Miss Bennet & Mr Bingley

by Fenella J Miller

  This time it was Darcy who looked nervous, it was a new experience for him to see his friend discommoded in this way. As soon as he saw his darling girl waiting on the steps of Longbourn he forgot about anything else, other than how much he loved her and how soon he could persuade her to set a wedding date.

  Vaulting from the saddle he tossed the reins to a waiting groom and, risking the displeasure of his future relatives, stepped forward and took her hands in his. ‘My dearest, I cannot tell you how long the night has been without you. I have Darcy with me this morning.’

  She giggled and peeped over his shoulder to nod to his friend. ‘I had noticed that, my love. Mr Darcy is not a gentleman one could easily miss.’

  He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her smiling mouth, she was adorable, but somehow he restrained himself. ‘Jane, sweetheart, I am going to propose that we all go out walking; I shall need your support in this scheme.’

  She nodded; whatever he demanded of her he knew she was willing to give without question.

  The sun was out and the weather pleasant so a walk would be no hardship at all even so early in the day. His suggestion was eagerly seized upon and soon afterwards Elizabeth and Darcy, accompanied by Kitty, (Mary was too busy with her books), set off towards Lucas Lodge with Jane and Charles. The party had not walked far when he spoke quietly to Jane.

  ‘Let us allow the others to outstrip us, you and I can walk slowly together.’

  This ploy suited Jane exactly; the more time she spent alone with him the happier she was. She watched Elizabeth, Darcy and Kitty forge ahead and soon they were out of sight. They strolled hand-in-hand for a while in silence.

  ‘Jane, my darling, do you wish me to buy Netherfield for you? I shall do so at once if that is what you want.’

  ‘It is a lovely house, and it is where we first fell in love, but it is very close to Longbourn.’ She hesitated and then continued earnestly. ‘I love my family dearly, and I know that my mama is so looking forward to being able to see me regularly.’

  Mrs Bennet and her younger sisters would be forever visiting, they would have no time to themselves, perhaps she would grow tired of seeing them so often and might consider moving later. ‘I have the lease for another year, that should give us ample time to decide if we wish to stay at Netherfield permanently.’

  The look of gratitude she gave him made him feel a giant among men, he wanted to sweep her up in his arms and show her how much she meant to him. Instead he contented himself with squeezing her hand and dropping a feather light kiss upon her parted lips. For a moment he thought he had offended her, she dropped his hand and turned away from him.

  ‘My darling, I must beg your pardon most humbly. I promise you I shall not take such liberties again until we are married.’

  Instantly she spun round. ‘Oh no! You misunderstood me, my love. It is exactly the opposite, I know we must not... must not be intimate, but when you touch me it makes me feel warm all over. I really think it best we do no more than hold hands for both our sakes.’

  ‘In which case I think we must set the date of our wedding. How soon do you think you can prepare your trousseau?’

  Trustingly she slipped her hand back in his and they continued their walk. ‘We shall have to go to the warehouses in London, then everything has to be made.’ She glanced at him mischievously from under her bonnet brim. ‘I do not think that could be achieved in less than six months.’

  ‘Baggage! Do not tease me, I could not wait that long. Six weeks will seem like an eternity, but I can just manage that.’

  ‘Then six weeks it shall be. I do not require that many new gowns, my love, I am perfectly content to wear what I have. However, if I do not have bride clothes my mother would think me not properly married.’

  Charles glanced at his pocket watch and saw to his astonishment they had in walking for over an hour. ‘Jane, we must turn back, we must be several miles away from Longbourn. They will be sending out search parties if we do not go back soon.’

  On their return he discovered that his friend and Elizabeth were still absent. He and Jane had been gone almost three hours, but there was no sign of the others returning.

  * * * *

  ‘Charles, where can Lizzy and Mr Darcy have got to? I am certain they would not have continued on to visit Maria with Kitty. I do hope they have not met with a mishap. Do you think you should go out and look for them?’

