Chapter 3
"William, let me introduce you to the rest of my friends. Well, you already know Doctor James," Archibald said. Among the group was the doctor whom he had met a few days before and who had given him the letters from his father's alleged wife. He was fortunate because, in that house, at least two men knew his father and could answer his questions.
But he still felt a little uncomfortable around Mr. Stone's niece. She kept watching him intently, and he did not like that. He was used to female attention, and the last thing he wanted that night was a woman, who was also quite insignificant, trying to attract his attention.
He wanted to devote himself entirely to conversing with the antiquarian and the doctor. That is why, after greeting all the attendees cordially but distantly, he decided to do the right thing and apologize to the niece of his host. That way, he could forget about the matter once and for all and make it clear to the lady that he had no interest in spending a single minute speaking with her.
"Miss…," Mr. Darcy said with a slight bow.
"Bennet," Elizabeth completed. She was not happy that such an arrogant man approached her, but she could not do anything about it. She was sitting next to her Aunt Agatha in case she needed support. She could not walk due to her injured leg.
"Miss Bennet, I want to apologize for how I spoke to you a few hours ago. When I walked into your Uncle's shop, I thought you were a thief because you did not look like a lady. The way you were dressed, your impertinent manners, and the manner you spoke to me are far from the behavior I expect from a well-educated lady." Mr. Darcy was satisfied with his apology and thought that in this way, he would not have to deal with that woman anymore.
Elizabeth could not believe what she had just heard. Who did that man think he was to talk to her in such an impolite and disdainful manner? So, she did not wait a second to tell him what he deserved. "Thank you, sir, for your sincere apology," Elizabeth said with sarcasm in her voice, "I perfectly understand what you mean. Appearances are often deceiving. For example, lately, I have met some men who, although they wear elegant gentleman's clothes, do not act like such," Elizabeth replied as she looked defiantly at Mr. Darcy.
He did not like how that insolent woman responded but realized it was not worth wasting time with her. He preferred not to reply to her impertinent comment. However, he desired to put Miss Bennet in her place.
"Thank you for coming, Mr. Thompson. I hope you have a pleasant evening in our house." Agatha noticed that the gentleman was looking defiantly at Elizabeth and wanted to prevent a possible argument between them. She understood why Elizabeth was so angry but sensed that this apparently conceited man was rather clumsy when expressing himself. On the surface, he seemed very self-confident, but she could tell from the nervous tone of his voice that he was much more insecure than he appeared.
"Thank you very much, Mrs. Stone, for receiving me in your house. If you will excuse me, I shall go talk to the gentlemen," said Mr. Darcy and went to where Archibald and the other men were chatting animatedly.
At first, Mr. Darcy thought the evening would be rather tedious because he was sure merchants only talked about money and had little idea of other subjects that did not relate to business. But significant was his surprise to see how animatedly they talked about history and politics. In fact, they were talking about trade with the colonies and how it had evolved in recent years due to geopolitical changes in Europe and the West Indies.
In the group of men, in addition to Dr. James, were Mr. Shaw, owner of a grain import and export company, and Mr. Wright, who owned a small bank with three other partners that lent money mainly to new entrepreneurs and small merchants.
"I am sorry, William, but when my friends and I get into conversations like this, we can spend hours talking without noticing what is happening around us. Now, all of us are reading Professor Price's new book on how the war has affected trade, and we get together every week to discuss each chapter," Archibald explained animatedly.
"Please, do not worry about me, Mr. Stone. Your conversation was so interesting that I enjoyed listening to you all," Mr. Darcy replied sincerely.
"I am not surprised. If you are Thompson's nephew, you must be used to hearing hours of spirited debate," added Mr. Shaw.
"Did you also know George Da…Thompson?" asked Mr. Darcy, intrigued.
The men laughed, and Mr. Wright explained, "Of course, he and Stone were the ones who had the idea of having these literary gatherings over fifteen years ago," Mr. Wright explained.
Mr. Darcy realized that every time his father was in that part of the city, he got together with those men to talk about history, politics, literature, and endless other topics. He also learned that he was a cheerful person, full of life, whom everyone loved and respected. Then, finally, they told him that his widow had suffered much when he passed away because she had not had the opportunity to be with him in his last moments.
"George and Olivia had no children. I imagine you are their heir," Mr. Shaw asked.
