Page 49 of Miss Bingley’s Return

“Yet her influence permeates everything.”

“You suppose she will dictate her daughter’s behavior from afar?”

“Yes, I do suppose it,” replied Miss Bingley. “You did not see her in Hertfordshire when I returned to invite Miss Bennet to London, Mr. Darcy. The woman was salivating at the notion that I supported Charles’s interest.”

Darcy thought about ending her assumptions, but one thought kept him from speaking. If he should open her eyes to the truth of Miss Bennet’s reservations, she would redouble her efforts. Darcy would not burden Miss Bennet any more than she already was.

“I can say nothing about Miss Bennet’s mind on this subject,” said Darcy at length. “What I can say is that my opinion of her is much improved since she came to London. There is something intrinsically good about her that is uncommon.”

“Of course,” said Miss Bingley, her eyes now fixed on Miss Bennet. “Jane is an excellent woman and will make a fine sister.”

Thereafter, Miss Bingley excused herself and made her way across the room to where Miss Bennet stood with Harrington. Within moments, Harrington retreated, and she stood in a group again with Bingley a part of it. Bingley regarded his sister with exasperation, but nothing seemed to pierce her self-satisfaction. A moment later, Miss Elizabeth approached him.

“That is most diverting, Mr. Darcy,” said she, her arch manner drawing Darcy ever closer into her orbit. “She is not as insistent as she was only a few days ago, but she will not allow Jane to speak long with Mr. Harrington.”

Darcy considered this. “Perhaps I should suggest to Harrington that his interest would be better expressed if he were to visit Gracechurch Street.”

Though she stifled a laugh, Miss Elizabeth gave her agreement. “But only when Mr. and Miss Bingley are not visiting.”

Miss Elizabeth turned to him. “Did you know that Mrs. Hurst is far more pragmatic about this affair than her sister?”

“To own the truth, I have spoken with her on the subject,” replied Darcy. “Yet your comment suggests knowledge that I do not possess.”

“Mrs. Hurst approached me after she spoke to my sister,” said she. “Though she was quite circumspect, she does not expect Mr. Bingley to succeed with my sister.”

After a moment considering this, Darcy ventured: “Mrs. Hurst must know about Miss Whitcombe.”

“She must,” agreed Miss Elizabeth. “Mrs. Hurst expects Mr. Bingley to turn again to Miss Whitcombe—she may not welcome it, but she is more realistic than her sister and knows they may not have the ability to guide him.”

“And they would be correct,” replied Darcy. “Bingley is stubborn enough to go his own way if he feels strongly enough. The choice of a wife is the most consequential a man must make—Bingley will not cede that right to his sisters.”

“I am happy for Mr. Bingley. That is the way it should be.”

Darcy nodded. “Shall we not discuss something else?”

“Of course, Mr. Darcy,” replied she, and Darcy could not help but feel she was eager. “Of what shall we speak?”

The previous pattern repeated several times the rest of the evening. When Miss Bingley saw Darcy together with Miss Elizabeth, she returned, and Miss Elizabeth yielded the floor. Then Harrington would approach Miss Bennet, and she would intervene again, situating Miss Bennet by Bingley’s side.

After the second such occurrence, Harrington caught Darcy’s eye from across the room, and they became co-conspirators, each engaging their chosen Bennet sister within moments of Miss Bingley departing. What the woman in question thought of this Darcy could not say, but the sight of her increasing frustration was most diverting. To Darcy, it was the least of what she deserved.

Chapter XII

Over the next several days, the situation unraveled in ways that were not easily visible. Though the night had begun in confidence, Miss Bingley’s exasperation had grown, and by the end, she appeared to understand that matters were not going as she had hoped. Thus, she moved back to the practice of drawing Jane together with Mr. Bingley, insistence replacing guidance.

“Oh, Jane!” she would say. “Come, you must tell Charles what you told me the last time we were together, for he will find it most amusing!”

Then she would guide Jane to Mr. Bingley’s side and stand there, almost like a guard over her charge, ensuring neither could escape. She all but ignored Elizabeth, even if she was standing with Mr. Darcy as she did often.

“Were I to guess,” said Mr. Darcy when Elizabeth commented on it, “I suspect Miss Bingley considers your sister and her brother the priority.”

“That is curious, since she would accomplish the same objective if she enticed you to offer for her.” Elizabeth thought on it for a few moments, then said: “In truth, she would accomplish more if she allowed Mr. Bingley to go his own way and focused on you; Jane is not your level of society.”

“Ah, but you are forgetting an intrinsic part of Miss Bingley’s character,” replied Mr. Darcy.

“And what is that?”

“Her confidence, of course.” The gentleman offered her a bland look, one belied by the twinkle in his eyes. “As she is the superior choice, she considers supplanting you when she chooses the work of a moment.”