conversation is ridiculous.”
“You would not be happy were your sons to marry someone so far beneath them, despite all your jokes and insinuations.”
“Perhaps not; but then again, Bingley is not the son of an earl. Let us be honest; if we are to speak of family situations, Miss Bennet is the daughter of a gentleman while Bingley’s fortune is from trade. She is superior to him, is she not?”
“If you put it that way—”
“I do put it that way! And even more, I would not disapprove of my sons marrying either of the Miss Bennets if they developed an attachment. They could surely do worse than Jane and Elizabeth Bennet.”
“Surely, you are joking,” Darcy interrupted him abruptly.
“Surely, I am being serious, unless you have some strong arguments against the idea. From what I have seen, you have quite a history with Miss Elizabeth. What on earth did you do to that girl that she dislikes you so intensely?”
“Excuse me?” Darcy asked so loudly that the others turned to them. “What do you mean she dislikes me intensely? From where did that idea spring?”
“Where? For heaven’s sake, Nephew, are you blind? First you insist Jane Bennet has no feelings for Bingley when anyone can see she still suffers for him, and now you misread Miss Elizabeth’s feelings for you that are equally strong but of a completely different kind.”
“You think Miss Elizabeth dislikes me? I have always believed we were on friendly terms. We always had lively conversations and—”
The earl rolled his eyes and patted his shoulder, laughing.
“Darcy, may I inquire as to how many women you have known— really known— before now? Damn, you seem oblivious about whether a woman likes or dislikes anything. I hope you are not equally oblivious to other things a woman might like or dislike!”
Darcy choked and spilled wine on his coat then started to cough.
***
Darcy’s face was still red from coughing, and he desperately tried not to draw the attention of the group. His uncle’s words whirled in his head, but he could not accept that the earl was correct with regard to either lady.
Yes, Miss Bennet seemed out of spirits, but on the other hand, he had never seen her especially lively, even when Bingley was present. A simple indisposition of the lady did not prove he was in error.
Memories of his conversation with Elizabeth during dinner flooded back to him. Moment by moment, word by word, he managed to recollect the precise instant Elizabeth’s demeanour changed and she seemed disinclined to speak to him again. It occurred when he informed her that Bingley had no intention of returning to Netherfield.
He sat alone, the glass of brandy in his hand, staring at Elizabeth as she talked and laughed with the colonel, Selina, and his own sister. He looked at Georgiana, in a joyful mood after she played with Elizabeth, and then he looked at Miss Bennet, who smiled politely, although her eyes betrayed a distracted lack of interest in the conversation.
He had been honest in his beliefs when he decided that Miss Bennet did not share Bingley’s feelings; he could not have been so partial and unfair in his judgment! Or could he? No, that was not the proper question. Was it his right or his duty as a friend to judge Bingley’s feelings for a young lady or that lady’s feelings for him? That was the question he must answer.
And the earl said he would be pleased for his sons to marry either lady. Was he serious? Surely, that would never happen. But what if it did?
What of Elizabeth’s feelings towards him? He had been certain that she had an inclination towards him. He had even been careful not to encourage this tendency as he could not possibly consider binding himself to her.
And now the earl declared that she deeply disliked him and suggested he would agree for his son to court her. That could not be! Robert, as a second son, could not afford to marry a woman with no dowry; besides, Elizabeth could not possibly form a
“You would not be happy were your sons to marry someone so far beneath them, despite all your jokes and insinuations.”
“Perhaps not; but then again, Bingley is not the son of an earl. Let us be honest; if we are to speak of family situations, Miss Bennet is the daughter of a gentleman while Bingley’s fortune is from trade. She is superior to him, is she not?”
“If you put it that way—”
“I do put it that way! And even more, I would not disapprove of my sons marrying either of the Miss Bennets if they developed an attachment. They could surely do worse than Jane and Elizabeth Bennet.”
“Surely, you are joking,” Darcy interrupted him abruptly.
“Surely, I am being serious, unless you have some strong arguments against the idea. From what I have seen, you have quite a history with Miss Elizabeth. What on earth did you do to that girl that she dislikes you so intensely?”
“Excuse me?” Darcy asked so loudly that the others turned to them. “What do you mean she dislikes me intensely? From where did that idea spring?”
“Where? For heaven’s sake, Nephew, are you blind? First you insist Jane Bennet has no feelings for Bingley when anyone can see she still suffers for him, and now you misread Miss Elizabeth’s feelings for you that are equally strong but of a completely different kind.”
“You think Miss Elizabeth dislikes me? I have always believed we were on friendly terms. We always had lively conversations and—”
The earl rolled his eyes and patted his shoulder, laughing.
“Darcy, may I inquire as to how many women you have known— really known— before now? Damn, you seem oblivious about whether a woman likes or dislikes anything. I hope you are not equally oblivious to other things a woman might like or dislike!”
Darcy choked and spilled wine on his coat then started to cough.
***
Darcy’s face was still red from coughing, and he desperately tried not to draw the attention of the group. His uncle’s words whirled in his head, but he could not accept that the earl was correct with regard to either lady.
Yes, Miss Bennet seemed out of spirits, but on the other hand, he had never seen her especially lively, even when Bingley was present. A simple indisposition of the lady did not prove he was in error.
Memories of his conversation with Elizabeth during dinner flooded back to him. Moment by moment, word by word, he managed to recollect the precise instant Elizabeth’s demeanour changed and she seemed disinclined to speak to him again. It occurred when he informed her that Bingley had no intention of returning to Netherfield.
He sat alone, the glass of brandy in his hand, staring at Elizabeth as she talked and laughed with the colonel, Selina, and his own sister. He looked at Georgiana, in a joyful mood after she played with Elizabeth, and then he looked at Miss Bennet, who smiled politely, although her eyes betrayed a distracted lack of interest in the conversation.
He had been honest in his beliefs when he decided that Miss Bennet did not share Bingley’s feelings; he could not have been so partial and unfair in his judgment! Or could he? No, that was not the proper question. Was it his right or his duty as a friend to judge Bingley’s feelings for a young lady or that lady’s feelings for him? That was the question he must answer.
And the earl said he would be pleased for his sons to marry either lady. Was he serious? Surely, that would never happen. But what if it did?
What of Elizabeth’s feelings towards him? He had been certain that she had an inclination towards him. He had even been careful not to encourage this tendency as he could not possibly consider binding himself to her.
And now the earl declared that she deeply disliked him and suggested he would agree for his son to court her. That could not be! Robert, as a second son, could not afford to marry a woman with no dowry; besides, Elizabeth could not possibly form a
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