Jane In January: Inspiration pt 4

Perhaps, just perhaps Darcy has been mistaken



Thanks to all of your wonderful support and comments, my muse decided to run with this idea and it blossomed into a novella. Official release date is 2/26. I’ll have the preorder up soon!

Part 4

Bingley had business in London just after the ball, so he left the next day. Odd for him to be so closed lipped about his intentions; usually he was quite free with such information. But perhaps that was good as it offered a ready excuse to follow him to London.

But he could not, would not, go back to that country again. That Bennet woman was difficult enough to leave behind—not to mention her sympathies for Wickham were not to be borne. He could not risk becoming caught in her orbit. If that happened, he might never leave. Something he dare not risk.

Truly it was for the best.

 

A week after his return to London, the Hursts invited him to dine with them, Bingley and Miss Bingley. Since he was in the midst of a project, he would ordinarily have refused the offer. But there was something not quite right about the composition and a little time away might help his perspective, so he dressed and presented himself at Hurst’s town home at the requisite date and time.

The butler led him down the finely appointed corridor—the Hursts’ taste was better than one might expect given the man’s manners—to the drawing room where Miss Bingley, and only Miss Bingley awaited him.

“Good evening, Mr. Darcy.” She rose from the center of the white sofa and curtsied. Her pale blue silk skirts rippled and flowed with the movement, like the calm waters of a stream running in its course.

“Miss Bingley.” He sat down, choosing the chair second most distant from her—a rather uncomfortable ivory and blue bergere that was wrong for his frame in every dimension. The legs were too short, but the armrests too high. The seat cushion was too soft and the back overstuffed. In short, sitting in it was a miserable experience. But it was necessary as she was the type of woman to easily get the wrong idea. And while she was not nearly so dreadful an option as marrying his cousin, Anne, she was hardly a marriageable sort.

No, that was hardly true, she was exactly the marriageable sort. And that was the problem. A woman with a large dowry and excellent accomplishments who could infuse cash into a floundering estate. That sort of exchange went on all the time, with both parties walking away satisfied: the gentlemen with his estate supported, she with an entry into the gentry and all the respectability that came with it.

Exactly the sort of business arrangement he neither wanted nor needed.

“I hope you will forgive me for suggesting you arrive slightly earlier than perhaps my brothers and sister were prepared for.” She returned to her seat, folded her hands in her lap and posed, like a model sitting for a portrait.

Was that her intention? She would not be the first to try to drop hints to him. It was so difficult to tell with this woman. The backdrop of the room, neatly and elegantly decorated with just enough color to please the eye, but not so much as to be jarring, felt natural enough. Perhaps she was not hinting that he should take her likeness.

“I had hoped that I might have a few private words with you before Charles comes down.” He gaze flickered toward the doorway.

Private words? His chest tightened. “Go on.”

“I am so worried about him. I fear he might be in grave danger of making some serious mistakes.” Her brow knit just enough to show concern, but not so much as to be unattractive.

Was that something she had learnt in school? It seemed like the sort of thing that might be taught, as it was hardly natural. How many times had he needed to school a model on getting just the right balance?

“What sort of error? Is he contemplating some sort of business he has not told me about?” He had been rather more secretive recently.

“Not to my knowledge, but that is hardly the sort of thing that he discusses with me.” She looked down at her hands. “There are other serious mistakes that a man like him might make.”

“Such as?”

“The business of marriage.”

“Marriage? He has said nothing to me of such a thing. I am certain he would discuss such a step with me before he took it.” He would be a fool if he did not. And Bingley was in no position for society to forgive a significant social blunder—like marrying the wrong sort of woman.

“I have no doubt that he would—that he will when such a time comes. And to be clear, I do not believe that we are at that point—at least not yet. But it is possible that it could come far sooner than it should. In fact, I would like to keep from coming to that point in the near future.”

He muttered under his breath and frowned. “You will have to speak more plainly. I do not pretend to understand what you are speaking of.”

“Miss Bennet of Longbourn.”

No, no! Not that name—Bennet!

“You agree with me. I can see it on your face. I am so relieved, I cannot tell you how much.”

How dare she believe she understood what he was thinking. The addlepate knew nothing! “What are you inferring?”

“You cannot suggest that you think Charles should marry Miss Bennet.”

