Jane had seen two men, who were staying at the inn in Hunsford, talking discreetly to many of the parishioners. She thought these might be emissaries of the Bishop of Kent, here to verify the information she and Anne had sent them. She was to meet with Anne this morning and she was sure her friend would be interested in the notice that had appeared in the paper, given how often Lady Catherine went on about the phantom betrothal between her daughter and Mr. Darcy—the existence of which Anne had repeatedly refuted.
As Jane approached her friend’s phaeton near the turn off to the glade, she looked up to the canopy of trees which covered the path through this wild section of Rosings Park and not for the first time thought how Lizzy would love rambling here.
Anne and Mrs. Jenkinson were waiting for Jane on the bench, as they normally did. “Jane, I can see from your countenance that you have news today,” Anne de Bourgh observed.
“Yes, I do. The announcement I read inThe Timesthis morning would send both her Ladyship and mydearhusband into near apoplexies if they were aware of it,” Jane told her friend. “What a pity I was clumsy, and the page with the notice ended up in the fire; it is gone now.”
“To send them both into that state can only mean…No! Has my cousin William betrothed himself to your former sister, Elizabeth?” Anne deduced.
“Indeed, he has,” Jane confirmed gleefully. “My husband’s ego would not survive the knowledge the woman he declared would never receive another offer is to be married to the nephew of his exalted patroness.”
“You are correct about my mother’s reaction,” Anne said with amusement. “If it were not for the fact she would impose herself on my cousin and your former sister, I would pay to see her reaction to the news. You told me of your attempted compromise. Do you feel any rancour because she succeeded where you failed?”
“Not in the least!” Jane insisted emphatically. “My interest was purely mercenary; I cared nothing for the man. When we were younger, Lizzy and I vowed we would only marry for the deepest love. She meant it; at the time, I merely repeated what she wanted to hear. As she has accepted your cousin, I can be sure it was for love alone. Lizzy never cared about pecuniary advantages. While I was susceptible to my mother’s teachings, Lizzy had the strength of character to reject all of her wrongheaded ideas long before I saw them for what they were.”
“Jane, I want to say this without sounding condescending, but I believe if my cousin’s wife-to-be were to meet you today and knew the real you, she would be proud of the woman you have become,” Anne told her friend sincerely.
“Do you really believe so, Anne? Even after all I did to her?” Jane allowed her tears to flow freely for once.
“Everything you have told me about Elizabeth Gardiner informs me she is not one who looks back. I believe she would look at who youare, not who youwere,” Anne opined.
“The chances of my seeing her again in this world are slight, especially after the men investigating Mr. Collins report their findings to the Bishop.” Jane stared off into the trees. No matter where they ended up after he was defrocked, she would make the best of it.
“You never know my friend, you never know,” Anne stated cryptically as she handed Jane a silk square to dry her tears.
Chapter 27
Fanny Bennet could not comprehend how everything had gone so wrong. Why had God forsaken her and saved the evil one while she, who was doing His work, was shackled to the bed of a cart? When the cart arrived at its destination, the insane woman had not a clue where she had been taken.
Luckily for Fanny, her brother was paying for her housing in the private part of Bedlam, so she would reside in relative comfort. It was to Fanny’s advantage that she was so far detached from reality she had no idea what was happening to her.
She was taken by two maids to be bathed, as she was filthy and her odour would have made her son-in-law Collins proud. After they thoroughly scrubbed her and cut her hair short—it was badly damaged from weeks of neglect—Fanny was dressed in a thick white robe and taken to the room which would be her home for the rest of her days.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bingley arrived at Netherfield Park before the midday meal on the day he told Darcy he would arrive. He was welcomed by a couple he had never met, as well as by Darcy and Miss Elizabeth, or Miss Gardiner to be correct.
He was introduced to the master and mistress of the estate by Darcy. “Miss Gardiner, I am so pleased to see you looking so well and happy,” Bingley stated as he bowed over Elizabeth’s hand. “Darce, I am glad to see you looking well also, and not dour. Miss Gardiner has been a good influence on you.”
“It is good to see you again, Mr. Bingley, even if for this visit to Netherfield Park, our roles are reversed,” Elizabeth stated in welcome.
“How could I not be joyful when I will soon be married to this wonderful woman?” Darcy stated.
“Mr. Gardiner, I thank you for your timely purchase of this estate; it relieved me of the cost of the balance of my one-year lease,” Bingley said as he shook Gardiner’s hand.
“Please call me Gardiner, and you are most welcome. Let us proceed inside.” Gardiner and his wife led the group into the drawing room.
Bingley was already acquainted with everyone in the drawing room, or so he thought. He was amazed to see how open and outgoing Miss Darcy was. The last time he had seen her she was so shy one could barely hear her monosyllable answers—when one could be coaxed from her.
He was shocked when he saw the two youngest Bennets sitting and talking quietly to Miss Maria. There was no giggling, flirtation, or boisterous behaviour. For a moment he did not recognise the lady seated next to the youngest Bennet sisters. He wondered if he had been introduced to her in the past.
She had colouring similar to Miss Gardiner’s, and as he drew nearer, he could see that her eyes were hazel. When he approached even closer, he noticed there were flecks of green and gold in her hazel eyes. She was pretty, nothing like his old ideal of willowy blonds and blue eyes, but there was something intriguing about her.
“That is my sister Mary, Miss Bennet,” Elizabeth told Bingley quietly as she watched him try to puzzle out the identity of the young lady. “She used to wear glasses and her hair was always styled in a severe bun. Her gowns used to be of a much darker colour.”
As Miss Gardiner spoke, Bingley remembered the way Miss Bennet used to look in his mind’s eye. Looking at her now, he could not believe the young lady’s transformation. If she was open to it, he was interested in becoming better acquainted with her—but no more than that. He had learnt it must take more than looks to engage his interest in a lady.
“Miss Bennet, do you mind if I sit here,” Bingley indicated the open seat next to the lady.
