The Portrait of Elizabeth

by Jane Angwin

  At last he came to Elizabeth and his heart practically stopped as he gazed at her face. He could not believe what he saw, and he could not get any words out of his mouth. "My God, it is her," he thought. "It is the woman in my painting." His long stare at her made everyone uncomfortable, as it seemed that he was trying to imagine that this was the same girl that had appeared soaking wet at the Bennett home.

  Elizabeth curtsied and tried to break the awkward silence. "Hello, Mr. Darcy. We were introduced three days ago, but I am sure you could not possibly recognize me. I have tidied up a bit to join you for dinner!" She laughed a lovely and melodious laugh, and Darcy struggled to find words to respond. She was stunning.

  "Yes, I can see that, Miss Elizabeth. You do look much better tonight." The moment he said that, he regretted it. "What a ridiculous thing to say to her," he chastised himself. "Pardon me, I meant to say, you look quite lovely this evening." He finally bowed, and as he did, he realized that she was wearing a long flowing white dress, just as he had painted. His eyes came back to her face, and he saw her deep, dark brown eyes with long black lashes, and he was so taken by them, that he could barely speak. He muttered that he was pleased to make her acquaintance, and then turned around and quickly retreated back to the windows. He did not want anyone to see the state of turmoil he felt, and so he felt it best to simply move far away from her. Elizabeth was confused by his strange behavior, and she mistook his awkward greeting as rather bad manners and arrogance, two things that she most abhorred.

  They all sat down in a group of chairs and sofas in front of the fireplace near to one another and began exchanging compliments about Longbourn, Netherfield, and Meryton. Just as they were beginning to feel quite comfortable, Caroline entered the room, dressed in an orange dress with purple trim and an orange turban with purple feathers. She had bright red hair, and the color orange severely clashed with her coloring, definitely not suiting her at all.

  Elizabeth had heard so much about Miss Bingley that she was mesmerized by her appearance, and she looked forward to hearing some of her acerbic remarks. She secretly hoped that some of the remarks were directed at her so she could respond with what her father called her 'velvet harpoons'. She loved sparring with someone's rudeness without the other party knowing that she was being derisive in return. Strangely enough, Miss Bingley simply walked into the room and barely said hello to the guests, finding a place to sit a little behind the others. Elizabeth felt her staring directly at her, and she could tell that Miss Bingley was also not sure who she was. Caroline continued staring at her, unsure how this attractive woman could possibly be the same soiled and disheveled girl she saw at Longbourn. She also realized that the gossip about the two beauties was true. She had been concerned about her brother's attraction to the eldest, but now she was wary of Mr. Darcy's attention being drawn to them as well, and this brown eyed woman in white in particular.

  "Perhaps this is the reason why Mr. Darcy has chosen to abolish me from his life," Caroline thought to herself. She had not been in the room to see their introduction and she felt that they had somehow managed to meet prior to this engagement. In her irrational and jealous mind, she felt that there could be no other reason for his sudden change of heart toward her. "This country chit has somehow managed to capture his interest and turn his attention away from me," she ruminated. Elizabeth felt the ire in her glare and became quite uncomfortable, so she tried her best to ignore her.

  "So, Miss Elizabeth, it is indeed a pleasure to finally meet you," Bingley said. "Your accident was quite unfortunate, but it appears that you have recovered quite nicely. Did you sustain any injuries?" he inquired.

  "No Sir, only to my pride. I have been walking in the woods throughout our property for as many years as I can remember, and I have never taken a spill into the stream. I was trying to wash off a bit of dirt and twigs from a disastrous slide I took down the hill from Oakham Mount, and my foot slipped on a rock!"

  "Good Lord, Lizzy," Mrs. Bennett shrieked. "You slid down the hill from Oakham Mount as well? Whatever will I do with you, young lady? That is a dangerously steep hill indeed, and I have told you never to go there again since that horrible day when you wandered off as a child."

  Bingley reacted to this account with wide eyes. "Good heavens, Miss Elizabeth! What happened to you?"