  He shook his head. ‘I do not think Darcy would appreciate my appearance as if he is not capable of conducting a walk without assistance. I am sorry, my dear, but I cannot stay with you longer at the moment. I have business to attend to in Meryton, but, as always, I shall join you for dinner and spend the evening in your company.’ He raised her hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss upon her fingers.

  Surprised that he had abandoned his friend in this peculiar way, she went inside, avoiding the breakfast room where she could hear her mother talking to Mary. Instead she retreated upstairs and sat in the window seat watching the paddock to catch a glimpse of her sister and Mr Darcy returning.

  As it happened she was with Sarah, getting ready for dinner in her dressing room and did not see Elizabeth arrive. By this time she was most concerned that her sister had been absent so long for Kitty had returned some time ago. They met on the stairs.

  ‘My dear Lizzy, where ever can you have you been walking to for so long?’

  ‘We wandered about and lost track of both place and time. I must hurry upstairs and change for dinner. Mr Darcy has galloped off to do the same.’

  With that unsatisfactory answer Jane had to be content for the present. On joining her family in the drawing-room she was not surprised to see that neither Charles nor Mr Darcy were yet present. Kitty was full of details about the time she had spent with Maria and this filled the time until Elizabeth came in.

  Jane had already explained why her sister had been so long away and little more was said on the subject. Charles and his friend arrived shortly afterwards and she became so immersed in conversation with him that nothing else was of any importance.

  ‘It is very mysterious, my love, Lizzy will not tell me where she went all day with Darcy. Did he tell you why they were gone so long?’

  He glanced in their direction and smiled knowingly. ‘I have no idea, but I am sure that your sister will explain it all to you when you are private. Now, can you guess where it was I went this afternoon after I left you?’

  She shook her head. ‘Tell me at once, you know that you are bursting with news.’

  ‘I have spoken to the vicar and the wedding date is set for the end of October. We have to decide where we shall go for our wedding trip, do you have any preferences, my darling?’

  ‘I do not wish to go too far, November can be treacherous. Perhaps we could stay in your town house? I should love to visit the theatre and opera with you at my side.’

  ‘Are you sure? Would you not like to travel to Scotland and see the mountains? We could spend Christmas and the New Year in Edinburgh, it is a grand city, albeit somewhat cold.’

  ‘A month in town is all that I require, then we can return to Netherfield and plan our celebrations. I would like to have my first Christmas with you in our own home, with my family around me. By the by, we must now think about wedding guests, do you have many relatives you wish to ask?’

  ‘My two sisters, and Hurst are the only relatives I have. Apart from Darcy and Georgiana, of course, they are as close as family to me.’

  ‘I am afraid that I have dozens that will expect to be invited, most of which you have already met. Mama will wish to organize that, so I must leave it all to her. As long as we are married, I care little about the details.’

  The evening came to a close far too soon for her. With promises to be at Longbourn immediately after breakfast Charles took his leave. She was still thinking about her wedding tour and whether she should be more adventurous in her choice when she retired.

  ‘Tell me, Lizzy, what do you think?
Should we go to the Lakes or perhaps to the coast, or remain in London as I have suggested to Charles?’ To her surprise, she found that Lizzy was not listening to her. ‘Lizzy? Lizzy? Are you wool gathering?’

  Lizzy looked up her expression distracted. ‘I have something to tell you, Jane, that I am certain will astound you. I hardly know how to begin. It is very difficult, but still I must, and I am sure that as you love me so you will want me to be happy.’

  Jane was bewildered. What could Lizzy mean?

  ‘Well, the truth is . . . Darcy and I are engaged.’

  She could not believe what she had heard. She had had no suspicion that her sister was in love with Darcy. ‘You are joking, Lizzy. This cannot be! Engaged to Mr Darcy! No, no, you shall not deceive me. I know it to be impossible.’

  ‘This is a wretched beginning indeed! I am depending on you, as I am sure nobody else will believe me, if you do not. Yes, indeed, I am in earnest. I speak nothing but the truth. He still loves me, and we are engaged.’

  Jane looked at her doubtingly. ‘Oh! Lizzy. It cannot be. I know how much you dislike him.’

