The next morning, Mr. Darcy resolved that he must speak to Miss Bennet. His behaviour had been deplorable, and he had spent the majority of the previous evening considering her words. Consequently, he was pleased to have a chance to have a private discussion with her when he encountered her in the breakfast room alone. He sent the servant to fetch him some coffee, so what he had to say would not become gossip.
"Miss Bennet." His words caused her to look up from her plate, which she had been paying assiduous attention to in an attempt not to look at him. "Miss Bennet, I hope you will allow me to apologise for my words yesterday and my terrible slight to your sister. I have not acted appropriately and I desperately hope you will grant me the chance to redeem myself. I also hope that you will not hold my behaviour against my friend." The last sentence was difficult for Mr Darcy to say, especially since he saw the adoration in Bingley's eyes when he looked at Miss Bennet. He had no doubts that she was his friend's latest angel. He had doubts about her suitability for himself, but for the son of tradesman… well, it would not be the best match, but not a dreadful one.
"I do not believe in holding people responsible for other people's actions," said Elizabeth, "or their words." She stirred her porridge slowly, watching the honey she had drizzled onto it dissolve into the mush. "I do appreciate your apology, sir, and I accept it. As to how I might view you in future, it depends on the effort that you put forth to redeem yourself."
Darcy asked for further clarification of her words and if she had any counsel on how he could lift the neighbourhood's estimation of him. In his consideration of her words, he had realised that her opinion was likely shared by others. He had not been polite to many in the area.
"I suggest you go and make calls on the local families. The Lucases, the Longs, the Gouldings, etc. Be polite and listen attentively to what they have to say. Perhaps inquire of Mr. Mr. Bingley questioned if it would be suitable to invite some of them for a meal, or if he would consider hosting a larger dinner party or even a ball. During such an occasion, you would need to be perfectly charming and dance with many of the local ladies, particularly those who are not popular dance partners."
"You believe that is all that is needed?" asked Darcy with surprise.
"We are simple people," said Elizabeth with a raised eyebrow. "You have no doubt deduced this already. We do not require flowery apologies. Action, sir, speaks louder than words."
Darcy had to agree with this. He hoped that his friend had not been tainted too badly by his missteps. Not knowing how to begin or who all ought to be called on, he asked for Miss Bennet's assistance.
"Very well," said Elizabeth. "I will help you restore your reputation in the area. It must wait until my sister is fully recovered, however, or until one of my other family members can come to sit with Kitty."
"Thank you, Miss Bennet. I am very glad for your help."
He then asked after her sister, and Elizabeth was pleased to be able to tell him that Kitty was very much improved. She meant to call for Mr. Jones that day to see if she was well enough to be taken back to Longbourn. "I think it may just have been a worsening of her persistent cough," said Elizabeth, "not a true illness. She does not fare well in the spring and fall."
Mr. Darcy was glad to hear of Miss Catherine's improvement and told Miss Bennet also of the efficacy of honey in reducing spring and fall malaise. "My sister gets fall malaise and my cousin would be ill from May to September every year. Since they have begun taking honey in their tea several times a day, the worst is not so severe."
Elizabeth smiled and thanked Mr. Darcy, saying she would tell her mother and father about his advice.
They were soon joined at breakfast by the others and conversation became more general. Mr. Bingley had decided that his sisters ought to visit the tenants, as they had not yet met many of them despite having been in the area for several weeks.
Miss Bingley thought this absurd. "Why should I go to visit such people? Send the housekeeper!"
"It is the duty of the mistress to see to the needs of the tenants," said Mr. Bingley. "If you wish to act as mistress, you must take on these responsibilities."
"Surely I can see to their needs by sending a servant and authorising the dispersal of goods."
"A good mistress must come to know the tenants. They will be more likely to confide their needs when they sense that the master and mistress care about them." Mr. Darcy's words were what was needed to impact Miss Bingley. She would never wish to appear anything less than a perfect hostess in front of the man she someday wished to call husband.
