Chapter 22
“Lizzy, where have you been? Mr Collins has been asking about you! He was appalled that you went wandering around the neighbourhood and missed breakfast! I had to convince him it was the first time and will never happen again! And now he has gone to call on Sir William and will not be back until later.”
Elizabeth was already changed, trying to explain to Jane where she had been, when their mother burst into their room.
“I apologise for missing breakfast, Mama, and I am sorry you felt the need to deceive Mr Collins. We both know I have missed breakfast many times before and that it will happen again often,” Elizabeth answered.
“By the way, I met Mr Darcy on my way home, and he mentioned he would call here later, together with Mr Bingley.”
With this last piece of news, Elizabeth bought her own freedom, as Mrs Bennet immediately urged Jane to change and demanded that Elizabeth help her.
She assisted her sister with her gown absently, thinking of her conversation with Mr Darcy, as well as the revelations about Mr Wickham.
That a man with such an appearance of goodness could be so vicious, so skilled in lying and deception and seduction and would have the audacity to present himself as an honourable man was unbelievable.
To Jane, Elizabeth had not revealed anything about Mr Wickham, since her sister had not even met him yet.
With luck, she would never need to. It was tempting to discuss the matter with her father, but she would leave it to Mr Darcy to decide what and when to tell him.
Mr Darcy… The man she had fallen in love with long before she understood what was happening to her. The man who had been in her mind and in her dreams for more than three years. The only man in the world whose touches she had craved, long before she had dared to admit it.
Mr Darcy, the master of Pemberley, the head of a family even her aunt was impressed with.
A man with a large fortune and titled connections, with relatives who would probably loathe and reject her.
If Lady Catherine de Bourgh was anything like she suspected, she should expect violent opposition on her part.
She knew too little about the Fitzwilliam family to guess their response; and about Miss Darcy, all she had heard was the loving praise expressed by Mr Darcy.
She imagined the strongest resistance would come from Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst, but their opinions mattered little to Elizabeth since they mattered little to Mr Darcy.
Those two women would certainly suffer if their brother married Jane and Elizabeth married Mr Darcy.
A more painful torture could not be imagined for them.
Everyone would question his reason in offering the honour of becoming Mrs Darcy to her, a country girl from Hertfordshire. He had expressed objections in regard to Mr Bingley and Jane, but was he aware of all the objections he would have to face?
Nobody in her family, not even the Gardiners, would ever imagine such an ending to her story with Mr Darcy. She could not entirely believe it herself, though she had no reason to doubt it.
Mr Darcy had not proposed to her yet, but she was certain he would. He had indicated as much in his actions, in his words, in the touch of his lips on her palm. He would have proposed that day, if not for the rain. She was certain of it.
Elizabeth held Jane’s arm, carefully leading her to the drawing room; her other sisters were there already, and half an hour later, the two gentlemen from Netherfield called.
While greetings were exchanged, Elizabeth could hardly take her eyes from Mr Darcy’s lips and their gentle softness, wondering whether he had noticed her cheeks burning from pleasure and embarrassment.
The day was pleasant, and Mr Bingley asked whether Jane would be allowed to take a few steps in the garden. Mrs Bennet readily agreed, Jane threw a pleading glance at Elizabeth, and all the sisters, as well as the two gentlemen, took a short turn out of doors.
Jane supported herself with one hand on Mr Bingley’s arm and the other on Elizabeth’s, so they were all together, with no chance for any private conversation.
After the brief stroll, the ladies returned to the house, while the gentlemen spent some time with Mr Bennet, then they came to take their leave.
“Mr Bingley, you promised you would come to dinner soon! I believe that time has arrived since Jane is completely recovered. Would three days from now be acceptable to you? And Mr Darcy and your sisters too, of course, if they would honour us with their presence!”
“That date would be perfect for me and Darcy,” he answered after a glance at his friend. “But my sisters might not be here. They are preparing to return to London.” He seemed uneasy about the excuse, but Mrs Bennet did not care enough to insist on the subject.
As soon as the gentlemen left, Mrs Bennet became frantic with choosing what dishes to prepare for dinner, a subject that kept her in the kitchen with Hill most of the afternoon and allowed Elizabeth time with her sisters.
