“Yes, I do mean that, Mama.”
“And he evidently wishes to marry one of us, Mama. Do not forget that,” Jane added.
“You think so?” This intelligence caused Mrs. Bennet to stare up at Jane.
“Yes, read this again. ‘I cannot be otherwise than concerned at being the means of injuring your amiable daughters, and beg leave to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends; but of this hereafter.’ Thiscan mean nothing other than an intent to make one of us his wife.”
“Hmph. Well, I suppose there is nothing for it other than to put our best foot forward. He cannot have you, Jane, as I am saving you for Mr. Bingley, if the man ever actually arrives, but I suppose he can have any of the rest of you, as he chooses. Hill! Hill! We must ready the best guest room!”
And with that, Mrs. Bennet was on her feet and headed out the parlour door.
Jane and Elizabeth gazed at one another and then broke into laughter. The sound drew the other Bennet girls out, and Elizabeth read the letter out yet again.
“Mama says he can have any of us except Jane,” Elizabeth said.
“Ha! I certainly would not marry a parson,” Lydia announced.
“Nor I,” faithful Kitty put in.
“I would take him,” Mary said, stoutly.
“You have not yet met him, Mary,” Jane said.
Mary shrugged. “He is a parson, he has a living, and he wants a Bennet daughter to wife. What else need I know?”
“What if he has warts?” Kitty said.
“Or a humped back?” Lydia put in.
“No hair at all!”
“Except on his hands, where there are great tufts of hair!”
“So fat that he cannot walk!”
Jane put a stop to the conversation, saying in her best eldest sister voice, “This is all extremely unkind – not to mention extremely unlikely – and must stop at once.”
Kitty and Lydia flounced out and ran upstairs, doubtless to continue their verbal game.
Elizabeth went upstairs to reply to her aunt’s letter.
Dear Aunt Madeleine,
As it turns out, our mysterious neighbour is indeed Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Derbyshire, but he is living incognito, as it were, in order to not be hounded by anxious mamas and daughters. Knowing how Mama can be when there is a potential husband about, I cannot say that I blame him. Papa has asked us not to let on that we know about him, and also asks that we guard our hearts, as he is destined for some wealthy young lady in the ton.
I will admit, dear Aunt, that I think it rather a shame, as he is an exceedingly handsome man, tall, with thick dark hair and fine dark eyes, and there is something in the air when he is about. I am talking nonsense, I know, so I shall cease at once.
In other news, Papa’s cousin, a Mr. William Collins, is to come here in a few weeks. He is Papa’s heir, you know, and he wishes to know us and – you will scarcely believe this – to marry one of us girls. Mary has already volunteered herself, without ever setting eyes on the man!
I will write you directly after he arrives, as I do not doubt that you very much long to know what sort of man will inherit Longbourn after my dear Papa leaves us, particularly as he is apparently destined to marry one of us.
Much love to you, my uncle and my darling cousins,
Lizzy
Chapter Fourteen
Afew days after the ball, Mr. Darcy decided it was time to take action against this unnatural fascination for Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and the best action he could take would be to actually have a conversation with her and learn that his goddess had feet of clay. Her conversation would be silly, he decided, much like her mother’s. Her topics of conversation would be fashion and neighbourhood gossip, and this would put paid to any interest he might have in her.
