While Mary and Lydia advised Mrs Bennet about their brief encounter with Wickham and the news from Aunt Phillips, Elizabeth watched Jane read the letter, then slip it into her pocket. From her drooping shoulders and taut lips, Elizabeth knew that something troubled her. What bad tidings had upset her?
After hearing that his daughters had encountered Wickham that morning, Mr Bennet furrowed his brow. “Mr Wickham has proven himself untrustworthy, and under no circumstances are you to associate with him.”
Kitty pouted. “Fiddle! If not for Lizzy’s gift, I might have danced with him at the ball.”
Elizabeth could not allow her sister to disregard Wickham’s offences. “No, Kitty; he stayed away to avoid being in company with Mr Darcy. He is a coward and a cheat. Just as our aunt has advised us, Mr Darcy also told me of Wickham’s attempt to elope with a young girl for her fortune.”
Mr Bennet raised his brows at her statement. “Darcy made no mention of this to me. When did he tell you, Lizzy?”
She blanched, regretting her unintended slip. “Yesterday; he was out riding near Oakham Mount. We talked for a few minutes and he took his leave of me,” she said in a quiet voice, dreading her father’s reproof for meeting a gentleman without a chaperone.
His nostrils flaring and his eyes stern, Mr Bennet pressed his lips together as though attempting to control his temper. Mrs Bennet employed her fan and murmured woefully, “That girl shall be the death of me.”
Mr Bennet finally spoke in a controlled voice. “I forbid you to walk out alone. What if you had run into Wickham?”
Realizing her father was right, Elizabeth apologised for her carelessness and promised she would not do so again.
Mr Bennet grumbled. “If Wickham comes to Longbourn, I will set the dogs on him.” He left the parlour without a trace of his usual good humour.
Mrs Bennet shook her head and clucked her tongue. “Oh, Lizzy, will you never learn to control your wild ways? I can only imagine what Mr Darcy must think of you,” she said in a melancholy tone. “If you care not for your own reputation, at least have a care for your sisters’.”
Elizabeth knelt at her mother’s feet and begged her pardon for disappointing her. Endangering her sisters’ reputations was the last thing she wanted to do. Although she had been used to walking alone at Longbourn and the surrounding estates, Wickham posed far too great a danger to continue that long-cherished pastime. She was indeed fortunate that she had not encountered him during her early-morning ramble. Even Darcy had tried to warn her about walking alone.
Mollified for the moment, Mrs Bennet tucked in a few of Elizabeth’s hairpins. “Never fear, my dear girl, Mr Darcy will come back for you. He would not have sought you out if he felt nothing.”
Although her mother may derive some comfort by holding on to that mistaken belief, Elizabeth did not. Darcy had not sought her out, and he was not coming back. However, she said nothing further, and when her mother asked after Mrs Phillips, Lydia repeated the latest on-dits from Meryton.
Once the tea was gone, Jane caught her eye. “There is no need to call for a maid, Mama,” she said. “Lizzy and I will remove the tea things.” Taking her sister’s hint, Elizabeth lifted the tea tray, loaded with cups and saucers, and Jane carried the teapot. After depositing the dishes in the kitchen, they hurried upstairs to the privacy of their chamber.
Worry creasing her brow, Jane removed the letter from her pocket. “Caroline wrote to me,” she said, unfolding the paper. “I have no gift, Lizzy, and yet I see through her deceptions. Listen to what she writes.”
I do not pretend to regret anything I shall leave in Hertfordshire, except your society, my dearest friend; but we will hope, at some future period, to enjoy many returns of the delightful intercourse we have known, and in the meanwhile may lessen the pain of separation by a very frequent and most unreserved correspondence. I depend on you for that.
“Her letter proves how duplicitous she is. If I truly were her dearest friend, she would have called here to take her leave of me.” Jane turned the letter over and scanned the page. “She says that she and Louisa have no intention of returning. What’s more, she hints that Bingley admires someone else.”
