Overheard Read online

  "Mr. Darcy is all politeness," said Elizabeth, smiling. Darcy held her challenging glare for only a moment, taking in the hidden mockery.

  “I have already told Miss Bennet that I am not fond of balls in general. I shall admit this to be my flaw,” Darcy admitted.

  “The mere acceptance of you having any flaw makes it more excusable,” Elizabeth said, her eyes meeting his.

  Darcy did not leave her rebuke unanswered. The brief argument enchanted and provoked him in a way he had never experienced in a ballroom.

  “The assumption that I usually do not admit my flaws is not accurate and does justice to neither of us. I hope such misconceptions will be corrected on further acquaintance, Miss Bennet.”

  She was surprised this time. Why would he be interested in correcting her opinion of him?

  “I am sure there is much room for improvement on our first impressions, Mr. Darcy. And I look forward to more opportunities to accomplish it. Now please excuse me, gentlemen, I must speak to Charlotte.”

  She quickly departed from them, feeling their gazes on her back.

  Sir Williams appeared slightly confused by their exchange. He was unsure if Darcy was offended by Elizabeth’s sharp comments so he excused himself and joined his wife. Mr. Darcy’s rude comment about Elizabeth was well known to him and to the entire party. As he knew the second Miss Bennet, Sir Williams was certain she would not forgive or forget it easily.

  Darcy remained in his place, still gazing at Elizabeth. There was something so new, so fresh, so natural and so enchanting in her manners, in her eyes, in her smiles, and in her attitude that increased his curiosity and interest.

  Her resistance had not injured her with him, and Darcy was thinking of her with some complacency when thus accosted by Miss Bingley.

  "My dear Mr. Darcy, I can guess the subject of your reverie."

  "I should imagine not, Miss Bingley."

  "You are considering how insupportable it would be to pass many evenings in such a society, and indeed I am quite of your opinion. The insipidity, and yet the self-importance of all these people! What would I give to hear your strictures on them!"

  The arrogant comment irritated Darcy, as it actually described Caroline Bingley quite well.

  "Your conjecture is totally wrong. My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow."

  Miss Bingley stared at him in disbelief, hoping he was joking.

  “Are you speaking in earnest, sir? And may I inquire what lady had the credit of inspiring such reflections?”

  "Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

  Caroline’s shock was now complete.

  "Miss Elizabeth Bennet?! I am all astonishment. I heard that hours ago you refused to dance with her and called her only tolerable–as she truly is. Has your opinion changed so dramatically over the night, that I must wish you joy?"

  Darcy favoured her with a stern look.

  "That is exactly the question which I expected you to ask. A mere comment from me aroused your imagination very rapidly; you jumped from admiration to love, from love to matrimony, in a moment."

  "Well–this is not the reply I was expecting from you, Mr. Darcy! I did not imagine you being so serious about it."

  “Miss Bingley, you asked, and I answered. There is no reason to continue this conversation that seems to annoy us both.”

  Caroline Bingley hesitated briefly, attempted to speak more, then ceased and turned, leaving him alone, much to Darcy’s satisfaction.

  Half an hour later the ball ended, leaving many of the participants with mixed feelings that neither anticipated at the beginning of that evening.

  Chapter 3

  Several days had passed since the Meryton assembly and there were little other subjects of conversation at Longbourn except for Mr. Bingley’s obvious admiration for Jane. Therefore, when a letter from Miss Bingley arrived, to invite Jane for tea, Mrs. Bennet was beyond herself with excitement. A scheme flourished in Mrs. Bennet’s mind immediately, and she insisted that Jane would go on horseback since the weather was unsteady and it was expected to rain. This would ensure Jane an invitation to stay for the night and a chance to spend more time with Mr. Bingley. Neither her daughters, nor her husband could convince Mrs. Bennet otherwise, and eventually they all abandoned any further attempts. Arguing with her was more difficult than accepting the consequences of such an improper plan.

