Page 5

The subject of Elizabeth’s odd encounter at Netherfield was dropped until Elizabeth had occasion to mention it to her dearest friend, Charlotte Lucas, whose father gave a party at Lucas Lodge a week later.

Charlotte listened with a wry smile as Elizabeth described the awkwardness she had experienced, and then she shook her head and tutted playfully.

“Come now, Lizzy, excepting yourself, nobody is at their best so early in the morning!”

“I will own that Miss Bingley has exerted herself more than I expected since that day, but I cannot imagine Mr. Darcy being more pleasant at any hour of the day. We know well enough that in the evening he is in no humor to give consequence to ladies who are slighted by other men. Perhaps there is a half-hour in the afternoon when he is less of an ogre - or it may be that he is like Mr. Hurst, happiest when there is a ragout before him.”

The two women shared a laugh, doing their best not to fix their eyes upon the subject of their musings. “He is fond of riding, apparently, and therefore you cannot accuse him of hating everything.”

“‘Tis no mere amusement, Charlotte,” Elizabeth replied with mock severity. “He takes his duty most seriously, patrolling Hertfordshire for highway robbers - it is a miracle I have never been carried off by bandits on my morning rambles.”

“And if you were to be abducted, would he deem you handsome enough to rescue?”

Elizabeth chortled and shook her head. “Never!”

“But Miss Bingley has improved in your estimation? You thought her all airs and vanity at the assembly.”

“That Mr. Darcy seemed to think well of her was hardly a sterling recommendation,” Elizabeth drawled.

“But she was gracious when I brought her the herbs, and since then she has made an effort to behave more affably toward Jane and I than her sister does. But I am sure I should be just as sour as Mrs. Hurst if I were married to a man so indolent and self-indulged.”

The two friends shared a private laugh, though it was cut short by the approach of Miss Bingley, who must have been near enough to hear Elizabeth’s remarks. “Miss Elizabeth, Miss Lucas. You are both in fine looks, making merry this evening.”

“I hope you are enjoying the party, Miss Bingley,” Charlotte said, looking a little bewildered by the lady’s notice.

“Though your father laments that it is not half so grand as St. James’ Court, I shall think it an excellent party if I am able to come to know the both of you a little better.

” There was a twinkle of mischief in Miss Bingley’s eye, but her smile lent the teasing words enough sincerity to please her new friends.

“Do you play the pianoforte, Miss Bingley, or sing, perhaps? I may ask you to perform before Charlotte can make the same request of me, for surely your abilities are more likely to lend the occasion distinction than my own efforts.” Elizabeth grinned impishly.

“Nay, I heard you play very well on Tuesday at the Gouldings’ dinner party, Miss Elizabeth. Surely you are above such mean arts as undervaluing yourself in order to elicit praise.”

“Lizzy plays tolerably well,” Charlotte said, a smile tugging at her lips. “She would be a very fine performer if only she troubled herself to practice more.”

“With four sisters at home, you must be at sixes and sevens to find the time,” Miss Bingley mused. “Does your sister Jane play or sing?”

“She sings a little, and certainly undervalues her abilities, though without any motive,” Elizabeth said, her eyes landing on her sister and Mr. Bingley once more. “I fear her goodness is often eclipsed by her reserve.”

Miss Bingley and Charlotte followed her gaze, and Elizabeth boldly observed, “She is well matched in conversation with a partner such as your brother, Miss Bingley. He is ebullient enough for the both of them; I hope he does not mistake her serenity for lack of interest.”

Miss Bingley gave a throaty laugh. “I should hate to see him attached to anybody who could match his tremendous enthusiasm for everything.”

Elizabeth briefly glanced at her two younger sisters, who were flirting with a group of officers across the room.

Beyond them, Mr. Darcy looked on with a stony expression.

Her cheeks grew warm and she turned her attention back to her companions.

“My sister never has an unkind thing to say of anybody, but her cheerfulness is always tempered by her delicate reserve - another consequence of so many sisters, I daresay.”

“I worry for Jane,” Charlotte said with a sigh.

Miss Bingley looked mildly surprised. “You can be in no doubt of my brother’s admiration for her - nor of his good character, surely.”

“Certainly not,” Charlotte replied. “I rather fear that he cannot discern her true feelings - whatever they may be.”