"Yes, I am HIS heir," replied Mr. Darcy, still confused by everything he had heard. "Excuse me, but I did not have the opportunity to meet George Thompson's wife. I am curious to know more about her, and if she has a family I should contact before I dispose of the house," Mr. Darcy asked tentatively.
"They were quite reserved regarding their personal lives and had no family from what we could see in all the years we met them. Apparently, they were both from the north of the country and fell in love many years ago, but there was some opposition from the families, so they could not get married. So they were separated for a few years, and when Olivia was widowed, George found her, and they never separated again. She was a very kind and cheerful woman, and George always said she was the light that illuminated his complicated life. They had a pretty simple life, but neither of them seemed to lack anything because, being together, they had everything," Archibald explained.
Mr. Darcy was usually reserved, but after hearing all that information, he was even quieter than usual. He felt immense sorrow knowing that his father had devoted all his joy to others and that he had been a cold and distant man to his family.
George Darcy always demanded that his son be the best and worthy heir to the Darcy legacy. But for his poor sister, it was even worse because his father practically abandoned Georgiana in the care of Pemberley's staff. If it were not for his Aunt, the Countess, Georgiana would have spent much of her life alone, surrounded by servants.
The conversation was lively during dinner, and thanks to that, he forgot a little about everything that ailed him. At least his father's friends were cordial, and none of them asked intrusive questions about him. He was grateful for that because he did not want to keep lying. But he could not reveal the truth either and thus put his family's reputation at risk.
"Lizzy, how did you like the drawing exhibition I suggested? It will be at the museum until the end of this month." Mrs. Shaw enquired.
"It was beautiful. Thank you so much for recommending it to me. I went with my Aunt Gardiner and my cousins, and they loved it too," Elizabeth answered enthusiastically.
"Are you talking about the exotic bird's drawings exhibition?" Mr. Darcy asked impulsively. He visited that exhibition three weeks ago and loved it.
"Yes, sir," Elizabeth answered curtly and continued talking to Mrs. Shaw. "It is amazing how many birds and animals we do not know about and will never see in real life. Sometimes we think the world is so small when we look around, forgetting that there is so little we can really see and get to know," explained Elizabeth.
"That is why I suggested it to you, Lizzy. Although we have only known each other briefly, I can see that you have a curious mind and love learning new things," said Mrs. Shaw, pleased to see her young friend so lively and cheerful talking.
Mr. Darcy could not help but pay attention to Elizabeth's conversation. She seemed so animated, talking about everything she had seen in the museum as she smiled kindly and listened to others. Once again, he noticed how beautiful her eyes were, so full of light and joy, and for the first time, he wondered what a young woman like her was doing surrounded by older people. He also noticed that she practically ignored him, and he didn't understand why. Women were always looking for his attention, but this lady seemed not to have any intention of conversing with him.
After dinner, Mr. Stone invited all the men into his study for brandy and cigars. Mr. Darcy was surprised to see the office's splendid collection of books and decorations. All the objects in it seemed to have their own story.
After half an hour, Archibald invited the men to join the women. They were drinking tea in the drawing room. When they entered the room, Elizabeth was singing a beautiful song. Mr. Darcy listened intently to Elizabeth's music, and he thought that she undoubtedly had a very melodious and enveloping voice and was a real treat for his ears.
Finally, the evening ended, and he returned to the Thompson house full of doubts, questions, and a sense of great sadness in his heart.
P&P
Jane was distraught because her dear sister had had to leave Longbourn to have some peace. The last month she was there, her mother treated Elizabeth horribly, not letting her leave the house or allowing anyone to visit her. Even though Jane tried to convince Mrs. Bennet to understand Elizabeth's reasons for rejecting Mr. Collins, she could not persuade her that her dear sister did nothing wrong. So, the only thing she could do to alleviate Elizabeth's horrible situation was to accompany her as much as possible and keep her entertained and distracted.
However, Jane was upset not only with her mother but also with her father. He had allowed Mrs. Bennet to behave in this way with Elizabeth. When things like that happened in Longbourn, she wished she was like Elizabeth and had the strength to oppose and defy her parents. But, she was shy and afraid of being involved in conflicts; therefore, she always tried to take a conciliatory position to avoid arguments.
"I do not know what I did to deserve all this," said Mrs. Bennet as she paced incessantly through the room, waving her handkerchief. The day was particularly cold, and sleet had fallen the night before, so the roads were impassable, and no one could leave the house.
