Page 82 of Roses from Pemberley
“So you were socialising with the likes of Miss de Bourgh, Lady Diana and Mr. Darcy, eh, Eliza? How very convenient for you.”
“Convenient? What do you mean?”
“I mean, since you do not move in the same circles, it was fortunate that you happened to visit your parson of a cousin while Mr. Darcy was there.”
“I was not visiting my cousin, Miss Bingley, but his wife.”
Miss Bingley gave a dismissive gesture and said, “It really does not make a difference whom you were visiting. Only that your visit coincidedfortuitouslywith Mr. Darcy’s.”
“Yes,” murmured Elizabeth, suddenly thinking of Darcy’s proposal, “I suppose it was fortuitous.”
“And you, Miss Bingley?” asked Diana, now looking at Miss Bingley with unfeigned animosity. “How came you to be here? As your brother says, he never informed you of his presence at Netherfield.”
“It was a friend of mine, Miss Simkins, who informed me. You are familiar with Miss Simkins, are you not?”
Diana shrugged, apparently not choosing to answer her question. “And how, pray, did Miss Simkins find out about Mr. Bingley’s being here?”
Caroline’s usually pale face began to turn a little pink. “It was, ah…not actually my brother’s presence that she told me of but his…guests.”
“Miss Simkins found out about some…guestsyour brother was to have at Netherfield?” asked Diana with cold precision. And Elizabeth was almost reminded of a barrister at court, questioning a witness. “Anyguestsin particular?”
Miss Bingley was silent for a few seconds before finally admitting, “She had heard that your family was coming here at the request of Mr. Darcy.”
“Oh! I see,” said Diana, her expression softening.
Miss Bingley seemed to sense a reprieve and relaxed somewhat.
But then Diana asked, “But where would she hear such a thing? For we never told anyone about it.”
Miss Bingley’s eyes grew wide, and Elizabeth noticed that more and more of the guests were looking at her.
“What was that?” asked Lady Catherine, whose voice suddenly rang out from across the room. “What was it you asked Miss Bingley, Diana?”
“I was just asking Miss Bingley how she heard that my family was coming to Netherfield at the behest of Mr. Darcy. Or rather how her friend, Miss Simkins, heard.”
“Is that why you came to Netherfield, Caroline?” asked Bingley. “Because you knew that Darcy and the Matlocks would be here?”
Miss Bingley stared at her brother for a while, then looked away from him. Eventually, her gaze landed on Diana and she said, “Miss Simkins was in front of your house…in London…”
“Yes? And?”
“And I suppose she overheard your coachman speaking to your footman about it. She paid a call on me later that day - today, I mean - and told me.”
Everyone stared at her until Jane - all goodness that she was - said, “Was that not kind of your sister, Charles, to come when she did as soon as she discovered that you were in want of a hostess?”
Bingley, who had been looking sternly at his sister, now turned to Jane, his expression softening. “You could look at it that way, I suppose.”
Elizabeth exhaled, thankful that a possibly calamitous scene had been averted by her sister. Her eyes met Darcy’s who now came forward to stand beside her. She was so thankful, at that moment, for his presence in her life, that she could not help but lightly brush her fingertips against his. They shared a smile.
Unfortunately, Miss Bingley seemed to notice this, for she now looked even more hostile than before. And Elizabeth had a strange feeling that a dam was about to burst. She stifled a grimace and hoped it would not be as bad as she thought. It was worse.
“Do you not see,” said Miss Bingley in a loud voice, addressing herself once more to Diana, “how coarse your supposed new friends can be? How forward the two eldest are - Miss Bennet for calling my brother by his given name and Miss Eliza for throwing herself at your cousin?”
Mrs Bennet gasped while Kitty and Mary looked on with stricken faces.
But Miss Bingley was not done. “Indeed, look at them! Notice their drab attire despite being in such elevated company. Even my own travelling clothes are more appropriate for such an event. And they probably did not even inform you of their ties to trade - that they have an uncle who lives in Cheapside.” Sheturned slowly around apparently to ensure that everyone heard. “And, if that was not bad enough, their youngest sister has lately run off with the son of Mr. Darcy’s steward!”
Everyone stared at her in stunned silence. Even Lady Catherine who was sitting next to Mrs. Bennet could not find any words. The Matlocks on the other hand (who were sitting with Mr. Gardiner and the Philipses) both looked on with disgust. And Charles, who had been inching closer and closer to his sister, came forward and began to pull at her. Was he trying to bodily remove her from this company? But it was Darcy who finally spoke.
