Alias Thomas Bennet (32 page)

***

For Darcy, the evening was not going so well. The buzz in the room was all about the potential presence of Lord Shelton’s two daughters, and no one was subtle enough to keep their comments from his hearing. The gossip mills had already associated him with Lady Elizabeth, so he was being tormented by the attention of well-wishers who were unable to hide their interest. Several were unabashed in their inquiries, expecting to be rewarded with exclusive information about the Shelton ladies and their inheritance. The whispers included speculation about the gentleman who had been their guardian for these last 20 years. Darcy inwardly sighed because he knew the gossip would become even more intense after the interval when the fashionably late appeared and insinuated themselves into the delicious conversations.

Nervous as he usually was in public, Darcy was especially intimidated this evening. It was made no better by the appearance of Elizabeth. He rushed to her side, determined to swiftly secrete her in his box. He watched her protectively as, in her innocent inquisitiveness, she surveyed the people of fashion who filled the room, craning their necks to see who was attending and with whom. Her face was flushed with excitement.

The entire theatre was watching the booth of Fitzwilliam Darcy for various reasons. Many ladies were jealous that Darcy and Bingley, erstwhile eligible bachelors, were no longer available to their individual prospects of an advantageous marriage. Many gentlemen, particularly those spendthrift nobles and second sons looking for an heiress of good fortune, were jealous that they had no opportunity to capture these well-dowered beauties. Above all, there was simply great curiosity for those who had not previously had a chance to see the Shelton ladies.

At the interval, the gentlemen escorted the ladies to the hall; however, they were not prepared for the onslaught of admirers. Everyone who had
ever
met Darcy or Bingley wanted to be introduced to the mysterious Lady Jane and Lady Elizabeth to garner their good opinions. Those who had the slightest acquaintance with Jane or Elizabeth from their prior times in Town were quite excited to renew the acquaintance and fawn and coo over the ladies’ dresses and their engagements, hoping to leave the evening as a dear friend.

A more welcome well-wisher in the form of Colonel Fitzwilliam joined their party with his parents, Lord and Lady Matlock. When the Matlocks saw the dismayed faces of Darcy’s guests, they suggested retreating to the larger Matlock box to evade the crowd. The girls quickly agreed while Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner excused themselves to take a turn about the lobby to find an acquaintance who was also attending that evening.

Once they had settled the ladies in the Matlock box, Darcy and Bingley left the little group to order some beverages. As he was leaving, Darcy could not help but notice that Colonel Fitzwilliam was already entertaining the others with his easy-going nature. When Elizabeth turned to Darcy with a look of pure adoration, he was abashed by his unreasonable jealousy. The look in her eyes told him that she understood.

Less than pleased at all the notice paid to him, and especially to Elizabeth, Darcy was filled with anxiety as he moved through the crowd. His intention was to pay his respects to others only to the point of not appearing ill mannered, and then to return to Elizabeth. He hoped that his austere expression would warn off anyone thinking to approach him, but it was not to be; his engagement to one of the Shelton heiresses brought as much attention to him as it did to the ladies. Although aloof behaviour was expected of Darcy, the attention was overwhelming, so only his closest friends escaped the abrupt responses given to others’ attempts to voice their regards and wish him happiness on his recent betrothal.

But as much as Darcy’s intention was to rush off with the minimum of courtesy, he was accompanied by his congenial friend. Bingley, being Bingley, whenever someone wanted to converse with him, would stop to be all that was welcoming and gregarious. When Bingley saw Colonel and Mrs. Forster, whom he had met when at Netherfield, he greeted them with enthusiasm.

“Colonel Forster, Mrs. Forster, how nice to see you once again,” said Bingley, making his bow with typical ease and cheerfulness. A moment later, Darcy joined the group and bowed formally.

“Likewise, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy,” Colonel Forster and his wife made their bow and curtsey in response. “Are you well?”

Bingley replied, “Perfectly so, I thank you. And you and Mrs. Forster?”

