In truth, she was not particularly curious about anything Jane might reveal. She had already begun her own journey of discovery, and whatever she learned at each step would arise from her own experiences, her own feelings, and her growing knowledge of the man she loved.
“Many wonders await you, and many things we could never have imagined. Wait a little, and you will soon discover them.”
“Yes, you are right. But how did you wake so early?”
“Well, my dear, married life is not quite what you imagine,” Jane replied, though every movement, every expression, and every word contradicted her claim. Happiness shone through her entire being.
“I thought my husband would appreciate, as I do, remaining in bed until late. Yet no matter how late we retire, he is awake at six o’clock and does everything in his power to wake me. This morning, seeing how tired I was, he slipped out of theroom on tiptoe, only to return half an hour later, making an enormous noise and bringing news. And what news!”
“What?” Elizabeth cried, suddenly fearful that something had happened to threaten her happiness. Yet Jane remained far too cheerful for the matter to concern her engagement.
“He met Uncle Thomas in the park, and Uncle Thomas told him that Mr Kendall is not the duchess’s grandson at all, but an impostor!”
Elizabeth let her head fall back upon the pillow in astonishment.
“No!”
“Yes. It seems that his family purchased the house from Mrs Kendall when she left for America with her family. Most of what he told us was true, however. The stories came from his own life. A remarkably shrewd man.”
“Oh, the poor duchess. Fortunately, she is married to our uncle now, and they are happy together.”
“Yes, and they are not angry with him. Through him, they discovered where Mrs Kendall is, and they intend to find her or her family.”
“But how did he learn so many details?”
“It seems that the duchess wrote regularly to her daughter and, instead of forwarding the letters to New York as he ought to have done, Andrew intercepted them and kept them.”
“What a story! And you are quite certain they are not angry?”
“They are saddened by it, yet not sufficiently angry to drive him away. They do not wish to risk a scandal, and only the family will know the truth.”
“He tried to court me,” Elizabeth murmured.
Jane already knew everything that had happened in London through Elizabeth’s letters.
“Yes.”
Elizabeth tried not to let the news affect her, yet a small portion of her happiness seemed to vanish.
“Do not worry,” Jane said softly. “Not on the first day of your betrothal.”
“I am not worried. I am angry that he wished to use me to secure his place here.”
“Yes, but your anger cannot last long. In the end, you chose the right man, the man who loves you and who speaks the truth even when it causes pain.”
Elizabeth watched her sister as she spoke. Jane did not yet wholly like Darcy, but she knew her well enough to recognise that such reservations would disappear as soon as he became the husband of her favourite sister.
“No, it cannot. In truth, he helped me understand how much I loved Darcy. All my fears concerning his life, his friends, and his family were nonsense. They were merely the last remnants of my resentment at his initial dislike of ours.”
“But he adores Uncle Thomas. You have said so more than once, and he appears to get on very well with Papa.”
“Yes. Everything was before my eyes, and still I failed to see it. Mr Kendall helped me discover the true feelings hidden beneath everything I had accumulated against Darcy during those months. The months before Kent and those that followed, until our meeting at Netherfield. He showed me that I did not want a simple man or a simple life. I wanted Darcy and his life, and I shall learn to live it and enjoy it.”
“I could have told you that long ago, from the very day our gentlemen arrived together at Netherfield.”
“Oh, be quiet, Jane Bingley! On that day you saw nobody but Mr Bingley.”
“True. Yet Charles told me a great deal about Mr Darcy, and I knew how much he loved you. Still, we decided that we would never interfere between two people.”
