Free Pride and Prejudice (The Wild and Wanton Edition) by Annabella Bloom

only six accomplished women.” Elizabeth forced herself to smile though she was not sure if she felt somewhat of a slight at the comment, or a challenge. Something within her wanted to challenge him, to irritate him just to see if she could raise his temper and crack the calm façade that normally graced his features, much like one could crack an expensive vase upon the floor. “I rather wonder now at your knowing any .”
    “Are you so severe upon your own sex.”
    Was she mistaken, or did she see a playful light enter his eyes? Was he teasing her? Surely, not. Elizabeth ignored the others in the room, captivated by the look. “I never saw such a woman. I never saw such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, united as you describe.”
    Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley did their part in breaking the small spell when they both protested the injustice of her implied doubt. They both claimed to know many women who answered this description. Mr. Hurst called them to order with bitter complaints of their inattention to their cards. As all conversation was thereby at an end, Elizabeth soon afterwards left the room, glad for an excuse to leave their company.
    Darcy was no less affected by the brief moment that passed between them, and watched with some small regret as she went to her sister’s bedside. Though he hardly agreed with her ideas, he found himself interested in how she expressed them.
    “Elizabeth Bennet,” said Miss Bingley, when the door was closed, “is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own. With many men, I daresay, it succeeds. But, in my opinion, it is a paltry device and a very mean art.”
    “Undoubtedly,” Darcy replied, to whom this remark was chiefly addressed, “there is a meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation.”
    Miss Bingley was not entirely satisfied with this reply and did not continue the subject.
    Elizabeth joined them again only to say that her sister was worse, and that she could not leave her. Bingley urged that Mr. Jones be sent for, and it was settled that the apothecary should come early in the morning if Miss Bennet were not decidedly better. Bingley was quite uncomfortable. His sisters declared they were miserable; however, they solaced their woes by duets after supper, while he could find no better relief to his feelings than by giving his housekeeper directions that every attention might be paid to the sick lady and her sister.

CHAPTER NINE
    E LIZABETH PASSED THE NIGHT in her sister’s room, and in the morning had the pleasure of being able to send an acceptable answer to the inquiries which she very early received from Mr. Bingley by a housemaid, and some hours afterwards from the two elegant ladies who waited on his sisters. She requested to have a note sent to Longbourn, desiring her mother to visit Jane, and form her own judgment of her situation. The note was immediately dispatched, and its contents as quickly complied with. Mrs. Bennet, accompanied by her two youngest girls, reached Netherfield soon after the family breakfast.
    Had she found Jane in any apparent danger, Mrs. Bennet would have been very miserable, but being satisfied on seeing her that her illness was not alarming, she had no wish of her recovering immediately, as her restoration to health would probably remove her from Netherfield. She would not listen, therefore, to her daughter’s proposal of being carried home; neither did the apothecary, who arrived about the same time, think it at all advisable. After sitting a little while with Jane, on Miss Bingley’s appearance and invitation, the mother and three daughters all attended her into the breakfast parlor. Bingley met them with hopes that Mrs. Bennet had not found Miss Bennet worse than she expected.
    “Indeed I have, sir,” was her answer. “She is a great deal too ill to be moved. Mr. Jones says we must not think of it. We must