Mr. Darcy's Diary, Amanda Grange [elon musk reading list TXT] 📗

husband. I had not thought to arrange a

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