Page 19 of Knowing Mr. Darcy
Caroline turned to look at her. “Well, she is admirable.”
“I was observing to Mr. Darcy how much you have sung her praises,” said Jane with a smile. “I must say, it makes me curious to meet her. Mr. Darcy himself is so very admirable himself, I cannot but think his sister must be so as well.”
“Meet her?” said Caroline, looking severely at Darcy. “You have offered some meeting between your sister and Miss Bennet?”
“Oh, no,” said Jane, laughing self-deprecatingly. “I did not mean to imply I ever would meet Miss Darcy. Likely, I never shall. Why, I don’t know how long your family will even be settled here at Netherfield. Mr. Bingley says he could be dislodged from Netherfield in a moment—”
“What?” said Bingley. “That’s not what I said. I said I was to be here a hundred years.”
“Oh,” said Jane. “I must have gotten it all wrong, then. I am sorry. But I am glad to hear it, I must say, for we have quite enjoyed the company of you and yours since you have been in the neighborhood.”
“Yes, most certainly you have,” said Caroline, walking away from Mr. Darcy. She approached Jane, her chin high. “You have enjoyed it ever so much, have you not?”
Jane furrowed her brow. “I have just said so.” She was wary, sensing something angry in Caroline’s mien, but unable to place it, clearly.
“Miss Bingley,” said Mr. Darcy in a low voice. “Perhaps you might let Miss Bennet read her book and spend more time commenting on my letter. If you like, you could comment on my handwriting or how well I blot out any mistakes I might make.”
Caroline’s nostrils flared. “I was not aware, Mr. Darcy, that my kindness toward you was so repulsive.”
“I never said it was repulsive,” said Mr. Darcy.
“Come now, Caroline,” said Mr. Bingley, “you have been pestering him for upwards of twenty minutes now. Let the man write his letter and be silent.”
Caroline’s face twitched. She turned to Jane. “And you, you sit there, all wide-eyed, as if you have no idea what is going on.”
“Ihaven’tany idea,” said Jane. “I own that it perhaps it was not the most wise decision for me to come here to be with Elizabeth—”
“No, I have said again and again that you must be here for your ailing sister,” said Mr. Bingley. “And Caroline has truly no reason to find fault with your presence. Why, we are all cheered by a bit of company, I say. We are all sick to death of each other. We are quite pleased to have you here, Miss Bennet.”
Jane smiled at him. “Thank you for saying so, sir.”
Caroline threw up her hands. “I cannot bear this.”
“Bear what?” said Bingley.
“It’s my fault,” said Mr. Darcy. He got up from his letter. “Perhaps, Caroline, you and I should step into the corner over there for just a moment? I feel as though I have allowed you to labor under an assumption that I should have cleared up a long time ago.”
“What assumption?” Caroline put her hands on her hips.
“Well, for your sake, madam, I would not say it while everyone is looking at us.”
For, of course, they now had the full attention of the entire gathered company. Even Mr. Hurst looked entertained, and he didn’t like anything except cards.
“Everyone is always looking at us, though,” said Caroline. “It is as Charles says and we are all sick of each other and know everything about each other, and there is no reason to hide anything. Say whatever it is you wish to say, Mr. Darcy. Out with it.”
He should have demurred. It was cruel. But he was agitated, and it was so awful, looking at them, the sweet, innocent beauty of Jane Bennet and the absolute crass artifice of Caroline Bingley, and he didn’t demur. He spoke. “You seem to have gotten an impression of me, Miss Bingley, an impression of my intentions.”
She lifted her chin. “You mean your intentions towardMiss Bennet, because—”
“My intentions towards you,” he said.
Her expression froze.
“I’ve never had any,” he said.
She was still frozen, entirely still.
He regretted it. He wished he could take it back, not make it so public, or so stark, or so mean-spirited. He started towards her, his voice lowering. “No, no, I shouldn’t have… we have been friends, Miss Bingley, we have laughed together so many times, and I should have seen it earlier, but I am remarkably—”
