Page 22 of Idle Gossip

“No matter,” Mrs. Long replied. “Look, the rain has stopped. Let us depart.”

“Yes, I must get home and get out of this gown before it is ruined!” Miss Long stood, the tea stain on her dress readily apparent against the pale yellow fabric.

“I am very sorry,” Charlotte continued. If only Mama was there to help entertain.

Guests gone, Charlotte gathered her things. The guilt would not be assuaged. She would confess what she had done to Elizabeth and hope her friend would forgive her. The break in the rain would allow her to walk to Longbourn.

As she set out, she contemplated what needed to be said. Charlotte did not regret her actions. Mr. Bingley needed to understand Jane’s nature. He had required the reassurance so he would not abandon her. Now, they were engaged.

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy were more complicated. Yes, Charlotte had concluded accurately that Mr. Darcy admired her friend. She had acted because she did not wish for her dearest friend to lose the chance Providence had placed before her. She knew Elizabeth well enough to see that her feelings towards the gentleman were changing as well.

Elizabeth did not know that Charlotte had deliberately set the gossip in motion. That distinction had bothered her more and more with every passing day.

She rounded the corner just in time to see Mr. Bingley’s carriage pulling away. Charlotte could see Mr. Darcy through one window and concluded that the gentlemen had been trapped by the same storm that kept the Long ladies at Lucas Lodge.

She knocked on the door, only to be greeted in the entryway by Elizabeth.

“Charlotte! I did not expect you.”

“I need to speak with you, Eliza,” Charlotte blurted.

Elizabeth’s face fell. “Is something wrong?”

“No. Yes. I hardly know. Can we speak privately?”

Elizabeth nodded. “The back parlor is empty. We may speak there.” She led the way. Charlotte felt as though she walked to the gallows.

When they were alone and the door tightly closed, Elizabeth turned to face her. “What is amiss? May I be of aid?”

“There is something I must tell you.”

She began to describe her feelings after the evening at Lucas Lodge. “I wished to help.” Charlotte described what she had said to Mr. Bingley. “He seemed so relieved to learn Jane had feelings for him!” She knew she sounded defensive, but she could not help it.

“So, you interfered on her behalf,” Elizabeth stated calmly.

“Yes.”

“These were not your choices to make, Charlotte! What if Mr. Bingley did not care for Jane? What if you were wrong?”

“But I was not wrong. I could not stand by and watch while Jane’s reserve destroyed something she and Mr. Bingley both wanted. And you were so insistent that she need not display more emotion than she already did.”

“I cannot fault you for that,” Elizabeth conceded. She paused for a moment. Charlotte saw the instant comprehension dawned. “Charlotte,” she whispered. “It was you.”

Charlotte made no reply. She closed her eyes slowly. Elizabeth was intelligent; she had expected her friend to put the rest together without a confession.

“You started the rumors.”

“I did.” Charlotte described her letter to Lady Carlisle. “It was ambiguous. I left her to draw her own conclusions.”

“What if Mr. Darcy had decided not to do the honorable thing?” Elizabeth demanded. “Your actions would have ruined my family! You have acted in a manner that has irreparably altered the course of my life. Women are given precious little control over their futures, and you have removed what little I had. All of London has connected my name with Mr. Darcy’s.”

“I did not wish you to make the same mistakes I did!” she cried desperately.

Elizabeth fell silent. “What mistakes?” she asked.

“Does it matter? Jane is happy. You are happy—you cannot deny it.” Despondency threatened to consume her.

“Tell me. It is the least you can do. I need to understand why you took my choice from me.”