Janet Aylmer - Darcy’s Story

Bingley replied to Mrs. Bennet that he was aware of the marriage, and made his congratulations.

Darcy reflected with some satisfaction that the mother of the bride should be singularly ill-informed about the matter if her brother had kept his promise. He did, however, look keenly at her second daughter again at this mention of Wickham, and fancied that she met his glance for a moment, before her eyes dropped again to her needlework.

“It is a delightful thing, to be sure, to have a daughter well married,” continued the mother, “but at the same time, Mr. Bingley, it is very hard to have her taken such a way from me. They are gone down to Newcastle, a place quite northward, it seems, and there they are to stay, I do not know how long. His regiment is there; for I suppose you have heard of his leaving the ___shire, and of his being gone into the regulars. Thank Heaven! he has some friends, though perhaps not so many as he deserves.” And, saying this, she looked pointedly at Darcy.

He noticed that neither of the two elder daughters were looking very comfortable at this mention of their new brother. Mrs. Bennet’s outburst drew from Miss Elizabeth a question to Bingley, whether he meant to make any stay in the country at present.

“A few weeks, he believed.”

But the mother was not to be gainsaid.

“When you have killed all your own birds, Mr. Bingley,” she said, “I beg you will come here, and shoot as many as you please, on Mr. Bennet’s manor. I am sure he will be vastly happy to oblige you, and will save all the best of the covies for you.”

In observing his friend and Miss Jane Bennet, Darcy had already decided that Bingley found her as handsome as he had last year; as good-natured, and as unaffected.

And she, in as far as he could tell without her sister to assist him, was certainly quietly happy to see his friend again. At least, he told himself, that part of the mission had been accomplished to his own satisfaction so far.

When they rose to go away, Mrs. Bennet invited them to dine at Longbourn in a few days’ time.

“You are quite a visit in my debt, Mr. Bingley,” she added, “for when you went to town last winter, you promised to take a family dinner with us, as soon as you returned. I have not forgot, you see; and I assure you, I was very much disappointed that you did not come back and keep your engagement.”

Bingley looked awkward at this, but said something to the effect that he had been prevented by business. He added that they would be very happy to accept an invitation for the next Tuesday, and so he and Darcy took their leave.

Over the next few days, it was clear to Darcy that his friend was in a much more settled frame of mind. He himself was sad, irritated and far from good company until Tuesday.

He could see no way of repairing or continuing his friendship with Miss Elizabeth with her mother always present. Indeed, he felt that he might be nearly back to the situation and the relationship with her second daughter where he had been after his visit to Kent.

It was therefore with no great anticipation of pleasure that he set off with Bingley to Longbourn as arranged, where there was a large party assembled. When they had repaired to the dining-room, and after a little hesitation, Bingley took the place by Miss Jane Bennet. Darcy was much less happily settled, being seated on one side of Mrs. Bennet, a situation not likely to give pleasure to either, and a considerable distance from her second daughter. They spoke very little during the repast, and there was little enthusiasm for conversation when they did. Darcy had no pleasure either in talking to the young lady on his other side. He took some comfort that Miss Elizabeth Bennet seemed to have even less conversation with the gentlemen sitting to each side of her.

When he finally came into the drawing-room after dinner, the ladies had crowded round the table, where Miss Bennet was making tea. Miss Elizabeth was pouring out the coffee, but the seats near her were already filled. Darcy, who would normally have drunk tea, decided on this occasion to take coffee. However, on his approaching, one of the girls moved closer to Miss Elizabeth, so that he had no option but to take his cup and then walk away to another part of the room.

When the throng had eased, he went to bring back his cup, and was warmed by her saying immediately before they were interrupted again, “Is your sister at Pemberley still?”

“Yes, she will remain there till Christmas.”

“And quite alone? Have all her friends left her?”

“Mrs. Annesley is with her. The others, Miss Bingley and the Hursts, have been gone on to Scarborough, these three weeks.”

He wished that they might speak more, and so stood by her for some time. But with others so close, and with one young lady whispering to her once more, he had no chance of more conversation and so had to go away again.

When the tea-things were removed, and the card tables placed, the ladies all rose. Before he was aware of what had happened, Darcy was forced against his inclination to join in a game of whist. He and Miss Elizabeth were at different tables, so that he could have no more enjoyment. Their carriage came ahead of the others, so that there could be no reason for he and Bingley to linger.

A few days more were passed by shooting on the Netherfield estate and, from his friend’s frequent comments and compliments about the lady, Darcy was satisfied of Bingley’s serious attachment to Jane Bennet. He took every opportunity to agree with his friend about her charms and happy disposition.

Indeed, Darcy went as far as to add that he had seen over the recent meetings at Longbourn a partiality in the lady for Bingley of which he had not previously been certain, and which his friend confirmed to him was reciprocated.

Darcy then resolved that he must tell his friend that he, as well as Bingley’s sisters, had known of Miss Bennet being in London for three months last winter. Darcy had rarely seen Bingley angry, but this was one such occasion. It was clear that this deception wounded his friend greatly.

Darcy made no excuses, thinking it best to admit quite simply that he had been wrong, and acknowledged the justice of this reaction, saying that his only excuse had been that he had been unaware of Miss Bennet’s attachment to Bingley at that time.

On this occasion, as on others, Darcy noted how quickly his friend was prepared to forgive and forget. Unlike myself, Darcy thought. Bingley, unwilling to prolong his disquiet in view of his friend’s opinion that Miss Bennet might now receive his addresses with pleasure, soon turned his anger on his sisters. When that also was spent, they agreed that Bingley should go to Longbourn again on the morrow.

“Will you accompany me?”

“No, you must excuse me, for I have had a letter from town, and must be there straightway to attend to some matters of business concerning my estate.”

“In any case,” Darcy added with a smile, “you will find me an encumbrance if you are really intending to find an opportunity soon to make your addresses to Miss Bennet!”

Bingley acknowledged that this might be the case. He failed to observe that his friend appeared to have received no recent messages from London.

Darcy left that morning, saying that he would probably return to Netherfield in ten days’ time.

On the journey to town Darcy reflected, not for the first time, that his friend was very easily deceived.

In truth, there had been no urgent business to take him away, except that he could take the opportunity to express his thanks in person to his cousin, Fitzwilliam, for locating Mrs. Younge, thereby leading Darcy to where Wickham and Lydia Bennet had been living.