Chapter 5
Darcy remained, stunned, in the middle of the Pemberley’s library as he watched an enraged Charles Bingley burst out of the room and slam the door behind him.
Yes, he had anticipated his younger friend would be angry; however, the meeting proceeded differently than Darcy had expected.
In the first minutes, Bingley had borne his confession with calmness; in fact, he seemed not to accept that Darcy had been wrong in his estimation of Miss Bennet’s feelings and could not understand why Darcy was apologizing for his interference at all. He kept asking how Darcy was so certain Miss Jane Bennet returned his feelings. Not even when Darcy mentioned that the knowledge he possessed was due to Miss Elizabeth’s confirmation did Bingley’s distrust dissipate completely; only his countenance changed.
However, when Darcy told him that Miss Bennet had been in London for three months and even called at his home, Bingley turned completely white, all the blood drained from his face, and Darcy was afraid he would fall over as he seemed not to breathe for several minutes. When Darcy offered him a glass of wine, Bingley turned completely red and he unleashed his fury as Darcy had never seen it before. In utter rage, he demanded to be told how Darcy became aware of Jane Bennet’s visit and — though Darcy had tried not to direct his wild anger toward Bingley’s sisters — it took Bingley only a few moments to realize how things must have been; his violent words spewed out at his elder friend as well as his sisters.
“I cannot bear to breathe the same air as you any longer,” he said at the end of his outburst, opening the door and throwing a last disgusted look over his shoulder at Darcy. “I shall remove myself from this house as soon as my belongings are ready. As for my sisters, you may keep them for a while, as it appears you share an intimate similarity of mind.”
For the first time in his life, the master of Pemberley felt completely paralyzed, neither his mind nor his body were able to react.
*** Lady Cassandra had loved the grounds of Pemberley all her life and, since returning there a week ago, she spent at least a couple of hours each day riding and enjoying the beauties around her. Usually she rode in the company of either Darcy or Georgiana or both, accompanied by Charles Bingley who was also an excellent rider. Their riding hours were either early before breakfast or later in the afternoon, before dinner, when Caroline Bingley and Louisa Hurst were not inclined to go out. Mr. Hurst was almost never inclined to go out, so he was of no concern to her.
That morning, however, she was alone since Georgiana felt tired and Darcy mentioned that he and Bingley were off to have a private talk in the library.
“Ohhhh, the talk... Very well then, good luck,” she wished him, certain that he would truly need it.
With the gentle breeze of a July day playing in her hair Lady Cassandra, at a gallop, would allow no dark thoughts to mar her enjoyment. She needed all of her calm and relaxation in order to bear Darcy’s guests for another day. Caroline Bingley, in particular, had tested her patience. ‘Not that I have much patience anyway,’ she smiled to herself.
Her attention was drawn toward a rider galloping over the fields so wildly that even she — who loved to allow her mount to run as quickly as possible — frowned and turned her head after him. With utter surprise she thought she could recognize Charles Bingley, but she could not be certain so she turned her horse to follow. When, after more than ten minutes, she decided to stop her animal to protect him from excessive exertion, she saw Bingley sitting upon the grass, his horse bound to a tree.
“Mr. Bingley, what on earth is the matter?” she asked while dismounting and walking closer to him.
“Lady Cassandra!” He looked shocked to see her and, after a moment, turned his back to her in an attempt to hide his face; however, it was sufficient for her to notice his red eyes.
‘Has he cried?’ she wondered as she moved closer and put her hand on his arm. “Mr. Bingley, I can see you are very upset, sir. I presume it was your talk with Darcy which brought you to such a state.”
He turned to her, his eyes and mouth opened in shock. “How can your ladyship possibly know what Darcy and I talked about? Does everybody in the country know except me?” he shouted.
Lady Cassandra fixed him with her stare, her brow arching questioningly. “Sir, I can understand your anger, but are you certain that yelling at me will heal your own hurt feelings?”
The gentleman’s sense of propriety won over his anger and he averted his eyes in embarrassment. “I beg your forgiveness; I completely forgot myself. I would rather leave before my rudeness appalls you even more.”
“No need to apologize, sir, and please have no worry about my being appalled. I am not quite so sensitive. I want to ask you to indulge me and stay a few more minutes. Both your horse and mine need rest and we could have a little conversation.”
His first reaction was to continue walking toward his mount; but, after a short look at the animal, he turned to his companion. “How is it possible that your ladyship knows? About my conversation with Darcy, I mean...”
She smiled; normally she would not permit anyone to question her so directly; but, for the moment, she was only too pleased that he asked. “Darcy mentioned it to me this morning.”
“As simple as that? Mentioned what? That he would have a nice chat before breakfast with silly Charles Bingley? To offer him some more advice full of wisdom? Such a pity I did not take it as easily as I used to! Perhaps I should apologize for ruining his breakfast after all? However, he might be pleased, as I intend to leave Pemberley this very moment and never cross paths with him again.” He was pacing, his anger palpable and his fists striking against each other.
“Mr. Bingley, I cannot believe Darcy treated you with such carelessness and lack of consideration. Did he offend you in any way? Was he rude or inconsiderate?”
“Oh, no, he was everything polite and proper — as he always is. He apologized, in fact.”
“I see…”
“He apologized for ruining my happiness, your ladyship! But, as he did it with such consideration and politeness, I should be grateful to him!” Bingley’s agitation continued to grow and his color turned from pale white to crimson.
Lady Cassandra watched a few minutes in silence, allowing him time to express his rage. He was still turned with his back to her when she suddenly exclaimed, “Mr. Bingley, what on earth has happened to your hair? It is all red on your nape and I have to say it is very unbecoming to you.”