“I did not think he was currently contemplating marriage to anyone.”

“Charles is always contemplating marriage, I am afraid. As much as women might be accused of being overly romantic, I fear Charles is just as bad, or even worse.” She pressed her hand to her chest and sucked in a sorrowful breath.

Melodramatic overreaction. It was neither attractive nor effective.

“He is a sensible man.”

“He can be made to see sense, that I will concede.” She tipped her head toward him, eyes batting the slightest bit, like butterflies taking their rest.

Butterflies were never so calculated.

“You seem to be hinting that you want something from me.” He pinched the bridge of his nose.

“After a fashion I do. I need to beg a favor of you.”

Darcy clenched his jaw. Doing favors for women, particularly women like her was not likely to go well for him in the long run.

She leaned toward him slightly. “Pray help me to make sure that Charles stays away from Miss Bennet so there is no chance of any further attachment occurring.”

“I am not in favor of such subterfuge. Disguise is my abhorrence.”

“I do not much like it myself, but what choice is there?”

“I believe, in these matters, it is better to be direct. Explain your concerns to him—”

She sat up very straight, her eyebrows lifting high on her forehead as her tone rose to meet them. “Explain my concerns? Surely you jest! That is the surest possible way to see that he does exactly what I am certain he should not! The mere mention of it will place the idea in the forefront of his imagination and he will hardly think about anything else until he acts upon it.”

“You do not appear to have a high estimation of your brother.”

“You wound me. You know I think a very great deal of him. But I am also aware of his weaknesses. Think just a bit about the matter. How many times has he discovered a new ‘angel’ among an assembly or a party? You know it is very frequent. As often as he changes company, he finds a beautiful face and figure and falls enamored of her.”

Darcy rubbed his fist along his chin. She did have an excellent point.

“Who is to say that Miss Bennet is not another one of these women? You have seen how once he is out of their company, his infatuation fades and all returns to how it had been.”

At least it had been so in every instance to date.

“Tell me, how firm an attachment could he have made to any of these girls if he forgets about them once they are out of site?” She extended her hand, inviting him to agree.

He muttered again. She did have a good point.

“I am quite certain that if he is attached to her, he cannot forget her, certainly not so easily as by discouraging his return to Hertfordshire.”

“I will not be disingenuous with him.”

“I am not asking you to.” She pressed her hands into the sofa beside her. “But you cannot tell me you think Miss Bennet an excellent match for him.”

He looked aside. “She has many fine qualities. He is not in need of a dowry, and her father is a gentleman.”

“I grant you that, but her family, her connections? Can you tell me they are in any way acceptable? Her mother, her youngest sisters, they are horrid!”

Miss Elizabeth was not—

“Can you honestly tell me that you think those are the sort of connections that will serve Charles well?”

He covered his eyes with his hand. “I can see some difficulties with that.”

“Then you will assist me?”

“I am willing to support your notion that some time apart cannot be a bad thing.” And it meant that Bingley would not be pushing him to return to Hertfordshire which would be a good thing.

“Indeed, that is all I am asking … Charles, there you are! I had wondered if you were feeling unwell!” She rose and met her brother in the doorway.

It should not have been surprising that Bingley was, at least at first, reluctant to accept the helpful suggestions offered by Miss Bingely. Only when Darcy chimed in with his support, did Bingley finally give way and agree to remain in London. Miss Bingley rejoiced in her triumph, as did Mrs. Hurst—her husband was generally too drunk to really care either way. But Bingley—his reaction was harder to read.

At first, he seemed sanguine about the notion, but soon thereafter, the melancholy began, and he became the very essence of a brown study. Perhaps, just perhaps Darcy had been mistaken.

Jan 7

A visit to Bingley had seemed like a good idea. A reasonable one at least. What harm was there in trying to visit his friend and perhaps cheer him up just a bit? Darcy had hoped to study Bingley again and perhaps even recant his position that returning to Netherfield might not be the evil Caroline suggested it was.

But Darcy had been wrong. Wrong about all of that.

He dashed into his own townhouse, up the stairs and locked the door of his chambers behind him. Panting, he pressed his back against the door—perhaps that would keep the tormenting spirits at bay.

