by Jann Rowland
The family was happy together. A letter had come from Elizabeth soon after her departure, informing them of her arrival and imparting the information concerning their aunt’s condition.
“If Lizzy should have required me to go in her stead, I should have been quite happy to do so,” said Mary after her father had read the letter addressed to the family. “But it is good to know that Aunt Gardiner is on the mend.”
“Lizzy would not push the responsibility on anyone else,” said Thomas, fixing a fond smile on his youngest sister. “Your offer was doomed from the start, Mary, for Lizzy would never have given way.”
“Yes, that is so,” replied Caroline. “Never let it be said that Elizabeth will not protect those she loves. Then again, the timing of Mr. Gardiner’s request is unfortunate.”
“Actually,” replied Mary, “I think a little uncertainty and distance is good. It will certainly do no harm if what I have seen is true.”
The rest of the family shared amused grins. The attentions of Mr. Darcy toward Elizabeth had not been missed by anyone in the family. But Jane did not join their merriment, for she had information on the matter which they did not possess.
As the conversation continued, Jane allowed her attention to slip back into that which had dominated her thoughts of late. Not for the first time, Jane wondered if she was right to suspect Mr. Darcy of ulterior motives. It sorely went against the grain for her to think ill of anyone. But Elizabeth was far too important to Jane to treat the matter with anything other than the seriousness it deserved. In the absence of any other information from Elizabeth herself, Jane vowed to remain cautious.
That evening, the family sat down to dinner. It being a family dinner, the seating was allowed to be a little unusual, for though Caroline occupied the mistress’s position as was her right, Thomas sat beside her and Mr. Bennet occupied the master’s chair. Mr. Bennet, amused as he was by his son’s blatant affection for his wife, made no comment, though it could be argued that Thomas should have been next to Mr. Bennet instead.
As they partook of the meal, they spoke of various matters. Thomas and their father discussed some issues of the estate, while Jane and Mary talked of their visit with Charlotte Lucas, who had stopped by Longbourn that morning. It was a family dinner, one which had happened many times over the course of Jane’s life. The atmosphere was filled with love and laughter, happiness in the society of those who are dearest.
As dinner drew to a close, Mr. Bennet rose to return to his library as was his wont. But before he departed, he turned and looked directly at Thomas and Caroline, addressing them thus:
“Let me say, Caroline, that I am happy you have fit into our home so seamlessly. I never doubted your competence or desire to please, but you have taken up the reins of the house, and I have not noticed a difference from when my own dear daughters were tasked with the responsibility.”
It was not often that Caroline Bennet was rendered abashed, but this appeared to be one of those times. “Thank you, Mr. Bennet. Your words mean much to me.”
“You are a good girl.” Mr. Bennet paused and grinned at his newest daughter. “But this ‘Mr. Bennet’ business is nonsense. I understand you refer to your own dear father as Papa, but I would be happy if I could attain the position of Father in your eyes. Mr. Bennet is far too stuffy and implies a distance I would not have between us.”
Caroline was recovered from her shyness by now, and she smiled widely, and nodded, acknowledging his request. “Very well, ‘Father’ it is.”
“Then I shall retreat to my library. Should some young man come in a tizzy wishing for the hand of any of my daughters, I shall be at my leisure to receive them.”
With a wink, Mr. Bennet left the room, the rest of his family smiling as he passed through the door. The next one to speak was Thomas, who looked at his two sisters and said: “I, on the other hand, am not ready to lose any of my sisters. If you have gentlemen suitors hiding under the sofa, I must ask them to leave.”
“For my part,” said Mary, laughing at her brother’s jest, “I believe there is no reason to worry. For Jane, however . . .”
They all laughed at Jane’s embarrassment, and no amount of glaring did any good.
Later, Jane received an unexpected visitor to her room as she was preparing to retire. It was a bittersweet time for her, as it had been ever since her dearest Lizzy had left, for the two young women almost always spent some time in each other’s chambers in the evening, speaking of the day or talking of their dearest thoughts and dreams. And yet, should Jane marry Mr. Bingley, as she was increasingly certain would happen before long, such nightly conferences must cease. Thus, it was a decidedly melancholy Jane who granted permission to enter when she heard the knock on the door.
