The Eldest | F. Darcy

Chapter 3: New Light

Adele was the only one in the house who was not looking forward to the dinner. Mrs Bennet and Jane were waiting for Bingley. Mary wanted to flatter her new music piece and Elizabeth loved teasing Darcy. Lydia and Kitty were happy with Colonel Forster while Mr Bennet was eager to see the man who slighted the most beautiful lady in all of Hertfordshire.

"At least Mr Bingley can lift your spirit with his good nature," Jane said cheerfully.

"That friend of his, Mr Darcy, is enough to sullen all his liveliness," Elizabeth said mischievously.

"I think Ady thinks about that Mr Pompous and Proper more than his lover would think in her whole life," Lydia commented while Kitty giggled.

"Oh hush! Lydia, I don't think your sister would ever need a man like him. She does have better and rich admirers," shushed Mrs Bennet.

"Whom she had already turned down in the past," smirked Elizabeth.

"Still she receives many flowers and letters, does not she?"

"Yes, and one of those letters was from a man old enough to be my father!" Adele received hearty laughter from all the members for her speech, before the whole family dispersed to get dressed.
__________

The guest came to the house and was seated in the evening room before dinner. Mr Darcy stood on a corner examining the whole room when his eyes travelled to the opposite corner where a neat bundle of letters and a lot of flowers were kept.

His curiosity was piqued and by luck, Jane was just beside him talking to Bingley.

"Forgive me, Miss Jane," he said to her in cold civility, "but may I ask why I bundle of letters are kept on a corner with flowers? Forgive me if I am trespassing politeness, I was merely curious."

That day, Adele had got a bundle of letters from her admirers with a lot of thornless roses and even more yellow chrysanthemums. Jane told Bingley and him thus. Bingley, good in the language of flowers -for he had but 5 sisters- merely laughed while Darcy, who had no idea stood looking at Bingley in confusion.

Bingley saw that and explained that thornless roses stood for love at first sight while yellow chrysanthemums denoted slighted love.

"I did not know that Miss Bennet had so many Beaus," Bingley commented while Darcy stood in shock.

"Oh! She had none for she runs away from the very idea of matrimony. Most of these are anonymous."

"Are they from people nearby?"

"No, most of these are from the rich class of London," Lydia said even after Jane tried to push her, "I remember her saying that a certain Earl of Aidenberg, who was old enough to be her father, had taken a particular liking of her."

"Earl of Aidenberg!" exclaimed Hurst, "That old man who is always surrounded by almost all eligible and beautiful Maidens of the country! Your sister must be something."

"Oh! She is for sure," commented Mrs. Bennet, "I remember Sir William saying the other day that Adele is one of the most precious jewels of the county, if not the most."

Darcy was forced to contemplate his own words. Miss Bennet certainly was beautiful with violet-blue eyes and ocean blue flecks on them.

From the time, Adele came down to entertain the guests, till he had not been distracted by Miss Bingley who had suddenly decided to join after hearing of the indirect insult of Adele, Darcy took his own time to observe her. She certainly was beautiful with cocoa brown hair and palest of skin he had seen. She had a pleasing figure and a noble air which piqued his mind.