Chapter 37 The return of the gentleman of Netherfield.

Life at Longborn returned to a semblance of normality, apart from Lizzie's equanimity. Lydia wrote tolerably frequently and did seem to be enjoying her time in the north. Her comments took on an element of maturity and Elizabeth was hopeful that she had learnt from her experience after all.

Kitty became less silly without Lydia's influence, Mary was still Mary, but Lizzie hoped that with some encouragement she might become a tolerable companion. Jane, well Jane was still melancholic and Elizabeth could not help. She felt a similar loss, an ache for the company of someone beyond her reach, yet she still did not quite understand why. Why should she ache for the company of a man who felt she was beneath him? Who had not shown any interest in coming back for her.

It was in this frame of mind that Lizzie received the news that Netherfield had been opened again, Mr Bingley had returned. She kept hoping for some mention of friends who came also, but her efforts were in vain. Meryton seemed afflicted with a deplorable lack of curiosity and no one enquired about who was to come with him.

The Bennet ladies were sat in the parlour, three days after his return, when Kitty spotted Mr Bingley on his horse coming up the drive.

"La, it is Mr Bingley, he has come to call!"

Mrs Bennet lept up with a gasp and ran to the window, much as a young lady would if she were waiting for her beau. Lizzie looked to Jane, as Mrs Bennet flapped around the window, she had turned pink but appeared to be calming herself.

"Who's that with him?" Kitty asked her mother

"Oh who knows, some acquaintance I suppose"

Kitty thought a moment "It looks like that gentleman from last year, the tall, proud one"

Elizabeth looked up, shock evident on her face

"Mr Darcy," her mother confirmed "well I'll be. He has quite the cheek showing his face in these parts after what happened with Lydia"

"Mama!" Cried Lizzie "whatever can you mean?" She had not thought her mother knew about Mr Darcy's involvement.

"Well he was friends with that Wickham fellow, he should have stopped him before he almost ruined our dear Lydia"

Elizabeth frowned, so much was wrong with that sentence.

"Mama, you cannot mean you blame Mr Darcy for Wickham?"

"For not stopping him when he was a child, wickedness like that always shows in childhood" she said this with such an air of authority that she did not expect a reply, she flounced across the room and sat in a chair "I will tolerate him for Mr Bingley's sake of course" she added before Elizabeth could say anything else and she knew she would have to be content with that, for now, for she could hear the gentleman in the hall and they would be upon them momentarily.

Twas lucky for Elizabeth that her mother had distracted her so thoroughly for it gave her no time to think on if she was happy or nervous to see Mr Darcy again. When the gentlemen entered she barely raised her eyes to greet them. Mr Bingley was warm as always and polite in the face of Mrs Bennet's ridiculous chatter. He seated himself near Jane and was so charming that he soon had her talking on trivial matters.

Mr Darcy barely spoke two words before retreating to the window and his eyes, guarded as always, barely gave anything away. They were more often fixed on her sister than her. Elizabeth managed to greet him, a greeting that was returned but not elaborated on, and hey both fell silent.

Once the allotted calling time was up the gentlemen rose to leave but not before Mrs Bennet secure them for dinner the following evening. As soon as they were out of the door she went in to a flurry of organisation and barely spared a glance for her daughter's, apart from to pat Jane on he hand, before bustling out to speak to the cook.

Jane and Elizabeth sat for a time then rose to discuss things privately.

"Oh Lizzie, now that this first meeting is over I feel so much more at ease"

"Do you now?"

"Yes for I know I have the strength to be friendly without expecting more. I see now that he is just a charming gentleman and must not have known he was engaging my heart"

Elizabeth had seen both of their auras, Jane's in particular had brightened with every exchanged word and smile. She was convinced his had done the same. But having seen her sister's heartbreak earlier that year she did not wish to raise expectations. She did not trust in Mr Bingley's constancy, something she could never respect in a man, and so did not wish to raise her sister's hopes.

