She pinked with pleasure and Mrs. Bennet said, “Charming! Charming!”
Mr. Collins leapt into the conversation, saying, “Colonel, you doubtless have not heard my own good news!” With scarcely a pause, he continued, “I have lately become engaged to Miss Charlotte Lucas.”
The Colonel’s eyebrows rose. Someone was willing to marry this idiot? But he replied, smoothly, “I do not believe I have had the pleasure of meeting your intended, Mr. Collins.”
Mrs. Bennet replied, “She is the eldest daughter of our neighbours, Sir and Lady Lucas. She has been a good friend to our family for many years, and will doubtless be a worthy mistress of Longbourn.”
The Colonel saw Miss Elizabeth hiding a smile. Perhaps this had not been Mrs. Bennet’s first reaction.
“Might we walk in the garden, Miss Bennet? Miss Elizabeth?” the Colonel suggested. Was it too much to hope that Mr. Collins would not join them? Luck was with him, as the suggestion about the garden evidently prompted Mr. Collins to recollect that his betrothed would doubtless appreciate similar exercise in the Lucas garden, and he left after many compliments to his hostess, his cousins and the Colonel.
Between Mr. Collins’ extended adieu and the need for winter garb, it was a full twenty minutes before Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth were in the garden. Miss Elizabeth walked ahead while he and Miss Bennet sat on a bench. “I am glad to see you, Colonel,” Miss Bennet said in her soft voice. “How is your cousin?”
“Darcy? He is –“
“Oh, no, forgive me; I meant to enquire after Miss Darcy.”
He sighed. “It is a difficult situation.”
“Do not speak of it if it gives you pain.”
“If my hopes are realised, she will be your cousin as well.” There! How would she react to that?
She looked at him full in the face and smiled – beautifully! gloriously! – before blushing fiercely and looking at her shoes.
The Colonel sighed. “Her marriage is not valid; the man was already married.”
Miss Bennet gasped and turned pale. “Oh, no! It was bad enough, but that –“
“No, it is worse yet; she is with child.”
The large blue eyes filled with tears. “What will be done for her? Whatcanbe done for her?”
The Colonel realised only then that the mention of Mr. Bingley might bring her pain; but there was nothing to be done for it now. “Mr. Bingley has offered to marry her.”
“Mr. Bingley?” Her voice rose in surprise.
“Yes; does that distress you?”
“No, it does not.” Then, as if just now discovering the truth of it, she repeated, in a tone of wonderment. “No, it does not distress me at all. He is a kind man and will be good to her.”
“It is to be kept secret, Miss Bennet. It would be best if no-one knows that Mrs. Bingley was once Georgiana Darcy. And may I say that I am so very, very glad that you are not disturbed by this news?”
Their eyes met and a silent conversation took place in a moment. Then Miss Bennet gave a little gasp and said, “Oh! Does Miss Bingley know?”
The Colonel laughed aloud. “Miss Bingley no longer lives with Mr. Bingley. He has released her dowry to her and has set her up in a townhouse in London, with the warning to never again darken his doorway.”
Miss Bennet stared at him in disbelief. Then she began to giggle; the giggle turned into a chuckle; the chuckle turned into a laugh. “Oh! Oh! I am certain I should not be amused, poor Miss Bingley! But –“ And then she was off again.
Her blue eyes were wide with merriment, and her plump lips tilted most enticingly at the corners. If the Colonel had not already fallen in love with her, he would have done so at that very moment.
***
Elizabeth walked until she could see, but no longer hear, the Colonel and her sister. She knew she was supposed to chaperone them, but it was as plain as the nose on his face that the Colonel would die before dishonouring Jane in any way.
Finally, the Colonel and Jane came to join her. The Colonel said, “Miss Elizabeth, my cousin Darcy is devastated.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I am sorry,” she whispered. “But you understand, do you not?”
