Miss Bingley Requests Page 7

  The Bennets arrived for their visit early, but Caroline had discovered this was their usual habit whenever Mrs Bennet was included. Also as usual, all five sisters accompanied their mother, although Miss Mary quickly sought permission, which was granted, to spend time in the library.

  Sighing loudly, Mrs Bennet perched herself on the edge of a chair, and looked about with sharp eyes. Spotting some needlework that Caroline had been working on, she snatched it up. Jane, who was seated beside her mother, leaned over to look.

  ‘That is very lovely,’ Jane said to Caroline. ‘Your work is always so—’

  ‘It will do,’ Mrs Bennet said loudly. ‘But I know you have seen some of Jane’s work, have you not?’ Waving the needlework in the air to accentuate her words, she continued, ‘I swear I have never seen such exquisite work as Jane’s. Her stitches, so tiny, so even. Her colour sense is unrivalled in this county, perhaps in the whole country. And she has such a delicate touch; there is never so much as a tiny wrinkle in the linen.’

  Caroline had pasted a politely interested expression onto her face as soon as these visitors were shown in. Her eyes, though, were now glued to her needlework. She’d worked long and hard on that piece, as it was to be fashioned into a pair of slippers for Mr Darcy, to be presented to him when their engagement was announced. He hadn’t actually proposed yet, but Caroline was certain this was only a matter of time.

  Mrs Bennet continued to flap the delicate piece as she spoke. She’d moved on from Jane’s needlework to Jane’s skill with ribbon, despite the fact that both her elder daughters were endeavouring to convince her to permit someone else to play a part in the conversation. This little drama played out with unyielding regularity every time the Bingley women were with the Bennets, and there had been several, too many, calls during the two weeks since the assembly. Also as usual, the younger sisters giggled non-stop, even as they stared avariciously at Caroline and Louisa’s clothing and jewels.

  Mrs Bennet appeared to have run out, for the moment at least, of items to praise about Jane. She flung Caroline’s work carelessly onto the table which held the tea things. Fortunately Louisa had not yet poured, and so there were no filled cups or spilled drips to stain the delicate embroidery.

  Caroline snatched up her work and examined it anxiously, but fortunately it appeared unaffected by its rude handling. Caroline took out her workbasket and threaded a new length of green silk on to her needle. She knew what would come next, for the order of events was unchanging during these calls. Mrs Bennet sat up even higher, lifted her chin, and looked about the room. ‘And will the gentlemen be joining us today?’ she asked brightly.

  Louisa poured and Caroline put down her work to pass Mrs Bennet a cup of tea. Despite her usual impeccable manners, the cup rattled against its saucer, as she tried to restrain herself from spilling the hot liquid into Mrs Bennet’s lap. ‘Unfortunately, no,’ she said, proud of how cool her voice sounded. ‘They have business elsewhere.’

  ‘Such a busy man, your brother.’ Mrs Bennet took her cup and gazed hopefully at the table that held the lemon cake. ‘Surely this cannot be healthy for him. I thought he looked a little peaked the last time we had the pleasure of seeing him. That was at Lucas Lodge, was it not? Such lovely people they are, and such good friends of ours. We were all so glad that you could join us for that little party. Wasn’t the music delightful? And the food? But I noticed, Miss Bingley, you danced only twice. Were you feeling unwell?’

  Mrs Bennet paused to draw breath at this point, and Caroline hastened to speak. ‘You will be happy to learn, Mrs Bennet, that I am in perfect health, as is my brother.’ She tipped her head back and gazed down her nose at Mrs Bennet. Seeing that the woman was about to open her mouth to speak again, she turned to Jane. ‘I hope you are in good health, Miss Bennet. And you, also, Miss Elizabeth.’

  Miss Elizabeth, for some reason, had a smile in her eyes, but she said in all seriousness, ‘We are indeed very well. You are so kind to ask.’

  Caroline nodded and resumed her needlework. Before Mrs Bennet could swallow her mouthful of cake and speak again, Elizabeth continued, ‘I must congratulate the Bingley family on how well you have adapted to life in the country. I did wonder if you’d find life here a little dull after all the entertainments available in town.’

