AUTHOR'S NOTE: Check out chapter 5 too, there was something funky about the update and it didn't bump the post so you might not have noticed it.
SUSPENDING PLEASURES
CHAPTER 6 - VERY IMPORTANT ESTATE BUSINESS
Mrs. Hurst may have speculated that the Netherfield gentlemen got out of the house early the next morning to escape Miss Bingley's attentions, but this author prefers to deal with facts instead of suppositions. Suffice it to know that Mr. Bingley told his sisters that they needed to leave very early on very important estate business, and Miss Bingley had to eat her breakfast alone, as Mrs. Hurst said that she was not hungry that morning and would just take a cup of tea in her room.
Mr. Hurst did not always accompany Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy on their inspections of the estate but the previous evening Mr. Bingley had spoken of the estate business he needed to attend to vaguely enough that Mr. Hurst's curiosity was roused. "If Charles Bingley acts like such a man of mystery about it, I have to see it, whatever it is."
It turned out that Mr. Bingley wanted to ride towards Oakham Mount. There was a convenient riding path, and the view from the top was reportedly one of the most picturesque in all of Hertfordshire. Despite the early hour, the gentlemen found that the hill was already populated. There were two figures on foot observing the view. The men dismounted, left the horses to graze, and approached them.
"Well, well, good morning, Miss Bennet!" said Mr. Bingley.
"Good morning to you," said Miss Bennet, blushing.
"Miss Elizabeth," said Mr. Darcy.
"Well met, ladies," said Mr. Hurst. "We are here on very important estate business."
"The plot thickens," said Miss Elizabeth Bennet. "Incidentally, Oakham Mount is not part of the Netherfield estate."
"No but you can see the house there," said Miss Bennet.
"Fancy meeting you here," said Mr. Bingley.
"This is a complete coincidence I am sure," said Mr. Darcy.
"It is a small world," said Mr. Bingley.
"It is so difficult to practice social distancing these days," said Miss Elizabeth. "One attempts to exercise on a remote hill at the crack of dawn, and it is already a dreadful crush."
"You are out very early," said Mr. Bingley.
"So are you," said Miss Bennet. "Early to bed, early to rise."
"Healthy and wealthy and wise," responded Mr. Bingley, demonstrating his superior education.
"The weather is so fine it is a pleasure to be out," Miss Bennet said.
"Yes, we are lucky it does not rain," said Mr. Bingley. "We would all look like drowned rats."
"Speak for yourself, Bingley," said Mr. Hurst. "I would certainly have the good sense to stay inside if it was a rainy morning."
"Oh yes, but it is not a rainy morning though," said Mr. Bingley.
"It is good to get into the habit of pointing out the obvious very early in the day," Mr. Hurst said.
"Yes, if it gets more hectic as the day progresses one never knows when one gets the chance again," said Miss Elizabeth.
"Very true," said Mr. Darcy.
Once the polite inanities had been exhausted there was a moment of silence while everyone attempted to get fascinated with the landscape. Granted, it was extremely beautiful, the sky was clear and one could see for miles. But curiosity is a particular defect of human nature that can seriously interfere with aesthetic appreciation, and at least Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth were quite grateful when Mr. Hurst finally cracked and grabbed the bull by the metaphorical horns.
"However did you manage to arrange this assignation?" Mr. Hurst asked.
"This is not an assignation," Miss Bennet said, blushing some more.
"This is quite an accidental meeting, I promise you," Mr. Bingley said.
"Let the record reflect that I did not address either of you specifically, but you both responded with prompt denials, although there are other people present that I might have been thinking of."
"Oh, but Mr. Darcy would never plot any meetings with Lizzy," Miss Bennet said.
"Would he not," said Mr. Darcy.
"Of course not," said Miss Elizabeth. "Now, Jane, the truth please."
Neither Mr. Bingley nor Miss Bennet were made of stern stuff so eventually it came out that when they met on their Meryton shopping trip, Mr. Bingley had happened to ask Miss Bennet – completely in passing, one must understand – about the most scenic trails in the neighbourhood, and Miss Bennet had told him that the view from Oakham Mount was quite breathtaking early in the mornings, and it was an entirely, completely, totally unexpected coincidence that they both wanted to observe the scenery this particular morning.
