Page 23 of Why I Kissed You (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

The seating would not be precisely formal, as it would be for a much larger party.

Darcy politely encouraged the ladies to sit to one side of the table and the gentlemen the other, while he and Georgiana sat to each end.

Elizabeth he purposely led to the chair at his right.

Jane sat next to her sister and their aunt took the seat at Georgiana’s left.

Bingley sat across from Jane and Mr. Gardiner sat across from his wife, leaving the seat to Darcy’s left for Fitzwilliam.

He was relieved that he, at least, would have lively conversation, and prayed that Mrs. Gardiner was equal to entertaining his sister while they dined.

He needn’t have worried, for Mrs. Gardiner very quickly proved herself to be an excellent woman—she had his sister talking of fashions almost as soon as the soup was served.

Darcy recalled that she had four children and surmised it must be some natural talent of mothers to get young people to open up, or perhaps it was simply that she was a lady who liked to talk of gowns.

Darcy was content, for a moment, to allow Fitzwilliam to talk with Elizabeth, as he was surprisingly keen to know how Bingley and Jane would get along. Their behaviour was stilted and awkward until about halfway through the soup course, when Bingley said,

“Miss Bennet, I should like very much to apologize to you.”

Jane looked up. “For what, Mr. Bingley?”

Interesting , thought Darcy. That sounded more like a challenge than a simple question.

A glance at Elizabeth showed him she was endeavouring not to be caught listening as well, and he had a sudden suspicion that she had told her sister all she knew about his interference as well as that of Bingley’s sisters.

At least all is in the open now , he mused.

“For not calling upon you,” Bingley replied. “Had I known you were in town, you can be certain I’d have done many times.”

“I thank you for the kind thought, Mr. Bingley,” said Jane. “I wonder that your sisters did not tell you, for they knew I was in town. I wrote to Miss Bingley twice to tell her of my coming, and I called once at Mr. Hurst’s home in Grosvenor Street.”

A muscle ticked in Bingley’s jaw. “I know. At least, I just learned of their deceit only last night. I am so very sorry that my sisters treated you so ill—it does no credit at all to their upbringing and I am ashamed of their conduct. In fact, I am at present not on speaking terms with either of them.”

“I am sorry to hear of it, but perhaps your… display of anger will teach others not to interfere in your private concerns.”

Darcy felt the rebuke to his core though Jane neither spoke to nor even looked at him—she’d clearly guessed as to the cause of his split lip.

Fitzwilliam coughed and Elizabeth pressed her lips together in a tight line.

Darcy sensed she’d rather be cheering her sister’s tempered display of displeasure, and if he were honest with himself, he was rather impressed with how the usually serene Miss Bennet had cut him to the quick with nary a hint in her features that she was put out.

He would have to find some way of making his own apologies to her.

Bingley had chuckled in response to Jane’s remark and glanced sidelong at him, then casually replied that he certainly hoped his sentiments had been made clear.

Darcy offered a subtle incline of his head, and then the conversation between Jane and Bingley turned to what each had been doing with themselves since last they’d met.

Elizabeth leaned closer to Darcy and said in a low voice, “It would seem you’ve been warned, Mr. Darcy.”

He scoffed softly. “Indeed, my dear. I quite understand their message.”

“I am glad it seems Mr. Bingley has forgiven you, though I am not sorry he is not speaking to his sisters. I never truly liked them,” Elizabeth replied.

“There were times I thought I did, when they were so sweet and kind to Jane during her illness at Netherfield, but it was not long before their sense of self-importance and superiority vexed me as much as yours.”

“I shall forever be apologizing for my standoffishness, won’t I?” Darcy asked.

He was rewarded with a smile and a chuckle. “Perhaps not forever. I hardly expect you to change overnight, sir. I only ask that, whenever we are in Meryton that you… make an effort to be more sociable.”

Darcy returned her smile and said, “I shall make the effort as it will please you. And in a gesture that I promise you is meant kindly, I have been considering that I might make an offer to your father to hire a governess for your younger sisters.”

Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “A governess? I… Well, I certainly shouldn’t mind it—I own that I have sometimes lamented we did not have one to help curtail my younger sisters’ behaviour.

