Darcy in Want of a Wife

Chapter 23

The Bingley’s Leased House

Half Moon Street

The Next Day

“Good morning, Mr. Darcy,” Jane Bingley said, her lovely face bright with welcome. “Please, do sit down by the fire; it is rather chilly today.”

Darcy obediently took the blue wingbacked chair and reached out to warm his hands. It was, as his hostess said, a cold day.

Bingley entered the room at this moment and said, “Darcy! How wonderful to see you. I hope you are well?”

“Yes, very well, thank you,” he replied conventionally, though his eyes were fixed longingly on the open door of the drawing room. Where was Miss Bennet?

“You find us quite alone today,” Jane Bingley said, placidly returning to the handkerchief she was embroidering. “Mr. and Miss Storey took my sister up an hour ago in their carriage, and they are spending the day at the British Museum.”

Darcy felt his stomach twist in disappointment, but he merely said, “I am sorry to have missed her, but I am certain she will have a pleasant time.”

“Oh, she will,” Mrs. Bingley agreed. “I am also most grateful to the Storeys for taking her. While I like museums in small doses, I know Lizzy will wish to pore over the manuscripts and medals at great length. On a day like this, I would far rather be sitting by a warm fire.”

“I do as well,” Bingley agreed, turning an adoring look on his wife. “But then Mr. and Miss Storey are both intellectuals, far more than I am. I always enjoy their visits, but I am also confused by their more erudite discussions. You would understand them, I suppose, Darcy.”

“Perhaps,” Darcy agreed, and this time he recognized the emotion in his heart as jealousy, with a side of unease. Mr. Storey was a few years younger than he was himself, and while Darcy did not know him well, he was moderately good looking, and heir to a modest, but reputedly well run, estate.

The visit continued for another fifteen minutes, and Darcy imbibed tea with his hosts, and then he said, “Bingley, do you have any questions about Netherfield Hall?”

“I do,” Bingley replied, rising to his feet, “but I think we had best speak in the study. Jane, my dear, I hope you will excuse us?”

“Certainly. I need to speak to the cook about dinner anyway,” Mrs. Bingley answered with a glorious smile.

Bingley smiled in return and then guided his friend out of the room, down two corridors, and into a small back room with one window, which Bingley was using as an office.

Bingley wandered over to his desk to pick up a letter and said, “I received this yesterday from the steward at Netherfield and could not make much of it; something to do with drainage in a Longbourn field?”

Darcy obediently took the letter from his friend’s hand and carried it over to the window, where he read it with care, and then said, “It seems that one of the fields at Longbourn has long flooded in the spring, largely because of issues with drainage on Netherfield land. Mr. Bennet had been ignoring the problem in the past, but is wondering whether you would be willing to share some of the expense of improving drainage of both fields.”

“I probably should?” Bingley mused.

Darcy frowned and said, “If you intend to purchase Netherfield, that would be advisable, but if you do not, you would be paying for drainage for an estate you are only leasing.”

“But Longbourn is owned by my wife’s father,” Bingley protested.

“True,” Darcy agreed, nodding with understanding. “When familial issues are involved, sometimes the frugal answer is not the correct one.”

“I will think about it,” Bingley said, dropping the letter back onto the desk. “But come, Darcy, have a seat and tell me about your doings of late. I have been so happy here with Jane that I have ventured out, but rarely. Is it true that you have been attending many a dance and dinner party this Season?”

“It is,” Darcy confirmed.

“How remarkable! We have traded places, it seems. I have usually been the one wishful of dancing and conversation, and now I desire to spend most evenings quietly with my lovely wife. And you, who do not like dancing with a lady unless you are well acquainted, are pleasing many a society matron by appearing at her ball!”

Darcy smiled and said simply, “I have been searching for a bride.”

Bingley looked startled and then grinned in return. “Are you indeed? And have you chosen the fortunate lady?”

“I have. Truly, I wished to speak to you before I make my offer, since the lady I have chosen is your sister-in-law, Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

Bingley froze, obviously thunderstruck, and Darcy chuckled at his friend’s response.

“I expect it is a surprise,” he continued, “given that Miss Bennet’s family is not ... but that hardly matters. She is an incredible lady, and I realize that I love her.”

Bingley’s look of amazement gave way to a crinkled forehead and a worried expression, which Darcy did not understand in the least.

“You wish to marry Elizabeth,” the younger man said carefully.

“I do,” Darcy replied, his own brow now furrowed. “Is there something wrong with Miss Bennet? I mean, I thought that you would be pleased!”

Bingley bit his lip and said, “Erm, no, no, certainly not. No, Elizabeth is all that is delightful, and Jane’s dear friend, of course. But Darcy, I do not ... what makes you think she will accept an offer of marriage from you?”

Now Darcy was the amazed one. “Not accept an offer? Surely ... I know that I insulted her grievously the day we met, but I hoped ... do you think she has not forgiven me?”

