“You might be right. Since my reunion with Diana, we have shared our lives, and inevitably, I spoke about Longbourn. Naturally, my stories revolved around you and Jane…” said Mrs Gardiner, blushing slightly, for she had indeed spoken almost exclusively of her two eldest nieces, whom she regarded as truly accomplished ladies, completely overlooking their younger sisters. But, the two girls smiled, and with a small gesture, as though absolving herself, she continued, “I can say that Diana knows you fairly well.”
“And?” Elizabeth asked impatiently.
“When they returned from Kent, Colonel Fitzwilliam approached her for advice—”
“He told her what happened,” Jane interrupted.
“Not only that,” Mrs Gardiner went on. “Colonel Fitzwilliam was greatly impressed by you from the very beginning, and as he grew to know you better, he became increasingly certain that his cousin was in love with you, and that you were the woman best suited to him.”
“Because I stand up to him.” Elizabeth smiled, though her amusement was tinged with bitterness.
“Yes, for that reason as well. When Mr Darcy decided to go to Kent, it was because you were there.”
“He went to Kent because I was there?” Elizabeth repeated incredulously.
“I suppose so. The colonel and Mr Darcy visit Lady Catherine once a year. Still, this particular visit was not planned until Miss de Bourgh, who was staying in London at the time, received a letter from her mother with details about the Collinses’ guests.”
“He knew I was visiting Charlotte?” Elizabeth was astounded. She had never imagined that he might have come with the purpose of seeing her. Had she known, perhaps she would have viewed things differently.
“It seems he did, and he came to see you and, probably—this is only a guess on our part—to propose to you,” Jane replied.
“Still, my beloved ladies, you have not enlightened me yet about Lady Oakham’s interest in this tangled tale, which is not so different from the stories woven by my mother and Aunt Phillips,” Elizabeth said.
“When you put it that way, it may seem so. But Lady Oakham was genuinely pleased that you would become part of their family. They are uncommonly devoted to each other and always have been, but since old Mr Darcy’s death, that bond has deepened. Every summer, they gather at Pemberley, and here in London they meet often, sharing a box at the theatre and organising balls together. The colonel suspected you might have been the reason why Mr Darcy decided to travel to Kent. There, it became clear that he desired to marry you.”
“Hediddesire,” said Elizabeth, and the sorrow in her voice revealed more swiftly than a thousand words what was happening within her.
“Briefly—Diana secretly hopes that Mr Darcy’s wife will be like her, like us.”
“It seems that is a tradition in all families,” said Elizabeth, though her tone was now more sarcastic than angry. Seeing that the ladies did not seem to understand, she continued, “In ours toarrange imaginary marriages and in theirs to meddle in the lives of those around them, family or friends alike.”
Jane lowered her gaze for a moment but then spoke with conviction. “Lizzy, I do not blame Mr Darcy for advising Mr Bingley to leave. I blame him instead for never trying to know us, for forming a shallow opinion based on stories likely told by Mr Bingley’s sisters.”
“That is true,” murmured Elizabeth, looking at Jane with gratitude, for she had graciously taken a huge burden from her shoulders.
“For what happened to me, the person I blame most, however, is Mr Bingley for how he left. And if he still loved me when he made that decision, then I blame him for his weakness.”
“You are so right,” Mrs Gardiner said with admiration. “But let us return to Lizzy. Only one question remains. What do you feel, and what do you wish to do next?”
“I do not know. I need time.”
“Time?” Jane asked, and she began to laugh. “My reckless sister needs time. How much time do we give her?” she asked her aunt.
“A day?” came the mocking answer, and they embraced Elizabeth again.
Chapter 19
“You must do something,” the colonel said, looking at Lady Oakham with a desperate expression that made the viscountess smile with great affection even as she gently scolded him.
“You must put an end to this turmoil, dear Richard. First of all, you are not to blame for what happened. Nor is Darcy responsible for his friend’s decision to abandon Miss Elizabeth’s sister. Such notions are nonsense or excuses people use to justify a poor or cruel choice. But you also told me that he openly admitted his aversion to her family, and that is indeed quite reprehensible. I do not blame Miss Elizabeth for refusing him. I would have said no to Andrew myself had he spoken in such terms about my parents. And I already loved him madly, certain of my feelings.”
“It is true,” the colonel replied, though his voice lacked conviction, and his face remained a mask of worry.
“I do not know where Darcy’s arrogance towards others comes from—”
“Not towards everyone,” the colonel interjected, hurt to hear his cousin spoken of in those terms.
“Not towards everyone, I agree. But that makes it worse. It is more troubling to show kindness to one’s equals while displaying contempt for those deemed beneath you and to make that disdain so plainly visible. I do not know where this behaviour comes from. Certainly not from the Matlock family—or I would not be here now, married to Viscount Oakham.”
