Accusing Elizabeth

by Jennifer Joy

  Clearing his throat, Mr. Collins continued, "Now that you are fully aware of my high regard for you and your family, as well as my unshakable loyalty, please let me repeat only one time more that my motive in going along with it was entirely for your benefit." After receiving an impatient nod, he continued with a glance over to the couch where Anne sat, "It was communicated to me that there was a threat to your plan that Mr. Darcy marry Miss de Bourgh."

  Darcy's attention focused fully on Mr. Collins.

  "It was pointed out to me by one who also holds your interests as a priority that a visitor in my home was a distraction. The intent was not to accuse anyone of a crime. Of the young lady's innocence, I can attest. However, our motivation came out of a desire to separate the two individuals of whom I speak and thus promote a happy union between the Darcys and de Bourghs— as it should be, your ladyship."

  "Of which young lady do you speak, Mr. Collins? Which of your guests would dare go against my plans for my daughter's match?" Aunt Catherine spat out the question before Darcy could ask who Mr. Collins' partner in crime was.

  He looked toward Anne during the ensuing pause in which Mr. Collins collected his thoughts, but Anne looked just as confused as he did. Mrs. Jenkinson fanned her face and patted her hand as she always did, occasionally glaring at Mr. Collins for upsetting her mistress so much. Richard appeared as ignorant as Darcy himself and only shrugged his shoulders at him when their eyes met.

  Surely, Aunt knew the answer, but she sought confirmation of her suspicion.

  "My cousin, Miss Elizabeth Bennet," Mr. Collins responded, his head bowed in shame.

  Lifting her chin high, she asked, "What proof do you have of this horrid accusation against my nephew?"

  Darcy felt the hair on his arm stand on end. She saw it as an insult that he found love with a lady she deemed inferior, when in every way, Elizabeth was far superior to her. Elizabeth did not like Lady Catherine any more than Lady Catherine liked her, yet Elizabeth would never seek to raise herself on a pedestal at the cost of another’s dignity. Nor would she openly spew insults before her own relatives. No, Elizabeth was a lady, unlike the woman before him who merely bore the title.

  Biting his tongue so as not to distract Mr. Collins more than he already allowed himself to be, he buried his feelings until a more opportune time. He would wait.

  Everyone stared at Mr. Collins, who evidently struggled with the shame he felt toward his cousin and his admiration for her. At least, that was what Darcy hoped. He would give the clergyman the benefit of the doubt, especially if he could clear her name. He had said that he could attest to her innocence.

  "About a week past, your ladyship was gracious to condescend to invite myself and my household for tea. My cousin, unfortunately, was suffering a headache and chose to remain behind. It is suspected that during this time, in which Mr. Darcy was also absent from tea, he called on her while she was unattended. There have been other instances where they have been seen walking together through the lawns in the park."

  Aunt Catherine turned on Darcy, her eyes fuming and red-rimmed. "Is this true? Did you knowingly call on an unmarried woman?"

  Darcy, annoyed with the use of so many words to reveal so little, as well as the implication that Miss Elizabeth was too low for his attention, spoke clearly and plainly. "I did call on Miss Bennet. I proposed to her."

  The gasps in the room were so dramatic he would have burst out laughing had the matter not been so serious. Richard did not have the same delicacy. He clamped his hand over his mouth and shook in merriment.

  Aunt Catherine stood up from her chair, her hands shaking so violently, Darcy stood to assist her should she topple over. "You are engaged when you are promised to another? How dare you act so perversely whilst a guest in my house?" she shouted.

  With all the calm he could muster, Darcy answered, "She refused me. I am not engaged— more is the pity." He refused to look at Richard, who surely was in fits of laughter by now. Darcy hoped he would choke on his tongue.

  Sitting back down, Aunt Catherine said, “Then she is more sensible than I had believed her to be. We shall keep this amongst ourselves, for I will not have you compromised and thus be forced to marry her.”

  “I still love her, Aunt. I shall marry none other than her,” he said, still standing.

