“Shush, now. This is important,” Mrs Bennet said. She released her hands and began to pace. “Now, when you come into your new role as mistress of Pemberley, it is important to know that the Rieslings Warehouse in London is simply the best place to order furniture. I have it on good authority from Mrs Gardiner that they are the best in transporting items of such a nature. I am sure Mr Darcy has the house well-furnished, of course, but you never know when you may have an occasion to redecorate. Then there is the matter of how to properly arrange a fine dinner. You must insist that your housekeeper orders from only the best butcher. I shall have none of this nonsense about spreading one’s custom around — ”
Elizabeth let out a relieved sigh. Thankfully, her mother spent the rest of the hour discussing how to run a household efficiently and eventually circled back to the importance of having a firm hold on the servants. And so Elizabeth listened carefully, relieved that she would not have to endure her mother’s take on marital relations.
∞∞∞
Later that evening, about an hour before the sun was due to set, Elizabeth walked in the pasture at the rear of the Longbourn property. Learning that her mother had had nothing to do with the compromise had lifted a heavy weight off of her heart. Yet in terms of finding out who was responsible, it must be regarded as a serious setback. Indeed, it put them right back where they had started.
Elizabeth found herself strangely restless. Stranger still was the reason. Odd as it was, she found herself much less distraught by the fact that, for the time being, she and Me Darcy must stay engaged than the fact that she could not see him immediately and discuss her mother’s innocence. Strange indeed. Elizabeth could not entirely account for it, but somehow, Mr Darcy’s presence had become a comforting balm. Perhaps that was even more of a shock than all the rest. Her heart was changing toward him, as she had never thought it could.
Could she have been wrong all this time? By everything that he had shown in both word and deed, he was not the proud, austere man she had thought him to be. And in light of these facts, might he be an excellent partner, just as others had always told her?
Elizabeth looked up as she came to the small retaining wall, faced with yet another wall of grey clouds on the horizon. But she was hesitant to turn back. There was so much inside her that needed to be untangled. And to do so at home, where things were always in an uproar, seemed impossible.
Elizabeth closed her eyes and looked out toward the horizon once more. She smiled to find that the clouds were not the only thing in view. Coming across the pasture was none other than Charlotte Lucas. Her friend waved happily in greeting, and Elizabeth released a sigh of relief. She climbed over the sheep’s gate and started toward Charlotte. They met in the middle of the pasture and linked arms.
“I did not know you were coming to see me,” Charlotte said. Elizabeth looked at her, surprised and pleased. To judge by Charlotte’s expression, she must have received excellent news. Elizabeth could not remember the last time her friend had looked so very satisfied with the world.
“I had not meant to go anywhere in particular, if truth be told. However, I am exceedingly glad to see you.” Elizabeth already felt some of the strain fading from her heart. “I have missed you, my friend. Since the incident at Netherfield, we have scarcely laid eyes on each other.”
“Indeed, I have missed you as well. How are things going with the wedding preparations?” she asked softly. Charlotte had always been able to read her moods. While the two friends did not always agree, Elisabeth loved her dearly as she would a sister.
“They are coming along, I suppose,” Elizabeth replied. Oh, how she wished she could pour out her soul to Charlotte! It was such a burden having to keep the investigation that she and Mr Darcy were engaged in a secret! “But tell me your news. I wish to discuss something other than gloomy wedding details.”
Charlotte gave her an understanding smile, then took a steadying breath. “Well, that is actually what I have come to speak with you about.”
Elizabeth’s heart immediately clenched. If there was more bad news, she was unsure she could bear it. Surely it must not be too terrible, or Charlotte would not have looked so contented. “What has happened? Please, tell me quickly,” Elizabeth pressed her. She stopped in the middle of the field, turning Charlotte to face her so she could see every emotion playing over her face.
Charlotte took a steadying breath, then delved in. “My father received a letter the other day. From Mr Collins,” she said, barely above a whisper.
Elizabeth blinked. “Mr Collins?” It was difficult to see how a letter from Mr Collins could have such significance. “And what did he say?”
Charlotte clasped her hands in front of her, nervously shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “He says that he is glad to be returned home. Lady Catherine is most magnanimous, and has ordered further improvements to his cottage.”
Elizabeth raised a brow. There was more. Much more. Charlotte knew Elizabeth did not care for Mr Collins. He was a silly, empty-headed man who deferred to his patroness as if she were a saint. Yet Charlotte was relaying minute details of the man. There must be a reason. “And?”
Charlotte let out a worried sigh. “He has also said that news of the compromise has reached her ears, and Lady Catherine is livid. She has threatened to come to Meryton and put a stop to the engagement by any means necessary.”
Elizabeth nodded. They began walking again, arm in arm. Elizabeth was grateful for the movement. She could not stay still after that kind of news. “I suppose it is because of our position in society?” she prodded. Though her father was a gentleman, he had nowhere near the fortune that Mr Darcy possessed. Nor could he boast similarly exalted connections. Had she not heard somewhere that Mr Darcy’s uncle was an earl? Elizabeth was proud of her uncle for his gentlemanly manner, excellent sense, and loving care of his wife and family, but no one could claim that Mr Gardiner was the social equal of an earl.
“I believe that is a small part,” Charlotte went on as gently as she could. “However, I believe that there is another reason. Indeed, I am quite certain of it. According to Mr Collins, Anne de Bourgh, Lady Catherine’s daughter, has been promised to Mr Darcy since their infancy. They are cousins, you know.”
Elizabeth sucked in a quick breath. “I did not know,” she replied. Even more curious was why Mr Darcy had not mentioned it? If he were indeed engaged to someone else, he surely would not have spoken for her. Or had he thought that the urgency of the situation outweighed any promises made beforehand? “I confess, I am quite stunned.”
Charlotte rubbed her arm and tried to comfort her. “I am sure it will not amount to a thing. Lady Catherine will surely see there is nothing to be done about it now, not if she wants her nephew’s reputation to remain intact.”
Elizabeth grimaced. “I do not think that is so. You and I both know that the harm to Mr Darcy’s reputation would be far less than to my own. He is a very wealthy man, and society would soon forget the offence.”
As Charlotte could hardly deny it, she said nothing. They walked on for quite some time before Elizabeth spoke again. “Is that all that Mr Collins had to say? I do not wish to offend, but it did not seem that you and Mr Collins had many occasions to speak when he visited.”
Charlotte’s cheeks instantly filled with colour. “We did not — not particularly. But he knows you and I are good friends. When he was here, he made a point of asking me about you, what pleased you, your interests. Things of that nature. And…when he wrote to my father, he also spoke to him of me.”
Elizabeth sensed there was something more her friend was leaving out. She stopped short and would not move until Charlotte turned back to face her.
Elizabeth sucked in a quick breath. She could think of only one thing that might put such an odd mixture of shame and satisfaction on Charlotte’s face. “Has Mr Collins proposed marriage to you? In a letter to your father, no less?”
Charlotte looked as if Elizabeth had smacked her across the face. However, her face soon fell, and Elizabeth knew the truth of it. Her friend straightened her spine and nodded once. “He has.”
“And that is the real reason you came to see me?” Elizabeth went on. Her heart was in a turmoil.