  ‘You know nothing of the matter. That is all to be forgotten. Perhaps I did not always love him so well as I do now, but in such cases as these, a good memory is unpardonable. This is the last time I shall ever remember it myself.’

  Jane still could not believe her sister now loved Mr Darcy. ‘Are you quite sure you are not jesting?’

  ‘Oh! Jane, why should I wish to do so? No, it is the truth. I see I will have to convince you. You know that I took a great dislike to him in Hertfordshire, but you know also that my feelings to him started to change when he told me the truth about Wickham, and again when he helped Lydia.’

  ‘Yes, but I did not know they had changed so much.’

  ‘I hardly realized that I had fallen in love with him myself, until recently. I am not surprised that you are disbelieving.’

  ‘Was it the fact that he helped our sister that changed your mind about him?’

  ‘Not really, it is because he is the most honourable, decent and wonderful man I have ever met. I cannot understand how prejudiced I was against him when we were first acquainted. After all, did you not tell me often enough that Bingley would not have him as a friend if he was in any way unpleasant.’

  ‘It was not a sudden thing, Lizzy? I knew the first moment I set eyes on Charles that he was the one for me.’

  ‘I know you did, but we are not alike in that respect. But we have arrived at the same destination nevertheless. Darcy and I have both changed over the year and are finally of the same opinion, that we love each other and wish to be wed.’

  ‘Good heavens? Can it really be so! Yet now I must believe you. My dear, dear Lizzy, I would, I do congratulate you, but are you quite certain? Forgive the question, are you quite certain that you can be happy with him?’

  ‘There can be no doubt of that. It is settled between us already, we are the happiest couple in the world. But are you pleased, Jane? Shall you like to have such an impossible brother?’

  ‘Very, very much. Nothing could give either Charles or myself more delight. We considered it, we talked of it as possible. Do you really love him quite well enough? Oh Lizzy! Do anything rather than marry without affection. Are you quite sure you feel as you ought to?’

  ‘Oh, yes! You will only think, I feel more than I ought to do, when I tell you more.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Why, I must confess, to loving him better than I do Bingley. I am afraid you will be angry.’

  Jane threw her arms around her sister and kissed her. ‘My dear sister, now please be serious. I want to talk to you in earnest. Let me hear everything that I am to know, without delay. Will you tell me how long you have loved him?’

  The rest of the night was spent in exchanging secrets with her sister. When Elizabeth told her that Darcy had been Lydia’s saviour, not their Uncle Gardiner, she was not surprised.

  ‘He is a good man, and I am delighted for you both. If you love him half as much as I love Charles then you shall be happy indeed. Lizzy, let us insist on having a double wedding. As soon as Mr Darcy speaks to our father, we can start planning.’

  ‘Are you sure, Jane dearest, I do not wish to intrude upon your special day. I should be happy to wait until after you and Bingley have married.’

  ‘No, Lizzy, we shall do it together. I am certain that both Charles and Darcy shall be as happy at the suggestion as we are. And it will mean our father only has to provide one wedding breakfast, and not two. However, we have set a date for the end of October. Will that be too soon for you?’

  She saw her sister blush becomingly. ‘It cannot be soon enough for me.’ Giggling together they fell into bed, not voicing what had caused the laughter but both knowing they were eagerly anticipating sharing everything with their husbands.

  Eventually conversation was at an end and Jane fell asleep, her head full of plans for their shared nuptials, trips to London to purchase the materials for their bride clothes and whether she should change her mind and ask Charles to take her to the coast. She had never seen the sea, even in the winter it would be an exciting prospect, especially if she was sharing it with him.

  * * * *

  Charles was already dressed and pacing the drawing-room at Netherfield when Darcy eventually returned. One look at his face was enough to tell him his mission had been successful.

  ‘Congratulations, I wish you happiness, Elizabeth will make you the perfect bride.’

  ‘Do you know, Bingley, until she accepted my offer I was still uncertain. I begin to feel the same euphoria as you, I can scarcely gather my thoughts. I am to be married to the most beautiful woman in Hertfordshire, and to my astonishment she loves me as much as I do her.’

