Mrs. Bennet, who already had heard most of this tale, immediately called out, “None of this was Miss Darcy’s fault!”
“No, not at all. I arrived in time to prevent the relationship from going any further. But one or both of the rascals gave the story to a newspaper and it was printed. And now the reputation of the Darcy family is tainted.”
Miss Bennet asked, timidly, “But how does Mr. Collins know of all this?”
“Unfortunately, it appears that he works for my Aunt Catherine.”
“The great and mighty Lady Catherine de Bourgh is your aunt?” Mr. Bennet snorted.
“Yes; my aunt is very unhappy with me and has doubtless told Mr. Collins all about our situation. Once he heard who I was, he evidently felt compelled to tell you of the so-called taint on my family.”
“I apologise for my cousin, Mr. Darcy,” Mr. Bennet said, heavily. “He had no right to force you to tell us your family secrets.”
“Thank you, Mr. Bennet, but the decision to reveal the details was mine. I hope you all understand that Georgiana has been deeply scarred by all that has happened. She has never had a good deal of confidence in herself to begin with, but being so taken in by two people she believed were her friends almost destroyed her. Before we came to Netherfield Park, she had locked herself in her room and refused to come out.”
“Poor Georgiana,” Elizabeth whispered.
“Indeed; when Bingley here sent us a letter inviting us to come to Netherfield, it was a lifeline. I all but dragged her from her room and into our carriage.”
Miss Bingley, doubtless remembering what she had said, buried her face in her hands.
“I hope I may count on all of you to keep what you have heard a secret; it will do my sister no good to have word of her…difficulties…spread about town.”
Everyone murmured assurances that the Darcy secret would go no further.
Mr. Darcy went on. “But I must add that the affection and companionship she has found here at Longbourn had transformed her. I cannot thank you all enough. Especially you, Mrs. Bennet. She has no mother, as you know, but I believe in you she has found one.”
Mrs. Bennet was wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. “As far as I am concerned, she is a Bennet girl.”
“I will get her,” Elizabeth said. “She is doubtless worrying about what is being said here.”
She was gone for several minutes, but returned with Georgiana, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia.
“Georgiana is completely innocent!” Lydia exclaimed as soon as she entered the room. “And can you imagine? Lady Catherine de Bourgh is Georgiana’s aunt!”
“Yes, Lydia, we all know,” her mother returned. “Georgiana, my dear, everyone here is a friend to you.”
Georgiana looked around the room before running to her brother and being enveloped in his arms. He held her close and whispered to her. After a few minutes, she pulled away and surveyed the room. “Thank you,” she said, tears pooling in her eyes.
Chapter Forty-Two
Charlotte wore her finest day dress to meet Mr. Collins, the man who just might be her future husband. She walked from Lucas Lodge to Longbourn, and as she reached the front steps, she heard a man’s voice in the back garden. She hesitated, bur her curiousity won out, and she walked around the house to peer into the garden.
There was only one man there, quite evidently speaking only to himself. Judging by the sound of his voice, he was deeply unhappy. Charlotte was immediately certain that this was Mr. Collins. “Mr. Collins?” she said, timidly.
He whipped around. Seeing an unknown young lady, he bowed and said, “Yes, I am Mr. Collins.”
“Mr. Collins, I am Charlotte Lucas. My parents, Sir William and Lady Lucas, live at Lucas Lodge, which is just a mile away.” She stopped. Certainly she should not say that he had been mentioned as a possible husband for her. Had he been told her name, perhaps?
Evidently he had, for his face lit up at once. “Ah, Miss Lucas! Your coming just now is positively providential!” He walkedtoward her quickly; coming through the gate, he paused and said, “Might you consent to take a walk with me?”
Charlotte was delighted to do so, of course. There was no chaperone, but it was broad daylight, and they would stay on the main road.
During the course of the walk, she learned all about him, beginning with the events of the day. Evidently, he had important information to convey about the Darcys, but no one had wanted to hear it, and he had been ejected from the room! Yes, actually dragged out! Lady Catherine de Bourgh, his esteemed patroness, would be very unhappy to learn of his failure to convey this crucial information to the Bennets. Moreover, she would likely not be best pleased by this treatment of himself, her ladyship’s own parson!
From there, he went into his happiness in being the heir to Longbourn, as everything he had seen had delighted him. He had thought to marry a Bennet girl, feeling that this was the Christian thing to do, but none of the young ladies were of a mind to accept his more than generous offer. He felt this was absolutely astonishing, given that their dowries were practically non-existent, and did they think that gentlemen as eligible as himself were so plentiful?
Then he launched into a panegyric about Lady Catherine, her home, his cottage, his garden.
