3. Chapter 3

Upon their first visit to Netherfield, the Bennet ladies were introduced to Miss Darcy, the younger sister of Mr Darcy. She was fifteen, and not yet out. Lydia and Kitty decided she was dreadfully dull within moments of making her acquaintance, and paid her no more attention. Mary was more disposed to liking her, as she had heard the Netherfield ladies praise her accomplishments on the pianoforte, and Miss Darcy had responded with appropriate modesty.

Jane and Elizabeth recognised her silence as what it was - proof of her being a shy, timid girl. Elizabeth was convinced her manners were quite the opposite of Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst, and was almost as eager to know her better as she was to sketch her brother’s character. Miss Darcy’s not being out precluded her attendance at many social engagements, however, and she was not with Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst when they returned their visit to Longbourn.

“Dear Miss Darcy, she so wished to come, but she was occupied with her niece,” Mrs Hurst had explained. Elizabeth rather suspected the thought of an afternoon at Longbourn had overwhelmed the girl. Kitty and Lydia thundered past the door, and she admitted that it would be a reasonable assumption.

“Miss Julia Darcy?” Elizabeth asked.

“Yes. She is such a delightful child,” Miss Bingley had effused, but even her enthusiasm for the daughter of Mr Darcy (whom Elizabeth had noticed Miss Bingley paid particular attention to) had an air of false sincerity. “And Mr Darcy quite dotes upon her. She is young yet, but I daresay she will grow to be as accomplished as her dear aunt.”

It was quite by chance that Elizabeth was given an opportunity to become more acquainted with the Darcy family. Jane had been invited to dine at Netherfield, as the men were to be absent. She had accepted, and proceeded on horseback as part of a scheme of her mother’s, undertaken in light of threatened rain. Rain it did, most unfortunately, before Jane made it to Netherfield. Much to her mother’s delight, she was obliged to spend the night at Netherfield. However, as a consequence of her ride in the rain the previous day, she developed a cold overnight. Elizabeth, concerned for her sister, set out for Netherfield soon after hearing of her illness.

Netherfield was three miles from Longbourn, but Elizabeth was quite accustomed to long walks. She arrived, somewhat dishevelled, but bright-cheeked and eager to see her sister. She was brought first to the breakfast room, where she met with the astonished faces of all but Jane. The only persons who greeted her with any warmth were Mr Bingley, and, to her surprise, Miss Darcy, though she was not as forward as her host.

“I called to see her this morning,” Miss Darcy said in a timid voice. “She is up, but I believe feverish, and not well enough to leave her room. I do not think she slept much.”

Elizabeth thanked Miss Darcy, and asked to be shown to her sister’s room. Miss Darcy immediately offered to take her there, as she had finished her meal, though she looked nervous as she stood.

“Thank you, Miss Darcy,” Elizabeth repeated. She noticed that the young lady was nervous, and also concerned, as they made their way through the house.

“It is not an inconvenience,” she told Elizabeth, “I had planned on calling to see her as soon as I had breakfasted.”

Elizabeth smiled. The girl’s quiet, serene nature would of course complement Jane’s. She assumed they must have bonded the night before. “It is gratifying to know my sister has such a friend,” she said.

Miss Darcy smiled slightly. “I had the opportunity to speak with her last evening. She is a sweet lady.”

“She is, the best of sisters,” Elizabeth said. “I am prodigiously lucky.”

“I always wished for a sister,” Miss Darcy said.

“I believe that had you been blessed with four of them, you would think quite differently,” Elizabeth teased. “Though, had I ten sisters with Jane’s character, I believe I should not mind. I fear my mother’s nerves would disagree, however.”

Miss Darcy smiled. “I believe Miss Bennet is also lucky to have a sister who shows her such affection. Here is her room. I shall leave you to your sister.”

They parted; Elizabeth to care for her sister, who was indeed very happy to see her, and Miss Darcy to return to face her hosts.