“I am certain she has,” Bingley replied, “but you must see that is not enough. She and Jane, affected by their own parents’ difficult marriage, vowed long ago to marry only for true love and respect. While I believe Elizabeth likes you moderately well, I have seen no signs that she loves you.”

Darcy realized his mouth was drooped open in a rather ridiculous way, and closed his jaw with a click. He pondered for a minute, and then said, somewhat plaintively, “I had thought, given that Miss Bennet likes me, and given the situation at Longbourn, that, well…”

He trailed off and felt his cheeks flush as Bingley’s stare turned into a glare. “You think, since you are the high and mighty Mr. Darcy, rich, well-connected, tall, and handsome, that any woman is required to accept an offer of marriage from you?”

“No,” Darcy said meekly and then frowned and thought some more.

“Yes,” he said and sighed. “Yes, Bingley, I had … I just assumed that…”

He trailed off again and slapped himself on the forehead. “I am an idiot, am I not? I love Miss Bennet because she is so unlike society women, and yet I am assuming that she would act as a society woman in accepting my offer of marriage without question! I am a fool!”

Bingley’s expression relaxed at these words, and he said, “You are not a fool, but perhaps not surprisingly, it is clearly a peculiar idea to you that a woman might refuse your offer of marriage. Elizabeth is an unusual lady. Moreover, she has no need to wed for financial security, since I will gladly support my wife’s family. If you wish to make her your wife, you will need to court her. You will need to win her.”

Darcy bit his lip and asked, “How do I do that?”

Bingley shrugged. “I have no idea. Jane and Elizabeth are the closest of sisters, but they are quite dissimilar. Elizabeth is vibrant and intelligent and clever, far more than Jane and I are. You are also clever, and I think you and she would be a good match, but she will have to decide whether to accept you or not.”

Darcy nodded dejectedly and then winced as a terrible thought struck him. “Is anyone else pursuing her, do you think?”

Bingley looked at the ceiling, considering, and then said, “I am not aware that anyone is courting her, even unofficially, but both Lord Montcalm and Mr. Storey seem to like her very well.”

Darcy groaned, cogitated, and asked, “Will you help me to court Miss Bennet?”

“I will not push Elizabeth toward you, but I am willing to give you opportunities to spend time with my dear sister by marriage.”

“Thank you.”

/

Jane’s Bedchamber

The Bingley’s Hired House

Midnight

Jane Bingley was nearly asleep when her bed shook and, a moment later, felt her husband creep under the covers with her. She smiled in the darkness and wiggled closer to him, which allowed him to wrap one arm around her. For a minute, the two enjoyed the pleasure of their shared embrace following a busy day.

“Jane?”

“Yes, Charles?” she asked drowsily.

“I had the most extraordinary conversation with Darcy this afternoon.”

She rolled over and reached out to run a hand along his face, which was but a dark shape, given that the only light came from the banked fire.

“What about?”

Bingley was silent for a full minute and then said, “It was about your sister Elizabeth. Darcy wishes to marry her.”

Fatigue fled in a moment, and Jane sat up in bed. “What?!”

“Darcy is in love with Elizabeth,” Charles explained, reaching out to pull his wife down next to him.

“Truly?”

“Truly,” Bingley replied.

Jane’s mind was awhirl, and she thought hard for a minute before speaking. “What did you say to him, Charles?”

He blew out a slow breath and said, “I hope I spoke wisely. I informed him that Elizabeth would not marry a man unless she loved and respected him. I told him that I did not think that your sister loves him and that he needs to woo her.”

“You spoke very sensibly indeed,” Jane said in relief. “I know my sister well, and will not wed based on fortune or connections alone. Moreover, given that Mr. Darcy...”

She trailed off and her husband finished, “Insulted her, I know. I think that Elizabeth likes him better than she did upon first acquaintance, but liking is a long way from love.”

Silence fell again, and Jane turned over and snuggled into his arms again.

“Thank you for telling me, Charles,” she murmured. “Do you think I should tell Elizabeth of Mr. Darcy’s interest? Or would that be betraying a confidence?”

“I think you should do what you feel is best for our sister,” Charles replied immediately. “This is no secret, and indeed, until I warned Darcy, I believe he planned to offer for Elizabeth as soon as possible. He is a very fine fellow, Darcy, but prone to arrogance. He was genuinely astonished at the very thought that Elizabeth might not be willing to marry him. He readily accepted the idea when I offered it, but it had simply not occurred to him.”

“I am well aware that Mr. Darcy is one of society’s most eligible bachelors. No doubt he has been hunted and chased and pursued for so long that it seems impossible that a woman would reject his offer.”

“Quite,” Charles agreed.

Silence fell again, and Jane was drifting off to sleep when Charles whispered, “I am very glad that we found one another and are married, my darling. I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Jane murmured. “So very much.”