  Caroline met Louisa’s eyes. Life here was exceedingly dull. ‘I am glad it appears so to you, Miss Elizabeth.’

  ‘Mr Bingley, in particular, appears very happy to be here,’ Elizabeth said. ‘Whenever I see him in company, he is most effusive during his conversations.’

  Jane, Caroline noticed, sent her sister a pleading glance, but Elizabeth ignored it. ‘Can it be,’ she asked, ‘that he finds some of the people of Meryton more interesting than some among his acquaintances in London?’

  ‘Charles,’ Caroline said, unable to keep a bit of steel out of her voice, ‘enjoys the company of a great many people. And, many of those people are indeed to be found in London.’

  Elizabeth nodded, as if Caroline’s words were fascinating to hear. ‘Mr Darcy, though,’ she said, pausing to take a sip of tea, ‘does not appear to find country society very much to his liking.’

  Caroline frowned, and looked quickly down at her work, to hide the dislike she felt at hearing Miss Elizabeth speak so impertinently. ‘Mr Darcy has a great many things on his mind. He is, after all, the master of Pemberley, one of the finest estates in the country.’

  ‘Yes, I have been informed of his status.’ Elizabeth paused again, her eyes dancing. ‘One would think that residing here for a time, free of all his responsibilities at home, he would be more likely to take advantage of available entertainments. Sadly, he appears quite unhappy whenever I have encountered him.’

  Of course he’s unhappy, Caroline wanted to say. How could you possibly expect a man of quality to enjoy spending time with people so decidedly below his rank? Instead, she smiled politely. ‘Will you have some more cake?’ she asked Jane. Jane refused, but Mrs Bennet eagerly held out her plate, covered liberally with crumbs, some of which fell to the floor, for another piece. Lydia and Kitty giggled. Why those children were permitted out in polite society was beyond Caroline. If they were her children they’d soon learn the uses of discipline in instilling some manners and decent behaviour.

  Louisa busied herself pouring more tea. Elizabeth smiled at Caroline, who realised the snippy miss had not taken the hint that the subject was to be dropped, and was awaiting a response to her comment about Mr Darcy.

  ‘Mr Darcy, and indeed all of our party, will soon have more company with whom we plan to share many enjoyable hours and entertainments,’ Caroline said. ‘Lady Amesbury, my very dear friend, will soon be joining us.’ She couldn’t keep herself from stressing the words ‘Lady’ and ‘dear’, and as Elizabeth leaned back in her hard chair, Caroline was sure she recognised surprise and envy in those dark eyes. ‘I am certain that you will no longer have any reason to think Mr Darcy, or any one of us, unhappy then.’

  ‘I am so glad,’ Elizabeth said, smiling. ‘It will be most pleasant for the rest of us, also, to benefit from the greater variety of people you are bringing to the area. I am certain that any personage who is your dear friend will be delightful indeed.’

  Although Miss Elizabeth’s words said nothing one could take offence at, she had stressed the word ‘dear’, and now Caroline could see only amusement in her eyes. A sense of pique rose inside her, and she said, ‘The lady will bring many of our friends with her. Possibly even Lord E—will form part of her party. Oh come, you must have heard of him. He is very high up in the government. Mr Darcy, in fact, will be especially glad to resume the acquaintance, for they have had many discussions about politics and business and other concerns with which Mr Darcy is always happy to involve himself.’

  ‘How delightful for Mr Darcy.’ Miss Elizabeth put down her teacup, the liquid inside only half gone. ‘But perhaps he would find other concerns equally interesting, if he took the trouble to speak to anyone.�
� She turned to her mother, who was fussing with Jane’s hair, and then looked back at Caroline. ‘Thank you for a most delightful afternoon, but I am afraid we must depart now. I trust you will excuse us?’

  Once the guests had finally left, after many words of gratitude and invitations to call on them at Longbourn, Caroline and Louisa left the small room, leaving the servants to clear away all signs that the Bennets had been there. Caroline carried her needlework and workbasket to their favourite sitting room, one with an excellent view of the gardens and enough natural light to sew by.

