“Enough, madam,” Mr. Collins interrupted. “We are tired of your complaints. The best solution is for Jane and me to marryand for you to move to the dower house. No one will be surprised by our decision, given how difficult you have been.”
Seeing her future son-in-law was resolute, Mrs. Bennet resorted to wailing and crying. Instead of receiving comfort, she was roughly carried upstairs to her room. Her cries ceased when she realised no one would indulge her tantrum. Accepting the smelling salts brought by the housekeeper, she fell asleep on her bed.
When she awoke, clarity washed over her. Her life had unravelled since Elizabeth arrived at Longbourn, ruining all her plans. Lighting a candle, she sat at her small writing desk—rarely used since she preferred the one in the drawing room. Determined, Mrs. Bennet began writing a letter to Elizabeth.
In the middle of February,Elizabeth received a slew of letters from Meryton. As usual, she sat in her husband’s study, their two-month-old child in a bassinet near the fireplace that had been brought down soon after Elizabeth had been released from her rooms. The couple always enjoyed their time together, and while Elizabeth had a study of her own, she could often be found in her husband’s when reading her letters.
She smiled upon recognising the handwriting of two of her sisters. The tenor of the letters from Jane had changed over the last few months, and it seemed to Elizabeth that the two might be able to be something like friends again. They would never be close, not after the way Jane had acted in the pastyears, but perhaps they would be able to exchange letters and see each other on occasion. Elizabeth would remain wary of her, particularly given the way Jane flirted with Fitzwilliam that night in Meryton, but since he had offered to host the newly married Collinses in the autumn, Elizabeth could only hope the apparent change in the letters equated to a real change in her oldest sister.
Opening the letter from Jane first, she read the account of the confrontation with Mrs. Bennet and then about the wedding. Elizabeth was surprised to learn how the wedding came to pass and, knowing what she did about the former mistress of Longbourn, she supposed the result was not that unexpected. Still, Elizabeth was pleased to learn the two were able to be married sooner than they originally planned, and it seemed they would do well together at Longbourn.
Mary’s letter informed her that she had returned to Longbourn for a brief visit. The Winters were very kind to her, but without Mrs. Bennet at home and with Mr. Collins now married to Jane, it seemed best to return home at least for a time. The Gardiners had invited Mary to London, and they would collect Catherine from her school on their way north for the summer. It would be the first time her sisters had visited her new home as well as the first time she had spent a significant amount of time with them since she left Longbourn all those years ago. Elizabeth looked forward to spending this time with her sisters, and hoped the visit would go well.
The last letter was written in an unfamiliar hand. Immediately upon opening it, she scanned down to the end to read the signature. She gasped audibly, causing her husband to look up in alarm. “Are you well, dearest?”
“I am. Mrs. Bennet sent me a letter, and I was surprised.”
Darcy’s face darkened, and his voice was cold. “You do not need to read it, Elizabeth, not if you do not want to. That woman has no claim on you.”
Elizabeth stood, moving to stand directly in front of her husband. He leaned back to give her room and immediately wrapped his arms around her. “I know, Fitzwilliam. There is little doubt in my mind that she intends to complain about Jane marrying and relegating her to the dower cottage on the estate. Jane opted to marry without a fuss and has refused to give in to her many complaints and demands. I will read what she wrote, but her words no longer have the power to hurt me. She is a lonely woman who seeks to blame others for problems she herself has caused.”
His hold on her tightened. “I cannot suppose it has always been this easy for you to ignore her, but I suppose you have had years of practice by now. May I read the letter with you?”
“Promise not to get upset at anything she might say?”
Sighing, he nodded, so she moved to perch on his lap. Together they read the missive:
Lizzy Bennet,
How is it that you are still creating problems for me all these years after I had your father send you from Longbourn? I thought that would fix things, but you cursed me so I could never have a son. Then, years later, I finally found a way to keep Longbourn in the family by promising you in marriage to the heir when somehow, you managed to trick a man into marrying you before you arrived home though I doubt it is the love match your uncle tries to claim. No, I still think you ensnared him somehow, for why would such a wealthy and handsome man want you? It is a shamehe did not have the chance to meet Jane first, for she would have made a far better mistress of an estate than you. It is shameful that you have not invited any of your sisters to join you in London for the Season.