Kitty and Lydia resumed their favourite subject — the officers — describing them in great detail to Jane.
Elizabeth tried to temper them but failed, so she abandoned any attempt; with a heavy heart, she realised that, charmed as the two girls were, it would be easy for a man like Mr Wickham to seduce them.
Watching her sisters, she wondered what sort of girl Miss Darcy was, besides being greatly accomplished, as was acknowledged by everyone.
Since she was Mr Darcy’s closest relative, she prayed the girl would approve of her when the time came.
At dinner, Mr Collins returned and resumed his attentions to Elizabeth. She acted politely, yet coldly, discouraging his compliments and debating some of his points, which clearly shocked him.
He sat by her side at the table, praised the dishes, then spoke about his visit to Lucas Lodge and shared details about Sir William’s introduction at St James’s Palace.
“We all know these stories as Sir William has told us many times,” Elizabeth interrupted him. “But we appreciate the reminder.” Despite her smiles, Mr Collins threw Elizabeth an offended glare, and only Mrs Bennet’s insistence convinced him to continue.
The next day, Mrs Bennet, Mr Collins, Mary, Lydia, and Kitty went into Meryton; half an hour after they left, Mr Bingley called at Longbourn and was received by Jane and Elizabeth. He was red faced and looked nervous. Jane was flushed, beaming with delight.
“Darcy did not join me because he had some private matters to settle with Colonel Forster,” the gentleman said. “But he might call on his way back. It depends on how long I stay.”
“We hope you will stay for as long as it gives you pleasure, Mr Bingley,” Elizabeth replied. “Your presence is always a joy to our entire family.”
“Thank you, Miss Elizabeth. Is Mr Bennet home?”
“He is. Please excuse me for a few minutes. I shall go to the kitchen and order some refreshments and then fetch my father.” He nodded, Jane blushed again, and Elizabeth sneaked out, allowing the two a bit of privacy.
She smiled at her little scheme, of which her mother would have been proud.
After all, she and Mr Darcy had enjoyed so many private encounters, while Jane and Mr Bingley had had none.
With a smile, Elizabeth first went to her father, informing him Mr Bingley was there, talking to Jane.
Then she asked Hill to prepare a tray, which took a few more minutes.
Eventually, she returned to the drawing room, knocked, and entered a moment later.
Mr Bingley was sitting next to Jane, and both startled at her entrance.
The gentleman helped Elizabeth place the tray on the table, then asked, “Is Mr Bennet at home?”
“Yes, he is, as I told you earlier,” Elizabeth replied with a teasing smile.
“Yes…of course… Excuse me, I shall go and speak to him,” he said, striding out of the room.
Elizabeth looked at her sister, puzzled and amused, and Jane burst out, “Oh, dear Lizzy, he proposed! Can you imagine? He asked me to marry him!”
The news took Elizabeth by surprise, and she sat dumbfounded.
“He proposed? Already?” she asked, thinking that Mr Darcy might have been right about his friend’s haste and impulsiveness.
“Yes! Can you believe it? He did not know my feelings, and I did not know his! I admired him from the first time I saw him, but I did not realise he loved me! He said he was heartbroken when I was injured!”
“So did you accept him?”
“Oh, of course I did! He is the kindest, most amiable man I have ever met! I feared my heart would burst! How shall I bear so much happiness? He is speaking to Papa this very moment!”
“My dear Jane, let us calm down! Here, let us have some tea.”
“Dearest Lizzy, thank you for leaving us alone. If not, he would have had to wait goodness knows how many days before another opportunity arose!”
“I am glad I could help. I admit I could not imagine a better brother,” she replied genuinely.
Shortly afterwards, Mr Bennet and Mr Bingley returned, each holding a drink, and Elizabeth considered that she had not seen her father’s countenance so bright and relaxed in a very long time.
Mr Bingley took some refreshment and engaged in conversation as if he was unwilling to leave.
That is how Mrs Bennet, her daughters, and Mr Collins found him when they returned, and the gathering turning into a cacophony of cries and laughter.
Jane had no opportunity to embrace and kiss her betrothed, but her mother did so, several times, while Mr Bingley received this proof of affection most stoically.
Mr Collins was forgotten for most of the day, and he retaliated with a solemn silence for which everybody was grateful.