“We are well. Are you enjoying the performance this evening?”

“Very much so, Colonel, and yourselves?” Bingley asked. “Does your party like the production?”

“Harriet was remarking that it is the best opera we have seen in a long time, though it has been some time since we were last in Town,” Colonel Forster replied, smiling at his young wife. “It was shortly after our marriage, last autumn.”

“Our party agrees with you on the quality of the music and performance. We were all remarking on it,” Bingley replied as Darcy rolled his eyes at Bingley’s audacity to have a prolonged conversation when he was impatient to get back to the ladies.

“I understand that you two gentlemen are soon to be wed?” Mrs. Forster asked.

“Yes, we are to be married in a double ceremony in June.”

“I offer my congratulations to you both!” her husband said. “We are recently wed and cannot recommend it enough.”

“Thank you, Colonel!” Bingley said with a broad smile, and Darcy nodded in affirmation while trying to conquer his irritation. The conversation was, in his mind, long overdue to end. His brow furrowed in consternation, and he twisted his ruby ring in frustration. He decided to break in before Bingley let his affability get out of hand, and made an appropriate transition towards the issue of his concern.

“You have met our betrotheds in Meryton,” Darcy said. “They were then called Miss Jane and Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

“Yes, and I have heard that they are the lost Shelton heiresses.”

“They are indeed!” said Bingley.

Darcy broke in, hoping to avoid another long discussion. “We were about to procure them some refreshments when we met you.” He hoped that by ending the chitchat, he and Bingley could make their excuses and get back to their party.

“We would very much like to give our regards to the ladies if you wouldn’t mind,” said Mrs. Forster. Darcy could not believe the cheek of the woman in her familiarity, but he did remember his good breeding.

“Perhaps Bingley could escort you,” Darcy said brusquely, “and I will find a footman to assist me with the wine.” With the colonel’s nod, he left Bingley to continue his sociable exchange with the Forsters.

***

The Forsters had already made their well wishes and departed by the time Darcy pushed through the crowd and returned to the Matlock box. Several conversations were taking place, and one in particular caught Darcy’s attention: he saw Elizabeth engaged in a discussion with his aunt and uncle, and his mouth curved into a smile. But it was short-lived. The sight of Miss Caroline Bingley speaking with Lady Jane only elevated the gloomy mood he was in as a result of enduring unrelenting well-wishers all evening. He could not tolerate the audacity of the woman to enter, likely uninvited, into a private area reserved for people she did not know to court favour with Jane and Elizabeth. Darcy was perturbed that she would so obviously try to inveigle her way into their circle. As much as he wanted to make his way to Elizabeth while escaping Miss Bingley’s notice, his wishes were in vain.

“Mr. Darcy! How lovely to see you this evening,” she gushed as soon as she realized that he was nearby. Darcy was not at all surprised at her fawning; she had done so ever since Bingley had introduced them many years ago.

“Miss Bingley,” he said formally with a gentlemanly bow.

“May I offer my congratulations on your upcoming nuptials?” Her cloying tone grated on his nerves.

“Thank you, Miss Bingley.”

“I was just remarking to Lady Jane that I missed her dreadfully while she was away,” she said with false sincerity. “When I first heard that she and her sisters were back in Town, I was quite surprised that their cards were not delivered. My brother insisted that the ladies would need to refresh themselves after so much travelling, but I knew that my dear friends would be disappointed if I did not call on them immediately. But it was in vain, and I was forced to leave my card. Lady Jane has kindly informed me that the ladies were out procuring their delightful accessories for this evening.”

In actuality, Miss Bingley had not called on Jane for some weeks as she had been loath to visit Cheapside. Bingley had confided to Darcy his disappointment that, upon hearing of Jane’s improved situation, Miss Bingley was shameless in her efforts to renew the friendship she had previously scorned. She knew it was inappropriate to try to gain access until her card had been acknowledged, but in her vanity, she felt herself above such decorum. It was an assumption Darcy thought typical of Miss Bingley.

