Sudden Awakenings (The Other Paths Collection)

Chapter 5

Despite his assurances to Miss Bingley that he did not fancy Miss Elizabeth, there was more than merely her ‘fine eyes’ which captivated Darcy’s thoughts. He began to wonder if her insolence was not, perhaps, deserved. He had behaved rudely to her at the ball, after all. What was it she had remarked about his shyness? That it was a mask, to disguise his disdain for those whom he deemed unworthy? Perhaps so. But he was justified–when one considered the society around him!

In town, he regularly mingled with the nobility; his uncle was an earl, and his fortune allowed him to move freely among the ton . He could have his choice from any number of ladies who were daughters of viscounts, earls, and marquesses. Even a younger daughter of a duke might not seem too far out of reach!

But truth be told, none of those ladies could hold his interest. They were all bland, insipid, each one a reproduction of the last. Even their names were sometimes too similar! At the last ball he attended in Grosvenor, he insulted one lady by forgetting her name, calling her Miss Cottrell, when in fact her name was Miss Cockrell. Both ladies were almost indistinguishable– thin, blonde, delicate-featured, with high wispy voices and cloying manners, like a dozen or so women he’d met before them.

He could readily comprehend why Bingley liked Miss Bennet; she blended in perfectly with this stereotype, with precious little to distinguish her from Bingley’s last “angel”.

But Miss Elizabeth was different. Her lively temper would not be tolerated amongst the gatherings of the ton , her playful spirit too gauche to fit in, and her appearance too different from other girls. Where their eyes were languid and dull, hers sparkled with light and determination, her spirit full of wit and mirth. No one, not even his sister, had dared to make sport of him at a gathering, or to call him out so bluntly for his disdain.

Her family were unsuitable, to be sure, but might Miss Elizabeth be different from them? Were her motives as mercenary as her mother’s and sister’s appeared to be? His curiosity demanded that he learn.

S

Darcy seized his opportunity the next time he saw her at a gathering at Lucas Lodge the following week. Seeing her engaged in a lively conversation with Miss Lucas he decided to listen to their exchange. They were discussing the recent marriage of a local heiress, Miss King, to a member of the militia who were quartered in Meryton.

“I do think her fortune must have some bearing on their union, for it was not more than a month after Miss King inherited her uncle’s fortune that Captain Carter proposed to her,” Miss Lucas asserted.

“Perhaps coming into her inheritance merely enabled them to wed sooner,” Miss Elizabeth argued. “For as I recall, the captain did dance with her at the Midsummer Ball prior to her uncle’s demise, and he called on her from time to time. Miss King is a lovely, well-mannered girl, and we can readily suppose his prior attraction to her. ”

“His attraction to her must surely have increased when he learned she had come into ten-thousand pounds!” Miss Lucas quipped.

“You speak only of the advantages to Captain Carter. We must remember, too, that Miss King has inherited an estate in Shropshire. With no brothers to assist her in managing it, she must have wished for a companion to assist her. What more logical reason to marry the man she admires, than when it is most convenient?”

“Oh, I agree, it is most convenient,” Miss Lucas replied, her eyes teasing. “And as it is the sort of match that everyone in society expected her to make– him with a brilliant smile, and her with a brilliant fortune– I will allow it to be a most splendid match, even if perhaps more favorable on his side than hers.” Seeing Mr. Darcy hovering nearby, she took a step outward to admit him to their group.

He bowed deeply. “Good evening, ladies. I could not help but overhear your conversation. The topic seems most intriguing.”

“Mr. Darcy,” Miss Elizabeth acknowledged, “we were discussing the complexities of marriage and societal expectations. What are your thoughts on the matter?”

“My view is that marriage should be built on genuine connection and shared values rather than financial calculations,” he said. Elizabeth’s response to his sentiments might inform him of whether she shared her mother’s transactional views of marriage. Having heard her remarks about Miss King, he hoped her views aligned more with his own.

She smiled. “Ah, so you are a proponent of true compatibility over material gains. How refreshing, Mr. Darcy! Tell me, what do you think of Miss King’s match?”

“As I am unacquainted with the gentleman or lady in question, I cannot say whether their union was formed out of love or desire for financial stability,” he answered.

“Miss Lucas seems convinced it is the latter. ”

Miss Lucas defended herself. “I merely observed the suddenness with which Captain Carter secured her to himself, following her inheritance, where before, their attachment seemed only a vague inclination.”

Catching Miss Elizabeth’s eye, he could not help but tease. “He must have abstained from writing her any poetry then, for surely doing so would have killed any affection she might have harbored for him.”

Miss Lucas, who had not borne witness to their previous conversation, sensed some private jest must be at play. Finding herself superfluous to the conversation, she made her excuses, leaving Darcy alone with Miss Elizabeth in the corner of the room.

Miss Elizabeth’s eyes twinkled. “I cannot say whether he wrote her any poetry, but you must have heard me mention that they danced together, and as we have already established, dancing is a sure way to win a girl’s heart.”

