Money, I imagine is the key to it all. J.A's upper and middle-class world in Pride and Prejudice encompassed five girls and their mother whose ideas of work were lifting a heavy knife and fork and a hard day being walking to Meryton and back. Bingley had inherited a mass of money and the sisters
twirled a bangle or two for exercise and thought labour was when someone else was pregnant. With the need to support themselves at least temporarily not a problem, gossiping, dancing and reading filled their days apart from a sally or two to the milliners or soldier-spotting in the youngest Bennet case. In short, finding something to pass the time, be it riding, shopping, visiting friends, socialising, a spot of billiards or blowing a game bird or two into feathers was the order of the day for all. Add spotting wealthy single men in want of wives as Mrs Bennet's consuming passion and such was life in Meryton. Such a lifestyle allowed Darcy to persuade Bingley there was nothing pressing at Netherfield Park and, since it was obvious that Jane Bingley wasn't interested, why go back there at all?
Thus, at that stage, Darcy himself hadn't yet been bitten by the love bug so he was more than happy to escape a place where, in his eyes, there was no class or fashion. It was documented he didn't relate well to strangers, preferring his close friends and aquaintences, so he would hardly even notice Jane with much interest and be in a desperate hurry to escape Mrs Bennet's acid tongue. All this makes Bingley look rather feeble as a personality if he did have feelings for Jane, and only someone as like minded as Jane would really suit him. Jane's character, anywhere but in the family bosom is hardly a Georgian Joan of Arc, more a too-nice-to-survive person. In short, courtesy of Jane Austen's wit, they were a perfect match. Matching flannel nighgowns with forget-me-not borders. (-:
