Free Alias Thomas Bennet by Suzan Lauder Page B

of my acquaintance. I am tiring of this conversation. Can we leave it for now and enjoy inviting people to our ball?”
    “Perhaps, if there were anyone here in the country worth our notice at such a ball,” she sniffed.
    Bingley just shook his head and handed her out of the carriage.
    After cutting the visit to the Gouldings’ so short as to be very nearly insulting, Miss Bingley begged her brother to have the remainder of the invitations delivered by a servant since she had no pleasure in the company of Hertfordshire’s finest. Bingley was reluctant because he found nothing wanting in his neighbours but eventually relented, hoping to have a reprieve from her disparagement of Hertfordshire, the Bennets, and in particular, the ‘foundling’ Bennet sisters.
    ***
    At dinner that evening, Miss Bingley proceeded to tell all to Mr. Darcy. Mr. Bingley rolled his eyes several times at her dramatic retelling of the intelligence and chided her on her derogatory conjectures. Darcy also questioned the extent of the truth and the knowledge of her sources.
    “You are fully aware, Miss Bingley, that oftentimes fortunes and incomes are estimated speculatively and sometimes misreported to suit the aspirations of the holder. Although to some extent, information is available to anyone who wishes to verify the numbers, all are estimates until the settlement papers are drawn up. Some intimate their value higher than the truth to gain advantage in a union, and some may suggest their value is lower in order to distract fortune hunters.”
    “Surely that is rarely the case, Mr. Darcy,” Miss Bingley said.
    “Perhaps, but it does happen. You should take care whenever you hear something reported or estimated by other than those with access to the records of the funds. Oftentimes it is little more than an annoying rumour.”
    “I do not know why you are arguing about conjectures or estimates,” Bingley interjected. “I think the Bennets are all lovely girls with no need for a great fortune or connections to recommend them. They are the most likeable girls of my acquaintance, no matter who their forefathers are.”
    Darcy was not ready to agree with Miss Bingley in full. However, his conservative views on maintaining the strict social strata for advantageous marriages were evident as he refuted Bingley’s ungrudgingly complacent viewpoint.
    “I can agree with your praise of the Bennet ladies, but their situation in life makes for little likelihood of their securing an advantageous marriage, and that is the whole point, Bingley,” he said and then excused himself.
    Later, in the drawing room, Miss Bingley situated herself near Darcy and took up the topic with him again.
    “Mr. Darcy, Charles is so willing to overlook all faults, and he refuses to acknowledge that an alliance with the Bennets will be a serious disadvantage to his ever being truly embraced in your circles. I know you are determined to see him be accepted as a gentleman once he acquires an estate, but an unsuitable wife will be a liability.
    “Surely you can convince him that his infatuation with Miss Bennet should be curtailed. Although she is a dear friend of mine, she has nothing to bring to a marriage but a questionable past. We would be subject to scandalous rumours about her plebeian origins and shunned in all the best circles.”
    “She does have a point there,” Mr. Hurst said, amazing Darcy that he was attending to the discussion when he appeared asleep.
    Miss Bingley, pleased with her brother-in-law’s sanction, continued, “We are so very grateful to you, Mr. Darcy, for all you have done to help Charles with the estate and introduce him to better society. It would be a shame to have all your efforts undone by a country girl with nothing to recommend her. I beg you to take my brother aside and convince him of the truth of the matter. He has business in Town the day following the ball. Perhaps if we close the house after he is to Town, we could then work