“I was beginning to think they were receding into seclusion from their friends due to their newly acquired rank,” she continued cattily. “But Lady Jane assures me that our cards were duly recognised and they will be making calls tomorrow.”

Darcy could not believe his ears—Miss Bingley had all but accused them of evading her. Even though he knew that Jane and Elizabeth would never do such a thing, Darcy secretly wished they would consider shunning Miss Bingley as retribution for her interference in Bingley’s courtship of Lady Jane.

Bingley distracted them by expressing a wish to include Lady Jane in a conversation with Miss Mary and the Gardiners, and she was excused, but not before Miss Bingley chastised her brother for taking away her
dear
friend. Darcy felt punished that he was left alone with Miss Bingley, but also relieved that Lady Jane no longer had to hear Miss Bingley’s ill-bred remarks.

Elizabeth approached the pair, and Darcy knew she had come for his benefit since Miss Bingley was not a favourite of hers. He greeted her with a smile in his eyes that he knew she understood and offered his arm. When she took it, he put his other hand on hers. Oh, that they could steal away to a place where they would be relatively safe from women like Miss Bingley.

“Miss Eliza!” Miss Bingley drawled the words out as she made her curtsey. “I am enchanted to see you again! You do look so well! I am sure you are delighted to be attending the opera this evening. Tell me, what do you think of Mr. Darcy’s box?”

However much she disliked Elizabeth, Caroline Bingley was quite enthusiastic in attempting to attach herself to the heiress to improve her position in society yet not enough to address her by her courtesy title. The omission was likely not an accident.

“She is called
Lady
Elizabeth, Miss Bingley,” Darcy said, appalled by her uncharacteristic behaviour in toadying to Elizabeth, who normally she would have treated with disdain. He felt Elizabeth squeeze his arm ever so slightly, and looking at her, saw subtle amusement in her eyes. He realized she was enjoying the little farce that Miss Bingley was putting on for them.

“My apologies, Lady Elizabeth,” said Miss Bingley. “I had such fond memories of you from Hertfordshire that I quite forgot myself.” There was a decided edge in her voice.

Elizabeth graciously replied to the question, ignoring the slight, “I thank you, Miss Bingley. I am delighted in the views from the box; I am able see the stage perfectly.”

“I have adored attending the opera in Mr. Darcy’s box. It is a spacious box, is it not, Lady Elizabeth?”

“Yes, Miss Bingley, it most surely is. I am quite grateful for it since we are such a large party this evening.”

Miss Bingley was not deterred. She was determined to gain access to the Darcy box and the Shelton heiresses.

“Mr. Darcy is
so
generous to his dear friends. I have seen him extend his hospitality to much larger parties than yours.” The nuance was unmistakeable.

“My betrothed is a charitable host; however, he values his privacy. I am sure he is relieved that his company this evening is family,” said Elizabeth, smiling up at him.

“Indeed. We would have liked to have included the Matlocks, but the situation would have been too crowded,” Darcy said as he proudly regarded his future bride.

“Family is of paramount importance to Charles also. We are overjoyed to soon include your family as part of ours, Lady Elizabeth. Just think of it, we shall be sisters, and Mr. Darcy, you too will be part of our family!” Miss Bingley said. She was proud of her cleverness; however, Darcy was sensible to her motives.

He glanced at Elizabeth and saw by the set of her jaw and her tight smile that her amusement was turning into irritation. Seeing that their well-mannered responses had not deterred Miss Bingley from her purpose, and impatient to get away from her unreserved obsequiousness, Darcy used his most imperious gaze, and holding his tall frame in such a stiff upright posture that he appeared to be looking down his nose, he dismissed her with a few terse words.

“Just so, Miss Bingley,” he said icily.

Without waiting for a reply, he abruptly turned and guided Elizabeth away, leaving Miss Bingley standing alone.

The bells rang to signal a return to seats for the next part of the performance. To her dismay, Caroline Bingley discovered the consequences of her past behaviour. She had just been cut by Mr. Darcy.