Author's note: Sorry for how long this is in coming. The next chapter might take a while, too. We all caught covid, and while we will all be ok, it's been extremely difficult with young children and the fact that I'm immunosuppressed. I spent the other night in the hospital on oxygen. Like I said, we'll all be okay, but it's a slow recovery, and young kids don't do sick very well lol.
I love reading your feedback, and I'm amazed at how many of you are doing research on your own about this time period! Good on you!
Chapter 9
At Netherfield, Darcy was frowning over his own correspondence from that day. He and Bingley were the only two awake, even though it was late in the morning. Even Georgiana was having a lie-in, as she had waited up until they had returned from the assembly to hear all the details.
He smiled as he remembered the look on Georgiana's face when Miss Bingley began haranguing the Bennet family.
"My dear Miss Darcy, I know you would have agreed with me about these dresses, had you seen them. Several years old, clearly not made to fit, and heavens, the coloring!"
"I found the Bennets to be quite charming," interjected Bingley.
"You find everything charming, Charles," Miss Bingley retorted, "especially if it is accompanied by a pretty face."
"Miss Bennet is the most beautiful young lady I have ever met," he replied dreamily.
Georgiana stifled a giggle, and Miss Bingley scowled. Mrs. Hurst gave her husband a small smile, who smirked rolled his eyes in return.
"I will concede that she seems to be a genteel girl, and I would not be sorry to know her more," admitted Miss Bingley. "But her aunt, and her sisters." She shuddered theatrically.
At this point, Mrs. Hurst interrupted and said that she was in need of retiring. Her thickening waistline made the cause evident as she left the room. Georgiana took advantage of the opportunity to retire as well, but not before Miss Bingley promised to continue relating the assembly's events in full on the next day.
"I say, Darcy, what do you make of this?"
Darcy looked up from his letter, which he had been gazing at while reflecting on the evening. Bingley sat across the breakfast table and pushed a paper across towards his friend.
Setting down his own correspondence, Darcy leaned over and picked up the missive. He scanned the contents and frowned. "Your London housekeeper is requesting to stay on over the winter with a few servants?"
"Yes. It appears they do not have anywhere to go."
"Why did they not come with us here to Netherfield, then?"
Bingley shrugged. "I have no idea."
Darcy's frown deepened. "I cannot answer for you, but I do not recommend allowing them to remain at the townhouse. Offer to send funds to bring them here, but it would be best if the home was closed and emptied for the winter."
Bingley nodded in agreement. "I will write immediately."
"Just make sure they can read it," Darcy smirked.
Bingley's retort was cut off when Georgiana entered the room. The gentlemen stood and waited until she had gathered her plate from the sideboard and joined them at the table before retaking their seats.
"Did you sleep well, Dearest?" Darcy asked her.
She smiled brightly, unable to respond immediately as she was still chewing her first bite of muffin. Upon swallowing, she said, "Very well! I cannot imagine a more comfortable bed or more pleasing view from my window."
Bingley beamed. "I am glad you approve! It is nothing to Pemberley, I know, but I hope we will all be comfortable here this winter."
"I cannot claim to be unbiased; Pemberley is my favorite place in all the world. However, Netherfield has proven to be quite an enjoyable home. It will be a wonderful winter," Georgiana said.
"As long as the Russian wheat grows well," Darcy said.
"Even if it does not, we can still enjoy our time together," Bingley said.
Darcy simply nodded hesitantly. He felt keenly the burden of being responsible for such a large number of people and their very lives. "I only wish we had other options than an experiment which may or may not be successful," he said in frustration.
"Perhaps we could call on the Bennets," Bingley suggested.
Darcy rolled his eyes. "I know you find her beautiful, Bingley, but how on earth could an unofficial courtship with the eldest of a bunch of country misses in mourning help us with feeding ourselves this winter?"
"Had you spoken to any of them instead of simply insulting their looks, you would have learned they are making preparations of their own," retorted Bingley.
