Page 9

4th December 1812, Wednesday

The conversation that he had had with Miss Bingley seemed to have at least, for the moment, diverted her from packing all their belongings and closing up Netherfield on the heel of his and Bingley’s departure.

Still, for caution’s sake, because nobody could ever tell what Caroline might or might not do if left unsupervised, Darcy, in an overly easy-going manner, suggested his friend if they should not visit Longbourn on their way to Town and take their leave,

“After all, it is not as if it will be completely out of our way.” was his reasoning.

Bingely looked at him strangely, and wondered when it was that Darcy had decided to be courteous to his Hertfordshire neighbours.

“You want to visit the Bennets?” He asked his friend, wondering if, in the past hour or so he had gone and lost his mind, or if Darcy had, “I thought you hated the Bennets.”

When his ever haughty and stoic friend pinked in embarrassment, Bingley became even more certain that the sun that day had risen from the west.

“Certainly- the Bennets are not the most… refined people.” Darcy replied haltingly, “But, I would hardly equate their need for… decorum with hatred . ”

That definitely was news to Bingley.

Still eyeing his friend in that disconcerted manner, he agreed to a trip to Longbourn, considering he himself would not be opposed to seeing his angel one last time.

The Bennet ladies of course, were as eager as ever to host such fine gentlemen, though Mrs Bennet did lament the amiable Mr Bingley’s temporary departure very loudly.

Darcy tried to ignore the scene to the best of his abilities, superstitiously glancing around the parlour and further into the darkened hallway for the second eldest Bennet sister, only to feel unspeakably disappointed when she remained very much absent.

Which was ludicrous, he had seen her only just this morning.

“Lizzy’s gone over to our uncle Phillips' firm.” The third eldest, Mary Bennet, said to him quietly, and looked at him much too knowingly for his comfort, “She always helps Mr Phillips with papa’s accounts at the end of each month.”

Darcy coloured again, having been caught so blatantly looking for a particular maiden, and by her sister no less. Still, that Elizabeth helped her father with his business intrigued him and while most men would have cringed at her blue-stocking tendencies, her well educated mind tempted him almost as much as her physical allure,

“I see.” He said quietly, and the two reserved members of their respective otherwise jovial parties spent the rest of the visit in fairly comfortable silence.

The eldest Miss Bennet, Darcy noticed, did not mention a dance to his friend the way Elizabeth had to him, and though Mrs Bennet did, the very conspicuous hint seemed to fly right over Bingley’s thick head, who only wished them a jolly good time at the Gouldings before suggesting that he and Darcy take their leave. In a rather comical, if not perturbing response to their leave taking, it was Mrs Bennet who seemed so very terribly disappointed at Bingley’s imminent absence and his non-committal answer to her surprisingly subtle inquiry. Miss Bennet, as was her wont, looked as serene and demure as a statue, giving Darcy no hint as to what she might be thinking or feeling, indeed, if she even was a creature who thought or felt .

The ride to Town was uneventful, and so was the sally to Darcy house. Without the Hursts in residence, Bingley had been invited to stay with his friend at his establishment in Mayfair. Already Darcy was impatient for Bingley to finish his business so that they could return to Hertfordshire and to Elizabeth. Now that he had made up his mind to woo her, he was impatient- to spend time in her company, to speak to her, to get her to agree to marry him- he was impatient for a lot of things regarding Elizabeth and therefore had little patience, if any indeed, for anything else.

And thus, when just before dinner, his butler announced the arrival of not only his uncle and aunt, the Earl and Lady Matlock, but also Lady Matlock’s close friend Lady Irene and her young, single, very marriageable daughter Miss Petunia, it was all Darcy could do to not openly scowl at them. No doubt, one of the members of his staff had told one of Matlock house’s servants of his arrival, who had then snitched to his mistress, who had deemed it necessary to parade a fresh batch of recently out young ladies in front of her ever elusive nephew.

