Page 5 of The Bennet Heir
Chapter Four
T wo days later, Darcy took an early morning ride as was his custom when in the country. Despite his hosts keeping to town hours, Darcy had always been an early riser and preferred to start his day at dawn or near to it.
The day before, he had spotted Bennet while out riding and had been encouraged to pay a call at Longbourn any day he wished. “The ladies are often busy during the day, but on most days, the family eats breakfast together around nine. You would be welcome to join us, and it would give you and Lizzy the opportunity to speak,” Bennet said, teasing his new friend and laughing when it caused the normally stoic man to flush slightly.
As Darcy made his way over the fields, he recalled this invitation and chose to take the gentleman up on it. Pointing his horse in that direction, he soon found himself at Longbourn.
Because it was too early for the meal, the housekeeper showed Darcy into Bennet’s study. As he walked in, he took a moment to look around at the shelves of books that surrounded him, noticing some familiar titles. The familiar smell of books recalled to him his own library and study at Pemberley which, while larger than this, was just as meticulously ordered as this one appeared to be.
Bennet’s voice broke into his reflections. “Come, Darcy, and I will pour you a cup of coffee. I suspect you might wish for something stronger if you have come to say what I think you have, but it is far too early for that,” he said with a sly grin on his face.
“Thank you, Bennet, even though I have only asked to call on her at present,” Darcy blurted, then immediately felt his cheeks heat at being read so easily. After each had a cup of coffee in their hand, the two gentlemen settled into comfortable chairs in the study.
“So, you did ask to call on her at the assembly the other night. When did you intend to speak to me?” Bennet asked in a serious tone.
Darcy sighed. “When I paid my first call,” he admitted. “Perhaps I ought to have spoken to you that very night, but there were many people about and little opportunity for private conversation.”
Bennet nodded first at this but then spoke after a moment of thought. “You said, ‘at present,’” he mused, then paused for another moment as he thought about it. “However, I do not believe it will be long before you ask for more.”
Darcy cocked his head at the gentleman and asked, “Why do you think that?”
“I recognise that look. I am told I wore a similar one upon meeting Charlotte again after several years spent away from Meryton. Granted, I knew her before I left the area, when we were both children, but we courted for only a fortnight before I asked her to be my wife. We were married a month later.”
“I am intrigued by your sister, but that is all I am willing to say for now. I had heard of her from both you and Gardiner before I met her and saw her a time or two at your uncle’s establishment. Right now, I would like to call on her and know her better before making any other statements. However, I am concerned that my friend and his sister might make that difficult. Miss Bingley was possessive at the assembly, jealous even, and attempted to imply to Miss Bennet that I was soon to be engaged to her. That is not true, nor would it ever be. I have never been interested in her and have told my friend as much on several occasions. Likewise, I was so angry with her behaviour that night that I refused to dance with her, and my host has accused me of acting in an ungentlemanlike manner by ignoring her. He was less inclined to think poorly of her for her actions towards me that evening.”
Bennet sat up at the implication of these words. “You are worried she might attempt to compromise you, and your friend would support her?”
“There was something in his face when he spoke to me that made me question his intentions. I would refuse to marry Miss Bingley in any circumstances—after all, she would be ruined, not I, were she to attempt a compromise. I could weather the scandal; my sister does not come out for at least two more years. Any rumours would have been long forgotten by that time. As much as I hate to say it, few in society would truly think ill of me if I refused to marry Miss Bingley. She has wealth, yes, and is pretty enough, but her ties to trade, combined with her attitude towards nearly all of society, make her far less influential than she would like to believe.”
“Yes, I assumed as much,” Bennet replied.
“It is my hope that, should I not remain in the area as long as I once thought, I might be able to convince you to send Miss Bennet to London. If not the Gardiners, then perhaps I could convince my aunt to host her for a time,” Darcy said hopefully.