Miss Bennet offered to show Mr. Bingley a good vantage point and they walked a little apart from the others so their conversation could not be heard. They kept a respectful social distance of several yards and were perfectly visible to everyone else so Miss Elizabeth thought Jane to be adequately chaperoned.
"Did you know that your sister and Bingley had planned this?" Mr. Hurst asked.
"No, I knew that something was probably going on because she was so insistent on coming here, but I think she was not sure if Mr. Bingley would come."
"Bingley was a bit skittish on the way here too," said Mr. Hurst.
"Do you often walk so early? Does your mother know that you are out?" Mr. Darcy inquired.
"Oh yes, she quite despairs that I will insist on rambling outside at all manner of ungodly hours," Miss Elizabeth said. "My sisters like to get a later start so usually if it is dawn I have to come here alone."
"All alone?"
"Alas, I have shocked Mr. Darcy again. Yes, all alone. As you know I have few other accomplishments, but let no one say that I am unable to walk without assistance."
"Walking is certainly a useful skill to have."
"But as you can see Jane is with me now so our mother can be sure that all the proprieties were observed and I did not climb any trees or muddy my petticoats in ditches."
"Ah, you climb trees?" Mr. Hurst said. "How resourceful of you."
"In a word, no," Miss Elizabeth said. "I would love to but once you have attempted to climb a tree in a long skirt you will know why it is not such a practical idea."
"Sadly I have not attempted to climb a tree in any attire in years now," Mr. Hurst said. "But I used to be a champion in my youth. Maybe I should start practicing."
"I had not taken you for an outdoorsman," Miss Elizabeth said.
"London makes one lazier," Mr. Hurst said. "But I think I need to exercise more. My wife keeps telling me that I am getting too fat and I am afraid that she is right. I have been so tired recently. I could have slept for a couple of weeks straight after we travelled to Hertfordshire."
"It seems to me that you did," Mr. Darcy noted.
"I hope I did not snore," Mr. Hurst said.
"Indeed, while Jane and I were staying at Netherfield, you presented a very peaceful aspect," Miss Elizabeth said.
"So you are saying I did snore."
All three were silent for a while, watching the dance of colours in the horizon. The sky changed from one moment to the next. Mr. Bingley and Jane were speaking animatedly but inaudibly.
"It seems to me that Mr. Bingley is not looking at the view," Miss Elizabeth said. "Should I worry about Jane?"
"What do you mean?" Mr. Darcy asked.
"Is he a good man?"
"Well, he is one of my dearest friends," Mr. Darcy said.
"Yes, but for all I know you could be friends with lots of absolute scoundrels," Miss Elizabeth said.
"Well, I did have a boyhood friend who turned out to be a cad," Mr. Darcy said.
"First impressions can be deceiving," Mr. Hurst said.
"As well as second and third impressions," Mr. Darcy mused. "It took me several years to realize how bad he was."
"So you are a slow learner," Miss Elizabeth said. "How long have you known Mr. Bingley?"
"These five or six years."
"And what was your first impression of him?"
"Cheerful, friendly, talkative, a little insecure of himself. But he was younger then."
"We were all younger five years ago," Mr. Hurst said, "and Bingley is still insecure of himself."
"He does seem to rely on Mr. Darcy's opinions a great deal."
"That is your first impression of him, Miss Elizabeth?"
"No, that was the second impression I think. My first impression was that he is mostly harmless."
"Mostly?" Mr. Hurst inquired.
Miss Elizabeth pursed her lips. "I should not have said that."
"What harm do you perceive in Bingley?" Mr. Darcy asked.
"I would rather not say."
"Whenever you say such things, you must know people cannot rest until they have forced the truth out of you, so you may as well save time and tell us now." Mr. Hurst said.
"Well, it seems to me that he might occasionally hurt people thoughtlessly. He says things without thinking, and he said he was prone to impulsive decisions like quitting a place without warning, and I am afraid that it does not leave much room for the consideration of how his decisions affect other people. If he makes Jane fall in love with him and then just decides to run away..." Miss Elizabeth trailed off.
"Well, he is stuck here for the time being as all frivolous travelling has been forbidden," Mr. Hurst said practically. "I think running away from a fair maiden would count as frivolous."
"I do not know if it is a comfort but it certainly seems that your sister's feelings are starting to matter to him," Mr. Darcy offered. "Bingley has a decision to make about whether to cancel the ball, and I do not think he has been able to reach a conclusion without consulting your sister's opinion."