"Brother, surely not!" cried Georgiana. The two men looked at her in surprise; in their argument, they had almost entirely forgotten her presence. "Did you really insult a young lady's appearance?"
Darcy blushed a furious red. "I apologized," he said stiffly.
Georgiana's gasp of dismay prompted Bingley to say, "He refused to be introduced to her and declared her not tolerable or handsome enough to tempt him to overlooking her poor choice of wardrobe."
"You didn't!" Georgiana's face had gone from pale to red. "Please tell me nobody heard you."
"Worse," Bingley said darkly. "The young lady herself was sitting only a few feet away, and your brother did not speak quietly."
"I would have died of mortification had someone spoken publicly of me in such a way," Georgiana declared. "Did she cry very much?"
"Not as far as I could tell," Bingley said. "She didn't even leave her seat."
"In my defense, I did not wish to attend the assembly in the first place!" Darcy cried in consternation. "I was utterly exhausted, and it was all I could do to remain on my feet, let alone converse with a stranger."
"You seemed to get on pretty well after that," Bingley chortled. "I kept expecting Caroline to physically turn green while watching you two speak."
"What did you say? What did you talk about?" Georgiana asked eagerly.
Darcy spent the next several minutes repeating his conversation from the night before with Elizabeth. Georgiana's eyes filled with sympathetic tears on hearing about the loss of the younger Bennet sister.
"She sounds incredible," said Georgiana, after Darcy had finished speaking. "I admire her already, just for having the courage to speak with you after you insulted her so atrociously. I could never have gone into public with such an ugly gown."
"How do you know it was ugly?" Bingley asked curiously.
"If it was horrid enough for Miss Bingley to comment on it and for my brother to have even noticed, then it must have been quite dreadful indeed!"
"Yes, it was quite bad," said a voice from the doorway.
The three breakfast companions looked over to see Mrs. Hurst enter the room with her husband. Hurst gently escorted his wife to her seat, then went to the sideboard to make a plate for her.
"Although, in defense of the dress, it was the coloring on the young lady that clashed, not the gown itself," Mrs. Hurst continued. "I think the young woman would be quite pretty in her own right with a color more suited to her skin tone and hair."
"Did you hear? It was her sister's dress!" Georgiana exclaimed eagerly. "Her sister died, and they all wore one of her dresses to the assembly in her honor!"
"Ah, that does explain a few things," Mrs. Hurst replied, taking the plate from her husband. "Like that horrid black bombazine in odd places."
"I wish I could have met her," said Georgiana, sitting back in her chair glumly.
Bingley smiled encouragingly. "I'm certain you shall be introduced to the family at some point! They are, after all, one of the principle families in the area. We are sure to call on them frequently."
Georgiana looked at her brother for approval. Darcy nodded and said, "I think that would be acceptable. They seem to be amiable young ladies, from what I can tell."
"He only says that because Miss Elizabeth rescued him from my sister," Hurst faux-whispered to Georgiana, who smothered a giggle.
Bingley looked at Hurst in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"Honestly, Charles, I'm surprised at you!" Mrs. Hurst said with a smile. "Surely you noticed that Miss Elizabeth's stumble during the last dance didn't permanently injure her ankle? She walked to her carriage without any assistance."
"You forget, my dear, that he had eyes for no one but Miss Bennet," Mr. Hurst replied smugly.
Bingley's face flushed, and Georgiana looked confused. Darcy sighed and rolled his eyes. "Miss Elizabeth stumbled during the last set, when I was standing up with Miss Bingley. She injured her ankle, and I stopped dancing in order to help her return to her aunt so she could rest."
Georgiana giggled and said, "I daresay this is the first time I have heard of a lady coming to a gentleman's rescue!"
"What's so funny?"
A shrill voice immediately dampened the jovial mood in the room. Georgiana's giggles immediately died as Miss Bingley entered the room.