*****

Jane was not at all well, and Elizabeth spent most of the morning engaged in caring for her. When it came time for her to leave, Jane looked distressed at the thought, and Miss Bingley was reluctantly forced to invite Elizabeth to stay. She accepted, happy to be able to continue to care for Jane, and sent to Longbourn for her things.

Elizabeth was shown to her room to dress for dinner as soon as they arrived. She was glad to have been placed in a room near Jane’s. She expected to spend the night in Jane’s room, and if truth be told, she would rather forgo the trip downstairs altogether. She was concerned for her sister, and not even the chance to further sketch Mr Darcy’s character made the prospect more pleasant.

She bustled around the room, getting her things together. She walked around the bed, and paused. Something was protruding from beneath the bed - a tiny slippered foot. She presumed it to belong to the young Miss Darcy, as she knew of no other children in the house. It must be some game that she was playing with her nursemaids. She wondered what it would be like, growing up without any siblings. She had always had Jane to play with when she was younger, though she had not joined Lizzy in her more adventurous games. Neither had Mary when she came along, she had always been a serious child.

She smiled to herself as she moved as quietly as she could to the other side of the bed, crouching down quickly and pulling up the valance. She had intended to startle the girl, but she was perhaps a little too eager, as Miss Darcy let out a shriek. She was small, with a head of dark curls, and looked out at Lizzy with wide, startled eyes that looked very familiar - she was quite like her father.

“Oh! I am terribly sorry,” Elizabeth said. “I did not mean to frighten you; I only wished to discover what game you are playing. My name is Elizabeth Bennet, and I am visiting here with my sister.”

The girl swallowed, and moved forward slightly. “Miss Bennet is your sister?”

Elizabeth nodded.

The girl seemed to be gaining confidence by the second. “She is very pretty. Almost as pretty as Aunt Georgie.”

Elizabeth smiled. “They are indeed both very handsome ladies.”

Before the girl could reply, the door burst open. Lizzy turned around, expecting to reassure some nursemaid that her charge was perfectly fine (if a little dusty), but to her surprise, Mr Darcy entered her room. She scrambled to her feet, cheeks flushing.

“Miss Bennet,” he said, stepping back over the threshold into the hallway immediately. “Forgive me, I did not - I thought this room unoccupied. Forgive me.”

“Half an hour ago, it was,” she said, in an attempt to put both him and herself at ease. It did not seem to work very well on either account. She swallowed. “I believe you have mislaid something, sir,” she said, smiling slightly.

He blinked, and his eyes travelled around the room, Elizabeth glanced pointedly at the bed, where the valance was still raised slightly. It dropped before their eyes.

“Indeed, I have,” Mr Darcy replied. “Could you be of service to me, and search your room?” His tone was serious, but Elizabeth could see the corners of his lips twitching into a smile. It surprised her; she had somewhat expected him to be a strict, no-nonsense parent.

“Of course, Sir,” she said. “But it would help if I knew what I was searching for. Could you describe to me the item you have misplaced?”

“Certainly, it is around two feet in height, has dark hair, and I would imagine by now, a very grubby smock,” Mr Darcy said. Elizabeth heard an unmistakeable giggle from under the bed, and found it hard to suppress a laugh of her own. She smiled at Mr Darcy, who smiled back warmly.

“Well,” she said. “I have certainly not seen anything of that kind today, but I shall search my trunk,” she said. She made a show of opening and closing the lid noisily, then sighed. “No, I am afraid I cannot find what you are looking for, Mr Darcy. I am sorry.”

“Thank you for taking the time to search. I shall not keep you any longer,” he said. But before he could step back from the door, Miss Darcy crawled from under the bed, laughing.

“I am here, Papa!” she cried. “I was here all along, and Miss Bennet knew!”

Darcy looked at her, playing surprised. “Is that so? Miss Bennet, you were part of this trickery?” he accused, but his look was playful.

Elizabeth nodded. “I am afraid I was,” she admitted gravely. “I could not reveal her hiding place without her permission. I am sorry, Sir.”

“As we invaded your chamber for this game, I shall have to forgive you, if you will forgive us.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Of course.”

“Julia, apologise to Miss Bennet,” he instructed his daughter.