It was Caroline. She appeared uncertain. Rarely having seen her new sister in such an attitude, Jane welcomed her in, looking at her with some concern, until Caroline opened her mouth.
“Jane,” said she. “I wish to ask you . . . That is, I must know . . .” Caroline flushed and threw up her hands in frustration. “Oh, I do not know what I wish to say! Or I do know, but it would be much easier if I was speaking to Elizabeth.”
“Speaking with Lizzy?” echoed Jane, feeling slightly offended.
“No!” Caroline turned and rushed to Jane’s side, grasping her hands and blurting: “That is not what I meant! You are so good, Jane, that I know what you will say. But I require honesty. At least, I think I do.”
“What is it, Caroline?” asked Jane.
Though Caroline paused for a moment, when she spoke, her words came out in a rush. “Is it true your mother would approve of me?”
“Of course!” exclaimed Jane. “Why do you even ask such a silly thing?”
“I am not silly, Jane!” said Caroline, apparently feeling a little cross. When a giggle escaped Jane’s lips at her sister’s discomfiture, Caroline’s scowl grew that much darker.
“Please, Caroline,” said Jane, controlling her mirth, “what has brought this on?”
“Your father’s words after dinner,” mumbled Caroline. “It is important to me to know that your mother would have approved of me.”
It was still a silly worry in Jane’s opinion. But she saw that Caroline was serious, and as such, it behooved Jane to take care for her new sister’s feelings.
“Let there be no doubt in your mind, Caroline. Of course, my mother would have approved of you. Do you not remember the woman?”
Caroline’s lips curled in a smile as Jane intended. “I see you do. Mama wished for the match almost as soon as you came out. There is no doubt she would have approved of you and been proud of the manner in which you have begun to care for her beloved home.”
“Thank you, Jane,” said Caroline in a soft tone. “I am aware that you think me daft, but I believe I needed to hear that.”
Turning to depart as quickly as she entered, Jane watched her sister retreat, though Caroline stopped at the door, turned and looked at her. “I was wrong, Jane. Asking you was perfect—Elizabeth could not have reassured me any better than you have.”
Then Caroline departed, leaving Jane feeling warm all over. There was nothing better than having your closest friend as a sister. Then again, perhaps it was better to have a close friend become one’s husband.
The following day saw the return of the Netherfield gentlemen to Longbourn—or at least one of them came, along with his parents. The company was in a fine mood that morning, little knowing matters were about to take a turn for the worst.
As happy as Jane was to see Mr. Bingley, the absence of Mr. Darcy was curious. Then it was alarming. The reason for it soon became clear.
“I should have thought Mr. Darcy would accompany you to Longbourn,” said Caroline to her brother. Then her look became sly, and she added: “Then again, perhaps it is not surprising. For there is nothing to draw Mr. Darcy to Longbourn now.”
The meaning of her words was not lost on anyone, and most of tho
se in the room showed their amusement. For Jane, however, Mr. Darcy’s absence at Longbourn did not trouble her in the slightest. Quite the opposite.
“If there is nothing to draw him here,” said Mr. Bennet, “then I must call myself ill-used. The charms of an old man as a chess opponent must pale in comparison to a pretty young woman, but I had thought Mr. Darcy would make do until my Lizzy returned.”
“Perhaps he may have made do,” said Mr. Bingley, “but as it happens, he is not here.”
“Not here?” asked Jane with a frown. “I do not understand. It is evident he has not accompanied you to Longbourn.”
“What I mean is that Darcy is no longer in Hertfordshire,” said Mr. Bingley. “In fact, he left for London only the morning after your sister departed. I should imagine he has already been in her company.”
A sense of utter horror filled Jane’s senses, and she gasped. Mr. Darcy had followed Lizzy to town? The possible implications of the gentleman’s actions flooded her mind, and she suddenly could not breathe. Lizzy was in danger, possibly at that very moment!
