Page 60 of What Change Entails

Lydia Bennet decided within ten minutes of Miss Bingley’s arrival that she still disliked her excessively.

This was unfortunate because Pemberley contained too many charming things to permit excessive dislike comfortably. One could not sustain proper indignation while seated beside open windows overlooking green lawns with strawberries upon the table and Horace sprawled across the hearth like an aging duke after dinner.

Miss Bingley managed to permeate the sensation.

The trouble had begun before the lady had fully entered the house.

Lydia had seen the fleeting change in Miss Bingley’s expression when she discovered Elizabeth beside Georgiana. Most people would never have observed it. Lydia had. She always paid closest attention to people she disliked.

Interesting.

By the time they were all settled inside, Miss Bingley had recovered so thoroughly that anyone less attentive might have imagined her delighted to find Elizabeth at Pemberley.

“Miss Bennet,” Miss Bingley said after the briefest pause. “What an unexpected pleasure.”

Elizabeth answered politely enough, though Lydia could hear caution entering her voice already.

Miss Bingley embraced Georgiana with elaborate affection. “My dearest Georgiana, how I missed you on the last stretch of our journey!”

Georgiana returned the embrace, but the comfort she possessed an hour earlier vanished almost instantly. Her shoulders drew inward. One hand fiddled with the ribbon at her waist.

Lydia narrowed her eyes.

Well. Clearly, Georgiana did not like Miss Bingley at all.

Mr. Hurst, meanwhile, appeared chiefly concerned with more pressing matters.

“Please tell me dinner is not far off,” he said, peering toward the house as though he suspected Pemberley of conspiring against him.

Mrs. Hurst complained of dust, and Mr. Bingley apologized for everyone’s discomfort despite having caused none of it.

Darcy handled the entire scene with remarkable patience.

Lydia admired this less than she ought because Miss Bingley had already begun speaking over Georgiana before they reached the drawing room.

“My dear, you should not stand near the doorway in that draft,” Miss Bingley said, guiding Georgiana forward by the arm. “You always neglect your health when left to your own devices.”

Georgiana opened her mouth.

Miss Bingley continued speaking before she could answer.

Lydia disliked her even more after that.

The atmosphere of the drawing room transformed within minutes of the newcomers’ entrance. Chairs moved into stiffer arrangements. Conversation lost its easy disorder. Even the servants moved differently, more alert beneath Miss Bingley’s inspection.

Lydia disliked that too. She sat beside Georgiana upon a sofa near the windows and watched Miss Bingley claim the room piece by piece. Not openly. Miss Bingley was far too practiced for openness. She merely corrected things no one had asked her to correct. She corrected Georgiana’s posture by touching her shoulder. Then she fiddled the flower arrangement by turning the vase slightly. Already she sought to improve conversation by redirecting it whenever Lydia spoke too long. And she snubbed Elizabeth by almost never addressing her directly at all.

Lydia struggled to keep herself from snapping. No one was allowed to snub her sisters except, well, Lydia.

Miss Bingley spoke to her just then. “Miss Lydia, I hope Derbyshire has not disappointed you entirely. Though I confess the society here must appear sadly lacking after having the officers in Meryton.”

The harpy had overheard her conversation with Georgiana just now. Mrs. Gardiner’s eyes lifted from her embroidery. Elizabeth became very still.

Lydia smiled brightly. “Oh, I have not yet judged Derbyshire completely. I am still searching for officers.” She watched with pleasure the chaos her words evoked.

Mr. Bingley choked on his tea. Darcy covered his mouth with one hand.

Miss Bingley laughed delicately. “How diverting.”