“Decisive? That is a kind summation,” Mr. Hurst said, unexpectedly. “I would have said vicious and manipulative.”
A stunned silence followed this pronouncement. It was broken, at last, by Mr. Bingley, who said, quietly, “That is harsh, Hurst.”
“Is it? I wish very much that I could get my wife away from her influence. When Caroline was away at school, Louisa was kind, warm, generous; the moment Caroline came home, Louisa changed entirely. I would give a good deal to have my wife, the woman I married, back again.” With that, he reached for the brandy bottle and poured himself a generous amount.
“Why do you not leave Netherfield, then, if I may enquire?” Mr. Bennet said, leaning forward.
“Because his finances do not permit it,” Mr. Bingley answered for Mr. Hurst.
“My brother by marriage is quite correct. I live on Charles’ goodwill until my father passes away; the old man continues in excellent health.”
“Can you not live with him? Your father?” Mr. Darcy put in.
“I could, yes, and Louisa and I were set to do that until Caroline put forth convincing arguments as to why she required her elder sister’s presence until she found a husband.”
Mr. Bingley looked entirely astonished. “Hurst, I had no idea!”
“You would have, had you cared to look, Charles.”
“Or you could have simply told me,” Mr. Bingley fired back.
Mr. Hurst was silent, staring into his now-empty glass.
“I will speak to Caroline,” Mr. Bingley said.
“Do not bother,” Mr. Hurst said, bitterly. “It will make no difference.”
After another long silence, Mr. Bennet suggested that they rejoin the ladies, though he asked Mr. Bingley to remain behind for a moment. Once Mr. Darcy and Mr. Hurst had left the dining room, Mr. Bennet said, “Mr. Bingley, I have not been unaware that you are paying a good deal of attention to my eldest daughter. You will understand me, I think, when I say that I would never allow one of my daughters to be in a position similar to that of Mrs. Hurst.”
“I understand you, Mr. Bennet.” Mr. Bennet rose and walked out of the room, leaving Mr. Bingley to consider all that he had just heard.
Chapter Twenty-One
With Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy in almost daily attendance at Longbourn, the Bennets had been able to put Mr. Collins’ approaching visit from their minds. They had much rather chuckle at Mr. Bingley’s obvious desire to sit with Jane, and Mr. Darcy’s scarcely less obvious desire to sit with Elizabeth! Mr. Darcy always began the visit sitting far from Elizabeth, but as the visit progressed, he changed seats with some frequency, until he was sitting as close to her as the furniture would allow. It was truly quite comical.
But when the calendar showed the date to be the seventeenth of the month, they could no longer ignore the impending visit, and thus there was an air of hushed solemnity in the Longbourn parlour when the gentlemen from Netherfield were announced.
“Is everything quite well?” Mr. Darcy asked at once, sensing the tension in the room.
“Of course,” Jane said. “It is just…” and her voice trailed off, as she was uncertain as to how to broach this delicate subject.
Mary was in the room as well, and it fell to her to speak on the dread topic. “Our cousin, Mr. Collins, arrives tomorrow.”
“Is this not a reason for happiness?” Mr. Bingley asked, brow furrowed.
“It might be,” Elizabeth answered him. “Except that…” and now it was her turn to trail off.
“Except that he is the heir to the estate, and may turn us all out as soon as he likes, once Papa is dead.” Mary’s response was unexpectedly blunt.
Mr. Bingley turned to Mr. Darcy, his face betraying his confusion.
“The estate is entailed to heirs male,” Mr. Darcy explained, quietly.
“I see,” Mr. Bingley said, quite evidently surprised at this information. “I am sorry; I did not know.”
“You need not apologise, Mr. Bingley.” Jane said. “It is no secret; I am certain everyone in the neighbourhood is aware of our situation.”
“Is this the first time your cousin has been to Longbourn?” Mr. Bingley asked.
