A Bit of Advice
By DJ Clawson
Summary: Three days before his wedding, Bingley goes to the only man who can give him the advice he needs ... the poor, unfortunate Mr. Darcy.
Author's Note: As I am having an operation today, the next chapter may be delayed up to a week. Normally I try and update fairly regularly (I'm no fan of cliffhangers myself), but this will be the exception to the rule. It gives me great pleasure as a writer to know that people are reading my work, so please keep reading, and I am always grateful for comments.
Chapter 3 – The Walk
Elizabeth Bennet, soon to be Elizabeth Darcy – a notion she could hardly believe herself – was becoming just a bit frustrated at her apparently inability to see the man she had promised herself to for the rest of her life. She did see him formally, almost every night at Longbourn or Netherfield for a meal, but she had realized long ago that Darcy loathed public displays of his affection and she was quite resigned to it, as he seemed to make up for it quite readily in the little privacy they managed on long walks during their engagement. Still waters did run deep, so deep that both of his passionate proposals came to her as a complete surprise, and yet could not have been delivered with more honestly and emotion, even if he had bungled it the first time with his own pride. While Jane and Mr. Bingley – no offense to them meant, of course – seemed quite content to lovingly gaze into each other's eyes, she knew Darcy's true intentions would only be revealed when they were alone, and so she was all the more want to have some time with him before they were married. Not that she at all doubted that he loved her, or that she loved him perhaps equally in return, but a woman could not help but be curious about her obsessively secretive betrothed.
Georgiana's appearance did something to calm her fears, if fears they could be called. The lovely Miss Darcy arrived at Netherfield for the wedding a few days before, and was more than happy to spend as much time as possible with her future sister and sister-in-law. Being a woman, of course, she had much more access to the Bennet sisters and their end of the wedding preparations than the person actually getting married. Completely without bidding she was her brother's best advocate, and her happiness at his happiness – and the obvious total innocence of her character – was a great testament to the private Mr. Darcy. She was not a sister singing praises to propose a match, but an affectionate sibling who saw no reason not to express it. Elizabeth felt she was more like Jane in personality, trusting and loving, and would make a terrific companion at Pemberley, for Elizabeth was already feeling the loss of no longer sharing a room with her beloved older sister, as she had all her life. If one knew nothing of Mr. Darcy but through Georgiana's mouth, he was a candidate for sainthood.
This diminished her worries but did not satisfy Elizabeth's longing for time with Darcy, something she expressed to her sister, and Jane quickly admitted the same for her own beau, but there was nothing to be done. They were busy with dresses and flowers and preparations and the men were busy with finances and their own costumes and greeting the many people coming in for the double ceremony. In fact, Elizabeth wondered at the duration of the honeymoon, and if they would not both spend it sleeping away to recover from the exhaustive process.
But this was apparently not to be, or so they were about to be informed. The dresses had come in from London, and Elizabeth and the maid were checking the final fittings on Jane's lovely dress when Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Gardiner burst in the room. More specifically, Mrs. Bennet burst in and her sister followed her in a calming manner.
"Jane, Lizzy," her mother said with a certain gravity. "It is time."
Jane looked at her with a look of confused horror. Elizabeth decided to just be cautiously intrigued.
"Come, let us sit," Mrs. Bennet said, gesturing to the bed. "Careful with your dress, Jane. You look so beautiful in it."
"Indeed," said Mrs. Gardiner, who sat down in the rocking chair.
They took their seats very properly, quite unclear of the situation. Surely if there were some bad news, it would have already been said at this point, and at a much louder volume?
"Oh my dear daughters," Mrs. Bennet said with her usual degree of melodrama, unintentional though it was, "you are so soon to be married."
"Yes, we are quite aware," Elizabeth said, deciding not to hold herself back, even if it elicited a look from Jane.
"There is so much to tell you – about being married. And so little time. Oh, because of my nerves, I have put it off! I am quite an unsuitable mother!"
When they had no reaction to this, the more mellow Mrs. Gardiner decided to pick up the slack. "What we mean to say is, dearest nieces, if you are to be adequately prepared to be wives, that which has been guarded from your maiden ears must no longer remain so."
"Yes, yes!" Mrs. Bennet said. "Lest you be taken totally unawares! That would be most unsatisfying to your husbands indeed!"
Elizabeth realized her meaning first, but that didn't make her feel one bit better about it.
The carriage from Netherfield arrived earlier than dinner was ready, so a particularly frazzled couple decided to take a stroll. Darcy could account for his own continence – it was becoming harder and harder to avoid Bingley entirely – but he could not understand what perturbed Elizabeth. At the very sight of them, Jane looked ready to bolt, her sister less so. The walk would do them good. The walk always calmed her.
"My dearest Elizabeth ..." he said finally, when they were far out of view of the house and he assumed, away from whatever was stressing her, because he couldn't imagine something he had done. Today, anyway. "I must inquire – "
"I am perfectly fine, thank you very much."
She said it so quickly and insistently, it was obviously a lie. Darcy just looked away and muttered, "Of course."
"You are also not in the most pleasing of moods."
"Have you ever known me to be so?"
So, he had caught her. She had that look on her face, like she was developing a witticism with which to smite him, but having a bit of trouble doing so. "If you tell me why you are distressed, I will tell you the same. For should we not exchange everything? Though honestly, we have only two days – "
"No, you are perturbed, and I will not stand for it," he said, thrusting his walking stick into the ground in an indignant manner that he knew she would find amusing. "You will tell me what has made you so upset that you can hardly stand the sight of me, as I can think of no untoward behavior on my part ... at least, not in the last few months. But perhaps I am mistaken, and I could not stand to be mistaken."
Again, she was looking for something to say. "It is not what you did ... or will do ... It is a womanly matter."
