“Mr.Bingley’s sisters do not like me.Or they do not like me as a wife for their brother.They will likely not be welcoming even were we to wed.I can hope for civility, but not much more.What would our life be like?You saw how the earl treated me this evening.He did not even look at me!I would hate to feel that way in my own husband’s family.”
“It might be better if Miss Bingley did not notice you.”
“Do be serious, Lizzy!”
“Very well.I understand what you are saying, and I agree it is not an ideal situation.You will simply have to tell Mr.Bingley that his sisters must treat you with respect or you do not wish to be around them.Surely he would not stand for any mistreatment of you.”
“Would he not?”
Elizabeth looked at Jane as if seeing her for the first time.“I think we have both changed very much since last winter,” she said slowly.
Jane could only nod, her eyes glassy in the moonlight.“I have learned a great deal.Some things I will admit I did not wish to know, but I cannot remain innocent forever.The world is full of those who will be cruel for the most ridiculous of reasons.I wish it were not so, but I cannot ignore it any longer.”
Elizabeth squeezed her shoulders again.“I am sorry it has come to this, Jane.But at least now you can decide what you wish to do about Mr.Bingley with your eyes fully open to his character and situation.”
Jane nodded.
“I do not think he travels in very exalted circles.He has not even met most of Mr.Darcy’s family, if that is any consolation.”
“Oh, Lizzy!I am being selfish.You must be so upset about Mr.Darcy’s relations.Was Lady Hopewell very awful?Every time I looked toward you, she seemed to be holding an inquisition!”
“She was not gentle, but neither was she more than I could handle.Do not misunderstand me—I did not enjoy the evening, and I am in no hurry to repeat it anytime soon, but it was manageable.”
“Poor Mr.Darcy.He must be so embarrassed.”
“Yes,” said Elizabeth quietly.“I believe he was.”
Elizabeth lay back beside her sister, wondering if she and Mr.Darcy might have just levelled the disparity between them.
Darcy sat in his private sitting room, a warm robe around his nightshirt and a brandy in his hand.He stared at the flames, wondering how on earth he had gotten into this situation.He had thought he was offering Elizabeth all the advantages in their union.He would elevate her station, enrich her situation, and increase her consequence.She would go from a maiden to a wife; from an insignificant family to one of the oldest in England; from a confined country neighborhood to his exalted society.
What a fool he had been!
He had never considered, not even for a moment, that the transition would be uncommonly difficult for her, and that the advantages might not be worth the effort.Seeing how his family treated her, he could not in good conscience blame her if she chose to end their courtship.He would certainly not wish to deal with all that she would have to manage in the coming months.
Yet he had begged her not to break with him, to give him a chance to prove he was worth all the trouble he was putting her through.He must now prove himself worthy of the faith she was placing in him.
He had realized he was in trouble before they left his aunt’s home.The look on Mrs.Gardiner’s face—utterly unimpressed with his grand family and their atrocious manners, and Miss Bennet’s wounded feelings had alerted him to the danger he was in.But nothing was as frightening as the utter indifference he saw in Elizabeth’s eyes when she looked at him.They had begun the evening with smiles and affectionate glances.By the time they entered the carriage to depart, she had looked as if she did not care whether or not she ever saw him again.
It had scared him more than he liked to admit.
“How was dinner with the Hopewells?”
Darcy jumped forward so quickly his brandy sloshed out of the glass.“Fitz!What are you doing here?”
“Forgive me for startling you.I did knock, but there was no answer and I thought you may have fallen asleep before blowing out your candles again.”
Darcy rolled his eyes.“That was one time, and I was eleven.”
Fitz shrugged.“Fire is no laughing matter, Cousin.”
Darcy sat back in his seat and took a sip of his brandy.“Dinner was a disaster.”
“Truly?Was Winters a boor?”
“Worse.He arrived two hours late and in his cups, then proceeded to make a cake of himself flirting with Miss Bennet.She practically ran out of the room when the ladies withdrew.”
Fitzwilliam winced.“Did Lord Hopewell not intervene?”
