Page 7

A few days after the party at Lucas Lodge, Mrs. Bennet brought her daughters into Meryton.

Any trip to the village came with the prospect of new gossip, but this occasion also promised a chance for her girls, clad in their finest day dresses, to meet with the officers and perhaps even the gentlemen from Netherfield.

Better still, they had their monthly pin money to spend; Mr. Bennet had been generous this month, purchasing his wife’s silence when she would explain to him the very great chances of one, or perhaps even two of her daughters being very well settled by Christmas.

Despite the silliness that ensued, Elizabeth was eager to enjoy the outing, and not indifferent to the simmering expectation that gave Jane a special glow.

The two sisters remained close as they strolled down the high street, laughing together as their mother stopped before all the shop windows to exclaim over some pretty ribbon or well-trimmed bonnet that was sure to enthrall Mr. Bingley when it adorned her fairest daughter.

It was not long before the object of their fascination was actually amongst them.

Jane and Elizabeth were the first to make their purchases at the milliner’s, and as they stepped out onto the street, they saw Mr. Bingley and his sister across the thoroughfare.

He saw their reflection in a shop window and spun clumsily around, nearly tripping Miss Bingley as he waved to them.

“We had better go and greet him while Mamma and our younger sisters remain distracted,” Elizabeth said with a sly wink. Jane shook her head with a gentle reproach, but linked her arm through Elizabeth’s as they approached the Bingley siblings.

Mr. Bingley managed to stop grinning at Jane just long enough to bow. “Good morning, Miss Bennet! Miss Elizabeth! Is it not uncommonly fine out today? I resolved that I must be out of doors to enjoy the sunshine, and my sister instantly remembered half a dozen purchases we must make.”

“Such recollections are a daily occurrence at Longbourn,” Elizabeth quipped, allowing her sister a moment to drink in the sight of her beau.

“Of course, one cannot quite call shopping being outdoors, for of course one must go into the shops - though I suppose some vendors do sell their wares in outdoor stalls - but to be in the village….” Mr. Bingley ceased his excited rambling to return Jane’s affectionate gaze.

“To be away from home at all on a fine day feels like an adventure,” Jane replied.

“Yes, exactly! And I have not yet seen the whole village - it is fortunate I have encountered such a lovely guide, is it not?” Mr. Bingley looked between Elizabeth and Miss Bingley for confirmation before again smiling stupidly at Jane.

“Perhaps Miss Bennet knows the best place for you to find some new gloves, Charles.” Miss Bingley gave her brother a look of haughty indulgence. “I simply cannot mend your favorite pair a third time; it is ridiculous.”

Mr. Bingley shrugged his shoulders and laughed. “I cannot account for myself - I am terribly clumsy - but purchasing a new pair is the surest way to guarantee some fresh mishap will immediately befall me.”

“Poor Miss Bingley,” Elizabeth teased. “I cannot sympathize, though Jane may. She does most of the mending at Longbourn, and my garments have endured considerable mischief.”

“I suppose in every home there must be a render, and a mender.” Miss Bingley glanced between her brother and Jane, looking rather proud of her own jest.

“A perfect balance,” Elizabeth agreed.

Jane blushed, finally tearing her eyes away from Mr. Bingley to speak to his sister. “Are you shopping for anything in particular today?”

“It would save time to ask what my sister is not shopping for,” Mr. Bingley said with a chuckle.

Miss Bingley scrunched her face at him in protest, but then shrugged her shoulders at Jane and Elizabeth, as if she could not deny his claim. “Perhaps you might show me a few shops you favor, Miss Elizabeth? I recall you were wearing some very pretty shoe roses when last I saw you.”

Elizabeth was pleasantly surprised by Miss Bingley’s maneuver to leave her brother alone with Jane.

At Lucas Lodge, she had spoken so cryptically about the attachment that Elizabeth had not been entirely confident in Miss Bingley’s approval.

Elizabeth nodded her assent; Jane and Mr. Bingley scarcely noticed their sisters begin to move away.

“The shoes roses were a gift from my aunt and uncle in London, as it happens - but there is a similar pair at Mr. Winthrop’s shop, just around the corner,” Elizabeth said as she began to walk away with Miss Bingley.

“I have had my eye on them for a month, but I give you leave to buy them if you like them.”

“That is a generous boon, especially if you are as fond of fashion as I am,” Miss Bingley replied.

“I cannot say that I am, but with four sisters, I have developed a talent for enthusiastically complimenting the purchases of others - even when they are not at all to my tastes.”

