First Impressions: A Tale of Less Pride & Prejudice (Tales of Less Pride and Prejudice) (11 page)

Her chin was tilted at a defiant angle but her heart pounded so violently she feared he must hear it. Hopes she had been terrified to acknowledge churned mercilessly inside her, creating a roaring cacophony, yet all he noticed was the glorious pride she emanated.

“
Miss Elizabeth, please excuse me, but though I have struggled in vain my feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire you.”

The words were concise, as his tended to be, and could not be misconstrued, but the look that accompanied them could. There she saw both hope and indecision which she rapidly misinterpreted, smothering the fluttering of her aspirations. He saw the shadow pass across her face with concern as she revealed her deepest fears, “But you cannot act on your feelings because of my unfortunate relations.” Her chin fell; she could hold it up no longer. “I cannot blame you, sir. My mother, my younger sisters, and, sadly, even my father sometimes – they all demonstrate an inexcusable disregard for propriety. A man of your station should not be subjected to such behavior.”

Mr. Darcy almost had the inexcusable urge to laugh, so gleeful did the affection she was unwittingly betraying make him feel. But he constrained himself and instead took her hand, this time with great deliberation. She looked at him in surprise.

“
Do you truly think me such a prejudiced man that I cannot bear to be subjected to a bit of folly? In truth, I could wish your family more refined, but then perhaps you would not be who you are. I assure you my affection is sincere and my intentions honorable. I would like permission to call on you that we may have the opportunity to further our friendship, as I now have ardent hope it will prove to be far more than that.”

She smiled again, the spark he adored restored to its rightful place in her eyes, “I would like that, Mr. Darcy.”

--

Mrs. Bennet received her wish and the gentlemen remained for dinner, a raucous affair by any estimation. Jane and Bingley glowed as they announced their intention to wed just after Christmas, while Mrs. Bennet’s brother and sister Gardiner would still be at Longbourn for their annual visit. Though Mrs. Bennet managed to subdue her enthusiasm for this bit of news under her husbands’ admonishing gaze, even Mr. Darcy’s presence at her side could not keep her restrained after the next announcement. For as soon as Mr. Collins felt he had sufficiently gained the company’s attention, he let it be known, in an extraordinary number of words, that Mary had accepted his humble proposal of marriage and Mr. Bennet provided his blessing. Tears welled in Mrs. Bennet’s eyes as she gazed lovingly at her formerly least-regarded daughter, now savior of Longbourn. Mary herself looked positively blooming. Elizabeth felt all the happiness of the moment, having only to wish her mother would be less effusive in her approval. That lady was babbling incoherently to any who would listen about all the wedding details at once, each of Mr. Bennet’s meaningful glances totally lost on her. Darcy granted the lady, quite charitably considering that he was now regarding her in the light of a future mother-in-law, surprising leeway on this occasion. Her excitement, he reasoned, was not unwarranted: if her exclamations of happiness were a bit piercing, her feelings were certainly natural and just. Eventually she heeded her husband and calmed down, soon enough to be able to fully relish Mr. Darcy’s praise of her table.

Generally, despite its volume, Darcy found the celebratory atmosphere that evening pleasing. Kitty and Lydia engaged in less insipid discourse than usual, largely due to the sudden influx of topics. Mr. Collins was thoroughly distracted with his fiancée and never once accosted him on Lady Catherine’s behalf, giving Elizabeth and himself ample opportunity to indulge in the banter that came so easy to them, teasing each other into greater feats of mental gymnastics. The sense of happy domesticity that clung to him as he departed did much to improve his idea of life at Longbourn.

