Implacable Resentment

by Jann Rowland

  Still, she gathered her courage and said: “If Sir William wishes for some music, I shall be happy to oblige the company.”

  “Then we shall consider it settled,” said Sir William. “Mr. Bingley, would you be so kind as to introduce us to your friend?”

  “Of course,” said Mr. Bingley, turning to the member of the party who as of yet had not been introduced.

  And Elizabeth turned and looked into a pair of startling blue eyes. And she realized she had seen those blue eyes before.

  Chapter VI

  Elizabeth was more than a little surprised to see Mr. Darcy present at a gathering at Lucas Lodge, but she controlled her reaction carefully. The man in question was watching her, seemingly unsurprised to see her, and Elizabeth knew that even though he appeared to be of an inscrutable disposition, her entrance into the room had occurred some time ago, therefore allowing him time to compose himself for their meeting.

  Elizabeth curtseyed to Mr. Darcy, who returned her gesture with a bow, and said, “Mr. Darcy.”

  “Miss Bennet,” returned he. “I was not aware that you lived in the area.”

  “I have just returned after a long absence, sir.”

  “You are acquainted with Miss Elizabeth, Darcy?” asked Mr. Bingley with some surprise.

  At once, Elizabeth became aware of a number of eyes watching their exchange, and she realized her mistake. She had much rather avoid any scrutiny, and the fact that she had been seemingly acquainted with such an important man was surely to be remarked upon.

  “Only a very little,” said Elizabeth quickly.

  “We met briefly at a rest stop the day I came to Netherfield, Bingley,” added Mr. Darcy.

  “The day you returned to Longbourn,” said Jane.

  Elizabeth nodded and smiled. “So if Mr. Bingley will do the honors, then perhaps we can be introduced properly.”

  Mr. Bingley grinned at her and performed the office with what Elizabeth was certain was his typical cheer, and the group settled into conversation. As she had expected, Mr. Bingley was happy and talkative, but he was also intelligent and truly amiable. By contrast, Mr. Darcy was serious and quiet, only adding a few words to the conversation, though when he did venture to say anything, he did so with authority, speaking words of substance rather than the usual banalities.

  Of the rest of Mr. Bingley’s party, Elizabeth was unable to obtain more than the barest of impressions. Mr. Bingley’s sisters were dressed fashionably and expensively, but they added relatively little to the conversation, instead, standing together and whispering to one another the whole time Elizabeth was with their party. Elizabeth could not state so with a certainty, but she rather fancied that she could see in their manners what she had sometimes seen in company in London—a superciliousness and a determination to be displeased with everything they saw. This fact amused her, as she quickly learned that Mr. Bingley’s money had come from trade, which made his sisters the daughters of a tradesman. The other member of their party, Mr. Hurst, said nothing, concentrating his attention on his glass of punch and some delicacies which were situated nearby. He was obviously a dullard and a drunkard, and Elizabeth had no desire to further an acquaintance with him.

  When Sir William began to lead her on to another introduction a few moments later, Mr. Darcy again bowed to her, saying:

  “I has been a pleasure, Miss Bennet. I am certain your family is happy to have you returned to them.”

  Elizabeth curtseyed and allowed herself to be taken away by Sir William. But though she continued to greet others with perfect composure, her mind—and her eyes—kept straying back to the enigmatic man who watched her from across the room.

  In a rustic gathering such as this, it was difficult for Darcy to feel comfortable, though privately he was forced to acknowledge that it was not so much different than gatherings he would have attended at some of the smaller estates near his home in Derbyshire. But though the manners of these people would not stand up to the scrutiny of London society, they did seem to be good at heart. And besides, Bingley was his closest friend, and Darcy would not embarrass his friend by displaying anything less than completely proper behavior.

  The one member of the party who was different was, of course, the second eldest Bennet daughter, and Darcy supposed that was unsurprising, as she had spent much of her formative years in London. Mr. Gardiner, her uncle, had appeared to be a proper sort of gentleman, and he had obviously done well in raising her to be a proper young lady. Her elder sister was also genteel and elegant.

