Chapter 7
“I am expecting Mr Darcy to call this afternoon,” Mr Bennet informed his wife and daughters in a neutral voice. Mr Collins was visiting Meryton, a habit he had kept up and the entire family encouraged him to follow it.
Elizabeth tried to remain calm while the rest gasped in surprise.
“Mr Darcy? I am sure I do not know why he would come. Is Mr Bingley to come as well? Of course, any friend of Mr Bingley is welcome but…he has never come to visit us before,” Mrs Bennet replied.
“And he is guilty of dear Mr Wickham’s death! Such a handsome man. I shall never forget him!” Lydia wailed.
“I have to say I hate the very sight of him! How can you agree to his call, Mr Bennet? Is this a joke? Are you trying to vex us?” his wife enquired.
“This is as far from a joke as it can be. I am expecting Mr Darcy for a private conference.”
“But why would you?” Mrs Bennet insisted, so Mr Bennet responded with his usual calm.
“Madam, in four and twenty years of marriage, have I ever questioned the reason for your visitors? Have I ever asked about the nature of your conversation with your sister or friends? Have I ever bothered you while you entertain visitors?”
“You have not, but…”
“Then please be so kind as to grant me the same courtesy,” the gentleman requested, silencing any other comment on the lips of his companions.
“Mr Bennet, I believe Mr Collins would also like to have a private conference with you,” Mrs Bennet eventually recalled. “He is set to return to Kent in three days, and he said he had important business to conclude by then. We all know what that might be,” the lady said meaningfully.
“I am afraid you give me too much credit, Mrs Bennet. If he has got important business, I cannot imagine how it might be connected to me. Besides, my cousin is here most of the time, and he already speaks to me more than I would wish him to. Now, please excuse me, I shall be in my library until someone needs me.”
He took a few steps, then turned back. “Jane, in case Mr Bingley happens to join Mr Darcy, please be so kind as to entertain him. I wish to speak to Mr Darcy alone and undisturbed.”
“Very well, Papa,” Jane said, blushing with anticipation.
“Mama, I shall go to my room when Mr Darcy arrives. I have no desire to see him.” Lydia declared.
“Nor do I, Mama!” Kitty agreed.
“Do as you please, girls. I have no desire to see him either. He is such an insufferable man that nobody wants to be in his company!”
Elizabeth wanted to leave the room as well, as she feared that her mother would steer the conversation to another disagreeable subject. She was right but was neither rapid nor lucky enough to avoid it.
“Lizzy, not so fast!” Mrs Bennet called. “We must talk about this affair with Mr Collins.”
“There is no affair with Mr Collins, Mama.”
“Yes, there is! He has indicated to me several times that he is inclined to propose to you. And he said he tried to speak to you but you claimed you were too troubled by the recent tragedy.”
“I did. And I am. Mama, I do not wish to argue with you, but I hope Mr Collins will leave Hertfordshire without making a fool of himself. I shall never agree to marry him, and I intend to tell him so very clearly if he enquires. There is nothing more to be said on this subject.”
“Nothing more to be said? There is plenty to be said, young lady! Whoever marries Mr Collins will one day be the mistress of Longbourn! How can you be so blind to the obvious?”
“I am not blind, Mama. Quite the opposite, I have my eyes wide open.”
“Do you not care that such a marriage would secure our future? That you might save us from being thrown out onto the street and losing our home? Are you that selfish?”
“Mama, you cannot possibly want Lizzy to marry that awful man! I would rather die than do so!” Lydia interjected, only to be punished with a furious glare.
“Dear Mama, this is not the time to speak of such a delicate matter. Our guests might arrive at any moment now, and I would die of shame if Mr Bingley was to hear such a conversation,” Jane, always the conciliator, said calmly.
“Well, we may whisper if you prefer, but you had better do something to secure your Mr Bingley, Jane! If I could see at least one of my daughters happily married, my poor nerves would not be so tormented!”
“Mama!” Jane’s face coloured with mortification, glancing at Elizabeth for help while their mother continued to ramble loudly.
In such moments, Elizabeth could hardly temper her resentment; while their mother was certain she acted to their benefit, she was not able to understand that the result was quite the opposite.
The argument continued until the servant announced the arrival of Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy.
