Disdain, Disgust, and Debrett's

Darcy's display of foot-in-mouth disease places him in a rather uncomfortable position when he finally sees his own poor behavior and discovers that the young woman he insulted is not who he thought she was.

Note: The 1st Earl of Arlington was, in fact, Henry Bennet, but he had no sons, so his title was passed by special remainder to his daughter Isabella when she was "married" to King Charles II illigitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton. She was five. Henry Fitzroy was nine.

For this short story Henry Bennet did have sons and the Arlington title carried on from then until the time of our tale without any break in continuity.

Disdain

"She's tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me," the tall man who had been hiding in corners for the past two hours while others danced declared with hauteur and disdain. He went on to say more, but Lady Elizabeth was so busy laughing into her gloved hand that she did not catch the rest.

With great dignity she rose and, with a twinkle of mirth in her eyes, walked by the offensive man. From his expression, he had just realized that she had heard him. She shook her head in derision and his face returned to stone. Shame. He is a remarkably handsome man, but his own self-importance will be his downfall.

Disgust

"For my part, I see no society, no style or fashion in this muddy backwater! Did you see the dresses the ladies wore? At least four years out of date if any were ever worthy to be seen among decent people! They were tolerable, I suppose, for a country gathering, but nothing to tempt me to share in their company a second time."

Fitzwilliam Darcy hid a grimace as Caroline Bingley droned on. It was late, the assembly was over, and he was tired. Could the woman never cease? In his exhausted stupor, he heard her words of disdain. Their familiarity shocked him and a sharp prick of conscience suddenly struck: That was what I sounded like tonight! Oh Lord, what have I become? Ever since Georgiana and Ramsgate I have allowed my anger to turn me into... he looked at Caroline who was still complaining during their dark carriage ride home... that!

Darcy had never been more disgusted with another human being than he was with himself at that moment.

On the following morning, at the earliest acceptable moment for visiting, Fitzwilliam Darcy made the three mile ride to present himself on the doorstep of Longbourn.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Darcy," an unfriendly female voice asked from behind him before he could use the knocker. Darcy flinched and turned to find himself looking into the cold eyes of Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Her amusement of the night before had faded with morning. Such rude behavior was unconscionable.

Darcy winced, "My first question has been answered. You did hear my unpardonably rude words last evening."

He looked so chagrined that Elizabeth held back from the sharp retort which first sprang to her mind. "I did. I must say that they shocked me, Mr. Darcy. When your name passed my ears in the past, I heard that you were taciturn and uncomfortable in social gatherings, but I had not expected such ungentlemanly behavior."

My name and poor reputation has somehow been bandied about even to a location this remote? That does not matter now! "You label my words of last evening correctly, Miss Bennet, and I came this morning immediately to apologize and beg your mercy and forgiveness."

Elizabeth was frankly surprised at the pleading look in the man's eyes and the contrition in his voice, "Why would you wish for either from a woman you have deemed merely tolerable?"

"First, because it would have been uncouth to say that about any young woman. Second, because I have allowed a recent event to sour me toward the world and it took a mirror of my own poor behavior to finally shock me out of this foul mood which has possessed me." He gulped and colored, not believing that he could voice his next words, "And third, my description could not be further from the truth. You have only to gaze in any looking glass to know that any man who sees your beauty would wish to know you better... It is no excuse for my terrible words, but I could not actually see you where you sat in the dark corner. I spoke as I did to silence Mr. Bingley and drive him off to other entertainments. When you stood and passed in front of me, I became instantly aware of you attraction and regretful of my words, but I did not have the fortitude to approach you at the time."

Elizabeth felt her cheeks warm at this. Realizing that her uncle's study window was a mere four feet from where they stood, she made a gesture directing the tall man to follow her away from the house. Darcy complied and walked beside her. Though he kept a respectable distance, he was so tall and powerfully built that his person still had a profound impact on her senses.

Realizing that they had walked more than five minutes in silence. She finally said, "I will accept your apology, Mr. Darcy, with the promise that you continue in the same way that you have begun and behave in a more gentlemanly manner towards the Bennets and toward all in the area. I do not visit here more than twice a year, but the neighborhood has always treated me kindly. I do not like to see them looked down upon just because they are rustic."

Darcy looked down at her in such obvious confusion that it made Elizabeth realize the truth: He does not know! I had assumed that this apology came only because he learned of my true identity! But he came this morning in the full belief that I am a daughter of the Longbourn Bennets! This realization warmed her heart toward him. He was a better man than she supposed.

