Free His Good Opinion: A Mr. Darcy Novel by Nancy Kelley Page B

friend's usual good humor was dampened by their visit. Perhaps this has shown him the lack of wisdom in pursuing a relationship with Miss Bennet.

    He was surprised, however, when Miss Bingley addressed the conversation toward him. "Did you notice how you were shunned by Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Darcy? I am sure it pains you deeply that you have not met with her exacting standards."

    "The only thing that woman is qualified to have exacting standards on is ridiculousness and impropriety," he said, letting his disdain show clearly.

    Bingley at last was driven to respond. "Darcy, that is ungenerous. She is not perhaps as discerning in tastes as a lady in town would be, but she does care for her children."

    "Charles, if she truly cared for her children she would teach them some discretion." Miss Bingley rolled her eyes.

    "Miss Elizabeth was perfectly refined," Bingley said, refusing to grant the point.

    "Yes, of course she was," Mrs. Hurst agreed. "Poor Miss Eliza, having such a family as that."

    "Oh yes, indeed, Louisa. She is not perhaps the prettiest of ladies--though her eyes might be called fine--" this, with a sly glance up at Darcy--"but she is a very nice young lady. It is too bad that her family situation makes her so undesirable to any one of consequence."

    Miss Bingley looked to him for a reply, but he was not sure if she wished him to agree or disagree. He refused to answer in any way, either by words or expression. Commenting on Miss Elizabeth Bennet was not a task he felt up to at the moment, no matter what she might say about that lady's fine eyes .

Chapter Eight

    When the gentlemen rejoined the ladies in the drawing room after dinner that evening, Darcy sat down with pen and paper to reply to Georgiana's letter. It should have been a solitary activity, but to his consternation, Miss Bingley would not leave him in peace.

    "How delighted Miss Darcy will be to receive such a letter." When he did not reply, she said, "You write uncommonly fast."

    That was so patently untrue, he could not remain silent. "You are mistaken. I write rather slowly."

    He knew too much of Caroline Bingley to suppose this rebuff would dissuade her. "How many letters you must have occasion to write in the course of the year! Letters of business too! How odious I should think them!"

    Having spoken once, it seemed he could not ignore her again. "It is fortunate, then, that they fall to my lot instead of to yours."

    "Pray tell your sister that I long to see her."

    "I have already done so once, by your desire."

    The hairs on the back of his neck pricked with awareness; he glanced up from his letter just long enough to ascertain that Miss Bennet, apparently engrossed in her needlework, barely managed to hide a smile. Unless her stitchery is unusually amusing, she must be attending to Miss Bingley's incessant chatter. Let us see if I am correct.

    He waited eagerly for Miss Bingley's next remark; it was not long in coming. "I am afraid you do not like your pen. Let me mend it for you. I mend pens remarkably well."

    "Thank you--but I always mend my own."

    There--though her eyes were still fastened on the cloth she held, she smiled yet again. Miss Bingley's commentary, previously annoying to Darcy, now offered a chance to admire Miss Bennet's quick wit.

    "How can you contrive to write so even?"

    Miss Bennet pursed her lips in an effort to hold in her laughter, and her dimple ruined Darcy's concentration once more. Thankfully, Miss Bingley did not seem to need a response. "Tell your sister I am delighted to hear of her improvement on the harp, and pray let her know that I am quite in raptures with her beautiful little design for a table, and I think it infinitely superior to Miss Grantley's."

    With utter solemnity, he said, "Will you give me leave to defer your raptures till I write again? At present I have not the room to do them justice."

    "Oh! It is of no consequence. I shall see her in January. But do you always write such charming