“You have my permission to call on her while you are here. I believe you are an honourable man, and my uncle speaks highly of you. You will not be deterred by her connections? I realise you are friendly with her family in trade, but I am more concerned about my father’s second wife and her youngest daughter. Lydia is spoiled, and while it is not wholly unusual to have children at our local assemblies, Mrs. Bennet seems to consider Lydia far more grown up than she is. She gambols about without thought—I saw her run into Lizzy and almost knock her over at the assembly. I would not put it past either Lydia or Mrs. Bennet to have done so deliberately.”
Darcy frowned. “I am not put off by the connection, but I am concerned that a courtship in Meryton might prove difficult between my hosts and your family.”
“I have never understood why my father married that woman,” Bennet said heatedly. “I am fairly certain a compromise was involved, but he never shared the details. Even Mr. Gardiner does not know the full truth of the matter.”
“A few years after my mother died, my father came close to being forced to marry in what I believe were similar circumstances. Somehow, my uncle managed to extract him from it, and I believe threats were made of sending the lady in question to a remote estate in Scotland for the duration of the marriage should she force the issue. My cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, heard some details from his father a few months afterwards and told me what he could, but I have never been certain how much of what he told me was fiction.”
“I am thankful that I was never placed in that position nor compelled to worry about the risk of compromise,” Bennet admitted. “While Longbourn provides a reasonable income, the ladies of Meryton never attempted anything. Had I remained single longer, that might have been different. In town, most were unaware of my future inheritance, and as the nephew of a tradesman, I was not considered a desirable prospect.”
“I rarely attend events in town without a friend or two by my side. Many in the ton will stop at nothing to secure a husband. I had never thought of my friend in that way, but if he is willing to go along with whatever his sister might have planned…” Darcy trailed off, unwilling to entertain the thought. Bingley had been a friend, or so he had believed, and Darcy was not prepared to lose that bond. However, he would not hesitate to sever it if his friend was contemplating forcing him into an unwanted marriage. Perhaps , Darcy mused, it was time to make clear that he would act as his father had, should the situation arise.
He voiced the thought aloud, earning a laugh from Bennet. “I dare say Lizzy would find that amusing and would likely assist you in making it known. Ahh, I believe I hear my ladies now. Would you care to join us for breakfast?”
Darcy nodded his assent and went to join the family at the meal. While they ate, Darcy listened to the chatter around him, enjoying the familial atmosphere. He and Georgiana had rarely shared a meal together in the last few years, and neither of them was as talkative as these ladies. He supposed some of it simply had to do with there being other females around, for he had noticed that Georgiana was more talkative when around the women of his family.
Suddenly, he was startled from his reflections. “You seem dazed, sir,” Elizabeth said cheekily. “Are we too exuberant for you this morning?”
He chuckled, as she intended. “No, I was merely lost in my reflections. I was thinking about my sister and wondering how she would fit into this group. We have been apart for much of her life since she is so much younger than I. In the past year, I can only think of one or two instances when we met to break our fasts, and, unfortunately, we are both rather reticent. I believe that the difference in our ages contributes to our difficulty in speaking to each other.”
“Ahh,” Elizabeth said, seeming to think of the matter for several moments. “As I think you know, Jon is much older than me, and we were kept apart for much of my childhood. It was difficult for us to speak to each other at first, but over the last few years we have found more in common. At first, we began writing to each other about estate matters and gradually found more we could discuss when we were together. How old is your sister?”
“Nearly sixteen,” Darcy said.
“That is around the age I was when Jon returned home. We found we could easily discuss estate matters, but not much else until we began to find common interests in books and began trading opinions,” Elizabeth said, then laughed lightly. “Jon found me reading a volume of poetry by Cowper and was surprised that it would hold my interest. When he challenged me on my opinions about the work, he found Papa had trained me well.”
Bennet had turned towards the conversation between his guest and his sister at the mention of his name and laughed loudly at this comment. “It is rare that I win a debate with my sister, for she is not only well-spoken but ‘rather opinionated for one so young,’” Bennet said, turning to his sister with a teasing grin. “I believe that is what that curate in Meryton said of you when you challenged him when he claimed that women were naturally less intelligent than men. He did not remain long as curate, for even Mr. Talbot could not tolerate him for longer than a few months.”
