Chapter 16
Elizabeth’s Bedchamber
That Evening
Beyond the curtains drawn across the window, frost was already curling over the glass panes.
Inside, the fire was keeping Elizabeth’s room comfortably warm, though she had moved the settee closer to the hearth and the leaping flames there.
She and Jane sat side-by-side in their nightgowns, elbows just brushing as they spoke together in soft voices.
All day, Elizabeth had waited impatiently to share with her favorite sister the news of her walk home from Meryton.
Now, ensconced in her room away from listening ears, she had described to Jane the chance encounter with the carriage, Mr. Darcy alighting to walk with her, and his suggestion of an unofficial courtship.
She refrained from speaking of the affront perpetrated against Mrs. Bingley, because although Jane was the very soul of compassion and discretion, the secret was not Elizabeth’s to tell. Her own news was delightful enough.
“Oh, Lizzy, that is so very exciting!” Jane said, gazing fondly at her.
Elizabeth smiled, though a little doubtfully. “You do not think it is odd given that Mr. Darcy was engaged to Caroline until a few days ago?”
Jane’s lovely forehead wrinkled, and she said after a moment, “No, I do not. Neither of you behaved dishonorably in any way, after all. Mr. Darcy was loyal to Caroline until she broke off the engagement, and you, while you obviously admired Mr. Darcy, were careful to behave in a virtuous way.”
Elizabeth felt her cheeks flush at these words, and she asked, “Was my interest so obvious, Jane?”
“To others, no, not at all, but I have known you your entire life, dear sister. Moreover, I think Mr. Darcy is the perfect man for you, Lizzy. He is very intelligent and hardworking, and Colonel Fitzwilliam thinks him one of the best men of his acquaintance.”
Elizabeth beamed at this description of the man she favored, but she could not help but ask, “Speaking of Colonel Fitzwilliam, what do you think of him? He has been spending a great deal of time with you. Do you think you and he will make a match of it?”
To her considerable surprise, Jane promptly shook her head and said, “No.”
“No? Then why is he so often found in your company?”
“He has told me that he finds me very restful,” Jane replied, “and indeed, I think he might have fallen in love if I had not discouraged him.”
“You do not like him?” Elizabeth asked in amazement.
“I like him very well, but I do not love him, Lizzy. Moreover, within two weeks of my meeting the colonel, I realized that he would not be happy with me, because I do not have a dowry.”
Elizabeth looked at her sister with amazement. “Jane, are you saying that Colonel Fitzwilliam is a fortune hunter?”
“No, not at all. The colonel is a good man, but he has told me himself that because he grew up in a wealthy family, he has inflated habits of expense. He has mentioned that he might be able to scale back his purchases of food and clothing and drink, but I am quietly confident that if he did offer, and I accepted, and we married, he would find the pinch of comparative poverty rather too much for him.”
“In my opinion, the younger son of an earl can know very little of poverty. Now seriously, what has Colonel Fitzwilliam ever known of self-denial and dependence? When has he ever been prevented by want of money from going wherever he wanted, or prevented from acquiring whatever he wished for?”
“As a younger son, he was required to make the army his profession. He has fought on the battlefields of Portugal. I believe there is a great deal of self-denial in that life.”
Elizabeth winced and said, “Forgive me, Jane. You are, of course, correct. That was unkind of me. I suppose I am disappointed, as I would very much like to see you well settled.”
“Thank you, Lizzy, but I beg you not to worry about me. God has a plan for me, as He has a plan for you, and perhaps His plan for you includes the fascinating and handsome Mr. Darcy.”
Elizabeth felt her lips curl up, and she said, “I hope so. But pray do not mention anything to Mamma, Jane. I do not wish for her to…”
She trailed off, and Jane reached over to pat her sister’s hand. “I understand entirely, Lizzy. Now, we ought to take to our beds.”
“Indeed, we should.”
***
Drawing Room
Netherfield Hall
Noon
Wednesday, 1st January, 1812
At the suggestion of both Darcy and Caroline, Charles Bingley had sent a note to Longbourn on New Year’s Eve, inviting the family to spend the entirety of New Year’s Day at Netherfield, culminating in a fine dinner that evening.
Only an hour later, an affirmative reply had been delivered to Netherfield, borne by a stable boy replenished for his journey by a liberal helping of leftover wassail.
