Chapter 11
After the last of the guests departed, the residents of Netherfield, sans a sleeping Mr. Hurst, met in the drawing room. Miss Bingley was bursting to share the news about Eliza and Mr. Collins, but she would wait until she could use it to her greatest advantage.
“I depart for London in the morning to complete some business that cannot be put off any longer,” Bingley informed the other three.
“Do you object if we close the house and follow you to Town in a day or two?” Miss Bingley asked hopefully. The sooner she was out of this savage society and as far from the Bennets as possible, the happier she would be.
“There is nothing holding us here. In fact, I will send a note to Mr. Phillips and request he sell my lease. If he finds no one, I will pay for the year, but I do not intend to return here,” Bingley stated dispassionately.
“Is there no one you want to say your goodbyes to?” Miss Bingley pushed. She had a good idea Miss Bennet had given up on her brother because he had lost interest for some reason. Mayhap he had noticed her desire to become Mrs. Darcy.
“No, there are none here I will repine not seeing again.” Bingley had always fallen in love quickly, but he decided, due to Jane Bennet, to be far more circumspect in choosing his future partner in life; he now realised looking for physical attributes was the wrong way to find a wife.
Darcy was glad his conversation with Bingley about Jane Bennet had gone as smoothly as it had. His friend had not questioned Darcy’s account of his experiences with the lady. Bingley knew Darcy abhorred disguise and would not tell him something were it not the absolute truth.
Soon after, the four made for their bedchambers. Bingley was already packed for the journey. He instructed his valet to have his trunks and his belongings packed, as they would be leaving with his sisters and friend in a day or two.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“You asked to talk to me,” Jane stated as she sat down on her sister’s bed. She put her serene look in place, ready to commiserate with her sister before undermining her as soon as may be.
“You can drop the act. I have finally seen who you are,” Elizabeth stated bluntly.
Jane considered denying it, but she realised the days of fooling her younger sister were over. “For one who prides herself on sketching characters it took you long enough,” Jane sneered.
“I was blinded by my love for you, something it seems you do not understand, save for self-love,” Elizabeth stated evenly.
“You know I would have done anything for you, but not anymore. I now know almost nothing you ever told me was true, starting with the reason I had to leave our shared bedchamber.”
“You were becoming more popular than me, so I had to punish you,” Jane related petulantly. “Mama always told me I was the most beautiful but many in the neighbourhood disagreed with her. I was the one who was supposed to be popular and receive the attention, not you.”
“How sad that you believe outward beauty translates to character. At least people will know the truth now,” Elizabeth said, shaking her head sadly.
Jane’s true character was even worse than she had suspected.
“Why did you lie about what Mr. Darcy said at Lucas Lodge? I already disliked the man; what did you gain by stoking my hate for him?”
“My reason was simple. Mr. Darcy dared be attracted to you while he ignored me.” Telling her younger sister about Mr. Darcy’s attraction when she believed Lizzy would be betrothed to Collins on the morrow would hurt her when she found herself stuck with the bumbling parson after realizing what she could have had.
“You will be gone with your intended soon, so no one will know,” Jane crowed.
“First, I am no one’s intended.” Elizabeth did not respond to the information about Mr. Darcy as she did not trust anything coming out of Jane’s mouth.
“Second, do you think everyone is as gullible as I was? Charlotte has known for some years. Now that she knows I am aware of your true character, she will no longer keep that information to herself,” Elizabeth told her shocked sister.
“It matters not whether you agree or not, Mama will demand you marry that ridiculous man and you know Papa never stands up to her, so he will order you to marry him,” Jane stated triumphantly.
“You poor, delusional person. Do you know nothing of canon law?” Elizabeth asked her sister, who suddenly felt less confident than she had moments before.
“What are you talking of?” Jane asked nervously.
“No matter what Mama or Papa order, unless I consent, the pastor will not marry us. If a bride will not say her vows, she cannot be married,” Elizabeth informed her sister matter-of-factually.
