“No, though she has high hopes of something happening with Mr. Darcy, given that he calls quite often. I have asked her to try to remain calm, as this is not even a courtship, let alone a betrothal.”
Jane made a face. “You asked Mama to remain calm? Did you, while you were at it, ask Lydia to gain some sense, Kitty to get a backbone of her own, Mary to stop spouting religious texts at dinner, and Papa to save money for our dowries?”
Elizabeth sighed. “I know, but all I can do is ask. Jane, what about the Colonel?”
“What about him? He did not come with the Bingleys today; perhaps he has lost interest.”
“I do not think so, Jane. It seems there was some sort of agreement made between the Colonel and Mr. Bingley.”
“An agreement?”
“Yes; the Colonel agreed to leave the field, as it were, if Mr. Bingley could prove that he was able to control his sister.”
“So the Colonel was willing to leave me? That does not sound very promising, Lizzy.”
“No; the Colonel knew full well that Mr. Bingley could not meet the terms of the agreement. I think this was his way of being in charity with his host, despite courting the same lady.”
Jane thought about that. “That is very gentlemanly, as well as rather shrewd.”
“The military mind at work,” Elizabeth said.
“Lizzy, I do not think I would be a good military wife, however. I am not that bold. Lydia, perhaps, would do well, but not I.”
“You would not be required to do so. I understand that Mr. Darcy would gift him an estate if he would leave the army and marry you.”
“Truly? Wait – gift him an estate? How many estates does Mr. Darcy have, that he can just give one away?”
“That is exactly what Papa asked! But it does not matter; the bigger question is this: could you come to care for the Colonel?”
Jane replied, softly, “I think I could very well come to care for him.”
Elizabeth would have liked to unburden herself to her sister, but she did not have Mr. Darcy’s permission to share what she knew about Georgiana. She feared she was coming to care for Mr. Darcy very much, and she thought he was coming to care for her. But she could not, in good conscience, encourage him in his suit. She knew he was, like a good many upper-class gentlemen, accustomed to suppressing his emotions. As a result, he had needed someone else – he had needed Elizabeth – to point out the obvious: he was furious with his sister. And until this rage was excised he had no business seeking a wife.
Papa was right: marriage was for a lifetime. She would wait.
Chapter Twenty-Five
When the Bingley carriage arrived back at Netherfield, the Colonel, having had very little to occupy his time while everyone was gone, was happy to greet his host and hostess at the door.
“And how was your visit, Miss Bingley?”
“Perfectly wonderful,” she replied, sweeping past him and going up the stairs, head held high.
Her brother remained in the entryway, staring after his sister.
“Bingley?” the Colonel asked.
“It was perfectly wonderful for Caroline, as she ruined any hope of Miss Bennet ever marrying me.” Mr. Bingley’s tone was flat. “Caroline spoke so insultingly of the Bennets that we had to leave!”
“And you did not immediately reprimand your sister for her behaviour? You allowed her to insult the family of the woman you hoped to marry?”
Mr. Bingley was silent.
The Colonel could only feel sympathy for the young fool. “May I advise you, Bingley?”
Mr. Bingley turned and eyed the Colonel with dislike. “And why would you do that? We are rivals, are we not?”
“Evidently, we are not rivals any longer.” The Colonel waited a few minutes as Mr. Bingley digested the truth of this.
