Page 16 of To Go Against Her Heart
“I have never felt this unsettled before, Darcy. I wonder why she had to leave so soon; I am certain Miss Bennet has not fully recovered,” Mr. Bingley cried once the steward left.
Darcy was silent.
“Well! I am going to call on her the first thing tomorrow morning,” Mr. Bingley said with resolve.
Darcy wondered if he should take Elizabeth’s advice seriously and accompany his friend to Longbourn, finally admitting to himself that, all the while, he was indeed trying toimpressElizabeth.
Chapter 8
It was a week after Elizabeth and Jane had taken their leave from Netherfield.Mr. Bingley was frequently at Longbourn and showed no hesitance in making his admiration for Jane known.As for Darcy, he found himself torn between the desire to accompany his friend and the inward voice that warned him against it.
If she still despises me even after my apology, any attempt on my part to prove myself will only make her angrier. But it does not seem so. The way she avoided me after our conversation that morning suggested that she was afraid of my company. Do I remind her of the man she favored in town?
He was tired of his thoughts, and as much as he tried, he could not help but think about her. His valet observed a certain uneasiness in his master that morning and suspected that some matter troubled him.
“Are you need of anything, sir?” he asked as Darcy changed into his riding attire.
“No, I will return within an hour.”
Darcy rode up to Oakham Mount and did so daily in the prospect of meeting Elizabeth. Whether she avoided him by choice or he missed her by chance was indeed a puzzle to him, as he never found her there. He returned to Netherfield in dejected spirits and found Miss Bingley and her sister in the breakfast parlor arguing with Mr. Hurst.
“Well, you have come at the right moment, Mr. Darcy. My wife and sister have been giving me no relief from their recent topic of interest,” Mr. Hurst said with irritation.
Understanding that Darcy was in no mood to get into the details, Miss Bingley chose to enlighten him anyway.
“Why, this is indeed an important topic for Mr. Darcy as well, as it concerns his friend,” she said.
Darcy wondered what she referred to.
“Charles has hardly been at home this past week and is always calling on Miss Bennet for some reason. I agree she has been unwell, and we have given her the utmost attention in her recovery while she was our guest. But now, he is giving her unwanted attention, and her mother will come to conclusions in no time. As his friend, you must warn him, sir; he cannot go about this way.”
“Your brother is a grown man, madam, very much capable of deciding his own actions. I have no say in this,” Darcy said dryly.
“But you must. I am certain he gives her unwanted hope when he has no serious intentions.”
“I assure you, as much as I am concerned about his welfare, I do not possess the ability to gauge the seriousness of his intentions in the matter.”
“Mr. Darcy, unlike the women, my perspective differs; I think Charles is very much in love with Miss Bennet,” Mr. Hurst declared.
“Even if that is the case, Jane does not love him. I am certain of it,” Miss Bingley opposed.
Darcy was silent as he was not interested in discussing his friend’s personal affairs with his family.
“Why would she not favor him when he openly follows her around like a devoted puppy?” Mrs. Hurst asked.
“She would favor and accept him for his wealth and status, as she would do towards any wealthy man who courts her. But she is not in love with Charles. I can see that, as she hardly shows him her partiality,” Miss Bingley observed.
Darcy had also pondered about the matter; as he had often wondered whether Jane reciprocated his friend’s sentiments, as she scarcely displayed any affection or made an effort to show him her regard.
The sisters became silent once Mr. Bingley joined them, and Darcy sat in deep thought as breakfast progressed. He wondered if his friend would end up being disappointed in love and decided to observe the couple more closely.
***
“How could you assume that, Charlotte? Jane returns Mr. Bingley’s regard and is sincerely attached to him. I do not doubt it,” Elizabeth cried to her friend as they walked to the village of Meryton that very day.
Mary and Maria followed them a few steps behind.
“Well, you are aware of that because she is your sister, but I think poor Mr. Bingley is still looking for a more open declaration from her.”