"I do not understand, Miss Elizabeth? Why would you only visit your family twice a year? Are you... have you relatives you choose to live with instead?"

Elizabeth did not know if he was going to ask if she was in service or what else may have passed his mind. She was not offended. Were it not for her own father's commitment to provide for the daughters of Longbourn, they very well might have to go into service. I might as well tell him. He has more than proven himself this morning. "I fear that you are operating under a misconception, Mr. Darcy. I am a Bennet, but not a Bennet of Longbourn. Thomas Bennet is a distant relative and a contemporary of my father. His eldest, Jane, is my dearest friend as well as a cousin, so we exchange visits." She hesitated and then pressed on, "When I am not in our home in London, I reside in Arlington Court in Wessex."

Fitzwilliam Darcy jerked to a stop, his eyes wide, "Oh Lord, I have managed to insult Lord Arlington's daughter?"

Elizabeth laughed at his mortified expression, "Do not trouble yourself, Mr. Darcy. I have already forgiven you and Father has not fought a duel in... well, I do not know... Hmmm, perhaps his is due for another go." The current Earl of Arlington, Henry Fitzroy Bennet, was well known for not suffering fools. When a rake tried to compromise his sister two decades before, he ended the matter with swords at dawn. The man survived, but he would have a pronounced limp for the remainder of his days.

"I have fenced with your father on several occasions. He is one of the few that I have never bested."

"If Father fenced with you more than once, then you must be accomplished with the instrument. He does not waste his time fencing with lesser swordsmen."

"Miss... Lady Elizabeth... I would... would it be agreeable to you if I called on you again while you remain at Longbourn? After watching Bingley last evening, I am confident that he will wish to see your cousin again."

Elizabeth looked long and thoughtfully into Darcy's eyes, so deeply in fact that he thought she could read his mind. Then she smiled, "I would be pleased to accept your call, Mr. Darcy."

When Darcy returned to Netherfield that morning, he found that the others were still in bed. That fit well with his own hopes, so after a light breakfast he retired to the sparsely filled library and searched for the one book he knew would be there. Louisa Hurst and Caroline Bingley were the worst sorts of social climbers, so it stood to reason that the would keep the latest edition of Debrett's Peerage. After locating the book, it only took a moment to find what he sought in the A's: Arlington.

Earl of Arlington. Current: Henry Fitzroy Bennet, 5th Earl of Arlington

The title "Earl of Arlington" began with Sir Henry Bennet, who was invested as a peer on March 14, 1665. The original territorial designation belonged to Harlington, London. When the family resides in London now, they take their rest at Arlington House, St. James Street. Though they own several other prosperous estates, Their country seat is now Arlington Court, near Exeter, Wessex.

Although the connection is only tangential in this generation, the Arlingtons continue to maintain close familial ties with the Graftons, Ossultons, and Thetfords.

Henry Bennet and his late wife, Lady Rebecca Bennet, nee Devonshire, have three children

Augustus Thomas Bennet, Viscount Longren 1786

George Henry Bennet, 1789

Elizabeth Rebecca Bennet, 1791

(Yes, I know that this does not match the format of Debretts. Yes, I know that I probably did not get some title correct. This is fictional. The title went to the Graftons after the first Henry Bennet and only diverged later. The current holder of the title is Baroness Jennifer Forwood, who had to petition to take it out of abeyance.)

When Bingley and his sisters woke later that day, Darcy remained silent on the matter of Lady Elizabeth. It was a secret he would enjoy holding close to his chest for as long as possible. After their morning walk he had already resolved to win her heart and hand if it was humanly possible to do so.

-oOo-

Either Lady Elizabeth had a very forgiving heart or she was as struck with Mr. Darcy's attractions as he was with hers. Whatever the reason, she accepted Mr. Darcy's visits with pleasure. Elizabeth had forgotten to request Mr. Darcy's silence on the matter of her true status, so she was pleased to learn that he had kept her secret. "Only my uncle, my cousins Jane and Mary, and my dear friend Charlotte Lucas know here in Hertfordshire. It makes it easier to enjoy a visit without being fawned over."

On the morning that Elizabeth walked along muddy roads to get to Netherfield and check on her cousin Jane, Darcy was the first to encounter her. He had been standing outside, enjoying the smell of country air after rain when Lady Elizabeth turned into the drive. So taken was he with the flush of her cheeks and her beautiful, slightly disheveled appearance that he blurted out without forethought, "May I court you, Lady Elizabeth? I wish to do all that I can to prove that I can be a man worthy of you."

