Page 17 of Pride, Prejudice and Prudence

They both welcomed the distraction, as life in Meryton had become quite staid in the absence of the Netherfield party. The militia were still quartered in Meryton, but the ladies of Longbourn had little to do with the officers. There were no grand balls at which to dance with them, and most of the local families had quite tired of entertaining the officers as so few of them were adequately financially stable to marry any of their daughters. But they were surprised when their father notified them that he would be accompanying them to deal with some matters of business.

Mr Bennet and his eldest daughters arrived in Gracechurch Street one week later. They were welcomed with hugs from their aunt and uncle, Gardiner, and from their two children. Jane and Elizabeth had had little time to prepare gifts for the children, but Lydia had donated some of her old toys, which in truth had once been Jane’s, for the amusement of her younger cousins.

Mr Bennet spent most of the first two days in discussions with their uncle, or out with him to visit men of business on matters Elizabeth and Jane knew little of. At dinner on the third night, their father announced to the joy of his daughters that Mr Collins was to be in town tomorrow and would be joining them for several days. It was welcome but surprising news. They had not expected to meet him again for some months, although he had indicated that it would not be long before an invitation to Kent could be expected.

Mr Collins arrived at the next midday. He at first appeared unaltered from when he had first arrived at Longbourn, but there was a little something in his face which was different. He was still thin and pale, but there was a slight smile when he greeted Mr Bennet, Jane, and Elizabeth. The grave air that had surrounded him when first they met was completely gone. He was perhaps a trifle shy around the Gardiners and their children, but Elizabeth had to admit they could be overwhelming.

The purpose of his visit was not apparent to Elizabeth, and Jane acknowledged that she was also at a loss to explain why he had come. When he spent a good deal of time talking with their uncle and aunt they supposed it was so that he might meet his extended family. But the next day, he joined their father and uncle in their visits and discussions in their uncle’s study, which was even more perplexing than his arrival had been. He did, however, make a little time available to spend with his young cousins, and Elizabeth remarked to Jane that he had added materially to their family group, to which Jane had agreed.

Chapter 27

“Miss Elizabeth!” Mr Darcy said. His shock at seeing them was apparent, as he placed her before her sister, Elizabeth thought. He then added, “Miss Bennet,” and bowed correctly to them before noting their cousin Mr Collins, wherein the two men bowed to each other as Elizabeth and Jane curtsied to him. Their cousin had taken the day away from their father and uncle to join them for an outing to Hyde Park. Mr Collins admitted to Elizabeth that he was not a great walker, but the many hours of discussions of matters of business had given him an ache in the head.

Elizabeth was surprised to see Mr Darcy in town. From discussions in Meryton, she knew that he had a house in town. She also knew that his wealth meant that it would obviously have to be in the environs of Hyde Park, but she had supposed he would be at his estate in Derbyshire at this time of year, the season not due to start for many months. The party appearing to have nothing to say to each other, Elizabeth chose to make this observation, merely to alleviate the embarrassing silence.

“You are correct,” he confirmed, “I would normally not be in town at this time of year, but I found I had business which had better be concluded before the season began,” he explained.

They seemed in danger of sinking into total silence again. It was absolutely necessary, therefore, to think of something to say presently. In this emergency, recollecting when she had seen him last in Hertfordshire, and feeling curious to know what he would say on the subject of his party’s hasty departure, she observed...

“How very suddenly you all quitted Netherfield last November, Mr Darcy.” It was only after she uttered the words that she glanced at Jane. She had not intended to wound her sister, and on spotting Jane’s blush, she realised how thoughtless she had been.

Mr Darcy did not immediately reply, but he too seemed to notice Jane’s discomfort, and after hesitating for some moments, he replied. “Indeed, business called us away urgently.”

Had Jane not been present, Elizabeth would have continued her questioning, no matter how impertinent it would have been. But she could not bear to hurt a most beloved sister merely to vex Mr Darcy, and she was embarrassed to know she had considered it. Instead, she took the conversation in a more conciliatory direction.

“Has your sister joined you in London?” she asked, recalling how he had spoken of her with such fondness.

“Georgiana is at home in Pemberley,” he said. “It is such a short visit that it did not make sense to come here to town to merely turn around a few days later and return to Derbyshire.” Mr Darcy then seemed to realise that he was leaving the whole work of the conversation entirely to Elizabeth and finally made the polite enquiry as to Miss Bennet’s health, then Elizabeth’s, her cousins’, and finally all her family’s health. At which point, Elizabeth informed him that their father had accompanied them to town. During the whole of these questions as to the health of her family, Mr Darcy kept casting looks at Mr Collins, and finally, he seemed to decide to ask the question which had been on his mind.