My brother admires Miss Darcy greatly already, he will have frequent opportunity now of seeing her on the most intimate footing, and her relations all wish the connection as much as his own. Am I wrong, dearest Jane, in indulging the hope of an event which will secure the happiness of so many?
Jane tucked the letter away. “I know everything she says about Miss Darcy is false.”
Elizabeth agreed. “Caroline sees that her brother is in love with you and attempts to persuade you otherwise. In following him to town, she hopes to keep him away from you. She most likely imagines that if her brother were to marry Darcy’s sister, she would have less trouble securing Darcy for herself.”
“I should like to think that his sisters do not have such power over him, but if he cares for me, he will come back, will he not?”
“No one who has ever seen you together can doubt his affection. Bingley is his own master and will not be detained by them,” Elizabeth said, convinced that Bingley would return to Netherfield.
“As is Darcy. He may not show his affections as openly as Bingley does, but I believe he loves you and will return to claim your hand.”
If Darcy truly loved me, he would not have gone away. Although Elizabeth could not agree with her sister’s prediction, she did agree that Mrs Bennet should only be told that Caroline and Louisa had followed Bingley to London and were not expected to return this year.
Mrs Bennet received the news better than Elizabeth expected. “Never fear, my dear girls. When we left the ball, Mr Bingley told me himself that he would be away for a few days. He shall come to supper as soon as he returns, and we shall have two courses.”
“Yes, Mama, but the house is closed up, and his sisters plan to celebrate the holidays in London,” Jane said, her brows drawn together.
Undeterred by this information, Mrs Bennet maintained her cheery outlook. “Then, surely, they will return once the holidays are over. Mark my words, Jane, Mr Bingley shall not stay away too long. You were in your best looks Tuesday night. And you too, Lizzy. Mr Darcy singled you out with two dances.”
Elizabeth could not bear to tell her mother the truth. “Perhaps he was just being kind, Mama.”
“He would not have paid you such a compliment if he did not admire you. He will return, just wait and see if he does not.”
“He will most likely spend the holidays with his sister.” Although Darcy had not mentioned his plans for the season, she doubted he would wish to spend any more time away from Miss Darcy, especially at Christmastime.
“Of course, he must. The poor motherless child.”
Elizabeth still believed her mother’s assumptions were false. It was far more likely that he had already forgotten all about her.
***
Later that day, Mrs Hill announced the arrival of Sir William, Lady Lucas, and Charlotte. Sir William was in his usual high spirits, smiling broadly and exclaiming his delight in finding the Bennets in such good health. Charlotte and Lady Lucas, too, beamed profusely as they exchanged civilities with the family. Grateful to the Lucases for bringing such cheerfulness to Longbourn, Elizabeth settled in next to Jane, anticipating a half hour of amiable fellowship.
“I regret to inform you that our cousin, Mr Collins, has left us,” Mrs Bennet said.
Sir Lucas chuckled gaily. “Yes, he is staying at Lucas Lodge now.”
Suppressing a groan, Elizabeth glanced at Charlotte, who averted her eyes to the carpet. How unfortunate that her insipid cousin had imposed on the Lucas family. She could well imagine the tedium he had brought to that lively house.
“We have news,” Sir William said, his eyes twinkling with mirth.
“Thank goodness, Sir William. We can use some good news, can we not, girls?” Mrs Bennet said in a cheerful voice. Kitty and Lydia merrily giggled their agreemen
t.
“Our dear Charlotte is betrothed…to Mr Collins.”
Speechless, Elizabeth gazed at Charlotte, unable to fathom how she could have accepted an offer of marriage from a man she had met only two days earlier. Even worse, she had resigned herself to a loveless union with a ridiculous, prosy fellow.
Staring with her mouth agape, Mrs Bennet fanned her heated face, setting the ribbons of her cap aflutter. After a brief moment of bewildered glances between the Bennet sisters, Jane rose and reached out to Charlotte. “What wonderful tidings you have brought to Longbourn, Sir William. I wish you every happiness, my dear Charlotte. No one is more deserving.” Elizabeth echoed her sister’s sentiments, and the rest of the family, although subdued, also wished them well.