He startled at her in complete apprehension. “I beg your pardon? I cannot understand your ladyship’s meaning...my hair is certainly not red!”
“Are you sure, sir? Because it certainly looks red to me.”
“I am positive! I did look in the mirror this morning. Since then I have had no time to alter the color of my hair. I think your ladyship is trying to mock me in order to distract me.”
“So you have no doubts that your hair cannot be red, Mr. Bingley. What if Darcy had told you the same thing? Would you have tried to contradict him with the same arguments and determination as you did with me, or would you have simply accepted his word without questioning it?”
His face instantly turned white again and his eyes remained locked with her inquiring ones; her eyebrow rose in expectation while he tried with great effort to pull his thoughts together. “That is hardly the same thing, your ladyship.”
“I agree, Mr. Bingley; it is hardly the same thing. Yet I dare say my question has a very valid point.”
“Yes, it has,” he admitted after a few long moments of silence. “I have been such a fool indeed... I never for one moment questioned Darcy’s word. I...I did not trust my sisters’ opinion in the matter, but when Darcy told me he did not think Miss Bennet returned my affection...that she would only accept my attentions to satisfy her mother’s wishes... How could I have doubted him? I have always trusted Darcy and he has never disappointed me. I know he always considered my well-being and my best interests. To discover that he deceived me on purpose, that he lied to me...!” He stopped and moved a few steps away as his anger seemed to overwhelm him once more.
“Mr. Bingley, you do have reasons to be angry with Darcy, though I think he was honest in his estimation of Miss Bennet’s true feelings at the time. He truly believed her to be indifferent to you and now it appears he was wrong. But you cannot lay the entire fault upon him! He was not always close to you and Miss Bennet; he did not witness your private conversations and certainly did not catch all those little signs which usually help a gentleman recognize a lady’s preference! If you had contradicted Darcy and told him you had certain proofs of the lady’s affection, perhaps Darcy would have recognized his error.”
Bingley was following Lady Cassandra’s speech and his countenance more and more changed as the revelation struck him. “But I was not certain of Miss Bennet’s affection either, Lady Cassandra! I admired her so much and thought her so perfect — I knew she could aspire to make a much better match than myself. I was not certain at all...” he whispered, his voice completely altered.
“I see...” Lady Cassandra watched him with the greatest interest as he became less agitated and more depressed. “Mr. Bingley, if you want to leave Pemberley and put an end to your friendship with Darcy, of course we will all respect your decision. However, if you allow me to be so bold, I would advise you to consider whether this is the best solution to the situation. I know his interference gave you much grief and great suffering...”
“Lady Cassandra, do you not understand?” he burst out so abruptly and so loudly that she startled. “This is not about me! It is about Miss Bennet! I do not blame Darcy for being wrong in his presumptions while he was in Hertfordshire. But when Miss Bennet came to London to call at my house... If it is true that he was wrong...if Miss Bennet did return my feelings...how she must have suffered when I left without a word! And how hurt she must have felt when she received no sign from me after her visit! I cannot blame Darcy for my pain during all these months — how could I? But I do blame him for all the grief Miss Bennet had to endure and I do not think I will ever forgive him for that!”
His voiced was trembling and Lady Cassandra was certain he was close to crying — and she smiled. Better hope for a favorable resolution there had never been!
“Mr. Bingley — you are a worthy young man! And your affection for Miss Bennet is impressive; I will make sure to point that out to her the first time I meet her.”
He looked at her, his eyes opened in shock at that statement. “Lady Cassandra, when will you meet Miss Bennet?”
An open smile lightened her face. “I am not certain yet, Mr. Bingley! It depends on your plans. What do you intend to do in the future, sir? Or let me ask you this: what is it precisely that you want to accomplish in the future?”
“I do not understand... I am not certain at this point... I do not think there is much I can do regarding this matter... I am certain that all feeling Miss Bennet might have had for me is gone by now. Surely she must despise me; I doubt she could look at me without disdain.” Charles Bingley looked so confused and grieved at the same time that Lady Cassandra could not help smiling in sympathy.
“Mr. Bingley, you should refrain from drawing such absolute conclusions about Miss Bennet’s feelings. You did misjudge them completely when you were near her; surely you cannot presume you are correct when you are so far away!”
Her argument was sound; and, though he could detect the half mockery in it, he also detected that her ladyship was actually scolding him. Yet he did not feel offended; in fact, he felt better than he had in a long time; for the first time, somebody — and not just anybody, but the formidable Lady Cassandra whom he did not dare to even address directly until that day — was talking to him about Miss Bennet. Really talking, not just telling him what to do or trying to influence him to change his opinion, but asking for his opinion, encouraging him to make the right decision, even teasing him for his foolishness. His gratitude to her ladyship at that moment was greater then he had ever felt for anybody.
“Your ladyship is correct, I should not even attempt to presume anything about Miss Bennet; I am the worst judge of ladies’ feelings.”
“Well, not the worst but one of the worse,” she laughed. “So, did you consider returning to Netherfield?”
“Yes I did. But if Miss Bennet has finally put aside any feelings for me and does not want to have anything to do with me, my return would only upset and pain her. I cannot be so inconsiderate.”