  He looked at Anne. She smiled at him, bit her lips together like she would weep, and fluttered her hand over her heart.

  Before Aunt Catherine could exclaim the cutting retort on the tip of her tongue, Anne stood, drawing everyone’s attention. Mrs. Jenkinson heaved herself out of her place to keep her hand at Anne’s elbow. Richard moved to get up, but Anne stopped him with a shake of the head.

  “Mother, there is something I wish you to know. I am in love.” She stopped to smile. She looked lovely with happiness adorning her face.

  “Of course you are in love— with Darcy!” exclaimed Aunt Catherine.

  Her sweet smile still illuminating her with peace and joy, Anne stepped toward Richard and extended her hand.

  “I am ashamed of my cowardliness in keeping silent so long. All of this could have been avoided had I overcome my fear. Would I could be more like Miss Bennet in that regard,” she said.

  Richard took her offered hand, caressing it between his own with a tenderness Darcy had not thought Richard capable of. With a touch of his lips against her fingers, Richard rose to stand by Anne.

  Silence consumed the room.

  Chapter 30

  It was the closest to an apoplexy Aunt Catherine had ever come to Darcy’s knowledge. She clutched the arm of her chair like an angry cat clawing at the furniture. Her knuckles looked shockingly white against the purple of her dress and the red blotches on her face.

  "How dare you betray me! You, of all people, Anne. My own daughter! I shall disinherit you!" she threatened. Darcy did not doubt that her anger would last long enough to carry out such a drastic measure. He looked at Richard and Anne in worry. Could their love for each other stand through the trials Aunt Catherine would heave in their path?

  Neither wavered. Anne clasped all the more firmly onto Richard's arm, and he pressed it into his side, resting his free hand on top of hers. Whatever they had to face, they would face it together. It was a pleasure to see. Darcy wanted nothing less for them.

  He heard Anne's breath shake before she spoke, but there was no doubt in her voice. "Richard has taken measures to see that our estate earns more money, Mother. The tenants love him, and he has developed a good rapport with our land steward. In fact, he has a plan to help you in your endeavor to beautify the park even further without the added cost of hiring an architect. We think you will be pleased."

  The mention of money certainly got Aunt Catherine's attention. "But Richard has no money! He brings nothing to the estate like Darcy can!"

  Darcy grimaced. Aunt Catherine made it painfully clear that she valued his monetary worth far more than the man he was.

  "Did you not listen to me, Mother? I just told you that Richard can help the estate earn more money, and he has wonderful ideas to help us cut costs..."

  Aunt Catherine balked. She would rather go destitute trying to keep up appearances than be forced to spend less and sacrifice the excesses she had grown accustomed to. "I will not send away any of the servants! I will not change my habits in the slightest, so you can put to rest your plans to save money."

  Richard spoke up, "I would never suggest that you send away your servants. There are good families who depend on this estate for their living. I would no more recommend that you dismiss them than you would."

  Aunt Catherine harrumphed, but she kept her objections to herself. After a moment, she lowered her stubborn chin and looked at Richard out of the corner of her eyes. She was curious.

  Taking that as encouragement, Richard continued, "Have you never noticed how your estate has provided more in the past few years than in the previous? Are you not at least a little curious to know what I have been up to? Would you not b
e interested in hearing what ideas I have for increasing your income? Surely, that is to your advantage as well as Anne's." Palms up, he implored her to do what she seldom did— to listen.

  She snorted derisively, but she cast no more judgments toward the couple now standing before her. Perhaps shock had set in.

  Now Darcy understood Richard's actions better. He had thought that he merely sought to take advantage of the large space to ride— an activity Richard enjoyed. Instead, he had been riding over the property and making friends with the tenants and steward. Even Mrs. Smith had thanked him for helping with their roof. All this time, Richard had been making improvements and learning how to care for an estate, so that he would make a worthy husband of Anne. Pride for his cousin filled his breast. Only he could conduct such a maneuver, subdue the dragon, and rescue the maiden from the tower of seclusion she had lived in her entire life. Looking at how Anne glowed that moment even convinced Darcy that love would work its miracle and ease the malaise which had wasted most of her youth. Richard was giving her a second start in life.

