“Angry? Why ever would I be angry? You have secured your future with a gentleman who is twice as rich as Mr Bingley, and paved the way for your sisters, I might add. I would not be surprised if Mr Bingley spoke for Jane within a fortnight!” Mrs Bennet leaned forward, raising a glass of watered wine into the air as if to toast the assembled company, and took a long draw. She beamed at Elizabeth’s father at the other end of the table, then looked around, suddenly realizing that no one was sharing in her gleeful celebration.“Whatever is the matter with everyone? We are celebrating!”
Elizabeth wanted to crawl under the table and disappear.“I did notsecure my future,Mama. Can you not see that Mr Darcy did the only thing he could do to save his reputation — and mine? Had he not done so, all my sisters might have suffered from my disgrace. We all would have been ruined.” Elizabeth hated hearing the words of her guilt coming out of her own mouth, but it was true.“I did none of that intentionally, but that is how the entire county will see it. The gossip will be cruel, I have no doubt of it.”
Jane reached over and took Elizabeth’s hand. She was grateful that she had at least one ally at the table.
“How can you say so, Lizzy? Mr Darcy is an influential member of society. I am sure with the right kind of leverage,he can make any unpleasantness go away,” Mrs Bennet fussed.
“Well, I do not know about the rest of you,” Lydia cut in brightly, “but I do not know why Lizzy would want to catch Mr Darcy. He is such a dull old man — so arrogant and aloof. I am sure I could never marry a man like him. I should die of boredom!” Lydia took a large bite of a freshly buttered piece of bread and ate with gusto.
Elizabeth was too shocked to say anything by way of a rebuke. Thankfully, she did not have to. For once, Mr Bennet troubled himself to check his youngest daughter.“Lydia Bennet. I do not want to hear that kind of talk come out of your mouth ever again. Mr Darcy is a gentleman, and he is about to be a part of this family. I suggest you bridle your loose tongue, or I shall see you banished to your room until you can do so.”
Elizabeth wanted to applaud her father, for he had never disciplined her younger sisters so seriously. Lydia’s lip quivered, and she sat back in silence. Hopefully, to think about what she had said, though perhaps that was too much to hope for.
As he heard one shocking phrase after another, Mr Collins had gone violently red in the face. At last, his composure seemed entirely overcome. He leaned forward to begin his tirade.“I, for one, am shocked at the goings-on of the past evening. I thought I had come amongst the bosom of my family, amongst my respectable, gently bred cousins. Last night, I learned I had been sorely deceived.” Mr Collins glanced in Lydia’s direction.“But what I have just heard said of the noble Mr Darcy is the last straw — absolutely the last straw. Mr Darcy is a gentleman, the nephew of my esteemed patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. I would thank you not to speak of him in such a callous manner.”
Elizabeth wanted to burst out laughing. One moment, he was appalled by the situation and the next, he was trying to defend one of the presumed guilty parties. His spinelessness truly knew no bounds.
Mr Collins wiped his mouth with his linen napkin and rose from his chair, the legs squeaking against the wooden floor.“As a man of the cloth, I must say that I have never been amongst people who were so tainted by sin. I am most shocked by your actions, Miss Elizabeth. After making my sentiments known, you have gone and — ” he glanced at Lydia and Kitty.“Well, I will not describe what I was told last night after you all departed. But it was a most alarming report indeed. That being said, I feel I cannot remain in this household any longer, for it appears to be a veritable repository of vice. It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you, Mr Bennet, that I will be leaving immediately and with great haste.”
He placed his napkin on the table, walked to the arched doorway, gave a slight, awkward bow, and exited the room.
A moment of silence ensued, in which Elizabeth’s mind raced. What would her mother say to her now? She was all too aware of her mother’s hopes that Mr Collins might speak for one of the five Bennet sisters. At least now none of them would have to suffer his attentions any longer.
Her father turned to Lydia with a severe look in his eyes, then cracked a smile.“Well done, Lydia. I must congratulate you on getting him to leave. I thought he would never go!” He chuckled softly and opened his newspaper, scanning the columns with renewed vigour.
Everyone burst into laughter, and a sense of relief overtook Elizabeth. At least with Mr Collins gone, they might have some sense of peace at home, without suffering his constant inanities.
Though her family was in high spirts for the rest of breakfast, Elizabeth could not share their elation. She ate as much as she could. Thanks to the roiling of her stomach, that was precious little. Though they had been relieved of Mr Collins’sannoying presence, there was still the question of her engagement and pending marriage to a man who had only proposed to her out of obligation.
