Mr Hill was dispatched to ensure that Mr Collins packed speedily and took nothing from the house. The others settled back into their seats only to find Miss Lydia weeping silently in Mary’s embrace.
The gentlemen, though sympathetic, were uncomfortable with such a display of emotion, and almost unconsciously gathered at the far end of the room to speak among themselves while the ladies worked to soothe her. Bingley offered the use of his carriage to transport Mr Collins to the post station, that Mr Bennet need not order his own, and was accepted. Minutes later, Mr Hill came down the stairs laden with Mr Collins’s trunk, that gentleman following behind with a face like curdled milk. He glared into the parlour as he passed, muttering under his breath, and was gone.
The loan of Bingley’s carriage necessitated that the visitors remain at Longbourn well past the time when they ought properly to have left, and Darcy hoped to make good use of the additional time by flattering Elizabeth as a suitor ought.
He was rather stymied by the conventions of mourning; Elizabeth’s black dresses and simple hairstyles did not lessen her beauty but offered little fodder for compliments. A discussion of the American protests against the naval blockade of France, however, offered him several chances to praise her knowledge and insight, and he left Longbourn with the satisfaction that she had seemed quite pleased by his efforts.
* * *
“Do you suppose, Lizzy,” Jane wondered as she brushed her hair out that night, “that Mr Collins’s interest in you spurred Mr Darcy to make his own more plain?”
Elizabeth stared at her sister, hands frozen halfway through plaiting her own unruly locks. “Mr Darcy is not courting me, Jane,” she replied after a moment, continuing her work.
“Is he not? I am not so certain as you seem to be.”
“We are friends. Very good friends, I dare say. But he is the grandson of an earl, and I am no one at all. Nothing more than friendship is possible.”
“I do not see why not. Does he not have enough status, enough income, of his own? What would he do with more of either? But he is a very clever man, and since he obviously does not object to conversing and even debating with a woman, I think it likely he would wish for a clever wife. Not to mention that you are now the beauty of Longbourn.”
“Oh, no, that is Kitty,” Elizabeth murmured, wondering how her sister could speak so easily of the loss of her appearance so soon.
“Elizabeth Joan Bennet,” Jane said sternly. “Not all beauty is blonde. Our father is very handsome, and you are his image cast in a feminine mould. Sir William Lucas himself has proclaimed you one of the jewels of the county, and as you know, he has been to the Court of St James’s,” she added teasingly.
Elizabeth chuckled. “I suppose I must concede that I possess some modest attractions, in that case. But I do not believe that Mr Darcy has any intentions towards me beyond friendship.”
Jane eyed her speculatively. “I suppose time will tell which of us is correct.”
Elizabeth lay wakeful for a time after they blew out the candle, turning the conversation over in her head. Could he admire her in that way? Mr Darcy was a handsome man, a worldly man; he was a man of great wealth and high station, used to the best of everything. Surely he would expect more than a quick wit and pert opinions in the companion of his future life, even if he were willing to overlook matters of fortune? Had Jane truly seen something she herself had missed?
She knew she was notentirelywithout attractions; she had received enough unprompted attention from gentlemen since her entrance into local society to be certain of that, at least. And yet, she had never considered herself much out of the common way, having been told all her life that three of her four sisters were her superiors in beauty. Had her mother been wrong? Elizabeth had always assumed Mrs Bennet knew whereof she spoke on that account, at least—she had been, and remained until her death, the most beautiful lady of her generation in the area.
No, it was much more likely that Jane, flush with the romance of her own situation, was projecting her hopes for Elizabeth’s future onto the nearest available gentleman. That she should think Elizabeth worthy of such a man’s admiration was flattering, to be sure. To imagine being held in such regard by a man she knew to be among the best of his sex was alluring, but it would be foolish to assume it was so just because she and Jane both would like it to be.
Although…he had been closeted with her father for some time that afternoon. As soon as the thought came, she shook her head and silently laughed at herself. It could have had nothing to do with her! Even if Jane were correct, as unlikely as that seemed, nothing had passed between them that would require such a conference. More likely he had, while in town, chanced upon some piece of news or opportunity for investment he thought would be of interest to Mr Bennet. Satisfied with the logic of her own conclusions, she finally found her rest.
* * *
The Miss Bennets visited Netherfield two days later, and then a succession of rain kept the parties separate for almost a week. Darcy prowled Netherfield like a caged lion throughout, and Bingley was hardly more sanguine, though he at least had the freedom to complain openly of being separated fromhisMiss Bennet. Mrs Hurst clearly found them both amusing. At last, they woke to a dry morning, but the roads were in dreadful condition. The following day the sun came out, and by the late afternoon Darcy judged that a trip to Longbourn would be possible on the morrow. They had only just assembled in the drawing room before dinner when the butler entered.
“An express has arrived for Mr Darcy. The rider will await a reply.”
Darcy felt Georgiana look at him in concern, which shifted to real worry when they glimpsed the handwriting on the letter. “I fear Mr Collins has been in our aunt’s ear, Brother,” she said.
“I have no doubt of it,” he replied.
“Have dinner held another quarter hour,” Bingley addressed the butler. “It may perhaps be longer, if Darcy must reply immediately.”
Darcy nodded his thanks to his friend and broke the seal. What he read therein exposed even greater foolishness than he had expected, and he felt his eyebrows climbing higher with each line. From the corner of his eye, he saw his sister’s hands begin to twist about each other in anxiety. As he reached the closing words, he shook his head and sighed, crossing the room to close the door. Everyone within knew of his aunt’s wishes, but he did not care to voice her absurdity for the servants’ ears.
“My aunt, it seems, hearing from Mr Collins that I denied any engagement to my cousin Anne, set off into the present inclement weather to confront me on the matter. Having been trapped at an inn not worthy of her custom for several days, she has now settled for writing to me to make her opinion known, and will visit her brother instead. I expect, though she does not say it, that she will regale my uncle with her complaints.”
It was clear that Bingley and his sister felt a natural relief at not having been required to accommodate such a querulous uninvited guest, and that Georgiana was happy her most difficult relation’s plans had been thwarted. He smiled wryly at them and said, “Dinner need not be held back further. It will not take me long to reply.”
He moved to the escritoire and dashed off a few brief lines to the effect that no, Mr Collins had not been mistaken in what he reported. He had never intended to marry Anne and thought he had been quite clear on that point when he had visited in the spring. If his aunt had chosen not to hearthenand was thereby inconveniencednow, he did not hold himself at all to blame for it. He was pressing his seal into the wax when the butler was admitted to enquire whether the party were ready to dine.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
The following day,having dealt with several urgent letters of business which had been delayed by the storm, Darcy turned his horse towards Longbourn. There he found all five Miss Bennets about to set out to Meryton, ostensibly to purchase tea but in truth to enjoy the relatively fine weather and celebrate Miss Lydia’s return to sufficient health for such an excursion. He was promptly invited to join them and accepted with alacrity. The smile Elizabeth gave him as she took his offered arm made his heart stutter. He had not always read her aright, but she was happy to see him today—of this, he was ecstatically certain!
