By Consequence of Marriage (A Pride & Prejudice Novel) Page 6

  "By the by, thank you Mr. Darcy for seeing me safely downstairs. I confess I was becoming a tad addled remaining only in one attitude." She spoke but did not meet his eyes, instead focusing on her glass of wine.

  Caroline Bingley glided into the room with her head held high, yet her attitude quickly soured as she had to wait for a footman to step forward and pull out her chair beside Mr. Darcy. She was unaccustomed to being ignored and privately vowed that she would not allow Mr. Darcy to cast her aside over the crass charms of a country miss.

  "If you are addled, we ought to call Mr. Jones. Perhaps your head injury was more serious than we presumed, Miss Eliza."

  Elizabeth stared at Caroline with her quizzical brow, wondering why the woman was set on disliking her so. Instead, the jubilation of being out of her sick room returned and Elizabeth ignored the unpleasant attempt to draw her into an argument. "Miss Bingley, you've set a splendid table. I truly appreciate your kindness my first evening dining out of my room."

  Mr. Darcy choked on his wine, but soon recovered. He gave a rare dimpled smile in Elizabeth's direction, though she still would not meet his eye. He was most impressed that his Elizabeth refused to sink to Caroline's level. Turning his sterling silver knife over next to his place setting, he frowned. Had his mind truly just called her his Elizabeth? He was in grave danger of raising her expectations if he did not check his behavior. The last thing he could do at this moment was offer for any woman.

  "Mr. Bingley, I do not see Mr. and Mrs. Hurst. Ought we not wait for them?" Elizabeth asked as the first course was served.

  "My sister and brother are dining with the Livingstons, as both women are in the family way. I'm sure if Louisa knew it was to be such a grand evening for you, Miss Eliza, she never would have made such plans." Caroline answered before her brother could collect his thoughts since Elizabeth's direct question interrupted his observations of Jane.

  "The Livingstons are a good family. We've dined with them often in the past," Jane said sweetly to cover her sister's reaction to Caroline's continued impertinence.

  "Indeed, their cook makes the most delicious meat pie." Elizabeth smiled as she took a second bite of the very same dish. Caroline gasped at the direct set down, but Bingley only laughed.

  "Yes, well we leasing neighbors are at a disadvantage to attract the best help in the area, being so newly settled." Bingley winked at Elizabeth as she patted her mouth with her napkin to hide her own glee.

  "And how long do you plan to remain settled in the area, Mr. Bingley? Are you considering placing an offer to purchase Netherfield?"

  "Er. . . no. . . that is, not yet." Charles looked frantically to Darcy who was not minding the conversation, merely his dinner plate. "I planned to lease for a year and see how suited we are to this fine estate."

  "Mmm. I suppose that might be seen as wise or as unreliable. But, I am inclined to view it as very wise since you are such a kind-hearted man, I could never see you intentionally playing on the hopes of another."

  "Lizzie!" Jane exclaimed, surprised her younger sister would be so brazen. However, Jane was so distracted by Elizabeth, she missed that for the first time that evening her sister was making solid eye contact with Mr. Darcy. The gentleman did not return her glare, but instead broke her heart by revealing the great sadness behind his actions.

  "No, Miss Bennet, I do not believe Miss Elizabeth was attempting to be rude. She paid me a compliment." The affable Charles Bingley raised his glass in Elizabeth's direction and she struggled to react. Quickly, she raised her glass and offered him a warm smile as she endeavored to sort out her feelings towards Mr. Darcy. Something about the man both delighted and frightened her.

  "Indeed, you are the best addition to our neighborhood." Elizabeth smiled as she managed to exclude his family.

  "Hear, hear," Darcy's baritone joined in while Caroline Bingley sulked for the rest of dinner.

  After three courses, Elizabeth grimaced as her ankle was beginning to throb. Darcy noticed right away she was uncomfortable and asked if she wished to retire.

  "No, no thank you, sir, I fear I just need to prop up my ankle." She motioned for a footman to lift her and the man standing behind her chair hastened to assist. "I believe I will simply make my way to a sofa where I might place my foot on a pillow and I shall be right as rain."

  "Well, as you are making alliterative jests, I shall trust your judgment."

  "And I hope you always shall!" She retorted with cheek just as the footman lifted her. Jane motioned to be excused as well, and followed her sister into the drawing room. She was hopeful she could help preserve Elizabeth's modesty before the gentlemen joined them.

