Jane looked toward the window, a worried expression on her face.
“Jane, you do know that Mr.Bingley is giving you time for your sake and not his own, do you not?”
Jane whipped her head around to look at her sister.“What do you mean?”
“Mr.Bingley knows he did you a great wrong when he left Hertfordshire last November.He wishes you to trust him again, and he knows that is something that can only grow with time.”
“How do you know this?Has Mr.Darcy said something?”
“He has said that Mr.Bingley was miserable all winter without you, and that he moped about parties and the club like a boy who had lost his closest friend.”
“Did he really?”Jane asked, her eyes bright.
“Jane Bennet!If I did not know better, I would say you are glad Mr.Bingley was so wretched without you!”
Jane looked down again and plucked at the coverlet.“I cannot be glad that Mr.Bingley was in depressed spirits, but I will admit that I am glad I was not the only one in such a position.Is that awful of me?”
Elizabeth squeezed Jane’s shoulders.“No!Your feelings are natural and just.Misery loves company, you know.”
Jane pushed her shoulder into her sister’s.“Lizzy!That is uncharitable.”
“Yes, Jane, I know.But I learned long ago that I will never be as sweet as you, so I may as well be as mischievous as myself.”
Jane smiled and shook her head.“I hope you never change, Lizzy.No matter who you marry, or how you live, I hope you are always as lively and wonderful as you are now.”
“I do believe I am flattered!”
Jane rolled her eyes and elbowed her sister.
“No, Jane, you know I will tease when I should be serious, but I do thank you.Yours is the most important opinion in the world to me.”
“What about Mr.Darcy?”
“What about him?”
“Do you not care for his good opinion?”
“Of course I do!”She hesitated.“Well, now I do.”
“More than my own?”
“No.Why do you ask?”asked Elizabeth suspiciously.
“A day will come when his opinion will be the most important to you—above my own, even above Father’s.That is when you should accept him, Lizzy.But not before.”
Elizabeth looked at her sister in surprise.“When did you become so wise, Jane?”
“I am not wise, merely older and more experienced than you,” she teased.
Elizabeth smiled.“I will heed your advice, for it is sound.Is Mr.Bingley’s the most important opinion to you?”
“It was.”
Elizabeth looked at her sister in the moonlight, trying to understand what she saw there.“If you cannot forgive him, Jane, it is all right.If you cannot trust Mr.Bingley again, you may live with me and Mr.Darcy all your days.I would be happy to have you.I’m sure Fitzwilliam would agree.He rather likes you, you know.You are his favorite of all my sisters.”
Jane gave her a look that conveyed that was not much of a compliment and said, “I thank you for the offer, Lizzy, but I have forgiven Mr.Bingley.Truly, there was not much to forgive.But I have wondered if I am being foolish.”
“What do you mean?”
