“Yes, he has paid us quite a compliment by coming to call nearly every day,” Jane said. Elizabeth’s eyes widened in surprise at the haughtiness in her sister’s tone.
Worse was yet to come. Jane turned her nose up at Elizabeth, her expression twisting into a disdainful sneer. “What can you possibly mean by such a garish display?” Jane asked, gesturing to the silver pin at Elizabeth’s breast. “It shows poor taste to wear such savage jewellery to such an elegant affair. You ought to act more carefully, sister, for you will shame our family with your poor taste and worse judgement.”
Shocked, Elizabeth looked down at her silver pin, wondering what Jane could see in it to offend her. “I think you must be mistaken, Jane. Surely no one could call a small pin of silver and amethysts garish. I think it very much in keeping with the ornaments worn by many other ladies here. All the same, if Ihave embarrassed you, I do apologise, for that certainly was not my intention.”
“What shame our parents must feel at the sight of you,” Jane snapped. Half overcome with shock and horror, Elizabeth thought with relief that at least Jane had lowered her voice so it would not carry too far. “You go to the Highlands for a few months and come back thinking you can parade around in their tartan, flaunting the symbols of a foreign country. Do you think that is a compliment to them?”
Elizabeth could not understand her venom. “I mean no disrespect to the Scottish people by wearing their tartan or this silver pin. It was a gift, and I treasure it. What is wrong with that?” Elizabeth asked, endeavouring to keep her voice calm, even though Jane’s attack made her angry and sad all at once. “I was met with great kindness when I was in Scotland.”
Jane sneered at her, looking down her nose at the pin. “No doubt you have turned quite savage yourself while you have been away.”
Elizabeth was at a loss, but desperate to save whatever was left of their relationship. “Jane, what has happened to us? I cannot think that you have become so angry with me just because I was invited to go to Scotland and you were not. Papa did not think you would want to go. Are you not happy you remained here? After all, it has given you the chance to become acquainted with the Bingleys —” She stopped, suddenly realising the connection between Miss Bingley’s treatment of her and Jane’s. “It is Mr Bingley’s sister, isn’t it? She has poisoned you against me.”
“Do not say a word against Caroline Bingley. She has been the best of friends to me, and she will be my sister-in-law, if I have anything to say about it. She has been more of a sisterto me than you ever dreamt of being. You have only had your own welfare in mind since that letter came from Mr Campbell. I cannot stand the sight of you! It is a wonder that anyone wanted to dance with you, let alone Mr Darcy. I feel sorry for him, having to suffer your company.” She turned to storm away.
It was only then that Jane and Elizabeth realised that Mr Bingley was standing quite close to them. No doubt he had come to ask Jane for another dance, but had been forestalled by their argument. To judge from the look on his face, he must have heard every word of her venomous diatribe.
Jane gasped. Her expression immediately changed from an ugly frown to the small smile of a demure young lady. “Oh, Mr Bingley, I did not see you there —”
“Miss Bennet, it is quite clear you did not see me,” he interrupted as Jane stammered for a response. “I am quite sure you would have expressed yourself rather differently — in the style I have been accustomed to hearing from you — if you had known I could hear you.”
Jane’s eyes widened. She stepped closer to Elizabeth and pasted a smile on her face. “My sister and I were just talking.”
“Yes, I heard what you were saying. I must say, I am shocked, Miss Bennet,” Mr Bingley said flatly. He offered Jane a short, dismissive bow. Then he turned to Elizabeth, and his eyes softened, offering a silent apology. “I cannot believe the woman I have come to know over the last few weeks would treat her sister that way. Miss Bennet, I was led to think that you were a gentle, kind woman. I believe I have been mistaken about a good number of things. Good evening.” He bowed quickly, turned away, and strode toward the other side of the room, where he quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Jane was silent for a moment, but from the look on her face, she knew that her chances with Mr Bingley had been ruined.
Elizabeth held her breath. Jane had undoubtedly been the one to bring on her own ruin, but would her sister see it so? Elizabeth had her doubts.
The next moments confirmed her suspicions. Jane’s face turned red as Elizabeth had never seen it before. She grabbed Elizabeth’s arm and pulled her further away from the crowds. “How could you do this to me!” she hissed. “Now, Mr Bingley thinks so poorly of me, he will not come around anymore. He was the only chance I had of saving our family.”
“Were you only interested in him for his money, Jane?” Elizabeth asked softly, so no one else would hear. Thankfully, there was no one nearby.
“Do not take such a high and mighty air with me, Elizabeth,” she snapped. It was like a slap in the face, having her sister call her by her full name instead of “Lizzy,” as Jane had called her ever since they were girls. “You made a fool of me in front of Mr Bingley. And now everything is ruined!” Her expression grew as dark as a thundercloud. “I wish you were not my sister. I wish you had never been born!”
Jane turned on her heel and stormed away, leaving Elizabeth numb from the horror of what had just unfolded. Shock kept her from moving for several moments. When she could move again, she backed further into the shadows so no one would see the tears streaming down her cheeks. How could things have gone so badly wrong between her and Jane? It was not supposed to be this way between sisters. A lump settled in her throat. Resolving to calm herself, Elizabeth decided to go out onto the balcony. The benefits would be twofold, for shecould take some air and cool down while also hiding her state of distress from anyone who might happen upon her. The darkness would conceal the grief washing over her.
When she made it out of the ballroom and stepped onto the terrace, Elizabeth chose a solitary place at the railing that overlooked the exquisite gardens. Small lanterns dotted the gardens, casting a romantic glow over the landscape. But all thoughts of romance and beauty had fled her mind as she thought of the brokenness of her relationship with Jane. It seemed nothing could make it right again. She must accept that Jane was not who she thought she was. Perhaps she had never been the person she had thought. Everyone had always placed Jane on a pedestal. All this time, had she merely been playing the role of a perfect, sweet-tempered young lady? Perhaps the real Jane was someone quite different.
She spent several moments alone until she heard someone approaching her in the darkness. She was relieved to see Charlotte behind her, and not the indefatigable Mr Collins, who seemed bent on hounding her the entire evening. Elizabeth flung herself into Charlotte’s arms and began to cry. “Oh, Charlotte, it’s all such a disastrous mess!” she cried.
“What has happened, Lizzy?” Charlotte asked, rubbing her hand up and down Elizabeth’s back as gently as a mother trying to comfort her child.
“It is Jane. I have never seen her like this.” She wiped furiously at the tears coming down her cheeks. “She all but wished that I were dead.”
“I am sure she did not mean it —”
“Oh, no. She meant it. It was said utterly in earnest, Charlotte,” Elizabeth said. She sniffed loudly and wiped her facewith her handkerchief. “I did not do what she accused me of, but Mr Bingley saw how hateful she was being, and he is no longer interested in her.”
“If he witnessed her hatefulness, then it is her own fault, not yours,” Charlotte pointed out.
Elizabeth nodded, acknowledging the point. Yet it did not make the situation feel any better. “I would do anything to make things right with her, but I do not know what I can do. I think I have lost her forever, Charlotte.”
Charlotte stayed with her until her tears were spent. Elizabeth had meant every word. She would have given anything to see her relationship with Jane restored, but such a blessing now seemed all but impossible. She had tried everything in her power, and still she had lost a sister in a way nearly as painful as death.
Chapter 22
“Darcy? Darcy?”
