Page 66 of A Most Favourable Match

“Good evening, Miss Bingley,” Elizabeth interrupted. “What a pleasant surprise. I did not think to see you in Hertfordshire again so soon.”

Miss Bingley looked crossly at her, but then forced a smile and an unenthusiastic curtsy as Mr Darcy slipped away towards the refreshment room. “Miss Elizabeth Bennet. How very relaxed you look tonight,” she said, her eyes sweeping over Elizabeth’s mildly disordered hair with a patronising air. “That green dress becomes you. I think so every time I see you wear it… Sometimes I wish I did not have such a strict eye for the details of my appearance, but sadly, I was raised otherwise.”

Elizabeth only laughed at this collection of mild barbs, none of which stung her in the slightest. She knew that her curly hair was escaping its pins and that her favourite green dress had been worn to many more dances and parties in London and Hertfordshire than the fashionable crowd would countenance.

It was pleasant enough to wear beautiful gowns and look pretty, and Elizabeth found neither virtue nor inspiration in Mary’s lack of interest in looks and dress. Still, she understood that while dressing well was only a game to her, it was deadly serious to Miss Caroline Bingley.

“I am sure I cannot hold a candle to Jane tonight,” Elizabeth replied affably. “Nor to you, Miss Bingley. What a fine blue silk you are wearing.”

“The material and design came from Paris,” Caroline Bingley preened herself, holding up her skirt a little. “I had it made up in London for this Season, although I only wore it once before now. Madame Deschanel is the most skilled modiste of theton…”

Elizabeth planned to allow Miss Bingley to talk about herself for a minute or two and then return to her seat, where Mr Darcy would hopefully find her with the lemonade. Her plans were sent awry a moment later as several things happened in quick succession, all beyond Elizabeth’s control.

“Miss Bingley, I wonder if you remember me?” a man’s voice said pleasantly as Mr Wickham raised his head from a bow and bestowed a broad smile on the two ladies. “I am Lieutenant George Wickham, presently of the local militia and formerly of Pemberley inDerbyshire. Miss Elizabeth Bennet I know, of course.”

“Good evening,” Miss Bingley answered coolly. “You are the son of old Mr Darcy’s steward, aren’t you, Mr Wickham?”

It might have been a mere statement of fact from other lips, but was definitely intended as an insult from Caroline Bingley. Still, Mr Wickham kept his smile fixed on his face. When his eyes flickered to Elizabeth, she felt no urge to help him, and even thought to abandon her companions to the dubious pleasure of one another’s company.

“Yes, my father and I had the honour of old Mr Darcy’s patronage, Miss Bingley, although that was all very long ago. I wonder if I might ask —”

“How interesting,” Miss Bingley neatly cut him off, looking down her well-shaped nose and then turning her back as she cast about the room for companions of superior rank and settled on her brother and Miss Darcy nearby. “Charles?”

Miss Bingley’s snub to George Wickham made Elizabeth smile secretly to herself. It seemed Mr Bingley would still be well-protected from Mr Wickham’s ‘friendship’ after the Darcy siblings were gone.

“Charles!” Miss Bingley called again impatiently, but received no reply.

Charles Bingley’s eyes were fixed on someone else crossing the room towards them, a graceful figure in a white muslin dress, surrounded by three other ladies. At first Elizabeth thought that Jane’s glowing smile was for her, but then realised she was mistaken.

“Miss Bennet, might I escort you to the refreshment room for some supper?” Mr Bingley asked, stepping forward as soon as the Bennet ladies were within range.

“I should like that,” Jane said straight away. “I am feeling hungry, Mr Bingley. Thank you.”

Behind her, Lydia and Kitty giggled, perhaps also having now stumbled on the truth that Elizabeth had only recently encompassed. Mrs Bennet glared at them, still unaware of what was playing out before her eyes.

“Miss Bingley, would you care for some refreshment?” George Wickham tried once more to endear himself to Caroline Bingley.

“I do not eat at these kind of events,” the young woman retorted, and walked away briskly towards Lady Lucas in the far corner.

“Is that a London fashion?” Mrs Bennet asked Elizabeth. “Miss Bingley does have a fine figure, don’t you think?”

Elizabeth did not reply. With the departure of both Bingleys, Georgiana Darcy had been left standing alone and. Although Elizabeth had smiled at her encouragingly, and Miss Darcy had returned her smile, the girl now seemed frozen to the spot, her face a mask of horror.

Following Miss Darcy’s line of sight, Elizabeth realised she was staring at George Wickham. Her stomach dropped as she remembered the contents of Mr Darcy’s letter and realised that Miss Darcy was likely seeing him for the first time since the cruel romanticdeception he had practiced on her.

Ignoring everyone else, Elizabeth marched up to the girl and took her unresisting arm. “Let us go to the retiring rooms and tidy our hair, Miss Darcy. I know mine is in a state, and some of your pins are loose.”

She guided Miss Darcy from the room and kept a firm hold on her shaking arm until they reached the smaller of the two retiring rooms. There, the girl finally let out a sob and covered her face with her hands while Elizabeth attempted to soothe her.

“There, take some deep breaths and sit on this chair. You will be well presently.”

“You must think me mad, Miss Elizabeth,” Miss Darcy whispered after she had caught her breath again, dabbed away her stray tears and splashed some cold water on her face. “It was only a silly shock. I had not seen him…George Wickham… since…since…”

“You need not say anything more if you do not wish it. Your brother has made me aware that Mr Wickham is not a man to be trusted, especially around young girls.”

“Fitzwilliam told you? He told you about what happened in Ramsgate?”

Miss Darcy sounded incredulous, and Elizabeth hoped that her admission was not going to cause bad feeling between brother and sister. “Yes. Mr Darcy confided that story to me, along with others showing Mr Wickham’s true character. No one else knows but Jane, and you may trust both of us. Please do not be angry at your brother for telling me. I am sure his reasons weregood.”