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“Elliot, my dear, I want to speak with you also,” Mrs. Bennet said.
Elliot smothered a grin as he left the room. Rarely did he agree with his mother’s machinations but on this occasion something had to be done!
“We may as well leave them by themselves you know,” she said as soon as they were out the room. “Or we will be waiting for a proposal long after your father and I are in our graves and the Collinses are installed in Longbourn!”
“And how long shall we give them?” Elliot asked.
“A handful of minutes, no more,” she said.
She was correct for when Elliot returned to the drawing-room, Jack and Bingley were standing together over the hearth, clearly engaged in earnest conversation, hands clasped together. They turned as one as Elliot entered and both smiled at him.
“Wish us happy, brother,” Bingley said softly.
And Elliot did, immediately, for they waited on this for so many, many months! And at last, it had happened! He pulled Jack into an embrace and then Bingley too for they were brothers now. His congratulations were given with a sincerity, a warmth, and a delight, which words could but poorly express and yet Elliot tired anyway.
“My heartfelt congratulations,” he said. “To both of you!”
Bingley grinned as he took Jack’s hand again and Elliot laughed.
“None of that until you have papa’s agreement! Someone in this family must consider propriety!”
“You are quite correct,” Bingley said. “And I shall do so immediately!” And with that he hurried from the room and down the hall to Mr. Bennet’s library where Elliot suspected the interview would be remarkably short and to the point!
“It is too much!” Jack said the moment they were alone. “By far too much. I do not deserve it.”
“You deserve all this happiness and more,” Elliot said. “Certainly, you have waited long enough for it!”
Jack laughed. “I must go instantly to mama. She must hear this from me given how hard she has schemed to achieve it! She will be immensely relieved,” he added. “For the entail is now secure and she may live here long after papa has left us!”
“She will be pleased for your happiness also,” Elliot said. “And Mr. Bingley’s riches of course!”
Jack laughed again before hurrying away to find Mrs. Bennet, leaving Elliot quite alone. He sat down in the very seat he had recently vacated and smiled at the rapidity and ease with which the affair was finally settled. It had given them so many months of suspense and vexation!
“The end at last,” Elliot whispered. “And the happiest, wisest, most reasonable end!”
In a few minutes he was joined by Bingley, whose conference with Mr. Bennet had been much as Elliot had expected, short and to the purpose. “Where is your brother?” said he hastily, as he opened the door.
“Apprising mama of the good news,” Elliot said. “They will be down in a moment, I dare say.”
Bingley nodded at that and took a seat opposite Elliot. He then took a moment to express how pleased he was at the prospect of their imminent relationship which Elliot honestly and heartily agreed with. They shook hands with great cordiality, and then, till Jack came down, Elliot had to listen to all Bingley had to say of his own happiness, and of Jack’s perfections!
When Jack then joined them, Elliot had the joy of hearing the same thing all over again but from the other perspective, but he could not deny them their satisfaction and from there on in it was an evening of no common delight to everyone in Longbourn house.
The satisfaction Jack felt gave a glow of such sweet animation to his face that he looked handsomer than ever. Marc pronounced the whole thing to be long past due and promised to compose the happy couple a wedding march. Christian smiled and wondered when his turn might come around and despite them all reminding him that he was some years from mating age he chose to ignore that and continued to wonder. Mrs. Bennet could not give her consent or speak her approval in terms warm enough to satisfy her feelings, though she talked to Bingley of nothing else for half an hour. And even Mr. Bennet, upon joining them for supper, made clear how pleased he was by the whole thing. Not a word, however, passed his lips in allusion to it, till Bingley took his leave for the night, but as soon as he was gone, he turned to his son and gave his hearty approval.
“Jack, I congratulate you,” he said. “You will be a very happy man.”
Jack thanked him for his good wishes.
“You are a smart boy,” Mr. Bennet replied. “And though I will miss you greatly in our library I have great pleasure in thinking you will be so happily settled. I have not a doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers are by no means unlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on. So easy, that every servant will cheat you. And so generous, that you will always exceed your income.”
Jack frowned. “I hope not! Imprudence or thoughtlessness in money matters would be unpardonable in me.”
“Exceed their income! My dear Mr. Bennet,” cried his wife, “what are you talking of? Why, he has four or five thousand a year, and very likely more.” Then addressing her son, “Oh! my dear, dear Jack, I am so happy! I am sure I shan’t get a wink of sleep all night. I knew how it would be. I always said it must be so, at last. I was sure you could not be so handsome for nothing!”
Wickham and Louis were all forgotten. Jack was beyond competition her favourite child. At that moment, she cared for no other. Before long the younger Bennets also began to see what Jack’s new happiness might mean to them. Marc petitioned for the use of the pianoforte at Netherfield given it was far superior to their own, and Christian requested a few balls there every winter.
Over the coming days Bingley was a daily visitor at Longbourn, coming frequently before breakfast, and always remaining till after supper. Jack delighted in it and had no attention to bestow on anyone else but him, and quite rightly so. When they were not wrapped up in one another they spent their time with Elliot, mainly for the pleasure of talking about one another!
