“What? I assure you he is not.” Elizabeth found herself blushing, recalling the conversation about those stupid snuff boxes! Had Miss Bingley misinterpreted it as well? She had notmeantto deceive anyone!
“And I assureyou, that I know my brother, and I can tell when he shows interest in a lady beyond the usual.”
“I believe that we had an-an enthusiastic conversation, once, about snuff boxes,” Elizabeth said, picking through herwords carefully. “However, his collection was the sole extent of his interest, I feel certain.”
Her companion sniffed. “Do not you see? Men require pursuit, at least a little, to build confidence. You captured his interest for an evening, and if you did it once, you can surely do it again.”
Elizabeth tried to swallow her utter astonishment. “Mr Bingley does not strike me as unconfident. Neither have I any intention of ‘capturing’ his interest, just as he has no interest in capturing mine.”
Miss Bingley sounded offended now, as if Elizabeth had cast aspersions upon her judgment. “He would be an excellent catch. I should think you would find marriage to him a vast improvement over your current situation.”
It was obvious that Miss Bingley found Elizabeth’s indifference an affront, although why she should was unimaginable. Elizabeth was a fair way to being insulted herself, and yet, for the sake of their kindness to Jane and as a guest in the Bingley home, she tried to be polite in the strangest ‘argument’ she had ever had. Still, she sped up her steps back towards the house as much as she could without being obvious.
“I am certain that whomever Mr Bingley marries will be a very fortunate woman. I am equally certain that I do not possess what he is looking for in a wife.”
Miss Bingley huffed. “Listen to me. I am trying to tell you that you would have the approval of his sisters if you were to put the slightest bit of effort into attracting him. It would be foolish to allow this opportunity, and our support, to pass you by.”
Elizabeth judged the distance from where they were tothe safety of polite escape, and found it to be much too long. It was a temptation to answer something polite and vague, but she thought it unwise to leave this woman with the impression that she would ever,everlook upon Mr Bingley as anything except a neighbour. Another temptation took its place—to reveal that she and Darcy now had an understanding. But no—even if she had been willing to discuss it, the first person who heard this particular news wouldnotbe Caroline Bingley.
“I thank you for such a kind offer,” Elizabeth began, trying to be as gentle—but as clear—as possible. “I regret that in the face of your thoughtful consideration towards my future, I must absolutely and unequivocally reject it. Your brother and I will never have such a connexion. Whilewemight never become sisters, I hold out hope that we might still become good friends.”
Miss Bingley flushed, halting mid-path, whirling to face her. “Iknewit. I told Louisa that you had set your sights on Mr Darcy, and that you would idiotically toss aside any other suggestion. Well, let me warn you as afriend.” She put a heavy, sarcastic emphasis on the word. “You are naught but an impoverished country widow. He might toy with you, flirt a little; he might even take you to his bed. Such men are accustomed to having whatever they want, whenever they want it. But he will never, ever offer you anything more than that. Do you know what his sister brings to a marriage? Thirty thousand! Do you have any idea of my fortune? Twenty-five thousand pounds, Mrs Ashwood. Twenty-five thousand! What would you bring? Anything? Anything at all? Do you truly believe he would bring such asyouto Pemberley?”
Elizabeth could only stare at the woman in disbelief anddistaste, shaking her head. “Beware, Miss Bingley,” she said quietly, when she could find her tongue. “If Mr Darcy were to hear you now, he would be wholly repulsed. I am sure you would not care to feel his disgust. I shall not bother to express mine.” She strode away as quickly as she could.
26
HOPE FOR A BETTER WORLD
Elizabeth knew it was time to leave; if Jane was well enough to go driving out, she was certainly well enough to return to Longbourn. The question in her mind, as she hurriedly folded her gowns and stuffed each one into her trunk, was whether she ought to wait, even, until Jane’s return. Her anger was such that she would have preferred to set off for home immediately—it would probably take her most of the six miles to cool it. The weather was fine for a November day, and the walk would be nothing. Heaven forbid she beg a ride of any of the Bingleys! She had even begun composing, in her mind, a note to Jane to account for her impetuous departure, along with the request that she take her trunk up to Longbourn, where Elizabeth might retrieve it at a future date.
But before too much time had passed, other reasonings slowed her movements. Truthfully, she owed Darcy more than to disappear without explanation or farewell. They still had much to discuss regarding their future, and it would bemore difficult to do so once she returned to the dower house and lived practically in sight of Fanny Ashwood. That woman would takeanyvisit from Darcy as solid evidence of a life of sin and illicit seduction—even if they were completely circumspect and did not enter the cottage alone together—and do her best to ruin Elizabeth’s reputation with gossip and innuendo.
Besides, not for anything would she take a chance of rumours, from any source, until Darcy had fully resolved the situation with his cousin and aunt. She had assured him of her willingness to wait until he judged the timing right, and her lips were sealed until that day. With a sigh, she removed the gowns she had treated so hastily, and began refolding them with much more measured care.
It was at least another hour before she heard a commotion at the drive floating up to her from the window she had cracked open to try and cool her temper. Standing, she looked out to see Darcy exit the carriage, followed by Mr Collins helping Jane. Darcy spoke to them both for a couple of minutes and then had a word with his coachman before his vehicle moved off. Against her expectations, though, the three remained where they were, resuming their conversation. After several minutes, Mr Collins’s carriage was brought around. In a courtly, old-fashioned gesture, he kissed Jane’s hand; shortly thereafter, he departed, leaving his wife behind. Together, she and Darcy started for the house.
Evidently, Jane was remaining at Netherfield—at least for now. Perhaps her husband planned upon returning shortly, although why not simply wait for her belongings to be packed? Well, whether she would or would not remain, Elizabeth could not stay. It was out of the question.
It was not long before she heard Jane re-entering herroom, the rustle of clothing, the quiet murmurs between herself and Molly. Elizabeth waited until she was sure the maid had departed before standing, meaning to go to Jane to begin her explanations. To her surprise, however, Jane appeared at her bedchamber door.
“Oh!” her sister said, sounding equally surprised at the sight of Elizabeth’s neatly packed trunk, open near her feet. “You are leaving?”
Elizabeth seated herself again, waving Jane at the other chair in the room. “Yes. I really have no choice.” She had not meant to tell the details of her confrontation with Miss Bingley, but found herself succumbing to the finest quality Jane possessed—a kindly, listening ear. Still, after blurting it all out, she half expected to hear a defence of Miss Bingley or even waffling disbelief.
“Oh, Lizzy, how could she say such things? How awful and…how crass!”
“It was. Why she would urge me to-tothrowmyself at her brother is beyond me, especially as she clearly has such a low opinion of my worthiness! She is a mystery to me!”
“Oh, she was transparent enough on that count, I would say. Plainly, she sees Mr Darcy’s interest in you and hoped to misdirect yours in him.”
Elizabeth had been so furious about the insults levied, she had overlooked an obvious motive behind them. She opened her mouth to protest, then shut it again. Miss Bingley’s reasonings notwithstanding, her sister’s observation of Darcy was unexpected. “Did you see any such thing in him, Jane?”
“No, I did not—however, he said some things today that made me think that…that he is not indifferent to you.”
“What? What did he say?”
Jane took a deep breath. “For one thing, he is enraged at Fanny, for how she and John have treated you since your widowhood. His outrage extends to William and me as well, although he was very careful in his phrasing.”
