Darcy woke the next morning before the rest of the household and after a quiet breakfast removed himself to the library to pen his correspondence. A judicious note to his steward was composed to resolve a dispute between two of his tenants and another to his cousin to begin planning for their annual spring visit to their Aunt's estate in Kent. A letter was also due to his sister, and he expected that she would not be pleased with anything less than two pages complete and so devoted most of the morning to her happiness.
With his usual brotherly reserve, he shared his observations of the neighborhood, describing the landscapes and the architecture as far as he thought her interest would be piqued. He gave accounts of the many dinners they had been invited to and passed along his impressions of Bingley's new neighbors. He took care to include greetings from his friends and ended with a tender affirmation of his deepest regard and assurance that he was looking forward to seeing her when he returned to London. If Georgiana found it at all curious that her brother thrice stated that he found no interest in any of the ladies of Hertfordshire, she mentioned it to no one.
Just as he pressed the seal upon his final letter, Bingley entered the library and his sister followed shortly thereafter. Miss Bingley claimed to be looking for a sheet of music that she had misplaced; Bingley claimed no reason except that at Netherfield he was master and would go where he pleased, even if it did interrupt Darcy's meditations. As Darcy stood from the desk to stretch his legs, Bingley slid into the vacated seat with every intention of modeling the conduct of his friend and accomplishing some long overdue business.
A series of short reckless lines flew from his pen before he turned to Darcy again. "I will never settle my affairs until I adopt country hours. I am only just starting my day and already need to turn around and change for dinner."
Darcy laughed at his friend, "I believe you have time yet to finish your work with but a little determination, and if tomorrow you still wish to play the part of Master, I would be glad to join you in the morning to ride out on your grounds."
Miss Bingley had given up all pretenses of searching for her music and settled down in the chair next to Darcy. "Do as you will, Charles," she advised her brother, "but I will surely preserve the habits of town. From what I've seen so far the only claim the country can make is that, whether rising or setting, it merely does everything earlier and with much less elegance." A heated flush crept upon her as she recalled that the gentleman sitting beside her made no secret of his preference for country life. "Of course, I'm sure the quaintness of our new home will soon overtake me, and I will wish to be nowhere else than in our quiet little estate," she recovered with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.
As Miss Bingley expounded upon the many delights and virtues of a small country estate her brother was soon lost in his letters and Darcy in his thoughts. Much to his dismay, Darcy found his attentions turning to the delights and virtues of a small country estate almost three miles away. He recalled hearing his first opinion of Miss Elizabeth – declared with such acrimony to Bingley, she is tolerable I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me – mimicked back to him in a manner so pointed and calculated that he could have no doubt it was anything but by design.
Whether Elizabeth heard the words from his mouth or from the idle gossip of her neighbors and friends he did not know, nor could he decide which would be worse. He had only to be ashamed of his behavior and contemplate how he could ever make amends. No matter what direction his imagination took him, Darcy could find no satisfying outcome. The longer he allowed himself to ponder any future actions or conversations with the injured party the more doubtful he became of the possibility of atonement.
He turned his mind to the other revelation that the evening had afforded him. Is my judgment so clouded that I have missed genuine signs of affection on the part of Miss Jane Bennet towards my friend? He had been determined that Bingley was showering his attentions on an object that would not easily be moved. Were this the case the only true danger Bingley was in was that of revealing too much of his feelings to the neighborhood. However, if the sister was correct - and he accepted the likelihood that she possessed the greater understanding in this case - it was a complication. Where there was unrequited affection he would not hesitate to involve himself in separating the two, but if there existed true tenderness on both parts, he worried over what he could, and what he should, do.
That Miss Bennet was a beautiful creature Darcy could not deny, even if he found that there was something left to be desired in her classical look and light, pleasing features – for her eyes held no mystery. His esteem of her increased with the understanding that her sweet, serene manner had the strength to conceal a depth of feeling and sense, still he admitted that he found an open and spirited nature more to his tastes. The lack of wealth and connections could be neither denied nor brushed aside as a matter preference. And yet he concluded that it was possible a man such as Bingley could be content - nay, even happy - despite such clear disadvantages to a match. He could not ignore the deficiencies of the Miss Bennets, but perhaps his friend could.
