marriage for Georgiana before she was one-and-twenty,
but after the affair with George Wickham, I have begun
to think that it would not be a bad thing to marry her
sooner. Once wed to Bingley, she would be safe from
scoundrels of Wickham’s stamp. I am not sure that Meryton would suit her, though. If Bingley shows any inclination to leave, I will encourage it. I would like to have her
closer to me, in Derbyshire, or in Cheshire, perhaps.Then
she could visit me in a few hours if she had a mind to.
We returned home at last.
‘I have never met with pleasanter people or prettier
girls in my life,’ said Bingley, as we retired to the drawingroom. ‘Everyone was most kind and attentive.There was
no formality, no stiffness. I soon felt myself acquainted
with everyone in the room. As to Miss Bennet, I cannot
conceive of an angel more beautiful.’
Caroline cast me a satirical glance. In Brighton, Bingley had told us that Miss Hart was the most entrancing
creature he had ever seen. In London it had been Miss
Pargeter. It seems that in Meryton, Miss Bennet is to be
his choice.
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‘She is a very sweet girl,’ Caroline allowed.
‘She is pretty,’ I said. It is always better to humour Bingley in these moods. ‘But she smiles too much.’
‘To be sure, she does smile too much,’ agreed Louisa,
‘but she is still a sweet girl. I believe we may make a
friend of her whilst we are here, Caroline?’
‘By all means,’ said Caroline, adding, ‘We must have
someone to help us while away the tedious hours, and to
amuse us whilst the gentlemen are out.’
The only thing that lingers in my mind as I write is the
look I caught in Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s eye when I
remarked that she was not handsome enough to tempt me
to dance. If I did not know better, I would think it had
been satirical. I am not quite easy that she should have
overheard me, but it was not my intention that the words
should reach her ears. Besides, it would be foolish to worry
about her feelings. Her temperament is not delicate, and if
she takes after her mother she will suffer no hurt. That
abominable woman roundly condemned me for my
chance remark, describing me to anyone who would listen as the most proud, disagreeable man in the world, and
saying she hoped I would never come there again.
I never thought I would agree with a woman of her
stamp, but on this occasion I find that our minds are as
one.
Tuesday 15th October
Bingley and I examined the woods today.Whilst we were
out, the Misses Bennet waited on Caroline and Louisa.
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Friday 18th October
Whilst Bingley and I were out riding, Caroline and
Louisa took the carriage to Longbourn and called on the
Bennets. I believe they mean to make friends of the two
eldest girls. God knows, there is little enough company
for them here.
Saturday 19th October
A wet day. After being confined within doors it was
almost a relief to go out to a dinner-party this evening.
It was no better than the assembly, the people no more
elegant and the conversation no more stimulating, but it
had the advantage of providing novelty.
Bingley once again sat with Miss Jane Bennet. He has
made her his flirt, and as her manners are as easy-going
as his own, they make a good pair. She is not likely to be
wounded by his attention, taking it in good part and seeing it as the agreeable diversion it is.
‘It is a shame the other Bennet girls do not have their
eldest sister’s face or manner,’ remarked Caroline after
dinner.
‘It is,’ I agreed.
‘I am not surprised you could not support the idea of
standing up with Miss Elizabeth Bennet. She has none of
her sister’s beauty.’
‘She has hardly a good feature in her face,’ I replied,
turning my eyes on her and studying her closely.
‘No, indeed,’ said Caroline.
‘Oh, come now, Darcy,’ said Bingley, who had joined
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us as he had relinquished Miss Bennet to one of her
sisters. ‘She is a very pretty girl.’
‘She is unremarkable in every way,’ I replied.
‘Very well, have it your own way. She has not one
tolerable thing about her.’
He laughed, and returned to Jane Bennet.
Caroline continued to criticize our neighbours.As she
did so, my eyes were drawn again to Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and I began to feel that I had not done her justice.
Though she had not one good feature in her face, it was
rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful
expression of her dark eyes.They gave her an animation
which I thought very agreeable. I found myself watching
her, and as she stood up to leave the table I further discovered that her figure was light and pleasing.
She is still not handsome enough to tempt a man of
my worth, but she has more beauty than I at first thought.
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November
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Monday 4th November
Another party. It was unavoidable, but I find I am not as
ill-disposed to outings as I was. They provide a change
from our usual intimate circle. Tonight’s party was at Sir
William Lucas’s house, Lucas Lodge.
‘Be prepared to be bowed to every ten minutes,’ said
Caroline, as we went into the house.
‘Every five minutes,’ said Louisa.
‘Sir William is a very agreeable person,’ said Bingley.
‘Dear Charles, you would think anyone agreeable if
they allowed you to flirt with Miss Bennet at one of their
gatherings,’ I said.
‘She is an angel,’ said Bingley, not in the least discomposed.
He soon found Miss Bennet. Mr Hurst danced with
Caroline, and Louisa fell into conversation with Lady
Lucas.
I noticed that Miss Elizabeth Bennet was there, talking to Colonel Forster. Without knowing what I was
doing I drew close, and I could not help overhearing her
conversation. There was that in her manner which rendered it playful, and when she