Darcy welcomed them to dinner with every civility, his only sign of distaste being a single look of reproach that he shot his uncle for not only having come to his house uninvited, but with his own guests to boot. The Earl replied to him with a look that was equally chagrined, for when it came to marrying off her sons and nephews, Lady Matlock was indomitable. Introductions were made between Bingley and the ladies, the men having been acquainted at the gentlemen’s club a couple of seasons ago when Bingley first got his membership.

Lady Irene was a bony woman in her middle ages with sharp features and a shrewd gaze. She looked around the parlour room of the Darcy house, and the dining room during dinner, as if she were calculating the cost of every little bit of finery. Her daughter Petunia, however, unlike her mother, had a sweet countenance and was said to have made quite an impression during her first season. All blonde hair and blue eyed, with soft cherub cheeks and a pale complexion, she was the epitome of the ton beauty, though, after conversing with her for five minutes, Darcy had also determined that just like the other ladies of the ton, Lady Petunia was empty headed, insipid and smiled too much for his taste.

Charles, however, seemed much too taken with her, and Darcy, after seeing their interactions in the parlour, did himself a favour by arranging his guests’ seats in the dining room so that the young lady would be occupied by Bingley and his odes to her beauty, while seating the Earl next to him, seeing that he was going to be the only other member in their party who would be able to converse with him on matters of substance.

Lady Matlock’s glare was venomous, but Darcy ignored it with his usual stoicism. Instead, he asked his aunt about his cousins, having not heard from the Colonel for quite a few months and from the Viscount only a little less sparingly. He watched her face darken slightly with worry even as she told him her second son should be returning back home to Matlock house from his duties by February next year but she too hadn’t heard from him in a disconcertingly long time. She was of a mind to have him marry and settle when he returned before he could even think about going back to the military.

Lady Matlock might be a typical lady of the beaumonde, but when it came to her sons, and by extension the Darcy siblings, she was unfashionably affectionate. It was one of the main reasons why Darcy tolerated her meddling without a word of complaint. After the death of his mother, Lady Matlock was the closest person he had to a maternal figure, and so, he supposed, at least to some extent, she had a say in who he would choose as a bride and future mistress of Pemberley.

Darcy frowned as he looked down at his bowl of soup, examining the floating chopped carrots with undue concentration as he tried to envision how a meeting between his relations and Bennets might go . It was true- Lady Matlock, as his closest female relation after his sister, did have a voice in who he married. And while he had already made up his mind to pursue and then wed Miss Elizabeth, he knew he should at least apprise her of his choice .

It would have the added advantage to not having to be ambushed in this fashion again.

“Aunt Elenor,” He called softly, trying his best to not get the rest of the table's attention. His aunt, sitting to his left, raised a brow in question, but dutifully leaned a little towards him to hear him better, “I wonder if I might talk to you after dinner,” He cast a glance towards his uncle, “in private.”

Lady Matlock looked at her husband as he conversed with Lady Irene, then back to her nephew, “It would be rude to neglect your guests thusly, Darcy.”

Darcy’s mouth twitched up in a smile for a moment before falling back, “I don’t think anyone would care. Bingley is a much better host than I.” he said, motioning to where his friend was charming the young Lady Petunia to the best of his abilities.

The lady herself looked quite confused but not displeased, considering she had been ordered by her mother at the start of the evening to do her best to flatter their host, and not be flattered by the host’s very jovial guest.

When Lady Matlock still looked a little reluctant, he beseeched her with an open look that was all together quite rare from him, “It is a matter of some importance.”

Lady Matlock nodded and when after dinner, Lady Petunia took to entertaining the party with her superior skills on the pianoforte, quietly, Darcy directed his aunt to his study three doors down the hall,

“Tell me, Darcy,” His aunt started once the door had closed behind them, “What was so urgent? I am all curiosity.”

Darcy took a breath.

“I have decided to marry. ”

Lady Matlock blinked, then huffed, “ I have been parading young ladies in front of you for the past five seasons, Darcy. It is nice of you to decide to cooperate.”

“No.” Darcy shook his head, “ I mean, I have found a wife.”

His aunt narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest, “It is not that Miss Bingley, is it? I have heard of how she fawns over you and your ego does not need any more stroking.”