  Miss Elizabeth was obviously very well read and intelligent, genteel, kind, witty, and in possession of seemingly every virtue. However, she also seemed to carry some sorrow about her; it was something with which Darcy was certainly familiar. There was nothing that Darcy could put his finger on, and he doubted that most would have recognized it, but something in her eyes told Darcy that she had experienced great disappointment in her life. Yet he could not help but think that she had emerged from whatever trials life had dealt her all that much stronger for the experience.

  As for the rest of her family . . . Well, the less said about them, the better. The father was silent and grave, and his eyes followed his second eldest as if he expected her to do something to embarrass him. In reality, he should have been watching his youngest daughters, who were loud and rude and appeared to have no thought for propriety. The mother was no better. In many ways, she was worse—a woman of her years and position in local society should have known to exhibit better behavior.

  “I say, Darcy,” said Bingley by his side, “you are full of surprises. I had not expected to hear that you had met the mysterious missing Bennet daughter before any of the rest of us.”

  Darcy turned a glare on his friend. “Have a care, Bingley. She has lived with her uncle, which is not unusual, you know.”

  “It is not,” chimed in another voice, and Darcy turned to acknowledge the presence of Bingley’s youngest sister. “But to be away from her home for so long without any communication is strange, you must agree.”

  “And where did you hear that, Caroline?” asked Bingley with a frown.

  “From her eldest sister,” replied Miss Bingley.

  Darcy looked around surreptitiously and noticed that the eldest Miss Bennet had moved and was now once more in company with her sister. No one else appeared to be close enough to overhear their conversation, but it was still not a proper one to be having in company regardless.

  “Miss Bennet told you that she had not heard from her sister?” said Bingley, skepticism lacing his voice,

  “Not in so many words, of course,” replied Miss Bingley airily. “But I am well able to read between the lines, and it was clear that she did not wish to discuss the matter.”

  “That is a rather extraordinary assumption, Miss Bingley,” replied Darcy. “I might note that the middle of a gathering where anyone can overhear what you say is not the place to be having such a conversation.”

  Though she could not have missed the censure in Darcy’s voice, Miss Bingley merely smiled and said, “Of course, Mr. Darcy,” and then she moved away to speak with Mrs. Hurst.

  Darcy watched her go, knowing that she would do almost anything to garner his approval. Unfortunately for her, Darcy was not disposed to give her what she wanted. He had counseled his friend many times since making her acquaintance that Bingley had best curb her behavior, lest she embarrass him, but thus far, all of his words had fallen on deaf ears. She was not unintelligent, but she was so fixed upon her own desires that it made her somewhat blind.

  “I apologize for Caroline, Darcy,” said Bingley, disrupting Darcy’s thoughts. “She should have held her tongue.”

  “Yes, she should have.”

  Bingley returned Darcy’s bland stare with a look of exasperation. “I have listened to your lectures regarding my sister. Unfortunately, she has seen fit to ignore my instructions.”

  The only response Darcy allowed himself was a raised eyebrow. At the sight of it, Bingley g
ave him a rueful grin. “Darcy, if Caroline makes your stay uncomfortable, you need only to say so, and I shall send her to my aunt in Scarborough.”

  “That is not necessary, I assure you,” replied Darcy. “I can handle your sister.”

  Bingley favored his friend with a knowing look, and then he left to put himself once again within the influence of his angel. Darcy watched him as he went to speak with Miss Jane Bennet and reflected on how Bingley had once again found a lady to adore. What appeared to make this situation different from all the previous times was that Bingley seemed to be much more serious in his pursuit than Darcy had ever seen before. Whether the lady in question returned that sentiment remained to be seen, though from what Darcy had been able to observe through the course if that evening, she was not averse to Bingley’s attentions.

  But it was for Bingley to determine the state of her affections and his own. Darcy would not involve himself in the matter, though Miss Bingley had already made certain hints which suggested that she would appreciate his assistance in saving her brother from a “most imprudent match.”

