Page 85 of A Prudent Engagement

Had she been better, she would have been able to fully forgive Jane from her heart while she believed that Mr. Darcy was lost to her forever. Then the tale would have had an improving moral, as it would have only been after she had given up resentment and become a saint worthy of the pearly gates that she also received her earthly reward.

Alas, Elizabeth was so constructed that it was only now that she could go to her sister without any rancour in her heart.

Jane came out wrapped in her sleeping robe and night-dress. She smiled to see Elizabeth and gestured her in.

They embraced, and Jane said, “I am glad you came.”

“You must not hate me,” Elizabeth said. “But it is easier to speak to you without any resentment now that there is no reason to resent. I promise, even if Mr. Darcy had never returned, that I would have ceased to harbour any such anger in time.”

This only made Jane smile and embrace her again. “I could never think ill of you.”

“I believe you have of late,” Elizabeth said, smiling.

“I shall forget that. I am too happy now to think of any such things.”

“Ah, you are determined to think of the past only as it brings you pleasure,” Elizabeth replied. “A scheme that I am well ready to participate in.”

“No!” Jane exclaimed. “I do not say that.” Then she looked at Elizabeth’s face and smiled. “Lizzy, I am near as happy in your happiness as in my own.”

“And I of course am exceedingly happy that you and Mr. Bingley will be the second happiest couple in all of England—I reserve the highest position, of course, for myself and Darcy.”

As they had so many times since they were children, Jane sat cross legged on her bed, while Elizabeth took the chair by the dressing table and drew her feet up beneath her.

“Now tell me how it happened,” Elizabeth said.

This brought a blush to her sister’s face. “I shall, but Lizzy, I wish to be serious first—are you really happy? With Mr. Darcy? I know that I must not interfere again—I know that it was wrong, and you show every appearance of happiness, but I still wish you to tell me that you are truly happy.”

A wide smile spread across Elizabeth’s face. “It is impossible to be happier.” She laughed. “I only fear that you will become offended when I tell you the whole of it.”

Jane smiled.

“You see, I love him more than your Mr. Bingley.”

“Oh, Lizzy. You are happy. You could not make such cheerful jests otherwise.”

“Nay, it is not a jest. I solemnly swear,” Elizabeth replied laughing, “that I hold my Mr. Darcy in a far higher place in my heart than your Mr. Bingley.”

Seeing that her sister began to turn pensive and frown, Elizabeth said, “I beg you to not fret about my welfare any longer.”

“You are my younger sister, so it is my place to be concerned for you—even though I have learned with some pain that my interference may cause more ill than good.”

That rather surprised Elizabeth. “I scarcely ever think of you as being the one who must protect me—in general cases I am more inclined to see you as less…able to…manage other people and their quirks and occasional dishonesties.” Elizabeth frowned. “But, I would never have thought to confront one of your suitors in such a manner as you confronted Mr. Darcy.”

“I ought to be rather annoyed with him,” Jane said, suddenly sitting straighter with a surprisingly sour expression.

Elizabeth felt a little bit of anxiety as she thought her sister must have heard from Mr. Bingley about the part that Darcy had played in separating them.

Jane said, “I begged him to not say anything about what he had deduced about my feelings towards his friend. But from what Bingley said, it was Mr. Darcy who told him that I likely was in love with him—it makes me blush to think about it.”

“Even though the case proved to your advantage?” Elizabeth grinned. “If I can forgive you for conspiring to end my engagement with the excellent man whom I was in love with, you ought to find it within your soul to forgive that same man for conspiring to help you make an advantageous match.”

Jane sighed. “I hate to be talked about. It is awkward. I do not like it.”

“But are you happy?” Elizabeth asked. “Can I trust that you are wholly happy? You may be the one who found it easy to demand your sister’s suitor to leave, but I am prepared to tell Mr. Bingley that he must depart for parts unknown, if that is what you want me to do.”

Jane laughed, then smiled, then flushed rosily. “Did you know, he had no notion that I was in London? The whole time—his sisters never told him.”

Elizabeth nodded; she did not wish to tell Jane about Darcy’s involvement in Mr. Bingley’s behaviour if she did not have to. Except, recent events suggested that she ought to not hide information out of a fear of it causing unpleasantness, since the information becoming known later could cause even greater vexation.