Page 13 of The Heroic Mr Darcy's Bad Manners
“How can you be so tiresome? Mrs Nicholls told Mrs Long that Mr Bingley was certain to attend. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single gentleman in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. You know as well as I that Mrs Goulding’s nieces will be dressed to the nines. Surely you must have funds stowed away somewhere amongst all this clutter.”
Mrs Bennet frowned as her eyes travelled across her husband’s study. The dark, masculine room was filled to the brim with books, a chessboard, and a collection of insects.
“Will you leave my study if I give you some funds?”
“That depends on how much you are forwarding. I implore you to remember that we have five daughters, and I would not mind something new myself.”
Mrs Bennet picked an imaginary speck of lint off her fichu and smoothed her skirts, refusing to meet her husband’s probing gaze.
“I shall strongly advise against it. With your beauty, Mr Bingley might find you the fairest of them all.”
“Do not be ridiculous. Although I once was a great beauty, having five grown daughters has certainly taken my mind off any consideration for myself.”
Unaware of the contradiction in her two statements, she pondered how to make her husband understand the significance of her request. It was vital that one of her daughters produce a son. She made herself comfortable in the chair opposite her spouse.
Mr Bennet sighed and pulled a black box from his bottom drawer. Keeping the contents hidden from her view, he withdrew a few banknotes, then returned the box to its safe place and locked the drawer before handing the notes to his wife.
Mrs Bennet accepted and counted the bills with a frown.
“This chair is surprisingly comfortable,” she mused, relaxing into the seat.
It was Mr Bennet’s turn to frown. Mrs Bennet pretended not to notice and continued to fidget with her money.
Mr Bennet jerked the drawer open and slammed the box onto his desk. Grumbling, he offered her a significantly larger stack of notes.
“How good of you, my dear Mr Bennet. I knew I would persuade you. I was certain that you loved your girls too much to neglect their attire. Well, how pleased I am! And it was such a good joke, too, that you pretended to be stingy. What an excellent father you are. I do not know how I shall ever repay your kindness.”
“If I am not mistaken, you promised to leave my study,” Mr Bennet reminded his wife. “My coffers have been thoroughly emptied, and I assure you I have nothing more for you to extort.”
“More? Oh, that is definitely not necessary. I am certain what you have already given me is quite sufficient. In fact, I might have settled for a little less.” She smiled, rounding the desk to give Mr Bennet a soft peck on his forehead.
“Thank you ever so much. I shall leave you to your business and share the good news with our girls.”
As predicted, Mrs Bennet’s daughters were all delighted to be provided with new dresses and lauded their good fortune. The money was shared equally, and the cackling noise such a blessing produced surely travelled down the hall into Mr Bennet’s study. Mrs Bennet gleefully imagined the patriarch lowering his head into his hands as she called for the carriage to be readied.
#
Elizabeth
Half an hour later, the Bennet ladies entered Mrs Elliswick’s combined drapery and haberdashery.
“Lizzy, can I have some of your money? You always wear your yellow dress,” Lydia begged.
“Absolutely not,” Elizabeth protested vehemently.
Mrs Bennet turned and studied her so intently that Elizabeth blushed. She could not reveal to her sisters why it was so important to her to have a new dress because their teasing would be relentless, and they might very well decide to embarrass her in front of the gentleman in question.Thatdepended upon whether Mr Darcy would accompany Mr Bingley to the assembly, or even to Netherfield, but why would he have encouraged his friend to take the place if not for the excuse to be near her? She had every reason to hope.
Elizabeth glanced at Jane. She had not even confided her encounter to her most beloved sister. It was a secret she had kept completely to herself, as her reputation would be irrevocably ruined if anyone discovered what she had done.
Lydia continued to whine, and Elizabeth grew increasingly concerned that her mother would force her to comply. Jane saved her by offering Lydia some of her own money, but Mrs Bennet would not hear of it, and Lydia was left to sulk until it was her turn to choose a fabric.
Elizabeth chose a white sheer muslin and a broad silk ribbon for her waist. It was expensive because so many layers were needed lest she embarrass herself with a diaphanous habit, but she left only one layer for the short, puffed sleeves. It was not as if her upper arms were something to conceal. In addition, she purchased pearls to adorn the finished dress.
The next two weeks flew by in preparations, and fortunately, all the dresses were finished in time for the ball.
#
The night of the assembly.
