She looked up; Charlotte and Maria were still busy and not waiting about for her. As such, Elizabeth broke the Gardiner seal and opened Jane’s missive.
2 April 1812
23 Gracechurch Street
London
My dearest sister, Lizzy,
You know not how happy I was that you did not take exception to my words, and rather, you have been introspective and decided to make some amendments to your character.
I have an idea of what the other factors are that caused you to begin to reevaluate your opinions, but that speculation is not to be written here.
You will be shocked to hear that the Saturday before Easter Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley called at this house. The former apologised for his part in separating Mr Bingley from me, and the latter took responsibility for the choices he made regardless of who said what about my feelings, or lack of feelings, for him.
Mr Bingley mentioned how his sister intimated I was the Earl of Holder’s kept woman. Jamey was visiting, and the dear man was ready to call out anyone named Bingley.
There will be a positive from all this. Mr Bingley owns the need to mature and will take time to do so. He knows he needs to stand on his own feet and make his own decisions. He claims that until he has achieved that, he will not be bestowing his attentions on another woman.
Thanks to something you said to him, Mr Darcy requested the epistle that Miss Bingley hadsent to me before they vacated Netherfield Park so improperly. He said his aunt (the countess who is at Rosings Park) is about to make sure that Miss Bingley is expelled from society for using her niece in the lies she wrote to me.
Mr Darcy told us that, the Monday after Easter, he is for Derbyshire. Hence, I believe that as I write this, he is now at or very near his estate.
You will not believe the temerity of that pernicious woman. Aunt Maddie, Lilly, May, and I were invited to Holder House to partake of the midday meal with Lady Edith and her children. While we were there, after Lord Holder returned home, the supercilious sisters (as you named them) arrived to warn the Carringtons of my evils.
Caroline Bingley used her own character flaws in describing me. The only result is that Lady Edith is as determined as Lady Matlock to expel Miss Bingley from any society, polite or otherwise.
I believe as of the date of this letter Miss Bingley is discovering that all society’s doors have been closed to her.
On the positive side, my courtship with Jamey proceeds anon. I am not in love with him yet, but I do not believe it is far off now that I know I may trust him with my heart, and he will treat it as it should be treated.
Jamey’s sisters, Emily, who is 16, and Priscilla, who is 13, got along very well with Lilly and May regardless of the differences in their ages.
By the by, Aunt Maddie was as happy to read your letter as I was. Like me, she is veryproud of you.
All the cousins send their love. Peter was sad you will not be here for his birthday. Eddy is still home. Uncle Edward will convey him to Harrow on the 18th of this month, so you will not see him when you arrive. Lilly and May are very excited for your arrival, even if it is close to the end of the month.
With all my sisterly love,
Jane
“Eliza, it must be good news if you are smiling in that way,” Charlotte opined. “Did Jane write?”
“Yes, that was one of the letters I received. She is very well, and her courtship is proceeding anon,” Elizabeth responded.
“Cousin Jane is being courted?” Collins enquired. He had come to ask his wife for tea when he heard what Cousin Elizabeth said. “Is that son of a tradesman finally going to offer for her, like your mother told me?” Cousin Jane had not refused him, but she had been Collins’s first choice; however, Mrs Bennet had directed him to Cousin Elizabeth, whohadrefused him. That left him resentful towards the eldest Bennet daughter as well as Cousin Elizabeth.
While her husband was speaking, Charlotte poured him a cup of tea. He took a mouthful before Elizabeth replied.
“No, Jane is not being courted by Mr Bingley. Her suitor is Lord James Carrington, Viscount Hadlock, heir to the Earl of Holder,” Elizabeth related.
In his shock and consternation, Collins sprayed the tea from his mouth. Thankfully, none of the ladies were close to him, so they did not get a mixture of tea and spittle on them.
“A Viscount! How can that be? The Bennets are too lowfor a noble to notice one of you!” Collins insisted. His pride was now severely damaged. How could this be?
“Seeing that Viscount Hadlock was the one who offered Jane the courtship, and she is the daughter of a gentleman, neither he nor his parents agree with you regarding Jane’s appropriateness as their son’s possible wife.” Elizabeth got a sly look in her eyes. “You may travel to London and ask Lord and Lady Holder and Lord Hadlock that question yourself.”
“Ehrm, ahem, no, that will not be necessary,” Collins managed. Next time, when he was with Lord and Lady Matlock, not to mention Lady Catherine, he would ask them, and he was sure they would not approve.
