Page 27 of Pride, Prejudice and Prudence

Please come and dine today with my aunt and me, for we are both heartily sick of each other's company. My brother and Mr Darcy are to dine with the officers.

Yours ever,

Caroline Bingley.”

Jane looked to Elizabeth before she turned to her parents.

“You must both go,” her mother announced. “We have decided to reset our relationship with Miss Bingley, and I believe, my dear Jane, that you are not indifferent to her brother?”

Jane blushingly admitted that this was true, and with her father and Elizabeth’s assent, left breakfast to pen an assent to Miss Bingley’s invitation.

Chapter 46

“Lightning has taken down the bridge to Meryton,” Mr Darcy announced, entering the dining room before the dinner had completed. “You need to look at reinforcing that bridge, Bingley,” he added.

“We decided to leave the officer’s dinner early when we saw the weather changing,” Mr Bingley said, taking a seat at the table close to Jane. “We feared we would need to take asylum at Longbourn again. We had only just crossed the bridge when lightning struck it, and it came down!” Jane gasped at what might have been a serious incident, but Elizabeth could see there had been no ill effects, and Mr Bingley was well pleased to have Jane in his home.

Jane looked to Elizabeth, who interpreted her look correctly. The last time their father had not wished them to stay at Netherfield, but it was no longer a concern as Mrs Willard was present this time. Elizabeth recalled her reactions when Mr Darcy had appeared, soaked to the skin, at Longbourn and hoped that her blush was not evident. She now realised that her reaction had been one of attraction, and her awareness of this made her turn her eyes away from him.

The next morning, Mr Darcy inspected the bridge and river crossing and confirmed that one of the Netherfield Park footmen would be able to cross and retrieve anything the Bennet ladies required. She hoped that this time at Netherfield Park with Mr Darcy would allow her the opportunity to thank him for his assistance to her family.

The days passed by pleasantly with Miss Bingley on her best behaviour. No opportunity arose to apologise to Mr Darcy or thank him, but her changed attitude to him was obvious. Elizabeth began to despair that she would ever be in a position to do so. But on the morning of the fifth day, they were finally alone. Miss Bingley had arisen at country hours every morning since Jane and Elizabeth’s stay at Netherfield had begun, but this morning she had not risen, and neither her brother nor Jane were early risers. So Elizabeth and Mr Darcy found themselves quite alone.

At first, Elizabeth knew not how to begin the conversation until, anxious that this opportunity would pass before she could find the words, she blurted out the first thing she thought of.

“Mr Darcy, you must allow me to express to you how grateful I feel for the service you did for my family in bringing my sister home safe to us.” She could see by Mr Darcy’s shock that this was the last thing he expected her to say, and Elizabeth was most perplexed by his response.

“I am sorry, exceedingly sorry,” replied Darcy, in a tone of surprise and emotion, “that you have ever been informed of what may, in a mistaken light, have given you unease. I did not think to ask your sister to keep my involvement from you and your family. I could not, in her distress, ask anything of her. But I beg that you would not thank me, for who is to blame but myself? It is my fault that your sister and your family endured such horror.”

“Your fault?” Elizabeth queried, she could not see any way that Lydia’s abduction by Mr Wickham could be Mr Darcy’s fault.”

“Who is to blame if not for me? You were correct when you berated me in Kent. For if I had spoken what I knew of him, he would never have been able to gain access to genteel society and would never have had access to your sister. I hoped more than I believed that his joining the militia would reform him. We were friends once, and I did not wish to make him desperate. I did not know that he was already desperate. His debtors were coming for him, and they are not the sort of men to be gainsaid.”

This explanation of why Mr Darcy had not spoken out against Mr Wickham was both surprising and touching. It only added to the fine qualities that Elizabeth was discovering more and more in Mr Darcy as she got to know him better. Elizabeth also had a great curiosity to know what had become of Mr Wickham. But before she could ask, Mr Bingley entered the breakfast room, looking properly presentable but so tired that he had the air of a young boy dragged from his bed.

While in the past everything Mr Darcy had said or done had caused Elizabeth vexation, she now rejoiced in his clever rejoinders, and every action was interpreted as either thoughtful or intelligent. They spent almost as much time talking together as Jane and Mr Bingley. But Elizabeth and Mr Darcy more often called upon the necessity of including Miss Bingley and Mrs Willard in their conversations. Jane and Elizabeth remained in Netherfield for a full week while the bridge was repaired. In truth, they could have crossed over the shallow waters earlier, but the stay at Netherfield had turned into a house party of sorts, if a very small one.

It was evident that Miss Bingley had no great fondness for Elizabeth, whom she insisted on calling Eliza, much to Elizabeth’s annoyance, but she was a very accomplished hostess. Mr Bingley’s aunt was his hostess in name, but Caroline Bingley arranged all the meals and entertainments. When the Bennet carriage arrived to take them home, Elizabeth believed it would not be many days before Mr Bingley would be seeking an audience with their father. And in her heart, she hoped that Mr Darcy would be doing likewise, although this wish was not expressed, even to Jane.

Chapter 47

Instead of the anticipated visits from Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy, Miss Bingley arrived in her brother's carriage. Jane and Elizabeth exited Longbourn to meet her on the step. She was dressed for travel, and her luggage was strapped to the back.

“I am for London,” she said, indicating the carriage with the driver still awaiting her. “I will not tarry long, but I wish to share my exciting news with you, Jane, my dearest friend. Mr Darcy has asked for my hand, and I have accepted.”

Elizabeth felt her legs go weak and thought that she would sink to the ground. Only Jane reaching out and taking her hand gave her the strength to stay standing.

“Congratulations,” Jane responded with the expected reply, but Elizabeth was unable to speak.

“Thank you, dearest Jane,” she said, and seemed not to expect a response from Elizabeth. “I won’t keep you outdoors any longer, but I am off to town to start to shop for my trousseau. We are not planning a long engagement, but I could not leave without sharing my news with you all,” she said and looked directly at Elizabeth, a look of loathing evident on her face.

She said nothing more, only entered the carriage, and with a wave she instructed the driver to move on.

A whimper escaped Elizabeth; he was to marry Miss Bingley! She could not speak, and instead she ran into the house and directly to her room, where she finally allowed her tears to fall. Some minutes later, the door opened without a knock. Elizabeth did not look up, sure that it was Jane come to comfort her, but she was mistaken.

“Some terrible thing must have occurred,” her mother said, patting the back of her head in comfort, as Elizabeth had not raised her face from her pillow. “I think my dear, we understand Mr Darcy well enough to know he is a man of honour and he would never have shown you such attention had his heart not been engaged. But, Miss Bingley has announced their engagement, so there is nothing to be done.”

Elizabeth just cried harder. She knew her mama was trying to be comforting.