Chapter 9 #2
“As for how I happened to be in the same spot,” Elizabeth added, “I may say it was the opposite! They happened to agree upon meeting in the same spot I have walked to since I was a child — long before either of the two gentlemen heard about it.”
“Very well, Miss Bennet. I concur that we should go and see this place for ourselves. Your presence is not required, and I thank you both, Mr and Miss Bennet, for coming today and for your forbearance. Please know that we do appreciate your support, and the information you provided is exceedingly useful,” the magistrate declared.
“If I may,” Colonel Forster added, “I know you and your sisters were close friends with Wickham, Miss Bennet, so allow me to offer you my condolences for his death. We are, of course, all shocked and grieved by the tragedy.”
“It is always a tragedy when a young man passes away and a life is wasted,” Elizabeth replied curtly. “May I be of any more help to you, gentlemen?”
“No, indeed,” the magistrate concluded. “Your confession was as unexpected as it was valuable.”
“Yes, but I only witnessed what Mr Wickham did prior to my leaving for home.” Elizabeth pointed out. “He was fast approaching the town at that point. Whatever happened afterwards must have occurred in the proximity of Meryton.”
“We assumed as much, considering where he was found,” the magistrate said in conclusion.
“Well, I am glad we could oblige you, gentlemen. From this point on, we count on your success in solving this unfortunate puzzle,” Mr Bennet said.
“Miss Bennet, we must warn you that your confession must be mentioned in my report,” the magistrate added. “It might not be possible to keep the secret.”
“It is no secret on my part, sir,” Elizabeth responded. “You may unveil it publicly if it will lead to the truth.”
“Besides, while I was talking to my daughter about this meeting, my wife heard our conversation,” Mr Bennet added. “Therefore, if it was a secret, it will be so no longer. My wife and younger daughters enjoy nothing more than sharing rumours— especially new ones — with the entire neighbourhood.
“I know only too well how women…err…excuse me, Miss Bennet…well, my wife is also fond of sharing secrets,” Colonel Forster said in jest, covering up his misstep.
The magistrate, however, was neither amused nor pleased and said coldly, “It would have been better if such information had not become public knowledge yet.”
Mr Bennet’s eyebrow arched with vexation at the scolding, and he replied with a tone that was half joking, half admonishing.
“Perhaps. But what harm could it do? The gossip about Mr Wickham’s meeting with Mr Darcy was quickly spread in the neighbourhood and not because of my family.
Therefore, the truth about the encounter should be widely known too, if only to stop speculation and rumours and to lead your investigation down the right path. ”
“Err…well, yes…” the magistrate mumbled, obviously surprised by the harsh reply. Colonel Forster seemed embarrassed by the rebuke, too.
“I believe that will be all for now. If you need us, we shall not be far away,” Mr Bennet concluded the conversation.
Elizabeth felt amused by her father’s determination in handling the meeting.
She had rarely seen him so decided, so serious, and so sharp in a situation that was not directly related to their family.
He usually simply ignored, did not care, or dismissed any source of distress — quite the opposite to his present behaviour.
Once they were outside, Mr Bennet smiled at his daughter.
“It is done, Lizzy.”
They entered the carriage and closed the door. Elizabeth would much rather have walked, but on a cold winter day it would have been impossible to convince her father to agree to such an endeavour.
“Yes, Papa, it is done. I confess I feel much better now. And I very much enjoyed your manner of handling the discussion.”
“To be honest, I was quite vexed at some points. I expected that they would be surprised and somewhat doubtful of your narration, but I could not stand their repeated enquiries and implied reproaches. Especially in regard to the ‘secrecy’, as though our family were solely at fault.”
“True. They were somehow condescending yet with a superior air that reminded me of Mr Darcy at times. And of Mr Bingley’s sisters all the time,” Elizabeth laughed.
“Lizzy, I have seen nothing of Darcy’s condescension. I have found him to be a fellow mostly to my liking. By the way, remind me to send a note to him about how everything went, although I expect the magistrate will inform him about the latest news.”
“Well, Papa, a man who speaks little, is fond of books, loathes balls, parties, and small talk must be to your liking.”
“I admit being guilty of this charge. As I see it, Darcy’s main fault, for which I shall never forgive him, is his poor taste, since he called you tolerable. I do not mind him being rude to others, but I do hold against him his lack of civility towards you.”
“Well, Papa, rich people always believe they are entitled to give offence to those beneath them. He did offend me, but I was not kind to him either. I have long forgotten that incident, and it actually makes me feel slightly less guilty for misjudging Mr Darcy based on Mr Wickham’s accusations only. ”
“You might be right. It is unfortunate that the poor fellow will probably end up marrying a stiff, rich heiress with more beauty than sense and wit and more fortune and connections than spirit and liveliness.”
Elizabeth laughed again heartily, just as the carriage stopped in front of Longbourn.
“Papa, let us not pity Mr Darcy. I am very sure that, whoever he decides to marry, she will be very much to his liking.”
They entered the house, ready to leave behind the trepidation of the day and return to their usual, more calm, daily life, only to be instantly alerted by Mrs Bennet’s voice reaching them from the drawing-room.”
“Mr Bennet! Mr Bennet! You will not believe what tragedy has happened! We are all lost — and it is entirely your fault, Lizzy!”
Mr Bennet listened to his wife’s unrestrained cries with practised patience and, undisturbed, stepped towards the drawing-room while handing his hat and cloak to the ever impassive Hill.
“I am content to see that you and our daughters are unharmed, so I must ask what has happened this time that has troubled you so deeply, madam? And why would you blame Lizzy, since she has been with me all day?”
“Mr Bennet, we are lost! Mr Collins proposed to Charlotte Lucas only this morning, and she accepted him! He came to personally inform us, and now he has gone back to spend the rest of the day with the Lucases! He said he would marry very soon! What shall we do?” Mrs Bennet continued to lament, her voice loud and piercing, while waving and twisting her handkerchief when she was not dabbing non-existent tears from the corner of her eyes.
And yet, Mr Bennet remained unimpressed.
“This is a tragedy indeed, but there is nothing I can do to avoid it. Only Sir William may prevent his daughter from persisting in such an error.”
Mrs Bennet stared at him in complete shock, trying to comprehend his response, then turned a dangerous hue of red and burst out in angry despair, “Mr Bennet! How can you say that? How can you be so careless and cruel? You and your favourite daughter, who refused a perfectly good husband without even giving him the opportunity to propose and without sparing the rest of us a thought! She has exposed all of us to homelessness, poverty, and starvation, for I know that Charlotte Lucas will throw us all out of our home!”
Mr Bennet knitted his brows for a moment and then rubbed his jaw as though in contemplation.
Then he addressed his wife, nonplussed, “Forgive me, madam, do I look dead to you? I feel lively enough if I may dare to say so. In regard to Mr Collins, I congratulate myself for raising a daughter wiser than Charlotte Lucas — who I have always appreciated until now. If this makes me cruel and careless, I apologise. It is too late for any amends.”
“But, Mr Bennet!” his wife cried, but he waved his hand, ready to withdraw to his room. After a short glance through the window, he continued imperturbably.
“Mrs Bennet, you had better dry your eyes. I can see Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy approaching the gate. Who knows? Perhaps you will find a better husband for one of your daughters, and your distress will be soon soothed.”
While the ladies all hurried to the windows, straightening their skirts and fixing their hairpins, he instructed the servant to bring the gentlemen to the library and closed the door behind him.