Pride Prejudice and Perjury

Seating Arrangements

Chapter 15 ~ Seating Arrangements

Elizabeth was greatly pleased to be at Willowbank once more, after a long, wet, cold journey travelling post. Autumn had given way to early winter and the scene, particularly along the river, now lined by leafless trees, was quite different from when she had last viewed it two months earlier. Yet still it charmed her; there was a delicate, tranquil beauty to the long, bare branches of the willow trees dangling over the swollen river in the pale winter sunshine, causing a myriad of ripples as they touched the water.

Jane could scarcely believe that motherhood had brought so great an improvement to Lydia, and was naturally overjoyed to learn of it. “To think that a tiny baby has achieved, in so short a time, what you and I were powerless to accomplish with our constant attempts at correcting Lydia's wayward behaviour over so many years,” reflected Jane, shaking her head.

Elizabeth recounted how Mr. Darcy had dealt with Wickham and of the endowment of ten thousand pounds he had settled upon their sister. Jane was astonished at the news. “Certainly I shall tell no one – apart from Charles, of course – and you say I may not even thank him for such an exemplary act of generosity and kindness?”

Elizabeth shook her head. Jane could not praise him enough, and Elizabeth was ready to agree to every well-deserved accolade her sister laid at his feet. Jane was satisfied that her sister was a fair way to forgiving Mr. Darcy for the terrible way he had treated her. It pleased her, for she very much wished for felicity and ease in the intercourse between Pemberley and Willowbank, which had been so awkward and fraught when her sister was previously in Cheshire. Jane dearly wished to know if there had been a consequent resurgence of Elizabeth's feelings for Mr. Darcy, but she was too considerate to ask. She must wait for Elizabeth to speak upon the subject – something her sister had thus far eschewed.

***

The morning following Elizabeth's arrival, Georgiana came to wait on them. She was overjoyed to see Elizabeth, and spoke at length of her visit to Fendalton Park, where they had last been in each other's company, two months earlier.

“I passed an entirely delightful fortnight there. Lady Netherby was so very kind and charming,” said Georgiana. “It was lovely being in the company of an older lady, and particularly to hear her reminiscences about my own dear mother, whom I can barely remember. They had been acquainted since youth, and their friendship persisted after they both were married. Lady Netherby told me how she remembers holding me when I was but a tiny baby.”

“And how did you enjoy the rest of the company?” asked Elizabeth teasingly.

Georgiana blushed. “Miss Netherby also treated me with the greatest kindness. I found her directness a little alarming at first, but I very quickly became accustomed to her ways.”

“Yes, she is a little eccentric, is she not?” replied Elizabeth. “I must say that I admire her intelligence and self-confidence. She seems quite unwilling to fit into the demure, ornamental mould expected of young ladies these days.”

“That may be admirable, but it might also damage her prospects of finding a suitable husband,” counselled Jane. “An intelligent lady, who wishes to find a husband, will strive to meet all the expectations of society. After she is married is the time to allow any eccentricities a freer reign.”

Elizabeth laughed. “I believe you are correct, Jane, and doubtless it is the common practice; but I believe Miss Netherby is yet undecided as to whether she wishes to marry. She has a considerable fortune and a home she loves. She may very well be loath to leave Fendalton Park.”

“Although she was not explicit,” said Georgiana, “it seemed to me that she might have developed a preference for my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, who was staying at Fendalton Park as the guest of Lord Netherby. She spent a good deal of time in his company, and it seemed to me that she paid close attention when he was speaking; it was almost as if she were attempting to form a comprehensive opinion of his character.”

Elizabeth smiled to herself; for it was exactly the intention Miss Netherby had indicated when she revealed that her brother had, at her request, invited the colonel to stay. She was most curious to know the result.

“And what do you think is your cousin's regard for Miss Netherby?” asked Jane.

