They approached Longbourn just as the carriage could be seen coming down the lane. “I shall leave you now,” Mr. Wickham said. “I am to meet with Miss King and her aunt for tea.”
“Thank you for the escort, sir,” Elizabeth replied. Mr. Wickham stared at her in a strange manner, and she wondered if he expected some other kind of reply. He frowned briefly, then nodded before turning and striding away.
It was not until much later that Elizabeth thought to question just what Mr. Wickham had been doing in Longbourn’s woods that Sunday afternoon.
The morning of Jane’s wedding dawned bright and clear. Mrs. Bennet assisted the bride herself, with the help of her lady’s maid. The footmen carried Jane’s trunks downstairs and strapped them onto the small carriage that Mr. Collins had arrived in the day before. It was one of Lady Catherine’s conveyances, and the family had been subject to Mr. Collins’seffusions about the lady’s condescension for a half an hour before dinner.
Elizabeth dressed in a forest green gown. It was not a fashionable color for young ladies, but upon seeing the fabric in her uncle’s warehouse last year, Elizabeth had fallen in love with it and ordered a winter gown made from it. A matching ribbon twisted through her curls, which were arranged in a delicate fashion atop her head.
The other Bennet sisters stood with her as they awaited the bride. Mrs. Bennet came downstairs a few moments before her eldest daughter, turning to watch Jane’s approach.
The modiste in Meryton had fashioned an elegant new gown for the wedding. The beadwork and embroidery were exquisite, despite the short time she had to make the ensemble. Jane’s blond locks were styled as befitting a bride. She carried her matching bonnet in her gloved hands and her new cloak over her arm.
“You look lovely, my dear,” Mr. Bennet said, his voice thick with emotion.
“Out to the carriage, girls!” Mrs. Bennet cried. “We shall travel to the church first. Your father and Jane will follow.”
Kitty and Lydia almost fell over each other in their rush to be first outside. Mary followed demurely after them, her nose in the air and a look of disapproval on her face.
“Can Elizabeth travel with us?”
Jane’s request startled Elizabeth. Her sister had scarcely said a word to her since her engagement almost three weeks ago.
Mrs. Bennet had no objections. One less girl in the carriage meant more room for her. “Do not delay,” she warned. “Mr. Collins is waiting for you.”
With that, she left, and Elizabeth heard the carriage trundle away.
“I think I will have a glass of port before we go,” Mr. Bennet said. “Fetch me when the carriage arrives.”
He departed, leaving Elizabeth and Jane standing awkwardly.
“It is not too late to cry off,” Elizabeth hedged.
Jane pinched her lips together but said nothing. Her eyes showed the pain she refused to voice.
“Jane,” Elizabeth begged. “Speak to me. Tell me why! Why have you accepted him?”
“Do you trust my judgment, Lizzy?” her sister asked.
Elizabeth gaped. How does one respond tothat?“I…” she began before stopping.
“You did once,” Jane continued. “It has been three weeks since Mr. Bingley left. If he had returned, perhaps things would be different. But he did not.”
“That is no reason to throw yourself away onMr. Collins,” Elizabeth replied. “He is not the last man in the world!”
“I would not throw myself away if I had any other choice!” The bitterness in Jane’s voice stung.
“Surely, Mrs. Long’s gossip could have been contained.” Elizabeth began, but stopped as Jane shook her head violently.
“This is the only way to protect our family,” Jane whispered. “You would not make the sacrifice, so I must.”
“Jane, you are not making any sense.” The confusion Elizabeth felt nearly overcame her. She sensed that her sister was not telling her everything, but she did not know what to do to gain understanding.
The sound of the carriage returning brought Mr. Bennet back to the foyer. “Shall we?” he asked, holding his arms out to his daughters. Elizabeth latched on as if her life depended on it and allowed her father to escort her from the house to the waiting conveyance.
The ride to the church was silent. Jane kept her gaze on the passing scenery while Elizabeth watched her sister. No onespoke, not even Mr. Bennet, who she thought could be counted on to lighten the mood. The carriage pulled to a stop and her father climbed out, handing first Elizabeth down and then Jane.
“There you are!” Mrs. Bennet cried from the church door. “Mr. Bennet, wait here with Jane. Elizabeth, take your place and follow after. ”