Elizabeth gave Miss Bingley an appraising look.

It was rather forward of her and Charlotte to speak so candidly with such a new acquaintance, and yet she had come to suppose, over the last week, that Miss Bingley might look kindly on the growing attachment between Jane and Mr. Bingley.

If she could but discern that the lady truly approved, it would be a step toward calling this new acquaintance a friend.

“My sister may not wish to make her sentiments known to all who would wish to speculate, but surely Mr. Bingley must know that she is far from indifferent.”

“If a woman conceals her feelings and wishes from all the world, she may be spared the sting of having her disappointment known,” Miss Bingley mused with a weary sigh. “And yet if she applies the same skill to the object of her desire, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him.”

There was something wistful and forlorn in Miss Bingley’s tone of voice which made Elizabeth consider that the lady may have some hidden depths. A gaze in Mr. Darcy’s direction was as good as confirmation of Elizabeth’s conjecture.

“Surely fixing him must not be her first object; not until she has become better acquainted with Mr. Bingley,” Elizabeth said. “I can perceive that she wishes to know him better, and I hope this much is not lost on your brother.”

Miss Bingley gave a rueful laugh. “In truth, I daresay it would never occur to Charles to doubt whether a lady returned his regard. In any other case, I am sure I should advise her to show more affection than she feels if she wishes to secure him. Not that I would wish to see my brother caught by such stratagems, of course - and I mean no insult to your sister. But you need not worry for her; he always imagines that everybody feels just what he feels, and thinks just as he does. He will presume her attachment equal to his own at every turn.”

“More affection than she feels!” Elizabeth laughed and shook her head.

“That is not Jane’s way at all. It is a good plan, if one simply wishes to be well married; if Jane and I desired nothing more than wealthy husbands, I daresay we should adopt such a method.

But we have agreed between us to marry for love, and Jane has not yet ascertained the depth of her own regard.

I hope your brother is willing to be patient as she learns his character. ”

“Patience,” Miss Bingley mused. “I cannot say that anybody has ever asked it of him.”

Charlotte frowned. “You speak as if she met him only yesterday, Lizzy. We have all dined together four times since the assembly, and they have spoken a great deal on every occasion.”

Miss Bingley’s countenance turned pensive once more. “Four years may be insufficient for some people to come to know one another as well as they ought to before marriage, and yet a fortnight is more than enough for others.”

“Your brother being amongst the latter, I suppose, and likely proud of it,” Elizabeth said with a laugh. “And I wager his friend would say the same.”

“Mr. Darcy? No, indeed,” Miss Bingley said. She furrowed her brows in confusion before laughing nervously. “You are teasing, I think.”

“Lizzy refers to Mr. Darcy’s reticence at the assembly,” Charlotte said.

“Indeed. He seemed to hastily conclude that he had no wish to become better acquainted with certain persons,” Elizabeth said.

“ Certain ladies were found not handsome enough to dance with, though you were in fine looks, Miss Bingley, and rather than suffering his neglect I fear you were made to bear his approbation.”

Miss Bingley paled, and Elizabeth silently reproached herself for taking her jest too far with such a new acquaintance.

She was about to apologize when Miss Bingley stiffened her posture and said, “Forgive me; I fear I was woolgathering. You spoke of dancing and I began to think of taking your advice to play for everybody.”

“Oh! By all means; shall I turn the pages for you?”

“I have a little repertoire I can play from memory,” Miss Bingley replied with a trace of her previous hauteur.

“Surely there are officers enough that you can tempt one of them to stand up with you - or continue your observation of your sister and my brother.” She gave a tight but earnest smile before moving toward the instrument.

When Miss Bingley withdrew, Charlotte swatted at Elizabeth. “That was terribly impertinent of you, Lizzy. Mr. Darcy is a dear friend of her brother’s - had it not occurred to you that she may cherish some secret tendre for him?”

“That anybody could fancy him had indeed never crossed my mind,” Elizabeth replied with indecorous laughter. “Oh dear, and I was just beginning to like her!”

“I shall prescribe a little penance for you, to regain her good graces - you must follow her performance with one of your own, and afford her a chance to stand up with him again. It is a fine step toward friendship, to further the romantic schemes of a fellow woman.”