Page 7 of The Sole Love

In the carriage taking them home, Jane spoke with unusual warmth of Arthur Mansfield.

“Such a polite gentleman,” she said, admiring his elegance and his reserved behaviour in the presence of ladies.

Arthur was a little too mannered for Elizabeth’s taste, though she did not share that opinion with the others.

She was happy that Jane seemed in better spirits. Nevertheless, just before leaving, Elizabeth had heard her sister ask Arthur Mansfield whether he knew Mr Bingley. Jane could enjoy the company of another gentleman and appreciate his good qualities. Still, her heart remained faithful to the tenant of Netherfield.

Chapter 4

“How came you to ask Mr Mansfield about Mr Bingley?” Elizabeth asked her sister once they arrived home.

Jane blushed deeply, as she always did when placed in a situation she disliked.

“You heard!” she said, unable to keep the reproach from her voice.

“It is not that I wanted to hear; it just happened. My dear, London has more than a million people. How could you expect Mr Bingley to be known to him?”

“I did not actually ask him about…Mr Bingley. We were discussing Meryton. His father knows Aunt and Uncle Phillips, and it was only natural to ask him whether he knew other people of our acquaintance.”

“My dear, Mr Bingley is not of our society. He stayed at Netherfield only a short time. It is not as though he were from our county.”

“Do not scold me, Lizzy, please.” Jane’s voice was sad, and she held her hands tightly in her lap.

Elizabeth caressed them as she had when they were little girls. “I do not, my dear. I want you to forget the past and look towards the future. Tonight at the theatre, many eyes were upon you. Many people approached our uncle simply to meet you.”

“And you, Lizzy, why are you speaking only about me? They wanted to meet you too.”

“I know, but you shone, elegant and delicate. I caught more than one whisper asking who you were. Then, when you meet an amiable and courteous gentleman, you ask him about Mr Bingley.”

She felt sorry for her sister’s disappointment, but this had to stop.

“Jane,” Elizabeth said with all the love in her heart, “London is vast, but you were right: people move in certain circles and know one another. It is most probable that by now Mr Bingley has discovered that you are in London. If he has not called on you at our uncle’s house, it is because he has decided to end that chapter of his life which began at Netherfield. Please be rational and see the truth. If I wanted to see someone in London, I could always find a way to do so.”

Elizabeth fell silent for a moment. Holding Jane’s hands, she wondered whether that was entirely fair. Mr Darcy had admitted that he had concealed Jane’s presence in London from Mr Bingley, though Bingley might since have learnt of it from Caroline or Mrs Hurst. She would have liked to tell her sister what had happened at the Parsonage, yet she could not.

Nor was it fair to scold Jane for searching the crowd for Mr Bingley when Elizabeth herself had spent the evening looking for Mr Darcy. She wanted more than anything to speak of her own troubles, but for the moment she returned to Jane’s.

“Jane, dear, after all this time, we must consider the possibility that his decision is final.”

Jane shook her head. “I cannot believe that. His sisters never wished for the match, and perhaps Mr Darcy felt the same.”

Elizabeth looked at her sharply. “Why do you mention Mr Darcy?”

“Because he is Mr Bingley’s closest friend. Surely his opinion must have mattered.”

“How do you know?” Elizabeth saw from Jane’s face that she knew nothing. She merely wanted to believe that Mr Bingley’s absence had an explanation other than a change in his feelings.

“I do not disagree that his sisters and even Mr Darcy might have advised him to leave Netherfield. Still, I am terribly sorry to tell you that the real problem lies with him, not with his family or friends. He is a grown man who must make his own decisions according to his feelings.”

But Jane continued to defend him. “We are different, not like you. We tend to take other people’s opinions into account.”

“And I do not?” Elizabeth’s voice was slightly annoyed.

“No, no, dear sister. You master your own feelings, make your own decisions, and never rely on others to help you.”

Elizabeth lowered her eyes, then stood and paced the room. She did not want Jane to see her own torment; her sister was remarkably quick to notice sadness or worry in those around her.

For the moment, Elizabeth had nothing to confess about herself, but she knew much more about Mr Bingley. According to Mr Darcy, his friend was a man who fell in love quickly, and Darcy had more than once prevented a mistake by offering advice. Seen in this light, she could more easily forgive Mr Darcy than his friend. Darcy had acted out of concern and responsibility in a situation that resembled others in the past, while Mr Bingley seemed a young man too easily persuaded to abandon his own feelings.