Chapter 14 Bingley is betrothed, and Darcy is chagrined.
Bingley is betrothed, and Darcy is chagrined.
Kent
Two days prior to the planned departure of Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy for London, three letters arrived, two to Miss Elizabeth Bennet at Hunsford parsonage and one to Mr. Darcy at Rosings. Elizabeth was breakfasting with the Collinses when she received hers.
“One is from Papa and the other from Jane. Oh, dear, Jane has written the direction very ill indeed. Charlotte, could you please excuse me so I might read them in the garden?”
“Of course, Lizzy,” Charlotte said while Mr. Collins mumbled his agreement through a mouthful of breakfast. She watched from the rear parlour window as her friend pored over the letters.
Jane’s was the longest, so Elizabeth chose to read it first. It started with the typical greetings and contained a commentary much like letters do: a mention that she and Mary missed Elizabeth’s company dreadfully and lamented the distance between them, a brief history of the antics of the Gardiner children, the goings-on and parties attended, good wishes sent from the other inmates at Gracechurch Street, and a polite inquiry as to the good health of Elizabeth and the rest of their friends in Kent.
However, Jane’s letter had been continued the following day in a more hasty script.
This part of the letter both delighted and perplexed Elizabeth.
Monday
As you are aware, Mr. Bingley has been courting me this last month, & I am delighted to advise you that I am the happiest of women to have accepted his proposal of marriage.
Oh, Lizzy, I am so pleased to have the compliment of such an honourable man!
Mr. B. made his addresses two days past, & I agreed immediately.
Today, he went to see my father. Papa agreed as I had expected and, of course, offered his sincerest blessings.
Mr. B. told me that my father has requested we return to Longbourn sooner than planned.
Mr. B. & Mr. Darcy are to join us. Mr. B.
was unsure of the reason for Mr. D.’s attendance.
Papa has informed Mr. B. that we have better fortunes & connections than is rumoured in Meryton, but he did not want me to disclose it other than to you.
He said he had kept it secret to keep us safe from fortune hunters.
Mr. B. did not press my father for any other details.
Lizzy, I am much relieved that we have something to offer since our connections are not what most men find to improve their own.
It has been arranged for my father’s carriage to collect us in London, & we shall travel to Longbourn with you. I am sorry that your visit to Charlotte will be cut short by one week. I hope this does not cause too much of an inconvenience.
Please send my best regards to Charlotte, Mr. C. & Maria & my wishes that they attend our wedding. No date has yet been set, but Mr. Bingley is hoping Papa will agree to a short engagement, & I am of the same mind.
Dearest Lizzy, I am so looking forward to seeing you soon! Mary sends her love.
Yours very affectionately,
J. Bennet
Elizabeth’s astonishment at the contents of the first letter piqued her expectations of the second.
Hoping it would detail the parts of Jane’s letter that were unclear, she tore open the seal on her father’s letter with alacrity.
She skimmed down the page until she found the section of most interest.
My Lizzy, your birth parents were not without fortune or connections & have left you & Jane bequests that are much more generous than is rumoured in Meryton.
Mary, Kitty & Lydia will share the monies from your mother’s settlements, which are also much larger than generally presumed.
I know you may feel unhappy that your mother & I have not kept you in our confidence regarding this information, but we wanted all of you to marry for love & did not want young men swayed by your fortunes.
I have asked Jane & Mr. Bingley to assist in continuing the rumours about your & your sisters’ modest fortunes, & I also ask this of you.
With Jane’s betrothal to Mr. Bingley, the time has come for me to share the details of your inheritance. Thus I am asking for you & Jane to return for a private conference.
I have asked Mr. Darcy to be present for this discussion since he has been responsible for some of the legal aspects regarding the inheritance.
I requested that he kindly provide transport for you as far as London, where my carriage will collect you and your sisters.
I hope you do not mind travelling with him.
You have not had a particularly positive view of Mr. Darcy, though I cannot fathom your reasons as his one enemy has turned out to be a gamester & a cur.
I have always thought Mr. Darcy a good man & not as proud as you think.
As always, your mother & I miss you very much. We are very happy that we shall see you sooner than planned. With all our love & respect,
Yours affectionately,
T. Bennet
As Elizabeth pondered the messages sent by her father and Jane, a similar letter was being read by Mr. Darcy while breakfasting with his two cousins at Rosings.