"Ah, we were just discussing last night's assembly, Caroline," Bingley said cautiously.
Miss Bingley sneered. "It was amusing, wasn't it? Such country bumpkins! I have never seen a more rustic group of people in my life. Not a tolerable acquaintance amongst them."
Bingley stifled a laugh at this unfortunate choice of words, and Georgiana pressed her lips together in an attempt to not smile. The tips of Darcy's ears turned red, and he said, "They were not any different than any other society in the country. Indeed, it reminded me much of the assemblies in Lambton."
Miss Bingley blinked her eyes in confusion, not knowing how to respond to this bit of information. Finally she said, "Yes, but your presence in the Lambton assemblies raise them to a level of distinction that this place does not have. After all, to compare the Bennet and Lucas families to someone of your rank and nobility…" Her voice trailed off suggestively.
"Other than fortune, there is no difference of rank. They are gentlemen, as am I. In fact," he hesitated, then said, "if we are to discuss rank, the Bennet misses, as daughters of gentlemen, would outrank the daughter of a tradesman, no matter the size of her dowry."
Miss Bingley paled at this direct attack, but Darcy could not feel very sorry for her. He knew it was unkind of him to say, but his honor demanded that he atone to the Bennets for his ungentlemanly behavior the night before, even if they were not present to hear his defense. And what did I say that was not true? he asked himself.
Georgiana's widened eyes prompted him to add, "But as you know, Miss Bingley, social status does not mean as much to me as a person's character. That is why I am such good friends with your brother."
The color returned to Miss Bingley's face, and she beamed at him, clearly taking the compliment all for herself.
"I couldn't agree more," said Bingley, "and that attitude is the entire reason we are here in Hertfordshire. For Darcy, the security of his tenants is more important to him than maintaining the distinction of rank."
"Indeed, Mr. Darcy is the epitome of a gentleman. All should aspire to be such men without fault."
Georgiana let out a laugh, which she quickly covered by turning into a cough. "Pardon me, I seem to have swallowed a bit of tea the wrong way."
"Oh, you poor dear! What can I get for you?"
The gentlemen took the opportunity of Miss Bingley's fawning to excuse themselves to the study. Hurst, after bidding his wife farewell with a tender kiss on her hand, followed them from the breakfast room.
"If it's not too much of an imposition, I would like to join you," he asked, almost bashfully.
"The more, the merrier!" cried Bingley jovially, clapping his brother by marriage on the back as they entered the study and took their seats.
Darcy raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I had not realized you had such interest in estate management, Hurst."
Hurst blushed slightly and said, "My father has always been a bit of a negligent land owner, but I find it fascinating. Unfortunately, he cannot understand why I wish to participate and refuses to allow me access to his steward. I cannot bear to stay at the estate and watch so much potential go to waste, so I spend my time in London, just waiting until the old man is dead."
Bingley looked aghast at this blunt statement, and Darcy's eyebrows practically climbed into his hairline.
Hurst had the grace to look slightly embarrassed, but he shrugged and said, "He isn't one much for sentiment, my father. I've only actually spoken to the man a handful of times in my life. I was kept in the schoolroom with my governess, then sent away as soon as I was old enough to be accepted."
Nodding in understanding, Bingley said gently, "That must have been difficult." He walked over to Hurst and patted him on the shoulder. "Well, I for one am glad to have you in our family. I wasn't sure at first when you asked to marry Louisa, but I can tell you care for her greatly."
"I must admit that I mostly married her for her dowry," Hurst said. "She was pretty enough, and seemed gentle, but I also needed to get out from my father's control. It is pure chance that we have developed a fondness for one another that has only grown since she became with child."
"I once it heard it said that happiness is entirely a matter of chance, so it is best to know as little as possible about the defects in the person with whom you are to pass your life," Darcy said stoically.
Bingley burst into laughter. "That sounds horrible! Who said it?"
Darcy shrugged. "I can't remember. Some bloke at White's, I think. His father had just arranged a marriage for him to a complete stranger."