“I believe that he genuinely likes her. They were very often engaged in conversation regarding music, art, history and other subjects of mutual interest. Colonel Fitzwilliam treated Miss Netherby with the utmost gallantry and charm – but then he treats every lady in a like manner, so it cannot, in truth, be claimed that he showed any particular preference towards her,” concluded Georgiana. “I have invited Miss Netherby to visit me at Pemberley; she is expected any day now. It will afford an opportunity to determine the degree of their liking for each other.”

“Speaking of which,” said Elizabeth playfully, “you have yet to mention how you found Lord Netherby. I am certain that Lady Netherby will have ensured that you were often seated beside him and had ample occasion to enjoy his charming company.”

Georgina sighed light-heartedly. “It was exactly as you say. I frequently found myself seated beside Lord Netherby at the dining table, and his mother often contrived to have me play the pianoforte when he sang, or suggested that Lord Netherby might wish to show me some notable feature of the grounds or walk with me in the rose garden.”

“And with what success did she meet in her endeavours?” teased Elizabeth.

“Elizabeth! You are terrible! Can you not see that you are embarrassing poor Georgiana?” intervened Jane sympathetically.

Georgiana blushed, but appeared disposed to answer. “As for Lord Netherby, I cannot say. He is well aware of his mother's desire, and if it was only Lady Netherby he wished to please, he would most certainly have paid me his addresses. He alluded, with good humour, more than once to his mother's scheme and how she had been most forthright in expressing her displeasure at him choosing you, Elizabeth, as his partner to open the ball. As I recall, he spoke of you quite often.”

“Georgiana,” said Elizabeth, “we are neither of us in love with the other – please believe me. But what I wish to know is your opinion of Lord Netherby. Did it undergo any material alteration as a result of your visit?”

Georgiana considered her words carefully. “I have always liked Lord Netherby; and yes, I found his company most engaging. I think I can say that my regard for him has increased. More than that, I felt that I could live very happily at Fendalton Park with Lady Netherby and Victoria – although if she marries, she will make her home elsewhere.”

“Not necessarily,” suggested Jane. “Fendalton Park is very large indeed. It could very easily be home to both Lord Netherby and his wife, and also Victoria and her husband, as well as Lady Netherby. If Miss Netherby were to marry someone who had no estate of his own, something of the sort might very well eventuate.”

“Someone such as – Colonel Fitzwilliam, perhaps?” proposed Elizabeth, smiling.

“Oh, I had not considered that,” replied Georgiana. The picture that came to mind of her of living at Fendalton Park, as the wife of Lord Netherby together with Lady Netherby and her cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam as the husband of Victoria Netherby was not at all an unpleasant one.

Before Miss Darcy departed, Jane invited her, along with her brother and cousin, to dine with them the following day. Elizabeth was unable to feel at her ease as she contemplated meeting with Mr. Darcy. How would he behave towards her? What were his feelings for her, she wondered.

***

The dinner failed to meet Elizabeth's hopes and expectations. When their guests arrived, Mr. Darcy made a tolerable performance of greeting her, and while they were taking drinks, prior to entering the dining room, he purposefully stood beside her. Elizabeth took this as a good omen and waited hopefully for him to speak. He cleared his throat on several occasions, with the apparent intention of speaking, but nevertheless said nothing. He appeared nervous and awkward.

At length, Elizabeth said, “I trust that you had a pleasant drive from Pemberley, sir. I understand that it has rained a great deal, hereabouts, in the past several weeks, and that the roads are in rather a poor state.”

“Err… yes… the drive from Pemberley took somewhat longer that usual,” he replied stiltedly. Mr. Darcy was clearly most uncomfortable, yet he seemed determined to persevere. Eventually he said, “I hope that your journey from Hertfordshire was not an uncomfortable one on account of the wintry weather, Miss Bennet?”

“I thank you, sir; it was cold and difficult in parts, on account of the state of the roads – but well worth the inconvenience.”

“Why so? Did you not enjoy your time with your relations in Longbourn?” asked Darcy.

Elizabeth looked away from him, but said nothing. How could he misunderstand my meaning; that it was on account of my desire to be again at Willowbank, and in the society of so many dear acquaintances – himself not the least?

