Read Online His Good Opinion: A Mr. Darcy Novel by Nancy Kelley - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Nancy Kelley
Tags: Jane Austen Fan Lit
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rose to his feet with alacrity. "Let us call for Mr. Jones immediately," he suggested.
"No, this is not something a simple country doctor can advise on," Miss Bingley protested.
Mrs. Hurst chimed in quickly. "Clearly we must send to town for a physician."
"I am sure that will not be necessary," Miss Elizabeth said, "but if she does not feel better in the morning, I will gladly accept your offer to send for Mr. Jones."
Bingley frowned and cajoled, but the lady would not be moved. She soon left the room to go back to her sister. Bingley was quite out of sorts for the rest of the evening, while his sisters, after dramatic declarations of their misery, somehow managed to assuage their own feelings by singing duets until the evening drew to a close.
Chapter Seven
The ladies had already retreated to Miss Bennet's room when Darcy came in for breakfast the next morning, and by the time he realized Miss Elizabeth had sent for not only Mr. Jones but her mother, it was too late for escape.
Muffled giggles caught his attention before the door of the breakfast room opened to admit Caroline Bingley, Mrs. Bennet, and her daughters. Darcy frowned at the younger girls, who sidled off to a corner to whisper to one another. If they are to be out in public, they should be taught to behave with propriety.
Ever polite, Bingley joined them in conversation. "I hope you have not found Miss Bennet worse than you expected," he said, addressing Mrs. Bennet, who stood in the middle of the room with only Miss Elizabeth beside her.
The woman smiled and simpered at Bingley like a young lady at her first ball. "Indeed I have, sir. She is a great deal too ill to be moved. Mr. Jones said we must not think of moving her. We must trespass a little longer on your kindness."
Darcy raised his eyebrows--as far as he knew, no one had suggested Miss Bennet be moved. The possibility that the mother had actually engineered her daughter's stay at Netherfield occurred to him. Is she truly that desperate to gain Bingley as her son-in-law? he wondered with dawning horror.
Bingley, however, was far too kind to suspect such a thing. "Removed!" he cried. "It must not be thought of. My sister, I am sure, will not hear of her removal."
Darcy's sympathies were with Miss Bingley, who had no choice but to answer as her brother had dictated. "You may depend upon it, madam, that Miss Bennet shall receive every possible attention while she remains with us."
"You are too good to us, and especially to my Jane," Mrs. Bennet said. "I am sure if it was not for such good friends I do not know what would become of her, for she is very ill indeed, and suffers a vast deal, though with the greatest patience in the world--which is always the way with her, for she has, without exception, the sweetest temper I ever met with. I often tell my other girls they are nothing to her ."
Every word from the woman's mouth sunk Darcy's opinion of her lower still. Degrading younger daughters in favor of the eldest was a trick he had seen many times, and one he despised.
Mrs. Bennet continued, oblivious to his thoughts. "You have a sweet room here, Mr. Bingley, and a charming prospect over the gravel walk. I do not know a place in the country that is equal to Netherfield Park. You will not think of quitting it in a hurry, I hope, though you have but a short lease."
Here at least Bingley disappointed her. "Whatever I do is done in a hurry, and therefore if I should resolve to quit Netherfield Park, I should probably be off in five minutes. At present, however, I consider myself as quite fixed here," he said in the off-handed manner Darcy knew so well.
Elizabeth joined in the conversation. "That is exactly what I should have supposed of you."
Bingley smiled at her. "You begin to comprehend me, do you?"
"Oh, yes! I understand you perfectly." Her lovely eyes sparkled at Bingley, and Darcy pursed his lips. That Miss Elizabeth should comprehend any man so well did not sit well
"No, this is not something a simple country doctor can advise on," Miss Bingley protested.
Mrs. Hurst chimed in quickly. "Clearly we must send to town for a physician."
"I am sure that will not be necessary," Miss Elizabeth said, "but if she does not feel better in the morning, I will gladly accept your offer to send for Mr. Jones."
Bingley frowned and cajoled, but the lady would not be moved. She soon left the room to go back to her sister. Bingley was quite out of sorts for the rest of the evening, while his sisters, after dramatic declarations of their misery, somehow managed to assuage their own feelings by singing duets until the evening drew to a close.
Chapter Seven
The ladies had already retreated to Miss Bennet's room when Darcy came in for breakfast the next morning, and by the time he realized Miss Elizabeth had sent for not only Mr. Jones but her mother, it was too late for escape.
Muffled giggles caught his attention before the door of the breakfast room opened to admit Caroline Bingley, Mrs. Bennet, and her daughters. Darcy frowned at the younger girls, who sidled off to a corner to whisper to one another. If they are to be out in public, they should be taught to behave with propriety.
Ever polite, Bingley joined them in conversation. "I hope you have not found Miss Bennet worse than you expected," he said, addressing Mrs. Bennet, who stood in the middle of the room with only Miss Elizabeth beside her.
The woman smiled and simpered at Bingley like a young lady at her first ball. "Indeed I have, sir. She is a great deal too ill to be moved. Mr. Jones said we must not think of moving her. We must trespass a little longer on your kindness."
Darcy raised his eyebrows--as far as he knew, no one had suggested Miss Bennet be moved. The possibility that the mother had actually engineered her daughter's stay at Netherfield occurred to him. Is she truly that desperate to gain Bingley as her son-in-law? he wondered with dawning horror.
Bingley, however, was far too kind to suspect such a thing. "Removed!" he cried. "It must not be thought of. My sister, I am sure, will not hear of her removal."
Darcy's sympathies were with Miss Bingley, who had no choice but to answer as her brother had dictated. "You may depend upon it, madam, that Miss Bennet shall receive every possible attention while she remains with us."
"You are too good to us, and especially to my Jane," Mrs. Bennet said. "I am sure if it was not for such good friends I do not know what would become of her, for she is very ill indeed, and suffers a vast deal, though with the greatest patience in the world--which is always the way with her, for she has, without exception, the sweetest temper I ever met with. I often tell my other girls they are nothing to her ."
Every word from the woman's mouth sunk Darcy's opinion of her lower still. Degrading younger daughters in favor of the eldest was a trick he had seen many times, and one he despised.
Mrs. Bennet continued, oblivious to his thoughts. "You have a sweet room here, Mr. Bingley, and a charming prospect over the gravel walk. I do not know a place in the country that is equal to Netherfield Park. You will not think of quitting it in a hurry, I hope, though you have but a short lease."
Here at least Bingley disappointed her. "Whatever I do is done in a hurry, and therefore if I should resolve to quit Netherfield Park, I should probably be off in five minutes. At present, however, I consider myself as quite fixed here," he said in the off-handed manner Darcy knew so well.
Elizabeth joined in the conversation. "That is exactly what I should have supposed of you."
Bingley smiled at her. "You begin to comprehend me, do you?"
"Oh, yes! I understand you perfectly." Her lovely eyes sparkled at Bingley, and Darcy pursed his lips. That Miss Elizabeth should comprehend any man so well did not sit well
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