“I feel sorry for her,” said Bingley. “So young, yet she has lost her parents, and now her brother and her home.”
“There is no need for her to leave Pemberley if she does not wish it,” said Darcy without thinking. “It has been her home all her life—I would be happy to allow her to live there, though I suppose I must marry Elizabeth before it would be proper.”
“That is premature,” said Mrs. Darcy. “The earl may prefer to take her into his home. Her only remaining guardian is her cousin, after all.”
Darcy nodded. “When the time comes, I shall speak to Colonel Fitzwilliam on the matter.” With a shake of his head, Darcy added: “I suppose there is nothing to be done but to leave at once. Before I go away, I must speak to Elizabeth, so I should be about my business.”
“I will return to Longbourn with you,” said Bingley, “for I would like to take my leave of your neighbors.”
Mrs. Darcy laughed. “If you will excuse me for saying it, Mr. Bingley, I suspect there is one of the family in particular you would like to see again.”
“I own it without disguise,” replied Bingley with a wide grin. “When shall we depart, Darcy?”
“Give me perhaps half an hour to compose my letter to Colonel Fitzwilliam. We shall leave after.”
Bingley nodded and excused himself, leaving Darcy alone with his mother.
“Will you come to the north with me?” asked Darcy. “I would not give up your support.”
His mother gave him a fond smile and kissed his cheek. “It would be best for both of us if I remained at Netherfield. After all, someone will need to manage Mrs. Bennet and calm her nerves.”
“I suppose you must be correct,” said Darcy with a laugh. “Then, if you are amenable, perhaps you may visit when I have had some time to accustom myself to my new position.”
“That would be welcome, William. I shall look forward to it.”
THAT WILLIAM WOULDreturn when he had visited earlier in the day was a surprise, but the grave expression he sported told Elizabeth there was something amiss. Curious rather than worried—Elizabeth was secure in his love and could imagine nothing causing him to withhold it—she invited him to sit on the sofa next to her.
“What is it, William? Has something happened?”
“Mrs. Bennet,” said William, “will you call your husband? I believe he should hear what I must say.”
Though Elizabeth had no fears regarding William’s devotion to her, Mrs. Bennet had ever been of a flighty disposition, prone to worry, certain something would prevent the union for which she had wished since William had begun paying attention to her. Fortunately, William was well aware of her mother’s character and knew the signs of an impending explosion; he smiled at her, intending to put her at ease.
“It is nothing to cause concern, Mrs. Bennet. Something of a serious nature has happened, but it is nothing that will cause irreparable harm.”
Mollified, Mrs. Bennet rang for the housekeeper and instructed the matronly woman to summon her husband from his study. As the master’s chamber was just across the hall from the sitting-room, Mr. Bennet arrived quickly, his face lighting up when he caught sight of William.
“Darcy! It seems you cannot get enough of my daughter, man! Were you not here just this morning?”
Whereas Mr. Darcy’s relationship with his father had always been difficult, Elizabeth knew he had always looked on Mr. Bennet as a sort of surrogate father, one far dearer to him than his father had ever been. It had been Mr. Bennet who had stepped in and assisted a young Mr. Darcy become accustomed to managing his estate when his father had passed, he who had been the man Mr. Darcy had looked up to and esteemed. Mrs. Darcy was aware of her son’s respect for Elizabeth’s father, and while she thought Mr. Bennet was far too sardonic and prone to complacency regarding his daughters and his estate, she had never begrudged her son the mentor figure in his life.
“I shall not say you are incorrect about the effect your daughter has on me,” replied Mr. Darcy, sharing a grin with the older man. “However, something particular has brought us back today.”
“Very well, my soon-to-be son-in-law,” said Mr. Bennet. “Out with it. What do you need to tell us?”
Mr. Darcy wasted little time and no effort to embellish what was, after all, a simple account of the letter waiting for his return to Netherfield and what it contained. Thus, the explanation took him only a moment to relate. Elizabeth understood the implications at once.
“Then you have inherited the Darcy estate in the north,” surmised Elizabeth when he fell silent.
“I have, Elizabeth,” said William, looking at her with appreciation. “I should have known you would know what that meant.”
“We have spoken of it, though not at length,” replied Elizabeth. “That you were in line to inherit the greater estate, I have always understood, though I have never thought you would.”
“In that, Elizabeth, we are a pair.” William paused, considering. “As you know, I was not well acquainted with him, but I recall hearing something of an engagement to a cousin. I do not know Lady Catherine de Bourgh at all, but from what I understand, she is infamous as a lady accustomed to having her way. When this marriage between my cousin and her daughter was to occur, I cannot say, but I have heard there was an understanding.”
“Then I must pity Miss de Bourgh for losing her future husband,” replied Elizabeth.
Given the circumstances, Elizabeth was certain there was something her fiancé had not yet stated, and she thought she knew what it was.
