Daisy Chains 03

Daisy Chains

Part the Third

Bella was not looking forward to another night in society.  The days had been interminable.  Gentlemen would call for Renee and she would wander into the fields of Netherfield, avoiding the presence of Darcy and the other tenants, playing with the daisies and making daisy chains.

She was secretly wishing Dr. Cullen would be there but she had little hope of that.

She understood from Oliver Hatfield that he eschewed polite society for his patients and that lights could often be seen late into the night coming from his upper windows.  “We suppose him to be at his medical treatises,” Mr. Hatfield informed her in a low whisper before he was admitted into the parlor.

Oliver Hatfield was a man of five and twenty, ten years’ Renee’s junior, and yet still he came and called.  His estate was also only worth one and a half thousand a year and would barely be able to support Renee’s expensive habits.

Bella entered Lucas Lodge dressed in yellow silks with a low cut square bodice that was all the rage of London, and was quite flattering on her.  She had wished to wear a blusher, but Renee had absolutely refused.  She had even told Charlotte not to place any lace along the bodice as she said Bella had so few natural assets that they must all be shown to their best advantage.  Bella had turned scarlet at the suggestion.

She was sure to abandon her mother to Mr. Rutledge as soon as she entered and went to fetch herself a punch.

“Ah, Miss Swan.”

She turned to see one of the Bennet girls. 

Bella could recognize them all by their honey blonde hair and their sky blue eyes.  They were all rather badly dressed in old muslins despite their pretty turn of face.  Bella believed this one must be the eldest—Jane.  She had danced the first dance with Bingley, only to be supplanted by Charlotte Lucas, and then two of her younger sisters and then one of the Long girls.

“Miss Bennet,” Bella answered, dipping into a courtesy.  “Forgive me, it is ‘Jane,’ is it not?”

Jane flushed a little, which made her even prettier.  “Yes,” she agreed, taking a sip of her own punch.  “You have the right of it.”

“I must confess,” Bella admitted, moving toward a few chairs that were set up near the fire, Jane following along behind her, “I do not know exactly how many sisters you have.”

“I am the eldest of five,” Jane informed her as they took a seat.  “We all look so alike, it is easy to get us confused before a closer acquaintance is formed.”

Bella nodded in agreement.  She looked around, trying to spot the others.  Jane pointed out one of her sisters who was speaking with Charlotte Lucas.  “That is Elizabeth, the next eldest.”

“And the one at the pianoforte?”

“Mary.”

Bella nodded in satisfaction.

“I am not certain where Kitty and Lydia possibly could have gone,” Jane added to Bella’s surprise.

“What?  All five out?  All five?  The younger out before the elder are married?”  Bella was all astonishment.

“I’m afraid you have the right of it,” Jane agreed.  “Mama does so hope I will be married this Christmastide, though to whom I really couldn’t say.”

Bella hesitated and then admitted, “I’m certain my own mother has the same wish for me, though she has an object in mind.”  The thought of Darcy brought her no joy.  Renee had been effusive on the subject, especially when Mr. Rutledge had told her all about the Netherfield party.  She insisted that Bella cultivated the relationship and even threatened her with homelessness if she did not cooperated.

(However, it was Bella who paid their bills.)

“May I inquire?” Jane asked delicately.

“Observe tonight and perhaps you shall have your answer,” Bella answered wryly.

The Netherfield party had not arrived yet.  The hour was not quite late, but they were certainly conspicuous in their absence.

“I did notice a certain gentleman pay you attentions at the assembly,” Jane admitted, “but we were hardly introduced.”

“Then you see where my mother’s hopes rest,” Bella answered.  “I assume the Netherfield party caused much speculation when they entered the neighborhood.”  It was a gentle flip of the conversation, removing Bella as the topic of discussion and moving it onto Bingley and his companions entirely.

If Jane noticed the diversion in topic, she didn’t mention it.  Taking a sip of her punch, she murmured, “Indeed, Bingley is a single man of great fortune.  His friend Darcy is a man of twice his worth, though he was quite occupied the night of the assembly so no one knows whether or not he is amiable—though he was certainly solicitous toward your comfort.”

“He is rather solemn,” Bella admitted, “and he takes to staring out of windows when he is not engaged in conversation.”

“You have seen him since?” Jane inquired.

“I was invited to Netherfield,” Bella admitted casually.  “Twas nothing.  They found me roaming in their meadows.”

“They could have sent you on your way or ignored you,” Jane argued.