When the Bennets finally retired that eventful day, Mr. Bennet provided his wife with the details of his conversation with Mr. Darcy. He felt exhausted but was thoroughly pleased with himself. So too, obviously, was Mrs. Bennet. Her husband was surprised by how accepting she was of Mr. Darcy’s criticisms of herself, softened though they were in his account, but so dazzled was her already overwrought mind by the imagined grandeur of Pemberley that she readily and amiably agreed to mind her manners at all cost. She had a surprising burst of momentary insight – which her husband had to credit her for, having yet to think on the subject himself – when she said, “Can you imagine it Mr. Bennet? With Jane at Netherfield, Mary at Hunsford, and Kitty and Lydia at school, when Mr. Darcy finally proposes to Lizzy it shall be shockingly quiet here!” She babbled on, something about the lord Lydia would surely someday marry, but Mr. Bennet dwelt on her words. Perhaps he had been too hasty in disposing of his daughters but, when one is on such a streak, velocity does make it rather hard to slow down. His consolation was that should Mr. Darcy fail to come to his senses and sweep Elizabeth away she would be a most welcome companion at Longbourn, once abandoned by all but himself and Mrs. Bennet.

Chapter 14

“
I cannot wait to attend school!” Kitty gleefully shared her excitement at breakfast the next morning. “Shall we go to London, Papa? It is simply too exciting!”

“
London schools are expensive, Kitty. I need to investigate the matter further. Mr. Darcy suggested several institutions with which he is familiar. One in particular sounds promising, located in Cheshire.”

“
Cheshire!” Lydia shrieked. “Where in the world is that! I’m sure I would much rather remain right here. The militia will remain all winter and besides, even then I am already out, full grown: what have I do to with the schoolroom?”

“
I should have been thankful for such an opportunity Lydia. Any young lady so fortunate as to have the option of an education is obligated to take advantage of it,” were Mary’s words on the subject, said while smiling at Mr. Collins who, in turn, beamed back approvingly before returning with renewed vigor to his plate.

“
Leaving the militia is unfortunate,” Kitty conceded. “Can we not attend in the fall?”

“
No,” Mr. Bennet replied firmly, deciding it was kinder to not tease his daughters further, “you shall leave in the New Year. The militia’s movements hold no weight in the matter. There is a school in Bath that would be highly suitable. I am familiar with it by reputation and Mr. Darcy has visited it on behalf of a neighbor. He assures me it is well run and appropriate to our station.”

Kitty nearly leaped from her seat in joy. “Oh Bath! Really?” she cried. This frequently overlooked member of the Bennet family heartily craved variety, a commodity which Hertfordshire was short on. Naturally high spirited, she attached herself to Lydia at an early age, she being the most diverting, for better or worse, of all the sisters. The prospect of Bath was almost too breathtaking for her to tolerate.

“
Surely station matters none to me,” Lydia grumbled. “Once Mr. Darcy marries Lizzy no one shall dare look down on us.”

“
Lydia!” Elizabeth cried in embarrassment as Mr. Collins choked on his drink. He coughed violently into his napkin in an attempt to recover himself while Mary attended him with concern.

“
There shall be no more speculation on that point. Mr. Darcy is a gentleman, has proven himself a good friend to our family, and apparently finds Elizabeth’s company particularly agreeable. No more shall be said on the matter. We owe Mr. Darcy more than to engage in gossip about him.”

“
Thank you Papa,” Elizabeth said. Mr. Collins, still red in the face, studied her carefully.

“
Yes, Lydia dear,” an unusually quiet Mrs. Bennet contributed in an exaggeratedly sweet tone, “we must be very respectful of Mr. Darcy sensibilities. Please do your utmost to behave perfectly when he visits today. We do not want to scare him off, do we now?” She smiled at her husband, seeking his approval, but he could not bear to bestow it.

“
The nephew of my patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, is expected again today?” Mr. Collins anxiously questioned, his curiosity now thoroughly piqued.

“
Oh yes. We expect to see him quite often,” Mrs. Bennet said complacently, bestowing an indulgent smile on her second daughter.

“
Lydia,” Mr. Bennet said directly to her, ignoring his guest’s agitation, “school is a great opportunity for you, a privilege only you and Kitty amongst my children are going to receive. An education will provide you with the refinement to intermingle with the best of society. It is not within my power to give you much in way of a portion,” he said frankly, “but this will certainly raise your marital prospects.”

