That evening Miss Bennet was well enough to join the others in the evening. Darcy congratulated her on her recovery and moved toward a chair. As he did so he passed Miss Elizabeth Bennet who bent over, pulled the feather he had lent her from her sleeve, and, as if she had picked it up off the floor, said, "Mr. Darcy, is this your feather?"
"Yes. I thank you. I would not like to lose it."
"Oh, I am sure you are too attentive to Georgiana's gift to lose it!" Said Miss Bingley, "Even if you might have dropped it for a moment. Will you make the feather into a pen? Allow me to do it for you, I make pens remarkably well."
"I thank you but I have another purpose in mind."[i]
"Of course, it is far too lovely to be used for such common everyday correspondence as the many letters you have occasion to write, letters of business too how odious I would find them."
"It is fortunate, then, that they fall to my lot instead of to yours."
"But on those rare most distinctive occasions that deserve a unique instrument, it would be just the thing."
"Perhaps it would but I foresee no such occasion." Miss Bingley was probably thinking he could use it to sign their marriage settlement. He picked up his book, placed the feather between the pages, and started to read."
Rather than take the hint Miss Bingley took up the second volume of the book he was reading. Her attention was quite as much engaged in watching Darcy's progress through his book, as in reading her own; and she was perpetually either making some inquiry or looking at his page. He answered her questions as necessary and read on. At length with a declaration of how much she enjoyed reading, she threw her book aside, and in reply to something her brother had said to Miss Bennet said, "By the bye, Charles, are you really serious in meditating a dance at Netherfield? 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." She was not wrong in saying Darcy would find it a punishment and wished Bingley would put it off until things were settled between Georgiana and Eleos, but he knew Bingley well enough to know that where he sought solitude Bingley would seek distraction in company, and he would not expect his friend to bow to his wishes in his own home.
"If you mean Darcy," cried her brother, "he may go to bed, if he chooses, before it begins - but as for the ball, it is quite a settled thing; and as soon as Nicholls has made white soup enough, I shall send round my cards."
"I should like balls infinitely better," she replied, "if they were carried on in a different manner; but there is something insufferably tedious in the usual process of such a meeting. It would surely be much more rational if conversation instead of dancing made the order of the day."
"Much more rational, my dear Caroline, I dare say, but it would not be near so much like a ball."
No one replied and she returned to the subject of Georgiana's feather. "I can not attempt to be rational, for wondering what Mr. Darcy's plans are for that remarkable feather. Miss Eliza do you not find it remarkably beautiful?"
At this, Mr. Darcy looked up from his book to watch Elizabeth's expression as she replied, "It is beautiful, and for its other qualities is more remarkable still."
"Can you at all imagine what purpose Mr. Darcy has in store for it?"
"I would venture to guess that he has something noble in mind, but perhaps he will continue to use it as a bookmark, or return it to his hair."
"Oh, it's being in his hair was quite by accident. Mr. Darcy is not the kind of vain man to be always looking in the mirror or he would have noticed it himself."
"Then Mr. Darcy has avoided the weakness of vanity. We must hope he can be equally successful in avoiding pride."
"Vanity," replied Darcy, "Is a weakness indeed, but pride, where there is real superiority of mind, will always be under good regulation."
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean to say that a superior mind will conquer pride or justify it?"
Before he could make any reply Miss Bingley said, "Oh certainly! One could never take too much pride in being bonded with a griffin of Georgiana's caliber. I am sorry Miss Eliza, that you have not had the privilege of seeing her up close. If you had you would know how distinctive her feathers are from any other's."[ii]
"Georgiana made Miss Elizabeth Bennet's acquaintance this morning." Darcy knew it was foolish to share this information, especially after the lady had been so clever in returning the feather to him without drawing suspicion. Ever since he had mentioned Miss Elizabeth Bennet's fine eyes Miss Bingley had been teasing him about it, and with the Miss Bennets in the house, her teasing had increased. But it was amusing to watch Miss Bingley's expression change.
"Shall we not have a little music? Miss Eliza, will you lead the way to the instrument?"
"I beg you to play first…" She was interrupted by a scratch at the window [iii]. "Oh! It is Georgiana!"
Even Darcy was surprised to see Georgiana so close to the house. He opened the window and greeted her with a pat on the beak while Miss Bingley expressed her raptures of delight at seeing her.
Georgiana rubbed her beak against him then turned, picked up a dead rabbit, and dropped it through the window.
Darcy picked it up and, feeling a little sheepish, turned to Elizabeth Bennet. "I believe Georgiana wishes for you to have this, in thanks for the service you paid her."
Elizabeth made Georgiana a deep curtsy. "I am honored by your gift and will not be so ungracious as to disclaim any right to it by pointing out that my service was precipitous and my own pleasure besides."
Darcy smiled at the implied apology and because not every woman appreciated a dead rabbit.
Georgiana bowed her head to the younger Miss Bennet and flew away.
Bingley grinned. "Nicholls is a wizard with rabbits. Would you like her to cook it for you?"
"Yes. I thank you. And if it not too much trouble, could she preserve the pelt?"
"Certainly. I always have her do so when Eleos brings me rabbits. Soon I will have enough to line a coat."
"What will you do with only one pelt?" Darcy asked her. "It is not even enough to use as trim."
"When one has so many as to line a greatcoat one pelt may seem useless by comparison but I do not regard it as such any more than you think it useless to have only one feather."
"That is true but Griffin feathers are far rarer than rabbit pelts."
"And yet you assume this particular pelt is the only one I will ever have. But," turning to Miss Bingley, "before we were interrupted you were about to play."
Miss Bingley moved quickly to the pianoforte and upon reflection Darcy was not sorry. He was well aware of the danger of paying too much attention to Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
A/N: This chapter was a little shorter but I thought it better to get a shorter one posted sooner than go on to the next scene and get delayed. Thank you for the reviews. I haven't had a chance to answer anyone lately but I do really appreciate them. It's interesting how much not having a human Georgiana around changes the conversations at Netherfield.
It occurred to me that I ought to have footnoted the names of Greek gods the Griffins have. Since I didn't I'll list them here. These are the Griffin names so far:
Thaumas (Anne Elliot's bonded): An old sea God who personified the wonders of the sea.
Eleos (Bingley's bonded): Greek God of mercy, clemency, compassion, and pity
Daskalos (Mr. Bennet's bonded): Greek God of Education
Oizys (Lady Elliot's bonded): The Greek Goddess of misery, anxiety, grief, depression, and misfortune.