August 9 – Pemberley, Derbyshire
Fitzwilliam Darcy was considering how he was going to explain to his best friend, Charles Bingley, that he had erred grievously in his advice regarding Jane Bennet. It was probably going to be difficult inasmuch as Charles had displayed a pronounced affection for the lady. Darcy had been waiting several days since the arrival at Pemberley of Georgiana and Bingley and his sisters and brother-in-law, MR. Hurst. He had thought it best to allow a day or two for everyone to recover from the rigours of travelling for three days from London. Yesterday they had taken advantage of a particularly warm day and invited several neighbouring families to a picnic by the pond.
Today had been spent touring the grounds in an open carriage. This had given Miss Bingley an excellent opportunity to rhapsodize over the beauties of Pemberley. It would have been more appreciated if he could have detected a touch of sincerity in those praises; unfortunately, he could not. Such praises were obviously, to him at least, designed to flatter him rather than reflecting any true appreciation for the grounds themselves. He doubted Miss Bingley would ever venture to walk through the grounds unless it was to accompany him. One could not get a true appreciation of the beauty of Pemberley unless one walked or rode the various trails and pathways. It had taken centuries to create the beauties of Pemberley; they could not be canvassed in an hour or two in a carriage.
He rather thought that everyone would be grateful for a quiet evening. He would prevail upon Georgiana and Bingley's sisters to entertain them with some music after dinner. He and Charles could talk afterwards; Hurst would almost assuredly be sleeping by then, as usual.
Darcy poured a glass of port for himself and Bingley. The men had moved to the library after the ladies and Hurst had retired for the night. Darcy and Bingley held a companionable silence as they savoured their drinks. Bingley seemed quite relaxed and, if he occasionally appeared slightly lost in thought, his manner contained little of the melancholy that was its characteristic during the winter in London. This puzzled Darcy a little and, rather than immediately opening the discussion that was weighing on him, he decided to temporize with a more general conversation.
"You must have in the north for several months before returning to London. What drew you there, Charles?"
"Business, Darcy. Well, business and family would probably be more accurate. You remember that Louisa, Caroline and I are originally from the area. I have never spoken much of my family but my parents each had several brothers and sisters all of whom remained in the region. As a result I have quite a family of uncles, aunts and cousins scattered thereabouts. To my regret, I really had little converse with them after I left to attend Cambridge. Of course, Caroline had no intention of maintaining any relationship once she moved to London."
"Since I had rather urgent business in the area, I took the opportunity to re-establish a familial relationship when time allowed. In fact, the society was both amiable and interesting and I willingly extended my stay by almost a month."
"I was aware that you were maintaining your ties to the business interests you inherited from your father but I did not expect that you were actively involved in the operations of such concerns."
"Well, truthfully I have generally left the operation to several men that my father employed just prior to his death. I have full confidence in them and restrict myself to overseeing their activities. However, there are some recent circumstances that seem to call for a more active engagement on my part. At least this was the opinion of those persons and, once I had discussed the issues with them, I concurred with their opinion. I spent a good deal of time discussing their suggestions. It was an extremely interesting time. I cannot remember feeling so alert and satisfied since I left Cambridge."
"Are you in a position to be more specific on these issues or are they of a particularly confidential nature?"
"I really cannot be too specific. Essentially, I am planning to be more directly involved in the running of these companies. We will be enlarging our operations and introducing some machines that have recently been created."
"Are your intentions still directed towards acquiring an estate?"
"Yes, eventually, although I have decided it is not something that I can accomplish right now. With much of my time spent in the north, I will have to consider where I want to purchase."
"There are certainly no shortage of estates in Derbyshire and other northern areas. Are you thinking then of giving up the lease on Netherfield?"
"Yes, I expect so. If I am spending more time in the north, I would not likely use the place with any frequency."
"I see." Darcy paused for a minute or two considering this rather new Bingley and not sure if he approved altogether with the changes that he was contemplating. However, after one disastrous intervention, he was reluctant to be critical. Besides, Charles did not appear to be soliciting his advice or opinion. Despite everything, his honour required that he confess to Charles how badly he had erred in regard to Jane Bennet. Let Charles make of it as he must.