The banter between the brother and sister intrigued Darcy. “I am uncertain if I am more or less inclined to argue with you now, Miss Bennet. It would be interesting, I am certain.”
Bennet laughed again. “Do not enter a debate with Lizzy lightly, Darcy, for she always seems to be well-prepared. It is possible that Papa regretted training her in rhetoric even if he would have never admitted to it.”
Elizabeth shook her head at her brother. “You say that only because you could not win a debate with me, brother. Anything Papa taught me was bolstered by Grandmama. I have always believed her to be far more talented in getting her way.”
All three laughed at this, catching the attention of the rest of the table. “Are you teasing your sister, Jon?” Charlotte asked from her seat at the opposite end of the small table.
“I do not tease her nearly as much as she teases me, my dear wife,” Bennet replied, causing the rest of the table to join in their merriment.
For the rest of breakfast, they conversed in a far more general manner with both gentlemen and all the ladies participating. At first Mary and Kitty were reluctant to participate, but, with encouragement from their governess, they each were able to contribute something to the conversation.
When the meal concluded, Bennet rose and invited his guest to his study. As they entered, Darcy looked around once again, taking in things he had not paid attention to before. The large oak desk was positioned near a window overlooking the gardens, now bare as they were prepared for winter; the desk’s surface was neatly arranged with correspondence and ledgers. Well-stocked bookcases lined the walls, while near the hearth, a small table held a chessboard set for play, something he had not noticed on his earlier visit. Beside it, a settee was tucked into a cosy corner, and next to it, a basket held an embroidery hoop. A closer look revealed a needle still threaded, as if its owner had been interrupted mid-stitch and had carelessly set it aside.
Darcy raised an eyebrow as he turned to look at his host. “Do your ladies often join you in your study?”
Bennet shrugged. “At times. The chessboard is in here, and Lizzy and I spend many of our free hours at it. Charlotte does not mind watching us play though she has never desired to learn. However, my younger sisters rarely visit me here, preferring to stay out of this room. I think it reminds them too much of our father.”
“Miss Bennet plays chess?” His eyes were bright with interest.
Laughing, Bennet nodded. “On rare occasions, I even manage to win,” he said with self-deprecating humour. “Perhaps the two of you should play a match. Chess is an excellent way to come to know someone—it encourages conversation and offers insight into one’s opponent.”
“I would be delighted,” Darcy replied.
As if summoned, the ladies soon entered the room. Both gentlemen rose to greet them, and Darcy turned his attention to Miss Bennet with a slight smile. “Your brother has spoken of your skill in chess—might I have the honour of challenging you to a game?”
Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she smiled brightly. “I would be happy to play, sir, but only after you have assured me of two things.” Darcy arched an eyebrow, intrigued, and she continued, her tone light and teasing. “First, you must promise to play against me as you would against anyone else—do not go easy on me simply because I am a woman. In addition,” she added with a playful tilt of her head, “you must demonstrate the ability to lose graciously, should the occasion arise.”
Darcy laughed. “I promise, Miss Bennet, I am capable of both losing and winning graciously, and I will play with the same level of skill I always do. Will you promise not to go easy on me?”
She grinned and moved to the chessboard, picking up a pawn in each hand and hiding them behind her back. In a moment, it was determined that she would play the black pieces and he the white, allowing him to go first.
The match began with the pair exchanging light chatter, but as each became conscious of the skill of the other, they grew quieter to devote more attention to the game. Finally, Darcy laid down his king in a well-fought match that had drawn the attention of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet as well.
“Well played, Darcy,” Bennet said, clapping the gentleman on his shoulder. “I thought you had Lizzy for a minute, but she managed to escape and put you into checkmate. I have rarely seen a match so well played.”
“Or so evenly matched,” Darcy replied. “Congratulations, Miss Bennet.”