When Elizabeth and Jane finished and were leaving the table, Jane pulled her aside and gestured for her to follow. Instead of following her mother and sisters to the parlour, they snuck down the hall and entered the still room, where the family’s store of dried plants and medicines were kept. Jane closed the door and locked it as an extra precaution. If any of the servants came to the door, they would think their mother was taking stock of the inventory stored there.
“Are you well, Lizzy? Only I know that Lydia’s outburst must have upset you. And our mother! — well. I suppose I should not criticise. No doubt Mama is trying to make the best of it. Even so, you must have been hurt to hear her speak so.” Jane tucked a stray lock of hair behind Elizabeth’s ear and looked at her in deep concern. Dear Jane, always thinking of others before herself.
“I cannot know how I am, Jane. Everything is happening so fast — ” she blurted, wrapping her arms around her middle as though to keep herself from flying into pieces.“How many others think I orchestrated the events of last night to trap a wealthy husband?” She lamented that anyone would say such things about the travesty of the evening prior. But she had to be prepared for the snickers and whispers, the knowledge that people might well ostracise her for what they thought she had done.“I cannot bear it!”
“It will not be all that bad, will it? Mr Darcy is a worthy gentleman. I was quite surprised, and pleased, that he spoke for you so quickly. You could have ended up with a man less honourable than he, to be sure. And I am starting to think that we may have misjudged him. Even faced with a roomful of people — and we all know how he detests being the centre of attention — he stood his ground. It took great strength of will and character to do so.”
Jane’s attempt at encouragement did little to lift the burden pressing on Elizabeth’s chest. The room seemed to close in on her, making it difficult to draw breath. She took a few moments to collect herself, realizing that, in all this, Jane had never once thought of herself. Yet surely she could hardly help but worry about how the events of the ball might affect her standing in Mr Bingley’s eyes. For who would ever want to be connected with a woman whose sister had made such a debacle of her reputation and that of her family?
“Thank you, Jane. You have always been so good to me. Better than I deserve.” Elizabeth gave her hand a light squeeze. Tears stung her eyes, and she tried to hold them back.“I am only sorry that I may have ruined your chances with Mr Bingley.”
Jane waved her off.“I am sure Mr Bingley will stand with Mr Darcy. And if he said he did nothing untoward, as you also have stated, then Mr Bingley will believe him.” She gave no further encouragement, nor did she delve into matters of the heart, giving her no clue where her affections lay. However, Elizabeth did not overlook the worried look that passed through her sister’s eyes. Her sister was shy, and thus barely showed her true feelings.
“Do you love him, Jane?” Elizabeth asked. She did not like to pry, especially after the last gentleman who had seemed infatuated with her sister. He had been a poet of sorts and wrote many pretty verses praising her beauty, elegance, and charm. He praised her so much that their mother had been ready to order fabric for Jane’s wedding ensemble and trousseau. But no offer ever came, and Jane had never spoken of him with a hint of fondness or regret.
Perhaps it was not entirely surprising that Jane worked so hard to conceal her emotions. Their mother had given them a contrary example all their lives. No wonder that elegant, modest Jane might go too far and shut herself off from her emotions entirely.
But she couldn’t hide everything she felt. The instant Elizabeth had asked her the question, a slight blush had touched her cheeks. Jane shifted nervously on the little stool she had taken when they had entered the still room.“How can you ask such a thing, Lizzy?” Jane was not one to speak of such things. But the blush and her sister’s refusal to answer, or even look at her, told the whole story.
“I would never do anything to hurt you,” Elizabeth said, taking both of Jane’s hands and squeezing them.“If I must enter into an engagement with Mr Darcy in order to see the way smoothed for you and Mr Bingley, then I will gladly do so.” She looked tenderly into her older sister’s eyes. She was without guile, the sweetest person and truest friend.“At least one of us should be happy.”
“Oh, Lizzy, I cannot bear to hear you speak so!” Jane leaned forward and embraced her tightly.
“It is just as well.” Elizabeth said with her best attempt at levity.“I am always reading about damsels in distress. The women in loveless marriages always seem to have the most adventures.”
“You jest, I know. But I hate to think that you will spend your days in misery. Surely being married to Mr Darcy cannot be as bad as you think it will be? After all, has anyone else caught your fancy?” Jane had cunningly turned the focus back onto Elizabeth. But she was not through yet.
Elizabeth shrugged.“I do not know. Perhaps Mr Collins has a cousin…”