Lady Lucas happily accepted their felicitations. “No doubt you shall soon have cause to celebrate your own good fortune,” she said with no small satisfaction, undoubtedly pleased with her victory over her friend.
Mrs Bennet’s eyes flared with anger for an instant, but she quickly assumed a practised smile. “Yes, I daresay, we shall. The attentions paid to my eldest daughters have not gone unnoticed.”
Elizabeth cringed. Must her mother continue to voice her presumptions when nothing had been assured? Fortunately, no one alluded to the fact that Netherfield had been closed up and the date of the party’s return to the area was quite unknown.
While Sir William expounded on his future son-in-law’s virtues, Charlotte gestured to Elizabeth to follow her out of the parlour. “I know you cannot approve of my choice, Lizzy,” she whispered once they were alone.
Still reeling from the shocking news, Elizabeth could form no suitable response. “Charlotte…”
“You know me well, Lizzy. I am not romantic like you. I only ask for a comfortable home, and, considering Mr Collins’s station in life, I am convinced that I will be happy with him.”
Although Elizabeth could not agree with this prediction, for Charlotte’s sake, she embraced her, repeating her best wishes and stating her belief that she and Mr Collins would be very happy together. However, knowing Mr Collins, she doubted any such possibility.
“I am certain that, when the time comes, Mr Darcy shall make you just as happy,” Charlotte said with a knowing smile.
Not once in their entire acquaintance had Elizabeth ever detected a trace of grey around her dear friend. Charlotte would never dream of telling a falsehood, as Elizabeth had just done. Like Mrs Bennet, she truly believed that Darcy loved her. She sadly shook her head. “Darcy has gone back to London with no plans of ever returning.”
“But no one can mistake his affection for you. On the night of the ball, he watched your every move and hung on your every word.”
Elizabeth released a weary sigh. “Perhaps, but if he had any notion of declaring himself, my mother has quashed it. Her boastful matchmaking reached mortifying heights at supper that night.” She could only wonder who else might have overheard and repeated that dreadful conversation.
Charlotte clasped her hands. “As my mother has told me, but perhaps you may see him again.”
Charlotte had always been of the opinion that marriage, while a necessity to ensure a woman’s survival, need not be one of enduring affection. Having chosen a pompous, narrow-minded man with a good living, her financial future would certainly be secure but not her continued happiness. However, she had made her choice, and everyone must accept it, including Elizabeth.
As soon as the visitors had gone, Mrs Bennet began her bitter complaints to her husband. “How unfortunate that Charlotte shall one day be the next mistress of this house. It should have been Mary.”
Mr Bennet frowned and shook his head. “I would not have given my consent to his marrying any of my daughters.”
“Oh, ’tis easy for you to deny a roof over our heads once you are gone, Mr Bennet,” his wife said, making use of her vinaigrette. “You will not be here to save us when Charlotte turns us out of our beloved home.”
“You must not give way to gloomy thoughts, my dear. I may survive some years hence.”
Mrs Bennet took no consolation from this. “If you do not, I don’t know what shall become of us. I cannot understand how any father would entail the estate away from one’s own daughters,” she said, then, taking one last sniff of her sachet, she tucked it into a pocket. “However, you are still in good health, I daresay, and when Mr Bingley comes back, Jane will soon thereafter be installed at Netherfield.”
While Elizabeth also believed that Mr Bingley would return for Jane, she wondered if her own heart’s wish would ever be answered.
Chapter 14
Now that life had returned to some sense of normalcy in London, Darcy was determined to set adolescent infatuations aside and apply himself more vigorously to estate business. His visit to Hertfordshire had been a pleasant diversion, but duty must take precedence over all else. Of course, he had no control over his dreams, which had been all too vivid and pleasurable as of late, but during his waking hours, he was master of himself.
His reunion with Georgiana had set his mind at ease; she seemed to suffer no ill effects from her heartbreak last summer. Although she had frequently claimed to have recovered from the ordeal, he feared that she had hidden her true feelings to spare him from worry. However, her lively demeanour proved him wrong; she spoke of nothing but her studies, her improvement on the pianoforte, and her recent harp lessons.