Julia looked up at her. “I am sorry, Miss Bennet. It was a very good hiding place.”

“Indeed it was,” she agreed. “I am sorry to deprive you of it.”

“It is for the best,” her father said. “You know we are not at Pemberley, Julia. You cannot run free here as you do at home.”

Julia hung her head. “Yes, Papa. But it is so dull here! Aunt Georgie just sits with Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst, and when I join them, they tell me over and over how I must be a good girl for you and practice all of my ‘complishments. I am a good girl, am I not?” she asked, looking up at her father.

Her father smiled fondly, a full smile, and Elizabeth was taken aback by its warmth and sincerity. He clearly held his daughter in great affection. “Indeed you are,” he assured her. “And you need not worry about accomplishments quite yet. But you must return to the nursery, for Nurse Sally is most concerned.”

She nodded, and without prompting, turned and curtseyed carefully. “Good day, Miss Elizabeth.”

“Good day, Miss Julia,” she replied warmly, returning the curtsey. The girl left, and Elizabeth could hear her feet echo down the hall.

“Once again, I apologise for the intrusion, Miss Bennet,” Mr Darcy said.

Elizabeth shook her head. “There is no need,” she assured him. “I am honoured to have met Miss Darcy. She is a darling child.”

Darcy smiled. “Thank you,” he said. He paused, and for a moment there was a rather awkward silence. “I will leave you now,” he said. He bowed, and she curtseyed to him. With one last smile, he reached for the door and closed it before he left.

Elizabeth was further puzzled by this new side to him, but had not long to dwell on the mystery, for she would need to hurry if she was not to be late to dinner.

*****

Elizabeth dined with the party, but departed directly after to care for her sister further. The door had scarcely shut behind her before Miss Bingley began to disapprove of her manners, style, beauty, taste and conversation. Georgiana grew increasingly irritated with every criticism Miss Bingley made. They turned their attentions to Miss Elizabeth’s appearance earlier that day, and abused her freely. Georgiana’s brow furrowed as she listened to the sisters’ words. She looked almost as affronted as Mr Bingley, who did his best to defend Miss Elizabeth.

Georgiana nodded, but was unable to voice her agreement before Miss Bingley addressed her brother, who had remained silent through the entire exchange.

"You observed it, Mr. Darcy, I am sure. And I am inclined to think that you would not wish to see your sister make such an exhibition."

“But I would,” Georgiana asserted, before her brother could reply. All eyes flew to her, and she began to feel self-conscious, but was determined she would continue. “If you were ill, Brother, or Julia, or if - if I should have a sister who took ill in a house full of strangers, I would be eager to attend them, and the manner in which I arrived there would not concern me.”

Darcy smiled. “I am flattered for your concern, Georgiana, but such a course of action will not be necessary,” he assured her.

Georgiana returned his smile.

Caroline looked astonished. “Yes, dear Georgiana, you do not understand how shocking it is. For a lady to walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is, above her ankles in dirt, and alone, quite alone! It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum."

"It shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing," said Bingley.

Georgiana nodded her agreement. “I should think anyone who had a sibling would see it as such,” she pronounced. Miss Bingley was thus placed in the unenviable position of either contradicting Miss Darcy, or admitting that she approved of Miss Elizabeth’s actions.

She chose instead to take a different approach. She leaned in to Mr Darcy, and said in a half-whisper. “I am afraid, Mr. Darcy, that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes."

"Not at all," he replied; "they were brightened by the exercise." A short pause followed this speech, during which Georgiana was astonished by the implication that her brother had admired something about Miss Elizabeth. She watched him a moment, barely listening to Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley turn their attention to the Bennet family’s relations in trade. In truth, she was astounded by the sisters’ cruelty. She had always known their attentions to her were not entirely genuine, but to hear them being so openly cruel about a woman whom had done nothing to wrong them - apart from perhaps possessing what her brother thought to be fine eyes - infuriated her. She had no desire to spend the rest of the evening with them, and indeed wished that she were back in London or Pemberley, and far away from such cruel creatures.