“Good Lord,” Bingley breathed. “That… explains a great deal.”
Elizabeth swallowed and lifted one shoulder. “Anyway, because of that—because I have a fearful habit of wandering from where I ought to be and seeing and doing what I should not—I have been hunted. They set fire to my chambers in my father’s house, captured my maid… I am only ‘lucky’ because I was no longer there when they struck.”
Jane’s hand flew to her mouth.
“It was not my choice to be placed with your family. I had no say in the matter. Mr. Darcy was charged with keeping me safe, and when he had no other options, he brought me here and bade me to behave myself… for once in my life. I… I never meant to lie to you.” Tears filled her eyes. “And I never meant to put your family in danger. I am sorry.”
Jane reached for her and pulled her into an embrace, holding her tightly. “You silly, brave, impossible creature,” she whispered. “Of course I knew you were lying.”
Elizabeth froze. “You did?”
Jane laughed softly. “Not about everything. But enough. I know very well Uncle Daniel never had children. His wife was so often ill, poor creature. But Papa vouched for you, so I never pressed. And Lizzy, you said once that you did not like tea, but I have seen you drink three cups in a row just to avoid conversation. And I am rather certain you were inebriated the day you first came to Longbourn, yet I have not seen you touch a drop since. That is not the behavior of a normal girl.”
Elizabeth let out a watery laugh. “And I thoughtIwas the sly one, but all along, you were a step ahead of me.”
“You were never our cousin,” Jane said, cupping her cheek fondly. “But you were always our Lizzy. And I loved you like a sister from the first day.”
Bingley cleared his throat awkwardly. “If I may… this is all quite touching, but if matters are as you say, Miss… egad, I am not even sure what to call you.”
Elizabeth tried to laugh again, but it came out as a near-sob. “Mr. Darcy calls me ‘that impossible woman,’ I am quite sure. You may as well do the same.”
Bingley gave a vague smile and a shake of his head. “I think you might be surprised… but no matter. Perhaps we should return to the house before Mrs. Bennet sends out a search party. Or Heaven forbid, sends Mr. Collins.”
Elizabeth nodded, glancing over her shoulder. “You are right. Mr. Darcy warned me against exposing myself where I could be harmed, and we are rather far from the house.”
“Do you think he will truly write to Lady Catherine?” Jane asked.
“I am certain of it,” Bingley said grimly. “And if she takes it upon herself to interfere…” He trailed off, his face darkening.
Elizabeth frowned. “Why would she? Surely she has no influence over what Mr. Darcy does.”
“Oh, she believes she does,” Bingley said. “And that belief, unfortunately, is a danger in itself.”
Elizabeth tilted her head. “I know she is Mr. Darcy’s aunt, but she lives in Kent and he is a grown man. Why would her ‘disapproval’ matter in the least? And… and why would Collins call him…indecent?From what I have seen, he is the farthest thing from it.”
At that, Bingley shifted uncomfortably, pulled off his hat and ran a hand through his hair. “That tale is mostly Darcy’s to tell,” he said. “And he would likely disown me for even speaking this much. But since we are already so far down the road of shocking revelations…”
He sighed. “His family once held a title—his father was the Eighth Earl of Pemberley. Wealth. And land. A great deal of both, in fact. Pemberley is… good heavens, I saw it once, and I still think it the fairest estate in all of England. But it belongs to another now—not even a proper relation, but a family endowed by chance or favor. All of it stripped away and given to a miscreant by royal order.”
Jane gasped softly. “Stripped? By the Crown?”
“That… that is not done lightly,” Elizabeth murmured.
“Indeed, but it was done to the Darcys,” Bingley said. “Unjustly, I assure you. The charges were… well, grievous, to be sure, but entirely false. Still, it was a fearful scandal—one I am not at liberty to explain. Darcy was away at Eton when it all began. He had no hand in it. But people like Lady Catherine”—he scowled— “never forget such things. Or forgive them. Particularly not when she imagines herself the sole guardian of propriety in England.”
“And Collins?” Elizabeth wondered.
“Oh, Collins parrots whatever she says. If Lady Catherine declared Mr. Darcy a pirate, Collins would be drawing maps by morning.”
“But why now?” Elizabeth asked. “What could she think to do to him now, of all times?”
“Embarrass him, I should think. Make him enough of a spectacle that anyone will think twice before being seen with him. She has done it before. Darcy and I were on holiday in Bath two years ago and when she heard of it, she sent a single letter to some friend of hers and by the next day, neither of us were admitted to the Pump Room. It is all because she once thought Darcy would eventually marry her daughter, you see, and when the family was disgraced, I suppose she could not peddle her daughter’s virtue elsewhere, so they remain at Rosings as two bitter creatures, each so weary of the other’s face that they must seek their entertainment by the post.”
“So… she would see all Meryton turn against him,” Jane murmured. “That is a pity. Most people in town were just learning to like him. It must be hard for the poor man to make friends.”
“I am afraid it is worse than that.” Bingley glanced at Elizabeth and his fists flexed as he swallowed. “Darcy cannot afford any sort of particular attention. Not now. Not when he is already working under royal sanction, and certainly not while trying to keep you alive. He needs to blend in, like any other man. To be unobtrusive.”
He met her eyes. “Darcy knows your location is no longer a secret, but so far, he believeshisconnection to you has remained secure, which buys him time and a bit of leverage. But Lady Catherine’s idea of ‘loyalty and duty’ is to shout his name from the rooftops while denouncing his every move. If she arrives in Meryton waving a letter from Collins… well. The quiet is over.”