Much to his surprise, Darcy found her noticeably subdued at supper Thursday evening; she spoke little during the meal, and only Mrs Annesley initiated any conversation. He attempted various topics to pique her interest: her latest drawing project, the upcoming holidays, and a possible night at the theatre, but had little success. She was not of a sullen nature, and he wondered if she might not fare as well as she claimed. For fear of upsetting her even further, he dared not mention that he had seen Wickham in Hertfordshire.
She ate sparingly during the meal, reminding him of the past summer when she had despaired over Wickham’s betrayal. “Are you well, Georgiana? You have barely eaten your supper.”
“Perfectly well,” she said with a half-hearted smile, then nibbled on a crust of bread.
He exchanged glances with Mrs Annesley, who frowned and averted her eyes. Now certain that something troubled Georgiana, he dismissed the footmen. “Is something amiss?”
“No—nothing at all,” she said, then sipped her tea. An awkward silence ensued, and Mrs Annesley begged to be excused, then left the parlour.
“What has happened, Georgiana?” Darcy asked.
“If you were betrothed, you would tell me, would you not?” she asked, her chin quivering.
His mind raced back through the last few hours. He had not slipped and mentioned his admiration of Elizabeth Bennet, had he? “Of course, you would be the first to know.”
“Are you considering Miss Bingley?”
“God no! Where did you get that foolish notion?”
Her cheeks turned pink. “From Miss Bingley’s letters; I have had several since you went to Netherfield. She mentioned how she looked forward to my joining your delightful little party with such frequency that I feared…” She trailed off and hung her head.
That scheming social climber! “No, Georgiana. You need have no fear in that quarter.”
“She seems to have quite another opinion on the matter. I received another today.” She produced a letter from her pocket and opened it. “Will you hear it?”
Doubting the letter contained anything good, he hesitated, but observing his dear sister’s misery, he nodded, then cringed as he listened to her trembling voice.
Dear Miss Darcy,
As you know, Louisa and I have finally returned to Grosvenor after our sojourn to the country. We did so enjoy ourselves at Netherfield and made many lovely acquaintances, but now we anticipate a joyous holiday season in the midst of friends most dear to our hearts.
We long to see you again and hope you will join us for supper whenever you are able. We need
not stand on ceremony with one who is thought of as our own sister. Our little party needs only you to make it complete.
Yours ever,
Caroline Bingley
“I apologise, Georgiana,” he said with a heavy heart. “I knew she had a habit of putting herself forward, and I should have put a stop to it by now.”
She tucked the paper into her pocket. “I have no wish to be her sister, Fitzwilliam.”
He squeezed her hand. “That will never happen, my dear girl.” Avoiding Caroline had obviously not been the best method of preventing her ambitions.
Releasing a great sigh, Georgiana jumped to her feet and threw her arms around his shoulders. “Thank you, Fitzwilliam. I am greatly relieved!” He embraced her tightly, cursing himself for neglecting to address Caroline’s delusions. The next time he saw Bingley, he would advise his friend to resist indulging her every whim. When Georgiana resumed her seat, she blushed brightly. “You know I would never speak ill of anyone, but she can sometimes be…presumptuous.”
“You are correct to keep your criticism to yourself, but I agree with your observation.” Caroline Bingley’s aspirations of becoming mistress of Pemberley would never come to fruition.
With that issue finally resolved, Georgiana admitted to being quite famished, and finished her meal without further delay. Afterwards, she nibbled from a bowl of walnuts. “How is Miss Elizabeth?”
“She is well; why do you ask?”
“You mentioned her several times in your letters.” Darcy recalled doing so but did not think it was anything out of the ordinary. “Is she pretty?”
“Quite so.”
“Do you fancy her?” she asked, then, when he frowned, she hung her head. He studied her face. Her colour had returned, but she kept her eyes cast downwards. “You mentioned her in almost every letter. I could not help thinking that you might have formed an affection for her.”
A Certain Something Page 11