“I suppose they could—”

There was a commotion at the front door and Bingley appeared with Caroline on his arm.  It appeared as if the Netherfield party had arrived.

“If Bingley does not speak to me tonight,” Jane murmured distractedly, “Mama will have given it up for lost.  He only danced with me once and never fetched me a lemonade.”

Bella looked at her worriedly.  “How old are you, Miss Bennet?”

Jane worried her lower lip.

Oh, it was that bad then.

Bella returned her attention to the door where Darcy had just walked through and was greeting his hostess.  Bingley was already walking with Caroline over to another one of the Bennet sisters.  Not Elizabeth.  Mary was still at the pianoforte.  It was one of the younger ones.

Darcy was now striding over with a sense of purpose and Bella touched Jane’s arm gently in a silent message. 

The two girls turned to each other and curtseyed, Jane leaving Bella to her fate.

Darcy had now approached and was looking Bella over appreciatively in her low bodice and three quartered sleeves.  Bella offered her gloved hand and he picked it up and lightly kissed the back of it.  She decidedly disliked the sensation.

“I must say, Miss Swan,” he complimented, “you look quite resplendent in the current London fashions.”

Bella blushed despite herself.  “I thought it rather daring, but Renee did insist.”  She indicated her mother with her head, who was in the thick of it with three gentlemen paying her attention.

“I do not believe I am acquainted—” Darcy mentioned.

“That is Mr. Cole,” Bella told him, “on the right.  And then the younger gentleman is Oliver Hatfield of Hatfield Orchard.  Surely his apples are on your table in the morning.  Then the portly gentleman is Mr. Rutledge.  He is the most promising, or, at least, that is my opinion.”

Darcy perused them carefully.

“I leave her alone and she ignores me,” Bella concluded when Darcy still had not remarked.

“She is not the most attentive of mothers then.”

“No,” Bella agreed, offering Darcy a seat and retaking her own.  “Charlie was always the more conscientious of parents, but he was always distracted by the hunt, if I were entirely being honest.  That is how he died, the hunt.”

Her hands were folded on her lap and she found them suddenly fascinating.

“Do you enjoy the hunt, Miss Swan?”

Bella looked up at the unexpected question.

“No one—” she breathed, “no one has ever asked me that.”

“I ask that of you.”

His eyes shone earnestly, wishing to know the answer.

“Yes,” she agreed.  “I do enjoy the hunt.”  She looked up at him hopefully.  “Have you gentlemen come down to Netherfield to hunt?”

“Yes,” he agreed.  “Caroline hunts.  Louisa does not, but I am sure we can find a suitable horse, with Lady Swan’s permission.”

“If you flatter her, she will permit anything,” Bella told him outright.  “She is not an obstacle.”

“Well, then,” he determined, a small smile on his face.  “It is decided.”

“It is decided.”  It would mean spending more time with Darcy and furthering her acquaintance with him, but she would have wind on her face and blood rushing through her veins.

Bingley passed with one of the younger Bennets on his arm, and Darcy called out to him.  He came directly over and performed the introductions.  It seemed this was young Miss Catherine Bennet.

“Miss Swan enjoys the hunt,” Darcy informed him.  “I have offered her use of one of our mares and all that remains is Lady Swan’s permission.”

Bingley looked between them, Darcy sitting up tall and Bella blushing but smiling a small, private smile, and he slapped his knee.  “What a fine prospect!” he decided.  “She shall be excellent company for Caroline.—We shall go out on Saturday.  It is but Wednesday now.  We shall make up a fine party.  Shall we send the carriage for you, say, seven o’clock?”

“We still need to ask Renee—” Bella reminded the gentlemen.

Bingley looked confused.

“Lady Swan,” Darcy informed him.

He stood from his seat and took Bella’s hand, smoothing his fingers over her glove before kissing it, never letting his eyes drop from hers.  Bella supposed it should have been a seduction, but it only made her feel uncomfortable. Still, she wanted to hunt.  She hadn’t had the opportunity since Charlie went out hunting with a gun and managed to shoot himself in the head instead of the deer.  It had been all hushed up and the magistrate had declared it a hunting accident.

Bingley followed him, setting Kitty in the chair beside Bella, and the two gentlemen approached the little cluster around Renee.

Bella watched them go and then returned her attention to Kitty.

“I have met your sister Jane,” she told her, “but I do not know if you are the fourth or the fifth sister.”

“The fourth,” Kitty informed her.  “Lydia is the youngest.”

