Jane closed her sister in her arms and held her tight.
Chapter 10
Mr. Bennet made no attempt to kiss his daughter’s cheek when they arrived at the church. He stared straight ahead, his cheeks sucked in and his lips thin, not even pretending to be happy.
Hehadsmiled, cautiously, when he had collected Elizabeth from her room an hour before. The sight of his daughter in her fine silk dress summoned deep fatherly affection, and his voice was hoarse when he blurted out:
“You can still change your mind, Elizabeth. I will not make you marry him. Take off that silly dress and go and practice your scales, child. You shall not marry him if you do not want to.”
“It is nice to know that you are capable of such concern, father.” Lizzie replied icily, placing her bonnet over her curls, “It is a shame that you thought Jane so unworthy of it.”
Mr. Bennet reddened but made no reply. He knew that he deserved such ire. He had handed the girls’ care over to his wife entirely, and now he could not change the damnable woman’s stubborn mind. Their circumstances had made him relieved that she was so determined, for he had done very little to protect his children’s future. Marriage, then, was the answer. Mrs. Bennet was the one to orchestrate it.
No, he had not stepped in. Mr. Bennet scolded himself with every step towards the church. Lazy, ignorant old fool! Poor Jane. PoorLizzie!
He mourned for his daughter as he walked her towards her undeserving partner. Mr. Darcy, damn him. Drunk and distant, too proud to suffer a mere rector as a brother. What a sour, arrogant man he was! He did not deserve a woman like Elizabeth.
Mr. Bennet was frozen in fury. So, he did not kiss Elizabeth. She made no goodbyes and did not look back. His daughter walked into the church and disappeared forever. An hour later, another man’s wife emerged.
Elizabeth felt as if the whole morning was happening to somebody else.
She could not remember saying her vows, nor mouthing along to the hymns which she had indifferently chosen. The shrill congratulations of her younger sisters made no impression upon her, and Charlotte Lucas could not make her smile. Even Jane’s tearful kiss had not broken through the numbness.
The only, small glimmer of feeling she had felt was when she had seen Mr. Collins’ empty seat on the pew. Piqued, he had left Meryton for Hunsford the very day that Jane was taken from him. There was a pompous speech, of course, and a beseeching cry for Jane toSee sense, dear lady. It is not too late! Listen to your parents and be an obedient child!Sickening, wheedling cries which Mrs. Bennet had agreed with wholeheartedly. It took her husband’s stern admonition to silence her, and another simmering glare to send Mr. Collins from the room.
Jane sat on the pew with a dazed expression, as if she had just woken up from a nightmare. She did not look at the empty space,but for the first time in weeks her head was raised, and she did not shrink away.
Mrs. Bennet had been overjoyed to hear of Mr. Darcy’s offer. She was not shrewd enough to question either the haste or the abruptness of the proposal. After making enquiries about his fortune, she was satisfied. Her mood changed entirely when she heard of Mr. Darcy’sconditions.
Ridiculous! Ridiculous!
After the denial came sly asides. Surely Mr. Darcy did notmeanto break apart such a happy couple! He was merely being prudent! It was sensible for Jane towait,of course! In a few months, Mr. Collins could return and begin his offers anew.
Mr. Bennet stood firm. Mr. Darcy would not be swayed. And Lizzie - sly Lizzie, who was surely behind the whole thing! - was scolded from sunrise to sunset.
Mr. Darcy offered to intervene, but Elizabeth declined. She much preferred to suffer her mother’s ire herself, than to see her take her anger out on poor Jane.
Now, sitting in the carriage opposite her new husband, Elizabeth wondered if he would spend the rest of his life mediating his in-law’s spiteful squabbles. She hoped not; he had already been so generous, and at every turn something else arose that he had to overcome. For a few weeks, at least, she hoped that he would have some respite.
Darcy said something. Elizabeth blinked and then sat up straighter.
“I apologise. I was lost in my thoughts. What did you say, sir?”
The man smiled and repeated himself, “I said, we are only travelling as far as Araford today. We should reach the inn by sunset.”
“Araford?” Elizabeth asked, confused, “Doesn’t that take us in the wrong direction?”
“Wrong direction for where?”
“Pemberley! I thought we would be going there at once.”
This time, Darcy’s eyes gleamed. “I thought to surprise you, Elizabeth. We are to spend our honeymoon in Westmorland. The lakes are beautiful in the summer. Have you ever seen them?”
She stared at him in shock, and then let out a shaky laugh, “No sir, but…”
“I know how much you admire the countryside.” he stopped, his enthusiasm turning into caution. “What is it, Elizabeth? What is troubling you? We do not have to go there, if you do not wish it.”
Elizabeth was silent for a long time. Then, with great care, she said: “I like the idea very much. I am grateful. It is only that… you do not have to seduce me, sir.”