Mary is nearly nineteen, however, and not really in need of a governess—though she could certainly benefit from a music master to teach her a better playing technique. ”

Didn’t he—and all of Meryton—know that already, Darcy mused.

“Kitty and Lydia, on the other hand—especially Lydia—could definitely use the guidance of a governess,” Elizabeth went on.

“Of course, knowing Mamma, she will say they do not, but if we can present the idea to my father without her interference, he may be swayed. Much as it pains me to admit it, I think it will especially appeal to him that has no obligation to do the hiring or paying of the lady’s salary. ”

“The question is,” piped up Fitzwilliam, “will Mr. Bennet be offended by the offer?”

Darcy watched Elizabeth’s countenance shift more than once before she looked down at her plate and said, “I think he must be made to understand why it is necessary. Nothing Jane or I have said to him about taking the trouble to check them has done any good.”

She took a deep breath and then looked up again.

“My father is a good man, but he… he has become too indifferent to the truth of his folly. He would rather hide from it than face it, let alone take pains to correct his mistakes. Unfortunately, he either does not or chooses not to see that he is not the only one to be harmed by that choice.”

Darcy gently laid his hand over hers. “I can see that speaking of your father this way distresses you, and I am sorry to give you more pain than I have done already. I hope you understand that I do not make this offer to save myself from mortification, but to ease your anxieties as regards your family.”

“You are kind to say so, Mr. Darcy, but let us not prevaricate,” said Elizabeth.

“It may well be that you desire to see me less embarrassed to have such relations, but you cannot deny that—as they will soon be your own—your offer is also motivated by the hope of personal gain. You are as hopeful of quelling the possibility of embarrassment as I am.”

“You are correct, I cannot deny it,” he replied. Then he chanced a smile and added, “So really, the influence of a governess upon your sisters will be of benefit to both of us.”

His words teased a smile out of her, which was his goal, and so Darcy smiled wider. “In fact,” said he, “my sister’s present companion is an ideal candidate. Once you and I are married there will be little need to employ a companion, as you can supply my sister with the company she requires.”

Elizabeth glanced down the table at Georgiana, then back to him.

“I should be delighted to spend as much time with Miss Darcy as I am able, but do not forget, Mr. Darcy, that I will be spending much of my time in the first months of our marriage learning to manage your household and making myself known to your tenants. I must involve myself in the community and may in truth have little time to spend idling on a sofa while Miss Darcy practices on the pianoforte.”

Fitzwilliam laughed. When they both shot him stern glances, he held his hands up in surrender.

“Forgive me, but I simply cannot imagine you, Miss Elizabeth, ever simply idling on a sofa. You have always struck me as the type of young lady who must always be doing something. Even if it is only the needlepoint young ladies are expected to master, you are still doing some useful activity—though I know your preference will always be a long country walk.”

Servants came in then to clear the soup bowls, followed almost immediately by the first course.

When their plates were full, Elizabeth favored Fitzwilliam with a smile.

“You have me figured out, Colonel,” said she.

“I do sometimes enjoy the privilege of doing nothing if I should wish it, but yes, I much prefer to be active.”

“I believe it is a mark of intelligence to always be in need of some employment,” said Darcy. “An active mind means the body must also be active. If you truly believe it would be best to retain Mrs. Annesley for Georgiana’s sake, then I will seek another equally qualified lady for your sisters.”

“Thank you, Mr. Darcy,” said Elizabeth. She smiled at him, leading his heart to swell with emotion. “I appreciate your willingness to be of assistance to my family rather than simply whisking me away to Pemberley and ignoring them. ”

“As you said, my dear, they will soon be my relations also,” Darcy replied with his own smile. “Ignoring them would hardly be a gentlemanly thing to do.”

Elizabeth’s cheeks colored a little, but her smile remained.

Soon after, the topic of their upcoming marriage was introduced, by either Jane or Mrs. Gardiner, and the whole company joined in the discussion.

Elizabeth was teased about having been “forced” to shop for wedding clothes, and Mr. Gardiner openly offered to have a new carriage built for them at a discount—he would even put their order ahead of those already waiting.

“Oh, Uncle, you mustn’t do that!” cried Elizabeth. “I am sure Mr. Darcy has no need of a new carriage—he must have half a dozen already, not to mention all your clients would be quite put out to be made to wait even longer for their orders to be fulfilled.”