  It made him want to storm the blacksmith's walls on his white steed and rescue his own damsel in distress.

  The connection hit him like a brick to the head. Looking at Anne, he said, "Your earrings were not stolen, were they? You gave them to Richard to help him with his debt."

  Anne smiled sheepishly and Richard's face turned scarlet red.

  Bunching up his chin in his willful way, he said, "I could not accept them."

  Shaking her head, Anne said softly, "You and your foolish pride. Would you have taken them like I begged you to, we could have bought them back once you paid them off. I know you would have done so."

  Before the conversation could become distracted again, Darcy turned to Mr. Collins, who sat quite forgotten by everyone else in the room. "You said that you know for a certainty that Miss Elizabeth is innocent of taking the earrings? Please explain yourself."

  Mr. Collins took in a large breath, no doubt to speak a good amount of vocabulary without saying anything at all.

  "In few words," Darcy added for good measure.

  Exhaling, Mr. Collins looked deflated, but he soon recovered enough to say, "I know she did not take them because I was the one who put them in Charlotte's sewing box to be found during the search of my home.”

  Darcy lurched forward in his seat. “It was you?” he exclaimed.

  “I did not steal them, of course. I would testify before the Almighty Himself that my motive in doing so was only to protect the interest of her ladyship. I did not know, however, that Miss de Bourgh's affections lay elsewhere or else I might not have acted against my own household as I did. I am ashamed." Mr. Collins bowed his head.

  Darcy voiced the question he had pondered since Anne's admission. "If you did not steal the earrings, Mr. Collins, then please be so kind as to tell us who did.”

  Mr. Collins said nothing, but his eyes darted to the couch where one lone figure sat. Mrs. Jenkinson— who looked like she wished she could disappear.

  Anne gasped, "But of course! What a simpleton I have been." Leaving Richard's side, she went to the couch and sat next to her companion of many years. "Why did you do it?" she asked.

  "I found your letters, Miss Anne," she said softly.

  Anne nodded in understanding and looked up at Richard.

  "When Mother sent you up to my room with the maid to retrieve the earrings I knew were in the compartment?" she pressed.

  "Yes. I understand why you would have put them there. Nobody would look in that part of your desk, knowing it was not to be disturbed. But I saw what you had hidden, and I sought to protect you from yourself. I thought you would ruin your future, and I could not bear it."

  Aunt Catherine, who had been abnormally quiet, found her voice, "For goodness' sake, speak plainly, Mrs. Jenkinson. What did you see, and why did that make you do what you did?"

  "I saw packets of love letters tied with red ribbons addressed to Miss Anne from Colonel Fitzwilliam. There were dozens upon dozens of them. I saw with my own eyes that theirs was no passing fancy, and I even suspected a secret engagement. So, I pretended to drop my spectacles on the floor by accident to distract the maid, and I snatched the earrings until I could speak with Mr. Collins."

  "Why not simply speak to me? Mrs. Jenkinson, you have become a close friend to me. Why did you not trust me?" asked Anne.

  Mrs. Jenkinson patted Anne's hand as she always did. "As much as I esteem your friendship, my attachment to her ladyship is even stronger. She saved me from the workhouse after my husband died and left me with nothing. I owe her my life, and I could not bear for her to suffer disappointment when she learned that you were in love with someone other than Mr. Darcy."

  Aunt Catherine quietly smiled. She was a striking woman anyway, but Darcy saw an inkling of humanity in her at that moment.

  That explained why she acted the way she did toward Anne, but it did not explain her involving Mr. Collins. "Why did you confide in Mr. Collins?"