“
I am looking forward to going to school Papa.”

“
Yes, you have made yourself quite clear on that point, Kitty. Returning to you now, Lydia, I have a feeling you will find as ample distraction in Bath as you do in the militia. In fact, I shudder to think what kind of mischief you could get up to away from home. Surely this must be a pleasant prospect for you?”

“
And my dear,” added Mrs. Bennet, “think of the new school clothes we shall need to purchase for you.”

“
Why did I not think of that tactic?” her husband silently wondered.

Lydia brightened a bit, “I suppose I shall somehow bear it. Might I have some new bonnets as well?”

“
Whatever assures your amiability on the matter,” Mr. Bennet replied, before his wife could assent for him.

It was then that Charlotte Lucas was announced. She had not expected the Bennets to still be breakfasting and hoped to intercept Elizabeth in her morning walk so they could speak privately. There was a casualness in her relationship with the family that enabled her to join the table without awkwardness and wait for her friend to be ready to join her. After only a few minutes, during which she was inundated on all sides with the great news the household currently sported, the ladies were able to abandon noisy Longbourn for the peace and quiet of its grounds.

Charlotte was brimming with questions. She already had already heard rumors of much of the events that had transpired at Longbourn, thanks to the steady stream of missives Mrs. Bennet penned to her sister, Mrs. Phillips, that lady’s frequent meetings with Mrs. Long, and the speed of the neighborhood’s servants’ tongues. “So all the tales that are circulating have some merit,” she teased amiably. “Truly it is too much good fortune in one family for the gossips to bear!”

“
I think you underestimate their tolerance. They know that in light of our luck, whatever mishap next comes our way will be all the more delightful.”

“
But I also hear that a third match, of still greater triumph than the others, will very soon spiral the Bennet name to dizzying new heights.”

Elizabeth blushed and stopped walking. Charlotte looked at her in amazement. Never before had she seen her friend tongue-tied. “So it is true Eliza!” she gasped.

“
No, it is not true, at least not yet,” Elizabeth fretted. “Oh! Honestly I know not what will happen. He has indicated his admiration, Charlotte, but not yet spoken of marriage. We have agreed to get to know each other better but already I know that he is the best of men. Whatever shall I do should he not propose?” She laughed nervously.

“
Elizabeth,” Charlotte looked at her deeply in the face, “you are certain Mr. Darcy would never toy with your affections?”

“
Oh no!” Her friend moved away defensively. “He is everything a gentleman ought to be. He has been totally candid with me in all our interactions. It just seems he does not yet know if circumstances will allow him to marry me.”

Charlotte required no further elaboration. Like all thinking people of her era, she was inherently aware of the many social barriers that stood between Darcy and Elizabeth. “Does this newly discovered relationship between his aunt and your future brother do anything to ease his path?”

“
I do not know. Having never met Lady Catherine, how am I to gage her response to the scenario? From what I have heard, she sounds like an excessively proud woman.”

“
I have a hard time believing, if Mr. Darcy is the thorough gentleman you claim ...”

“
He is Charlotte,” Elizabeth assured her.

“
... that you will not be engaged shortly. For surely he would not be so bold as to declare his sentiments without every intention of acting upon them. An aunt, no matter how grand, is not an insurmountable obstacle to a man in love.”

Elizabeth laughed with affected lightheartedness, “I believe you must be correct.” With all her heart she hoped she was.

While the two ladies roamed the shrubbery, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy arrived, once again earlier than precisely polite. Their eagerness was not begrudged, as amply indicated by Mrs. Bennets’ obvious delight and the nervously genuflecting Mr. Collins. This eager gentleman quickly greeted the new arrivals, launching into a tedious but coherent request that Mr. Darcy grant him a word in private. His appeal was accepted coldly, a precautionary measure as Darcy feared the man might embark on new effusions if encouraged by any affability.