  Sitting down, Caroline called for more tea, needing fortification. Too weary to complain when Louisa added her order for apple tart, she picked up her needle and then exclaimed in dismay. ‘I shall have to unpick everything I have just completed. Look.’ She held out the work to Louisa. ‘The stitches are too tight.’

  Louisa commiserated and the sisters fell silent, enjoying the silence. Before long, Mr Hurst joined them, looking for his tea. Charles and Mr Darcy, Caroline knew, had been in the billiard room during the call, because somehow Caroline had forgotten to inform her brother that Jane Bennet and members of her family were expected. Dealing with Mrs Bennet’s constant praise of her eldest daughter was difficult enough without the fuel added by Charles’ obvious admiration. Together, the two of them could sing Jane’s praises until both grew weak from hunger and thirst.

  ‘We need,’ she said to Louisa, ‘to have a little talk with Charles.’

  ‘Speak to Charles about what?’ Mr Darcy asked. Unnoticed, he had just entered the room. He flung himself into a chair, his long legs stretched out before him, and examined the tea table. Taking an apple, and not a tart, Caroline observed, he began to pare it with the knife the footman handed him.

  ‘About this foolish infatuation with Miss Jane Bennet,’ Caroline said. ‘Surely, Mr Darcy, you have observed how often Charles is to be found by her side whenever we are together.’

  Mr Darcy sat up straighter and looked at Caroline with obvious admiration. ‘I have,’ he said slowly, and then paused.

  ‘Come now, Mr Darcy,’ Caroline said. ‘You are among friends. You must know that anything you have to say on the matter will be welcome.’

  He nodded and drank some tea. ‘I have observed that he appears to prefer her company to that of any other person. I assumed, though, that this is one of his interests that will swiftly be gone and replaced by something else. I believe that because the lady in question does not appear to be equally enthralled by him.’

  Caroline grimaced. ‘The lady may not be as interested, but the mother certainly is. Mrs Bennet appears convinced that the match is as good as made.’

  Mr Darcy frowned. ‘I am not certain that we should take anything seriously that that woman utters. She has too few thoughts in her head, and so she repeats them constantly, over and over.’

  Caroline laughed. ‘Why, Mr Darcy, you are too cruel!’

  He grinned, the sudden flash of humour in his eyes as unexpected as it was rare. Something deep within Caroline’s chest did a little flip-flop, and she quickly looked down to her needlework. She’d unpicked each stitch she’d sewn that afternoon and was now endeavouring to repair the damage.

  ‘Do not concern yourselves,’ Mr Darcy said, his voice serious once again, ‘with speaking to Charles about this matter. I will observe him more carefully and will discover if we need to take action.’

  Caroline smiled, enjoying being a conspirator. Lady Amesbury had taught her the joys of observing other people and affecting the flow of their lives. Not that she would do anything cruel, of course, but it was entertaining, and often informative as well, to take careful notice of those who came to one’s attention. And, Mr Darcy had said ‘we’, not that he’d take care of the matter by himself. Caroline moved her eyes to his, and smiled some more. ‘Are you not concerned,’ she asked, ‘that in carrying out your plan, you will find yourself more often in the company of the Bennet family?’

  ‘Bennet family?’ The voice was Charles’, and Caroline’s throat grew tight, but fortunately her brother appeared to have overheard only the last few words she’d uttered.

  ‘Is the Bennet family scheduled to call tomorrow or some time soon?’ he asked hopefully.

  ‘No, I regret that we and the Bennets have no set engagements at present.’ Caroline kept her eyes on her work, concerned that if she looked up and caught Mr Darcy’s eye, she would be unable to contain her laughter.

  * * *

  Lady Amesbury, when she arrived, did not bring a large party. No lords, no politicians, no government officials came to Netherfield Park. Not even Lord E—, the lady’s lover, had accompanied her. Perhaps the affair had ended, as she’d heard they often did, Caroline thought, and felt very daring for thinking of such risqué matters. Lady Amesbury was accompanied by only one person: Stephen Tryphon.