Bella nodded.  “And which one is Lydia?”

Kitty, who could hardly be above sixteen years old, just a year younger than Bella, scanned the room and indicated a young girl, younger still than each of them, sitting with a gentleman and quite obviously flirting.  She had the telltale honey blonde curls and sky blue eyes.

“Did you dance with Mr. Bingley at the assembly?” Bella inquired.

“Yes,” Kitty answered.  “He asked me toward the end, but then asked if he could fetch me a punch.”

So, Jane was passed over for her younger sister.  How unfortunate—for Jane.  Perhaps Bingley would be Kitty’s first beau.  Perhaps he would become her husband.  Perhaps it would only be a flirtation.

“Do you think there will be dancing?” Bella asked, looking over at Mary who was not surrendering the pianoforte to any other young women.  Bella rather dreaded the idea of dancing, but she also disliked the idea of having to talk to Darcy all evening.  “If so, we four could make up a set, unless we need two others for a six.”

Kitty smiled.  “I do so enjoy a dance.”

Well, there was the answer to that then.

Bella looked back over to the gaggle of men who were surrounding Renee and noticed that they had all rather melted away and she was in serious conference with Darcy and Bingley.  Worried, Bella excused herself from Kitty and walked over to her mother.

“What is the matter?” she asked.

Renee looked over at her with her wide blue eyes.  “I do not like the idea of your hunting.”

“Renee,” Bella pleaded.  “Charlie’s death was an accident.  You know that as well as I do.  I shall be most careful and nothing can happen to me with Mr. Darcy expressly looking out for my interests.—I shan’t even carry a gun.  I just wish to ride.”  She glanced up at Darcy to confirm her statements, and he carefully took her small hand in her larger one (sending a thrill of revulsion up her spine) and kissed the back of it.

“I assure you, Lady Swan, as a gentleman—”

Lady Swan was eyeing their joint hands with glee.  “Well, if you promise, Mr. Darcy—”

“I do, Lady Swan.”

“We shall send the carriage at seven o’clock,” Bingley promised.

“I should like to come and see you off,” Renee was now saying, her eye now on Bingley.  “It would only be proper to show a mother’s love and care.”

Renee did not have a maternal bone in her body, but Bella would not argue the point.  If she wanted to set her cap at Bingley, Bella would allow her to make herself the fool. 

“Of course, Renee,” she agreed.  “We shall leave you to your pleasant discussions.  Kitty Bennet and I were just discussing whether or not there would be dancing.”

“Dancing?” Renee fluttered.  “I hope you will not abandon me, Mr. Bingley, if dancing were the order of the day—”

Bingley suddenly looked startled, like a deer in carriage lights.

“Renee is a most capable dancer,” Bella assured him, and he turned to her, his eyes wide, “but we shall let you sort out your own dance card, Mr. Bingley.—I believe you left Kitty on the other side of the room.”

“Yes, Miss Catherine—” Bingley agreed, turning.

He didn’t even bother bowing to Renee as he wandered away.

Bella was smirking to herself as she allowed Darcy to lead her away.

There would soon be suitors flocking back to Renee.  She was an especially handsome woman.  And they would come to the house.  Renee could have baronets or even the odd lord, if she had just chosen to live in society, but they had lowered themselves.  Now they were in the backwater of Hertfordshire, and she had nothing but country squires with pitiful estates to console her.

“There, Miss Swan,” Darcy consoled her.  “We shall go hunting.”

“We shall go hunting,” Bella agreed with a small smile to herself.  It was not for Darcy’s benefit, though he was clearly pleased by it.  It was at the thought of the wind rushing through her hair.

The Scottish air Miss Mary Bennet was playing came to an end and scattered applause broke out. 

Bella gave Darcy a dark look, and he quickly offered her his hand to escort her to the instrument before Mary could shuffle the music and find another piece to play.

Their direction was apparent and Jane, seeing them, rushed over to Mary and began to whisper to her.  The two sisters were in hurried conference and Mary, clearly distressed, hurriedly pushed all her music into a haphazard pile and stood.

“You wish to perform?” she asked Bella in a querulous voice, her lower lip quivering.

“Forgive me, madam,” Darcy answered for Bella.  “I do not believe we have been introduced.”

“No,” Mary whispered.  “I do not believe we have.”  She quickly left the instrument and Bella was able to take a seat.

Jane was still standing there carefully.  “Mary,” she admitted, “was hoping to perform for some time longer, if not the entire evening.”