"You did nothing, my dear. This awful weather is the product of winter, not your actions," Mr. Bennet said, smiling as he read Elizabeth's letter. She wrote every week without fail and told him everything that happened in her life with the Stones.
"Mr. Bennet, you know very well what I mean, and I do not know how you can make fun of me knowing that Charlotte Lucas will own this house when you die, and my girls and I shall have to live in poverty because of Lizzy. You always support that irresponsible girl in all her nonsense," Mrs. Bennet shouted accusingly.
"Mama, I am bored. Mary, play the piano so Kitty and I can dance," Lydia demanded.
"I am sorry, Lydia, but I do not feel like playing the piano. At least not a piece that is inappropriate for this time of day," Mary replied without lifting her head from her sermon book.
"Mama, Mary does not want to play the piano, and I am bored," Lydia said accusingly.
"MARYYYY," Mrs. Bennet screams. "Do not be so selfish with your sisters; they want to dance. Play the piano!" Mrs. Bennet ordered her daughter.
Mary tried to object, but Mrs. Bennet scolded her vehemently, and she had no choice but to obey her mother, although not without complaining. "Alright, although you know very well that playing such simple melodies gives me no pleasure."
Mr. Bennet, before Mary began to play the piano, left the room and went to lock himself in his office so he could have some peace and avoid his daughters' noise. Lydia and Kitty began to dance, and Lydia made highly inappropriate comments for a girl of only fourteen. "Now that I can attend all the assemblies I want, I am sure all the men in the region will fall in love with me."
"Of course, they will do, my dear Lydia, because you are almost as beautiful as my Jane." Mrs. Bennet replied as she laughed at her youngest daughter's silly comments.
Jane looked at Mary and could see how uncomfortable she was. Unfortunately, Lydia behaved worse every day, and Mrs. Bennet did not correct her but instead encouraged her to act in such a vulgar manner.
Jane wished she could say something to support Mary and correct Lydia. Still, like always, she kept her head down and continued embroidering a handkerchief. She would always rather avoid conflict than argue with her mother.
P&P
Two days had passed since Mr. Darcy returned to his luxurious mansion. Finally, he got all the information he needed and believed there was no point in pretending he was William Thompson anymore. Even if he had spent years in that house, he would never have understood why his father had done what he did.
That night, he had agreed to accompany his good friend Charles Bingley to a ball at the home of one of his many friends. He was alone in town because his two sisters were visiting Miss Bingley's betrothed family, and Miss Caroline accompanied her as a chaperone.
The ballroom was beautifully decorated, with many people from the first circle and wealthy families. And as always, when he and Mr. Bingley entered the ballroom, many flirtatious female gazes began to stare at them.
As expected, his always sociable friend immediately conversed with some gentlemen, and when the music started playing, he was ready to dance with the most beautiful lady in the room.
Mr. Darcy preferred not to dance. All the ladies were distant acquaintances, and he did not feel comfortable dancing with young women he knew little or nothing about and were searching for a husband. Also, as a general rule, he avoided dancing whenever he could.
He watched as his friend chatted animatedly with the lady he was dancing with, a rather attractive blonde, as Bingley liked. But his relative peace was interrupted by one of his Uncle's old acquaintances.
"Darcy, it is so nice to see you; how have you been? Well, I do not know if you remember my daughter. You met her quite some time ago. Claire, my dear, this is Mr. Darcy," Mr. Turner said, hoping to spark a rapprochement between his daughter and the young and wealthy Fitzwilliam Darcy.
"Mr. Turner, Miss Turner, it is nice to see you again," said Mr. Darcy, a little uncomfortable with the situation, but he had no choice but to talk to those people. However, Mr. Turner was quite insistent, and he, not to be rude, asked Miss Turner to dance, and she immediately accepted.
During almost half an hour of dancing, the lady talked to him incessantly, and he limited himself to answering her as briefly and appropriately as he could. Once they finished the set, Miss Turner and her father stayed by Mr. Darcy's side even though he let them know with his attitude that he wanted to be alone.
"Mr. Darcy, you dance very well," Miss Turner told him as she gave him a flirtatious look.
"Thank you," Mr. Darcy answered almost without looking at her.
"Will you stay long in the city or return to your estate in the north? I have heard that your home is one of the most beautiful places in that area of our country," Miss Turner insisted on asking questions and keeping the conversation going. She was not about to miss the opportunity to trap one of the most eligible bachelors.