  And the consequences did not delay. Jane had indeed remained at Netherfield overnight, but the next morning, when breakfast was scarcely over, a servant from Netherfield brought a note for Elizabeth. She read it with hurry and growing concern, as she found that her sister felt unwell, with a sore throat and headache that kept her to her bed.

  “Mama, I must go to see Jane this instant.”

  “You have no business to go there, Lizzy! Let her be–I am sure Mr. Bingley takes good care of her. She cannot be in any danger; seriously, nobody dies from a trifling cold!”

  “Mama, I am going! Papa, I hope you agree that we cannot ignore Jane’s note.”

  “My dear–do what you wish,” Mr. Bennet replied in a conciliatory tone. “Just let me know if I may be of help. Should I send for the carriage?”

  “Not at all - I would rather walk. Some exercise would be beneficial to me.”

  “Walk three miles? Lizzy, have you lost your mind? How can you be so silly as to think of such a thing, in all this dirt! You will not be fit to be seen when you get there.”

  “I shall be very fit to see Jane–which is all I want, mama. I am not going there to make an impression.”

  “You are as stubborn as always! Mr. Darcy already called you tolerable, just imagine how he will judge your appearance!”

  “Mentioning Mr. Darcy would surely not do any good to our argument, mama. My mind is set; let us not argue again.”

  And yet, for the next half an hour, until she dressed for the walk, Mrs. Bennet continued to nag Elizabeth, hoping to change her mind.

  No success was met, as Elizabeth left Longbourn, hurrying toward Netherfield.

  As she walked, strange sensations troubled her. She was worried for her sister, but she also felt uncomfortable knowing she would meet Darcy.

  In the days after the ball, she found herself thinking of him several times.

  She had met many gentlemen since she had been out, but her interactions with this particular one were different. He had been rude to her, and he appeared to be haughty, arrogant, and disdainful with everybody. Yet, he did attempt to apologise to her and his replies to her reproach had been quite witty. Instead of acting offended, as a man with his pride and arrogance would, he appeared rather amused by their arguing.

  She briefly considered that, indeed, her mother was right–her appearance after walking three miles, with her shoes and gowns dirty from the mud, would be repulsive. Bingley’s sisters and Mr. Darcy would surely be appalled seeing her, and she expected disapproving glares and harsh comments. But as long as Jane was well enough, she could bear anything.

  When Netherfield appeared in her sight, she hastened her pace even more. She felt warm so she took off her bonnet and the breeze blew her hair. If not for her worry about Jane, she would truly enjoy the lovely walk in the fresh autumn air.

  Elizabeth startled at the sound of a horse; she was already on the main alley toward the Manor, so she turned to see the rider. As she had feared, it was precisely Mr. Darcy, who stopped his stallion, gazing at her with astonishment.

  “Miss Bennet? What are you doing here?” he asked.

  “I have come to see my sister of course. She sent me a note that she is unwell.”

  “You came alone? By foot?” His voice was incredulous and loud enough, carrying a trace of reproach too.

  Elizabeth felt judged and disapproved and grew irritated by the moment.

  “Yes, on foot. Forgive me, I must hurry to the house. I did not mean to interrupt your riding."

  Da
rcy dismounted and followed her, walking by her side, while his horse followed him freely. Elizabeth barely acknowledged Darcy’s presence until they reached the front of the house and a servant hurried to take the horse.

  “I can feel your disapproving stare, Mr. Darcy,” she said, when they were almost at the door. “Yes, my shoes are all dirty and my petticoat is deep in mud. I know my appearance is appalling to you and that my behaviour is nothing that you expect from a lady.”

  Her tone was cold and reproachful; his presence distressed her and she could not overcome his unvoiced disdain.

  His answer was nothing she anticipated.

  “I cannot judge a lady’s feeling, Miss Bennet, but in this case, you could not be more wrong. Your presence is not appalling but surprising, and I admit I would not approve of a young lady walking alone in the fields, with concern for her safety. I am impressed by your affection and worry for your sister–which must be your only inducement for such an endeavour.”