  "As we have guests ferried in and out of the dinning room this evening, perhaps you and Mr. Darcy will join us ladies and forgo your port?" Caroline suggested as she made a point to wait for Mr. Darcy's escort to the drawing room. Neither Darcy nor Bingley needed an invitation to look in on the lovely Bennet sisters.

  Darcy humored Caroline, but was unhappy to see that Miss Elizabeth had been arranged on a far sofa away from the card tables and seating for the evening. However, he was arrested by the sight of her forlorn gaze at the moonlit gardens and remembered that her sister Jane often described Elizabeth as nymph-like in her daily rambles in the countryside. Had he been cooped up indoors for a month, he too might appear trapped.

  "Darcy! Bring Caroline over here, I've heard of this card game many times. We are going to play Consequences!"

  "Charles, don't be droll. I've never heard of such a game and it sounds positively silly."

  Jane reddened but began to deal the cards.

  "You are mistaken, Miss Bingley, the game is assuredly illuminating." Mr. Darcy said, escorting Caroline to the seat across from him.

  "Will not Miss Eliza be disappointed? Perhaps we ought wait until she may be able to join us."

  "Oh, do not delay on my account! I play cards aplenty each afternoon when Mr. Darcy visits. I am content to simply observe!" Elizabeth called from her far corner of the room, showing she could hear them quite clearly.

  Stuck, Caroline attempted a smile that was more a grimace as Jane explained the rules. Predictably, Charles took to the game like fish to water, and it was Jane who took the first round. Thankfully, Darcy did not play any queens as those were divided between the Bingley siblings, with Charles complimenting Jane, who appreciated it, and Caroline complimenting him, which he did not appreciate. Before they started another round, Darcy checked on Elizabeth and chuckled to see the lady curled up sound asleep against the arm of the sofa. He gently touched Miss Bennet's elbow and motioned towards her sister with a nod.

  "The evening was more taxing than we had thought. I'll find a footman." Jane started, but Darcy held up his hand.

  "It would be my pleasure to carry her up. If a footman fell and further injured her, I would feel to blame. Would you join me?"

  Jane nodded and followed as Mr. Darcy carried her sister up the stairs. Halfway up, Elizabeth woke with a start, but smelling the familiar scent of musk and sandalwood, settled her chin further into Mr. Darcy's chest. With the softest of whispers, he heard her sigh. "I do not understand you, Mr. Darcy."

  Keeping his silence, Darcy carried Elizabeth to her bedroom. He placed her just on the edge of the bed as she was now fully awake. He bowed to Miss Bennet and left the room without a word, not trusting himself to confess all with just the slightest encouragement. But what would she think of him, a man with a wayward sister and one he was unable to find himself? She would hate him, and that he could not abide, even if he were unable to offer her more.

  Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he found Bingley pacing the floor. "Charles? I assure you, Miss Bennet is fine and plans to rejoin us as soon as her sister is settled."

  "Of course, this just arrived for you." Charles held out an express. Hands shaking, Darcy took the missive and inhaled deeply. He ripped the wax seal and unfolded the paper, but kept his eyes shut. What if it was bad news? What if she was gone fo
rever?

  "Well man, open your eyes. You can't read omnisciently, not even the illustrious Darcy." Bingley laughed, not knowing how grave Darcy's situation had become. That Darcy received express mailings regularly had trained Bingley to not always think the worst.

  Before Darcy could read his letter, he glanced around, realizing a modicum of privacy was necessary. "Charles, perhaps we ought to take our port now as we await Miss Bennet."

  Confused, Bingley escorted his friend to the sparse library that he was using as a study since the actual study of Netherfield was still decorated in grotesque medieval furnishings. The fire was near spent as the servants knew of the delay for the gentlemen. Bingley marched forward to address the embers. Partly playing the pleasant host and partly giving his friend some privacy, Charles jumped when Darcy yelled out.

  "Praise the Lord, he found her!"

  "Darcy! A care to the wits of those around you!"

  Darcy rushed forward to shake Bingley's hand. "He found her! I must away at once!"

  "It's close on the middle of the night!"

  Darcy leaned forward to peer at the same large moon Elizabeth had enjoyed earlier. "And the moon is brighter than the sun. I shall be fine. Call on me in London."