“Err… excuse me…” mumbled Darcy, aware of how boorish his question must have appeared to the lady. “I did not mean to suggest that there was any reason why you should not have found the society pleasing… err… your parents and sisters in Longbourn are all well, I trust?”

“Thank you, sir, they are all very well – and little Eleanor, I am happy to say, is thriving,” said Elizabeth.

“I beg your pardon?” said Darcy, evidently unsure of to whom she was referring.

“My sister Lydia's daughter – I believe you saw her briefly when you entered the parlour at Longbourn last month.”

“Oh!” said Darcy, reddening. His sister and cousin were standing close by, and Elizabeth suspected that they knew nothing of Darcy's visit to Longbourn, or of the endowment he had settled upon Lydia – and that he wished it to remain so. They were very likely also unaware of the duel he had fought with Wickham, or of the circumstances which had precipitated it. “Please excuse me,” said Darcy abruptly, draining his glass, and walking stiffly across the room to the sideboard to take another. He did not return to Elizabeth, but instead approached Bingley, whom he engaged in conversation.

Mr. Darcy was ill at ease throughout the visit. His behaviour was exactly of a piece with his conduct in September the year before, when he and Bingley had dined at Longbourn. Elizabeth had attempted to explain his awkwardness on that occasion by the discomfort he likely felt on account of her mother, who treated him with bare civility, and went out of her way to make him feel unwelcome. But no such mitigating circumstance could be claimed today. How was his evident embarrassment and discomposure in her society to be explained?

Jane had seated Elizabeth next to Mr. Darcy at the table, but he spoke very little, and drank rather a lot of wine, she thought. After several unsuccessful attempts at engaging him in conversation, Elizabeth gave up in frustration. Is he avoiding conversing with me for fear that I might again allude to his visit to Longbourn? she wondered. Does he imagine me so insensible of his evident wish to avoid the subject that I would speak on it again – or does he imagine that I deliberately introduced the subject earlier with the intention of causing him embarrassment, and may very likely do so again? She found him as incomprehensible and unfathomable as ever.

Fortunately, Colonel Fitzwilliam, sitting on her other side was his usual charming self, speaking with intelligence and ease on a range of interesting subjects. But Elizabeth found herself unable to enjoy his affable conviviality, so disappointed and disconcerted was she at the gentleman sitting silently on her other side.

When Jane had earlier proposed the intended seating arrangements for the meal, her sister had not objected to being seated beside Mr. Darcy, although she continued to maintain her silence regarding that gentleman. Jane had closely observed Mr. Darcy's behaviour, and understood how dissatisfied and unhappy her sister must be. She could not understand the man, but resolved not to be the first to introduce his name into their discourse.

***

Had it not been for the arrival of Lord Netherby and Victoria Netherby at Pemberley, Elizabeth might well have found some pretext to decline accompanying Jane and Bingley to dine at Pemberley a few days later – so unwilling was she to again be discomforted and bewildered by Mr. Darcy.

As master of the house, Darcy managed to welcome Elizabeth with a tolerable measure of decorum – albeit in a somewhat stiff and formal manner. Lord Netherby's greeting, in contrast, was all warmth and felicity at meeting again with a dear friend. Elizabeth was so pleased to see him and his sister that she began to feel some measure of contentment. While they were taking drinks before the meal, Miss Netherby contrived to draw Elizabeth aside and hinted that not only had she finally resolved in favour of marriage, but she believed that more than one union was presently in the offing. Elizabeth wondered whom, besides herself and Colonel Fitzwilliam, she intended; was it her brother, Lord Netherby, and Georgiana to whom she referred, or was it to herself and Mr. Darcy? If it were the latter, Miss Netherby would become very quickly disabused of that fancy.

As they were about to enter the dining room, Lord Netherby attached himself to Elizabeth, offering her his arm, and she found herself seated beside him to her left, with Colonel Fitzwilliam on her right, next to whom sat Georgiana at the bottom of the table, then Bingley, Jane, Victoria Netherby, and Darcy at the head of the table, with Lord Netherby to his right.