"Of course," she cooed. "I will call on them as soon as possible."
"It might be prudent to ask one or two of the local ladies to accompany you," said Mr. Darcy. "They likely know these people and their tenants' concerns will be similar to those your tenants will have. Miss Bennet, do you think your mother would be willing to assist? Or Lady Lucas?"
Miss Bingley's eyes went very wide, but she remained silent. She did not wish to offend Mr. Darcy by mocking his suggestion, but she truly could not imagine what she could learn from such people.
"I can, of course, not speak for them, but I think either would be willing to assist if they are not overly busy with other duties," answered Miss Bennet. "It truly is not difficult, though. I have often gone on calls to the tenants with my mother. You simply listen to their concerns and work with them to find solutions."
"Very good. Perhaps if neither your mother nor Lady Lucas can advise Miss Bingley, you might instead?" asked Mr. Bingley. "Perhaps you might tell us a little more now as well."
Miss Bennet agreed, although she admitted that she was not so experienced as her mother. She then explained about how they often solved tenant issues by acting in the role of coordinator. For example, if one tenant has not enough workers to bring in their harvest and the other had flooding and therefore a poor harvest, each can assist the other. In return for a share of the first tenant's harvest, the second might assist in bringing in the crop. Then the only problem that needs to be solved is that of the flooding, so the same thing does not occur in the future.
Miss Bingley quipped that she did not think Netherfield's land so poor as to flood.
"It is called Netherfield for a reason, Miss Bingley," said Mr. Darcy. "I daresay you may have some issues with flooding."
"I believe the land near the base of Oakham Mount floods quite often," said Elizabeth. "So much so that nothing is planted there. The farmers graze sheep there when it is dry, but otherwise the land is not usable. We wrote to Mr. Morris about the issue, but nothing ever came of it."
While Elizabeth and the gentlemen spoke of farming and drainage, Miss Bingley began to grow bored and her mind wandered to what her friends in London must be doing now. It was drawing near to the little season, and she was likely missing a great many parties and balls. Just a few days before, she had seen a notice announcing the betrothal of one of her friends to a Sir Winston Mantry. No doubt she could have captured the illustrious gentleman if she had been in town instead of in this backwater.
"Do you not think it a splendid idea, Caro?" asked Bingley.
Miss Bingley had to sheepishly admit that she was not attending to the conversation.
"I shall host a ball! I was thinking after harvest is finished. The twenty-sixth was my suggestion as to the date. Does that work for your schedule?"
"A ball?" asked Miss Bingley with a sneer. She had wished for a ball, but not here. She would much rather return to town. "I would advise you, before you determine on it, to consult the wishes of the present party; I am much mistaken if there are not some among us to whom a ball would be rather a punishment than a pleasure."
Mr. Bingley looked at her oddly. "If you mean Darcy, he was the one to suggest the ball. I need only for you to agree to the day. I had been thinking that I ought to host a ball, but Darcy suggested it would be a good way to repay our neighbours for their kindness to us. After all, we must return their hospitality. I was thinking that Miss Catherine must certainly be well enough by the twenty-sixth, for we should not like to be dancing while she is ill."
Miss Bingley could not imagine what Mr. Darcy meant by suggesting the ball, unless of course he wished to dance with her. Once this thought occurred to her, she was delighted to agree to the notion. Her pleasure was only lessened a little when her brother requested Miss Bennet's hand for the first two sets.
Miss Bennet's pleasure was lessened by this as well, for she did not wish to give rise to gossip about herself and Mr. Bingley. She did, however, accept him. She could do nothing else if she wished to dance at all that evening. She could not very well claim that those dances were taken when the ball had not been agreed upon until only a moment before. She hoped she might think of a way to give Mr. Bingley adequate discouragement. Mr. Darcy asked her for the third set and she agreed, glad that he was already attempting to improve his behaviour. She only hoped he would be able to maintain such improvement.