Accordingly, at ten o’clock in the morning on New Year’s Day, the Bennet carriage arrived at Netherfield Hall and disgorged the majority of the family, save the younger two, who were in London.
The hall was, for a moment, very full of Bennets, and the maids ran to and fro assisting the ladies to divest themselves of hats and pelisses and gloves. Caroline and Darcy stood aside until Mr. Bennet and his womenfolk were ready, and then escorted them into the drawing room.
Now everyone was arranged around the drawing room with tea and scones, and conversation flourished.
For the moment, Caroline was not speaking with any of their guests but merely basking in the atmosphere, sipping her tea and enjoying the warmth and the company.
The fire crackling in the hearth provided a lovely counterpoint to the powder dusting of snow clinging to the window frames, a whitened world visible beyond.
A fine sift was still falling, completing the picturesque scene.
Her gaze wandered from the white-frosted window to the Christmas tree, still fragrant and beautiful, despite its needles slowly drying out and becoming brittle.
The fruit decorating it was starting to shrivel, and the leaves of the Christmas greenery were beginning to wilt.
Four more days of enjoying it all, Caroline thought warmly, and then the festivities of Twelfth Night.
She reached for another scone from the platter on the coffee table.
They really were delicious, and Caroline took a moment to savor a bite as she relished the peace in the room.
Just as Christmas with the Bennets had been improved by her mother’s absence, so were the celebrations of New Year’s more festive without the woman casting a cloud over the proceedings.
Even the servants, and perhaps especially the servants, felt the reprieve of the haughty lady’s oversight.
The maids were more cheerful, and the footmen a trifle less wooden in their correctness.
At this moment, Caroline was particularly relieved that the Bennets were able to visit with no thought of being subject to her mother’s disdain, chiefly because, unless she was mistaken, Elizabeth and Darcy would make a match of it.
Her eyes drifted to the table set beneath the large window in the far wall, where Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bennet were bent over a chessboard.
A number of claimed pieces already sat in front of both players, the remaining pieces on the board hotly contested.
Elizabeth was in a chair near the contest, still and silent as a mouse, but her slightly inclined posture and riveted gaze spoke to her interest in the proceedings, slow as they seemed to Caroline.
It was just another example, Caroline thought, of how much better suited to Darcy was Elizabeth than she herself. She found chess boring and would not have been interested in patiently waiting for two skilled players to deliberate over a tricky game.
She smiled at the memory of their conversation two days previously, when she had, as soon as was possible, pounced on Darcy to ask about his walk with Elizabeth Bennet.
His normally solemn expression had been lightened by a smile as he had disclosed their unofficial courtship, and Caroline had signaled her approval.
For her own part, she was tired of such delicacy and subterfuge, after so long keeping secret her distaste for her own arranged match, but Darcy was naturally of a cautious nature, and Elizabeth had never behaved in any manner that would give rise to doubts as to her discretion.
Still, an unofficial courtship could easily result in an official courtship, and that, Caroline hoped, would lead eventually to a match between the two.
“I am so very glad that you are feeling better, Mrs. Hurst,” a female voice said from her right, and Caroline turned toward Mrs. Bennet and her sister Louisa, who were seated across from one another near the fire.
“Thank you, Mrs. Bennet,” Louisa said with a faint smile. “I did not realize how poorly I would feel, but of course it is all worth it.”
“It is,” Mrs. Bennet said, turning to look fondly at her eldest daughter, who was sitting in a corner speaking with Georgiana Bingley. “Now, I hope you do not mind me asking, is Mr. Hurst’s estate entailed away from the female line?”
“It is not,” Mrs. Hurst said with a brisk nod. “I am thankful for that.”
“And well you should be,” the older woman said indignantly. “I cannot imagine what Mr. Bennet’s father was thinking when he arranged for Longbourn to be entailed away from his female descendants!”
“It is hard indeed,” Mrs. Hurst said sympathetically. “May I ask the identity of the heir? Does Mr. Bennet have a brother?”
“He does not, nor even any close cousins. I have never met the heir, a Mr. Collins, and I hope I never do!”
“I can well understand that,” Louisa said soothingly. “Now, Mrs. Bennet, what do you think of our Christmas tree? Do you think it beautiful or odd?”
