As soon as they were in the room, her expression became one of regret, and she grasped Elizabeth’s hands. “Oh, Lizzy, I am so sorry.”
“What has happened? Jane, you are worrying me. Is it news from Longbourn?”
Jane shook her head, and Elizabeth pulled her to the settee. Once they were seated, she wiped her sister’s cheeks with a linen handkerchief. Then, she insisted Jane tell her what had occurred.
“Bingley was so happy when he returned. Mr Darcy sees no reason he should not purchase Larch Lane, and Bingley liked it even more today than he did when we went together.”
“But that is good news, is it not? Have you decided you do not want to be settled at such a distance from Longbourn?” Elizabeth enquired when her sister failed to go on.
“No, it is not that. I am afraid you will be very angry with me.”
“Why? I could never?—”
“I told him, Lizzy,” Jane interjected, then covered her mouth with a hand and looked aghast as she awaited Elizabeth’s response.
“Told him? What are you talking…” Her voice faded as her sister’s meaning occurred to her.
In a rush, Jane continued. “I was glad for Mr Darcy’s good opinion, of course I was, but then Bingley said something about us staying at Pemberley longer so that he could meet with the seller’s solicitor, or whomever one sees about such things, and I knew we could not. You and I talked of needing to depart as soon as possible, and I tried to tell Bingley that I thought we had asked too much of Mr and Miss Darcy as it was and they would want their house to themselves again, but he did not agree.
“When I tried to insist, he wanted to know why I did not want to stay. Did I dislike Pemberley, or perhaps it was Mr Darcy or his sister I did not care for? I could not agree to that! He kept insisting on an explanation for why I wanted to leave, and I had to tell him about you and his friend. I bungled the whole thing so terribly, and I am sorry. He was shocked and so angry, more than I have ever seen, even more than he has been with his sisters. He says he does not blame us, but…I know you did not want him to know.”
“Never mind it, Jane.” Elizabeth’s voice sounded flat to her ears. She stood and went to look out of the window. It was dusk and difficult to make out more than shapes on the horizon.
Jane continued to apologise, but she stopped when Elizabethshook her head and said, “He would have found out sooner or later.”
But now that he has, it changes so much.It felt like an ending—and not of Bingley and Mr Darcy’s friendship alone, if Bingley truly was as angry as Jane presently believed. The end was for something betweenherand Mr Darcy. While she had accepted months ago that they would never be married, Bingley knowing forced her to accept it in a different manner. It was subtle, but she felt it deep within herself.
Swallowing heavily, Elizabeth returned to her sister’s side and embraced her, whispering into her ear. “It is immaterial. It is not such a bad thing that Bingley knows, even though I did not want him to. It is not as though my mother learnt of my past with Mr Darcy.Thatwould be another matter altogether.” She tried to laugh, as much for Jane as for herself. “Your husband is an excellent man, and I trust him completely. My only regret will be if it affects their friendship. I shall speak to him and convince him it need not.”
They spoke for a few minutes about Larch Lane and where they might go from Pemberley, agreeing that an inn close to the estate would be the most convenient choice for several days. Then they could continue on their way to Scarborough. What would happen after that, Elizabeth could not speculate, but she knew it would not involve Mr Darcy.
“Colonel, do you mind if I have a word with Darcy alone?” Bingley said.
Fitzwilliam caught Darcy’s eye; he shook his head, indicating he had no notion what Bingley wanted to say to him.
“Very well. I shall be in the library.” The colonel swallowed the last of his wine and left the room.
As soon as they were alone, Bingley’s expression changed. It became colder and accusatory, not unlike it had when Darcy told him of his interference in his relationship with Miss Jane Bennet, as she had then been.
“I had the most extraordinary conversation with my wife. She spoke of us needing to leave Pemberley as soon as possible, and naturally, I asked why.”
I can answer for her. Elizabeth can no longer tolerate my company. No doubt Fitzwilliam’s arrival has made it worse, but it ismeshe wishes to escape.
“It was not easy to convince her to tell me the entire tale, but I believe it was a relief for her to unburden herself of the secret. Can you imagine how stupid I feel—how stupid IknowI am—for never realising you were in love with Lizzy?”
“Bingley—”
“No, Darcy, you have had more than a year to tell me of your attachment. You did not wish to then, even after all the times you listened to me talk of Jane, and so I ask that you let me say what I will before you attempt to justify yourself.”
Darcy lowered his chin, both to acknowledge Bingley’s request and to avoid seeing his anger. He had always known that their friendship was at risk if Bingley discovered how he had treated Elizabeth. She and her sister had both considered it a possibility too, which is why they had said nothing of it to him. In less than five minutes listening to Bingley, Darcy knew they had all been correct.
Bingley’s fingers drummed on the mahogany tabletop as he spoke. “I cannot recall how many times I asked Jane if all was well with Lizzy. Even last winter—no, before that. Last autumn, I could see that her spirits were not what they shouldbe. Not long after we arrived at Pemberley, I asked Jane again. Each time, she assured me there was nothing for me to worry about, Lizzy was simply fatigued, required more exercise, et cetera. I readily admit, I am not the most observant chap, but you would think I would have noticed a pattern. When she and the Gardiners were here last summer, she was lively and as joyful as any person has a right to be. Even when you and I returned to Hertfordshire, she was happy, especially considering what the family had just gone through with the Wickhams.”
The sound of the hated name made Darcy recoil, and Bingley evidently noticed. He paused and regarded Darcy for a long moment before nodding.
“Yes, I can see how little you like the mention of him. You never have, but it has worsened, has it not?” He paused briefly. “This is what I have been told. You will be good enough to tell me if there is anything essential I have misunderstood or that Jane has chosen not to disclose.
“You have been in love with Lizzy for well over a year, perhaps dating back to when we first met the Bennets. The two of you had some sort of disagreement when you met in Kent the Easter before last, but when you saw each other again in Derbyshire, you forgave each other. She is or was—I do not pretend to know what she feels at present—in love with you, and you gave her reason to expect a proposal when we returned to Hertfordshire last September. But then, you went to town and did not come back until directly before my wedding. You all but promised yourself to her, then you left her, knowing how she felt and what she had every reason to anticipate.”