Elizabeth's slight flush turned into a full blush as she laughingly asked, "You find young ladies with their petticoats six inches deep in mud attractive, do you, Mr. Darcy?"

"I find you, in whatever state you may be at any given moment, quite attractive... tempting even." The laughter in his eyes as he reminded her of his earlier faux pas only made her smile wider still and caused those enchanting eyes of hers to twinkle in mirth. "I would gladly accept your courtship, Mr. Darcy, but you will first have to speak with my father. He can be very old-fashioned about such matters."

Darcy's smile straightened slightly, but her acceptance gave him the strength to speak to her father. "And where is he this time of year, My Lady? Exeter or London?"

"Neither. He is currently on the road towards Longbourn to check up on his most troublesome daughter."

"I thought you were his only daughter?"

"Which challenges me to work harder to maintain my status," Elizabeth jested. Darcy might have said more, but just then a sour voice said, "Miss Eliza! How very... prompt you are to visit our home at such an early hour. And to keep poor Mr. Darcy out in the storm...?"

Darcy winked at Elizabeth and then turned to face the other woman, "Not at all, Miss Bingley. As you can see, the storm has passed and it is past ten, a reasonable hour for visiting." He turned back to Elizabeth, "If I may, I will escort you to your cousin."

"Cousin? I thought that Miss Bennet was your older sister, Miss Eliza?" Caroline shrieked, irritated that her gossip-gathering ladies maid had missed that important detail. Darcy winced at his careless words, but Elizabeth's eyes quickly excused his mistake.

Elizabeth smiled at the ridiculous woman who was dressed for the ballroom at this hour. "No, Miss Bingley, Jane is my dearest cousin. I am only at Longbourn for a yearly visit. My own dear father should be here to collect me quite soon."

As Darcy escorted Elizabeth up the stairs, he asked with concern, "You expect your father to take you away from here... ?" He almost said, "Lady Elizabeth," but stopped himself in time.

"It is difficult to say. With my mother, his wife gone these four years and both my older brothers off on their own employments, I have been his chief source of company. He is kind in allowing me to travel as often as I do, though. When we do go, will will most likely stop in London for at least a month or two."

"And what of the Season?"

"I am not overly fond of the Ton and their views on status and relationships. If, however, the man who wishes to court me also wishes to dance, then I am willing to attend occasional events."

"Oh, Lord no! If you feel no need to attend, then I would much rather walk with you in the park, or attend a play or opera, or stroll through a museum, or just sit and read books together. Should you feel obligated to attend a ball, then I would humbly ask for your first and supper sets...?"

Elizabeth shook her head in amusement, "You are making you intentions quite clear and public, Mr. Darcy."

"I have only one intention, Elizabeth: to win your heart and your hand and to make you mine for the rest of our days.

Elizabeth's hand on his arm tensed, and then gently squeezed his forearm, "Then it is a good thing that my father will be here tomorrow or the next day."

"You mean...?"

"I mean, my dear Mr. Darcy," she looked up at him with love in her eyes, "that you are already the owner of my heart. As I am only twenty, the bestowal of my hand still rests with my father."

It was a joyous Mr. Darcy who left Elizabeth at the door where Jane was resting.

-oOo-

As Elizabeth feared, Jane was quite feverish. She had been very sick in her twelfth year, a pneumonia which nearly took her and lingered for two months. Elizabeth, when she heard of it, had insisted that her father take her to Longbourn, where she very diligently nursed her dearest cousin and friend until she recovered. Since then Jane took fever too easily and Elizabeth felt the pain of it more than Jane's own mother.

When Elizabeth prepared to depart for Longbourn, Bingley and Darcy insisted upon her staying to take care of her cousin. Miss Bingley, seeing that it was a losing battle, agreed with gritted teeth. Though she spent the majority of her time tending to her cousin, courtesy demanded that Elizabeth join in company with the Netherfield Party. To be so close to Mr. Darcy and not be able to walk and talk with him freely was a torture for both.

Caroline Bingley and her sister Louisa Hurst spent an enjoyable few hours each day speculating on Miss Elizabeth's less-than-prominent parentage. After all, if she were somebody of any importance, then would she deign to visit an out-of-the-way pig sty like this?

Two afternoons later a note came to let Elizabeth know that her father was now at Longbourn. Mr. Darcy wasted no time in departing Netherfield with a letter in his vest pock from Elizabeth to her father. Thomas Bennet graciously surrendered his study for the meeting when the import of this unexpected visit became clear.

As one might expect, the next hour was a grueling one. It was truly amazing what Lord Arlington could extract from Darcy with just a raise of an eyebrow. The same mannerism that Darcy found endearing in Elizabeth was quite terrifying in her father. He even confessed his first foolish insult and how he had begged for forgiveness.

