A Certain Something Read online

  Unfortunately, his friend shared his opposing opinion in the study. “Did you apologise to Miss Elizabeth tonight for insulting her at the assembly?” he asked as he poured their drinks.

  “I would not have said anything of the kind if you had not kept badgering me to dance,” Darcy retorted. “Besides, she should not have listened to our conversation.”

  Bingley scoffed. “She was sitting right next to us. How could she have avoided hearing you?” When Darcy made no reply, Bingley handed him a glass of brandy, then assumed a more controlled tone of voice. “You know perfectly well, you ought not to have slighted her. I daresay, it would have served you right if she had refused to dance with you tonight.”

  Yes, Darcy had thought much the same at the time; a refusal would have been what he had deserved. “I will make the proper amends at my next opportunity,” he said; although, how that was to be done, Darcy had not yet worked out. He lacked Bingley’s ability to express himself well to people of short acquaintance.

  “See that you do. I shall not have my neighbours think poorly of you,” Bingley said with an air of finality.

  Although Bingley’s stern tone surprised Darcy, he had to concede that if a Pemberley guest had caused offence, he would have attempted to set things to rights. Perhaps Bingley was not as green as Darcy had supposed.

  However, a sennight passed with no opportunity to make the promised apology. No one at Netherfield had seen any of the Bennets since that night at Lucas Lodge. Bingley’s sisters endured this lack of society without complaint. “What a lovely party we make, do we not, Louisa?” Caroline said with a contented sigh at breakfast Tuesday morning.

  “Oh my, yes,” Louisa replied, taking up her cup of tea. “I could want for nothing more than breakfast in our sunny parlour.”

  When Caroline agreed with her sister’s sentiments, Darcy and Bingley exchanged sceptical glances. If the two ladies had been living in London, they would not even be awake at this hour. Fashionable parties and supper gatherings usually lasted well into the small hours of the morning.

  Bingley responded with a broad grin. “Indeed! Perhaps I shall invite the Bennets to break their fasts with us this week.”

  The ladies started at their brother’s rejoinder, then relaxed upon observing the teasing glint in his eye. “By all means, Charles. You must miss Jane Bennet’s company by now, and Mr Darcy must long to see his favourite,” Caroline said with a false smile. “I shall send an invitation immediately.”

  Darcy had made the mistake of disclosing his admiration of Elizabeth’s fine eyes to Caroline, who had mercilessly exclaimed her happiness on his pending matrimony. He had paid no heed to her teasing, preferring to contemplate the infinite charms bestowed on the dark-haired beauty. He had hoped his unintentional slip might work to his advantage; if she perceived his attentions had been otherwise captured, perhaps she might divert her own interest elsewhere.

  However, ignoring his hostess in her own home proved infinitely challenging. During the daytime, he and Bingley occupied their time by inspecting the Netherfield Park grounds, hunting, and riding through the countryside. On a few evenings, Darcy successfully secluded himself in the library and other times joined his host in the game room. Tonight, he and Bingley would escape the ladies by dining in town with the militia officers. At least for one evening, he would not be subjected to Caroline’s constant adulation.

  ***

  Elizabeth groaned in exasperation at her wayward sisters’ choice of topic at the breakfast table. “Lydia and Kitty! Can you speak of nothing else but officers?” she said, now out of patience with their incessant boasts of their flirtations at Lucas Lodge last week. Neither of their parents bothered to call them to order.

  Lydia leaned closer to her sister. “Never mind her, Kitty. I would be cross, too, if I only had dreary Mr Darcy paying attention to me,” she said with a mocking sneer.

  Both girls giggled at this rejoinder, but Mrs Bennet silenced them with a fierce glare. “You are mistaken, Lydia,” she said in a severe tone. “Your officers have not even half of Mr Darcy’s consequence. Lizzy has done very well for herself.”

  Fearing her mother would repeat her presumptions outside the family, Elizabeth cried out in alarm. “I have done no such thing, Mama. If you recall, he insulted me a month ago.”

  “Yes, but you said yourself he did not mean it, so I can only suppose that he likes you very well indeed. I daresay he found you quite tolerable at Lucas Lodge; he scarcely looked at anyone else. You could easily attach his affections, if you set your mind to it.”