Georgiana was exceedingly confused; this was not at all the seating arrangement she had planned. She wondered how it could have happened that not one of the three couples she had intended to seat together were sitting beside each other, and that the only married couple present, were seated together. She must speak with Jane and discover how better to manage the task of seating her guests in the desired place.

Elizabeth was not starved for conversation today. In fact, she had difficulty finishing each course, so occupied was she in conversing with her neighbours. Colonel Fitzwilliam was as pleasant and engaging as always, although he devoted much of his time speaking and giving encouragement to his young cousin, who remained somewhat disconcerted by the seating arrangements.

Lord Netherby was even more gallant and charming than Elizabeth recalled from her stay at Fendalton Park. He spoke of the great pleasure her visit had given them all, and then said with a mysterious smile that he hoped she would never be a stranger to Nottinghamshire.

He inquired with interest concerning her sojourn in Hertfordshire, and rather surprisingly said, “I am endeavouring to form a favourable opinion of that country for I must confess to having been rather annoyed with Hertfordshire for taking you away from us in September.”

Elizabeth blushed at his words, which implied a degree of preference that surprised her.

“You may wonder at seeing me here at Pemberley today,” he said. “My original intention was to ride over next week on the day of the ball and stay but a day or two. However, when I learnt that a certain young lady, whom I much admire, had recently returned to the district, I impulsively decided to accompany my sister and come earlier.”

Elizabeth was, by this time, feeling quite discomposed. There could be not the least doubt as to the lady to whom he was referring – for he was staring at her most ardently. Elizabeth noticed with consternation that Mr. Darcy, on Lord Netherby's left, had heard every word. He sat frozen, a spoonful of pudding arrested inches from his mouth, doubtless digesting the implications for his sister. Elizabeth glanced in Georgiana's direction, hoping that she had not heard Lord Netherby, and was relieved to observe her deep in conversation with her cousin.

Despite Elizabeth's palpable embarrassment, Lord Netherby carried on in a similar vein. If Georgiana could not hear what was being spoken, she could hardly fail to notice the keen attention that Elizabeth was receiving from Lord Netherby. Elizabeth eagerly anticipated the moment when the ladies would withdraw from the table and leave the gentlemen to their port and cigars.

When, at last, the time came, and the ladies had repaired to the drawing room, Elizabeth continued to feel ill at ease on account of Georgiana, who, for a time, sat quiet and withdrawn. Miss Netherby engaged Georgiana in conversation concerning a particular Mozart piano sonata, and when it transpired that Georgiana had the music, Miss Netherby very soon had her playing it for them.

When the gentlemen joined them, Lord Netherby was immediately at Elizabeth's side, where he remained for much of the evening, although he was careful to allot some attention, also, to his hostess, Miss Darcy, with whom he sang some splendid Italian love songs. In the drawing room, at least, it was possible to find a pretext to move away from Lord Netherby from time to time; yet Elizabeth was afraid that no one could have failed to observe the partiality he showed her.

***

The following morning, Jane remarked upon the surprising seating arrangements at the Pemberley dinner, and even more surprisingly at the consequent animation of the conversation at the dining table.

“I must own,” replied Elizabeth, “that I was astonished at Lord Netherby's warmth and enthusiasm; it was beyond anything he exhibited when I was at Fendalton Park. I fear that poor Georgiana must have been quite distressed by his behaviour.”

“Yes, it was all so unexpected, although I must confess myself unsurprised that any young man should be enchanted with you, dear Lizzy. Lord Netherby is a very charming and eligible young man, and since you have in no way encouraged him, you have no reason to feel guilty on Georgiana's account if he should prefer you.”

“Indeed he is charming and amiable, and yet…”

“Lizzy, my dear, if you will pardon my presumption – well, if you are thinking of a different gentleman who was also present yesterday, I must say that despite his being aware, for some months now, of the deception which formerly caused him to think ill of you, his recent behaviour cannot be seen in a very hopeful light.”

“Yes,” agreed Elizabeth sadly, “he has been aloof, awkward, and taciturn.”

“It is not just the regrettable manner in which he has conducted himself towards you to which I refer, but more particularly to the preference that he showed yesterday for Miss Netherby.”

