Taking the advice of such wisdom, Elizabeth made no attempt.
Over the days after the Netherfield ball, she luxuriated in the sadness that came from that brief burst of hope followed by its awkward and disastrous denouement.
Elizabeth didnotblame herself for precipitating the conversation. She fully believed that it was better to have such matters canvassed and talked around. It was like lancing an injury so that the poison might drain and allow the wound to heal. She hoped that she and Darcy might remain friends, though she believed it would be difficult for them to speak in quite the same terms of intimacy as they had become used to.
When Charlotte called the next day, she confirmed Mr. Sykes’s supposition that Mr. Darcy had given her information about Mr. Sykes’s reputation that helped stiffen her resolve to not in the end accept the offer made by him. However, Mr. Sykes own behaviour had been likely enough — he was no Mr. Collins, according to Charlotte. Mr. Collins could be married safely and managed well enough. Not Mr. Sykes.
As it happened Charlotte received no difficulties from her family about the matter. Both Sir William and Lady Lucas were in fact relieved that their daughter’s anxiety to be married had not caused her to marry a man whose poor character was evident to any who observed him.
It transpired that the question of whether Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy could still converse as friends would not be put to a test quickly.
Two days after the ball, Mr. Bingley called on them with his sisters and Mr. Hurst. He had just returned from business which had taken him briefly to London.
Upon seeing that Darcy was not in the party exiting the carriage, Elizabeth’s stomach spasmed with disappointment.
Even though Darcy had made clear to her that she could expect nothing from him but friendship, she dearly wanted to keep that friendship. She was a fool. She wished to keep the man who she admired more than all the rest of the world so close, even though it was impossible for their connection to ever become closer.
Papa would have laughed at her, and rightly so.
When Mr. Bingley entered the drawing room, he immediately looked towards Jane, who did not look up from her sewing. Elizabeth felt an anxiety at seeing them in the same room together.
Though Elizabeth thought she could perceive a little disappointment in Bingley’s manner at finding that Jane would not look at him, he happily greeted everyone, settled on a divan, and stretched his legs out. “I am glad to see you all. You all enjoyed the ball very much, I hope?”
This seemed to be aimed chiefly at Miss Bennet.
Lydia was the one to reply, “It was such a joke! You must hear of it! Lizzy refused Mr. Sykes, and then he stomped off to ask Charlotte Lucas to marry him, and evensherefused him, as plain as she is. And he came back, slammed all the doors, and then left in a drunken huff. Fell off his horse twice on the way to the turnpike. Oh, I never laughed so hard.”
“What a to-do,” Bingley replied, though he looked at Elizabeth with actual concern. “I hope you did not suffer from this tumult. While I only met him on two or three occasions, that fellow did not strike me favourably.”
With a nod and a shrug Elizabeth indicated that she was well. The difficulty of managing Mr. Sykes was nothing next to the pain of knowing that Mr. Darcy did not wish to marry her.
Mr. Collins said, “Mr. Sykes was profane, and he spoke disparagingly of the clergy. It is an unfortunate situation that he is the possessor of such a large estate and that he cannot easily be ignored by the neighbourhood in Kent.”
“I’d ignore him,” Bingley replied, “if it were my place. But that is easy enough formeto say.”
“Is everything well with you all?” Elizabeth asked Bingley’s party, hoping to hear news of Mr. Darcy.
Miss Bingley snorted and nudged Mrs. Hurst.
“We are. Mr. Darcy left abruptly, while I was in London yesterday.” Bingley shrugged. “I do not know what made him behave so.”
“Rude of him, no matter what the situation was,” Miss Bingley said. “To leave with only fifteen minutes notice. But then this is what I have come to expect from him. I do not know that it does you well to have such a friend.”
Elizabeth sat straighter. Had Mr. Darcy left to avoid seeing her?
Yet another stab into the chest.
Bingley glared at his sister. “The deuce. How many times must I tell you that he must have sufficient motivation. There was no rudeness. You are just offended that he made it clear that he’d no interest in you.”
“He would not say why he left. Atruegentleman would have made a proper apology.”
“A sudden family emergency. He’ll tell me the details someday or another.”
So that was his excuse. A mysterious family emergency. Elizabeth felt as though she was drooping into the couch, and if lucky, she would melt through the floorboards and have achance to congeal back into human female in a day or two on top of the foundation stones.
“Oh, Lord! A family emergency,” Mama exclaimed. “I do hope that it is not anyone dear to him who has died.”
“The afternoon following the ball?” Elizabeth asked. She had a sunk feeling. “So fast.”