Jane felt like she had been slapped. She had been so sure of the outcome. She needed to see Mary, the most pious among the sisters; perhaps she could refute what Elizabeth had just said. She turned and stormed out of her sister’s bedchamber, slamming the door behind her.
She marched into Mary’s bedchamber, and the fact Mary seemed to have fallen asleep already, did not give Jane pause. As soon as Mary was awake, Jane asked about what Lizzy had told her. It was the work of moments to confirm the facts; Lizzy had been correct.
Jane made for her large bedchamber and threw herself on the bed. If Lizzy did not do her duty once ordered to do so by their father, she would know how to act.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The next morning, Miss Bingley, ignoring the fact she was no longer the mistress, issued orders to start closing the house and informed the housekeeper and butler the residents would depart on the morrow and would not be returning.
Mrs. Nichols looked to the mistress, Mrs. Hurst, and received a nod from that lady. With her confirmation, the housekeeper and butler issued orders to start closing up the house.
Darcy had mixed feelings about departing the area. On the one hand the facts were still the facts—Miss Elizabeth’s family was terrible and she had no dowry or connections to speak of; on the other hand, he was deeply in love with the woman.
He had finally admitted to himself; he would measure every woman he met by her standards and he was as sure as he could be he would never discover any other to replace her in his heart.
What had happened to soften her attitude toward him, he knew not—neither did he care. Other than her brief mention of Wickham, he had enjoyed the dance with her more than with any other partner he ever danced with before her.
Rather than torment himself, Darcy decided to talk to Aunt Elaine and Uncle Reggie when he returned to London.
His Uncle Reggie had been a close confidant of his father, so he would be able to tell Darcy what his father meant when he told him to marry well.
Darcy was starting to believe he might have misunderstood his father’s meaning.
Miss Bingley was feeling better now the field for Mr. Darcy’s hand had been cleared. Miss Eliza should be betrothed by now, or soon would be, and the pleasant-looking Miss Jane Bennet, for whom she felt a certain amount of affinity, no longer looked at Mr. Darcy with desire.
If he did not propose soon, Miss Bingley decided she would take matters into her own hands.
She was sure what her brother had told her about his not offering for her even if there was a compromise, was so much nonsense.
If that was what was required, then so be it.
She conveniently ignored the fact Mr. Darcy had been in the room when her brother informed her what would happen if she attempted a compromise and Mr. Darcy had never disagreed with him.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“May I have a private interview with Miss Elizabeth,” Collins asked as he leered at the woman who would soon be his betrothed.
“Come everyone, except you, Miss Lizzy, let us leave,” Fanny stood and started shooing her family out of the dining parlour.
“Please, Mama, there is nothing Mr. Collins can say to me which cannot be said in front of all of you,” Elizabeth tried. She did not miss the smirk on her eldest sister’s face as she preceded their mother out of the dining parlour.
“Mr. Collins, there is nothing you can say to me that would necessitate us being here alone,” Elizabeth attempted one more time. The smell was overpowering notwithstanding the man had bathed the day before.
“Believe me my dear Miss Elizabeth, your modesty, so far from doing you any disservice, rather adds to your other perfections. You would have been less amiable in my eyes had there not been this little unwillingness; but allow me to assure you, as you heard her say herself, I have your respected mother’s permission for this address.
You can hardly doubt the purpose of my discourse; however your natural delicacy may lead you to dissemble; my attentions have been too marked to be mistaken.
Almost as soon as I entered the house, I singled you out as the companion of my future life.
But before I am run away with my feelings on this subject, perhaps it would be advisable for me to state my reasons for marrying—and, moreover, for coming into Hertfordshire with the design of selecting a wife, as I certainly did. ”
“It is interesting you say that, as Jane and I returned two days after you arrived and, if I am not mistaken, you first set your eye on Jane, so excuse me if I do not agree with your claim of an immediate attraction to me,” Elizabeth interjected.
The idea of Mr. Collins, with all his solemn composure, being run away with his feelings, made Elizabeth so near laughing, she could not use the short pause he allowed in any attempt to stop him further, and he continued as if she had said nothing.