Mr. Morton was determined to recommend himself to Jane, having undoubtedly been made aware of all that she was to inherit. Mrs. Ferrars clearly expected her eldest son to impress Miss Morton, a young lady who was not unkind, but far from inspiring any devotion that had not been commanded by a guardian.
Mr. Robert Ferrars, Elizabeth suspected, had been similarly urged to pay his attentions to herself, and he was either entirely unaware or unbothered by his utter failure in that regard. In between his occasional inanities, at which she smiled as she imagined him conversing with her late cousin Collins, Elizabeth spoke chiefly with her Aunt Madeline.
Though Elizabeth mourned her uncle and felt sure that she would miss his cheerful affection all her days, she was pleased to see that her aunt was beginning to emerge from the shade of her grief. Elizabeth wished for her aunt to return to herself, and not only because the two women, though ten years apart in age, were similar in their dispositions.
“I am delighted that you were willing to allow Julia to remain at Longbourn,” Elizabeth told her aunt. “Not to say that I do not enjoy her company, but she is the same age as Margaret, which must be a joy to her.”
Mrs. Gardiner’s countenance brightened. “Very much so, I believe. They have both lost their fathers, and I believe poor Meg sometimes feels excluded by her elder sisters. It is a fine thing that they should have one another, and I have a suspicion that Lydia may fall in with them, for yesterday she seemed to fall out with Maria Lucas.”
“Oh dear! What happened?”
“The entire Lucas family seems to resent the Bennets, after Mr. Collins’s death, and that other matter we all discussed.”
Elizabeth gave a huff of indignation at the recollection of her last encounter with Charlotte, and then she noticed the colonel observing them. “Forgive us, sir – it is terribly rude to engage in family gossip that you cannot wish to hear.”
“I have no objection,” he said with a polite smile. “I understand you come from a very large family. I must apologize that I was not able to call on you properly while the Dashwoods were amongst you.”
“If you have occasion to travel north again in the next month, my cousin Margaret thinks very highly of you, as do my aunt and other cousins.”
His smile brightened. “It is a fine thing that your youngest cousin was born a girl, else your aunt might be raising a pirate. I understand your own daughter is the same age, Mrs. Gardiner.”
“She is, though rather less interested in piracy,” Mrs. Gardiner said with an arch look.
“My father may begin to see the allure of taking to the high seas, after a month of Longbourn so full of ladies. Mamma, his sister Aunt Maggie, my four cousins and three sisters! PoorPapa – I am surprised I have not received a letter full of his complaints already!”
The colonel gave them a wistful smile. “Perhaps he has considered it a blessing to have a home so full.”
“The only thing Papa wishes his house to be full of is more books,” Elizabeth said with a laugh. “But had we a larger library, I am sure I should only grow more satirical from reading.”
“Then I shall declare your father’s library must be the perfect size,” Colonel Brandon said smoothly. Beside him, Mrs. Gardiner raised her brows and made a droll face at Elizabeth, as if ready to presume a great deal from the compliment.
Elizabeth ignored this. She was content to speak of books for the rest of the meal, though she glanced occasionally in Jane’s direction. Her sister did not appear distressed by the gentlemen around her, and spoke chiefly with Miss Darcy across the table. The girl whom Mr. Wickham had described as cold and proud seemed quite the reverse, and though Jane suffered the scrutiny of Mr. Darcy as he observed their conversation, the two young ladies seemed to be enjoying themselves.
After their meal, when the gentlemen joined the ladies in the withdrawing room, both Jane and Elizabeth were obliged to converse with those whom they most wished to avoid. Mrs. Ferrars commanded Miss Morton to amaze them all with a performance at the pianoforte, and Robert Ferrars was praising her admirably enough for both of the brothers.
Mrs. Ferrars listened politely for a minute or two before becoming engrossed in a game of cards with Lord and Lady Morton and Mrs. Dashwood, and when she was distracted Edward Ferrars moved to sit with Jane and Elizabeth. “How fare your cousins in Hertfordshire? Have you had any news of them since coming to London?”
“We parted with them only four days ago,” Elizabeth said. “Though I may wish for them to have an exciting enough stay at Longbourn to write so soon, I do not think it likely.”
“I see. And have your four days in London been exciting enough? Have you any stories yet to tell?”
The only story Elizabeth wished to tell Edward Ferrars was the woeful tale of how Elinor had wept for him, or perhaps she might give an account of the avaricious gleam in Lucy Steele’s eye when she spoke of her betrothed. But Jane was ready with a polite answer, and she told him of spraining her ankle and nearly being run down by a carriage, as well as meeting the mysterious gentleman who had such a charming mother and sister.
He nodded appreciatively. “Such gentlemen as that, you ladies must certainly be wishing to encounter everywhere; very dull fellows such as myself must rouse ourselves to compete with spontaneous acts of heroism.”
“Surely you do not think yourself a dull fellow,” Jane gently admonished him.
“Indeed,” Elizabeth agreed. “You must have some fascinating secret, or perhaps a talent of some kind.”
He chuckled ruefully. “My mother believes me entirely without talent, though she wishes me to distinguish myself somehow. I do not suppose living a quiet but happy life would be up to her standards of distinction.”
Jane gave him a tight smile. “Then I suppose you must seek to please yourself.”
“You must have indulgent parents, if you do not live in terror of your mamma. I hope your cousins are therefore enjoying their time at – pray, what is your estate?”
“Longbourn,” Elizabeth replied. “I believe my cousins will be very content there with our other sisters. They had meant tocome to London with us, but decided that a month in the country was infinitely preferable.”
Mr. Ferrars nodded stiffly. “I see. Yes, well, I am always glad when I have the chance to visit friends in the country. I thought Devonshire very fine, when I visited Barton in the autumn. Yes, the country is very pleasant; my friend Darcy has one of the most magnificent estates in the country.”