Chapter XVII
Caroline was the first of the company to notice the expression of utter horror which spread over Jane’s face. It was so unlike the woman she knew, who could usually be counted on to greet any event in life with calm rationality, that Caroline paused for a moment, unable to speak.
“Jane, dearest, what is wrong?” said Caroline at length, finally finding her tongue.
But Jane did not answer. Her eyes found Caroline’s, full panic and distress revealed in them, such as Caroline had never before seen. By this time, others had become aware of the problem.
“Are you ill, Jane?” asked Mary. Reaching out, Mary grasped one of Jane’s hands and spoke to her softly. “What is it? Has something happened to distress you?”
“I . . .” managed Jane before trailing off. “I do not know.”
Though Caroline was confused at Jane’s reply, others were not. In particular, Thomas regarded his sister, suspicion alive on his countenance.
“It seems to me, Jane, you became distressed upon hearing that Darcy is in London. Why could the gentleman’s movements be of concern to you?”
Appearing as if she were frozen and unable to move, like the deer caught in the sights of the hunter, Jane only gaped at her brother. A cacophony of voices arose, all wishing to be heard, until a loud voice interrupted them. Mr. Bennet stood and scowled at the company.
“Nothing will be discovered of this matter until we allow Jane to speak.” Then turning to his daughter, Mr. Bennet said: “What is this all about, Jane. Thomas’s words suggest you fear for Lizzy and that the object of your fear is Mr. Darcy.”
“But that is absurd!” exclaimed Mrs. Bingley. “It is obvious that she enjoys his company greatly!”
“While I cannot dispute that, Madam,” replied Mr. Bennet, “I do recall some hesitance in Lizzy’s manners soon after Mr. Darcy arrived in the neighborhood. Jane? What can you tell us?”
Though Longbourn’s eldest daughter was silent for several moments, unable to speak, a peculiar shift in her features and a firmness of her jaw suggested she had come to some decision. Then in a halting, though increasingly confident tone of voice, she began to relate the particulars of her fears.
Caroline listened in silence, though others exclaimed at certain parts of the tale, unable to fathom the tale Jane related to them. Was Darcy a dishonorable man who went about compromising young women? There had never been anything in his behavior which suggested he was capable of such acts. In fact, everything Caroline had seen of him informed her he was a good and upright man, one who had the particular intelligence to understand how much of a gem Caroline’s new sister was.
The tale did not take long to relate, concerned as it was with a specific event, but when Jane finished speaking, all was silent for a moment. Thereafter, however, the reactions of the company could not be more disparate. The most vocal among them, however, were her husband and brother, though again, their responses were very different.
“I do not believe it,” averred Charles. “Darcy a seducer of women? I have never heard of such a thing.”
“I know little of his past, Bingley,” said Thomas. His countenance might have been chiseled from stone. “But I do not mean to let this stand. I shall go to London and confront him with it.”
Charles’s eyes found Thomas and his countenance darkened. “Now wait a moment, Bennet. I cannot believe my friend is any danger to Elizabeth. Have you not watched them these past days?”
“Are you suggesting my sister is lying?” demanded Thomas.
“Of course not!” cried Bingley. “But there must be some misunderstanding. Darcy is not a libertine!”
“Now you sound like Jane,” said Caroline, throwing an amused glance at her sister.
It was, unfortunately, an abject failure to diffuse the situation, as Thomas only scowled at her. Into this increasingly tense discussion, Jane’s voice tentatively rose again, saying:
“I thought it must be a mistake myself.”
“What I wish to know is why Lizzy kept this from us?” Thomas glared at his sister. “Why, for that matter, if you knew of it, did you not speak to me of it?”
“Because Lizzy swore me to silence.”
“Surely this is not a matter of which one keeps a confidence!” thundered Thomas.
“Mr. Darcy left soon after. Lizzy thought it unlikely she would meet him again and feared what the damage would be to her reputation should the matter become known.”
