about any issues, so I will assume that all is as it should be.”
She clucked her tongue. “You really should check on things. It is not easy to plan a soiree. Details can be missed.” She motioned for them to be seated and took her own place as she continued speaking.
“I am certain I worry for nothing. Your sisters have planned fetes before, but this is a new area and a new home. Many things can be done the same way, but there will be those which cannot be.”
“I bow to your expertise,” Bingley replied.
“I have little knowledge about what goes into planning a ball whether here or in town. However, I am eager to learn, and I think you have pointed out a flaw in my thinking, for my sisters may need oversight since Netherfield, after all, is, as you say, my new home, which will be presented to my new neighbours, and I would like to make a good first impression.”
“Are you having a ball?” Mr. Collins seemed to have found his tongue once again.
“I most certainly am, and if you are staying until next week, you will have to join us.”
“He is here for a month.” Miss Lydia did not sound the least bit pleased by that fact.
“Then, I will inform Caroline and Louisa to add his name to the guest list. I hope you have your dancing shoes with you, Mr. Collins.”
“I do not own a pair of dancing shoes,” the man answered, “but I have shoes that are equal to the challenge. I know it does not look like it, but I am quite light on my feet. In fact, I have been told that any lady would be fortunate to be my partner, for her slippers would not be ruined by wayward steps on my part.”
“I am confident there will be many there who will be delighted to dance with you,” Mrs. Bennet said.