  Elizabeth groaned, knowing her mother’s desperation to match her daughters to any single man who crossed their path. She already considered Mr Bingley as Jane’s future husband, even though Jane had only been in company with him twice. “Mr Darcy and I barely spoke that night. Besides, why would a man of his consequence be interested in a woman with no fortune and no connections? I have nothing to tempt a man like him into matrimony.”

  Mrs Bennet scoffed. “Nonsense! You are pretty enough, and if you would only refrain from your wild ways, he might find you perfectly suitable.” Kitty and Lydia snickered at this reproach.

  One of Elizabeth’s wild ways to which her mother referred was her solitary excursions. Each morning, weather permitting, she rambled through Longbourn’s groves and meadows, delighting in the harmonies of nature. What better way to collect her thoughts away from the discord at home? To Elizabeth’s thinking, there could be no impropriety in the exploration of one’s own property. Besides, none of her sisters enjoyed walking, and the maids were always too busy. However, she was prevented from voicing further protests when a Netherfield servant entered bearing a note for Jane. A hush fell over the parlour as Jane read it.

  “Miss Bingley has invited me to dine with her and Mrs Hurst today,” Jane said, her face awash with happiness.

  Mrs Bennet went into transports. “Oh, happy day! Did I not tell you, Mr Bennet?” she said, to which her husband merely grunted. She then bid the servant to relay Jane’s acceptance. “’Tis a perfect opportunity to spend another evening with Mr Bingley.”

  “No, Mama,” Jane said, passing the note to her. “The gentlemen shall dine out this evening.”

  Mrs Bennet gasped as she read the message. “Dine out! Oh, that is unlucky.”

  Jane applied to Mr Bennet for the use of the carriage, which Mrs Bennet instantly opposed. “You shall go on horseback.” Despite Jane’s and Elizabeth’s vehement objections, she held steadfast to her conviction. “’Tis likely to rain later, and the ladies will invite you to stay the night. You will see Mr Bingley, after all,” she said with a satisfied smirk.

  When Jane asserted that she would much rather have the coach, a debate ensued on the availability of the horses; Mrs Bennet insisted they could not be spared from the farm.

  Elizabeth had no doubt that if her mother needed the coach for any reason, the horses would be permitted. While Mrs Bennet rarely lied, sometimes she spoke her own truth.

  Lydia perused the note and passed it to Elizabeth. “Is Miss Bingley being honest, Lizzy?”

  “I cannot tell from her handwriting,” she replied, but she knew Caroline had some ulterior motive. Her behaviour in the past month had been anything but welcoming. She wondered what had prompted such cordiality.

  “She wrote a nice invitation, to be sure,” Mrs Bennet said, then, as if suddenly inspired, her eyes flew open wide. “You must go also, Lizzy.”

  “I was not invited, Mama!” she said, recognizing a manoeuvre to place her in Mr Darcy’s path. Despite fervent entreaties, Elizabeth steadfastly declined. Under no circumstances would she be ensnared in one of her mother’s schemes.

  Mrs Bennet relented, but sent a message to the stable to have Jane’s horse readied at once. Despite her reluctance, Elizabeth saw her sister off, hoping for her safe arrival at Netherfield.

  As Mrs Bennet had predicted, the weather turned within minutes of Jane’s departure. “What luck! Jane shall not come home ton
ight,” she said with a contented smile as rain pelted the windows.

  And how unlucky for Jane, Elizabeth thought. A three-mile ride in the rain would leave her drenched to the skin. With no change of clothes, her visit shall be anything but pleasant.

  Chapter 4

  When Darcy entered the parlour Wednesday morning, he found Caroline and the Hursts already at breakfast, as he suspected they would be. In the past month, Caroline had made herself available to him with alarming frequency, always dressed and coiffed in the latest fashion. Displaying her prettiest smile, she warmly greeted him, then inquired after his enjoyment of the previous evening.

  He nodded his reply, wondering when Bingley would make his appearance. He had no desire to spend the next hour deflecting Caroline’s cloying admiration. At least he would not be alone with her; the Hursts and servants served as chaperones. Darcy selected his breakfast from the sideboard and requested coffee from a footman.

