“Oh, no. No. If anything, the last few weeks have convinced me it is the best thing for me. A new place, surrounded by new people is exactly what I need. Here, it is easy for me to dwell on what happened last autumn. I know Mr Bingley is not returning, but wherever I go, I remember being there with him. People still talk about him, and it pains me to hear him mentioned. It is just…”
Elizabeth was beginning to feel a little exasperated. She again encouraged Jane to be open with her. After regarding her for a moment, her sister pulled a sheet of paper from her pocket.
“I received this only yesterday. I do not know what to make of it,” Jane said.
Unfolding the sheet, Elizabeth saw that it was a letter written in an elaborate, elegant hand. It was from Miss Bingley. Anger coursed through her as she read it.
Miss Bennet,
I understand I should congratulate you on your younger sister’s engagement to Mr Darcy. I wish I could, but I find it is impossible. Instead, I write to warn you in the hopes that she can be spared some of the sorrow and shame I have lately experienced. I have no notion what story he has told you and your family, but my brother and I have recently learnt that he has deceived us horribly. We believed he was an honourable gentleman, but he is far from it. My brother discovered Mr Darcy has many disgusting habits, ones I, as a lady, refuse to write about. Amongst these was lying to my brother about you, saying horrible things that made him believe you were not to be trusted. My last note to you was written at Mr Darcy’s direction after he convinced us we must leave Netherfield at once to protect my brother from certain actions you and your mother were prepared to take to ensure my brother married you.
I released Mr Darcy from all the promises we made to each other. Indeed, I cannot bear to look at him. I can hardly stand to write his name. His anger at our last conversation was fearsome to behold, and he vowed to ruin my family. I believe he views deceiving your family, telling you falsehoods about my brother and me, is some manner of revenge upon us.
You might find it difficult to believe me, despite the goodness of your character. I do not blame you, since I am sure it appears that we treated your friendship callously. Ask him about Mr Wickham, who was his childhood friend, almost a brother. Mr Darcy’s father loved Mr Wickham, and jealousy led Mr Darcy to treat him dishonourably, causing him to live a life of poverty. Mention his name, and Mr Darcy will be unable to hide his true nature from you.
This entire affair has been extremely difficult, and my health suffers. My excellent brother is at his wit’s end, and he feels the only way to help me is for us to remove to Scarborough, where our remaining family resides. I shall pray for your family, and I beg that you will pray for my brother and me. I hope we shall meet again one day, once we have all had an opportunity to recover from the ways that man has injured us. God bless you.
Caroline Bingley
Elizabeth crumpled the paper into a tight ball. “You cannot believe a word she says!”
Jane’s cheeks were scarlet, and she looked everywhere but at Elizabeth. “I…”
“You would believe this work of fiction”—she shook the letter—“over Darcy, even after what you witnessed yourself of Mr Bingley’s behaviour, the way he and his sister ignored you at the ball, everything that has happened?” Astonished that Miss Bingley had been audacious enough to write the letter, and even more taken aback that her sister gave it any credence, Elizabeth did not know what else to say.
“No,” Jane said, her voice coming out as a squeak. “I do not know. I do not want to think poorly of either gentleman. Perhaps they are both right, and there was some-some misunderstanding between them, and—”
“No, Jane, there is only enough goodness between them for one, and Iknowit is all in Mr Darcy.”
Tears pooled in Jane’s eyes, and Elizabeth’s ire evaporated. She put the paper into her pocket and sat beside Jane on the bed, clasping her hands.
“I understand why you would like to think the best of Mr Bingley, but surely you know that Miss Bingley’s purpose in writing is to agitate us. No doubt, she hopes we shall argue, perhaps that we shall believe just enough of what she wrote, that I shall have a falling out with Darcy.”
Jane pressed her eyes closed and nodded. “I thought they were my friends. How could I be such a fool? Mr Darcy has never done anything to make me question his character, yet…”
“Yet, you cared for the Bingleys. You always see the best in people, and, unfortunately, in this instance, it has had terrible consequences. I will never forgive Mr Bingley for breaking your heart. As for his sister, I cannot even begin to express how much I despise her for writing to you in such a manner.”
Elizabeth embraced her sister while she cried. Jane insisted she would go down to dinner, even after Elizabeth offered to give an excuse for her absence. They did their best to mask Jane’s bout of tears, and Elizabeth debated how, even if, she would approach the subject of the letter with Darcy.
CHAPTERFIFTY-NINE
Fortunately, Mrs Bennet and Lydia did not notice the signs of Jane’s recent distress when she and Elizabeth joined the others for dinner. Mary and the two gentlemen did, but Elizabeth shook her head at each of them in turn before they could enquire. She did her best not to betray her renewed anger at the Bingleys. If she could, she would find a suitable time that evening to tell Darcy what had happened; he had every right to know what Miss Bingley had written about him.
During the evening meal, Mrs Bennet insisted on telling Darcy everything she had accomplished or thought of doing for the wedding. He bore the attention well, but Elizabeth knew he, along with her father, sisters, and herself, longed for a change of topic. Finally, Mr Bennet was able to interject.
“We all appreciate your efforts, my dear. You are becoming quite the expert at arranging weddings. What is it you like to say? Two in three months? All our neighbours will begin to consult you when they are planning similar celebrations.” He lifted his glass as though saluting her.
“It will be a lovely day, Mrs Bennet, and I beg you will not exhaust yourself to the point of being unable to enjoy it,” Darcy said.
Mrs Bennet fluttered a little at the implied compliments from both gentlemen. Before she could return to the subject of the wedding, which Elizabeth suspected she would do if given the opportunity, Mr Bennet mentioned Purvis Lodge and an appointment he had made for Darcy to view it the next morning. Darcy was currently staying at the inn, but he wished to find a house to lease for the next month, which would make it possible for Miss Darcy and her companion to join him in Meryton. Mr Reed would accompany them, claiming a desire to renew his friendship with Mr Bennet. The subject of finding a house had first arisen before Darcy and Elizabeth had gone to town. Lydia had suggested the Darcys stay at Netherfield Park, but none of them liked the idea of returning there. More time and a different family to make it their own were needed before they could avoid thinking of the Bingleys whenever they crossed the threshold.
The Bennets told Darcy about the small estate and the people who had once lived at it, and towards the end of the meal, Mrs Bennet succeeded in talking about the wedding again, and this time, she would not let herself be distracted.
Darcy left soon afterwards. Elizabeth accompanied him outdoors so that they would have a few minutes alone. She regarded him, her eyes wide and brow arched, waiting to see what he would comment on first: Jane’s mood or her mother. Almost at once, he let out a gust of breath and chuckled.
“Your mother is very enthusiastic.”
“She always is on whatever topic has taken her interest that day. A wedding is bound to excite a person such as her. My aunt Philips will be the same.”