  Turning his attention away from thoughts of Bingley and his sister, Darcy focused his attention on the other person who had attracted his interest. Miss Elizabeth Bennet was currently on the other side of the room speaking with Miss Lucas and some other ladies of the area, obviously becoming acquainted with all and sundry. There was something about the woman’s situation which struck Darcy as odd, though he could not quite put his finger on it.

  Still, Mr. Gardiner had been a genteel and seemingly intelligent man, and it was not unheard of for children to live with relatives of their parents. Whatever the reason, it was not Darcy’s business, so he left off all of those thoughts in order to concentrate on the pleasure that a pair of fine eyes had to bestow.

  Throughout the course of the evening, Darcy watched Miss Bennet as she moved about the room, and he even spoke to her on two separate occasions, though only briefly. During those conversations, Darcy found that his initial impression of her had indeed been correct. She was intelligent and engaging in her conversation, and her opinions betrayed a knowledge of the world about her which was far from the common sort in a woman of her background.

  But it was when she played later in the evening that Darcy found himself truly enchanted. As had been agreed on, the pianoforte was opened, and the ladies took turns playing for the company. Miss Mary Bennet was technically proficient, though there was something deficient in her interpretation of the music, and while Miss Jane Bennet was much less competent, her playing was light and unaffected and pleasing to hear. Miss Bingley, of course, feeling the need to assert her supposed superiority, played in her affected manner after several of the other ladies had taken their turns. Darcy had always taken her mannerisms as her attempt to show herself to be a virtuoso, but he had considered them to be false, much as the woman who displayed them.

  But when Miss Elizabeth sat before the instrument, the entire room quieted, no doubt due to the interest in the return of the young lady to the area. As the first strains of her playing wafted over the assembled, the exquisite tones told Darcy that here was a young woman who was truly a proficient. And she displayed more than just technical proficiency. She possessed an innate feel for the music, and her joy and love for it shone through in her playing. Though he had heard more proficient ladies in the past, Darcy had to acknowledge that he had never before been so truly moved. It was at this point that Darcy realized that he found this young slip of a girl intriguing, and he did not scruple to tell himself that he wished to know her better.

  One person in particular noticed how Mr. Darcy’s attention kept returning to the recently arrived Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and to say that she was displeased with such a development was rather an understatement.

  The Bennets were beneath the Netherfield party, pure and simple, and though Charles had a tendency to make himself appear the fool with any pretty young woman he came across, Caroline Bingley was not about to allow their family to be pulled down by such reprehensible connections. She had spent too much time and effort ensuring that her family rose to the heights of society to let them lose it all to such a family.

  And there was something . . . odd about the situation with Elizabeth Bennet, though the reason remained beyond Caroline’s grasp. But though the young woman did play well as Caroline, she was forced to acknowledge, this whole story about her living in London did not ring true. Add to that the fact that Mrs. Bennet—a woman who had always seemed to be incapable of holding her tongue about anything—had remained stubbornly tightlipped about her second eldest daughter, and it was vexing to say the least.

  Regardless, Caroline was not blind. In fact, she fancied herself to be a keen observer, particularly when it was her family’s respectability and advancement in society at stake. And what she saw that night suggested that Mrs. Bennet held her daughter in barely concealed contempt, and only a few quelling looks from Mr. Bennet had kept her opinions from being poured out upon the company.

  This suggested to Caroline that the reason for Miss Elizabeth’s absence was not so benign. At this juncture, Caroline had no concept of what the actual reason was, but she was certain that she would be able to discover it. She had the highest motivation to do so, after all.

  Chapter VII

  The morning after the gathering at Lucas Lodge, Elizabeth appeared in the dining room, though she would have much preferred to avoid the meal altogether. Though Mrs. Bennet had not said anything, Elizabeth had the distinct impression that her mother was not at all happy with Elizabeth’s success the previous night. Indeed, Elizabeth had hardly had a moment’s respite at Lucas Lodge, as everyone present had been intensely interested in meeting her.