"Charles, there was something I need to tell – confess – to you. While I was, I thought, acting in your best interest, I now see my actions as unwarranted interference. I do apologize and ask your forgiveness although I would not blame you if you were to refuse both."
"My God, Darcy, this sounds serious. I can think of nothing that would cause you this much concern."
"Hear me out. To speak plainly, I am sure you remember leaving Netherfield last November, repairing to London where your sisters and I joined you several days later. The sole purpose of our following you was to dissuade you from forming an attachment to Miss Jane Bennet. Your sisters were mainly concerned with the impropriety of Miss Bennet's family, other than herself and Miss Elizabeth, and the lack of connections of the family. Your sisters had much higher expectations for your marriage. While I was in agreement with your sister's concerns, my chief object was to ensure that you were not entrapped in a marriage of unequal affections. I could see your affection clearly; I could see no matching affection from Miss Bennet."
"I now believe I was wrong. I spent last Easter visiting my aunt in Kent. While there I was frequently in company with Miss Elizabeth Bennet who was visiting her cousin, Mr. Collins, who lived at the parsonage attached to my aunt's estate of Rosings Park. Miss Elizabeth had cause to learn of my involvement and, with her characteristic desire to protect her sister, took issue with my opinion. While I had not observed a clear affection, Miss Elizabeth was clearly of the opinion that Miss Bennet did indeed feel strongly but, since her nature was to conceal her innermost feelings, her countenance was uniformly serene. I do not recant my observations but the opinion of Miss Elizabeth must assuredly carry greater weight. It seems likely, therefore, that Miss Bennet did return your affection and my advice to you, to have been wrong."
"While i admit that I was quite possibly wrong in my advice, it was honestly tendered. However, I also later committed a more serious offence and one that I now consider to have been dishonourable. I withheld from you the fact that Miss Bennet spent several months in London after Christmas and, in fact, called your sisters. They returned the call although they waited three weeks to do so. As well their manner when making the call was such as to lead Miss Bennet that you no longer held any affection for her. Your sisters and I agreed that your feelings were too tender at that time to risk meeting Miss Bennet. It was presumptious of me to have acted in this fashion."
Darcy had barely looked at Bingley throughout his confession and now, when he did so, he could not discover from his visage, the thoughts or feelings displayed there. He simply waited for a reaction, any reaction. He expected anger, but that seemed absent. If anything, Bingley looked bemused, uncertain.
Bingley rose and went to the sideboard to refill his glass. He waved the decanter in Darcy's direction but, upon his shake of the head, returned to his seat. His words came slowly and somewhat hesitantly.
"Your apology is accepted, of course, and you are forgiven. I think, if you had made this confession before I had gone north, I might have received it in quite a different manner. My feelings then are quite different than they are now. I am not sure how this change took place although I suspect that it is, at least in part, the result of the interest in those business dealings that I spoke of earlier., at least"
"You remember I spoke of my family in the area. I had cause to meet my father's younger brother while in the area and was invited to stay for several weeks with his family. A truly fine man although lacking many of the surface graces deemed to be required to call oneself a gentleman but in the essentials - honour, integrity, courage, decency – he was a gentleman and one I am proud to know. Anyway, one evening we talked later into the night and consumed a fair amount of wine in the process. He had noticed a certain degree of melancholy in my countenance when I first arrived and was pleased to see it fading as my visit extended. He simply asked as to the cause and I told him all about Miss Bennet, my feelings and my sister's concerns. Your concerns, particularly that she did not have an affection equal to my own, were mentioned ."
Bingley noticed a reaction from Darcy and immediately gave a short laugh saying. "Relax, I did not reveal your name although it is possible that he inferred it due to our friendship."
"My uncle listened carefully and, after considering what was said, asked a couple of pertinent questions so as to clarify a few misunderstandings. Remember I mentioned that he was a good man; well he has a fine mind also. I began to feel I was back in Cambridge with a tutor employing the Socratic question and answer method. It was torturous but gradually I came to one basic conclusion."