She contemplated warning Jane off the man for this reason, but Jane was far more forgiving and she knew she would accept any reasonable explanation for his abandonment. She hoped he told the story delicately, if he chose to do so.

Elizabeth could then turn her attention to her own encounter. Why had Mr Darcy come only to be quiet? Had he just come for the sake of his friend? That did make sense and Elizabeth was saddened by the possibility. She would have to be guided by his behaviour on the morrow.

.

The following day the Bennet household was full to the limits. All the local families of import had been invited. Elizabeth had been instructed to serve the tea before dinner and was stuck at the table, surrounded by ladies. She had barely managed to greet Mr Darcy and was desperate to do so. She had decided in the course of the morning that they had shared an experience worth something and she hoped he would allow her to express her thanks for his rescue and his aid to her silly sister.

She was thwarted for the first part of the evening and, having helped her mother lay out the cards for dinner, she knew Mr Darcy was seated near her mother. Elizabeth had tried to question her but could not think of a reason to place him anywhere else, except near his friend. Which Mrs Bennet did not want as she wanted Bingley to focus on Jane.

As dinner was called and people filed in she was perplexed to note that Sir William was placed next to her mother. She glanced to her father who was talking quietly to Mr Darcy, both gentlemen chuckled and headed to the other end of the table. Elizabeth was baffled, the only person who would dare move the cards was her father but she could not understand why he would do so, unless he knew something of her feelings. If that was so, why the warning after the events in London? The idea that her father should guess those feelings, when even she did not understand them, made her feel somewhat cold. She made her way to her seat, next to Mr Darcy, with her eyes downcast and her fingers trembling. She loved her father but he teased mercilessly and she did not wish to be his object with such a crowd.

Dinner was successful, to all intents and purposes. The meal was displayed well, the servants timely, the wine plentiful. Jane and Bingley grew steadily more ignorant of their partners for dinner, apart from each other of course. Elizabeth watched them through her lashes smiling slightly.

"How are Mr and Mrs gardener?" Came a soft voice from her right.

She started slightly and turned, momentarily stunned by the warm eyes on her "they are quite well, I thank you." She paused "and your sister?"

"She was established back in London and with her master. She misses the country already"

Elizabeth smiled slightly "she was a charming hostess"

Mr Bennet asked about plays that Darcy had seen and between the three of them they remained well entertained throughout dinner.

After dinner the whole party stepped outside for some magical entertainment. Jane managed a few wind twisters, which Elizabeth added her water to to make some impressive towering columns of water. Some of the guests managed some water fountains, Darcy put on a show of lifting a large rock and floating it around the guests, made more impressive by Mr Bingley sat on it at the time.

Mr Bennet threw up some fireworks which were quite impressive, only Darcy noticed Elizabeth stood close to him, lending her power and control to his efforts. They were a very eloquent way to end the magic, everyone appropriately awed and then the whole party started towards the door.

"That was some fine magic Miss Elizabeth"

Why did she shiver whenever he spoke her name? She turned to look in to his face, which was guarded, but maybe there was hope there.

"Likewise Mr Darcy, I have never seen someone trust a friend enough to allow them to be raised."

"Mr Bingley is remarkably easy to persuade" he blushed realising the implication.

Elizabeth only smiled "was it persuasion that brought him back?"

"No, merely realisation"

Elizabeth nodded, satisfied.

"And yourself Mr Darcy, what brought you back?"

"Unfinished business"

She raised an eyebrow "indeed?"

She was about to ask a question when Mary put her head out of the front door and gave them both a look.

Mr Darcy offered his arm and escorted Elizabeth inside.

Elizabeth was pleased with the evening, at least the start of it. The rest left her little time for conversation with the only person she really wanted to speak to, she was pleased to see her father engaging him in conversation often and was a bit suspicious of how they came to be close. Her father had mentioned very few interactions with him during the escapade in London. She would need to talk to him.