“Victoria Netherby?” asked Elizabeth in surprise.

“Surely, Lizzy, you could not have failed to notice that they spent a good deal of the meal engaged in conversation. I must admit that I was astonished at the contrast between his willingness to engage in conversation with Miss Netherby yesterday, and his almost total silence when seated beside you at our dinner table just a few days earlier.”

“I must confess, Jane, that I hardly noticed it,” said Elizabeth. “Please do not believe for a moment that I doubt the accuracy of your observation – it is only that Lord Netherby kept me engaged in conversation from the moment we seated ourselves at the table until the moment we withdrew to the drawing room. In my growing alarm at the warmth of Lord Netherby's attentions, I noticed very little of what was going forth amongst the rest of the party. Mr. Darcy was, I recall, also seated beside Miss Netherby when the gentlemen later joined us in the drawing room, although I paid little regard at the time, so conscious was I of Lord Netherby's constant attentions and how it must appear, most especially to Georgiana, whom I fear I have injured most grievously.”

“You must not say that, Elizabeth; you have done nothing of the kind! If anyone is to blame for injuring Miss Darcy, it is Lord Netherby. Certainly, Georgiana appeared to be confused and discomposed; however, it may well have been on account of no one being seated beside the person she had intended. From the report she gave us a few days ago regarding her visit to Fendalton Park, while she appeared to be well disposed towards Lord Netherby, it was not my impression that Georgiana is in love with him. She is yet young, and from our many conversations, I have never understood her to be ready to marry – apart from during that brief period when it seemed that Caroline Bingley was destined to become her sister.”

“From what you tell me, Mr. Darcy and Miss Netherby had a good deal to say to each other?” asked Elizabeth, hesitantly.

“Indeed they did,” replied Jane. “Victoria Netherby is a most intelligent and well-read woman, and she had little difficulty in engaging Mr. Darcy's attention. Although sitting at the head of the table, as he did, he had little other possibility of conversation, for Lord Netherby, on his right, was so entirely devoted to you.”

“Jane, there is something I must tell you. Victoria Netherby gave me to understand, when I was her guest at Fendalton Park, that she was as yet undecided as to whether she wished to marry. However, if at some future time she did choose to marry, it seemed evident that she had already decided to whom it would be – Colonel Fitzwilliam. She had her brother invite him to stay so that she could further consider the desirability of marriage and the likelihood that she might bring him to the point of paying her his addresses.

“Before we entered the dining room, yesterday, Victoria intimated to me that she had decided in the affirmative with regard to marriage. I expected to see her sit beside Colonel Fitzwilliam as Georgiana had intended, but it now seems that she has decided that Mr. Darcy would suit her better.”

Jane was about to comment that it would be a most suitable match, and that furthermore, their behaviour yesterday did nothing to contradict Elizabeth's conjecture. However, she chose to keep her silence, for it was evident that notwithstanding Mr. Darcy's unsociable behaviour towards her sister of late, that she was still very much in love with the gentleman.

“Victoria also hinted to me that another marriage was in the offing,” continued Elizabeth. “At the time, I wondered if she was alluding to her brother and Georgiana – or possibly, even, to myself and Mr. Darcy – but now her meaning is evident: It was to Lord Netherby and myself.”

“Miss Netherby must know her brother's heart, Elizabeth. If that was her meaning, then it is not unlikely that Lord Netherby intends to pay you his addresses. I advise you to think carefully on the subject, and to be prepared to give him your answer.”

“There is nothing to consider, Jane. He is a most amiable, handsome, and charming young man, with many fine qualities. I greatly admire him – but that is all – and it is not enough. I do not love him.”

Jane sighed; it all seemed so hopeless. “Then how shall I arrange the seating when the party from Pemberley come to dine with us in three days time? Beside whom do you wish to be seated?”

Elizabeth shook her head sadly. “I have no preference, Jane; it is of no material concern to me. Given the surprising animation of yesterday's table, you might do worse than simply allowing your guests to sit beside whomever they please.”