Love Among the Gifted - A Pride & Prejudice Alternative

Chapter Nineteen

Elizabeth had been mortified by her mother's behavior. It showed she still held her initial bad opinion of the gentleman, formed after his unfortunate behavior the Assembly. Elizabeth recalled how just that morning during her patrol, she had realized the extent to which her own opinion of Mr. Darcy had changed. But her extended amble through the woods between Netherfield and Longbourn had not brought her any closer to a resolution of her feelings for the gentleman. His compliments and attentions to her were both pronounced and confusing. However, his reticent reception of her family was vexing, if less objectionable than the superior sisters' thinly veiled contempt.

Jane woke in time for Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst to pay their daily pre-dinner call. They were surprisingly civil and only mentioned how glad they were that Jane had enjoyed the comfort of her mother's presence. Elizabeth took her evening meal in Jane's room and appraised her of the happenings of the past few days. Her sister was saddened by the deaths and injuries sustained during the attack. After a few hours, Jane drifted back into her healing sleep.

Elizabeth then joined the party in the drawing room. The loo table did not appear this evening. Instead, Mr. Darcy was writing, and Miss Bingley, seated near him, was watching the progress of his letter. Mr. Hurst and Mr. Bingley were at piquet, and Mrs. Hurst was observing their game.

Elizabeth took up some needlework, and was sufficiently amused in attending to what passed between Darcy and his companion. The perpetual commendations of the lady either on his hand-writing, or on the evenness of his lines, or on the length of his letter, with the perfect unconcern with which her praises were received, formed a curious dialogue, and was exactly in unison with her opinion of each.

"How delighted Miss Darcy will be to receive such a letter!"

He made no answer.

"You write uncommonly fast."

"You are mistaken. I write rather slowly."

"How many letters you must have occasion to write in the course of the year! Letters of business too! How odious I should think them!"

"It is fortunate, then, that they fall to my lot instead of to yours."

"Pray tell your sister that I long to see her."

"I have already told her so once, by your desire."

"I am afraid you do not like your pen. Let me mend it for you. I mend pens remarkably well."

"Thank you. But I always mend my own."

"How can you contrive to write so evenly?"

He was silent.

"Speaking of letters," Miss Bingley started, in what Elizabeth saw as another attempt to gain the room's attention, or at least one occupant's consideration, "I have just this morning received a missive from Miss Grantley. In it she shares the latest from the Coterie. Lord Alvanley plans to put forward a bill that will forbid public disclosure of any person's gift, once it has been verified to exist by a panel of three augers. In essence, he proposes to end the vulgar practice of so-called gift blowing. I must say I heartily approve of the idea. It is gifts that separate us from the others, but all gifted are gifted. No one really needs know more."

"Lord Alvanley is a fool." Mr. Darcy's blunt statement surprised Elizabeth. If the famous dandy ever heard of it, such an insult could engender a duel. "There are gentlemen that make me think that mere possession of a gift is not a good enough reason to have a voice in government. The good Baron is a prime example. He flaunts his position, while fulfilling none of the accompanying duties. It is not a matter of disclosure or secrecy, it's how you use your gifts – gifts given by the creator, that is important. It's how you help your fellow man with whatever gifts, or other abilities, you have. Something I think our Lord Alvanley knows nothing about."