Darcy was drawn out of his musings as he realized that Mrs. Hurst had joined the group and was discussing with her sister the person that had lately been occupying his, and he also suspected his friend's, thoughts. Miss Jane Bennet would be joining the ladies to dine just as the men would be setting off to meet the officers. Mr. Darcy rejoiced in the escape. His friend was not nearly as contented with the arrangement.
Elizabeth was truly worried about Jane, whom her mother had sent off to Netherfield on horseback under the threat of dark clouds. The sting of her mother's neglect was felt even more strongly when Charlotte, along with her mother and sister, arrived at Longbourn by carriage as the first showers began to fall. As was custom, the ladies of Longbourn and Lucas Lodge gathered to revisit the events of the previous evening.
Mrs. Bennet exhausted her guests with accounts of Mr. Bingley dancing with Jane, Mr. Bingley looking at Jane and Mr. Bingley speaking of Jane. Charlotte remarked on Mary's new music and the great improvement in her playing since last they met. Lydia, Kitty, and Charlotte's younger sister, Mariah, sat in a far corner giggling and whispering of officers and redcoats to their content and only entered the conversation as suited their wishes.
As her spirits revived Lizzy turned to Lady Lucas, "I'm sure it has been many weeks since I have enjoyed such a pleasant evening." She then directed her attentions to Charlotte teasingly, "even if, excepting your company, I can find no reason for it. Though I expect that if I were always sitting around waiting for a reason to enjoy myself I would miss any true amusement!"
"It is unfortunate, Lizzy, that you were prevented from the one amusement of which I know you enjoy; what a mean trick you played on yourself, refusing to dance," Charlotte returned.
"And so the proud Mr. Darcy honored you with a dance, did he?" Mrs. Bennet accused Charlotte.
"I don't know who was more surprised, myself or Eliza," Charlotte replied.
"I daresay none of my girls would dance with him if he had asked, not that he did."
Charlotte glanced slyly at Elizabeth, "None except Elizabeth, you mean, who did, to your satisfaction I trust, reject his offer."
"Did you?" Mrs. Bennet responded with annoyance, unsure whether she should be pleased with Elizabeth for doing what she had just declared as right, or upset at her for allowing Lady Lucas the triumph of having the first daughter in the neighborhood to dance with the disagreeable gentleman worth ten thousand a year.
"La," Lydia chimed in, " I would have turned him down also, Lizzy! For who would want to dance with such a tedious, boring man? But I suppose you had not been asked by any officers. You wouldn't have rejected Denny or Colonel Forster; I'm sure."
"Well, of course, they both would have preferred the officers, " her mother declared.
At this, Charlotte objected; she assured the ladies that while he was reserved and quiet she was convinced that Mr. Darcy was quite the gentleman, and she would be honored to dance with him again. "In fact..." she noted "he nearly admitted to me that he is beginning to enjoy his time in Hertfordshire. I won't be surprised to see him ask for dances from all the Bennet sisters at the next assembly." And with a mischievous eye directed towards Mrs. Bennet added that she would not object to knowing him better.
"You may rest easy, Mama," Elizabeth responded sweetly. "I'm sure I can speak for all my sisters when I promise you that Mr. Darcy will never persuade any of us onto the dance floor, for you have given us your advice, and we should be very poor daughters indeed if we were to ignore it." Turning to Charlotte with a raised eyebrow, she concluded, "we are not so easily influenced as my traitorous friend."
Mrs. Bennet was excessively vexed with this declaration. Convinced as she now was that Mr. Darcy had at last resolved to be pleased with the neighborhood, it would only do for him to be most pleased with one of her daughters. "For shame, Lizzy, I never thought so ill of him, though others were determined to dislike him from the beginning. I'm sure if it weren't for Mr. Bingley being so very fond of my Jane, Mr. Darcy would already be half in love with her. As it is," she paused, glancing at her remaining girls before her nerves got the better of her, "Kitty, bring me my smelling salts."
And so it was that with a few well-placed hints and suggestions, Charlotte did more than Darcy himself, if he were to issue a thousand apologies or profusions of remorse, could ever have done to turn the tides of the neighborhood in his favor. For none could object to finding favor with the rich, handsome gentleman, in spite of himself if Charlotte did not object. None that is, except for her closest friend.