"I do not know yet, Miss Turner," Mr. Darcy replied. The insistence of that lady reminded him of Miss Bennet, who treated him in such a rude and distant manner. So, he decided to ask Miss Turner a question to compare both ladies. "Miss Turner, have you visited the national museum's exotic bird drawings exhibition? The birds in those sketches differ greatly from those we see in our landscapes." Mr. Darcy began talking about the exhibition enthusiastically and noticed Miss Turner tried to pretend she was interested without much success.
Miss Turner thought she would die of boredom, so when a gentleman asked her to dance, she immediately accepted. Everything was better than listening to the description of birds from who knows what place. Undoubtedly, Mr. Darcy was rich and very handsome, but after listening to him for almost twenty minutes talking about birds, she understood why he was still single.
For his part, Mr. Darcy had to suppress the urge to laugh as Miss Turner excused herself and practically fled from his side. He would use a similar trick if he needed to get rid of an unpleasant company in the future.
After dinner and before the final set, Mr. Bingley approached him. He said, a little disappointed. "Darcy, I imagine you want to go now."
"I am not going to lie to you. I do feel like leaving already, but I can wait for one more set if you want to dance with one of your angels," Mr. Darcy explained.
"No one here interests me, Darcy," said Mr. Bingley resignedly.
"Have you not met any angels tonight?" Mr. Darcy asked, smiling.
"No, Darcy. There are many pretty women, but none can be called an angel. A true angel is beautiful but also a gentle and delicate lady. No, Darcy, I have not had the chance to meet my angel yet, and although I once told you that I thought I was in love, today, I am more certain than ever that I have never fallen in love, and I think neither have you," Mr. Bingley added with a laugh to make the conversation less severe.
"On that, we agree, Bingley. But the difference between you and me is that I do not aspire to fall in love. I have always believed, and now more than ever, that people in the name of love do foolish things," said Mr. Darcy thoughtfully.
"How I shall laugh at you the day I see you suffering for love," replied Mr. Bingley merrily.
"I think we should go," Mr. Darcy replied, feigning seriousness. Both friends left the ball somewhat disappointed but for very different reasons.
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Mr. Darcy had to write several letters and analyze maps to resolve the differences between two of his tenants. It was impossible to travel north at the moment because many roads were impassable at that time of year. Besides, it had been freezing those last few days, so it did not bother him to spend time locked up studying and writing instructions for Pemberly's steward.
Darcy House was a beautiful mansion located in one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in London. There, he had all the possible comforts and an efficient staff trained to ensure he had everything he needed. Nevertheless, he was in the Thompson house, in a small room on the second floor, writing, analyzing, and studying various documents. Also, from where he was, he could see the whole avenue and all the shops where the activity seemed never to stop. He did not know why, but he felt less alone in that place.
Elizabeth liked to walk along the avenue full of shops and many carriages. She had grown up in the country, and that whole world was new to her. As the curious person she was, she always went out to walk the streets and made friends with more than one of the merchants. When they found out she was Archibald Stone's niece, they welcomed her as if she had lived there all her life.
That morning, Elizabeth visited her friend Madame Bernard, a modiste who, together with her husband, had been living in London for almost five years. Elizabeth helped her write letters to her many clients because she still did not know the language well. In return, Sylvie taught her French.
As the day was quite cold, Elizabeth went home after leaving her friend's store. Sylvie taught her some phrases in French that she did not want to forget, so she kept repeating them over and over to fix them in her memory.
"J'aime la nature mais je n'aime pas monter à cheval." Just then, she saw a carriage outside a store, and a horse was staring at her. She could not help but laugh, approach the animal, and say, smiling, "Nothing personal, my friend. In fact, I find you adorable." After that, Elizabeth continued walking, repeating what she had learned with her friend.
Mr. Darcy suddenly saw Mr. Stone's niece come out of one of the shops. She seemed very focused on something, as if she was talking to herself as she walked. Then she started laughing at who knew what and saw her approach a horse and continue talking to herself.
"What a strange woman this Miss Bennet is."
An hour later, Dr. James came to his house to invite him to an assembly where the neighbors would gather to dance, play cards, and spend time together. He told him that whenever George Thompson was in London, he attended with Olivia, and they danced all night. Mr. Darcy said he was not sure if he could go, but he thanked him for the invitation.
After thinking about it carefully, he decided to go to the assembly. He could learn more details about his father and Olivia's lives. Also, he was curious to know what those assemblies were like, that his father seemed to enjoy them so much. Besides, he had never seen his father dance because he said it was a waste of time. In George Darcy's opinion, the most important thing to do in a ball was converse with potential allies in future business.