  Looking accusingly at him, she answered, "I saw you leave the parsonage the afternoon Miss Bennet had stayed at home from taking tea with Lady Catherine and her hosts. Anne needed some air and felt well enough to ride out in her pony and cart. We had just passed by when you came walking out of the house. Why else would you enter the parsonage when you knew the only person home was Miss Bennet?" She paused to catch her breath. "I saw the longing in your eyes when you looked at her, and I noticed how you paid her particular attention when she played the pianoforte after dinner. You found praise where there should have been none. Only the rose-colored tint of love could have cast its partial glow to the noise she produced from the instrument. I wanted her gone so that you could pay attention to Miss Anne! That was my reason in choosing Mr. Collins to take into my confidence. His loyalty to the de Bourgh family is as great as mine."

  It was Anne's turn to soothe the elderly woman. Anne was far more sympathetic than he was. He glared at the woman who was the cause of Elizabeth's wrongful imprisonment. Fortunately for Mrs. Jenkinson, he would have little say in her punishment.

  Addressing Mr. Collins, he asked in disbelief, "You went along with her? What could have possessed you to act in such a manner against your own cousin? And do not forget that it was Miss Lucas, your sister by marriage, who looked guilty. Were you willing to cause unrest in your own home just to please your patroness?" He shut his lips in disgust, Mr. Collins’ actions growing more detestable in his mind as he thought about them.

  Mr. Collins stuttered, "I did not know about Miss Lucas'... error. To be fair, Mrs. Jenkinson promised me that she would merely encourage her ladyship to send the ladies away. Once they were gone, things would return to normal."

  "Were they not planning to leave in less than a week anyway? What could you possibly stand to gain by allowing your own cousin and sister to leave in shame?" Darcy insisted, growing increasingly impatient with the clergyman.

  Mr. Collins had the decency to blush crimson. "It is nothing I am proud of. I will admit that I wished to knock my haughty cousin down a peg or two. I never sought to do her any lasting harm. I only thought it would do her good to be put in her place for once."

  Everyone in the room knew she had refused him. It was Aunt Catherine who had encouraged him to take a wife from amongst one of his cousins at Longbourn.

  Never in Darcy's wildest dreams would he think to retaliate against Miss Elizabeth for refusing him. His distaste for the man seated next to him grew and only calmed when he reminded himself that it was Mr. Collins' uneasy conscience which had revealed so much in the past few minutes.

  "Your resentment might very well cost Miss Elizabeth a good deal more than her pride. What do you think of her character now— after witnessing the lengths she went to for you? She took Miss Lucas' place and ensured your living at Hunsford out of her sense of responsibility and friendship to your wife." A woman who felt so deeply for her friends would be the best ally in life. Darcy dreamed of them dealing with the chal
lenges brought their way, knowing that she would not shrink back. She was the bravest woman of his acquaintance, and his respect for her grew the more he understood her. Had he only known how much better than himself she was, he never would have insulted her with his poor excuse of a proposal.

  He would come to her aid. He would be the champion she needed. Whether she could return his love or not, Darcy would strive to be the gentleman she deserved. If Elizabeth would concede to love a man who had wronged her so badly, he would live every day trying to prove himself worthy of her.

  “If there is anything I can do to make it up to her, I am determined to do so,” stated Mr. Collins. Miraculously, he uttered nothing more.

  About to retort that he had done enough already, another idea occurred to Darcy. There was something Mr. Collins could do for her.

  “I should like to meet with you in the library in a few minutes, Mr. Collins. There is something you can do for Miss Elizabeth which will mean a great deal to her, and I can promise that I will make it worth your while.”

  Chapter 31

  More than anything else, Elizabeth hated the waiting. If she knew what her future held, good or bad, at least she could prepare herself for it. Instead, she found herself forced to hope that others would care as much about her fate as she did, while preparing herself for the worst to happen. The state of limbo without the advantage of clearing her mind by taking a walk outdoors filled her with a desperation which she fought for what felt like endless hours.

  Mrs. Smith was good enough to allow her out of doors, where the smaller children played, as she rooted the weeds out of the garden. Elizabeth had knelt beside her to help, needing to do something— anything to distract her mind and make the time pass. But Mrs. Smith would have none of Elizabeth staining her dress in the dirt. If only she knew the liberties Elizabeth was allowed to take at home.