“Very well, sir. Being considerate of Miss Bennet’s feelings in making your decision is wonderful proof of your character; you are one of the best men I have ever known, sir, though you still have many things to learn.” He blushed — as he had not done since he was a little boy — at that praise coming from such a lady, and she laughed openly, then continued. “Mr. Bingley, I agree that your return might have unpleasant consequences if Miss Bennet’s feelings suffered such a drastic change in the last months; however, if the lady still holds some regard for you, she might still entertain hope, and there is still time for you to assure her happiness — and yours; would you not agree? Of course, there is always the risk of being wrong and the lady refusing your courtship. You might be even more hurt than you already are.”
Bingley’s countenance instantly lightened in utter happiness. “Yes, yes, of course I agree. Oh, please believe me, your ladyship, I am not in the slightest worried about being hurt. Miss Bennet truly deserves any risk and any effort. Then I should return to Netherfield, you think?”
‘Oh dear…these men…never able to find the answers alone…’ she thought, rolling her eyes, very amused. “Mr. Bingley, is Netherfield prepared to receive you immediately?”
“No, it is not, but I do not really care; I can accommodate myself quite easily. If only Miss Bennet would not be displeased to see me again.”
“Well — there is a way to discover that for certain, you know? As you were informed, Miss Elizabeth Bennet and her relatives are expected to arrive in the neighborhood in a week’s time. You might suggest to Miss Elizabeth that you intend to return to Netherfield and see what she thinks of the matter. Miss Elizabeth is a very opinionated young lady and very fond of her sister; I am sure she would have no restraint in letting you know if that decision might hurt her sister.”
“Oh, such a wonderful idea! Miss Elizabeth and I had already been good friends… I could talk to her…and ask her…ohhh, not directly, have no fear…but she will let me know her opinion, I am sure of that…” He started pacing again, this time in complete relief and joy; then, he suddenly frowned. “But…I cannot remain at Pemberley another week… Darcy would not allow me to… I…I offended him very badly and I said I would leave the house this very morning.”
Lady Cassandra moved closer and patted his arm familiarly, as she would with a small boy. “Oh, I am sure Darcy would welcome your staying, Mr. Bingley, as I am sure Darcy values your friendship more than you think. Perhaps another talk with him would do for you both — a real, honest talk, with no anger or guilt from either of you. You may still be upset with him for a time, and you may not forgive him for his deception. But I dare say that, as you deserve another chance to win Miss Bennet’s heart, your friendship with Darcy deserves another chance as well. Go and clarify, settle things between you, as two proper gentlemen should do. Will you do that for me, Mr. Bingley?”
“I will do that for me, Lady Cassandra. However, I cannot express my gratitude for all the help your ladyship has offered me today. I will be grateful to you my entire life and I would do anything for you.”
‘Can you take your sisters away?’ was the first thing which crossed her mind and she started to laugh. “There is no need for that, Mr. Bingley. I have done nothing really. However, we should return now, as the others must likely have already finished their breakfast. Not to mention that we have been alone for a long time; and, if somebody saw us, I would be forever compromised, and you would be forced to marry me, so your chance to win Miss Bennet would disappear forever.”
She mounted in an instant and the horse started galloping across the field as she laughed with all her heart at the image of the livid, shocked Bingley, terrified by the sudden revelation that he might be bound to her forever.
~/~/~/~ “Stevens, not this, the green one, please!” demanded Darcy while his servant hurried to bring him the required coat.
With childlike emotions that would feel ridiculous in any other situation, Darcy took a look in the mirror to check his appearance then walked down the main stairs of Pemberley, nervous but light-hearted and full of happy anticipation: finally she was there!
The innkeeper informed Darcy — as he specifically him to asked a week ago — that the Gardiners and their niece had arrived in Lambton. He was entertaining some hopes that they could be persuaded to actually stay at Pemberley; when he had discussed the subject with Mr. Gardiner in London, the gentleman regretfully refused his invitation, explaining that Mrs. Gardiner was desirous to meet her old friends and family, to visit them, and to receive their visits, so the Inn at Lambton seemed a more proper location.
Darcy had not insisted as he could well understand their wishes for complete independence which would certainly not be possible if they were guests at Pemberley. Still, he continued in the hope of having her — Elizabeth — as much as possible in his home. He dreamed of showing her Pemberley and its surroundings, of walking together through the grounds…no, not alone, he did not even dare to consider that, but perhaps with Georgiana…
The past week had been as deeply gratifying for Darcy as it was highly annoying. After their disastrous talk, Bingley had returned an hour and half later and asked for another meeting. More than two hours passed in sound, animated conversation. Bingley apologized for his offensive words, and Darcy warmly accepted them and offered his own apologies. It was then settled that Bingley would not leave Pemberley for the moment, but the younger gentleman asked many questions and demanded many clarifications. It was not difficult for Darcy to notice that his friend seemed more self-confident and determined than ever before, especially when he informed Darcy that he intended to re-open Netherfield as soon as possible. Darcy was certain that Bingley had expected opposition to the news, however opposition was very far from Darcy’s mind — in fact, he could barely hide his satisfaction. Moreover, considering some signals he had received from Elizabeth, he had no doubts that Bingley’s return would be very welcomed by the Bennet family.
Since that day, things changed — in fact improved — between Darcy and Bingley; besides the qualities Darcy had always admired in his friend’s character, even more good sides of the younger gentleman slowly revealed themselves to Darcy. He was not certain whether Bingley had changed or if he — Darcy — had finally become perceptive enough to fully appreciate his friend.