When he entered the ballroom, he was struck by the simplicity of the place. Though decorated for the occasion, it could not compare to the ballrooms he frequented.
Dr. James came over to welcome him, and in a few minutes, they were chatting pleasantly with Archibald and another gentleman he had just been introduced to, a Mr. Gardiner. He lived near Cheapside and was an expert in business, investment, and literature.
"William, Gardiner read every novel he could to win my niece's heart," Archibald explained. "My brother used to own a bookstore, and his son currently owns three of the most important bookstores here in London. So, my niece, Maddie, has been an excellent reader since she was a child."
"For my wife, I could even read gothic novels," Mr. Gardiner said, making all the men laugh.
Suddenly, a female voice intervened in the conversation and added merrily. "Uncle, do not give me ideas; now I am tempted to tell my Aunt to ask you to read romance novels full of drama," Elizabeth said as Mr. Gardiner stroked her cheek and smiled.
"My dear Lizzy, I shall invite you to eat your favorite strawberry tart if you promise me not to say anything to your Aunt." Elizabeth hugged her Uncle, and they both laughed and jested for several minutes.
Mr. Darcy was very impressed by how pretty Miss Bennet looked that night. It seemed like every time he saw her again, she looked more handsome than the time before.
So, he felt the need to talk to her. "Are you an avid reader of romance novels, Miss Bennet?" Mr. Darcy asked, intrigued.
"I am an avid reader in general, Mr. Thompson. So if I find a romance novel entertaining, I read it with no trouble or guilt,"
Elizabeth answered defiantly. "And you, do you read romance novels, Mr. Thompson?"
Mr. Darcy could not help but smile at such an impertinent question. "No, I do not read romance novels, and I do not have any interest in reading any."
"Why?" Elizabeth asked with an enigmatic smile.
"Because it is not a literary genre that I find interesting," replied Mr. Darcy, amused by such a curious conversation.
"And how can you tell if it is interesting if you have never read a novel of that genre?" Elizabeth challenged.
"In the same way that I know if I put my hand in a fire, it will get burned, even though I have never done it. So by inference and observation, Miss Bennet," Mr. Darcy replied triumphantly.
"Do you always make fallacious analogies, or do you do it only when you run out of responses?" Elizabeth asked, exasperated. She would not let that man make a fool of her once again.
Mr. Darcy had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. Where did this strange creature come from? At times, she seemed like a lady of the first circle with her bearing and way of expressing herself, and at the next, a wild nymph ready to drive him mad.
"Miss Bennet, a fallacy must necessarily be a false statement. However, in this case, it is impossible to determine whether what I say is false because it involves personal taste, which by nature is unique and different in each individual," Mr. Darcy replied conciliatorily.
Elizabeth understood that this man did not want to continue arguing, and she only answered him with a faint and almost cynical smile.
Fortunately, another gentleman asked her to dance, and she happily accepted. But as she danced, she noticed Mr. Thompson did not take his eyes off her. That made her feel very nervous and insecure. She was sure that he was looking for something in her appearance to criticize her later.
For his part, Mr. Darcy was bewitched, and he could not stop looking at that beautiful woman with turquoise green eyes. He had listened to her as she talked and laughed with others the whole night. Everything she said was melodious words that held all who heard her captivated.
He wanted to be able to talk to her or at least listen to whatever she said. So, he decided to ask her to dance with him. He planned to leave that place the following day, ask his solicitor to sell the house, and never return. That set would be like the final farewell to that world where his father found everything he never had with his family.
Elizabeth was pouring herself some punch to cool herself off when Mr. Thompson approached her. "Miss Bennet, would you do me the honor of dancing with me the next set?"
Elizabeth did not know what that man was playing, but she was not about to fall into his trap. "I am sorry, Mr. Thompson, but I do not want to dance anymore tonight. I am a little fatigued." Elizabeth thanked him one more time and walked over to where the Gardiners and the Stones were.
Mr. Darcy could hardly believe what had happened. That insignificant woman, the daughter of a tradesman, had rejected him. Indeed, if she had known he was Fitzwilliam Darcy, Master of Pemberley, she would never have dared say no. "That is what I get for asking a woman like her to dance," Mr. Darcy thought, enraged as he watched Elizabeth chatter and smile with her family.
P&P
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