He had seen her, Miss Bennet—the wrong Miss Bennet—waiting at the door at Grosvenor Street only to be sent away by the butler, told that Miss Bingley was not at home. Her face when she had turned aside was so composed, so serene. How could she possibly actually have any fondness for Bingley when she was so untouched by being turned away at their door?

But still, there was something about the cast of her shoulders, the turn of her lips that suggested she might be more moved that she appeared at first glance. If it had been Miss Elizabeth, he would have been certain of what the expression meant. With this wrong Miss Bennet, he could only guess. And her eyes … oh how they resembled Miss Elizabeth’s.

Not so much in the delicacy of that feature, but in rough form and color. Almost as though she were a rough draft of what was to be perfected in her sister. So perfectly imperfect in Miss Elizabeth.

Her face, her figure whirled though the shadows of his imagination. His muse caught her, and twirled her, parading her around before his mind’s eye, the nymph who lived to tease and torment him in turn.

Unfortunately, Miss Bingley was right in regards to the Bennets. While Bingley could technically afford an alliance with Longbourn, Miss Elizabeth was everything a man like himself should, had to avoid. And he would respect his family and his station enough for that, his muse be damned. He would not tell Bingley of Miss Bennet’s visit, nor that she were even in London. And he certainly would never, never recommend a return to Netherfield Park.

 

Why was it his muse had seemed to take the notion to be “damned” far more literally than it should have? No sooner did he return to his paints, but every fragment, every thread of inspiration flew from him, as fleeting as a shadow and as easy to catch when he gave it chase.

He tried the theater, opera, reading, riding Rotten Row, even walking in any green space he found, but all creative impulse eluded him. After a fortnight, the futility of it all set in, and he retreated back to Derbyshire. If he was going to be miserable, he might as a well do it in comfortable surrounds.


Darcy seems to be in serious trouble now. Ticking off one’s muse does not appear to be a good strategy.

 

17 comments

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    • Mary Coble on January 25, 2019 at 12:41 am
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    Darcy will not find inspiration at Pemberley either – a complete shutdown. While he may deny it, he will know deep down that he must see Elizabeth again. But where will this occur? Do they meet at Rosings? Does he encourage and accompany Bingley back to Netherfield? Will she travel with the Gardiners to Lambton?
    We will have to wait and see what you have in store!

    • J. W. Garrett on January 25, 2019 at 8:45 am
    • Reply

    Oh, Darcy… you may fool the world, you may even fool yourself, but you cannot fool your muse. And, your muse, my dear sir, will certainly seek its revenge. You have blocked your feelings, emotions, and desires. Your muse cannot and will not be controlled or locked up. My goodness. I love this story of Darcy as a painter. Love it. Thanks for this excerpt. I look forward to seeing the novella launched in February.

    • Meg on January 25, 2019 at 8:53 am
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    Oh, I’m not sure. Let’s see, perchance when Darcy returns to Pemberley, Georgiana will bring forth his letters he wrote to her and ask to see his paintings of Elizabeth, and in doing so Darcy confesses his love and Georgiana insists Darcy return to Longbourn and take Georgiana with him so she can help him decide. I’m sure you will have something much more exciting to reveal.
    There’s a typo in this extract I’m sure you’ll catch but I give it here: out of site should be out of sight.
    I look forward to reading the entire novella.

    • Monica Kolakowski on January 25, 2019 at 9:35 am
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    Lack of sleep, or only sleeping while dreaming of Elizabeth Bennet should drive Darcy back to his muse!!!

    • Glynis on January 25, 2019 at 9:57 am
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    I loved how Darcy saw through all Caroline’s mannerisms, knowing them to be contrived. But conspiring with her against Bingley? Big mistake!
    Now he has lost all inspiration for his art. Retreat to Pemberley won’t help him either. No doubt his dreams and imagination will be enough to haunt him. I wonder where he will meet Elizabeth again? Hertfordshire, Kent or Derbyshire? Hopefully when he does he will stop trying to fight his muse and his heart and give in gracefully. 🙂

    • Linda A. on January 25, 2019 at 12:22 pm
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    I was surprised Darcy allowed himself to be alone in a room with Caroline, at least he was wary and saw through her physical manipulations. Too bad her arguments seemed reasonable. His muse will stay away and drive him to do something drastic – if not for himself, at least for Bingley.

    Thank you for sharing!