“A young lady cannot dominate the pianoforte,” Bella argued.  “She must surely allow other young ladies to display.  Besides, Miss Mary had been playing for well on nigh three quarters of an hour.”

She arranged her skirts in order to give her something to do with her hands, waiting for Jane to leave.  Jane lingered for some moments until Darcy cleared his throat.

“I believe I am to attend Miss Swan,” he told Jane sternly.

“Oh!” she murmured.  “Of course, Mr. Darcy.”  She then curtseyed to them both and then left them.

Darcy leaned forward as she began to shuffle among the music Mary left behind.  “The Misses Bennet appear a peculiar family.”

“Odd that Mr. Bingley has attached himself to the fourth daughter,” Bella pointed out.  “Do you not think?”

Darcy turned to the room at large.  “She is much prettier than even the eldest Miss Bennet.”

“Do you believe so?” Bella queried.   “I had thought Jane the loveliest, but that is a lady’s opinion and not a man’s.”

Her fingers hesitated over the keys and then she began to play.  Bella had chosen Bach that evening and was singing in her rich alto as well as playing from memory.  Darcy was entirely superfluous, but he seemed to like standing behind her even if there were no pages to turn.

Switching easily from one piece to another, she sang for the appropriate half hour before allowing Darcy to lead her away again.

Mary Bennet quickly took her place again, no other young lady being given the opportunity to display.  Bella thought it most unusual.

Half an hour later, the youngest Miss Bennet—Lydia, Bella believed—came up to Mary and said, “Lord, Mary, do play a dance.  It is so very dull!”

Mary sighed but obliged her younger sister. 

Darcy offered Bella his hand and they formed a line with Renee and Mr. Rutledge and Bingley and Kitty.  The Hursts soon joined the dancing with Lydia and a gentleman Bella did not know, and then Jane and Oliver Hatfield added to the line. 

“Mr. Darcy seems very much attached to you,” Jane Bennet noted when Bella finally had a moment to herself.

“You do not have a beau,” Bella pointed out.

“No,” Jane agreed.  “I am friendly with many of the gentlemen, but I have no favorites.”

“Is your mama happy at Miss Catherine’s triumph?”

“She is bound to be effusive,” Jane agreed, the two of the looking to where Mrs. Bennet was holding court.  She looked very much like her daughters, beautiful with honey blonde curls and sky blue eyes.  She was barely older than Renee, though a matron instead of a merry widow.  She was surrounded by other wives instead of young suitors, looking to marry a widow with a fortune behind her.

All fool them because Renee was penniless.  She only had her fine gowns and pearls left from her first marriage.  It was Bella who had the fortune.

“Miss Catherine seems very young,” Bella noticed.

“She is but sixteen.”

“I am but a year older.”

“You do not have three older sisters to overshadow you.”

“Does Miss Mary overshadow?  I should not think so.” Bella wondered, looking over toward Mary Bennet who was still playing at the pianoforte.  Not even the Lucas sisters had been able to perform and this was their house!

“Mary is quiet.  She cares only for her music.”

Bella fought a grimace.  Mary Bennet’s music was barely passable for polite society.  It did not make a pleasant evening in company.  There was more than once that Bella detected a false note.

Her eye caught on Elizabeth Bennet for the fourth time that evening.  The second sister was decidedly regarding Darcy.  Bella had, of course, noticed.  Darcy was naturally oblivious.  He was sipping a punch and speaking with Hurst.

Bella almost wished he would notice.  It would get rid of his admiring looks and his illicit touches that sent chills up her spine.  She would gladly give him to Elizabeth Bennet.

“I know so little of you,” she said a little desperately, “Mary, Catherine.  Lydia is the youngest and clearly loves dancing.  Tell me of Elizabeth.”

“Lizzy?” Jane wondered aloud.  “What is there to say about her?”

“Surely there is something.”  Bella eyed her out of the corner of her gaze again.  “She danced once with Mr. Bingley, as did you.  She danced with Oliver Hatfield.”

“Why should you notice that?”

“He danced twice with my mother and asked for a third dance,” Bella told her frankly.  “I need to keep track of such matters.  They might affect me later on.”

A light of understand came into her eyes.  “Then Lady Swan does mean to remarry.”

“She is not meant to be alone,” Bella agreed.

Oliver Hatfield was one of the young men huddled around Renee at this very moment. 

“Is Mr. Hatfield serious in his attentions?”

