Posted on Thursday, 28 February 2008

Mr. Charles Bingley was having an easy conversation with Mr. Darcy and his sisters in the drawing room of their large London home. He mentioned wishing to call upon Miss Jane Bennet soon after their return to Netherfield and this comment seemed to spark an uneasy glance between his sisters. It was then that Caroline brought up the idea that they might all stay in London for awhile longer.

"But whatever for?" Charles asked, confused.

"Listen, Charles," Caroline Bingley was trying to keep her voice sweet tempered to hide the annoyance she truly felt. "We all agree that Miss Bennet is a lovely person and has very polite manners for a country girl."

Mrs. Hurst nodded her agreement. "Yes beauty and manners. She has certainly done well to separate herself from that ghastly mother."

"Yes, I don't believe I've ever met as sweet a creature," Mr. Bingley smiled with a dreamy appearance which he often wore when he was thinking about his beloved Jane.

Caroline cleared her throat to bring him back to the current conversation. "And you feel that Miss. Bennet returns these feelings of affection?"

"Why yes," Bingley said almost instinctively, "I don't see how she couldn't. She has always been most attentive to me when I am in her company. Always engaging and participating in conversation with me with great interest."

Caroline and Mrs. Hurst exchanged glances. "But is there anything in particular that she has ever said or done that might prove her affection for you?" Caroline asked

Charles furrowed his eyebrows together at the peculiarity of the question. "Anything in particular? Well no, I-I don't think I can name anything like that, she just has a genuine air of curiosity and interest about my person."

"And without any concrete evidence as to her regards for you, you still feel confident that you know the nature of her heart?" Caroline posed the question she hoped would begin to stir doubt in her brother's mind.

"What are you saying?" Bingley said, taken aback. "Are you implying that Miss Bennet cares nothing for me?"

"All we are saying is that you should consider things carefully before making an offer of marriage," Mrs. Hurst put in smoothly. "You are our only dear brother and we would hate for you to live in unhappy circumstances."

Charles scratched at his chin and thought the words over. Complex social situations were not the sort of thing he was used to dealing with. He was never one to be critical or analytical over matters of conversation and social gatherings. While his sisters could prattle on for hours picking apart the meaning of this conversation or that he would much rather be out riding or shooting. In matters such as these he usually deferred to the wisdom of others, and so now he asked his sisters for their advice.

"And what is your opinion of Miss Bennet?" he asked them. "You have both spent time alone with her surely between the two of you, you have gained some insight into her true feelings."

Caroline now sat next to her brother and drew an arm around him as though they were young children again. "My poor Charles. I have held off my opinion of Miss Bennet because I thought your affection for her would eventually cool, but now it seems that I am destined to deliver you heartache." At these words she withdrew a fan and began flicking it rapidly against her face.

"Louisa and I are both of the opinion that Miss Bennet has no particular regards for you at all," she continued. "Unfortunately, we believe, her feelings for you do not extend beyond those of politeness."

Charles sat their agape while Caroline looked on her brother as sympathetically as she could. Finally, Charles turned to the man sitting by the window, his dear friend who had never once steered him wrong. "Can you believe this Darcy?"

Darcy rose and cleared his throat before walking over to join the trio. "Actually Bingley. I must confess, this impromptu meeting, it of my doing." He did not seem sorry, if fact to Charles he appeared rather resolute about his decision to ambush his friend.

Could he have been blind this entire time? Charles wondered. How could he have missed what evidently everyone else had managed to pick up on? He was beginning to feel unsettled.

"You too Darcy!" Charles exclaimed. "Surely you must find nothing reproachful about Miss Bennet. She was nothing but kind to our entire company while we stayed at Netherfield."

"You misjudge my meaning, my dear friend," Darcy began, "Miss Bennet is a fine young woman, there is no mistaking that. But I have been observing her behavior towards you this entire time and I truly cannot find cause to believe that she feels any real affection for you."

Charles sat in silence a moment before Darcy spoke again. "I mean you no distress Bingley, in fact I myself would be in terrible distress if I did not bring these thoughts to you." Darcy knew his friend could be terribly naïve and it wasn't unlike him to charge into situations before thinking everything through.

"Yes, of course," Charles said vaguely. He certainly knew that his old friend would never mean him any harm, and if Darcy felt so compelled to share these concerns then there must be something to them. So many thoughts were filling his mind at the moment. He thought about all the time and conversations he had shared with Jane, and he felt a chill in his heart at the notion that all that had meant nothing to her. And she certainly was a shy girl. Even on better acquaintance there was still timidness about her. Perhaps her quiet and bashful nature had kept her from rebuffing his advances and displaying the disinterest she truly felt.

Shaking himself out of his reverie, he realized that Caroline was speaking again. "I do not mean to alarm you brother, but perhaps she had other motives for engaging your attention than mere politeness. I mean a man of your wealth is not often seen in that part of the country."

A click of the tongue from Mrs. Hurst told Caroline that she had gone too far.

Charles stood up and away from his sister's embrace. "How dare you make such outrageous accusations!" his face was now bright red. "I only hope you have not been repeating such slander. I would hate to see Miss Bennet earn an unfounded reputation no matter what her feelings for me."

"You are right. I apologize," Caroline looked down in what she hoped was a contrite gesture. "I was only worried about your welfare. Believe me when I tell you I don't think you could find happiness with Miss Bennet."

Charles nodded. "Yes that seems the general consensus." His voice was very gloomy.

"Oh come now spending more time in London will do wonders for us," Caroline beamed, "all that country living left me dreadfully isolated from all the new fashions, and I know there are many acquaintances here you have been absent from these last few months."

Charles seemed to be thinking over his sister's words. Hertfordshire seemed very far away now, so far away from everything he had ever known. His sisters had scoffed at his moving to the country at all. Perhaps he had been making a hasty decision. It certainly wouldn't be the first time.

Caroline paused a moment before deliberately adding. "And perhaps we could entice a visit from the lovely Miss Darcy," she turned her broad smile on Mr. Darcy. "I hear she has already mastered another concerto."

Mr. Darcy nodded, "She is still rather shy in her abilities but I'm sure we could encourage her to play for a small company." Darcy shifted uneasily. He had every wish, as an elder brother, that Georgiana would turn out as well educated as Miss Bingley, but he did not want her picking up any of this woman's other mannerisms.

"I am sure she is quit talented," Caroline said and then turned back to her brother. "You see, we shall have merriment and amusement enough to last a whole season here."

"Well I have missed London," Charles admitted then nodded, "Yes perhaps its best for me to be out of the country for a while."

"It's settled then," Caroline rose from her chair. "I'll send for the rest of our things from Netherfield."

As she left, Charles was still standing in thought, idly looking out the window. Yes, maybe some time away from Miss Bennet would do him some good; give him the chance to think with a clear head. Yes, this was certainly the right decision.

The End