Elizabeth was waiting for Jane in her bedchamber, assuming that was where her sister would go after her talk with Mr Darcy. Sure enough, Jane entered the room, started when seeing Elizabeth, then fell into her arms. She did not cry, but Elizabeth could feel the tension in her body, as though she was struggling to hold back tears. After a few minutes, Jane pulled away and went to the dressing table, keeping her back to Elizabeth.
“You must excuse me. I am being ridiculous, and I do not want to take anything away from the joy your betrothal has brought to us by being upset about a situation that, really, should no longer cause me a moment of distress.”
It was just like her sister to think of others before herself. “You have every right to be sad, angry, confused—all of them and more besides.”
“I knew he was not coming back.”
“That is not the same as learning he was a—I ought not to say that word. What Mr Darcy discovereddoeschange things. Do you not agree? Mr and Miss Bingley were—are—terrible people, and what he did to you deserves the severest possible censure. He played on your affections, encouraged you to believe he returned them and was an honourable gentleman, always knowing he had no intention of marrying you.”
Jane produced a muffled sob, and Elizabeth went to her, rubbing her back in comfort. Jane needed to admit her feelings rather than keep them to herself, where they might fester like an infected wound. She need not share them with the world, but she ought to know she could tell Elizabeth anything. Jane sat on the white chair and covered her face with her hands. Through them, she spoke.
“I have been so heartbroken and confused, wondering what I did or if I was foolish and saw what I wanted to, rather than what was true. It is good to know thathewas at fault, not I.” Straightening her spine, she turned to Elizabeth. “I am glad Mr Darcy told me. Iamangry, or I shall be once I have reflected on everything. Does Papa know, or anyone else?”
“Mr Darcy told our father, but no, I do not believe either of them told our mother or sisters.”
“That is for the best. They all liked him—Miss Bingley, too—but especially him, and it would only distress them to know. I suppose a part of it must come out. People will wonder why Mr Darcy is no longer on friendly terms with them, but I do not see a purpose in unnecessarily advertising the depths of their deception.”
Taking one of Jane’s hands in hers, Elizabeth said, “You cannot want to protect the Bingleys. Our friends and neighbours should know that the reason Mr Bingley left after paying you so much attention is because he is a scoundrel.”
“Perhaps recent events and losing Mr Darcy’s friendship will help him to realise the path he is on is a poor one. He might reform, and then what good would it serve if everyone hated him?”
Uncertainty danced across Jane’s features, and before Elizabeth could protest, she continued.
“I am being silly. You need not say it. As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew it. I amembarrassed, Lizzy. My foolishness was not in mistaking what I saw but in not taking better care of my heart.”
Elizabeth was more fortunate in that regard. She had spent weeks telling herself she was not exercising proper caution when it came to her deepening attachment to Mr Darcy. His actions had demonstrated that he was an excellent gentleman, however, and she had a wonderful future ahead of her as his wife. Compassion for her beloved sister filled her, and she knelt down in order to embrace her.
“I shall never agree thatyoudid anything wrong, not even for trusting him and his sister to be the good people they presented to the world. The only blame lies with Mr and Miss Bingley. We shall talk to Papa and Mr Darcy, and decide what to tell Mama, the girls, and our acquaintance. Does that suit you?” When Jane nodded, Elizabeth added, “Did Mr Darcy ask you about coming to town with us and then to Pemberley after the wedding?”
“He did. I told him I shall consider it.”
It was all the answer Elizabeth could expect at the moment. She had more than a week to encourage Jane to join her and Mr Darcy in London, and longer still to convince her to remove with them at the end of March. Something intangible told Elizabeth it was in Jane’s best interests to leave Longbourn, and she intended to help her do so.
CHAPTERFIFTY-ONE
Although Darcy was itching to return to town to introduce the future Mrs Darcy to her new family, he was not disappointed they spent the first week and a half of their engagement in Meryton. News of his return spread before he had made it to the inn the night of his arrival. When the neighbourhood learnt that he had come to claim Miss Elizabeth Bennet as his own, he was met with hearty congratulations wherever he went. To be sure, he was never easy with so much attention, but these were people he had met before, which helped a bit. Everyone had the best of intentions when they assured him that he was exceedingly fortunate—he always agreed forthwith—and he was simply too pleased with the world to be discomposed or upset. His days were spent at Longbourn, and he thought every resident within ten miles called during the first week. When he said as much to Elizabeth, she laughed.
“They find it incredible that I, of all ladies, managed to successfully capture you.”
“Why should they be surprised?”
They were walking back and forth on the terrace, which had been cleared of the recent snow. In his estimation, the ground was too icy to go farther; he would not risk her slipping, even though she assured him she would not. Her hand was firmly clasped about his arm.
“I would explain it to you, but you might decide I am simply, pathetically, desperately hoping you will compliment me. You are too much a gentleman to voice such a mean thought, however, and would keep it to yourself, which no doubt would be vexing. In time, you might come to hate me for being the cause of such disagreeable sensations.”
“I am not quite as good at understanding your teasing as I believed.” He grimaced momentarily.
“You do very well. By my calculations, you sort it out four of every five times. To be serious, that is our way hereabouts. Not so much that is exciting happens, and Iama Bennet. With no one settled at Netherfield, many consider us the most prominent family in the area, as strange as that seems to me. I am sure several people were encouraged to call so that they could talk to you about Mr Bingley. I know that has been difficult for you.”
Darcy only managed an indifferent noise in response. Whenever someone enquired if the Bingleys would return, he said they would not. He was asked why many times, upon occasion by the same people on different days; he replied that he no longer counted them amongst his friends and could not account for their decisions. Once, he mentioned that he had discovered they were not the honourable people he had believed them to be. Suddenly, Miss Bennet was being congratulated on having made a lucky escape, which—despite no one previously knowing she had been in danger—gave them another reason to be pleased for the Bennets.
“I take it Miss Bennet is resolved not to come to town with us. Are you disappointed?” Darcy said.
“I am a little, I admit, but I understand her reasons. She is happy to stay here, especially knowing we shall leave for Derbyshire before Easter. Mama will feel the loss of three of her daughters, and Jane hopes that spending this time with her will soften the blow. I suspect she also worries Mary and Lydia will feel abandoned by us, particularly since Kitty and William went to Kent so recently. Longbourn will be much quieter in the future,” Elizabeth said.
Miss Bennet had accepted his invitation to remove with them to Pemberley, after ascertaining he truly would welcome her into his home.
“We shall have them to stay with us soon, perhaps even next summer. If we go to town later in the spring, it would be easy enough to take one or both of your younger sisters to Pemberley with us upon our return north.”