However, together with Bingley’s change, other things happened, not all of them equally pleasing to Darcy. On one hand, Lady Cassandra became unexpectedly friendly with Bingley, a fact which Darcy had considered astonishing as his friend had barely exchanged a few words with the lady during the first part of their visit. In fact, her ladyship had never seemed too fond of the Bingleys when they had first met. On the other hand, and more disturbing to Darcy’s peace of mind, as Bingley showed no restraint in declaring his intention of opening Netherfield again and his eagerness in meeting Miss Elizabeth in a few days time, his sisters grew more tiresome and their persistent insinuations about the Bennet family became more impertinent. If previously Bingley had borne his sister’s mean remarks about the Bennets and their demanding attitude toward him, lately he accepted neither. So most of their conversations ended in conflict, which annoyed Darcy, distressed Georgiana, and irked Lady Cassandra.
Caroline Bingley’s attentions toward him, and her continuous compliments to his estate were equally hard to bear; and Lady Cassandra — whom he had counted on to support him — found a strange satisfaction and amusement in irritating Caroline and increasing her jealousy. The previous evening, Cassandra had openly declared that she would like to remain at Pemberley forever, and Caroline had become livid and followed him around the room for more than an hour. ‘This situation must come to an end soon or I will be forced to take some measures,’ thought Darcy.
But now that he would finally see Elizabeth again and enjoy the Gardiner’s presence, he was hopeful things had a chance to turn out better.
“Are you ready yet, brother?” Miss Darcy gently touched his arm to bring him back from his reverie.
“Yes, I was waiting for you. The carriage is prepared.”
“I am so happy I will see Elizabeth again! I have missed her very much.”
‘Not more than I.’ He smiled to himself, but only nodded in approval to Georgiana as they entered the carriage.
*** Elizabeth could not believe she was finally there; she had thought of, dreamed about, and dreaded this day since the moment she left London.
Their tour had lasted three weeks and she greatly enjoyed every day, every place they visited, and every new opportunity to learn and discover new things. However, her thoughts had been mostly directed to a certain place in Derbyshire which had given her many restless days and sleepless nights filled with questions, wonderings, and fears about her feelings toward a certain gentleman. The most important question still remained without a clear answer: was this love? What was the painful, overwhelming, frightening feeling that brought her so much torment and so much joy mixed with distress, the feeling that trapped her heart and mind and allowed her no tranquility? How could she be certain of it? And if it was love indeed, what was the fate of that love?
While the carriage rode into Lambton and Mrs. Gardiner was sharing fond memories with her husband, Elizabeth could not help inspecting the surroundings, hoping to catch a glimpse of something — anything — about the Darcys. Secretly, she had heartily wished that her aunt and uncle would accept the invitation to stay at Pemberley, though she was aware of her aunt’s reason for refusing. The mere possibility of spending the night in Mr. Darcy’s house made her heart race and her cheeks turn red.
Their rooms at the Inn were lovely and comfortable. Mrs. Gardiner had suggested they rest a couple of hours before sending the promised note to Pemberley announcing their arrival; but, as Elizabeth could not possibly sleep, she spent the time counting the minutes and allowing her imagination to travel the five mile distance to his house.
They were enjoying a cup of tea as Mr. Gardiner wrote their arrival note for Pemberley, when the servant announced Mr. and Miss Darcy.
Elizabeth was so surprised that she could not gather herself to rise from the couch when the guests entered. ‘How did he know we were here? Did he specifically inquire about our arrival?’ was the question that instantly filled her heart with joy.
She managed to recover only when Miss Darcy, with a radiant smile and more daring than she had ever seen her display in company, welcomed them warmly then approached her and took her hands. “Elizabeth, I am so happy to see you!”
Elizabeth impulsively and affectionately embraced the young lady, expressing her delight in meeting her again; her gaze, however, traveled over his sister’s shoulder to meet Mr. Darcy’s dark, penetrating stare. For a moment their glances remained locked, but his eyes wore so much intensity that she found she could not bear looking at him for long.
He moved closer and bowed politely to her after he had greeted her relatives. “Miss Bennet, welcome to Derbyshire!” His voice was warm and soft, as warm as the small smile barely noticeable on his lips.
“Thank you sir,” she answered, grateful that her uncle invited everybody to sit down, as her knees suddenly seemed unsteady.
Again Miss Darcy sat close to Elizabeth while her brother took a place near Mr. Gardiner. For more than half an hour they shared impressions of their tour. As usual in Mr. Darcy’s presence, Elizabeth felt much too uncomfortable to contribute much to the conversation. However, the gentleman himself asked her direct opinion a few times, and she had to answer him and meet his gaze; she felt deeply furious with herself for feeling so embarrassed and behaving so childishly. ‘I am sure I have blushed more in the last month, in Mr. Darcy’s presence, than I have in my entire life before,’ she thought, and her cheeks turned crimson again as she felt him watching her.
“Do you have any news of your family, Miss Bennet? They are all in good health, I hope?”
“Yes, they are all in excellent health sir, thank you.”
“I am glad to hear that. Mrs. Gardiner, have you met any of your friends yet?”
“No, sir. We announced our arrival to some of them and expect a call or two later today, but you are the only guests we have had the pleasure to receive so far.”
“I see... In truth, it is yet very early for a visit. I hope we did not disturb you.”
“No indeed, sir. It is a great pleasure to see you again.”
“Thank you, we are pleased to see you, too. Mr. Gardiner, did you decide how long you will remain in Derbyshire?”
“Yes we did, Mr. Darcy. Most likely a fortnight.”
“I hope we will meet again often during this time,” continued Mr. Darcy. “Mr. Gardiner, everything is prepared for our fishing party, you know! And Mr. Bingley is also very desirous to make your acquaintance and to join us.”
“I have to confess I have been looking forward to it since we left London, sir, and I am prepared to take the best advantage of your kind offer. In fact I am afraid you will be quite relieved when I eventually leave the neighborhood,” laughed Mr. Gardiner.