“The first step towards falling in love, as I recall you saying.”

“Indeed!”

Feeling in the mood to provoke her, he said, “Then a gentleman needs only to dance with a young lady, and he can be sure of her accepting his suit. Is that how it stands?”

“Not entirely. For as I mentioned, it is only the first step. The gentleman must prove himself in other regards too.”

“Such as?”

“His character. He must prove himself to be kind, generous, not above his company, and considerate of the feelings of others.”

“And supposing all this, then allowances may be made for any disparity of fortune between them.”

“Well, yes!” She said, slightly taken aback. “After all, there are few matches of equal fortune which take place. More often than not, one party possesses the greater share. But you seem to be concerned over this. ”

Feeling he had made a small headway with her, he allowed a hint of arrogance to creep into his tone. “Yes. All too often, the singular goal of marriage is to elevate one’s own status or increase one’s fortune. It is disheartening to witness such instances where individuals prioritize wealth and social standing over matters of the heart, as if love had no place in the equation.”

His sentiments brought to mind Miss Bennet, who was at that moment hanging on every word of Mr. Bingley’s in another part of the room, and on Mrs. Bennet, who, during dinner, had spoken altogether too loudly on the subject of her hopes and expectations for Jane.

“If only love were the sole deciding factor in a match!” Miss Elizabeth exclaimed. “It does seem as though too much weight is given to the size of one’s dowry or estate. But then, there are not many who can afford to marry without some attention to wealth, I suppose,” she said reluctantly. “My sisters and I, for example, have only a thousand pounds apiece. Our future depends on our marrying someone of means. As my mother loves to remind me, even our house will belong to my cousin as soon as my father is dead.”

Her remark did nothing to assuage his fears that she, like so many others before her, was solely interested in making a financially prudent match.

Darcy, maintaining his air of superiority, remarked, “Miss Elizabeth, your perspective is admirable. However, the wealthy are often preyed upon by those without. I am of the opinion that marrying within one’s social sphere is the safest way to ensure genuine intentions and eliminate the need for such material considerations. Where too great a disparity exists between two individuals, how can they hope for a happy marriage?” He hoped to spur her into revealing her true thoughts.

His words seemed to perturb her. She rapped her fan against her knuckles mindlessly. “Mr. Darcy, true love knows no bounds. I believe that love can transcend all social and financial barriers. Why should a rich man scorn to marry a poor woman, if they should both love each other? Or a rich woman decline an offer from a poor man, if her fortune can sustain them both?”

“Ah, but you see, such cases can only succeed where true love abides. If the marriage is founded solely on the material or societal gains to be had, then when the initial attraction fades, all that remains is the gulf that divides them. Nine times out of ten, it is better to restrict one’s search for a partner to such suitable candidates as can be found in their social circle who share a similar background and are on equal footing financially.”

“I concede your point as it relates to true love as a marker of success in marriage, Mr. Darcy, but to restrict oneself to such a small circle eliminates the possibility of finding love outside one’s own class,” she scoffed.

Darcy, a touch of irritation evident in his expression, conceded, “We may not see eye-to-eye on this matter, Miss Elizabeth. I am merely advocating for a pragmatic approach to safeguard against those who might exploit one's vulnerability.”

Whether that vulnerability extended more to Bingley or to himself, he could not say. His heart was already on the verge of being lost to this entrancing young lady before him.

Miss Elizabeth, with a firm resolve, concluded, “Pragmatism, Mr. Darcy, should not eclipse the capacity for love. I believe in the power of genuine affection to bridge any divide. Our views on marriage may remain at odds, but I shall continue to champion the resilience of love.”

“A worthy opinion, and one I shall not argue against,” Darcy conceded. In his mind, he had successfully engaged with Miss Elizabeth in a debate and, despite their divergent views, had proved that they were more alike than not in their views about marriage and the importance of love. He felt confident that Elizabeth, unlike her family, would not sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of material gain, and in his heart, began planning for the next opportunity when they might meet. Writing her poetry was out of the question, but dancing, yes, perhaps he could summon the courage to ask her to dance.

As usually followed in these gatherings, the younger Bennet daughters clamored for music and dancing. This time Charlotte Lucas obliged them with a reel. Maria Lucas had the satisfaction of dancing with William Goulding, while her brothers danced with her friends.

Hearing the music playing, Darcy held out his hand to Miss Elizabeth with a slight bow. “I wondered, perhaps if you might join me for a reel? I recall your fondness for dancing.”

“And I recall your disdain for it!” She exclaimed with a laugh. “I have no compunctions about dancing, in general, but at present, I can see that the room is too small to admit another couple. Do not think me ungrateful, therefore, when I spare you the discomfort of standing up with me in such tight quarters. Besides, I know perfectly well that a half hour’s conversation with me would cause you to tire of my company and tax your good graces, and nobody would wish to bear witness to that.” Giving him a slight curtsy, she skipped off to the piano to help turn the pages for her friend, and soon succeeded her at the instrument with a lighthearted country dance.