Second Glances: A Tale of Less Pride and Prejudice Continues (Tales of Less Pride and Prejudice) (10 page)

“My dear lady,” broke in a surprised Sir James, recalling too late that Miss Bennet had termed one of her parents eccentric, “you mistake me entirely! I am no relation of Lady Catherine’s and bear no messages from Rosings. As far as I know, Master Bennet-Collins remains in fine health. I am a friend of Mr. Darcy’s, and I came hoping to discuss some business with your husband.”

“Mr. Darcy!” Mrs. Bennet’s face turned pale as her building panic redirected towards her second favorite. “Why, he is alright, is he not? Oh my! There has not been a carriage accident, has there?”

“No indeed, ma’am. I carry no ill tidings at all. On the contrary, my business,” he continued, the hint of his usual grin gracing his face, “regards what I hope will be deemed quite pleasant, indeed.” Seeing a vacant look of incomprehension in Mrs. Bennet’s eyes, which were consumed by fear, he become more explicit than he would have liked to be, “I want to speak with M. Bennet about your daughter: Miss Bennet.”

“Kitty?” Mrs. Bennet asked in momentary confusion, pausing just long enough for her to inspect the visitor’s person with greater care than she had previously paid it. Being quite quick in such matters, the truth now dawned upon her. “You are here to speak with Mr. Bennet about Kitty!” she reiterated in delight, and warmly invited Sir James to sit down, exclaiming on what quick work Kitty had made of her time in town. She began to interrogate him while ringing the bell at the same time, demanding both refreshments for the visitor and Mr. Bennet’s instant appearance from a bewildered Hill, all while possessing herself of such details as “Teggington”, “Cornwall”, and “baronetcy”. No more was needed, Sir James perceived, to gain the lady’s blessing, and he inwardly considered how a sensitive and passionate girl must have fared in such hands.

When Mr. Bennet entered the room, his wife rushed up to him in eager frenzy. “Mr. Bennet! What took you so long? This is Sir James Stratton, a friend of Mr. Darcy’s, and he wishes to speak to you about my dear, dear Kitty! I knew how it would be if she had a season in London! He has a fine estate in Cornwall, and such a handsome man!”

A quelling look from her husband hushed Mrs. Bennet’s raptures, and Sir James, though rather shocked at the sudden transformation of the excitable lady’s manners, maintained his wits enough to display some appropriate embarrassment at such an introduction. “Mr. Bennet,” he said with a bow. “I was hoping you might spare me a few moments of your time, sir.”

Mr. Bennet had not married three daughters off without learning how to make the most of the highly gratifying spectacle of a young man in love, and he quickly determined that the following encounter should be most diverting. Catching the intelligence behind Sir James’ eyes, he calmly invited him into the library, schooled his features into as unreadable an expression as he could contrive, and asked the gentleman to state his purpose.

“I fear it is all too obvious,” said the suitor, claiming the offered chair. “Your wife is remarkably penetrating.”

Mr. Bennet’s lips betrayed his amusement at this description, unwittingly returning the uncomfortable Sir James to his more accustomed state of confidence. “Penetrating is one word that might be used in her description.”

“Perhaps I should say she is relentless?”

“That is probably doing her a bit more justice,” conceded Mr. Bennet, “but we are not here to analyze my wife’s virtues, are we Sir James?”

“No indeed, sir,” he grinned. “I would far rather discuss Miss Bennet’s.”

“So I gathered. What are they?”

Sir James looked puzzled. “Excuse me, sir?”

“What are Kitty’s virtues?”

Sir James bristled slightly, much to Mr. Bennet’s delight. “As her father, sir, I assume you are well-acquainted with them!”

“Yes, of course I should be, but as parents we are inclined to see our children through the opacity of prejudice. Here you are, presenting yourself as my daughter’s admirer – who better to have made a study of the topic? Please, Sir James. Enlighten me!”

Beginning to realize who indeed it was that Miss Bennet had termed eccentric, Sir James said simply, “She is all that is charming.”