"If I had truly loved Miss Bennet, I would not have been so easily convinced to give her up. My uncle's opinion, and I am quite inclined to agree with him, is that I was not ready to marry. He called me a 'puppy' and that is, I think a good description of my behaviour. I hope to grow and, perhaps in a year or two, to be ready to consider marriage. When I do, I hope to meet and win a woman such as Miss Bennet."
Darcy looked at Bingley and tried to hide the consternation he felt. He could not but rejoice to see his friend's new-found maturity and was quick to complement him accordingly.
"Charles, I cannot express enough my pleasure in listening to you tonight. It seems to me that you have grown a couple of years in the few scant months that you were away. My only regret is that you did not visit this uncle sooner. He is a man I would like to include among my acquaintance. I think it is fair to say then, that you will not be renewing the Netherfield lease."
Bingley's reply of 'No' was quite definite.
Darcy inspected his wine glass thoroughly and a small smile could be seen forming. "Have you considered the impact of your shift to the north on your sisters, particularly Caroline? I cannot imagine that she will be delighted to leave London."
Bingley laughed outright. "Darcy teasing? This is a first. Actually my uncle and I discussed this very thing. He believes, and I have come to agree, that Caroline would do well to try and navigate the London season on her own; that I recognize her desires are not mine and that I would do well to create an establishment for her in London. I will be instructing my solicitor to find suitable accommodations for her. Her dowry will provide her a living allowance which I may supplement until such time as she marries. She will need to hire a companion unless the Hursts are willing to be part of the establishment. I have yet to discuss this with either of my sisters. Of one thing I am certain, Caroline will not be part of my household in the future."
Darcy's smile expanded. "I do not want to be in the area when you inform Caroline of your decision. Please wait until you leave Pemberley."
"Well I can hardly blame you for that; however, it does raise another problem for me. I do not expect to spend as much time in London as in the past and I am reluctant to stay with either the Hurst or Caroline. Would I be impossing too much to ask to stay at Darcy House for those weeks I am in town?"
"Not an imposition at all. You will be more than welcome to stay and for as long as you like." Darcy fell silent and then asked. "There is something else that just occurred to me. You left Hertfordshire quite precipitously and you did not take a proper leave-taking of the families in the area. Do you think it advisable to visit the area for a day or two, to take proper leave of everyone?"
After pondering the question for several minutes, Bingley replied. "I suppose it could be done but, since the other commitments that I have entered into will not allow me to visit the area until very late in the year, I am not sure that such strict adherence to propriety will serve any purpose. My lease will have expired and I would be required to find lodgings elsewhere. No, I will not return. If I am in the area on some other purpose, I may well make my apologies to such families as I may encounter. But visit for that purpose, No!"
After thinking about this for a moment or two, Darcy nodded his acquiesnce and then, looking at Bingley, began to chuckle. Queried by a perplexed Bingley, he stifled his mirth and answered, "I have just realized another reason to celebrate your change in plans."
"Oh, and pray what is that?"
"Well my friend, if you plan to become more fully engaged in business affairs, you will be corresponding with others frequently. Your handwriting is so atrocious that you will either have to learn to write properly so that a normal person does not have to interpret your words or engage a secretary to do it for you. I suggest the secretary since years would probably be required for you to improve your writing."
Bingley chuckled, "That is a suggestion to which I will give serious consideration. I thank you, my friend."
They then began to talk of other matters. Activities for the morrow were considered and an early morning ride was agreed upon. Georgiana had expressed an interest in once again visiting some local ruins and Darcy would invite her to join them. Neither of Bingley's sisters were much interested in riding and neither man considered inviting them to the outing.
Bingley excused himself to get some sleep and Darcy was left to ponder a problem that he had truly not anticipated. How was he going to meet Elizabeth Bennet again? He could not contemplate simply riding up to her door at Longbourn and calling on her. Their last meeting had been too tumultuous, her anger too great, for him to want to chance anything so direct. He wanted to come into her company obliquely and assess her feelings towards himself. He had no idea how his letter had been received and now Bingley would not be returning to attach himself to her sister. He could see no way forward at this time. And waiting was so very hard!"