"Oh," he said simply. It took him a moment to decide he didn't entirely believe her. That wouldn't give her reason to be nervous around him.
"And you?"
"And me?"
"Yes, you. What has put you in such an ill mood? Though admittedly, not the most dour of moods I have ever seen you in."
"I perhaps shall take that as a compliment for sake of argument." The he realized he still had to answer the question. "It is a gentlemanly manner."
"How clever an answer."
"It is the truth."
"Hmm," Elizabeth said, looking off into the distance as they walked. "So we have learned nothing, because certainly I knew before this point that men and women kept things privy from each other. Though, I had hoped, not husbands and wives."
"When you are my wife, I will be happy to enlighten you. Before that, I do not think it would be proper, especially in the case of another man's privacy."
"So Bingley is involved?"
He stopped and shuddered. "I will admit that I sometimes wish I was betrothed to a less intelligent woman. Now, I cannot speak more on the subject!"
"If he is going to mistreat my sister – "
"He is not going to mistreat your sister. He has only the finest intentions. That is precisely the prob – " but he stopped himself, even if it was too late. "Perhaps we should turn before I further embarrass myself and Mr. Bingley's confidence."
"Hardly! After such an admission, I am now obligated to admit my own personal shame," she said, taking his hand for the first time that day. "Though it is highly improper. I may burn your gentlemanly ears and you may no longer wish such a wife."
"There is nothing I can think of that make me wish you not to be my wife," he said, and looked at her. Elizabeth was too innocent to actually have done something ... untoward. Of that, he was positively sure.
She seemed convinced enough to continue, "Today Jane and I had a most unpleasant conversation with our mother about ... being wives."
Darcy's mouth simply made an 'oh' – he didn't have to actually pronounce the word. It took him some time to get the courage up to ask, "And how was it unpleasant?"
"Surely this must wait until we are married."
"On the contrary. If you are uneasy now, let me put the matter to rest. I will not stand to have you upset for any length of time, be it only two days." He shrugged. "Besides, everyone else has made it a hobby of asking me uncomfortable questions at every possible moment, so let at least one of them be my lovely betrothed."
"Mr. Bingley has - ?"
"No more talk of Mr. Bingley, please, for the sake of my – just about everything that could need steadying," he said, trying to smile, but he knew he was mainly just blushing. "This is about you. And your mother."
"And my aunt, who fortunately, provided some kind of balance, though her differing account was mainly ... puzzling." She leaned on his arm. "You know of what I speak. Please don't make me say it."
"As you wish," he said. "Your mother has finally told you about relations and now you are terrified because she has made it seem a horrible experience. No doubt she said something about wifely duties and made it seem like a necessary evil."
"You know my mother uncommonly well, sir."
"Hardly. She is just repeating the same nonsense that your cousin will drone on and on about in church. That it is a duty you must endure with great suffering." He sighed. "Elizabeth, the best thing I can think of to say is that if there was no fun to be had of it at all, the world would not be nearly so populated."
"And you are an expert on this –"
"Well, I wouldn't say 'expert' – " And he had to stop himself again. This time, he was ready to smack his own face just to keep his mouth shut. "Lizzy, you will forgive me –"
"No, no, of course," she said, though she had lost some composure. "I could not expect that you, who have been to university and traveled through Europe and are a man of great wealth and standing, have not – "
"You don't have to say it." He put his hand on her shoulder. "Elizabeth, I love you more than I loved any woman I ever met, so much so that it seems I am incapable of keeping secrets from you, even when they would benefit both of us. You make an fool of a very proud man, so it must be love, for love makes fools of us all."
"How clever of you, to quote poetry to placate my fears," she said, but not in spite. She seemed somewhat relieved, in fact, and they were able for the first time in several minutes to move on, though this time they did not separate their hands. Conversation ceased, and there was only their physical selves, their touch, and the surrounding forest.
"How many?"
This brought Darcy back from his dreamy reality. "... What?"
"Surely it was more than one."
"Oh G-d," he said, blaspheming quite openly now in his terror. "It is not about numbers."
"That many?"
"Perhaps you should just be grateful that I am not an inexperienced twit."
"Like Mr. Bingley?"
He glared at her. On everyone else, this worked perfectly. On Elizabeth, it was just a further enticement. Damn her! If not for her perfect eyes ... and wonderful personality ... and loving soul ... and so many things ... damn her! "As I would do anything for you, it is only fair that you would do anything for me. So I beg of you, please, to stop mentioning my good friend in the course of this conversation. Please."
She smiled one of her charming smiles that spoke volumes. "Of course, if that is your desire."
"Then the matter is cleared."
"Yes."
"And your fears are waylaid? At least to the extent that I can at this moment in time?"
"Perhaps." she said, now toying with him, indicating a vast improvement in her mood. So she was placated.
"And you will mention nothing of this to Jane?"
"She is my sister! Does she not deserve to be comforted? She is more terrified than I was."
"Then soothe her in some clever way that does not involve mentioning me or Bingley. You certainly have the wits to devise a strategy."
She looked like she was hesitating, but it was probably just to torment him further. "All right."
"I have your promise?"
"You have my promise. I will speak to my sister in the most discreet way possible." She frowned. "Yes, this will require some strategy."
"Speaking of strategy," he said, patting her arm. "I am afraid I must be off to London tomorrow."
"That will leave us – "
"Time will pass just the same whether I am here or not," he said. "And it seems as though are time together is limited these days anyway. But I assure you, this is something that cannot wait. I will be back tomorrow evening, but perhaps not in time for dinner."
"And this mysterious errand will require you out at all hours?"
"I hope not. And don't give me a look, because I will not reveal its nature." He straightened his waistcoat in a mock fashion. "'Tis a gentlemanly manner."
Elizabeth smiled at him. "I see."
To be continued.