"Had you on your knees, did she," Arlington scoffed. "She's just like her mother in that. I never forgot who was in charge of my home... after that first time that is. But there is nothing like a good woman to keep you on your toes. You can relax, Son. My Elizabeth has made it quite clear what will happen to me if I refuse you. Welcome to the family!" He stood and shook Darcy's hand.

They rode together back to Netherfield Park, but before the butler could announce the earl, they heard Caroline's voice bark, "And now another one comes to the door. What, are we supposed to welcome every pig farmer in Hertfordshire into our home?" Charles Bingley's voice scolded, "Caroline! Why do you feel the need to look down upon every person in this neighborhood!"

The butler turned white as a sheet, but the other two men only looked amused. Darcy indicated with a nod of his head that he would handle the introductions. The butler, looking somewhat nauseous, gratefully left him to it. When Darcy opened the door, it was to see Charles looking mortified with a newspaper in open, Mr. Hurst sleeping in his usual spot, Mrs. Hurst playing with her bracelets, and Miss Bingley standing just-so by the window so that the light would highlight her feminine shape.

Lady Elizabeth had a book on her lap, but her face was looking at the two men with amusement and anticipation. Darcy announced, "Lord Henry Bennet, the Earl of Arlington, to see his daughter, Lady Elizabeth."

For a dramatically long moment there was not a single sound in the room. Even Mr. Hurst's snores ceased. Then, while Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley shot looks of shock and mortification between "Miss Eliza" and her exalted father, Mr. Bingley quickly rose and made a bow, "Lord Arlington! Welcome to Netherfield Park! Miss... Lady Elizabeth has been a delightful house guest."

Lord Arlington, looking more amused than offended by the overheard words, returned the bow with a friendly nod, "You have my thanks for hosting her and my dear niece, Mr. Bingley. I never met your father, but I did invest in one of his ventures. He was a good man with a good reputation in business." Darcy marveled at the easy way in which the earl managed to both notify the family that he was aware of the antecedents and let them known that he did not look down on them because of it.

"Now, may I please ask after my favorite niece? Beth, how does she fare?"

Caroline Bingley had found her voice at this point and was suddenly the most gracious of hostesses, assuring the earl that "dear Jane" had been receiving only the best of care and that she should recover soon. Behind her Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, telling her father clearly that the speaker had done little or nothing to facilitate any improvements in Jane's health.

"I am very pleased to hear that, Miss Bingley. Now, if I might ask my daughter to lead me upstairs to see my favorite niece for myself?" Darcy had not missed the repetition of the words "my favorite niece." He grinned to himself, knowing that Miss Bingley would now move heaven and earth to see her brother engaged to Jane Bennet.

When the earl and his daughter returned downstairs, Miss Bingley insisted upon inviting him and the entire Bennet family over for dinner. He responded in turn that he was exhausted from his travel that day, but that he and the family would gladly accept once "my favorite niece is well again." Darcy hoped that the man was not laying it on too thick, but Miss Bingley seemed to take it all in with glee.

Netherfield Park, three nights later

Miss Caroline Bingley was in her element, playing hostess to one of the most powerful peers in Great Britain. He, in turn, displayed none of the dangerous directness that served him so well and made him feared in Parliament. Lord Arlington was everything kind and genteel, showing not one hint that he found this woman to be as his daughter described, a "greedy, grasping, and grating social climber."

Caroline fawned and complimented, flirted and preened all through dinner that night. She barely noticed or cared that Mrs. Bennet was vulgar and spoke too loud. She completely ignored the giggles and off-color comments from Misses Kitty and Lydia. She even managed to find a way to genuinely praise Miss Mary when she pounded the pianoforte and sang off tune.

She had pushed her brother to propose to Jane Bennet from the minute that the earl had departed that first day. Charles, who had fallen in love at first glance with Miss Bennet, and had only fallen deeper ever since, wasted no time doing just that as soon as Jane was able to leave her sickbed. Jane, who was just as gone as he, accepted with joyful tears. So it came as no surprise to Caroline when her brother called for everyone's attention when the men rejoined the ladies and said that there would be announcements.

What she had not expected was for the Earl of Arlington to speak first. "It gives me great pleasure to announce the betrothal of my dear Elizabeth to Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy."

There was much more said that night, and of course a second announcement, but Caroline Bingley missed it all. After she fainted dead away, she was carried upstairs and deposited in her room... where she was promptly forgotten by all but her sister.