  He was completely serious and she blushed, speechless, ashamed by her unfair assumption. They were already at the front door and he continued, lowering his eyes to the ground.

  “As for you being muddy, I confess I failed to notice until you mentioned it. I am in no habit to inspect young ladies’ shoes and petticoats.”

  Elizabeth’s eyes and mouth widened in disbelief; his statement was a harsh punishment for her rudeness and she had no other choice but to accept it. She felt, more than she saw, a trace of a little smile twisting his lips. Could he have teased her? She gave it not much consideration, as her feelings had already misled her and exposed her to his mockery; instead, she struggled to reply, forcing to joke.

  “The meaning of your remark was not missed, Mr. Darcy. But it is well deserved. I apologise for being presumptuous; indeed I am worried for my sister. But I do enjoy walking nevertheless, and these grounds are well known to me.”

  This time his smile was apparent, as was his light voice. His face brightened while he replied,

  “It seems we keep misunderstanding each other, Miss Bennet. Let us hope this will be remedied soon.”

  His friendliness and genuine concern disconcerted Elizabeth and, instead of putting her at ease, her distress somehow increased.

  “Yes… sir, would you be so kind as to show me where my sister is?”

  “Of course; I apologise for the delay. I will lead you to the drawing-room–Bingley must be in there.”

  They stepped inside and Darcy continued, “Your sister was slightly unwell this morning; she might have caught a cold. Bingley insisted he call the apothecary, but she refused.”

  “Jane would never disturb anyone if she could avoid it. I am afraid she might be worse than she admits.”

  “Your company will surely be helpful,” Darcy said, with the same friendly voice that confused Elizabeth.

  Her appearance created a great deal of surprise to the family. That she should have walked three miles in such dirty weather, alone, was almost incredible to Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley. They scrutinised her with much attention and their contempt was apparent behind their polite greetings.

  Mr. Bingley, however, was all good humour, kindness and genuine concern.

  “Miss Bennet! Your sister told me she wrote to you. I am so glad you came! You must convince her to allow us to fetch Mr. Jones. I am afraid she is feverish.”

  “Mr. Bingley, thank you for taking care of my sister, sir. I would like to see her right away.”

  “Of course! Come, let me show you to her room!”

  While they exited, Elizabeth did not miss Caroline and Louisa rolling their eyes with exasperation. It was obvious they disliked the situation and her arrival annoyed them even more.

  The first moment she entered the patient’s chamber, Elizabeth realised her assumptions had been correct. As much as she was delighted to see her, Jane was obviously unwell.

  Bingley left them alone, and Elizabeth immediately embraced her sister.

  “How are you, dearest? You are warm, I can feel it!”

  “I am well enough, Lizzy. Forgive me, I did not mean to frighten you, but I am so happy to have you here.”

  “You did not frighten me, but you are not well,” she repeated. “Mr. Bingley told me he wished to fetch Mr. Jones and you refused.”

  “I do not think there is any reason for so much trouble, Lizzy. I have already been treated with extraordinary kindness,” Jane said, blushing. Elizabeth smiled.

  “Yes. I imagined as much after I spoke with Mr. Bingley. However, I believe Mr. Jones’s presence will be a relief for all of us. Especially for the mentioned gentleman.”

  Jane abandoned any opposition and Elizabeth hurried to tell Bingley. When she returned, Caroline and Louisa joined her and spent half an hour with Jane.

  Elizabeth began to like them herself when she saw how much affection and solicitude they showed for her sister. There was still something forced in their manner and voices, but she decided to overlook it, for Jane’s sake.

  The apothecary eventually came and the Bingley sisters exited the room. Elizabeth remained several minutes longer, curious and concerned, fearing the worse and hoping for the best.

  “Miss Elizabeth, please ask for a kettle with hot water to be prepared; I will give Miss Bennet some draughts and some herbals as soon as I finish the examination. She has obviously caught a violent cold; she must stay in bed and rest.”

  “I will go and bring the water immediately,” Elizabeth said.

