Lizzy
Jane’s brows were raised by the time she finished reading her sister’s letter.
“Is all well at Longbourn?” her keen-eyed aunt asked.
“Read this, Aunt, and tell me what you think.”
Mrs. Gardiner did so, her brows raised in surprise by the time she reached the end. “You did mention last night that one of the dinner guests was a friend to the Bennet’s new neighbours, which is quite an odd coincidence. But you did not mention the man’s name.”
“Why, do you know Mr. Darcy, Aunt?”
“You recall that I was born and raised in Derbyshire, do you not?’
“Of course.”
“Well, the Darcys own Pemberley, which is the manor house at Lambton, the little town in which I was raised. We knew the Darcys to look at, of course, as they shopped in Lambton and attended church there, but we were certainly not of a high enough social circle to actuallyknowthem. Pemberley is a very large estate, perhaps one of the largest in all of England; I have never been inside, though I have always longed to see it.”
“I had no idea,” Jane whispered.
“You said he stared at you a good deal, Jane.”
“He did, yes; but I have no idea of ever seeing him again.”
“No, I suppose not. That is unfortunate, as he is everything eligible.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Charles, you have spent a good many days visiting Miss Bennet.”
“I have, Louisa, yes. What of it?”
“Well, what stops you from offering for Miss Bennet? It seems clear to everyone that you intend to do so.”
He hesitated.
“Go on. I shall keep your confidences.”
“I do not know.” He bit his lip as he spoke. “She speaks warmly, she invites me to sit beside her, but…I do not know. It seems that something is missing. I suspect that she does not truly harbor any affection for me.”
Mrs. Hurst shrugged. “She would accept you in any case.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Have you not seen the condition of the house? The furniture is worn, the wallpaper torn, the rugs frayed. And I have it on good authority that the estate is entailed.”
“Entailed?” He scoffed. “What good authority is this? The kitchen maid, I suppose?”
“Actually, no. My source is Lady Lucas, who visited here yesterday. The cook confirmed it. Evidently, it is common knowledge that Longbourn is entailed to the male line, and the heir is the cousin who is now visiting.”
“Mr. Collins is the heir to Longbourn?” Mr. Bingley looked as if he was having some difficulty understanding the situation.
“Precisely. And it is also common knowledge that the Bennet daughters have almost no dowries. The eldest is in London even now, hoping to find a husband. None of the daughters have dowries.”
Mr. Bingley opened his mouth and then closed it again. “I do not need my wife to have a dowry,” he managed. “But I do need her to have some affection for me.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Mr. Gardiner had just finished his luncheon at his office when his assistant knocked on the door and then poked his head in. “Mr. Gardiner, Lord Stanford is here.”