She grinned up at him. “I think you have earned the right to address me as many in the neighbourhood do. Please, call me Miss Elizabeth. I have not lived with Jane in many months, but I still always think of her when you address me as Miss Bennet.”
He glanced at the lady’s brother, who nodded his agreement. “Thank you, Miss Elizabeth. I will do so. We will need to play again. I was something of a master at university and have rarely encountered anyone who can truly challenge me since then. However, I admit I have played few matches of late, for many of my friends will no longer accept my challenge.”
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow in that familiar way Darcy had already come to recognise as the precursor to a teasing remark. “Are you implying that I won only because you have not played often of late?”
Darcy’s eyes widened in shock, his expression giving away his surprise. “No, that is not at all what I meant. I was complimenting your skill.”
Elizabeth’s lips curled into a sly smile. “By making a veiled reference to your own expertise?”
Darcy furrowed his brow, momentarily confused by her response. “Forgive me, Miss Bennet, I meant nothing of the sort.” He bowed deeply, realising she was likely play-acting. “In fact, you played very well, and I would be delighted to play you again.”
Her eyes glinted with mischief. “So you might win?”
Darcy paused, a small smirk forming at the edge of his mouth. “Miss Bennet, is that not the intention of any challenge? You must know that increased familiarity with one’s partner only makes the match more stimulating.”
Elizabeth allowed a hint of a smile to play on her lips. “Perhaps,” she admitted, her tone softening slightly.
Bennet stifled a chuckle and attempted to help his new friend. “Lizzy, do you recall our uncle mentioning that Darcy was a chess champion not only at Cambridge but also at his club? You are in exclusive company, my dear, as few have beaten the gentleman in years. As he mentioned, Darcy has played little because no one else will challenge him anymore.”
“Oh,” she replied simply, once again turning towards the gentleman. “I would very much enjoy playing you again, sir. I doubt my brother would mind if we interrupted his work to play. Chess is a quiet game, so it is likely he would forget we are even here.”
“I am more likely to be drawn in to watch. You were well-matched, and I believe you will challenge the other to improve,” Bennet retorted. “Darcy, you are welcome to remain as long as you like, but I need to ride out to visit a tenant today, and the morning is nearly gone.”
Darcy looked at his pocket watch and sighed. “Yes, I should depart. It is likely that my hosts are awake and are wondering where I am. I should not have stayed so long.”
Laughing, Bennet clasped him on the shoulder. “You have spent the morning in my study, and we did spend at least some time talking about estate matters. You do not need to mention the company of the ladies.”
Elizabeth tilted her head as she looked at Darcy. “Is Miss Bingley still hunting you? Did she complain about your failure to dance with her at the assembly?”
He grimaced. “Bingley scolded me yesterday, and Miss Bingley refused to speak to me for most of the day,” he said, chuckling slightly. “One of those troubled me more than the other, but still, I dislike disappointing my hosts. However, I am uncertain I will be able to stay at Netherfield much longer. I agreed to come assist Bingley only because his sister was not supposed to arrive until later and her attention can be…overwhelming.”
Charlotte, who had been sitting quietly sewing during the game, spoke for the first time as the gentleman stood, “You are welcome to spend a few days at Longbourn should you care to. We would not want you forced to leave the country too soon. My parents are hosting a dinner party in a few days, and I hope you will not need to leave before then.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Bennet. I am uncertain whether it will become necessary for me to remove myself from Netherfield, but I do appreciate the offer,” Darcy said, bowing to his hostess.
Charlotte silently encouraged Elizabeth to escort Darcy to the door. She and her husband remained where they could see the pair, but not so close that they could hear them.
“Your brother granted me permission to call on you while I am in the area,” Darcy whispered, taking her hand in his to bring it to his lips for a light kiss. “May I come again tomorrow?”
Elizabeth could hardly find her words, so she simply nodded. Darcy flashed a broad smile before placing his hat atop his head and making his way out the front door.