“This is from Bingley. I can tell because he has blotted the direction.” Darcy broke the seal and read his letter.
Laweder H*use, Monday April 6
Darcy.
You must congratulate me for I am the happiest * men. I am betr*thed to Miss Jane Bennet. I requested her hand & she has accept*d me. Her father approves & gives his Blessing to our union. The job of convincing him to do so was more complicated than I had anticipated.
As you recall, last month you wisely counselled me to act upon my partiality and pursue Miss B*nnet with the intention of marriage.
I had * expected to easily obtain her father’s consent to * courtship, and although my arrival at Longbourn seemed to be welcomed by the family, upon receiving a private meeting with Mr. B*ennet, I found myself interrogated rather more harshly than expected given his temperament.
It seems Mr. Benn*t had expected my return to Hertfordsh*re last autumn since he had no intelligence to the contrary, & he expressed indignation that I had spent so much time with Miss Bennet last autumn as to raise expectations in the neighbourho*d as to my intentions, which at the time were sincere.
Unwisely, I heeded the advice of my family and stayed away from Hertfordshire *against my own inclinations. I was sorry of my mistake and glad when you & I discussed the matter ** you assisted me in making the correct decision * to pay court to Miss Bennet.
After a month *f courtship, I was convinced I had made amends for my ill actions, but Mr. Bennet was not finished with ** admonishment.
I found myself compelled t* express my apologies & once again convince him of my sincerity.
I w*s finally relieved when he retreated from his reproaches.
Fortunately I w*s able to convince him of my worth as a son & thus I am able to report to you that I am to wed Miss Bennet in June.
Mr. Bennet requests an audience with you & me at Longbourn as soon as you are able to travel to Hertf*rdshire.
You are welcome to stay at Netherf*eld. I must warn you, Darcy, it will be bachelors only.
Louisa & Caroline are forbidden from Netherfield due to their interference in my courtship *f Miss Bennet, in spite *f which, I have secured her hand. I am a lucky man indeed!
Als* Miss Bennet & Miss Elizabeth will join us at Longbourn for an audience with Mr. Bennet.
He was quite cryptic in his reasons for including all *f us in the discussion & says that you ** attend to some legal matters.
Miss Bennet did not know, but I wonder if there could be another reason for you & Miss Elizabeth to attend these settlement discussions.
If this is the case, have y*u been sly with me about such a thing?
Although you did enjoy animated discussions with Miss Elizabeth while ** visited Long**urn last autumn.
I w*uld imagine that with your love of debating, you would think arguments with the fairer sex showing not a little * particular regard.
Miss Elizabeth is intelligent enough to challenge your mind, my friend.
Mr. Bennet has asked Miss Elizab*th * return to Hertfordshire from her visit to Kent on Monday se’ennight. I would be pleased if you could arrive * same day. Miss Lucas would be travelling as well if she so pleases.
I am &c
Y*ur Servant
C. Bingley
Darcy furrowed his brow as he tried to read the letter between missed words, blots, and the poor penmanship of the author. He smiled and then chuckled, and Colonel Fitzwilliam quirked an eyebrow at him.
“Is the letter good news?” Anne asked.
“My good friend Bingley is lately engaged to Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth’s sister. It seems that I am requested to go to Hertfordshire as soon as is possible, as is Miss Elizabeth. Fitzwilliam, we must offer to escort her in my carriage.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam and Miss de Bourgh thought it an excellent plan and volunteered to accompany Darcy to Hunsford to apprise Elizabeth of the arrangement.
At an acceptable hour for calls, Miss de Bourgh rode over in her little phaeton whilst the gentlemen walked.
They were welcomed and offered tea and refreshments by Mrs. Collins while her husband effused his appreciation of their condescending to visit his humble abode and his surprise at the good fortune of Miss Bennet to have captured such a gentleman for a husband after having declined the suit of Mr. Collins himself.
This drew raised eyebrows from all the rest in attendance.
Elizabeth was aware that Mr. and Mrs. Bennet had voiced strong disapproval of Mr. Collins’s unwanted attentions to their daughters, and the other guests were surprised that he would make such an ill-bred statement in front of his wife, who was clearly embarrassed.