"How awful," Bingley said. "I am glad we are in a position to marry for love."
Darcy scoffed. "The problem with wealth is that you can't be sure the woman is showing attentions because she truly likes you, or if it's your fortune she's after. Case in point," he said, nodding to Hurst. "No offense, of course."
Hurst nodded in return. "None taken. I was never false with Louisa. I courted her, of course, but I never spoke words of love that I didn't mean. I told her I thought we would rub on together well, and my status as a gentleman appealed to her. Like I said, we were lucky more than anything."
Bingley frowned. "I see your point, Darcy. How can you know if a woman really is interested?"
"Introduce her to Darcy, tell her about his estate, and she if she stops paying her attentions to you," Hurst said with a smirk.
"Then what am I supposed to do?" cried Darcy with a smile.
"Tell her you don't believe in more than ten pounds a year in pin money," Hurst said with a straight face.
Darcy and Bingley looked at Hurst in disbelief, then the three men began laughing uproariously.
"Oh, Hurst, I had no idea you were hiding such a wit all these years!" Bingley said, wiping tears from his eyes.
"I've been bored," Hurst said simply, "and the only way to pass the time in the drudgery of London soirées is to drink until they're over."
"Well, now that we know what you're like out of your shell, we'll not allow you to crawl back in it," Bingley said.
Hurst gave him a small, yet genuine, smile. "My imminent fatherhood made me realize I no longer wanted to escape from reality until I inherited my estate."
"I'm very pleased to hear it," Darcy said sincerely. "Please, consider me at your disposal while I am in residence at Netherfield. I'm here to help Bingley learn estate matters, and you are most welcome to join us. You may ask me any questions along the way."
"I thank you," Hurst said, a large grin crossing his ruddy face.
"Now that that's settled," said Bingley, rubbing his hands together eagerly, "what shall we discuss today?"
"First, you need to write a letter to your London housekeeper," Darcy reminded him.
"Oh, right!" Bingley picked up a pen, mended it, then sat and began to write.
Hurst laughed and said, "Bingley, would you like me to write for you? That way, there will be no excuse for them not following instructions?"
Bingley grinned sheepishly. "That would probably be for the best." He handed Hurst the pen and a blank sheet of paper, and the two men began to work.
Darcy took advantage of the time to organize his thoughts and ideas by making several lists. He needed to outline the upcoming planting and harvest of the Russian wheat. It would not be an easy task.
His tenants had begun preparing the muddy ground for planting, but it would be a slower process than they anticipated. The problem was they simply did not have the necessary expertise for how red wheat might be different than their usual crop.
Drumming his fingers on his desk, Darcy allowed his mind to wander. This often allowed one part of his brain to work on the issue subconsciously, while the part distracted his conscious thoughts.
To his surprise, a pair of fine, bright eyes appeared in his mind's view. He instantly recognized them as belonging to Miss Elizabeth. As the rest of her face and figure appeared before him, he realized just how inaccurate his words from the night before had been.
It wasn't just her physical appearance, but her manner that made her attractive. She was kind and gracious, and there seemed to be more than a hint of intelligence behind those sparkling eyes. Not that he was an expert in such matters -
An expert! Darcy snapped his fingers and sat upright. Of course! I should have hired a Russian expert to help oversee this endeavor. Why did I not do this before?
He began to address a letter to his solicitor, but paused suddenly. It was much too late in the year to find someone and bring them from Russia. Perhaps there was an immigrant who resided in London?
Darcy knew it was a long shot, but it was worth making the attempt. He quickly wrote the missive to his man of business in London, instructing him to put out inquiries for an expert in Russian red wheat.
Upon finishing the letter, he sat back in his chair, a smile of satisfaction in his face. He looked across the room to see Hurst and Bingley finally finishing their letter. He waved them over to him.
"Come, gentlemen," Darcy said. "Let us begin your training."