“Come now, young man! You can be more specific than that. So much could be said of half the ladies in the kingdom.”

“Not half the ladies, surely.”

“Well, a third then. What is it about my daughter that has drawn your attention away from them and to herself?”

“I am afraid that she stepped in front of my careening curricle, barely escaping with her life.” Mr. Bennet started at these words, betraying slight alarm, but only raised an eyebrow in response. “She proceeded to tell me off quite thoroughly, and in doing so, impressed herself upon my imagination as the most interesting woman I have ever met.”

“Yours is an odd courtship.”

“You are guilty of understatement, Mr. Bennet.”

“Forgive me if I cannot help but note what is even odder than your making love by courting death, but it does strike me as highly unusual that I have never heard your name spoken until today. I have five daughters, Sir James; they do not embark upon romances without a great deal of racket, I assure you.”

“There lays my problem, sir. May I speak frankly?”

“By all means,” Mr. Bennet replied, concealing his interest as best he could.

“I am an ardent man, sir, and was taken with your daughter immediately upon seeing her. At the time, I never expected to see her again, so you may imagine my surprise when she was introduced to me as Darcy’s sister. He says that I have overwhelmed her, only reinforcing the negative image Miss Bennet has formed of me. I am an honest gentleman, sir, but she will not believe in the endurance of my affections.”

“Perhaps that is due to the very short length of your acquaintance! Let me see if I have this correct, Sir James: you have not proposed to my daughter? Does she even know you are here?”

He shook his head. “When I know my heart, sir, I have a very hard time repressing it. I know my manners fail to conform with fashion, and that is why I spend most of my time away from town. I went there this year at the insistence of my friends, for the sole purpose of finding a wife. By coming here to speak with you, I hope to prove to Miss Bennet the sincerity of my affection.”

“Why not proceed in the usual fashion, courting her and giving her time to get to know you?”

“That is precisely the advice your son imparted, Mr. Bennet, and I did in good faith attempt to restrain myself, but it was in vain. As odd is it may seem, sir, I think Miss Bennet and I actually got along better when I dropped the facade. It was unbelievable, you see, for she had already seen too much of my true nature and would not be deceived.”

“I rather doubt Mr. Darcy advocated for deception,” came the dubious reply.

“Oh, most certainly not,” Sir James laughed, ”but as my presence here attests, I must do things my own way.”

Mr. Bennet began to perceive that he rather liked Kitty’s young man, though he was not yet by any means ready to own the fact. What he did not care for was the manner in which Sir James had sidestepped his daughter’s rightful role in making this introduction, should she have ever wished to, though it was undeniable that the circumstances afforded him a great deal of mirth. While he could sympathize with Sir James’ plight in having to overcome a truly wretched first impression, his coming to Longbourn was terribly highhanded. He wondered if Sir James understood the consequences of his impatience.

“Doing things your own way is not something at which I cavil,” he said sternly, “but you, Sir James, seem more intent on having things your own way. The proprieties which you have thoughtlessly swept aside exist to make a lady in my daughter’s position easy, and you, sir, have undermined that comfort which it should be your sole desire to insure.”

Sir James paled at this rebuke. “I certainly did not intend to do anything of the sort!” he declared sincerely.

“Perhaps not, but now that my wife has heard your name, Sir James, she is not likely to rest until Kitty bears it too. Do you wish to marry a coerced lady?”

“No indeed, sir! I do not!”

“Then it falls to me to inform you that you have created a far more difficult task for yourself by coming here. Rather than easing the path to your goal, you have only crowded it with obstacles. I do not know if my daughter has the resolve required to stand up to her mother’s demands, but of this I am sure: I will not allow her to be harassed into marriage. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Now,” in a softer tone of voice, truly pitying (and amused by) the gentleman, “if you succeed in managing to secure my daughter’s affections, I think I will look with favor on the match. I am not much for convention myself, and I could use an exceptional son-in-law. I have a comic in Mr. Collins, all the amiability I can stomach in Mr. Bingley, and Mr. Darcy has dignity well in hand. You would bring some color to the family, Sir James, and that might just be precisely what we need.”

