Nevertheless, it would be prudent for me to reconsider my manner of speaking to those around me and make adjustments when necessary. I also concede that superficial observations can lead to substantial misconceptions about an individual.
I place my trust in you and am prepared to accept my error regarding your sister’s sentiments and intentions. But I can only urge Bingley to examine his feelings and intentions towards Miss Bennet and decide as he sees fit. This need not involve an immediate journey to Hertfordshire; rather, it calls for action guided not by the judgment of others but by the counsel of his own heart and mind. The duty of conveying this matter to your sister belongs to you.
My sister, Georgiana, who insisted on watching me write this letter, sends her regards and hopes that you will meet again soon.
Yours sincerely,
Fitzwilliam Darcy
∞∞∞
“You want me to be honest. That is your reason for asking my opinion on the letter,” Mary said, her voice almost trembling with astonishment and joy. Elizabeth had sought her opinion for the first time in their lives, and it was not on a trivial matter but about the second letter from Mr Darcy.
“Yes,” replied Elizabeth, yearning for another’s insight as she recognised that any reply from her aunt would require a full day’s wait. She had already written to Mrs Gardiner, yet it was an immediate response she longed for, and she surprised even herself with the urgency of her desire.
Mary seemed the natural choice as her confidante, as Elizabeth had decided not to tell Jane anything about Mr Darcy’s intention to speak to Mr Bingley. As Mr Darcy had said, this time, Mr Bingley would have to act according to his own feelings and plans for the future, disregarding the opinions of others.
“It is an amicable missive,” Mary said.
“Amicable?” Elizabeth asked, somewhat disappointed.
“You asked for my sincere opinion,” Mary reminded her gently.
“Yes, yes,” Elizabeth urged. “Please, continue.”
“A sensitive and honest letter—”
“Not a love letter,” Elizabeth concluded.
“Indeed,” Mary murmured, her thoughts perhaps dwelling on the possibility that her burgeoning relationship with Elizabeth might suffer if she failed to discover love within the message.
“You are correct,” Elizabeth conceded.
“Will you tell Jane of this?”
“No, I believe it may be wiser not to. If Mr Bingley should reconsider his decision and journey to Hertfordshire, they will resolve the matter together. On the other hand, the letter fails to provide a definitive answer for her. I have already told her that Mr Darcy never said Mr Bingley loved her. In his first letter, he wrote that Mr Bingleypreferred Jane to any other lady in the country and that hispartiality for her was beyond what he had ever witnessed in him. How would you interpret that?”
“It appears to me that Mr Bingley is a man who enjoys toying with the affections of ladies yet flees when the game becomes too serious.” Mary spoke with confidence, surprising Elizabeth with an interpretation so astute it reflected her own thoughts. When talking to her family, where she felt no need to assert herself, Mary revealed a keen wit and a clear commandof expression. It was a regrettable truth that she often lost this composure and clarity when in the presence of others.
“On the other hand, Jane’s sentiments did not appear too ardent last autumn,” Elizabeth mused aloud. “Yet we cannot be certain how she conducted herself in his presence. She insists that she demonstrated her affection.”
“In that case, it seems the gentleman is nothing more than a dallier!” Mary replied with evident anger, yet she remained content to discuss Jane rather than Mr Darcy’s letter, which bore no traces ofardentsentiment.
Elizabeth, however, felt the need for Mrs Gardiner’s opinion. She hoped, in truth, that her aunt might know more details from behind the scenes of this particular play, where the characters and sentiments were entirely real. In the end, it no longer mattered to her whether they were caught in a scheme that seemed to have been devised by her mother; all that concerned her was whether Mr Darcy’s letter had been a favourable sign.
Mrs Gardiner replied to her letter with promptness, mainly because she had received fresh news from Lady Oakham. Yet their plan to bring Elizabeth and Darcy closer had undergone a remarkable change. Lady Matlock had persuaded them that such a scheme stood the best chance of success if neither of the two involved knew too many particulars. Darcy’s wish to see her, expressed in an indirect yet firm manner, was to be kept secret from Elizabeth. He, in turn, had found out that Lady Oakham and the children would travel to Bath entirely independent of his desire to do so, and, by huge coincidence, the Gardiners had rented a house there at the same time.
Mrs Gardiner’s letter brought news so compelling that even Mr Darcy’s letter became a secondary matter.
My dear,
It is indeed a step forward to receive a response to your letter andhear that you accept that you share the guilt of that missed opportunity.Lady Oakham has told me more than once that Mr Darcy has a most obstinate disposition and does things only in his own way. Yet it appears, on this occasion, your influence has led him to change. It is a development I find rather pleasing.
However, I have more important tidings than those contained within his letter.
I know you have made no promises concerning Bath, but the news that a certain gentleman may also be there might well persuade you to reconsider. Therefore, your uncle and I would be delighted to invite you and your sisters to spend a fortnight there with us.
Affectionately, your aunt,