Lydia, Kitty, and even Mary made quickly for their rooms, Mrs Bennet shushing them loudly although she was the one doing all the whispering, and silence fell over the three ladies in the parlour, each of them feigning a demure attitude.
The two gentlemen appeared in the doorway, their countenances very much as was expected: light and joyful, brightened by a smile on one side, scowling and forbidding on the other.
Elizabeth and Jane curtseyed properly while Mrs Bennet spoke, proving that she could indeed cause mortification with every word.
“Mr Bingley, we are so happy to see you at Longbourn again, sir! Please do sit here, near Jane. Mr Darcy, my husband is waiting for you in the library. The servant will show you to him.”
Bingley glanced at his friend with embarrassment, while Elizabeth and Jane turned pale with horror. Darcy bowed his head curtly and followed the servant as though he was eager and relieved to leave their company.
***
When he was introduced to the ladies, Darcy had expected precisely the cold reception he had received.
Mrs Bennet offended him from the first moment, while Elizabeth avoided his gaze entirely and, for the tenth time since receiving Mr Bennet’s note, he wondered why he had been such a fool as to accept that awkward meeting that could bring him nothing good.
He was showed into the library, and upon entering the room, Mr Bennet rose from his chair behind the desk and came to greet him.
They bowed curtly and rather coldly in greeting while Darcy glanced surreptitiously around.
The room seemed comfortable enough, although sparsely furnished.
There were books on every possible surface, and the first surprise was to notice several valuable volumes resting on the wooden shelves that were otherwise modest. The entire room was rather small even for a country manor like Longbourn, but it seemed a warm and pleasant room, used regularly, unlike the large and barely-touched Netherfield library.
For a moment, he imagined Elizabeth discovering the charm of books in that chamber and growing her passion for reading over the years.
“Mr Darcy, please take a seat, sir. I imagine you were surprised by my note, considering we had not even been properly introduced.”
“I confess I was, Mr Bennet.”
“Well, I admit being surprised myself. I apologise if you were offended by such a breach of propriety. I would have never imagined applying to you for a private meeting and certainly not on a subject that might be unpleasant for both of us. I am sure you are curious to know what it is.”
“Not really. I believe I can guess the reason.”
Mr Bennet was slightly puzzled. “Can you? I would be astonished if you could.”
“Mr Bennet, let us be honest with each other and conclude this conversation quickly and civilly. I know Wickham was a friend of your family and that Miss Elizabeth held him in high regard. I also know that he shared with her some stories about our common past, complaining about how cruelly I treated him. I assume that you are also aware of the speculations regarding my recent encounter with him and probably suspect I am to blame for his tragic passing.”
“Mr Darcy—” the elder gentleman tried to stop him, but Darcy was too perturbed to hear anything and continued his rant.
“Although I am in no way bound to provide any explanation, I assure you that such conjecture is entirely false, just as Wickham’s allegations were.
I am certain Miss Elizabeth believed him — he was always proficient in deceiving people with his appearance.
I shall speak no further on the matter, as I do not wish to pain Miss Elizabeth even more.
Besides, revealing that man’s true character is of no use to anyone now. ”
He finally stopped to catch his breath and, to his disbelief and even annoyance, he noticed a trace of something very much like amusement on Mr Bennet’s face.
“You seem quite confident in your knowledge and presumptions, Mr Darcy, and I am almost sorry to say your conjecture is completely wrong. Both in regard to the reason for my invitation as well as to my daughter’s feelings that you claim to protect.”
“I beg your pardon?” Darcy replied, feeling the barely hidden mockery in his host’s tone.
“You see, Mr Darcy, I do not need to believe any speculation concerning your encounter with Mr Wickham, because Lizzy was there. So, she knew — she truly knew, without presumptions — how it happened.”
The stupefaction silenced Darcy for a moment, and he closely regarded his companion, still doubting his seriousness. Mr Bennet observed him until, eventually, his companion spoke.
“Miss Elizabeth was there? But where? How? There was nobody there, I assure you!”
The annoyingly half-scolding grin returned to Mr Bennet’s lips. “I notice a tendency to be readily sure of yourself, Mr Darcy. I assume — as I cannot be certain — that this is a trait of young men of consequence who are rarely contradicted. And yet, I must do so one more time.”