“I am surprised to see you in town, Mr Collins,” he said, but the question in his statement was clear.

“I am anxious to spend time with my family when I may, and Lady Catherine was of a like mind and suggested that I take the opportunity to visit with my cousins while they were in town,” he said. Mr Darcy frowned at this response but merely bowed his head in acknowledgement of it without raising any further enquiries. He had to admit that Mr Collins did not fit with the type of parson he had expected his aunt to choose. Lady Catherine most often surrounded herself with sycophants, who would toady to her merest whim. Mr Collins was not such a man, of that there could be no doubt, and Mr Darcy wondered if that was why his aunt was always encouraging him to be away from Hunsford.

“May I join you for your walk?” he requested, and the party agreed, although Elizabeth could not help but notice their raised eyebrows at his suggestion. She was astonished that he wished to spend more time with them. He had certainly shown very little preference for their company in Hertfordshire.

The party walked on together, and it was not long before Mr Darcy and Elizabeth outstripped Mr Collins and Jane, although it was some time before Elizabeth became aware that they were some way ahead of them. Mr Darcy made some general remarks about the park, the unseasonably fine weather, and his knowledge of Elizabeth’s love of walking. She pointed out that he had not seemed to be so inclined in Hertfordshire, having ridden his horse rather than taking to his own feet. He had smiled and spoken of his love of riding and his great fondness for his steed, but that, as he had left him in Pemberley, walking was his second choice of exercise. And so it was that they strolled on together, quite forgetting the rest of their party, much to the amusement of Jane and Mr Collins.

Above an hour had passed before Elizabeth recalled them, and as she did, Jane said that it was above time that their father would be looking for them, and so, with farewells, bows, and curtsies, they bid Mr Darcy adieu. Elizabeth left him, returning to the Gardiners in silence, with a confused frown on her face, and with no plan to see him again.

She was therefore surprised that he should arrive at Hyde Park at the same location on the following week, on a day that she had told him they would most likely be there

Chapter 28

Mr Darcy performed his greetings, this time in the correct order, and made no mention of there being any surprise at seeing them again. Instead, he behaved as if it were by arrangement. This time, Jane and Elizabeth were not joined by their cousin – instead, they were joined by their aunt.

Mr Darcy requested an introduction, and Jane did the service, as was her right as the eldest niece. Mr Darcy expressed the right level of pleasure at meeting their aunt, and Elizabeth thought back to his disparaging remarks to Mr Bingley about their relatives in trade the morning after his stay in Longbourn. She wondered if he remembered and if he was now ashamed of his snobbery, having met her ladylike aunt. She could not even hint at this topic as she had been eavesdropping, even though it had been unintentional.

Again, the whole party began to walk; this time Elizabeth slowed her pace to ensure that Mr Darcy and she could not outpace Jane and her aunt. She was therefore surprised, not a half hour later, to discover the distance which had stretched between Mr Darcy and herself, and Jane and her aunt. She was about to suggest that they turn back to meet up again with them all the sooner, but before she could, Mr Darcy spoke.

“In vain,” he said, but was interrupted almost immediately by Mr Collins appearing from between the trees, quite out of breath.

“Elizabeth, you must come at once,” he said, “there has been most distressing news.” He looked around seeing Jane and her aunt behind them.

“What is it, William?” she asked, her voice urgent in her concern, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mr Darcy startle. Mr Collins had become like a brother to Elizabeth and Jane, and she thought maybe to all her sisters. They had felt nothing but blessed to have met him, and when he had yesterday suggested that while in private they use each other’s familiar names, with their father’s approval, she and Jane had agreed.

“You need to go to your father at once,” he said. She went pale; something bad must have happened at Longbourn, she thought. Her aunt and Jane had now caught up with them, and Mr Collins repeated his entreaty that there had been some distressing news, and they must return to Gracechurch Street immediately. Not waiting to make her adieu to Mr Darcy, she ran as fast as she could, while Jane and her aunt followed on as fast as they could.” They reached her father’s carriage and gave instructions, not even realising that they were leaving Mr Collins behind, but it did not matter as he had arrived in Mr Gardiner’s carriage.

“I have received some dreadful news from Longbourn: Lydia has eloped; she has thrown herself away on Lieutenant Wickham!” their father told them, and Jane fainted dead away at the feet of Elizabeth and her aunt.