“No, dear,” she said. “Lydia and Kitty are just being thoughtless as usual. Nobody with sense believes you ought tomarry Mr Collins, and you should put it out of your mind once and for all.”
It took her some time to calm Mary, and by the time Elizabeth retired for the night, Jane was fast asleep, and she was left alone with her thoughts. It was very late before she finally managed to sleep herself, and her dreams were distressing, so that she woke feeling tense and unrefreshed.
The next day was Sunday, so they all, including Mr Collins, turned out in their Sunday best for church. There was an uncommon show of bonnets all round, for many young and, indeed, not-so-young ladies were not immune to the prospect of new visitors to the neighbourhood, especially new neighbours who could be expected to wear fine red coats. However, to the general disappointment, the only officer from the militia present was an elderly major and his equally elderly wife.
The arrival of the party from Netherfield went a little way to relieve matters. Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst swept into church, both looking disagreeable despite the fact that they must have realised their dresses cost twice that of any other lady present. Mr Bingley, on the other hand, looked amiable and rather dashing in a coat of dark green.
The main attraction, however, was undoubtedly Captain Darcy, who had come in uniform with his sister blushing shyly on his arm. Two equally undoubtable sailors completed the party, looking particularly gallant in their best shore-going rigs with bright red waistcoats and watchet blue jackets. Although the sailors took seats at the back, they and the captain were obviously accustomed to the service and made a very fine sound in the psalms and the closing hymn.
Mr Collins was no more immune to curiosity than was any other member of the congregation, and as they left, he wanted to know the names of all the party. When he learned who the captain and his sister were, he swept into action. “Why, thatmust be the Captain Darcy who is nephew to Lady Catherine. I must go and introduce myself and assure him of her ladyship’s health and wellbeing.”
Elizabeth was alarmed. “Cousin, surely there can be no need of such attentions to a gentleman to whom you have not been introduced?”
“My office gives me licence where the mere layman must hold back,” replied Mr Collins before he bustled forward. Elizabeth could not bear to watch and turned away to talk to Lady Lucas, who was enquiring after her father. She could not, however, avoid seeing the captain looking at her cousin with surprise as Mr Collins writhed himself into a position much more self-abasing than the ordinary bow between gentlemen. She could not hear what he was saying and was heartily glad of the fact.
By the time they got outside, Mr Bingley and his sisters had already left in one carriage, while the captain and Miss Darcy waited to take Elizabeth and Jane in another. For once, Kitty and Lydia’s desire to be away from church as soon as possible had worked in everyone’s favour, for Mr Collins and their mother, not forgetting Mary, had all disappeared.
As they approached the carriage, they saw the captain toss the sailors a coin. “That’s to drink to my sister’s health. Liberty until four bells, first watch. Do not come back disguised and no fighting with the lobsters.” They knuckled their foreheads cheerfully and headed off for the village, no doubt to find the nearest tavern.
The party in the carriage was equally cheerful. By no doubt Herculean efforts, Miss Darcy had been supplied with a new dress, spencer, and half boots, and she was innocently pleased with her appearance. Back at Netherfield, even Miss Bingley laid herself out to be agreeable, and the birthday presents were received with becoming excitement and gratitude.
Elizabeth and Jane had racked their brains to think of something suitable—and inexpensive—and their choice of a bottle of their own lavender water in a netted purse, originally made by Jane as a Christmas present for Aunt Gardiner, looked very well when wrapped in a clean handkerchief and tied with a ribbon. The pearl necklace from her brother was, however, quite properly the highlight of Miss Darcy’s day.
After the meal, they retired to the drawing room, and Miss Darcy was persuaded to play, quickly revealing herself as by far the most accomplished musician of the party. As her brother watched proudly, she revealed a skill in execution and a lightness of touch Elizabeth had seldom heard from an amateur, and the applause when she finished was hearty and well deserved.
She was pleased to see that Mr Bingley spent much of his time with Jane, and once Elizabeth had discreetly nudged her sister into showing some little pleasure at his attentions, the two of them were soon heads together in conversation. Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst both looked as though they wished to interrupt, so Elizabeth engaged them in conversation about the past Season in town. As she had suspected, the temptation to show away to a mere country bumpkin was sufficient to distract them from interfering with what she hoped was her sister’s courtship.
