“Is that so?” Lady Catherine said contemptuously. “Is it the action of a gentleman of honour to carry a young woman about clutched to his chest, no doubt enjoying every moment of it? Is it the action of a true lady to allow such a thing, no doubt hoping to ensnare a weak-minded man by allowing such licentiousness? I tell you now that I have viewed your — infatuation — for that young woman with great concern.”
“That is being frank with a vengeance,” Darcy replied levelly. “But I am afraid you are mistaken, Aunt Catherine. It is not an infatuation. I love Elizabeth, and I intend to marry her.”
Lady Catherine snorted. “Her? A young woman of no fortune, connections, or accomplishments? I grant you Miss Bennet is pretty enough, but prettiness fades. What will you have when hers is gone?”
“I shall have everything I want,” Darcy said. “I shall have a wife of rare intelligence and courage. My partner in life will be a lady of elegance and charmwho has shown remarkable faith in me and has shown herself to be imminently worthy of standing in my confidence. And I suspect, aunt, that Elizabeth will be beautiful to me even when she attains an age as great as your own. Both for her lovely eyes, and for her still more admirable character.”
His aunt received this with surprising calmness. “Her character is not what you think it is,” Lady Catherine said gravely.
“What do you mean?” Darcy asked impatiently.
“I regret to inform you, Darcy, that Elizabeth Bennet is gone. I did not think her a woman of moral character, and I was right. Today, I visited her at the parsonage.”
“If you have insulted her —” Darcy began furiously.
“Allow me to finish. I informed Miss Bennet of what would follow such a marriage, namely my utter disapprobation, and that of the rest of the family. Her name would never be spoken by any of us. Then I told her that I was not utterly without feeling, and that if she left now, without delay or any attempt to speak to you, she would go with a considerable sum of money for her pains.”
Lady Catherine then named the sum of money, but Darcy hardly heard her. “Elizabeth would not do that,” he protested.
“She would, and did. Indeed, I must begin to think a little better of Miss Bennet, for she proved more sensible that I feared. When she knew she would not rise in society as she had hoped and saw some gain to herself from a retreat, she agreed to go. I sent her off in the spare carriage at once. She will be back in Hertfordshire soon, if she is not already there.”
“It cannot be,” Darcy said blankly. “I cannot believe it of her.”
“You will see the truth of what I say when you see that she is gone. She left without a word to you, and without so much as packing her trunks. Just as she was paid to do.”
Darcy did not wait to hear more. He stood up in such haste that his chair tipped over, and was closing the door behind him almost before the sound of the crash had stopped.
He did not look back, but if he had, he would have seen his aunt looking after him with an expression of cruel satisfaction.
Darcy did not trouble himself to wait for so much as getting his jacket as he strode furiously towards Hunsford parsonage. The night air had the softness of spring warmth to it, though there was a soft, misting rain.
As he knocked furiously on the parsonage door, Darcy did not spare a thought for the oddityof the situation. He would have the truth, whatever came of it.
After a pause of some moments, a servant came to the door.
“I must speak to Mr Collins,” Darcy said abruptly. “It is a matter of great urgency. Kindly fetch your master at once.”
“Yes, sir,” the maid said, looking astonished and rather cowed. She turned to obey, but before she could do so, Mr Collins came hurrying to the door.
“Mr Darcy, what an honour,” Mr Collins stammered rather breathlessly. “Go now, Melissa. Go about your business; I shall attend to the gentleman. Ah, Mr Darcy, such a pleasure to receive you. How may I be of service?”
“Where is Miss Bennet?” Darcy demanded. “What has happened?”
“Ah — my cousin has returned to Hertfordshire,” Mr Collins said, looking uncomfortably to the side. “Such a shame that her visit was ended early.”
“Is all well?” Darcy asked him. “Was there some emergency at Longbourn? Why has she departed so abruptly?”
“I am pleased to be able to reassure you on that point,” Mr Collins said. “No, all is well with my cousin’s family.”
“Then what was the reason for such a departure?”
Mr Collins flushed with embarrassment. “After speaking with my noble patroness, Cousin Eliza realised it was for the best. Upon realising that Lady Catherine’s proposal was by far the most suitable course available to her, she chose to accept it.”
The words struck Darcy so forcefully that for a moment, he feared he might fall to the ground. It was impossible. Elizabeth could not have done such a thing, yet it was so. Mr Collin’s report exactly confirmed all his aunt had said.
“My wife is packing my cousin’s trunk now,” Mr Collins added in a confidential undertone. “It will be sent after her tomorrow, just as Lady Catherine arranged.”
“Who is that, Mr Collins?” came Mrs Collins’s sensible voice from inside the house. “Should you like to invite them in?”
