A Fortunate Alliance by Beth Poppet

Author:Beth Poppet [Poppet, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JAFF
ISBN: 9781790982103
Published: 2019-05-06T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

It was with no other feeling besides dismay that Elizabeth learned of the party Mr Bingley brought with him again to Netherfield Park. She was not naïve enough to believe that Mr Darcy’s company could be entirely avoided for long, and she hoped, rather than believed it possible to delay their next meeting until more time had passed between Lydia’s elopement and consequent marriage.

However, with two sisters married and Elizabeth more intimately acquainted with the Bingleys than Kitty by far, it was only a matter of time before her mother began scheming of ways to have her eldest unmarried daughter at Netherfield as often as propriety allowed.

Before Mrs Bennet had decided on the best course of action by which to sacrifice Elizabeth to the residents of Netherfield, Mr Bingley had sent a most remarkable messenger to call at Longbourn in order to renew their acquaintance.

The single rider cut a most becoming figure on the fine horse he rode, and Elizabeth blushed to hear the way her mother described the gentleman before he was near enough to identify. When the rider was first presumed by Kitty to be Mr Darcy, Mrs Bennet was nearly livid with objections. Such a proud and self-important man would never think to call on them alone, and it was absurd for Kitty to think so! As the rider came near enough for all three of the women huddled at the windows to see that it was indeed Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy come to call, it set the house in upheaval and mayhem. Most of this was due to Mrs Bennet’s sudden need to adjust everyone and everything that might possibly meet Mr Darcy’s eye as he entered the sitting room.

In this flurry of poorly orchestrated improvements to pillows, postures, and even the tilt of the little clock on the mantle, Mrs Bennet began to examine her current situation, and what benefit this wealthy—if not unpleasant—intruder might be to her girls. Beyond a general consensus of his being too proud for country society, and thereby deemed utterly disagreeable, there was not much gossip with which to cast aspersions on his person. It occurred to Mrs Bennet in the moments before his dismounting and arrival into the house that it might not be suitable to remember past incivilities in the face of ten thousand a year—which was certainly an ample income to erase much more than a few social slights. If Elizabeth would not do her utmost to catch Mr Bingley and his fortune of five thousand, she may still find Mr Darcy a worthy prize. After all, Catherine was yet unattached and perfectly capable of walking to Netherfield if she might decide upon some errand with which to send her forth.

All of this was taken into consideration and deemed justifiable reason for Mrs Bennet’s newfound acceptance of Mr Darcy’s visit so that by the time he was among them she was positively beaming for joy. A worrisome sight for Elizabeth, to be sure.

His bow was brief, but not so stiff as usual, she thought.

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