  "But it's quite cold!"

  Darcy waved an arm and hurried out of the library, absent-mindedly laying the letter on the desk as he began to prepare to hasten his departure. Bingley stood in the library positively confused at his friend's actions when Caroline Bingley slithered her way into the room. She made a beeline for the open letter lying on the desk and began reading it before her brother might intervene.

  "Caroline! That belongs to Darcy!"

  "What? Oh, I had no idea," she said with a fake sense of surprise. She handed the letter to Charles. "It appears our Mr. Darcy carried a secret all this time. What a scandal!"

  Charles read the letter himself and his mouth dropped in horror. Georgiana Darcy had run away with the steward's son? No, Charles could not believe it, Darcy was so careful and attentive to his sister! Charles shook his head, seeing a devilish grin on his own sister's face.

  "Caroline, no! I know that look you and Louisa get, and so help me, if word of this leaves this room I shall know it was you and I will cut you off. Every penny!" Charles turned away from his sister in disgust and cast the offending letter to the flames.

  "Charles! I am shocked you would think so meanly of me! I was only thinking about how now, more than ever, we must show our support of the Darcy family. Why, we should hurry to London right away!"

  Charles rubbed his chin as he considered his sister's plea. He couldn't confess that leaving now would take him away from Jane and that was the last thing he wished to do when he planned to approach her father once Miss Elizabeth was well to ask for a courtship. "Have you forgotten our guests?"

  "Oh please, if she can be carried down to dinner, she can ride home in a carriage." Caroline found a chair and sat down, beginning her first pantomimes of feeling a headache coming on. "This county is so very dreary, Charles."

  A knock on the library door startled the Bingleys and Jane Bennet tentatively entered. Bingley reddened, but Jane seemed not to notice as she gave Caroline a stern scowl. "I apologize for interrupting, I only wished to bid you a good night. I believe my sister and I will return home tomorrow and wished to thank you for your hospitality."

  "Wait, what? Surely Miss Elizabeth is not well enough to travel Miss Bennet? Please say you will stay at least another week?" Mr. Bingley hurried forward to address Jane directly, but she only softened her expression for the poor man. After witnessing Caroline Bingley's open rudeness to Elizabeth and hearing that Mr. Darcy was to soon leave, Jane was certain the best place for Elizabeth to recuperate was Longbourn.

  "I'm afraid it's my sister's wishes, Mr. Bingley. She and my father are very close and she misses him most dearly. I know you understand." Jane gently placed a hand on Mr. Bingely's arm, before curtsying. "I wish you both a good evening."

  Bingley stared at the door for a few moments after Jane had made her exit. He finally gave attention to Caroline and reminded her that he was the youngest sibling of the family and keen on getting his way. "Are you happy now Caroline? Our friends are leaving. And we are staying, and that's final." Charles Bingley bowed to his sister and retired for the evening. On the way, he found his butler Mr. Higgins and gave strict instructions for the stable not to saddle Mr. Darcy's horse until dawn. He cared not what his friend or Caroline planned, but tomorrow he would be refreshed and escort the Bennet sisters home.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The ruts in the road from Netherfield to Longbourn jostled the Bingley carriage as the Bennet sisters were escorted home by none other than the master of Netherfield. Elizabeth Bennet, precarious on one bench of the carriage, alone, to prop up her injured ankle, did her best to be an invisible chaperone as her sister Jane and Mr. Bingley made polite conversation. Flicking her attention over to see Jane giggling once again and Mr. Bingley appearing pleased with the jest he had made, Elizabeth sighed. By the time they had risen and readied the carriage, her favorite of the Netherfield party, Mr. Darcy, was long gone on his journey back to London.

  "I apologize, Miss Elizabeth, if our levity is an annoyance. Does you ankle hurt, still?" Mr. Bingley asked with genuine care evident in his voice and expression.

  Elizabeth waved her gloved hands in response. "No, no, I was thinking how despite my injuries, my stay at Netherfield was such a pleasure. The company, in particular, are those I hope to call friends for a long time."

  "Happy you should say so! I had not wished to offend, nor embarrass you, Jane," Elizabeth held her breath as she caught Mr. Bingley using Jane's Christian name, "but I had intended to speak with your father this morning if that would please you?"