  Charles slapped him vigorously on the back. ‘I beg to differ, my friend. I am marrying the most beautiful girl in Hertfordshire, but Elizabeth comes a close second. Now, you must go and change, the carriage is outside and we are going to be embarrassingly tardy.’

  Eventually on their way Charles had questions he still needed answers to. ‘Well, my friend, when are you to speak to Mr Bennet? It is going to be difficult maintaining the pretence that you are at Longbourn to accompany me and for no other reason.’

  ‘I think after supper, when he retires to his library, I shall follow him. If we spend the day out of the house, on another long walk, I think it might be possible to maintain the fiction for a while longer.’

  ‘Mrs Bennet holds you in extreme dislike, and the two younger sisters are too afraid of you to speak in your presence. It is hard to tell Mr Bennet’s opinion, but I think he is a sensible man, it is from him both Elizabeth and Jane have their good sense and impeccable manners.’

  Mr Darcy laughed out loud. ‘I do not think you understand your future mother-in-law, Bingley, if you do not realize that as soon as I become her daughter’s intended her dislike of me will vanish. The thought of my wealth and status will turn me instantly into her favourite person.’

  He grinned, not sure if it was quite proper to poke fun at what was soon to be his family, after all. ‘It will be hard for you, enduring the eulogies from Mrs Bennet, and her friends and relatives. But, you have the best of it, my friend, you will be removing to Derbyshire, I am obliged to live within three miles of Longbourn.’

  ‘I must write to Lady Catherine, and also to Georgiana and tell her the good news. I shall meet you outside in an hour; we can then ride to Longbourn together.’

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Jane received a polite note of congratulations from Caroline which she showed to her sister. ‘I am glad that she has written to me, but I can assure you, Lizzy, I shall not be taken in by her again.’

  ‘I am glad to hear say so, she treated you abominably and although she is to become family it does not mean you have to be bosom bows.’

  ‘I have no need of other friends when I have you. I shall write her a kind letter and that shall be the end of the matter. Cha
rles does not wish to invite her to spend Christmas with us at Netherfield, which is a great relief to me.’

  The letter finished, Jane went to join her sister who was examining fashion plates with some enthusiasm. ‘Are you looking forward to going to London tomorrow? I could not believe that Papa gave us permission to travel unchaperoned in a carriage with Darcy and Charles.’

  ‘As he will be travelling in the Longbourn carriage with Mama at the same time he could hardly raise any objections. After all we shall be chaperoning each other.’ She tossed aside the magazine. ‘These gowns are far too ornate for my taste. I have no intention of wearing a dress smothered in frills and rouleau just to be considered stylish.’ She pointed to the drawing she had discarded so suddenly. ‘Look at that, Jane. Would you wish to walk around wearing something that resembles a coal scuttle on your head?’

  ‘It is fortunate that we do not intend to parade around in the ton or we should be obliged to look as ridiculous as that.’ She yawned. ‘I think it is time we retired, we have to make an early start tomorrow.’

  As they assisted each other to disrobe conversation continued about their double wedding. ‘It is going to be most unusual to have two brides walk down the aisle with the same gentleman, don’t you think, Lizzy?’

  ‘Unless one of us is prepared to be given away by Uncle Gardiner, or I wait my turn, there is no other way. I told you I would be quite happy to be escorted second but you would have none of it.’

  ‘I should think not, we have always shared everything and it shall be the same on our wedding day.’

  Jane was snuggling into her side of the bed when her sister giggled.

  ‘I do hope you are not intending to share my husband as well.’

  * * * *

  ‘I am not certain you shall enjoy traipsing all over London with Elizabeth and Jane, Darcy. You have never been one for shopping of any sort, but for feminine fallalls?’

  ‘I have absolutely no intention of entering any such emporiums, I would rather have my teeth pulled. What I am going to do is have the Darcy diamonds reset for my future wife, and also escort her to the theatre and the opera in the evenings.’