"He has been in two minds depending on whoever spoke to him last," Mr. Hurst said.
"And what is everybody telling him?" Miss Elizabeth asked.
"Caroline wants to have the ball as planned because she has gone to some trouble with the preparations. Louisa thinks we should cancel because she does not want the house filled with potential disease carriers."
"And you?"
"I do not know much about the risk of infectious diseases but I hope if it is cancelled it is not cancelled until the last moment. It keeps Caroline occupied."
"Oh yes, I suppose Miss Bingley has far fewer amusements than what she is used to."
"It will not hurt her."
Mr. Bingley and Miss Bennet were now standing a lot closer than the officials recommended. If we have learned anything about this unfortunate epidemic it is that guidelines and advice are not worth much unless they are being followed, and this author must regretfully report that no one standing on Oakham Mount that morning did anything to enforce the rules.
"Does Mr. Bingley ever make up his own mind about anything?"
Mr. Hurst gave the question some thought. "Well, he likes stuffed olives although both his sisters hate them."
"The decision about the ball has been hard for him to make," Mr. Darcy said. "There is so little information about the contagion, and he does not want to offend any of the neighbours, but of course he also does not want anybody to fall ill because there was a party at Netherfield."
"I do not have to ask what you think about cancelling the ball," Miss Elizabeth said, smiling sweetly. "No doubt you would do anything and say anything in order to avoid dancing."
"Why do you say that?" Mr. Darcy asked. "I do enjoy dancing with the right kind of partner."
"Oh, just not me then? Very well."
Mr. Darcy seemed a little distressed at the direction the conversation had taken. "Miss Elizabeth, you must know that I have been happily looking forward to dancing with you, and if we have to cancel the ball for health reasons I will be sad to suspend that pleasure and hope to have another opportunity soon."
"For shame, Mr. Darcy," Miss Elizabeth laughed. "I thought you were a honest man but you are doing it much too brown, and I cannot believe a word you say from now on."
"Why not? I promise you that I am in earnest."
"Sir, we have established that your good opinion once lost is lost forever, and I was efficient enough to lose your good opinion even before we were first introduced."
"What do you mean?"
Miss Elizabeth affected a haughty pose, an exaggerated look of disdain on her face, and a contemptuous baritone. "Stop bothering me, Bingley, you know I hate to dance with people who are beneath me in every way. She is tolerable but not pretty enough to tempt me, and I am not in the mood to be seen with women that no other man wants to dance with either."
"You heard that?"
"You were standing right next to me. Of course I heard you."
"Are you crazy? You said that to Miss Elizabeth? In her hearing?" Mr. Hurst was appalled.
"Perhaps it was not a verbatim rendition but words of a similar effect," Mr. Darcy said. "It was not my finest hour."
"Good God, Darcy, it is no wonder that you are still single."
Miss Elizabeth laughed.
"And these two fools did not apologize?"
"No."
"Miss Elizabeth, I am heartily sorry for being acquainted with those oafs," Mr. Hurst said.
"I do not even know how to begin to apologize, Miss Elizabeth. You must know those words are pure falsehood, and I would have been honoured to make your acquaintance that evening."
"I might have expected Mr. Bingley to apologize when we became better acquainted, as he did not intend to wound, but I assure you, Mr. Darcy, that I do not require an apology from you. "
"That means the lady thinks you are a hopeless ogre, Darcy," Mr. Hurst explained helpfully. "I am sorry to inform you but whether we have the ball or not, I do not think that she will dance with you."
"In fact, I promised my mother after the assembly that I never would."
"She knows what I said?" asked Mr. Darcy.
"If you slight people in public, you cannot expect confidentiality," Miss Elizabeth said.
"Is it common knowledge?"
"I may have shared a laugh with a few people."
"I see that I have quite a disastrous first impression to overcome but I hope your good opinion is not irretrievably lost and I can try to make it up to you."
"Well, I do find that some people improve on further acquaintance," Miss Elizabeth said. "It remains to be seen."
"Miss Elizabeth, you have to understand that Darcy starts new acquaintances at a decided disadvantage. At first glance, he will often look like a rude fiend because he lacks manners," Mr. Hurst said. "But I truly hope that you give him a chance, because the second and third impressions of him might be much worse."