Never having heard his friend speak so decisively, Darcy could not help responding with a grin. “Oh? And how can you be so certain?”
“Because she is intelligent enough to understand that she needs to make no such effort. I am more than willing—she need do nothing I have not already determined to do myself.”
Though Darcy tried to discover some way of refuting his friend’s claim, nothing came to mind. Instead, Darcy reflected that he had always had the highest opinion of Miss Elizabeth’s character. Was suspecting her of a false desire to ensure Bingley proposed to her sister not the opposite of such sentiments?
“Furthermore,” said Bingley, “I have proof that none of the Bennet sisters will marry where they do not like.”
“Oh?” asked Darcy. “What is that?”
“Do you recall that parson relation of the Bennets? The man who attended my ball?”
Darcy’s grin turned sardonic. “How could I forget? The man is so ridiculous, I wonder that even my aunt, who has a penchant for attracting such people to her, could find him.”
“Aye, he was more than a little absurd,” agreed Bingley. “Would it surprise you to learn that Collins proposed to Miss Elizabeth?”
Darcy’s laughter froze in his mouth. The oafish Mr. Collins, servile and stupid, parson to his aunt, who was herself quite ridiculous, had proposed to the intelligent, witty,magneticMiss Elizabeth Bennet? Then he recalled Collins’s behavior at the ball, the disastrous dances, the simpering smirks, the way he had bedeviled her all evening, and he understood what it must have meant, belated though it was.
“I see you understand,” said Bingley. “That night, my attention was exclusively on Miss Bennet, but even I recalled something of it when Miss Bennet spoke of it.”
“But she is not engaged to him.” Though he believed it, there was a part of him that was desperate for Bingley’s confirmation, to know she had not yielded and agreed to marry a man so decidedly beneath her by every reasonable standard.
“No, she is not. According to Miss Bennet, Collins proposed the day after the ball, but Miss Elizabeth would hear nothing of it. When her father supported her right to make her own decision, all Mrs. Bennet’s cries to the contrary meant nothing.”
With effort, Darcy pushed this all to the side and returned his attention to the previous discussion. “Then you contend that Miss Bennet will not accept you if she does not wish it because her sister already refused an offer of marriage.”
“Yes,” said Bingley. “If Mr. Bennet will support one sister’s marriage refusal, then it is reasonable to suppose he would do it for all the sisters.”
Though Darcy was not certain he wished to confess it, Bingley’s reasoning was sound. “What of Mrs. Bennet?”
“What of her? Miss Bennet has told me that neither she nor Miss Elizabeth agrees with her mother’s opinions about the marriage state.” Bingley paused and offered a wry grin. “Mrs. Bennet’s opinions appear to be rather lax. She fears the entail, so she is determined that her daughters will marry—the identity of those future husbands matters little to her.”
“Many in society hold similar opinions,” observed Darcy.
“That they do, my friend. Miss Bennet understands her mother’s concerns, but she wishes for something more in life than a cold alliance with a man for the sake of future security.”
“That is short-sighted,” said Darcy. “Her principles will be cold comfort if she ends in genteel poverty like so many.”
Bingley’s expression tightened, but he did not appear angry. “Perhaps it is, but I shall point out two facts. The first is that she will never face genteel poverty if I have anything to say about it. The second is that her ‘principles,’ as you call them, work to my favor, so I shall not complain.
“Darcy,” said Bingley, serious and resolved, “I do not require you to agree with my choice. All I require is your acceptance. Please desist and do not suggest Miss Bennet is false, for I will not have it. Her integrity is proven to my satisfaction—that is all that matters.”
There was little Darcy could do but accept his friend’s request. Even now, Darcy harbored some hope that he might bring his friend to see reason, though all hope seemed vain. From this moment, however, he must keep his opinions to himself lest he endanger their friendship.
Soon thereafter, they left the study in search of Georgiana. Though Darcy might have thought they would find her at the pianoforte if Mrs. Annesley had not pulled her into lessons, no sounds of music echoed through Netherfield’s halls. They foundher in the sitting-room a short time later, but she was not alone—Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth had come to visit.
“MISS DARCY HAS INVITEDyou to Netherfield!” exclaimed Mrs. Bennet when Jane explained the contents of the letter that had arrived only a few moments earlier.
“Yes, Mama,” replied Jane. “The invitation includes both Lizzy and me.”
A shadow crossed Mrs. Bennet’s face. “Lizzy? What has she to do with it? Why should Miss Darcy invite her?”
“Perhaps because I am her friend,” replied Elizabeth, caring little for her mother’s display. “As of yesterday’s visit, Miss Darcy and I have agreed to forgo formality between us.”
Though surprised, Mrs. Bennet soon turned calculating. “Yes, of course. I understand her perfectly! Miss Darcy means to allow Mr. Bingley time alone with Jane, and you will help her accomplish it!”
“I suspect her motivations are far more prosaic than that,” replied Elizabeth, though amused. “If she wished to give Jane time in company with Mr. Bingley, why, she could take herself to the opposite side of the room—there is no need for me to be there.”
Mrs. Bennet did not respond, for she was already spinning her webs, desperate for Mr. Bingley to finally come to the point. Elizabeth had no notion what her mother was planning, but she suspected she would not like it, whatever it was.