“Decidedly not,” Jane informed her.  “Oliver likes a pretty face and a merry dance, that is all.  Now,” and here she stepped up next to Bella and began to regard Renee and her suitors, “Mr. Cole is an interesting prospect.  He has an estate the other side of Meryton and a daughter but ten years of age.  He is potentially looking for another mother for her.  Word has it he wants a son.” 

Bella’s eyebrows rose.  That would not suit Renee.  She had not wanted any children after Bella, even though Charlie needed an heir for the title and the estate.  There had been a great many fights and china throwing over that particular topic.

“And Mr. Rutledge?”

“Bankrupt.  He is the owner of Netherfield Park.  He has to rent it out and lives on a small cottage on the estate.”

Bella grimaced.  That would not suit at all.  She would have to warn Renee once they got back to the townhouse.

She turned back toward Jane.  “But we were speaking of your sister Elizabeth.”

“You noticed where her eye tends.”  Jane glanced into her empty glass of punch.

There was no use denying it.  “I did.”

“She has been fascinated with Darcy since the assembly,” Jane confessed.  “She desperately hoped he would ask her to dance with him, but he was otherwise engaged.”  She looked at Bella meaningfully.

“She seems,” Bella noted, “to be putting herself directly in Darcy’s line of sight.”

“I would not be surprised,” Jane agreed.  “It will come to nothing.  He clearly prefers a dark beauty.”  She gave Bella a reassuring smile.

It did anything but reassure Bella.  She glanced back at Elizabeth.  She was certainly comely.  She was not as pretty as Jane or Catherine, but there was something pleasing about her figure.  How could she get Darcy to notice her?  Bella herself had not even been introduced so she could not facilitate an introduction.

“Is Mrs. Bennet to invite the Netherfield gentlemen to dinner?” Bella tried.

“No.”  Jane was clearly surprised.  “It is too soon in the acquaintance.”

Bella supposed she was correct.  “It would be a good thing to put Catherine further in Mr. Bingley’s way.”

“Assuredly,” Jane agreed.  “But it would be better for Miss Bingley to offer Catherine hospitality.—or for you and Catherine to somehow take tea.”

Having not considered that, Bella did not quite like the idea.  Catherine was still a child and had nothing to say for herself.  It also would do nothing to put Elizabeth in Darcy’s way.

Lydia was calling for more dancing.  Bella had to hold back a grimace.

“Perhaps we can find you a partner,” Bella suggested.

“I shall depend on Joshua Lucas,” Jane told her, signaling across the way.  A young man came over and bowed to them, claiming Jane’s hand.  This surely must be Joshua Lucas.  He did have dark hair and brown eyes like the Lucas girls.

Darcy was now abandoning Hurst and cutting across the dancers and coming to Bella.

She steeled herself.  “Have you come to claim a dance?” she asked, faking vibrato.

“Quite so, Miss Swan,” he agreed, lifting her hand and kissing the back of it.  She looked away, clenching the back of her teeth, before forcing a smile on her face.  “Shall we?”

“You do not think you should vary your partners?” she inquired.  “You are clearly showing a preference.”  Next, she had to suggest Elizabeth Bennet as a suitable dance partner—

Darcy leaned forward.  “I mean to show a preference,” he told her outright.  “I thought that was apparent.”

The declaration should make her heart flutter and a blush to stain her cheeks.  Instead, her face drained of color and her stomach curled in knots.  She could think of nothing more terrible.  She wanted to be rid of Darcy.  She wanted to run away back to High Street and crawl into her creaking bed and never come back out.

Better still, she wanted to fly back to Norfolk, back to Kenbridge, back to when Charlie was alive, and be safe back in her well appointed room that looked out over the rose garden.

She was led back onto the dancefloor, and fell into step. 

Renee looked at her encouragingly, and Bella forced a smile.

Bella was not envying the discussion she must have with her mother about her own suitors. 

When the evening finally wound up, Darcy kissed her hand and helped her with her cloak.  She and Renee huddled together and made the long walk back into Meryton.

“That was a night well spent,” Renee decided.

Bella didn’t answer.

When they arrived back at the townhouse on High Street, there was a letter waiting for Bella.  It was from Edward Masen.  Her heart leapt into her throat.  She secreted it into her room and opened it by the light of the candle.  It was one sentence, Have you forgotten me? EM.  Bella crumpled it in her hand and tears sprang to her eyes.  She had been in Hertfordshire barely three weeks and already her life was falling apart.