“No indeed, sir, I doubt that would happen.”
“Elizabeth, I cannot wait to spend more time with you; I have so many things to show you!” whispered Miss Darcy, afraid of being heard by the others.
“Thank you, Georgiana, you are so sweet. I, too, look forward to seeing everything you have to show me,” she laughed, well-humored.
“I would like so much for you to stay at Pemberley; we even have rooms prepared for you in case you decide to accept my brother’s invitation.”
“Miss Darcy, I am sorry we had to refuse your kind offer,” Mrs. Gardiner interjected. “Please believe me, it would be a great honor, but the circumstances do not allow us to reside at Pemberley and also spend some time with my relatives and friends, as I would wish to.”
“Oh, Mrs. Gardiner, I beg you do not presume that I was questioning your decision… I was only… Oh, please forgive me.” The young girl became pale and could not speak any further.
“Miss Darcy, no, do not worry, I did not mean to imply that. I was only explaining why we made the decision that we felt we had to.” Mrs. Gardiner tried to calm her.
“Georgiana, please do not distress yourself and please do not apologize for wanting to have us in your home. In truth, it is we who are delighted and truly honored by your attentions and your invitation. How can you apologize for being so kind to us?” asked Elizabeth with all the warmth and affection she felt for her young friend.
“Mrs. Gardiner, Mr. Gardiner, Miss Bennet, may I speak openly?” asked Mr. Darcy unexpectedly, his voice also somewhat agitated.
“Of course sir,” answered Mr. Gardiner, also obviously uneasy from the tense moment that had just occurred.
“Thank you, sir.” He allowed his eyes to rest upon Elizabeth before speaking further. “Both my sister and I are very pleased to see you again, and I have to confess we would have been delighted to have you stay at Pemberley while you remain in Derbyshire. However, I do understand your reason for not accepting; and, if in your place, I would make the same decision.”
“Thank you, sir.” Mrs. Gardiner smiled comfortingly at him, then at Miss Darcy.
“Even more,” the gentleman continued, “I am sure you must be anxious to meet your family and old friends and spend as much time as possible with them; that is why I want to extend a permanent and very informal invitation to you. Whenever you do not have any other fixed engagements, we would be delighted to have you at Pemberley.”
Elizabeth looked at the Gardiners to see them as astonished as she was. Her aunt met her eyes for a moment and smiled at her, barely noticeable but meaningful.
“I, for one, will wait for you to join me in fishing every morning, Mr. Gardiner; however, if you have other plans, we could postpone it at any time. I am sure my sister would also be happy to have the company of Mrs. Gardiner and Miss Bennet every day, but she will understand if that is not possible. As for dinner, I certainly hope you will do us the pleasure of dining with us at Pemberley every evening when you are not dining in the company of your other friends.”
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy,” answered Mr. Gardiner after a short glance exchanged with his wife. “We are not only honored but deeply touched by your kindness, sir. Of course, we will gratefully accept.”
“Besides,” said Mrs. Gardiner, “I am sure Mr. Gardiner will infinitely prefer fishing early in the morning to anything else. As for Elizabeth, as she is not acquainted with any of my friends, surely she will not spend as much time in their company as I will.”
“So you see, you will have to take care of me and entertain me,” said Elizabeth in a low voice to Miss Darcy, who finally forced a smile.
“Speaking of entertaining,” continued Mrs. Gardiner, “How are your other guests at Pemberley? I hope everybody is well? Is Lady Cassandra in attendance?”
The question, skillfully addressed to both Mr. and Miss Darcy, turned them more voluble and lightened the tone of the conversation. After the assurance that everybody in the party was in perfect health, Miss Darcy hurried to inform the ladies that Lady Cassandra was very desirous to meet them again, while Mr. Darcy told Elizabeth that Mr. Bingley was also happy to be renewing their acquaintance.
“Thank you, sir, I am also anxious to meet Lady Cassandra and Mr. Bingley again...oh, and of course Miss Bingley and Mr. and Mrs. Hurst,” answered Elizabeth. He only smiled and she smiled back at him. No, in truth she was not quite so anxious to meet Mr. Bingley’s sisters again, but apparently that was the price she had to pay in order to enjoy her time in Derbyshire.
“Do you have any plans for dinner today?” inquired Mr. Darcy a moment later.
“No, we do not. We have hardly had time to make any plans as we have just arrived,” smiled Mrs. Gardiner.
“Of course...” The gentleman looked embarrassed by his own question and Elizabeth smiled, too. ‘He looks so young, so very much like Georgiana when he is uncertain of himself, so...in need of being comforted,’ she thought, blushing at the idea of her being the one to comfort him.
“Then, if you are not too tired after your journey, may we have the pleasure of your company later at dinner?”
“Delightfully, sir,” answered Mr. Gardiner with no hesitation, making Elizabeth’s heart race wildly. She was not comfortable: that was impossible; but she was flattered, pleased, and very hopeful from all the attention — no, not mere attention, but compliments of the highest kind — which, she finally dared to admit, was directed mostly at her.
The guests did not remain much after that; and, the moment they took their leave, Elizabeth started preparing to dress for dinner with an eagerness that made her aunt tease her mercilessly.
~/~/~/~ The carriage drove along steadily and Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner talked animatedly about the beauties of the grounds, but Elizabeth bore every moment which brought her closer to Pemberley with great perturbation. She saw and admired every remarkable spot and point of view; but her spirits were in a high flutter and she found her hands trembling slightly in her lap. She could not understand such silly emotions, as she knew she had no reason to feel worried or uncertain about her reception, at least not from the Master and the lady of the house.