  Mrs. Bennett did not allow Elizabeth to answer for herself. "Well, when she was merely four years old, she escaped from the house and climbed the hill up to the top of the very highest point overlooking the entire valley, which is called Oakham Mount. Somehow her foot got caught in between some large rocks, and she was unable to return home. When we couldn't find her anywhere, we called out all the men in town to search for her, and after many hours, they found her sitting there in the darkness not two feet from the precipice! She could have tumbled off the edge, or a wolf could have come along and eaten her. It was the talk of Meryton, and I was mortified! I had to go to my bed for a week." Kitty and Lydia giggled behind their hands, and again, Jane glanced at Mr. Bingley to see his reaction to her mother's loud details about Lizzy's escapade as a child. He looked perfectly pleased with the stories about her sister, and he laughed along with Mr. Bennett.

  "Yes, Mrs. Bennett, Thomas said, "There hasn't been a wolf in England in at least 300 years, and we have heard quite enough about Lizzy's exploits. She has always been the most spirited of the girls, and with those few exceptions, she has always come home in relatively good order. Well, perhaps except for the time she climbed the tallest apple tree and fell from the top!" Mr. Bingley gasped, but Thomas laughed, recollecting the event. "Thank heavens Mr. Hill saw her climbing and quickly pulled a hay cart underneath the tree just in time. She fell right in the middle of a pile of hay!"

  Smiling widely at her, Bingley said, "I am delighted to hear about your adventures, Miss Elizabeth! It is hard to imagine you climbing trees looking as lovely as you do tonight."

  Miss Bingley simmered at her brother's compliments of her new nemesis's unladylike activities. "I cannot allow this wild hoyden to worm her way into Mr. Darcy's notice. I must concoct a scheme to illuminate her repugnant behavior and totally unacceptable suitability for Mr. Darcy's consideration."

  Elizabeth was not at all concerned about her new neighbors hearing about her adventurous behavior. She had always enjoyed the out of doors, and as a child she mostly played with the neighborhood boys. They treated her just like one of them until she started to develop into a young lady and they then realized that they shouldn't be waving pirate swords around her any longer. Lizzy was devastated that they treated her differently, but it didn't stop her from climbing trees and hills on her own. "I am afraid I am guilty of all of those things, Mr. Bingley. I have given my parents quite a fright from time to time, but I do try to behave myself now that I am a bit older."

  Mrs. Bennett flicked her fan open and began fanning herself. "That girl will be the death of me," she said with one hand on her heart, pointing her fan at Elizabeth. "She continues to vex me even now."

  Mr. Darcy could not believe how rude Mrs. Bennett was to her second eldest daughter. He was fascinated by Elizabeth's independence and her spirit, and he had never met another woman like her. She did not blush and look down at her lap when she was criticized or the subject of conversation, and she responded with wit.

  Miss Bingley bit her tongue as she tried to keep silent during this conversation. It was all she could do to keep from making a remark about Elizabeth's unladylike antics. She clenched her fists and dug her fingernails into her palms, desperately trying to stop her mouth from sharing her thoughts, and she kept picturing a cold winter blizzard pelting her face with wet snow somewhere in Scotland, which helped to keep her silent.

  Darcy stood at the window, transfixed by the reflection of Elizabeth in the glass. "This is beyond any explanation," he thought. "She is here in the same room with me, and I cannot find the words to speak to her." He realized that he had possibly offended his guests, and as difficult as it was for him to d
o, he turned and slowly walked back to the gathering, standing off to the left of the fireplace near Elizabeth. She was sitting closest to the fireplace, and when she noticed that he had come so close to her, she turned to look up at him, the fire clearly allowing him to see the golden flecks in her brown eyes, just as those that he had added to his artwork. Her eyes were the finest he had ever seen, and he stared at her as though he was looking at his painting. He felt an overwhelming feeling of mystification, and the familiar scent of lavender filled the room. It was so strong, he wondered that no one else could smell the strong scent.

  "Is there something wrong, Mr. Darcy? Have I failed to remove all the dirt from my face after all?" she teased.

  "No, of course not, Miss Elizabeth. I just feel as though we have met somewhere, and I am trying to place where it could have been." He felt that this was the best way to cover up his impolite staring.

