Challenges are just too tempting… 😊

~A~

It was the morning after the ball at Netherfield Park and Fitzwilliam Darcy was on his way to London to pay a visit to his sister. As he was going to town, his friend and host at Netherfield requested that Darcy would allow him to come along as Bingley had to take care of some business.

To pass the time and to satisfy his curiosity, Darcy asked, 'What is the business which is so important and which you cannot deal with by correspondence?'

'My man of business wrote to say that he has finalised some negotiations and he needs me to attend the signing of the contracts,' Bingley sleepily informed his friend. He had gone to bed late after the ball, and unlike Darcy he was not used to rising at dawn. At least he considered eight o'clock to be the crack of dawn and any time before that, the middle of the night.

'Are there any other contracts you are planning to arrange while you have the opportunity?' Darcy asked, trying to appear casual.

'No, there is only the one business contract with which I need to deal, but it is important since it will increase my income by at least twenty percent,' Bingley replied with a satisfied smile.

'I thought you might want to arrange a contract of a more personal nature.'

'Hmm, what do you mean?'

'Considering that half your guests last night were speculating on the date of your wedding…'

That comment had Bingley sitting up straight, suddenly wide awake. 'The date of my wedding? What gave them that idea?'

'For the last six weeks you have been exceedingly attentive to Miss Bennet. You always asked her for two sets whenever there was dancing. When there was no dancing, you spoke to her almost exclusively. What was the lady as well as her family and her neighbours to think?'

'But I simply enjoyed her company,' exclaimed Bingley in horror. 'She is exceptionally beautiful and has a most delightfully gentle personality. It was such a delightful change from Caroline. Restful, you know.'

It was Darcy's turn to stare at his friend in horror. 'How could you be so cruel to raise expectations if you had no intentions of taking it further.'

Since Bingley had been deprived of sleep, he did not pay enough attention to his words and answered more honestly than he might have wished. 'I would have liked to take it further, but Caroline would never countenance me marrying someone so unimportant, and as for anything else… well the lady was much too proper to allow me any kind of liberties.' Bingley relaxed back into the squabs as he said, 'I suppose I had better get Caroline to close the house and join me in London. That should stop any expectations.'

Darcy's hands clenched into fists as he listened to Bingley. He could not believe how callous his friend had become. When did that happen? Bingley had always been amiable. Perhaps that had been the problem. Everything came easy to him. He always had his choice of ladies.

Darcy thought of Miss Bennet. He remembered when he had first seen her at that assembly the day he had arrived. If he had not been in such a foul mood which would have been cruel to inflict on anyone, he would have been tempted to dance with the lady.

But after that first evening, it had appeared as if his friend and Miss Bennet had formed an attachment, and he was too much of a gentleman to poach.

Darcy had been pleased for Bingley, even if he was a little jealous, as Miss Bennet had all the qualities he admired in a lady, and which were so rare in London society. The lady did not flirt, she did not simper, and she was surprisingly modest in spite of her great beauty. She always acted with the utmost propriety. It had taken Darcy weeks of careful watching to discern that the lady's heart was engaged by Bingley.

And now that… rake was doing a metaphorical midnight flit.

For a moment he was tempted to force Bingley into making good on the expectations he had raised, but within moments he reconsidered. While it might hurt Miss Bennet to be slighted in such a way, that would be less painful than being tied to a rake for the rest of her life.

Fortunately for Darcy, it was only an hour later that they arrived in London.

When the carriage stopped at Darcy House as arranged, as Darcy had invited Bingley to stay with him while they were in town since it had seemed ridiculous to open both houses, Darcy turned to his former friend. 'I am sorry, Mr Bingley, but it occurred to me that since you are closing Netherfield and recalling your family to London, you may as well go on to your own house. My carriage will take you there. I thank you for your hospitality in Hertfordshire.'

As Darcy exited the carriage, Bingley exclaimed, 'What is going on? What do you mean, calling me Mr Bingley? Why do you want me to stay at my house.'

'Because I do not wish to expose my sister to rakes. Goodbye.'

Darcy told his driver, 'Take Mr Bingley to his house,' before he turned on his heel and strode up the steps to the door which a footman had opened for him. He did not bother to take note of the befuddled countenance of Bingley as the carriage took off.

~A~

Mrs Bennet was full of excitement as she bustled into her parlour, 'Jane,' she cried. 'Have you heard? Netherfield is being reopened.'

Jane looked up from her needlework and her red rimmed yes belied her casual voice as she said, 'No, mama. I had not heard. Is there a new tenant?'

'I do not know, but surely it must be Mr Bingley returning because he cannot live without you,' the lady enthused.

Jane and her younger sister Elizabeth exchanged glances full of doubt. 'Mama, even if it is Mr Bingley, he has probably brought his intended with him,' Jane said in a tired voice.

Ever since she had received the letter from Miss Bingley informing her of their removal to town due to Mr Bingley's attachment to Miss Darcy, Jane had battled with her feelings and the opinions of her mother as well as her sister.

Mrs Bennet had convinced herself that Mr Bingley was hopelessly in love with Jane and the only questions was the actual date of the wedding.