About the other guests she could not be certain, but she found herself giving them very little importance. The others’ opinions seemed suddenly of no direct consequence for her.
The carriage entered through the very large park which contained great variety of ground and drove for some time through a beautiful wood stretching over a wide extent. They gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road with some abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills; and in front a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal nor falsely adorned.
Elizabeth forgot to breathe and her heart stopped while she could not take her eyes from the astonishing sight before her. She had never seen a place for which nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. Pemberley looked strong, handsome, impressive in its natural grandeur. ‘Very much the same as its Master,’ she thought, overwhelmed by emotions.
The master of Pemberley was awaiting them in front of the main entrance, together with Mr. Bingley. He greeted them warmly and helped the ladies remove from the carriage, first Mrs. Gardiner and then Elizabeth. Immediately he offered her his arm, even before Mr. Bingley had time to bow to her with unconcealed joy.
Mr. Darcy was the one who performed the introductions, and to the Gardiners Mr. Bingley was as amiable and friendly as Elizabeth expected him to be. However, she had the impression, though she could not say exactly why, that Mr. Bingley had changed since she met him last.
Most of Elizabeth's anger against him had been long forgotten; and the little remaining could hardly stand its ground against the unaffected cordiality with which he expressed himself on seeing her again. While they entered, Elizabeth on Mr. Darcy’s arm followed by Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Mr. Bingley inquired in a friendly, though general way, after her family, and looked and spoke with the same good-humored ease as he had ever done.
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner had long wished to meet Mr. Bingley and, now that it finally happened, they could not repress a smile and a meaningful look to each other — the gentleman was exactly what they expected him to be. The suspicions which had arisen of Mr. Darcy and their niece were not mere suspicions any longer; that the gentleman was overflowing with admiration was evident, and Elizabeth’s strange reaction whenever she was in his company spoke clearly of her own feelings. However, Mrs. Gardiner could not put aside the sensation that there was more history between her niece and Mr. Darcy than she was aware of; yet, as things seemed to go in a most agreeable direction, she did not allow that feeling to worry her too much.
Miss Darcy hurried to greet them the moment they reached the drawing room; Lady Cassandra also rose from her seat and curtseyed with elegance, expressing her delight in seeing them again. Elizabeth could not help searching her ladyship’s countenance with the greatest care and attention in order to discover her true feelings about their presence, but she noticed nothing but easiness and good humor.
Only when she had to actually greet Lady Cassandra and Georgiana, did Elizabeth notice she was still holding — quite tightly — onto Mr. Darcy’s arm. She blushed with embarrassment and withdrew her hand while answering her ladyship’s polite questions.
With the other guests, however, things went differently. Mr. Hurst barely acknowledged their presence with a slight move of his head; Mrs. Hurst managed to behave politely though her coldness could not go unnoticed. Miss Bingley's entire attitude — from her dry tone to her stiff countenance — left no doubt of her dislike toward the arrival of the newcomers; and her lack of civility, though not loudly expressed, was evident nevertheless. She was everything Elizabeth believed she would be should their acquaintance be renewed.
While trying to keep her composure and feel rather more amused than irritated, Elizabeth incidentally looked at Lady Cassandra and saw her fixing Miss Bingley with a frowned stare she had never witnessed before. She caught Elizabeth’s eyes and her expression changed slightly; she then invited Mrs. Gardiner to sit near her while Mr. Gardiner took a place near Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth near Miss Darcy. Mr. Bingley, instead of joining the gentlemen, sat on the other side of Elizabeth.
While a neutral conversation started and her aunt expressed her delight in Pemberley, Elizabeth watched with much pleasure as Lady Cassandra kept the same warm, friendly manners toward her relatives. She joined Mrs. Gardiner in talking about Pemberley, the neighborhood, Lambton, Derbyshire in general, and the work of many generations who made Pemberley what it presently was.
“Mrs. Gardiner, as I understand it, you had lived near here. Have you visited Pemberley previously?” asked Miss Bingley unexpectedly.
“No, Miss Bingley, I have not. I had the honor of meeting Lady Anne many years ago, but have seen Pemberley only from afar.”
“Yes, I should imagine as much. From what I heard, Lady Anne was very selective in choosing her guests,” answered Miss Bingley coldly and triumphantly, with a meaningful glance at her sister.
The offense in her voice was so obvious that Elizabeth shuddered, barely able to control her fury. She felt her cheeks turning red and saw Georgiana paling, looking desperately to her brother.
“Yes, you are correct, Miss Bingley,” Lady Cassandra intervened with a cutting gaze and an icy voice. “Lady Anne had exquisite taste in selecting her guests; unfortunately it seems that Darcy did not keep the same good habit.”
Elizabeth could hardly repress a gasp at the equally offensive reply, but her ladyship continued, addressing Miss Bingley directly. “As for Mrs. Gardiner, I am certain Lady Anne would have been very pleased to see her today. Indeed, she is one of the most fashionable ladies I have met lately, and her home is a pleasure to visit.”
“Thank you, Lady Cassandra. You are too kind,” answered Mrs. Gardiner.
“Oh, but Miss Bingley already had the opportunity of forming an opinion of her own! As far as I know, she visited my aunt a few months ago. Am I mistaken?” Elizabeth knew she should not amplify the moment, but she could not help herself. Lack of civility toward herself from Miss Bingley was something to which she had become accustomed; but to offend her aunt with no reason was unacceptable, and she felt the urge to “do” something.