Despite having to listen to a lot of talk about people she had never met and would never wish to, the afternoon passed pleasantly with music and conversation. Even Mrs Darcy eventually drifted over to thank Elizabeth for taking her daughter shopping. “For I know her clothes were not what they ought to have been, but I could never persuade Mr Darcy that girls do grow so at Georgiana’s age, and one cannot be always letting down hems and tucks.” Her voice was thin and querulous, and her sentences hardly seemed to have an end, merely gliding endlessly one into another. “For you wouldhardly credit that she was such a little girl until quite recently, and then suddenly she was taller than me, and he was always saying it was a great nonsense to say so, but surely he could see for himself, but perhaps not, for he would not see her from one week to the next…” It was only the offer of a cup of tea and a piece of cake, both of which she consumed greedily, that finally allowed Elizabeth to escape.
Eventually the time came to leave. Despite entreaties from Mr Bingley, warmly supported by Miss Darcy, Elizabeth and Jane were both adamant that they had to get back to Longbourn before it grew very late. In any event, the Netherfield ball was planned for the following weekend, and they would all meet again then.
As Elizabeth and Jane stood in the hall, waiting for the carriage to come round, they were all surprised to hear hoofbeats speedily approaching the house. Their original fear, that it was bad news from Longbourn, was soon dispelled when they saw the red uniform. “It is a militiaman,” said Mr Bingley in surprise.
Captain Darcy behind him soon set him right. “No,” he said. “A marine.” His face was stern, and the hand that Elizabeth could see was clenched by his side.
The soldier dismounted before the house and saluted. “Cap’n Darcy?” he inquired.
“Here.” A long envelope was handed over, and the captain ripped it apart, scanning the contents.
“Fitzwilliam?” It was Miss Darcy, timidly touching his sleeve. “Is it?”
“Yes, dear,” he said. “I am afraid it is. I am ordered to sea within the month.”
CHAPTER SIX
Miss Darcy gave a small cry of distress. “We do not have to go back, do we?” she said and then burst out, “You promised!”
He turned quickly and covered her hands with his. “I promise, sweetheart, you shall not have to go back. Now you must return to the drawing room before you catch cold. I shall see the ladies off, and then we shall have a council of war.” When she looked doubtful, he kissed her forehead, turned her round, and pushed her very gently towards the room they had just left. “Off you go.”
He watched until the door closed behind her. “Bingley,” he said hoarsely. “Your arm, if you please.” Mr Bingley leapt to his aid and helped him to sit down in one of the hall chairs. “Can you put the man up for the night? He can return to London with me in the morning; I must go and see my attorney at once.”
“Of course I can,” Bingley nodded to the butler who went to give the marine directions to the stables. “But are you sure you’re in any state to travel?”
“I will be well in a few minutes. It does not seem to last as long anymore as it did once. Would you be a good chap and ask Georgie to meet me in the library? Then when she has left,perhaps one of your hands could help me upstairs. I shall have a brief caulk and be right as rain within the hour.” He kept his eyes closed but turned his head to where Elizabeth and Jane had been standing. “I apologise for not rising, ladies, and shall hope to see you both at Bingley’s ball.”
The coach arrived at that moment, and after a somewhat confused leave-taking, Elizabeth and Jane were driven away. Elizabeth at least was somewhat worried; not only were they about to lose an agreeable new acquaintance to the exigencies of war, but the gentleman was, despite his protestations, quite obviously unwell. She wondered whether the superiors who gave him his orders knew of his condition. It all seemed terribly unfair, especially as his sister and her mother were for some reason dependent upon him.
It was cold despite the rugs, and the two sisters huddled together under the coach blankets. Jane hid her face in her muffler, and Elizabeth resolved to wait until they got back to Longbourn to question her. The rest of the journey passed in silence, save for the moment just outside Longbourn when they heard two voices raised in song on the road, and realised that they had just passed the two sailors returning to Netherfield. As they climbed out of the carriage, Elizabeth called out to the coachman, asking him whether he would be kind enough to take up the two men on the way back “for it is a cold night, and it looks as though it might rain.” The coachman touched his hat and agreed.