“Should you not have spoken of it when it became known he would come again?” Thomas was almost growling in frustration at his sister. “It is my duty to protect you all, but I cannot do so if you do not confide in me. Matters such as this may be handled without the facts becoming known to others. You are two of the most sensible girls I have ever met. But in this instant, I must wonder if you are not among the silliest!”
“Perhaps it was because of Elizabeth’s fear of this reaction that she stayed silent.”
The company well understood Caroline’s words, though Thomas glared at her. It achieved Caroline’s objective of silencing the argument, at least for the moment, allowing her to use the opportunity to further calm her belligerent husband.
“Let us think of this rationally,” said Caroline. “Whatever Mr. Darcy has done in the past—and I do not doubt your account, Jane—I have no indication on Elizabeth’s part of any fear of the gentleman. To me, she has seemed easy in his company, especially of late.”
Caroline turned to Jane and smiled at her sister. “Is there some reason why you think that Mr. Darcy is an especial danger to your sister at present?”
“Is what I have told you not enough?” demanded Jane.
“That is most unlike you, Jane,” interjected Mr. Bennet. “You are more apt to attribute questionable motives to misunderstandings. Why have you become so frightened for your sister in this instance?”
“Does it not seem strange to you all that Mr. Darcy has followed Lizzy to London?” demanded Jane. “Elizabeth has been remarkably closed-mouthed since the gentleman’s arrival in Hertfordshire, which is most unlike her. Furthermore, I saw her emerge from a balcony again at the last assembly we attended, Mr. Darcy following not long after, and she has not spoken to me since.” The indignation propelling Jane’s outburst seemed to dissipate, and she wilted. But she managed to make one last comment: “I very much fear that he has made her a most indecent proposal, and she will not tell me, for she fears to upset me.”
Thomas’s eyes burned with a cold fire, and even Charles seemed to be spoiling for a fight. The elder generation were mostly silent though Mrs. Bingley’s countenance suggested doubt. Mary leaned in toward her sister and comforted her, pulling Jane’s head to her shoulder and whispering soft words to her.
“Do you suggest Mr. Darcy made Elizabeth an offer of carte blanche?” asked Caroline. Though she projected a feeling of calm, inside she was a mas
s of roiling emotions.
A deepening scowl was Thomas’s reply, though he did not speak, likely because he did not trust himself. Jane’s head did not rise from Mary’s shoulder, though her expression was filled with horror—apparently, she had not considered such a thought
“Surely not,” said Mr. Bennet.
“Exactly,” said Caroline. “Not only do I not think Mr. Darcy would be so lost to good behavior to offer such a disgusting situation, but I do not think Lizzy would stand for it. Can you imagine her not giving the gentleman a piece of her mind, large enough for him to choke upon it? Would she meekly accept her fate and stay silent to protect us all?”
Caroline’s snort informed the rest of the company what she thought of such a suggestion. “Mr. Darcy is a good man—Charles, you have not been deceived in his character. Furthermore, it is apparent he admires Elizabeth. Admires her! And Elizabeth has not been reticent or afraid in his company. Quite the opposite.”
“I tend to agree with you, Caroline,” said Mr. Bennet with a slight smile.
“This cannot be allowed to stand,” said Thomas. “We cannot do nothing.”
“That is not my suggestion, Thomas,” said Mr. Bennet. “In fact, I believe there is little to be done but to go to London and confront Mr. Darcy. But we must do it in a matter which does not spawn gossip. Vaulting onto your horse and galloping away to your uncle’s home will accomplish just that.”
Mr. Bennet’s significant look at his son could not be mistaken, and while Thomas scowled, he did not gainsay his father. Furthering the effort to calm him, Caroline took his hand and squeezed it, feeling gratified that he returned the gesture. The look of thanks from Mr. Bennet was as satisfying as his comments concerning her entrance into the house.
“Then I should call for the carriage,” said Thomas. “There is no time to lose.”
“Tomorrow will be soon enough,” said Mr. Bennet. Thomas appeared eager to disagree, but Mr. Bennet shot him a pointed look. “Mr. Gardiner will allow no harm to come to Lizzy. She is safe under his protection.”
