Page 99 of Shields and Roses

"It seems likely," Darcy said. "I think Richard may also be having words with his contacts at the war office among his other errands in town. He was already acquainted with the investigator who came to see if a court-martial was warranted."

"Good. Good. Well, I had best collect my wife. It looks like we are being called to dinner. I will want to talk with you more after." He bowed and headed off to take his wife in. Bennet looked at Darcy and Lizzy standing together, started to offer his daughter his arm in a very deliberate and formal manner and then winked at Darcy before walking away with a smirk on his face.

"May I escort you in, Miss Elizabeth," Darcy said, trying to ignore the amusement her father was having at his expense.

As she accepted his arm, she directed his attention to Sir Phillip, who now had Kitty on one arm and Miss Bingley clinging to the other. "I must say, Miss Bingley is persistent," she whispered.

"You have no idea," Darcy muttered.

~o~

The comedy continued through dinner. Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Phillips tried to convince Miss Bingley to sit with them so they could ask her about her modiste and all her favorite places to shop in London. Instead, Miss Bingley quickly took a seat on one side of Sir Phillip and suggested that conversation could wait until the separation from the gentlemen after dinner. Bennet graciously thanked her on behalf of all the gentlemen present, upon which Mrs. Bennet let the matter of seating stand as it was.

As the first course was served, the conversation remained confined to the natural small groupings. Mrs. Bennet held court at her end of the table with Mrs. Phillips. Bingley had brought in Mrs. de Bourgh, who sat at Mrs. Bennet's other side, and Jane. He sat between them and happily conversed with both as well as answering questions from his hostess and her sister from time to time. Darcy had brought in Lydia along with Lizzy, who was now seated next to her father as well. Mr. Phillips was between his wife and Miss Bingley, who ignored the older man as she continued to try and draw the attention of Sir Phillip from Kitty, who sat on his other side between him and her father.

Darcy spoke of Georgiana and of growing up at Pemberley with both Lydia and Lizzy. As he did, he tried not to be too distracted watching Sir Phillip have to turn away from Kitty again and again to politely reply to comments and questions from Miss Bingley. A few times he looked to Bennet and saw that the man was thoroughly enjoying the situation. In addition to his occasional comments on the conversation Darcy and his partners were having, Bennet sometimes drew Kitty's attention just so that Miss Bingley would have an opportunity to attack Sir Phillip yet again.

The younger man proved adept at answering politely without encouraging any detailed response, impressing Darcy, who knew he would not have done as well in Sir Phillip's place. Despite the lack of encouragement, Miss Bingley persevered. She brought up multiple topics and told stories about the events she had attended in London that were clearly intended to show how sheltered and unsophisticated Kitty was. She tried to counter Mrs. Bennet's earlier comments about the importance of a governess by mentioning the select seminary she and her sister had attended as girls. Darcy felt sorry for her, because it was clear she had indeed grown more desperate with age. Her attempts to win him over had never been so clumsy or obvious.

After the ladies withdrew, he asked Bingley a question that grown in his mind while watching Miss Bingley's performance. "Bingley, your sister's dowry is secured for her even if she does not marry, is it not?"

Accepting the glass of port he had just been offered, Bingley turned to his friend curiously. "Of course, it is," he said. "Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering why she suddenly appears so very desperate to find a husband. I have never seen her quite this relentless and predatory before. The most obvious conclusion is that she fears that when you marry, she will lose her financial support."

"Oh, I see what you are getting at. No, although I control the dispersal of her dowry principle for now, it is hers whether she marries or not. She receives the income from it while she is single, and the principle becomes hers to manage as well if she has not married by the time she reaches twenty-five. We have never spoken about what will happen when I marry, but surely she knows I would never just throw her out to make her own way in the world."

"That may be obvious to you, young man," Mr. Phillips said, "but I expect it is less so to her. Are you planning to marry soon?"

Bingley turned red to his ear tips at the question. He looked to Bennet for guidance on how to answer.

"We are not telling my wife or yours just yet, but he is officially courting Mary," Bennet said with a smirk. "I thought it best to hold the news until Mary is home to deal with her mother's effusions."

"Her aunt's as well, I would say," said Phillips with a smile. "Very wise. And congratulations to you, Mr. Bingley. You have my secrecy. I take it your father is no longer living?"

"Neither parent," Bingley replied, "We are orphans."

"Ah, then it is understandable she might feel very nervous at the thought of your upcoming marriage, for I assume she knows your intent, especially if you have not discussed what arrangements would be made for her."

Nodding, Bennet added, "You must also remember, Mr. Bingley, that society places great emphasis on the need for every woman to marry as quickly and advantageously as she can, even when it might be more financially beneficial for her to remain single."

"Definitely," Darcy said. "She may also be worried because, as unfair as it may be, if she is set up in her own household upon your marriage, she will be classed as a spinster among the members of the Ton. This will make her a less desirable partner even if nothing about her or her prospects has actually changed."

Bingley shook his head. "I just assumed everything would work itself out," he said. "I suppose this means I need to have a serious talk with my sister, difficult though that may be."

"The sooner, the better, judging by her behavior this evening," Mr. Phillips said. "But what about you, Mr. Darcy? You appear very pleased with our Lizzy's company, and she seems likewise by yours. Is there other news that has not been shared with her mother?"

Darcy blushed slightly, but answered honestly, "Nothing that can be considered official, much to my disappointment. I am sure you know of my earlier offenses towards her. Although we are on good footing now, she needs some time to become better acquainted before she agrees to either courtship or marriage."

"Oh, I think that official announcement may come sooner than you now think," Bennet said, "although I hate to lose her to you." He paused before continuing, "To lose any of them, for that matter. I can hardly think where the time has gone. It seems just yesterday they were all infants and now they are nearly grown up, getting ready to marry and, soon enough, have children of their own."

He rubbed at one eye before saying more lightly, "You young men had best watch yourselves. You will have a father's curse upon your head if you make any of my daughters unhappy."

"Yes, sir," the three younger men said in unison, prompting all five of them to laughter. After that, the conversation turned to more mundane matters as they discussed estates and education, generally getting to know one another better.

~o~

When they joined the ladies in the music room for some after-dinner entertainment, Miss Bingley began her quest to gain Sir Phillip's attention once again. She volunteered to play for the company, doing so in a technically perfect manner, although her performance lacked something in the way of a nuanced delivery that would have made it more compelling. After the applause, she prodded Kitty to perform as well, clearly hoping to look even better by comparison.