To add insult to injury, not only did you manage to claim such a husband, but you gave him a son on your first attempt. I do hope that nothing happens to the child, for you know that many children do not survive to adulthood. It is best you give your husband a spare as soon as possible …
Darcy snatched the letter away from Elizabeth’s hand. “Dearest, I cannot continue to read such drivel. She seems almost mad in her ramblings. Are you certain she is well?”
Elizabeth shuddered. “I cannot be sure, in large part because I cannot and will not spend any time in her presence. She is bitter, unable to see her own role in her present unhappiness. We can toss the letter into the grate and be done with her. If she sends any other letters, I will throw them away unread. Perhaps you can suggest to Mr. Collins that any letters she attempts to send to me are discarded before they even make it into the post.”
Pressing a kiss to her head, Darcy sighed and tightened his hold on his wife. “She is a fool, and it seems she will never learn any better. What of your other sisters?” he asked, turning the conversation toward more pleasant topics.
Chapter Forty
Unlike Elizabeth, Lydia was pleased to receive a letter from her mother. The two exchanged letters frequently, complaining about those who denied them what they most wanted. Lydia hated being made to wear mourning, but now that she was no longer in mourning, she complained about not having the funds to purchase new dresses. The dresses she had been provided to wear were too plain, too simple … ugly. School was boring—the dancing lessons were enjoyable, but what was the point in learning to dance when no gentlemen were nearby to dance and flirt with? There were no parties to attend, and no one at school seemed to care for the spoiled girl. Lydia could not understand that her lack of friends had more to do with her and less to do with the others.
Her letters to her mother were full of complaints about how the girls were mean to her, refusing to share their belongings with her, even when she asked nicely, nor did they give into her whims. The headmistress expected her to clean up after herself and regularly took away her privileges when her room was left a mess. Despite there being servants at the school, all the girls were expected to keep their rooms and clothing reasonably tidy. At Longbourn, it was not uncommon for Lydia to tear her room apart in search of a particular gown and then expect the servants to clean up after her. The first time she had done this at school, she had been severely reprimanded by the headmistress and while she had not done that again, her room was rarely as tidy as the other girls'.
This feeling of mistreatment seeped into all of Lydia's letters to her mother, who was the only one to sympathise with her. As Lydia's return home drew near, the two began to hatch a plan to free themselves of their wardens.
Mama,
My uncles expect me to return to school in the autumn, but I do not wish to do so. Surely there is something you can do so I will not have to. I would much prefer to remain home with you, although from what you have said, it is just as boring at Longbourn now that Cousin Collins is in charge. It is unfathomable that he will not give you funds for additional clothing for any of us. Since he was a clergyman, I suppose it was expected for him to be somewhat miserly, but I did not think he would be so bad as to forbid us new clothing. What of my allowance? I have not had one since I left home so I am due those funds …
Her letter continued in this vein for some time, mirroring the tone of her correspondence with her sisters. She sent one letter to Elizabeth requesting funds, along with an accusation of “casting their mother from Longbourn.” To Jane, she made a similar request and included complaints about their mother’s situation. Her letter to Kitty was filled with grievances about school, her eagerness to return home for the summer, and her disappointment that Elizabeth had not invited her to Pemberley. She demanded that Kitty insist on her inclusion in the trip. Finally, she wrote to Mary to lament the Collinses’ treatment of her and their mother, claiming they were forced to live in a dismal cottage at the back of the property, seemingly oblivious to the fact that it had been updated and redecorated to make it pleasant and comfortable.
Lydia returned to Meryton in June, furious that none of her family had come to fetch her from school. Instead, the Gardiners had sent a maid and a manservant to escort her home on the post coach from Leicestershire. In contrast, Catherine's school was closer to London, so Mrs. Gardiner collected her and took her to Longbourn, where she would stay for a few days to help everyone settle in.
All three girls had been given the choice to join Mrs. Bennet in the dower cottage or to stay at Longbourn. Mary had already chosen to remain with her elder sister, the two having formed a tenuous friendship they had not managed before. As with Elizabeth, it had begun through letters, but now that they were living in the same house, Jane and Mary had grown much closer to each other.
Catherine chose to stay at Longbourn for the short period between returning home from school and her visit to Pemberley later in the summer. One of the reasons Mrs. Gardiner accompanied her home was that Catherine requested her assistance in explaining this decision to her mother and youngest sister.