  "I quite doubt it, Mr. Darcy. I rarely leave Meryton, and when I travel to London to see my Aunt and Uncle Gardiner, I stay with them in Cheapside. I am sure you have not had an occasion to venture there." Elizabeth heard Miss Bingley gasp behind her, and she secretly rejoiced at upsetting her with the mention of Cheapside, an area of London where people of trade worked and lived and where the ton would never dare to visit. Her uncle, Edward Gardiner, was a very successful importer of fine fabrics from the continent and the West Indies, and his products were highly regarded by the ton. Her Aunt Madeline was also a highly regarded woman in London due to her work building a home for disgraced girls and an orphanage for the children that they bore but could not keep. The Gardiners were refined and intelligent, and they were accepted in most circles of London's social scene, but their home in Cheapside, while lovely and comparable to any in the finer neighborhoods, was located in an unacceptable neighborhood according to the standards of the ton. Elizabeth knew that Caroline - and probably Mr. Darcy - would find this information about her family appalling, but she did not care at all.

  "No, I do not have occasion to visit Cheapside, Miss Elizabeth. Perhaps I am mistaken." He looked away, and as she thought, it seemed to Elizabeth that hearing about her connections to trade solidified his dislike of her and her family.

  They were interrupted by Mr. Blair who informed them that dinner was ready in the dining room. The four gentlemen each awkwardly extended both arms to the eight women - Gilbert with his wife, Louisa and Miss Bingley, Charles with Lydia and Jane, Mr. Bennett with his wife and Kitty, and Mr. Darcy with Mary and Elizabeth - and escorted them into the dining room.

  Darcy felt a bolt of electricity shoot through his body when Miss Elizabeth took his arm. She lightly placed her gloved hand on top of his arm, barely touching him, but the feeling was intense, and he wondered if she felt the shock as well. He glanced at her face, but she showed no sign of anything unusual, so he kept on walking, attempting to maintain his composure. They entered the dining room, and Louisa began showing each guest to their respective seats. Much to Darcy's surprise, while he did have Mr. Bennett across from him and Louisa to his right, Elizabeth was seated to his left. He assisted Louisa to be seated, and then pulled Elizabeth's chair out for her to take her seat. Mary took the seat next to her father, and Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she would be a quiet and polite dinner companion. Fortunately, Miss Bingley was seated on the same side of the table as her, and she was grateful she wouldn't be forced to converse with her.

  Darcy was also taking stock of the uncomfortable seating arrangement. He was quite pleased that Gilbert Hurst was seated between Caroline and Elizabeth, as he knew Caroline would most likely want to distract Elizabeth from his attention and make unpleasant comments to unsettle her. He was not pleased that although Jane was seated to Bingley's right, she was also seated next to Caroline, and Darcy knew she would also do her best to keep Charles from conversing with Jane. To add to the inevitable mayhem, Mrs. Bennett was seated next to Bingley on his left, and directly across from Caroline. The last two vacant seats next to Mrs. Bennett were taken by Lydia and Kitty, also across from Miss Bingley, and Darcy shuddered, realizing it could not have been a worse ensemble for Caroline's perusal. Elizabeth also scanned the table, and shared an anxious glance with her father, knowing that this evening would undoubtedly be their last invitation to Netherfield.

  Everyone was finally seated, and the dinner was served. Mr. Bennett was always a delightful dinner companion, but he could tell that Darcy was not in good spirits and encouraging a discussion with him was difficult. The first time he had met him, he was quite open and conversational, but this was a different man. Something seemed to be bothering him.

  "How long do you plan to stay at Netherfield before you return to Pemberley, Mr. Darcy?" Thomas hoped that he could get him to speak about his home in Derbyshire, which would be an easy subject for him to discuss.