  The breakfast room held only her mother, her father, and Jane that morning, and though Elizabeth could not say with a certainty just yet, she suspected that the younger Bennets were not early risers, particularly on the morning after a social engagement. Jane smiled in greeting, and Mrs. Bennet did not even deign to grace her with a look. Mr. Bennet, true to form, gave her one of those piercing looks she had come to expect from him.

  Hoping to eat quickly and escape from the room, Elizabeth settled into her seat and dished some food onto her plate. Unfortunately, the food was not exactly to her taste; while breakfast at the Bennets’ generally consisted of eggs, sausages, bacon, and other such fare, the Gardiners had always preferred much lighter foods in the morning, and Elizabeth was therefore accustomed to foods such as scones and muffins early in the day. Still, it would not do to criticize, so she took a little of the hot foods and some toast. For some time, the only sounds in the room were the clinking of utensils on plates.

  When Elizabeth had almost completed her repast, she made to withdraw from the room, only to pause when her mother addressed her:

  “You seem to have made something of an impression last night.”

  Far from being an innocuous comment, the statement seemed to indicate that Mrs. Bennet had something specific to say. Thus, Elizabeth decided on a bland reply.

  “I have been away for some time. It is only natural that our neighbors should be curious.”

  Mrs. Bennet sniffed with disdain. “I suppose that must be the case. You appeared to be rather successful in turning back their inquiries.”

  “I have no idea of what you speak, mother,” replied Elizabeth. “I spoke with those who wished to speak and returned courtesy with courtesy.”

  “That is well, for we cannot have any scandal attached to your return.”

  Elizabeth resisted pointing out that if any scandal were to erupt, it would be because of her parents’ actions, not because of Elizabeth’s behavior or her loose tongue.

  “Regardless, I must warn you to stay away from Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. We cannot have you interfering with Jane’s chances with Mr. Bingley.”

  A retort almost sprang to Elizabeth’s lips, but she held it back with a supreme effort. Instead, she contented herself with saying: “I dare say
that Mr. Bingley appears to be quite besotted with Jane. I doubt there is anything I could do to prevent him, even should I be inclined to make the attempt.”

  “But we must not make a poor impression upon him,” insisted Mrs. Bennet. “And his friend, who I believe holds great influence with him, would not hesitate to warn him away from our family should we be anything but proper.” Mrs. Bennet’s expression changed to an ugly sneer. “And it is not as if Mr. Darcy would be interested in such a plain girl as you.”

  Elizabeth would have liked nothing better than to give a biting comment on the behavior of certain members of the family, but she once again kept her composure, instead settling for a mischievous response.

  “Mother, you must know that if I should marry Mr. Darcy, then you need not worry for my welfare upon my father’s death.” Smiling insincerely, Elizabeth rose and directed one final barb at her mother. “That is what you wanted, is it not?”

  With a nod of her head, Elizabeth quit the room. Truly, a very little time in her parents’ presence more than sufficed for meeting her duty as their daughter.

  That day, Elizabeth began a custom of walking out into the surrounding countryside as frequently as she could. Not only did it afford her less time in the company of her family, but she also found that she enjoyed it greatly. While the walks in the park near the Gardiners’ home had been a welcome respite at times, she soon found that rambling through nature in the vicinity of her father’s estate far outstripped the city in the sheer joy and contentment that the activity imparted to her sometimes troubled mind. There was something about viewing the calmness and tranquility of the country which set her mind at ease, no matter how petty her mother, silly her youngest sisters, and unsettling her father’s scrutiny were. For the first time, she began to repine what she had potentially lost with her removal to her uncle’s home.

  In those first few days in her father’s house, Elizabeth exchanged several letters with her uncle and aunt, and it was not difficult to read between the lines. Both were understandably concerned for her welfare, and Elizabeth loved them dearly for it. She did her best to calm their fears, but it was difficult due to the lack of welcome she had received from her family.