Georgiana just looked away, but Mr. Gardiner was now completely confused. At supper, he had the distinct impression that when he had mentioned the Bingley connection to Scotland, it was not appreciated by Miss Bingley. He must have been wrong and made no comment. Instead he said, “When I think of Scotland, I think of salmon, Mr. Darcy.”
“I have not forgotten, Mr. Gardiner. I have arranged for Wilkins, the man who is responsible for stocking the ponds, to take you and Mr. Hurst to the finest fishing spot on the property. If you do not catch anything tomorrow with Wilkins as your guide, you will have no one to blame, sir, but yourself.”
“Mr. Darcy, it is my intention to fill my creel to overflowing.”
Mr. Hurst just grunted. He was not sure why he was being included in this fishing adventure as he had not been fishing since leaving Oxford. He must have said something to Darcy at Hulston Hall when he was in his cups.
As soon as Louisa and Elizabeth rejoined the party, Charles kept his promise to Darcy and suggested that everyone visit the Peak the following day on horseback.
“Charles, do not be so tiresome,” Caroline said. “You know I do not ride nor does Louisa.”
“Yes, of course, I know that, but others do. So I was thinking that, for those who do not ride, I shall take them into the District by carriage on well-traveled roads.”
“Just because you race curricles, does not qualify you to drive a carriage,” Caroline said, continuing her protest.
“Good grief, Caroline! Must everything be so complicated? Mercer is an old hand at driving a team of horses, and he will be beside me. You may choose to remain at Pemberley, but I believe Miss de Bourgh, Mrs. Gardiner, and Louisa would like to do this.”
Even though the last thing Darcy wanted was for Miss Bingley to go riding, he still had responsibilities as host, and as such, courtesy demanded he extend the invitation to all of his company.
“Miss Bingley, Mrs. Hurst, before you decide whether or not to venture out with your brother, you should know we have a horse named Sugar, who is as gentle an animal as was ever born. Even the most timid riders are comfortable when seated upon her.”
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy, but neither Louisa nor I have ridden since we were children and…,” Caroline said, fumbling for an excuse.
“May I add, Miss Bingley,” Darcy continued, “that this particular mare was not named Sugar because of her color, but because of her disposition, and since we will be riding a narrow trail, we will be going at a snail’s pace?”
“Sir, I wish I could reward your persistence, but I do not choose to ride.” She had no intention of getting on any horse no matter what color, no matter how sweet her disposition, not even for Mr. Darcy.
Darcy had now fulfilled his duties, and he turned to Miss Elizabeth to make her the same offer after her aunt had declined.
“Since my Aunt Gardiner does not ride, Mr. Darcy, I think it only proper to accept Mr. Bingley’s invitation to ride with him in the carriage. In any event, I am not a very good rider, and I would only delay the party.” Unlike Caroline, Lizzy had no fear of horses. It was just that she had never mastered riding sidesaddle.
“Miss Elizabeth, it would be impossible to delay the party,” Charles insisted. “You will be going clippity clop, clippity clop, and no faster. The trail will not allow it, which is why I shall not be going. I cannot stand riding at that pace. No matter how splendid the views, I have no patience for it.”
Lizzy was about to repeat her decision to remain with her aunt, when she looked at Anne and Georgiana. Their looks said it all. What was she thinking? This was her opportunity to spend some time with Will free of Miss Bingley’s interference. Anne decided that the situation called for a dramatic intervention.
“If Miss Elizabeth does not choose to ride, then I shall be very brave and ride Sugar.”
Now all eyes were on Anne, who had not been on a horse in ten years because of her fear that she would have a coughing fit that would cause her great embarrassment.
Lizzy understood what Anne was doing, and was so moved by her efforts, that she took her hand in hers and said, “Mr. Darcy, I would very much enjoy riding to the Peak tomorrow, and since only one person can ride Sugar, I am afraid I must usurp your position, Miss de Bourgh.”
Georgiana let out an audible sigh, which was the final proof Caroline needed to confirm that she too was a part of the cabal. If that was the way it was going to be, she would fight fire with fire.
“Miss Elizabeth, I understand that the militia has removed from Meryton to Brighton. It must be a great loss to the neighborhood and your family.”
The only surprise in Caroline’s comment was that it took her so long to make it.
“Fortunately, we were prepared for such an event, Miss Bingley. Knowing how these regiments are constantly on the move, we made the most of their limited time with us. But shortly before leaving for Derbyshire, I learned that an acting troupe will be visiting the village, along with the usual accompanying entertainers. That news lifted our spirits considerably.”
“Oh, an acting troupe!” Georgiana exclaimed. “Every year, at midsummer, a troupe comes into Lambton, and how I do love the jesters because they make all the children squeal with delight. Did such a thing occur during your childhood, Mrs. Gardiner? I understand your earliest years were spent in Lambton.”
“Yes, indeed. And I can remember all of the village children running out to greet them as soon as they heard the sound of the horns announcing their arrival. I must confess to following the men around who walked on stilts. Along with the other children, my brother and I would tease them in the hopes that they would fall. How awful we were.”
“One year, when I was in Bath,” Anne said, “there was a procession of entertainers, and the ones I could not take my eyes off of were the jugglers. How ever did they keep all of those objects in the air at the same time?”
“And you, Miss Elizabeth? Do you have preference among the entertainers?” Mr. Darcy asked.
“Oh, if I had to choose only one, I would have to pick the acrobats. It always amazed me how they could twist and turn themselves into so many different positions and so quickly. One minute this way, and the next, quite another, and just when you thought there was no other way they could further contort their bodies, they somehow managed it.”
The room went quiet, but Mr. Gardiner, who did not understand the true meaning behind the exchange, broke the silence by asking Mr. Darcy for his preference.
“Oh, I think it must be the man who stabs himself with a knife. Of course, as adults, we all know that it is done with a collapsible knife, but it all seemed quite real while I was watching it. But enough about traveling shows. Miss Bingley, will you please honor us with one of your pieces, and since we all have a busy schedule tomorrow, I think it would be the perfect end to the evening.”
Once Caroline returned to her room, she could barely contain her anger. She pulled off her earrings and threw them onto the dressing table. Louisa reminded her sister that the Darcy maid was in the room and that “pitchers have ears.”
“You are dismissed,” Caroline said to the maid. “I will ring when you are needed.”
The young woman was barely out of the room when Caroline resumed her tantrum. “Do you see what is happening, Louisa? Miss de Bourgh is determined to have that no-account Meryton nobody marry her cousin. The whole thing was planned while Miss Elizabeth was in Kent.”
“Caroline, I know you are so much smarter than I am, but Miss de Bourgh had never met Miss Elizabeth before she went to visit Mrs. Collins. Why would Miss de Bourgh be so eager for her cousin to marry someone she had only just met?”
“Obviously, this is a form of entertainment for her. What else is there to do in that big house with only her mother for company? But it will not work. You saw how disappointed Mr. Darcy was when I told him I would not ride tomorrow, and you and I have discussed how Mr. Darcy could hardly disguise his dislike of Miss Elizabeth when they were together in Hertfordshire. I will allow that he is doing a better job of concealing his true feelings at present, but that is to be expected since she is his guest. Even so, there is an undercurrent of resentment on his part that she is here at all.”