  “I hope the rain did not spoil your plans,” she said as he sat next to her at the table. As usual, by leaving only one empty chair available, she had left him no other choice. Caroline had contrived the same arrangement at every meal for the past month. Could she not allow him one moment of peace to break his fast?

  He assured her that the evening had passed as expected and sipped his coffee. He would need fortification to endure another meal with her today.

  “The rain was torrential last night, was it not, Louisa?”

  Mrs Hurst released a great sigh. “I was beside myself with worry for Henry and Charles,” she said, then quickly added, “and for you also, Mr Darcy.” He nodded in her direction but made no reply.

  “Indeed, how precarious it must have been to travel in the dead of night with the roads mired in mud,” Caroline said.

  Darcy paused for a moment to temper his response. If this was Caroline’s way of telling him that she feared for his safety, she had missed the mark. “The coachman had the horses well in hand,” he said, then gave his full attention to his meal.

  Interrupting the glorious silence, Bingley rushed into the parlour and grasped the arm of Caroline’s chair. “How is Miss Bennet?” he inquired, his voice strained and his brow crossed with worry.

  “Good morning, Charles. Louisa and I are fine, thank you,” she said with a false smile, undoubtedly annoyed that her brother had dispensed with the customary greetings.

  Unaffected by her sarcasm, Bingley continued. “Mrs Nicholls advised me that Miss Bennet has taken ill in the guest wing.” Darcy flinched, alarmed to learn of the housekeeper’s report that something had gone amiss after they had left the house last night.

  Despite her brother’s agitation, Caroline remained calm. “Yes, Charles, and everything is being done to care for her.”

  “What has happened?” Darcy inquired, hoping the young lady had come to no harm.

  “We invited Miss Bennet to dine with us, and when she arrived, she was soaked through and through,” Caroline said, her eyes wide with exhilaration. “I can scarcely believe it, but she came on horseback.”

  Louisa clucked her tongue. “I cannot fathom why she did not turn back when it started to rain.”

  “Indeed, she resembled a drowned kitten,” Caroline said with a glint in her eyes, then checked herself when her brother gasped. “You need not worry, Charles. We have sent for the apothecary, and he will attend to her.”

  Darcy observed his normally cheerful friend, who was now in a state of heightened anxiety. “Her family must be frantic. We should send word immediately,” Bingley said, raking his fingers through his hair.

  “We have already done so,” Caroline said, then huffed in annoyance when her brother began pacing about the room. “There is not the least need to worry.”

  Bingley abruptly stopped pacing and turned on his heel. “Should we send for a physician?”

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Caroline said, throwing down her linen serviette. “Mr Darcy, please help me convince Charles that such drastic action is unnecessary.”

  Darcy could well understand Bingley’s concerns. If one of his own guests had taken ill, he would take every possible measure to see to their comfort. However, it pained him to admit that he agreed with Caroline. “If a physician is needed, the apothecary will be the best to judge.”

  Caroline beamed in triumph. “I could not have said it better, Mr Darcy, and I thank you for your concern for our dear friend,” she said in a demure voice that lacked any true sincerity. Bingley relented, then drank coffee in silence while the two ladies conversed between themselves. By then, everyone had abandoned their meals, except for Henry Hurst, who rose to select a second helping of sausage from the sideboard. Darcy opened the newspaper, thankful for the quiet interlude.

  Some minutes later, their peace was interrupted when a servant announced Miss Elizabeth Bennet, who made her curtsy and exchanged polite civilities with the party. Despite her soiled skirts, Darcy found her glowing face and tousled hair oddly enchanting. Had she walked all the way from Longbourn?

  Bingley graciously welcomed her, inviting her to join their party. “You must have come to see your sister.”

  When she inquired after Jane’s health, Caroline offered a heavy sigh. “I wish I had a better report, but she slept poorly and is slightly feverish,” she said, then offered to accompany Elizabeth upstairs to the sickroom.

