Love Among the Gifted - A Pride & Prejudice Alternative

Chapter Three

Mr. Darcy was having a very bad day. It began with a letter from his sister Georgiana, who was lodged, along with her new companion, at Pemberley. She was still melancholy from her ill-considered involvement with the scoundrel, George Wickham. While he loved his sister, and wanted nothing more than her happiness, the merest thought of his erstwhile childhood companion could cause his blood to boil. He could put the Ramsgate disaster out of his mind for days at a time. But any recollection was likely to put him in a foul mood.

The next aggravation came when the Bingleys and the Hursts arrived at Darcy House to commence the journey north to Netherfield. It had been decided that they would travel in company. Darcy had agreed that his carriage was more comfortable for Hurst and the ladies; but Bingley and he would ride alongside rather than joining the others in the coach. The servants would follow in the Bingleys' coach.

Ill-luck brought an end to this carefully laid plan. A stone thrown up by a passing cart had struck Darcy's horse, bruising his hock.

"I feel I must send him back to Darcy House with a groom." The gentleman from Derbyshire spoke quietly to Bingley.

"You'll ride in the coach with the others, then?" Bingley asked.

Darcy sighed. "It seems like the most appropriate solution. Any other would either delay us further, or open me to ridicule."

"I wasn't going to suggest you ride up top, old man." Bingley grinned. "Surely a few hours with Caroline cannot be that bad."

"I don't see you offering to give up your mount, so you may entertain the ladies on the road." Darcy sulked, but quietly so that the ladies might not overhear.

"I just got the fellow," Bingley spouted, patting his steed on his neck affectionately. "Still working to break him in. Changing riders could set that back months."

"I see. Well, we'd best get on with it." Darcy reached for the carriage door. A footman had already opened it. Miss Bingley gestured to the seat next to her. It was the only space available. Somehow the three passengers had spread out to occupy the space designed to suffice for six. Darcy nodded his silent thanks and settled in as best he could while keeping a decorous distance from his unmarried companion. Once settled he signaled to the coachman to continue their excursion.

"The roads today are in such awful condition are then not, Mr. Darcy. It is a wonder we can travel at all." Miss Bingley began. "I have heard a proposal that drayage should be restricted to lesser roads so that consequential traffic may progress more expediently, and in greater safety and comfort."

"That seems to beg the question of which classes of traffic is more important, and to whom." Darcy responded. "From whence rises consequence?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Miss Bingley asked. The Hursts seemed satisfied to let the younger lady carry the conversation.

"There are those that might argue that the efficient transportation of raw materials and finished goods contributes to the wellbeing of the nation more than does the reduced comfort of the leisure class."

"Shocking, Mr. Darcy," Miss Bingley batted coquettishly at his sleeve with her fan. "Almost revolutionary. Will you be delighting us next with a chorus of La Carmagnole?"

"I think not."

"Can they honestly consider that the scurrying of the ragtag and bobtail is more important than the pursuits of the more refined classes?"

"Hmm..." Darcy decided against trying to draw Miss Bingley in to an in-depth discussion of moral philosophy. But she declined to be placated on the subject.