Page 31 of An Interrupted Proposal
Apparently she did, as the servant drew a vial from her pocket, uncapped it, and waved it under her mistress’s nose without a second thought. Mrs. Bennet’s eyes blinked open, and she stared at Darcy in amazement. “You certainly are handsome, are you not?” she said in a soft breathy voice.
“Yes, yes,” Mr. Bennet muttered as he stepped forwards and motioned Darcy away. “Well, Mrs. Bennet, have you recovered from your shock, or should we assist you to your rooms?”
“My rooms?” She turned a bemused expression upon him. “I cannot remove above stairs, sir. We have guests.” She turned and smiled at the young men. “You must stay for dinner. I insist. We have so much to discuss and plan.”
“If it will not be too much for you,” Bingley replied with a grin. When his hostess insisted it would not, he asked, “If I might send a note to Mrs. Nicholls first, so she does not go to any trouble for us this evening?”
“Of course, of course.” Mrs. Bennet motioned towards her middle daughter. “Mary can provide writing supplies.” She turned a coquettish smile on Darcy. “Please, be seated, sir. You are so tall, and it strains my neck to look up at you.”
Darcy bowed and claimed the seat a short distance from her. “Are you well, madam?”
A girlish smile overtook her features, revealing a glimpse of how her eldest daughter might one day appear. “I cannot remember a day I was better. Now, you must tell me yourpreferences, sir. Do you favour pheasant or quail? Venison or ham? How do you prefer your potatoes prepared? Have you a favourite dish?”
Mr. Bennet took the seat beside his wife and patted her hand which lay upon the armrest. “You will find your future mother is an exquisite hostess, Mr. Darcy. She has a knack for making all feel welcomed by providing a variety of delicacies to appease the most particular eater.”
“I would not want you to go to any unnecessary trouble, Mrs. Bennet. Whatever you planned to serve will suffice.” Darcy glanced in Bingley’s direction, hoping his friend would quickly finish his missive and join their conversation.
“Nonsense! Do you have a French cook, sir? Mrs. Campbell’s father was Scottish, but her mother was a French cook, and she has several of her mother’s receipts which are quite delicious.”
“In truth, I prefer a good English meal.”
“Ah, so venison or pheasant,” the lady replied with a knowing nod. “And you, Mr. Bingley? What are your favourites?”
Bingley took the seat beside Darcy. “I am as pleased with a good ragout as I am a fancy feast. It is the company which makes the meal pleasurable,” he replied with a grin.
The girlish giggle returned. “You are so easy to please, sir. You and my Jane will be quite content together, I am certain.”
Miss Lydia chose this moment to approach. “Mr. Bingley,” she said as she batted her eyelashes. “It would be a great honour if you threw another ball for Jane, to mark your betrothal.”
“Oh, yes!” Mrs. Bennet clasped her hands together. “How romantic that would be.”
Bingley’s countenance tightened, but he smiled at them both. “I thank you for the suggestion, but Miss Bennet and I have discussed our plans and decided we will wait to entertain until after we are wed and have an opportunity to see to all of Netherfield’s needs. Once we are settled in a steady routine andhave made certain changes to the running of the household, we will consider having a formal dinner.”
The young girl pouted, but before she could say a word, Mrs. Bennet cried, “Oh, I am certain Jane was just being modest. She would love a ball to celebrate her good fortune. Why, I could help Mrs. Nicholls plan it until Jane is able to return home.”
Mr. Bennet sat back in his seat and smirked at Bingley, his arms folded over his chest and that brow raised once more. Darcy noted the challenge in the man’s features and remembered his friend’s avowal in the library.
Bingley drew a deep breath and sat taller. “I appreciate the offer, Mrs. Bennet, but your daughter and I have discussed this at length and came to an agreement. I know you will respect her wishes as I do.”
The lady opened her mouth to protest, but her husband patted her hand one more time. “The man has spoken, Mrs. Bennet. If you wish to have a dinner to celebrate the betrothals, you may do so here at Longbourn after your daughters return home.”
Mrs. Bennet appeared torn between pressing the matter and her husband’s offer to host an event which, given the man’s introverted manner, must be a rare occurrence. Her amazement at her husband’s offer must have won out as she turned his direction and asked, “You would be willing to host a dinnerandtwo wedding breakfasts?”
“I believe one breakfast should suffice.” Mr. Bennet replied as he turned an anxious eye towards the gentlemen. “Would you not like a double wedding, sirs? Two friends marrying two sisters––I believe a double wedding would be just the thing.”
“In fact,” Darcy said as Mrs. Bennet opened her mouth, “Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth suggested the same thing. Apparently, they have long discussed standing up for oneanother and did not want the one to have to wait for the other to return from a wedding trip to do so.”
“Just think, Mrs. Bennet,” Mr. Bennet said with a quick grin, “two daughters wed and on the same day. None of your friends could boast such a thing.”
His wife considered it, her struggle playing out on her features, and after a minute smiled brightly. “Oh, indeed. Why Charlotte Lucas was the last girl in the neighbourhood to wed and she left for Kent directly from the church without a wedding breakfast at all. A double wedding will be talked of for years to come.”
“Mamma,” Lydia called from her seat on the sofa. “Kitty and I never did go into Meryton as we planned. May we go now?”
“We have guests, Lydia,” her mother hesitantly chastised her daughter. “I know you had your heart set on seeing the officers, but you may do so tomorrow.”
The girl was about to pout, when Darcy offered, “Perhaps Bingley and I could escort them to Meryton. We were several hours in the carriage this morning and could stand to stretch our legs.” He turned to the middle sister. “Miss Bennet, would you like to accompany us?”
Miss Mary Bennet appeared shocked by his offer and looked longingly at her books. “I could stop at the library to see if there are new books to borrow.”