  After the ladies had gone, Bingley’s alarm only increased. “Feverish? Why did Caroline not tell me earlier? Perhaps we should send for the physician.” Darcy repeated his advice to wait for the apothecary’s opinion, and they settled in to wait for the man’s arrival. In the meantime, Darcy marvelled at the extraordinary lengths Elizabeth had taken to attend to her sister, walking unattended three miles over muddy terrain.

  ***

  Elizabeth found her sister in worse health than she had expected. In Jane’s note, she had only complained of a headache and a sore throat, but her skin was pale and warm. Although glad to see Elizabeth, Jane appeared weak and listless. Caroline Bingley and Louisa Hurst had already done everything that could be expected to see to Jane’s comfort; she wore a finely embroidered nightgown, the bedding and pillows were plush, and a fire blazed in the fireplace. Elizabeth could find no fault with their efforts, nor their sincere expressions of affection and sympathy for Jane’s plight. Perhaps she had misjudged the sisters and they improved on acquaintance.

  Caroline and Louisa stayed in the sickroom for much of the day, leaving only when the apothecary came to examine Jane. As expected, he diagnosed a violent cold, ordered her to stay in bed until the fever subsided, and promised to send draughts to provide some relief. Elizabeth attended to Jane all day, ensuring she consumed plenty of soup and tea, which Caroline had kindly ordered from the kitchen.

  When the clock struck three, Elizabeth reluctantly announced her intention to return home, but upon Jane’s tearful entreaties that she stay, Caroline invited her to remain for the duration. After Elizabeth wrote a short note to advise her mother of the arrangement and request a change of clothes, she expressed her enduring gratitude to her hostesses for their generosity and hospitality. Ashamed to admit her first impression of them had been far too critical, she resolved to amend her sceptical tendencies and allow her heart to guide her judgement, rather than her gift.

  ***

  Darcy privately wondered if the appearance of the Bennet sisters had been orchestrated to place the two ladies into his and Bingley’s path. He would not put such a scheme beyond their vulgar mother. However, the apothecary had confirmed that Jane Bennet was acutely ill, and neither sister had left the guest wing all day.

  Elizabeth finally did make an appearance at supper, which turned into an awkward affair. Caroline placed her next to Henry Hurst at the far end of the table, preventing Darcy from speaking with her. A poor supper companion, Hurst seldom offered intelligent conversation. Thankfully, Elizabeth seemed to enjoy her discussion with Bingley, who kept her entertained during the meal. When supper ended, she excused hersel
f to tend to her sister, who had made no improvement during the day.

  Almost as soon as Elizabeth had left the parlour, Caroline began her critique. Elizabeth’s manners, her style, and her beauty were all objects of her scorn. “I daresay you would not approve of Miss Darcy scampering about the country quite alone, above her ankles in dirt, and her hair in wild disarray,” she said, her nose wrinkled in disdain. He could not disagree; however, he suspected that Georgiana’s circumstances were dissimilar to Elizabeth’s, who may not have sufficient equipage at her immediate disposal.

  Bingley, however, came to her defence. “It shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing.” It stood to reason that Bingley would admire anyone who aided his favourite. He had made no secret of his admiration for Jane. However, Darcy could not deny that Elizabeth’s actions were commendable; he doubted that either of Bingley’s sisters would go to such lengths for the other.

  “I am afraid, Mr Darcy, that this adventure has affected your admiration of Miss Eliza’s fine eyes,” Caroline said, a mocking sneer on her lips.

  “Certainly not,” he said. “I rather found them brightened by the exercise.” In all honesty, her appearance had thoroughly enchanted him.

  He may as well have agreed with Caroline, as she seemed unaffected by his response. She and her sister continued their gleeful criticism of Elizabeth, including her relations and connections. Mrs Bennet’s brothers were in trade, which, coincidently, was where the Bingley family had made their fortune. However, Caroline and Louisa ignored their mercantile roots. Darcy could not approve of their censure, nor could he disagree. In all reality, the Bennet family’s reduced standing in society lessened the sisters’ chances of marrying men of consideration.

  The ladies continued their denunciation of the Bennets’ relations. Although Bingley appeared discomfited by his sisters’ unrelenting ridicule, he made no attempt to correct them. Darcy could not approve of his friend’s silence. In no way would he allow his own sister to behave in such a gauche manner.