Page 59 of An Accidental Meeting
“My father’s as well,” Mr. Darcy agreed.
“Do you not think that a university education would be too difficult for a woman?” Miss Bingley inquired, and to her surprise, Elizabeth believed the question a sincere one.
“I believe,” Mr. Darcy said, “that not all women are suited for such an education. But then, neither are all men—and they are allowed in anyway.”
“And I will further argue,” Elizabeth added warmly, “that if girls received the same education as boys do from the start, you would find many of them just as prepared for a university education as their brothers.”
“Chess would be on the curriculum, eh, Lizzy?” Uncle Gardiner said.
“Only if you were teaching it, Uncle.”
That produced a guffaw from Judge Darcy and chuckles around the table.
“Did not Signorina Piscopia earn her degree in theology at the University of Padua over a hundred years ago?” Mrs. Gardiner inquired.
“Is that true?” Mr. Bingley asked.
“A doctorate of philosophy,” Aunt Nora said, lifting her glass of lemonade to her lips. “It ought to have been in theology, but the Church would not allow it.”
Miss Bingley’s eyes widened, but she remained silent.
They finished their repast, and the group adjourned to their different activities. Miss Bingley announced that she would join Miss Darcy in the music room. Uncle and Aunt Gardiner repaired to their chambers, for they were making a trip to Lambton to visit Mrs. Alfredson, an elderly relation who had at one time run a girls' school—Elizabeth was not accompanying them today because the woman did not much care for her sense of humour. Mr. Bingley wandered out of the room without mentioning where he was headed, and Mr. Darcy stepped out to speak with him. Judge Darcy’s wink as he and Aunt Nora left the room had Elizabeth shaking her head. The judge did enjoy provoking a debate. But then, so did she.
Elizabeth decided she would take in the view here one more time and then join Miss Darcy and Miss Bingley, if for no other reason than to observe the latter. Miss Bingley was still the same supercilious woman Elizabeth had met in Hertfordshire last fall. Still haughty and proud, still prone to tossing barbs across the dinner table—but she had not sneered at the thought of women attending university and had shown an interest in and knowledge of the plants grown in a physick garden.
Well, she had been wrong about everyone else she had met in the past year—why not Miss Bingley? Or if not wrong, precisely—then perhaps not entirely right.
Darcy followed Bingley out the front door and down to the river. For once, his ebullient friend was silent. He sat on the bench andgazed out over the water. Silence was something Darcy excelled at, and so he simply waited.
He did not wait more than a few minutes before Bingley shook his head. “I am so sorry, Darcy.”
“Bingley,” Darcy said warningly, “I have already said that you could not have known.”
“But that is its own problem, is it not? I am the one responsible for my family’s behaviour when they are at Pemberley. You invited them only due to our friendship; you would never have invited Hurst on his own.”
“No, I would not have. But it does not follow that you could have known he had turned thief.”
Bingley buried his face in his hands. “It is a nightmare. I had to cut Louisa off entirely, as she would not leave Hurst. I am sure he forced her into helping him, but she would not admit it. She kept insisting I was mistaken.”
There was nothing Darcy could say to make this better. “I am sorry, my friend.”
“I had no idea his debts had grown so high.” Bingley sighed. “I have sent a letter to Hurst’s father. He will not be pleased, and Hurst will never forgive me, not that I care. But Louisa . . .”
“Your sister will be safe with Hursts’ parents, Bingley. The elder Mr. Hurst is a strict man, but an honourable one. I suspect your sister and her husband will not be leaving the estate for some time.”
“You are right there. It would serve Hurst right to have to work there until he had earned all that money back. It is not as though his father has vast sums of money to be tossing away—he will not be pleased.” Bingley closed his eyes. “Hurst had several valuable items in his trunks that could not have been his. He must have been taking things one or two at a time all summer. I do not know how to return them without causing a tremendous scandal.”
“There I may be able to offer some assistance. I know a man—”
Bingley laughed, and though the sound was tinged with a sort of grief, it was also amused. “You have a man for everything, Darcy.”
“That is because there are few situations I have not been required to deal with in the few years I have been master.”
Bingley took a deep breath. “I would appreciate your help, Darcy.”
“Do you have the items?”
His friend nodded. “They are packed up.”
