Chapter 18 #2
He hesitated, as though weighing whether he ought to say more, and then continued, his voice softening into reverent admiration.
“She is a lady of the greatest condescension and discernment, and I know she would be most gratified to learn that I am, at this very moment, under the same roof as her illustrious nephews.”
“How did you come to be here?” Darcy asked, drawing himself up to his full height. Even though he remained seated, having not risen at the unexpected intrusion, he was still impressive. His bearing was almost regal, Elizabeth thought, as he regarded the interloper with a cool, unwavering stare.
Elizabeth barely restrained a giggle at the direction of her thoughts. Interloper might be too harsh a term—yet, since she suspected who this man was, she did not think it entirely unjust. If Jane was to be believed, he had practically invited himself to Longbourn for an extended visit.
To her shock, the man’s response was just as ridiculous as she had expected.
“I am Mr Bennet’s cousin, and the heir to this estate.
After the death of my cousin’s brother, who left no issue, I was named the heir presumptive.
Since my cousin has failed to produce a son, when he dies, I shall inherit the estate in his stead. ”
For Elizabeth, the atmosphere in the room seemed to shift at once with those words.
Lord Granfield—whom the party from Millwood had been careful to refer to as Mr Grant since their arrival—rose from his chair and drew himself up to his full height.
Although past his sixtieth year, his bearing remained commanding, and the room seemed to still around him.
“You are proud to be named heir to an estate because my son died?” he demanded coolly.
“I understood the estate was entailed, but I did not realise the next in line was a fool. Of course, Lady Catherine would never have granted you the living had you not been one; for any man who could be delighted to live at the mercy of her whims cannot be entirely sensible.”
Mr Collins turned sharply towards him, his expression darkening, and once again Elizabeth had to restrain her laughter—not at the rector’s words, but at his affronted reaction. “Who are you to insult Lady Catherine?”
“I am someone who knows entirely too much about her,” Mr Grant replied.
“That you should benefit from the death of my daughter and my son—and speak of it so brazenly—is shocking. Lady Catherine may be the daughter of an earl, but she does not deserve the reverence you so freely bestow. Your living is for life, and she cannot replace you; I therefore recommend that you find someone with a measure of good sense to emulate.”
He turned towards Elizabeth. “Elizabeth, I cannot remain here any longer in the presence of this man and will continue on with my errands. You are, of course, welcome to stay, but I will not.” Turning back to Darcy and the colonel, he added, “Gentlemen, I will see you later—unless you wish to accompany me now.”
“We will go with you,” Darcy replied, looking first to his sister and then to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth had the impression that he took her nod as a promise to look after Georgiana, he offered her a small smile before departing with the other two men.
She watched as they made their way into the passage and observed her uncle and grandfather exchange a few quiet words.
A moment later, the door closed behind them.
“Well, I never,” Mr Collins huffed. Looking around the room and finding no one else apparently troubled by his treatment, he followed the gentlemen into the hallway, leaving the ladies alone.
For a moment, Mrs Bennet appeared quite upset by what had transpired while Kitty and Lydia merely giggled. After a few minutes, and at a word from Jane, Mrs Bennet called for tea since the gentlemen had earlier declined refreshment.
With the men gone and Mrs Bennet occupied elsewhere, Elizabeth was able to sit beside Jane and speak to her quietly. “Jane, did Uncle say anything when you returned to Longbourn?” she asked.
Jane shook her head. “At dinner that evening, he made some vague reference to certain men not being what they seemed, but then let the matter drop without explaining further. I do not believe Mama or my younger sisters had any idea what he meant, for after a brief silence, they continued speaking as before. The officers were here yesterday and were invited to take tea with us before they left. Mary and I observed their behaviour closely, and I believe what you have said may be true of more than just one of them. They were all very charming—but when Mary and I spoke later, we remarked upon how rehearsed their compliments seemed and how little sincerity some of them possessed.”
An odd expression crossed her face then—one Elizabeth was not accustomed to seeing on her normally serene cousin.
“Elizabeth, it is not only the officers whom I have begun to wonder about,” Jane said quietly, drawing a slow breath as though steadying herself.
“Watching how they spoke to Mama and my sisters—and even… even the compliments they paid to me—I could not help but be reminded of how Mr Bingley once spoke to me. Since you left, we have heard nothing from him—not even, that is, regarding the ball Lydia said she mentioned. There has been some talk in town that he intended to depart, and a few people believed they saw a carriage leaving, yet no one seems quite certain. As far as anyone truly knows, Mr Bingley may yet be at Netherfield. Still…”
She paused, her voice lowering. “He has not called, nor has he made any enquiry after my health.” Jane folded her hands together in her lap, smoothing one thumb over the other as though the motion might quiet the unease she would not name.
Elizabeth considered this for several moments.
“I do not know what to say, Jane,” she replied at last. “I can tell you that Mr Darcy did not leave Netherfield on the best of terms with Miss Bingley, but the state of his relationship with Mr Bingley is far less clear. We have spoken of the matter only briefly, and Grandpapa intended to call at Netherfield today in response to the gossip Miss Bingley attempted to spread about me.”
“I cannot quite understand what she hoped to accomplish by it,” Jane said.
“You know she did not call here, of course, but we heard of it soon enough.” She hesitated, then added more softly still, “I sometimes think she may also have wished to slight me by her absence. She must have known I would hear of her taking leave of nearly everyone else, and after how kindly she behaved towards me while she was here, it was… difficult not to feel it was intentional.”
Elizabeth nodded, allowing her cousin a moment to sit with her own thoughts before responding.
“It was poorly done of her; I believe she perceived her brother’s growing inclination towards you and wished to dissuade you from him.
However, as you said, we cannot fully know her intentions and must judge her only by her actions.
That was the other matter Grandpapa wished to determine—whether Miss Bingley has truly left the neighbourhood and whether she is finished with her attempts at mischief. ”