  With a keen intake of her breath, Elizabeth sat in agony as it seemed hours passed before Jane blushed and nodded, adding a meek "Yes, it would please me rather much." The happy couple stared at one another and wishing she could disappear, Elizabeth was distracted enough to forget about bracing for the large turn in the road. She slid on the bench and her foot crashed into the carriage wall, making her cry out in pain.

  "Lizzie!" Jane tried to reach for her sister, but Elizabeth stayed Jane with a gesture of her hands as she breathed through the pain.

  Demanding her body not allow the water gathering at the edge of her eyes to fall as tears, Elizabeth started to speak in a terse manner. "Bravo, Mr. Bingley, for falling in love with my best sister!" Elizabeth took calming breaths before continuing, gently rubbing her throbbing ankle with restraint. "May I inquire as to the nature of the action that inspired your courage, sir? Suitors speaking to fathers is quite serious business."

  Jane groaned and hid her face with her hands, which Mr. Bingley tenderly helped to remove. Elizabeth noted he held onto her sister's hand a bit longer than necessary and the adorableness of the action stirred an ache in Elizabeth's heart that she tried to ignore. "You are never one to avoid a subject head on, are you Miss Elizabeth? I will confess that my resolve does stem from my poor friend Darcy's plight. Who knows what tomorrow shall bring? Fortune favors the brave!"

  "Ignavum fortuna repugnat." Elizabeth responded with a smirk making Charles Bingley laugh aloud. Jane gazed in confusion between them, until Charles spoke.

  "Your sister merely provided supporting logic for my impetuosity. I did not know you were fluent in Latin, Miss Elizabeth."

  As the carriage rolled to a stop in front on Longbourn, Elizabeth did not answer Mr. Bingley's comment as she made a covert glance at the inhabitants of her home spilling out of the front door. There was no sign of her father, Mr. Bennet, and Elizabeth's mood soon soured. Her mother waved a handkerchief and Elizabeth spied Mrs. Hill's strapping young nephew abandoning his work by the barn.

  "Mr. Bingley! Mr. Bingley! How kind of you to bring home my girls! I do hope they were not a bother!"

  "I am pleased to report nothing of the kind, Mrs. Bennet! We were discussing how
amiable a visit this was, Miss Elizabeth's injuries aside, of course." He bowed respectfully to the woman before he reached out his hand to help Jane down from the carriage. The gesture halted Lydia Bennet in her tracks as she had been skipping around the carriage with Kitty in tow. The two younger girls bent close together in conspiratorial whispers and Mrs. Bennet began to lead Mr. Bingley and Jane towards the house, fretting over them both.

  Left in the carriage, Elizabeth called out.

  "Oh, yes, Lizzie. Marcus, fetch her if you please and carry her to her room? Now, Mr. Bingley, you must tell me your favorite meat dish and I will arrange for Cook to prepare it. You simply must come to dinner tonight, and . . ." her voice trailed off as she entered the house. Elizabeth watched, her jaw dropped, as not even Jane turned to see that she was helped out of the carriage. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she pouted for a moment before laughing at the folly of her mother. What was a broken ankle to a potential suitor? It was in a fit of laughter that the gangly Marcus found the young miss. He popped his head into finely leathered carriage and asked Miss Elizabeth if she required assistance.

  "If you will lend me your shoulder, I should manage to hobble." She gave him a wistful smile and slid from the carriage bench to sit on the floor. Tugging on her gown to keep it in place, she inched closer and closer to the door until she could reach up and grab the boy's shoulder for steadiness. The younger girls followed and Elizabeth was grateful when Kitty offered another arm to help her hop to the door.

  "Where is Papa?" Elizabeth managed to ask, the exertion of maneuvering with only one good foot wearing on her nerves.

  "Touring the estate with that Mr. Collins. Won't be back for ages." Lydia offered.

  "Hold here a moment, I need a rest." Elizabeth caught her breath as the front door loomed in front of her, the stairs beyond. Fixing a determined line to her lip, she nodded. "Let's proceed."

  Once inside, Elizabeth let go of the young Marcus and shooed him back to his duties. Silent pleading for help from Kitty, lest the part of Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Bingley, and Jane be disturbed, made Elizabeth smile weakly as she awaited Kitty's scowl, then sigh of agreement. Elizabeth crawled up the stairs as quietly as she could with Kitty blocking any unflattering views from behind.