Disdain, Agony, Hope, and Love #Wattys2020

Chapter 9

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The next afternoon, Darcy left the house to take a turn about the grounds. His hopes for privacy were shattered as Miss Bingley attached herself to him and began talking of his supposed marriage to Miss Elizabeth and even going so far as to plan his happiness in such an alliance.

"I hope," said she, as they walked together in the shrubbery, "you will give your mother-in-law a few hints, when this desirable event takes place, as to the advantage of holding her tongue; and if you can compass it, do cure the younger girls of running after the officers."

He let her ramble on. The idea of him marrying Miss Elizabeth was pure fantasy, created by Miss Bingley herself. But it was annoying, that she should have the presumption to organise his married life for him - even if it was fiction.

"And, if I may mention so delicate a subject, endeavour to check that little something, bordering on conceit and impertinence, which your lady possesses."

She is not, 'my' lady, nor do I wish her to be!

"Have you any thing else to propose for my domestic felicity?"

He immediately regretted saying that, for it invited Miss Bingley to continue.

"Oh! yes. Do let the portraits of your uncle and aunt Philips be placed in the gallery at Pemberley. Put them next to your great uncle, the judge. They are in the same profession, you know; only in different lines."

Now, this was getting to be too much! There was no way he would marry a girl with her connections. And imagine that - having the portraits of people in trade in the gallery? That was insupportable even as a suggestion. His pride would never allow that.

"As for your Elizabeth's picture, you must not attempt to have it taken, for what painter could do justice to those beautiful eyes?"

True . . . .

"It would not be easy, indeed, to catch their expression, but their colour and shape, and the eye-lashes, so remarkably fine, might be copied."

I doubt there is an artist in the world who could paint a likeness of her that displays her spirit and liveliness, he thought.

At that moment they were met from another walk, by Mrs Hurst and Miss Elizabeth herself.

"I did not know that you intended to walk," said Miss Bingley, in some confusion, lest they had been overheard.

"You used us abominably ill," answered Mrs Hurst, "in running away without telling us that you were coming out." Then taking the disengaged arm of Mr Darcy, she left Miss Elizabeth to walk by herself. The path just admitted three.

Darcy felt their rudeness and immediately said, -

"This walk is not wide enough for our party. We had better go into the avenue."

But Miss Elizabeth laughingly answered,

"No, no; stay where you are. - You are charmingly grouped, and appear to uncommon advantage. The picturesque would be spoilt by admitting a fourth. Good bye."

She then ran gaily off.

He looked over his shoulder, watching her disappear. Another refusal to spend time in his company! Miss Bingley, he knew, would have jumped at such an invitation.

He noticed that the two ladies on his left and right looked meaningfully at each other and then they walked him away in the opposite direction from Miss Elizabeth.

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When the gentlemen entered the drawing room that evening, they were surprised and delighted (Bingley most especially) to find that Miss Jane Bennet had recovered enough to join her sister and her 'friends'. Darcy ignored the comment Miss Bingley addressed to him and politely congratulated Miss Jane on her recovery. He intended to sit beside the fire and read the book Miss Elizabeth had read the first evening she was at Netherfield, but before he did so, he watched with interest and a little degree of alarm as Bingley sat near the invalid and talked to her and nobody else.