“I do not own half a dozen carriages!” Darcy protested. “We have only four.”

The whole table laughed at his confession. “Sir, my father has only one, as do Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner,” said Elizabeth. “What need could you possibly have for four?”

Darcy feigned being affronted by the question.

“Two are small chaises which seat only two—I keep one here in town and one at Pemberley, and Georgiana and her companion get much use of them. One is an enclosed coach for traveling long distances, which you enjoyed the comforts of on our journey from Kent, and the other is a landau I keep at Pemberley for the enjoyment of good weather in taking tours about the park.”

“I confess that sounds rather splendid, as my dear aunt here has extolled the many virtues of the grounds at Pemberley,” said Elizabeth.

“You have seen Pemberley, ma’am?” Darcy asked Mrs. Gardiner.

Elizabeth’s aunt smiled. “Indeed, I have sir—at least from a distance. I grew up in Lambton, where I must say that your father was very kindly thought of.”

Darcy turned his eyes to Georgiana, whose own eyes had grown misty.

“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Gardiner,” said she.

“I so rarely hear anyone talk of my parents. It’s as if they think I am too fragile to hear of them, but I am not!

Really, I very much like to hear them talked of, especially that people thought kindly of them. ”

Conversation through the rest of the meal was pleasant, with some levity and some seriousness.

Elizabeth continued to protest the purchase of a new carriage until Darcy proposed selling the landau he already owned.

“In truth, it could do with replacing, as it is some five or more years old.” Mr. Gardiner then proposed a compromise—he would refit the landau with all new upholstery, springs, axles, and wheels, and a fresh coat of paint in whatever color Elizabeth liked best—rather than build an entire new carriage.

“Will that do, Lizzy?” said her uncle with a chuckle.

“All right, I give up!” replied Elizabeth with a laugh. “I accept your compromise, Uncle Gardiner, if Mr. Darcy will.”

Darcy nodded. “I shall.”

After dinner, when the ladies had moved to the drawing room, Darcy discussed with Mr. Gardiner Fitzwilliam’s suggestion of offering to provide dowries to the three younger Bennet daughters.

“It won’t be much, perhaps five thousand a piece, but I should like to be of some service to my future sisters in bettering their prospects, so long as they prove themselves worth assisting,” he said.

“I have already spoken to Elizabeth about the possibility of hiring a governess to assist in curbing Catherine and Lydia’s tendency toward wild and inappropriate behaviour. ”

Mr. Gardiner regarded him solemnly, and for a moment Darcy wondered if he had offended the man in speaking so plainly about his nieces. But then he sighed and nodded his head, agreeing that perhaps a governess might be able to do what the girls’ parents would not.

When they rejoined the ladies about a quarter of an hour later, Bingley immediately sought out Jane, who proposed they all play cards.

Elizabeth declined as did Georgiana, the latter offering to play her instrument if they should like to hear her.

Darcy was proud of her, for she did not like to play for others and often had to be coaxed into it.

So it was that Bingley and Jane teamed up against Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner at quadrille, while Fitzwilliam turned the pages for Georgiana at the pianoforte.

Darcy approached Elizabeth, who sat on the end of a sofa. “I seem to recall a night of similar circumstances at Netherfield, when your sister was ill there. You refused to play cards then as well, saying you would rather amuse yourself with a book.”

“And I should be glad to do so again, only you haven’t any in this room,” Elizabeth quipped in return.

“Then allow me to show you to the library, where you may choose from many,” Darcy said, holding out his hand.

Elizabeth colored slightly but placed hers into it and stood.

As they passed the table that had been set up for the others to play at cards, she informed her aunt and uncle they were headed to the library for a couple of books.

The Gardiners glanced at one another, then Mr. Gardiner said, “You always did enjoy reading to cards, Lizzy. But do not be too long.”

The last he said with a pointed look at Darcy, who had to fight the urge to smile at his presumption.

Yes, he wished for a moment alone with Elizabeth, but nothing inappropriate had even entered his mind.

Of course, now that he thought of it, if the opportunity to kiss her again presented itself, he was not going to let it go by.