    • DarcyBennett on January 25, 2019 at 2:48 pm
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    Going to Derbyshire will not help. I think he will eventually realize this and go to his muse.

    • Carole in Canada on January 25, 2019 at 6:01 pm
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    I would like to see Mr. Bingley be so despondent that he decides, on his own, to open Netherfield and return to Jane who has returned to Longbourn! Somehow, through an express, (using Mr. Hurst’s name), Caroline gets a message to Darcy that ‘their’ plans have failed and asking for his help in bringing Charles back. All this time at Pemberley, Darcy will be haunted by dreams of Elizabeth, but his Muse stays out of reach and he still cannot put his vision on canvas…though he does try and fails miserably. Georgiana is worried and asks for the Colonel’s help. Rather long-winded of me, but you could tie this in with Valentine’s Day!

    • Sheila L. Majczan on January 25, 2019 at 6:36 pm
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    I do find that with time between chapters it is difficult to have a clear memory of what went before. However, I do want to read the rest of the story. If Darcy is true to character here his torture is only in early stages. As Mary asked: will he next see her at Rosings or even at Pemberley? This Darcy has more then just memories to stir his feelings – if I remember correctly. Thanks for this chapter.

    • Lisa Hatfield on January 25, 2019 at 8:07 pm
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    I love the idea of an artistic Darcy….rather than a brooding aristocrat. Elizabeth is his muse….but she has also gotten under his skin. Seeing Jane has created havoc in his life. Why must he constantly fight his feelings? Artists often feel more deeply, more compassionately than the average person. Why would an artistic soul place such importance on material wealth and societal norms?? I wonder when his paintings of Elizabeth will be discovered?? I can’t wait to see what happens next!!!

    • Buturot on January 26, 2019 at 12:41 am
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    I wish he had nightmares (daydreams) of his muse being enraptured by another gentleman or being married to one. Hope he dreams of the future meeting his muse with her children around her and he is not the father of those kids. Toobad for a disheartened artist, and if this follows the original story. further torture when he sees his muse and be reminded of his dreams.

    In this, I do not know why he agreed to conspire with someone (Ms Bingley) he doesn’t like.

    Can’t wait for th next chapter. Thank you for the exerpt.

    • Eva Edmonds on January 26, 2019 at 10:15 am
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    Well, I am glad that the muse left Darcy as he deserves it! I think that he will be dreaming of his muse, Elizabeth, and it will be a torment and not afford him any rest.

    • Taswmom on January 28, 2019 at 1:21 am
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    I can see why his reaction to seeing Jane totally drove away his muse. He’ll have to bring his canvases and drawing book with him to Pemberley. I’m hoping then, that Georgiana does her job well, and gets him to see the light (in her e-y-e-s).

    • Michelle H on January 28, 2019 at 7:44 pm
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    I’m finally catching up on my January blogs, so I’ve read all four excerpts back to back. That helps with my own grasp of continuity. This story started out differently enough that I was hoping he was a different sort of Darcy. I’m disappointed that he ran. And in the meantime he left Wickham to spread his lies around town. So wherever and whenever Darcy does see Elizabeth again he is going to be in for the same smack down (which he deserves,) but it may hurt him even more. Then what will happen to his muse. Because by the time he comes up to snuff, he’ll realize he can’t do with out her, because she’s the only one who connects him with his muse. I really liked Buterot’s idea of a daydream of someone else married to Elizabeth. Kind of like one of the ghosts in The Christmas Carol.

    I think it’s a great concept for a variation. I’ll be looking forward to your launch in February. Best of luck, Maria.

  1. I enjoyed the London scenes, Maria. But I think his muse has temporarily deserted him until spring when he visit his aunt Lady Catherine and see Elizabeth again. He deserves this punishment after not telling Bingley that Jane Bennet is in town. I look forward to reading the next instalment of this wonderful story.

    • Linny H on January 30, 2019 at 11:53 pm
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    No happiness for Darcy until he sees Elizabeth again but he’s dragged poor Charles into the doldrums with him.
    Looking forward to reading more of your story. Thanks for sharing.

    • Joan Brand on June 27, 2019 at 8:13 pm
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    I think this chapter presents a more realistic Darcy. He is not interfering directly in Bingley ‘s life, nor is he telling him the truth about Jane ‘s presence. Darcy and Jane do not show their emotions.

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