“Whatever do you mean?” Jane asked.“Surely not! You must be mistaken–”
“I am not mistaken,” Elizabeth interrupted.“We fought the day he came to call. He saw me with Mr Wickham, and although I did nothing to encourage him, Mr Darcy took it as an affront.”
Jane was thoughtful for a moment.“I am sure there is a way to mend things. He is an understanding man. And I am sure he was only jealous at seeing you with another man.”
“But I wasn’t with another man!” Elizabeth burst out. She immediately felt sorry for it. It was the same thing she had done with Mr Darcy — speak purely from emotion, without considering the listener. Why did her temper seem to escape her grip where Mr Darcy was concerned?“Forgive my defensiveness, but I am not someone who would flirt with a man — or allow a man to flirt with me — when I am engaged to another man. It is simply disgusting to me.”
“I know it is. And I was not accusing you,” Jane said.“I only meant to point out where Mr Darcy’s upset might be coming from.”
“He was more than upset. He was furious,” Elizabeth went on. And for good reason.“If I tell you the whole of what happened, I must have your word that you will not say anything to another soul.”
“You know I hate gossip, Lizzy,” Jane said simply.
“I know. It is just too awful to have to repeat.” It was even worse that she had come to the same conclusions as Mr Darcy.“He believes that Mama might have had something to do with the compromise that occurred on the night of the ball.”
Elizabeth let it sink in and could see that Jane was wrestling with her own shock and anger — or some other emotion akin to anger. Elizabeth had never seen her sister angry. She sometimes wondered if Jane was capable of the emotion.“You cannot be serious,” Jane said at last.“Surely, you heard him incorrectly. He is a man of honour. To think that Mama would wilfully put you and him into such a position. And for what?”
“To gain an advantageous marriage for me,” Elizabeth replied dully, “and the chance of meeting rich husbands for all my sisters.” She shook her head.“I must confess, it has been weighing on my mind as a possibility for the last couple of days. It is horrible to think such things about our mother, but I cannot force a man into marriage when I have even the slightest doubt.”
Jane halted on the lane, looking as shocked as Elizabeth had ever seen her.“Please, Lizzy. You do not actually think that Mama would have anything to do with such a vile plan? I cannot bear to think it.”
“Neither could I, when Mr Darcy first presented it.” Elizabeth turned and continued walking. Jane soon caught up with her, but gone was the familial closeness. She kept a few inches distance between them instead of linking arms again.“It pains me to think about it, too. But I cannot rule it out, either. Mama has been desperate to get us all married off from the time you were thirteen. People sometimes stoop to lunacy when they are desperate.”
Jane thought for another long moment. She sighed, shaking her head as if it might dislodge the disturbing notion from her mind.“I suppose that is true. But what is to be done?”
Elizabeth was at a loss as far as that was concerned.“I have been trying to figure that out for the last two days. I cannot ignore Mr Darcy’s concern, but I have been so angry and confused about the whole ordeal. I really think I must go and see him about it. Do not you?”
She almost hoped her sister would disagree, but Jane gave a small nod.“I agree. Whether or not Mama was involved, you cannot have this between you and your future husband.”
“Ifwe marry, I do not want this between us either. It is not a love match, to be sure. But I also recognise that to keep hold of such anger and uncertainty would be to set us both up for misery later on.” Elizabeth was the one who linked arms with her sister this time. She felt she needed the tie to reality as her mind swirled with future worries.
“You have no tender feelings for Mr Darcy, then?” Jane asked.“I had thought I had started to see at least a little softening toward him since that night at the ball. His actions were very gallant.”
Elizabeth hated to admit it, but she was unsure if she was ready to unleash the whole of what she had been wrestling with.“I confess, he was gallant. It touched me deeply that he would give up all hope of future happiness with someone else to come to my aid. But I cannot say anything more than that of what I feel.”
“Well, there is time, of course,” Jane replied.
The two sisters walked in silence for a moment before Elizabeth seized on an easier topic — for herself, at least, if not for Jane. A little mischievously, she asked, “Has Mr Bingley given any hint about his feelings might be toward you?”
Jane’s cheeks instantly turned pink.“Not in so many words, no. I do not want to seem too eager, Lizzy.”
“No one would ever accuse you of being too eager, sister. You are the soul of discretion.” Elizabeth glanced back, judging how far they had come. Though she would have liked to go farther, Jane was not much of a walker. She would be exhausted by the end if they did not turn back. “Shall we begin on the way home?”
“Yes, I should like that,” Jane said gratefully. A cloud shadow passed over them, making the sisters shiver despite their thick pelisses. Without the sun to warm them, the air was chill.
“I think Mr Bingley likes you very much,” Elizabeth went on.“However, it worries me that he might not see how much you like him in return. He is young and spirited, but I think even men need to know that the woman they are interested in is interested in them in return.”
“How can you be sure, Lizzy? You know I have never been good at reading the emotions and thoughts of others. You are the perceptive one. Do you really think he likes me?” Jane asked.
Elizabeth could not help but laugh.“Jane, if he were any more in love with you, he would be in danger of making himself have an apoplectic spell.”
“Oh. goodness, I do not want him to die for love of me,” Jane said, half frightened and half laughing. Even so, Elizabeth could see that her sister was not convinced. How could she not see her own beauty? She was so quick to point out the good qualities of others, never seeing any wrong in anyone else. Yet when it came to her own virtues, she was blind.
Elizabeth halted on the side of the lane and took both of Jane’s hands.“I wish you could see what I do, dear Jane. What we all see. You are kind and compassionate. You are the most beautiful woman in the county, and I am not only parroting the words of our mother.” They both laughed, and Jane looked away.“You are everything a man could ever want — beautiful of soul and heart and being. Trust that, dear one. Mr Bingley would be a fool if he did not see it. And an even greater one if he does not propose within a fortnight.”
“A fortnight!” Jane exclaimed, holding a hand over her heart.“I would not want to rush him.”
“Why ever not?” Elizabeth asked.“You are not forcing his hand.”