“I rather think both,” Mrs. Bennet replied, turning to gaze on the tree. “Will you be lighting the candles tonight after dinner?”
“We will, though with care,” Louisa said. “It is getting rather dry now, and of course we do not wish for a fire. Indeed, we will have a bucket of water nearby just in case…”
A comfortable conversation continued between the older ladies, and Caroline found herself lost in her own thoughts again.
Although it was perhaps a trifle gauche of Mrs. Bennet to inquire about a possible Hurst entail, Caroline could not find it in herself to blame the lady.
What a worrisome situation hers was! To be in latent but constant danger of losing her home would be enough to wear on the nerves of anyone, and if the Bennet girls had dowries of any significance, it was likely that Caroline would have heard of it already.
Though in some ways, the circumstances only showed the girls in a better light.
Many a young lady in a similar position would let her anxiety lead her into indelicacy; flirtatiousness, putting herself forward, trying to catch a husband as was not at all uncommon among Society, anyway.
Yet the Bennet girls were, on the whole, decorously behaved.
Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia were admittedly young, and in some strata of society, they would not even be out of the schoolroom yet, but they were not boisterous or vulgar, which was to the credit of their parents.
They were all of them good girls, Caroline thought with affection as she glanced around the room, and good friends.
Her eyes landed last on Elizabeth, leaning towards the chess game with acute interest, and Caroline took a moment to send a prayer heavenward.
If it were the Father’s will, she would be happy indeed to see Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet joined in marriage.
Darcy was a good man, kindly and generous and honorable, and Caroline knew well that those whom God entrusted to Darcy’s care would be protected and provided for through flood and fire and storm.
***
Dining Room
Netherfield Hall
Later
Darcy reached out to take a bowl of mashed potatoes, just as his companion to his right did exactly the same thing.
He dropped his hand instantly and turned a rueful smile on Elizabeth Bennet, who grinned at him, picked up the bowl, spooned a portion onto her plate, and then handed the bowl to him.
He took it, and their hands brushed, and he felt the tingle from that touch run up his arm.
It took considerable effort on his part not to reach out to touch her again, even as his mind and heart marveled over his response to this woman.
How had he even imagined marrying Caroline when he could pursue, and hopefully wed, a woman who lit his heart on fire?
“I believe you mentioned to my father, while you were playing chess with him, that you have been to the Lakes,” Miss Elizabeth said.
“I have, yes,” Darcy replied, forcing himself with some difficulty to retain some semblance of calm. “It is a truly lovely area of our fair kingdom.”
“I remember the Lakes as well,” Georgiana remarked from across the table, and Darcy turned a fond look on his sister.
She had always been a shy creature, and ever since Wickham’s actions at Ramsgate, even more timid, but she had taken to the Bennets with remarkable ease.
“I was very small, but I recall our mother holding me in a boat as the servants paddled over a stretch of water to an island, where we had a picnic.”
“I am amazed you can remember that,” Darcy said, “as you must have been three years old at the time. That was a marvelous trip. I was fifteen years old and home from school. Our father was able to take some time away from Pemberley, and we spent three full weeks together touring the Lakes, and we even journeyed into Scotland for a week.”
“I think I remember seeing a castle,” Georgiana continued dreamily, and Elizabeth said, “Which one, do you know?”
“I have no idea,” the younger lady admitted with a chuckle. “Indeed, I am not entirely certain whether there was a real castle, or it was merely a dream.”
“It was real,” Darcy said, and turned toward Miss Elizabeth. “It was Dunstaffnage Castle, from the 1300s. It is mostly made of stone, though it is decaying in some ways from lack of upkeep. It is a remarkable place.”
“It sounds as if it is,” Elizabeth said with glowing eyes. “Oh, how lovely to see some of the great buildings of Scotland. Did you happen to visit Edinburgh?”
“We did not,” Darcy replied, “as we traveled along the western portion of Scotland…”
The cheerful conversation continued until it was time for the ladies to leave the gentlemen to their port, and Darcy, when he watched Elizabeth depart, could not help but imagine her at Pemberley.
She would grace the halls of his family mansion with lightness and love and energy, and he sent a fervent prayer heavenward that he would be able to win her heart and hand.