Elizabeth sighed, braced for what must come.
Jane paused a few moments, so Elizabeth volunteered, “You need not ask—I shall see to it.”
Relief washed over Jane’s face.
Anne frowned. “See to what?”
“Lizzy just volunteered to have a serious and awkward discussion with my mother about my wedding. Given the chance, she will take 6 months to arrange, and it will be—”
Jane ran out of words, so Anne assisted. “Vulgar, expensive, overblown, prideful, revelling in her own self-importance while entirely forgetting it isyourwedding?”
Jane stared.
Anne said, “It requires no great leap. Your mother has more in common with mine than you might imagine. I know what you are dealing with. May I make a few suppositions?”
“By all means.”
“By preference, you would have a quiet ceremony with just bride, groom, family, best friends, and the most connected families. Your mother would lease St James and invite the Queen. Mrs Bennet has determined that your intended is a man of some consequence, so she thinks excess is the order of the day—a chance for her to celebratehertriumph in getting a daughter well married.”
Elizabeth laughed at the idea, but stopped short, unwilling to letthatidea exist unchallenged in the world for long. “You seem to understand.”
Anne left her chair and joined Jane on the sofa, boldly taking her hand.
Elizabeth could certainly not fault Anne for her efforts to become close to Jane. Might this break through the veil of reserve Jane showed her new friend, which Elizabeth frankly did not understand in the least? If ever two women in the world should be the best of friends, Anne and Jane were perfect for the role.
Anne continued, “If I am correct, you see this wedding as a celebration of Jane Bennet joining her life to a good and honourable man who will love you and your children forever. It is a celebration of two people whowere alonebut, through sheer good fortune and an obstinate sister, will join in the holiest of unions.”
Jane blushed slightly but nodded pensively.
“Your mother, on the other hand, sees it as a celebration ofher successin getting one daughter well married, and further securing her future. She cares little who the man is, so long as his importance is sufficient to increaseher ownconsequence. She will exploit the opportunity for every ounce ofpleasure she can get.”
Jane stared, jaw slack. She tried once or twice to speak, and finally gave up.
Elizabeth came to her rescue. “That was a brutal analysis—but essentially correct.”
“Lizzy, allow me to ask a question if I might. This will come back to our earlier discussions before you visited my cousin Georgiana and completely reversed the natural order of things in the Darcy family.”
Intrigued, Elizabeth said, “That is an… interesting turn of conversation.”
“Do not be timid, Little Frog.” Anne laughed. “I will not even put you in the pot or light the fire.”
Jane frowned in confusion, but Anne patted her hands.
“Do not be distressed, Jane. Lizzy and I are like metaphorical Amazon warriors. We can beat a metaphor to death then trample on the corpse with impunity.”
Jane said at last, “If you say so, Anne. Pray proceed… or shall I have tea while you torture the English language for another fortnight before you eventually get to the point, long after I cease listening?”
Anne laughed, and Elizabeth rejoiced as Jane’s true personality emerged.What would happen when they exposed Anne to Lydia?Elizabeth could probably sell tickets to the event, but she drew her attention back to the discussion at hand.
“Pray continue, Anne.”
“Let me ask you this—and I shall insist youmake an estimate. I donotwant you to show me your work, explain your reasoning, give lessons in mathematics, let your mind go into thought storms, or addanyexcessive verbiage. Simply sit and think until you have your best answer.”
Intrigued, Elizabeth nodded for her friend to continue.
“What are the oddsthat I would have eventually escaped my mother and my situationwithout your help—say within the year?”
Startled, Elizabeth started to speak, but Anne held up her hand. “No! Pray give your answer in the mathematical form. Pretend you must give it to me in writing, and you are incapable of writing anything but numbers.”