Miss Bingley blinked repeatedly a few times then looked in worry to her sister, apparently unable to formulate an immediate answer.
“Oh really? So would you not agree with me, Miss Bingley?” Lady Cassandra’s voice was all sweetness and politeness…
“Well, to be honest that visit was quite short and I did not pay much attention to my surroundings. I barely remember anything. However, I am sure you I would agree, Lady Cassandra.” Miss Bingley seemed to have recovered and her impertinence did not diminish in the slightest.
“Well, then perhaps a longer visit or a second one would have been required, Caroline,” said Mr. Bingley with a sharp tone and a straight gaze toward his sister.
“Mr. Gardiner, Mrs. Gardiner, Miss Bennet would you like a short tour of the house until dinner is ready? I would be happy to accompany you.” Mr. Darcy’s intervention was sudden but very welcome, as the situation seemed to become more tense each minute. Besides being genuinely interested in seeing as much of Pemberley as possible, Elizabeth was also anxious to take a short break from Miss Bingley’s company, as she was afraid she would be tempted to answer her with an equal lack of civility.
“Georgiana, you may go too if you like, I will remain here with Mr. Bingley and his relatives; we will be able to entertain ourselves.” Lady Cassandra settled things with a determination which admitted no opposition, and Elizabeth noticed that Mr. Darcy offered her a small smile of gratitude. It was obvious that they silently understood each other and could easily communicate without words.
Again Mr. Darcy offered his arm to Elizabeth and this time she took it with confidence. The tour did not last long, as they visited only the rooms opened for guests — not the private wings of the house — but it gave them immense pleasure.
All the rooms were lofty and handsome, and their furniture suitable to the fortune of their proprietor; but Elizabeth saw, with admiration of his taste, that it was neither gaudy nor uselessly fine, with less of splendor, and more real elegance, than the furniture of Rosings. Pemberley was different from the Darcy’s Town house too: though it appeared by far more impressive, it also seemed to Elizabeth warmer, more inviting, more cozy. ‘More a home than a house.’
The owner’s warm voice presented each room, mentioning which was the favorite of his mother or father. At one point, an enormous window displayed the beauty of the landscape around the house, and Elizabeth unconsciously released Mr. Darcy’s arm and walked near the window to admire the prospect. The hill, crowned with wood, from which they had descended, receiving increased abruptness from the distance, was a beautiful object. Every disposition of the ground was good; and she looked on the whole scene — the river, the trees scattered on its banks, and the winding of the valley, as far as she could trace it — with delight, a deep sigh of admiration escaping her lips.
“It is beautiful, is it not?” she heard the master’s soft whisper just behind her. She could feel the warmth of his body close to her; she could feel his breath burning the nape of her neck and his gaze over her shoulder admiring the same sight as she was. She only nodded, without turning to him, and remained in the same place for a few long moments.
After a while his hand gently touched her arm. “We should go and catch the others; I think Georgiana already directed them to the music room.”
She took his arm directly, without waiting for an invitation, still wrapped in emotions. Indeed her relatives and Miss Darcy were in the music room where the young lady was showing them the piano her brother had just presented her for her sixteenth birthday. It was that very moment that Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper, entered to announce to them that dinner was ready.
“Miss Bennet, have you decided about your schedule tomorrow?” asked Mr. Darcy in a low voice as they returned to the dining room and Miss Darcy chatted well-humored with the Gardiners.
“Yes, we have, sir. My uncle will come to Pemberley to join you for fishing in the morning; then my aunt and I will come to meet Miss Darcy around noon; afterwards my aunt and uncle will return to Lambton as they have a few calls to pay.”
“And you? Will you not return with them?” His voice became deeper while his head was slightly lowering to her.
“I...it depends on Miss Darcy. If she wants me to remain, I may stay until late afternoon.” She felt herself blushing and did not dare to meet his eyes.
“I am sure she will want you to stay as long as possible. And so would I.” She stopped breathing; yes — he had said it, loud and very clear.
“There are still many beauties of Pemberley to be seen and I hope you will enjoy them all,” he continued.
“Thank you sir, I am sure I will.”
“And will you all join us again for dinner tomorrow night?”
“I...I think so, sir.”
“Excellent!” he exclaimed and impulsively his hand covered hers but he withdrew it instantly.
She was certain her cheeks were crimson when they entered the dining room, and she felt all eyes staring at her. Yet, again, she did not care much of the others’ opinion. One opinion which did matter to her — his opinion — was clearly in her favor.
At the dinner table, Elizabeth found herself situated on Miss Darcy’s right, facing Lady Cassandra; on her right was Mr. Bingley. At the other end of the table was Mr. Darcy with Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner at each side. Miss Bingley was seated between her brother and sister and Mr. Hurst facing his wife.
The dinner was a very pleasant affair. Elizabeth was delighted to have the opportunity of speaking to both Miss Darcy and Mr. Bingley, who kept bringing back memories of his time in Hertfordshire. Talking with the gentleman, Elizabeth’s thoughts naturally flew to her sister; and she ardently longed to know whether any of his were directed in a like manner. At one point, she believed she could discern his wish of saying more that might lead in Jane’s direction if he dared; and the regret in his voice sounded very real when he talked about the last time they had been in each other’s company. “It is above eight months. We have not met since the 26th of November, when we were all dancing together at Netherfield.”
Elizabeth was satisfied to find his memory so exact and again allowed herself to believe it was Jane who made him count the months so precisely. She was highly surprised when Lady Cassandra suddenly intervened in their conversation.