Elizabeth was equally certain that Miss Bingley was lying about Miss Darcy, since the lady was not inclined to allow her brother to marry Jane. Therefore, Lizzy was advocating that if Mr Bingley could not stand up to his sisters, he was weak and not good enough for Jane.

Jane herself was uncertain of everything, including her own feelings.

When Mr Bingley had first arrived, she had thought him charming and everything a young man should be. Jane had felt flattered by the attention the gentleman was paying her. But there had been a couple of instances where he had made her feel uncomfortable. Even though he had not pushed the issue, Jane had felt as if he was trying to take liberties… liberties which she most definitely was not prepared to allow.

While she always tried to think the best of people, Jane had wondered if standards of morals were different in London. But even if they were, she was going to stick with the ones with which she was comfortable.

But because of those instances, she was not certain if she wished for Mr Bingley to declare himself, as she was worried that he might be inconstant. Once she was married, she had no recourse if her husband turned out to be a Lothario, and she had no wish to bear the embarrassment of not being important enough to her husband to be faithful.

So, when Mrs Bennet informed her that Netherfield was being reopened, instead of being ecstatic as her mother expected her to be, she was worried that everyone was going to push her towards Mr Bingley.

~A~

The question of the Netherfield tenant resolved itself the following day when Mr Darcy arrived to call on the Bennet ladies and requested permission to introduce his sister, a request which was granted with some trepidation.

When Mrs Bennet saw the shy young girl with Mr Darcy, she instantly dismissed Caroline Bingley's claim that her brother was courting the young lady. Even Jane was dubious about the veracity of the claim, but before anyone else could comment, Mrs Bennet asked, 'Did not Mr Bingley return with you?'

'No, madam, he did not,' Darcy replied and before Mrs Bennet could enquire further, he added, 'and he has no plans to ever return to Netherfield.'

'Whyever not?' cried the lady.

Darcy sighed. 'He has decided that he prefers to live in the city where there is a greater variety of entertainment,' he prevaricated as he had no intention of specifying what kind of entertainment.

'But if Mr Bingley will not return, what has brought you hither?' Elizabeth was curious. It seemed strange to her that the exceedingly reserved gentleman would come back to their small community when his friend was not there to host him. In all the weeks he had been at Netherfield, he had not interacted much with anyone. Even at the first assembly he had refused to dance with anyone other than his hostess and her sister, which were obviously duty dances. Elizabeth had been intrigued to overhear Mr Darcy telling Mr Bingley that Jane was the prettiest girl at the assembly, yet he had never asked her to dance. Perhaps the gentleman simply disliked dancing and engaged in the activity only when forced to do so.

Darcy smiled as he answered, 'While Mr Bingley may prefer the entertainments in town, I found the company in this area much more to my liking.'

After some general conversation, Darcy suggested, 'My sister and I spent much of our time in a carriage yesterday and today and would like to take advantage of the clear weather to go for a walk. Perhaps you ladies would care to join us and show us around?'

Even though Mrs Bennet was confused by this turn of events, she immediately concurred with Darcy and urged Jane and Elizabeth to accompany the siblings.

~A~

When they stepped outside, Darcy offered his arm to Jane. As per his earlier request, his sister shyly asked Elizabeth to walk with her.

Lizzy, having heard of Miss Darcy from various sources, managed to start a conversation about music with the shy girl, leaving Darcy and Jane to their own devices.

Jane had been surprised when Darcy introduced his sister and had come to suspect that Elizabeth had been correct in her evaluation that Miss Bingley was economical with the truth. She could not picture Mr Bingley with such a shy… child. There was no way that Miss Darcy could be old enough to be out in society.

Concerned that Miss Bingley was spreading that story to others, she thought to warn her brother.

'Mr Darcy, please forgive me for telling you this, but when Miss Bingley closed Netherfield, she sent me a letter in which she suggested that the reason for the departure was that her brother wanted to get back to town to court your sister, where they planned to remain.' She glanced over her shoulder. 'I have no wish to criticise, but I find it difficult to believe that Miss Darcy is old enough for such an endeavour.'

Darcy's eyes flashed when Jane mentioned Caroline's lies and he took a deep breath to be able to speak calmly. 'Thank you, Miss Bennet, for informing me. I can assure you that there is no truth in Miss Bingley's assertions.' He hesitated a moment. Now that the time had come when he could inform Jane of Bingley's inconstancy, he was reluctant to occasion pain. He continued, 'At least as regards my sister. But she was accurate in her estimate that her brother has no wish to return to Netherfield, which is why I have taken over the lease.'

'Why would you want to lease Netherfield? I understand that you have a magnificent estate in Derbyshire. Would you not prefer to spend Christmas in your home with your family?'

'My only close family is my sister, and as long as she is with me, I find the company at Netherfield much more congenial.' He looked down to catch Jane's eye and with a soft smile, placed his free hand on top of hers as it rested on his arm. 'And I am hoping that I would have an opportunity to get to know our neighbours much better.'

Jane's breath caught at the vivid gaze which held her in its spell in a way no one had ever affected her before. It took her a few moments before she could say, 'You wish to become better acquainted with your neighbours, Mr Darcy?'

'Yes, Miss Bennet… I do.'

~A~

~A~