It was Darcy who crossed his arms this time, frowning defensively, “No, it is not Miss Bingley.”

“It better not be Lady Clarisse either. I know she has been a favourite of the gentlemen this season, but that woman will suck your blood, nephew!”

“It is not her either.” he replied, rolling his eyes, “This woman is not part of the ton .”

“Then she’s not of our sphere.” Lady Matlock replied simply, “and therefore, unsuitable to be your bride.”

“She’s a gentlewoman!” Darcy protested, “Her father is a country gentleman. So am I. In that, we are well matched.”

“Nephew, you are much more than a country gentleman!” Lady Matlock argued, “You are one of the richest men in England. You hold considerable influence over the members of the House of Commons. You are one of the most exclusive members of the haute ton , no matter how much you despise that particular distinction. A mere country man’s daughter, who I am assuming you found in some small corner of a county unheard of before, shall not be good enough! ”

Darcy glared, gritting his teeth, “She will be an excellent mistress to Pemberley and an excellent sister to Georgiana. She is not intimidated by me , so you can rest assured the rest of the London society will not frighten her either. Apart from all those reasons, however, I love her. My mind is quite made up.”

It should be known at this junction, that the obstinate pride Mr Darcy has on numerous occasions been accused of suffering from, he inherited from his father’s side of the family.

It should also be noted that, not only is Lady Matlock Darcy’s aunt from his mother’s side of the family, she is also his father’s first cousin.

And so, there is much familial similarity not only between the two person’s current countenance, but also in their temperament.

“Oh, very well then.” Lady Matlock said in a tone that indicated that indeed, nothing was well at all, “I see your mind in this matter is quite settled. I suppose then, you only wanted to talk to me about this as some sort of a formality. Am I to offer you my felicitations?”

Darcy opened his mouth, then floundered for a moment, “Nothing is quite yet settled. I have yet to ask for the young lady’s hand.”

His aunt raised a brow, “Were you waiting for me to approve? Because Darcy, until I meet the lady for myself and judge her character without your bias, I must tell you, I will not.”

“No, I-” He stopped, considered his words for a moment, “I am currently in the process of wooing her.”

“Since when do you need to woo anyone? I could bring a bevy of ladies at your doorstep by tomorrow morning who will be more than willing to marry you at the drop of a hat!”

“Like I have said, Miss Bennet is unlike the women in our circles. She is not impressed by my wealth or my status. Indeed, when she first met me, she found me much too proud and disagreeable to want to have anything to do with me. ”

If Aunt Matlock was surprised by this statement she did not show it.

Instead, she gave him an incredulous look,

“So, you are telling me that you do not have an understanding with her? Of any kind?”

Darcy averted his eyes, “Not yet.”

“And yet you will not consider anyone else?”

“I have suffered through seven years of London’s marriage mart in hopes of finding a suitable woman for me and Pemberely. I found her in Hertfordshire at a time when marriage was the last thing on my mind. Indeed, she would have to find me the most repulsive man on earth for me to even consider someone else.”

“You know, nephew, the higher you place this woman on a pedestal with your praises, the farther she will fall from it when I find her lacking. Tell me, am I to meet this woman or am I to just content myself with hearing your lovelorn declamations of her many virtues.”

He ignored her sarcasm, though he could not quite hide the slight petulance in his tone when he answered, “I swear, the moment she has agreed to marry me, you will be one of the first ones to know. You may make your acquaintances then.”

“And if I were to find her unsuitable then?”

“Then you may conduct yourself with every civility until she has charmed you into falling in love with her, for I fear that progression is only an inevitability.”

Lady Matlock’s lips twitched up in a smile only for a moment before she once again controlled her expression.

It was enough for Darcy to crow inwardly at his success ,

“Come, nephew. We have been away from your guests for too long.”

“I think you mean your guests, aunt.” He corrected juvenilely, but followed her anyway.

The conversation might not have gone as smoothly as he would have wished, but it was over.

And knowing Elizabeth’s charms and their effect on mere mortals better than anyone, he was confident that the situation, from this point forward, could only grow better .