  "Not much longer, I'm afraid, Mr. Bennett. I have done my review of the books and looked over the land, and I have made my recommendations to Charles, so now he must make the final decision. I believe that he may have decided to lease the estate, but he has not contacted the owner as yet." He heard Elizabeth's voice, and thinking she was speaking to him, he turned to her, but she had turned to talk to Hurst, and he stifled a gasp as he noticed the small white pearls scattered through her curls that cascaded down her back. The sight of the white pearls were exactly as he had placed the small white flowers in the hair of the woman in his painting, and it caused him such distress that as he went to reach for his water glass, he accidentally knocked it over, spilling its contents on the table - and onto Elizabeth's dress.

  "Oh my!" She flinched and quickly backed her chair up to see the damage. Darcy took his napkin and tried to wipe the water off of her but immediately realized that it was highly improper to be touching her in this manner. He handed the napkin to her to have her dry her dress herself, and he sat looking mortified.

  "I am so terribly sorry, Miss Elizabeth" he said in a strained voice. "I most heartily apologize for my clumsiness." He looked highly embarrassed, and she stifled a laugh at his overreaction.

  "Please do not worry, Mr. Darcy. Fortunately it is just water and not red wine! My dress will dry, and as you know, I am quite used to being drenched!" He couldn't believe that she was able to joke at a time like this, but he was very grateful for her poise. He glanced at her dress and noticed that the water had caused her dress to cling to her leg, and he felt his face turning a dark red. His inappropriate thoughts caused his heart to practically beat out of his chest, and he prayed that no one could tell. Everyone was looking at them at their end of the table, but Elizabeth laughingly implored, "Please everyone, nothing is amiss, so just go on with your dinner and conversation. It's only a little water."

  Darcy was quiet for the remainder of dinner. Mr. Bennett attempted to again engage him in conversation, but his mood had been greatly altered, and it was obvious that he did not wish to converse. Elizabeth noticed his discomfort, and she couldn't understand how a simple mistake could affect him so deeply. From the first moment he had looked at her he seemed to fluctuate between staring at her and then ignoring her, and it was obvious to her that he did not like her at all. That was just fine with her, as she had no interest in this strange man, but she couldn't understand what she had done to make him dislike her.

  Dinner was a disaster. Mrs. Bennett loudly exclaimed over and over about the extraordinary food, the expensive furniture, the superbly polished silver, and Mr. Bingley's perfection in all things. For a woman that intended for this gentleman to admire and fall in love with her daughter, Jane, she monopolized his attention and gave him little opportunity to speak with her. Jane sat quietly eating her food, occasionally glancing at Mr. Bingley who was politely conversing with her mother, inserting a word here and there in Fanny's constant stream of consciousness disjointed subjects.

  As if in their own little world, Lydia and Kitty spoke to no one except themselves, hideously giggling at everything anyone said. They showed no manners, and it was all Mr.
Bennett could do to quiet them. He threatened to separate them if they did not stop their silliness, but as usual, he never followed through, and they continued their improper behavior throughout the entire meal. Although she could not see Miss Bingley's face, Elizabeth was horrified at her inevitable reaction to this debacle in front of her. Surprisingly, she did not hear Caroline utter one word during dinner, but she knew nonetheless that the woman was storing her thoughts and comments for another time, and it would undoubtedly be laced with vitriol.

  When dinner was over, as was the normal custom, the gentlemen separated from the ladies and went to Bingley's study for a glass of brandy while the ladies retreated to the music room where tea was served. Darcy was so disturbed by the entire evening, that he felt the beginnings of a headache, and the brandy did not help. Bingley walked to Darcy who stood alone and quietly said, "Darcy, you look quite ill at ease this evening. Whatever is bothering you? You hardly said a word at dinner, and I had thought you looked forward to our guests joining us."

  "I seem to have developed a headache, Charles. I think that after we join the ladies, I will ask to be excused and retire early." He desperately wanted to be alone to try to put some space between Elizabeth and himself. He was completely baffled by the last several weeks of his life and the strange things that had been happening to him. Elizabeth Bennett was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and he had somehow conjured up her image on a canvas, hundreds of miles away before ever meeting her. He had painted Longbourn without ever having visited there, and he had painted a silly rope swing hanging from an apple tree. He had never had a rope swing as a child, and he had no idea that they had apple trees at Longbourn. Yet, there they were, all those apple trees. It was no wonder he had a headache.