  She climbed down the stairs hastily, looking for a maid. As she was unfamiliar with the house and no servant was in her sight, she remembered how to return to the drawing-room. As she neared the door–which was wide open–she stopped at hearing her name mentioned.

  "Eliza Bennet has nothing to recommend her, except being an excellent walker. I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She looked almost wild," Caroline Bingley declared.

  "She did indeed, Louisa. I could hardly keep my countenance. Why must she be scampering about the country, because her sister had a cold? Her hair, so untidy, so blowsy!"

  "Yes, and her petticoat–six inches deep in mud; and the wet shoes, and the gown which had been let down to hide it, not doing its office."

  “All these details were lost to me,” Bingley interjected. “I thought Miss Elizabeth looked remarkably well. Her dirty petticoat quite escaped my notice, as I was glad to see her."

  "You observed it, Mr. Darcy, I am sure," said Miss Bingley.

  “Miss Bingley, I am not comfortable to discuss a young lady’s petticoat, shoes and gown,” Darcy answered sternly.

  "Aaaa, but I am inclined to think that you would not wish to see your sister make such an exhibition."

  "Certainly not; I have already told Miss Bennet that I disapprove of any young lady walking alone and exposing herself to dangers.”

  "I am sure Eliza Bennet would not care of your disapproval. It seems to me she possesses an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum,” Caroline Bingley concluded with a triumphant voice.

  “I have no proofs to support such a description, Miss Bingley,” Darcy replied coldly.

  "From what I saw, she posses an affection for her sister that is very pleasing," Bingley interjected again.

  "I have an excessive regard for Jane Bennet,” Louisa said. “But with such low connections, I am afraid there is no chance for her to make a good marriage."

  "Indeed!” Caroline readily added, laughing. “Their uncle is an attorney in Meryton and they have another, who lives somewhere near Cheapside."

  "If they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside, it would not make them less agreeable," Bingley cried.

  "But it would lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world," replied Darcy.

  So troubled was Elizabeth of overhearing their conversation that she forgot herself. She startled when she heard the butler addressing her,

  “Miss Bennet? May I help you?”

&nbs
p; Only then did she notice that she was already in the door frame; the others heard and noticed her too, staring at her with surprise and uneasiness, wondering how much she had overheard.

  The first thing that Elizabeth observed was Darcy’s stare and his frown; surely he assumed she had intentionally eavesdropped on their discussion.

  “No ...Yes,” she mumbled. “Mr. Jones asked me to bring a kettle of hot water for some medicine.”

  “I will send a maid with it, Miss,” the butler continued.

  Elizabeth tried to leave when Bingley ran to her.

  “Miss Elizabeth, am I to understand Miss Bennet is not well?”

  “No … Mr. Jones advised her to stay in bed and he brought her some draughts and herbals… I am sure he will inform you too."

  She felt her cheeks burning and again attempted to leave.

  “Then you must remain here! Your presence will be beneficial to her. I will send a servant to Longbourn, to convey the news and to bring you a supply of clothes.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered, and this time nothing stopped her from leaving in the greatest hurry.

  In the drawing-room, the conversation resumed with even more reproaches against Elizabeth’s behaviour and her tendency to eavesdrop.

  Darcy excused himself and moved to the library; he could not bear to hear Caroline Bingley’s comments about Elizabeth and he needed solitude to understand why his mind was still so preoccupied with her.

  And, most importantly, to comprehend why the perspective of having her stay at Netherfield was equally exhilarating and distressing.

  ***

  That evening, Elizabeth did not leave Jane’s room. Her sister’s fever increased, despite Mr. Jones’s treatment and Elizabeth watched her every moment.

  In some way, she felt relieved that she had an excuse to avoid dinner.

  She had been affected in more than one way by the conversation she eavesdropped on earlier. The Bingley sisters’ true character and their opinion about the Bennets had been now fully revealed. Any deceit was useless and Elizabeth decided not to pretend she could ignore what she heard. They were arrogant, insincere and she would treat them accordingly.