Sir James regained his shaken composure as he listened to this speech, realizing that his host had enjoyed a bit of fun at his expense, but the doubts he raised would not be dismissed. “I see I have once again “put my foot in it”, as my stable master would say. Am I to receive the blessings I craved only to find them hallow and meaningless, actually detrimental to my cause? Mr. Bennet, there must be a path I might follow to your daughter’s hand! Please, sir, if you have any notion how the thing is to be done, then I beg of you tell me, for I feel a caged starling, and I cannot get out!”

“Nonsense!” Mr. Bennet laughed, no longer able to contain himself. “I never thought I’d see a man as intensely in love as Darcy, but you do have a bad case, my boy! My lord – you have not even known her a week and here you are, begging for my help! And a baronet too! Who would ever have imagined Kitty would bring me such hearty diversion! Yes, I’ll advise you, but you will not like what I have to say, for I agree with the discerning Darcy: give it time! But I’ll do better – I will help you! You are not traveling back to London today?”

Sir James grinned, “Is that an invitation, sir?”

“Why not?” Mr. Bennet shrugged. ”I am sure Mrs. Bennet has already made arrangements for you, just in case you might be persuaded to stay. We shall have to convince her not to interfere, you know, so you may as well be accommodating! I hope the diversion will do her some good.”

--

Mr. Darcy received an express from Longbourn that evening, right as the party was about to leave for a concert. Elizabeth would have expressed immediate concern had she seen the direction, but as the messenger intercepted the recipient outside of his home, where he was speaking with the coachman, Darcy was left to open the letter without inquisition. As the first line instructed that he not share the contents of the missive with anyone, particularly the scribe’s daughters, he was forced to go inside and seek the solitude of his study, informing the ladies that he had a moment’s worth of business to attend to along his way. Curious to know what warranted such secrecy, it was with growing unease that he read the following:

I have Sir James Stratton here, a most extraordinary man. I am afraid he has behaved very rashly, and will likely pay for it, but I intend to keep him here a few days to cool. I understand you are aware of the circumstances that drove him to my door, despairing of all other alternatives! and so need not reference them here. I’ll just mention my track record in matchmaking, of which you are well aware, and request a quick line from you confirming his good character.

Yrs, etc.

Sir James was met with disappointment when he next called at the Darcy residence, the ladies being out, but Mr. Darcy received his card and saw him in his study. Sir James was unsurprised when his old friend demanded he make an account of himself, relating the logic, while acknowledging its flaws, that drove him forth to Longbourn to seek, and receive, Mr. Bennet’s counsel. No, he certainly shouldn’t have done so, but since the deed was done, it was best to make the most of the situation, pledging he would now adhere to Darcy’s original advice, though being sure to not repress anything of himself but his very determined feelings for Miss Bennet. “If patience is what winning her requires, I’ll be the most patient man under the stars, Fitz!” he pledged, and Mr. Darcy agreed, reluctantly, to not reveal his time in Hertfordshire to Miss Bennet.

“What do you do when she introduces you to Mrs. Bennet? It will all come out, James, and give her another reason to mistrust you. I do not like it, however, I will not open the subject with anyone, but I also will not perjure myself on your behalf, if questioned.”

“I will tell her myself of it, once I have proven my steadfastness. I do think she likes me, you know, she just is a little discomposed. I do not think she was taught to think very well of herself, and it is a wound I intend to mend.”

Darcy came forward with an open hand. “I am glad to hear it! Long ago I noticed that Miss Bennet was not receiving the attention a lively and susceptible girl requires, lost amongst the uproar of so many sisters. I will be very happy to see her in good hands.” He frowned, “That is, as long as she welcomes your attentions. If Miss Bennet continues to repulse you, I cannot allow her to be harassed.”

“I think there is little fear of that,” Sir James smiled cockily, “There was much to learn at Longbourn regarding Miss Bennet, and I will undoubtedly get on the better for it.”