“Miss Bennet, I was talking to Mr. Bingley about Hertfordshire just a few days ago and he seemed truly regretful that he had neglected his estate so suddenly and completely. In fact, he even mentioned to me he would like to return there but was uncertain if that would be wise of him. Is it not so, Mr. Bingley?”
“Yes, yes — we were talking about this very subject! Indeed, I have considered returning to Netherfield if... I mean, I was wondering if I should...”
Elizabeth looked at him with an incredulous stare, not daring to believe he implied what she thought he was implying; then her glance moved to Lady Cassandra — the one who had actually initiated that conversation. Could she really be desirous to help her in such an important matter? Guessing at her wonder, her ladyship continued, “So, Miss Bennet, as you are obviously the one in possession of all the information regarding this situation, what would you advise Mr. Bingley? Should he return or not?
‘No, I am not dreaming and I am not imagining things! They are actually asking me if Mr. Bingley should return — not to Netherfield, but to Jane! There cannot be another meaning to this! And certainly Mr. Bingley would not do that if his interest were not in favor of my sister! Could it be possible? What about Mr. Darcy? Surely he must be involved — he must have talked to Mr. Bingley, as he indicated to me at the ball!’
Her head was spinning with a mixture of sudden joy and the deepest worry, as she was still afraid she allowed herself to hope and presume too much. She breathed deeply, looking once more to Lady Cassandra who was watching her with an unreadable expression on her face, then to Mr. Bingley, whose eagerness was easy to notice. Well, if he had asked for her opinion, she will give it to him — straight and honest.
“Mr. Bingley, I think your return to Netherfield would be very much welcomed by all your neighbors if your intentions are clear and you want to remain there longer than a few months. However, if you intend to return only shortly, then perhaps it would be wiser and better for the estate to be left in the care of another gentleman who would give it the required care and attention.” She knew she had said too much and that it was not proper for her to give such a direct answer.
However, to her utter relief, Mr. Bingley’s face lightened instantly. “Thank you, Miss Bennet, I shall write to my steward to prepare the house for my return as soon as possible. And this time I intend to remain as long as needed, I can assure you of that.”
She smiled at him, suddenly feeling the desire to actually embrace him; surely this Mr. Bingley will not be persuaded to leave his home again against his own wishes.
“Well, well. I have always admired a determined gentleman,” laughed Lady Cassandra and Elizabeth joined her. Then, oblivious to the others, Elizabeth bowed her head barely perceptibly to her ladyship, while whispering an inaudible, “Thank you.” Her ladyship nodded slightly then changed the topic instantly, asking Elizabeth what she liked most of all the places she had seen during her tour.
The separation after dinner was short; in the drawing room, the ladies amused themselves but again Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst did not join the conversation, rather retreated in a corner on a couch. From the moment Mr. Bingley declared, during the second course, that he intended to return to Netherfield as soon as possible, neither lady ate much; their countenances remained dark for the rest of the evening.
It was not difficult for Elizabeth to see that Lady Cassandra acted very much as the mistress of the house, even more than Miss Darcy; and further, she actually mentioned she “should marry Darcy, as I would like to remain at Pemberley forever” and Miss Bingley instantly turned livid.
However, strangely even to her, Elizabeth felt no distress about her ladyship and her statement. Those few moments — when Lady Cassandra had taken Mrs. Gardiner’s side after Miss Bingley offended her, the way she had allowed the Darcys to show them the house without the interference of the others, her astonishing intervention meant to clarify things with Mr. Bingley — were enough proofs for Elizabeth to regard her ladyship with the deepest gratitude. Surely Lady Cassandra would not allow Mr. Darcy to show such open preference toward her and bestow such attention upon her if she truly had the intention of marrying the gentleman. However, what Elizabeth was absolutely certain of was that Lady Cassandra liked to use her power and influence immensely to keep the others under close observation, even to control them and perhaps “toy” with the people around her — which Elizabeth could not approve. Yet, Lady Cassandra did not care about her approval; Elizabeth was certain of that.
The gentlemen returned and the rest of the evening passed in pleasant conversation; none of the ladies seemed inclined to perform at the piano: Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley were out of spirits, Elizabeth felt tired, and Miss Darcy was not courageous enough to play so nobody insisted upon the subject. Miss Darcy and Elizabeth planned a ride in the carriage through the grounds and Lady Cassandra mentioned that she might join them at some point, on horseback. Mr. Bingley’s sisters did not even consider such a way of amusing themselves and nobody tried to change their opinion.
An hour later the guests took their leave. Miss Darcy and Mr. Bingley offered to accompany them to the carriage, together with the master of the house. Mr. Darcy offered his arm to Elizabeth and they walked at a slow pace, a little behind the others, through the impressive halls, until they reached the outside. The sky was dark and Pemberley’s yard was lightened by many torches; a brisk breeze chilled the warm air of the July night and played with a lock of hair fallen on her neck. Elizabeth shuddered while she breathed deeply and closed her eyes to enjoy the moment.
“Miss Bennet, are you cold?”
“No, I am not cold at all, Mr. Darcy. I am just happy,” she answered impetuously, without thinking for a moment at the meaning of her words.
She felt him growing steadily tense and he stopped. Mortified, she stopped as well and so did her heart. Her eyes remained fixed somewhere in front of them, where her relatives, together with Miss Darcy and Mr. Bingley, were chatting animatedly. He did not say a word.
Trembling, she felt his hand taking hers from his arm and lifting it slowly to his lips for no longer than a moment. She was not certain if his lips truly touched her gloved fingers or she had only dreamt it. However, of two things she was absolutely certain: that his hand remained upon hers until they reached the others and that his touch was still burning her many hours later in her small room at the inn.