  With her visions of dinner parties and musical evenings, of Mr Darcy furthering his political career and being ever-more grateful to her for providing the opportunity, shrivelling inside her head, Caroline curtseyed to her guests. When she rose, Mr Tryphon’s warm smile showed her that he was very glad to see her. She put her welcoming smile on her face in response, but her disappointment was too great for her to do anything beyond the necessary courtesies due any guest by a polite host. After asking a servant to show them to their rooms, and telling Lady Amesbury and Mr Tryphon that once they had refreshed themselves they should come to the blue sitting room for tea and cake, she went to the small parlour where no one ever came and, despite its association with the Bennets, she sank into one of the padded chairs, unable for the moment to face anyone.

  Why had Lady Amesbury brought not one of the people who usually attended her events in town? Did she think Caroline, and Netherfield Park, too inconsequential to interest them? But if she was concerned about the quality of the accommodations, and the society to be found here, why had she come herself?

  She allowed herself only a little time, though, to think about her disappointment. She was mistress here; she had duties to perform. Telling herself that at least her friend had come and the bonds of friendship were strong, she rose to ensure that the servants were preparing the blue sitting room for her guests. And besides, Lady Amesbury would no doubt have interesting news from London.

  Lady Amesbury did indeed have interesting news. She talked about fashion, who had attended the theatre with whom, who was seen riding in whose carriage, what Lady So-and-so had said to Lady La-di-da during tea at Lady Amesbury’s home, and which gentlemen were hoping to gain the hand, or at least the notice, of which lady.

  During the recitation, which Caroline endeavoured to enjoy, even though she couldn’t help thinking of how much more gay it would be if this lovely room was now filled with important people from town, all of whom would be impressed by how elegant the furnishings were, how very good the tea was, and what a remarkable hostess Miss Bingley was, Mr Tryphon remained silent. He smiled when Lady Amesbury said something intended to amuse, and nodded once or twice when she looked to him to help her remember a detail of what this lady wore or what that gentleman had said about a horse, but she appeared to need only his support, not his words. When not attending to her, he looked at Caroline, his watchful gaze almost bashful, as if to gain an understanding of whether she was glad to see him.

  She tried to appear gay and carefree, as if all she had to think about was the delight of having her dear friends with her after so long, but her disappointment was more difficult to overcome than she’d expected. Apparently her façade was less effective than she’d hoped, for when Lady Amesbury rose at Louisa’s invitation to see more of the house, he remained behind, watching Caroline. She sat still, gazing down at her clasped hands on her lap.

  ‘Forgive me,’ he said, ‘but I cannot help but observe that your spirits are not as animated as I became accustomed to during our time together in town. Are you quite well?’

  She looked up at that and smiled. ‘I am very well, thank you.’

&nb
sp; ‘Is it the country air, then, which so disagrees with you that it has leached all colour from your cheeks?’

  How had she not remembered how rich his voice was, and how his eyes could express the wealth of feeling that his words could not? Sitting up straighter, suddenly realising that while a large number of guests had not come here, Mr Tryphon had, she smiled a true smile and said, ‘I thank you for your concern, but all is well since my friends have arrived.’

  He smiled, also, and his eyes grew warm. He reached out to her, and she wondered if her words had been too forward, but he merely covered her hand with his own for the briefest moment and then placed his back on his leg. Her eyes followed it, and she noted how beautifully proportioned it was, with his square palm and long fingers. His nails were manicured, but the sinews beneath the skin moved as he shifted the hand’s position and they spoke of strength and skill. Her gaze moved from his hand to the grey linen of his trousers and the curve of his thigh muscle hidden beneath the fabric and then, suddenly realising her eyes were close to a part of his body that one did not examine under any circumstances, she turned to the teapot, her face hot with the blood that had rushed there. ‘Would you like some more tea?’ she asked brightly.

  He remained silent for a moment, watching her, and she was unsure of what his expressive eyes held. But then he blinked, and all she could see was polite interest. ‘No, I thank you,’ he said. ‘I did observe, though, a lovely park when we drove through your grounds earlier. Perhaps you would do me the honour of taking a walk with me, so I might better enjoy its beauty.’

  Caroline wondered why Mr Tryphon, of all her acquaintances, so often made her feel as if his words said one thing but meant another, but pushing away this thought as she’d pushed away her disappointment, she readily agreed. Taking time for her maid to fetch her a wrap, she led him out the front door.