“You are fortunate that you are favored with a pretty face, and can look well in whatever you choose to wear.”

“Thank you,” Elizabeth replied, fighting her skepticism as she searched Miss Bingley’s countenance for any trace of the sneer that she had worn at the assembly.

“Mr. Darcy’s words - while I was admiring your apparel at Lucas Lodge, he was doing the same for your fine eyes .”

Again Elizabeth was certain Miss Bingley must be speaking with some secret, jealous motive.

She gave every appearance, on the night of the assembly, of considering Mr. Darcy her own particular property.

Elizabeth was resolved that her new friend was welcome to him; she cared only for Jane’s romance.

There was no trace of asperity in Miss Bingley’s look, but their arrival at Mr. Winthrop’s shop provided Elizabeth with a welcome opportunity to turn the subject. She busied herself with locating the shoe roses, shiny amber satin woven around delicate pink lace.

“They are lovely,” Miss Bingley said with a look of assessment. “That shade does not suit my coloring, I think. Red hair is so vexing! Louisa is quite horrid when I wear oranges and golds.”

“Pales pinks and greens, perhaps?” Elizabeth was determined to speak of anything that came to mind, for she had no wish for Miss Bingley to resume musing upon Mr. Darcy’s myriad opinions of her looks.

“My aunt in London is of a similar complexion to you - but then she has the advantage of always finding the best fabrics in my uncle’s warehouse. ”

Surely Miss Bingley must know the Bennets had relations in trade; the Bingleys, did as well, but Elizabeth feared their new neighbors were of a mind to distance themselves from such connections.

Mr. Bingley told them he had let Netherfield with a mind to purchase someday, and they certainly had a well-connected friend… who thought very well of himself.

Elizabeth watched Miss Bingley’s reaction with hope and curiosity, and was met with the same. “Jane told me a little about them, though as you say, she thinks well of everybody. What sort of people are they?”

“Nobody could ever disagree with Jane’s estimation of them - they are excellent people,” Elizabeth said warmly.

“Mr. Gardiner is my mother’s younger brother.

He is cheerful and gregarious - rather like your brother in another dozen years.

His wife, my Aunt Madeline, is a sensible and intelligent woman, more of an elder sister than an aunt, for she is not a year older than my friend Miss Lucas. ”

“And your uncle is in the textile business - yet you have no great interest in fashion? How can this be?” Miss Bingley gave her a playful nudge .

“The convenience of it, I suppose,” Elizabeth mused. “I always like whatever my aunt helps me choose - she has excellent taste, as I daresay you would agree.”

“Then I should like to meet her someday,” Miss Bingley mused. “Where in London do the Gardiners reside? Perhaps I could call, when next I am in town.”

Elizabeth refused to betray a modicum of embarrassment as she said, “Gracechurch Street, in Cheapside.”

A flicker of disappointment flashed in Miss Bingley’s face, but she recovered herself well enough. “Is your aunt involved in any charitable enterprises?”

“Several - she is a very sociable creature and has numerous relations in town - including some in Mayfair.”

“A pity she is not here to advise me - I shall require your heartiest encouragement, Miss Elizabeth, as I select a reticule. What do you think - the puce or the nankeen? The beading is rather fine.”

“The pattern on the puce is prettiest, but you ought to find a matching ribbon,” Elizabeth advised with mock solemnity. “I am not entirely useless - but lead me to a book shop, and there I shall really do my best.”

“Oh, there is no enjoyment like reading! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library. Mr. Darcy’s library at Pemberley is the most marvelous - oh, Miss Elizabeth, if you are indeed fond of books, I am sure you would share my raptures.”

“Indeed,” Elizabeth agreed, noticing that Miss Bingley had once again mentioned Mr. Darcy just as the man himself had entered the shop. He was walking toward them; she managed not to groan.

“Mr. Darcy, I would sooner have thought to find you in a book shop, sir. Miss Elizabeth has just been demanding we visit one, but you arrive just as I am resolved to discuss Fanny Burney and Maria Edgeworth.”

“Good morning, Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy said with a bow.

His gaze was so severe that Elizabeth could not credit Miss Bingley’s assertion that he had called her anything akin to pretty. She knew he only looked at her to find fault. “Shall you still think that it is a good morning when we begin discussing novels?”

“Miss Bingley knows that I am no stranger to them. I often read what my sister reads; she enjoys discussing them with me.”