Chapter 1 #2
“That would be delightful,” Wickham said and, after bestowing a last smile upon Elizabeth, turned on his heel and marched toward the door with Captain Carter in tow.
Elizabeth returned the smile and turned her attention to Jane, who had received a letter during the officers’ visit and was obviously distressed by it.
As soon as the door shut behind their visitors, Jane glanced at Elizabeth and stood up, clearly desirous of speaking.
Elizabeth followed her up to her own bedchamber and demanded, “Whatever is wrong, Jane?”
Jane, the eldest and most handsome of the five Bennet daughters, sighed deeply and pulled out the letter.
“This letter is from Caroline Bingley, and what it contains has surprised me a good deal. The whole party has left Netherfield by this time and is on their way to town … and without any intention of coming back again. You shall hear what she says.”
My sister and I, and all our party, have decided to follow my brother to town directly, and mean to dine today at Grosvenor Street, where Mr. Hurst has a house.
I do not pretend to regret anything I shall leave in Hertfordshire, except your society, my dearest friend; but we will hope, at some future period, to enjoy many returns of that delightful intercourse we have known, and meanwhile may lessen the pain of separation by a very frequent and most unreserved correspondence. I depend on you for that.
Elizabeth frowned at these high-flown phrases. She did not like or trust Caroline Bingley, who was a haughty social climber and had, Elizabeth thought, taken Jane up as a friend more because she was bored in the country than due to genuine affection.
“I am sorry you will not see your friends before they leave Netherfield Hall,” she said aloud, “but I hope that Miss Bingley will soon have the pleasure of seeing you again at your wedding to her brother. Mr. Bingley has no reason to stay in Town merely because his sisters are there!”
Jane shook her head disconsolately. “Caroline says very clearly that none of the party will remain in Hertfordshire for the winter. Let me read it to you.”
When my brother left us yesterday, he imagined that the business which took him to London might be concluded in three or four days; but we think that when Charles gets to Town he will be in no hurry to leave it again.
Many of my acquaintances are already there for the winter, and he will doubtless find plenty of reasons to remain in Town.
Mr. Darcy is impatient to see his sister; and, to confess the truth, we are scarcely less eager to meet her again.
I really do not think Georgiana Darcy has her equal for beauty, elegance, and accomplishments; and the affection she inspires in Louisa and myself is heightened into something still more interesting, from the hope we dare entertain of her soon being our sister.
I do not know whether I ever before mentioned to you my feelings on this subject; but I will not leave the country without confiding them, and I trust you will not esteem them unreasonably.
My brother admires her greatly already; he will have frequent opportunity now of seeing her on the most intimate footing; her relations all wish the connection as much as his own; and a sister’s partiality is not misleading me, I think, when I call Charles most capable of engaging any woman’s heart.
With all these circumstances to favor an attachment, and nothing to prevent it, am I wrong, my dearest Jane, in indulging the hope of an event which will secure the happiness of so many?
“What do you think of this sentence, my dear Lizzy?” said Jane as she finished it.
“Is it not clear enough? Does it not expressly declare that Caroline does not want me as a sister, that she is perfectly convinced of her brother’s indifference, and that if she suspects the nature of my feelings for him, she means to put me on my guard?
Can there be any other opinion on the subject? ”
Elizabeth surprised them both by releasing a yelp of frustration, which caused Jane to rear back in wide-eyed surprise.
“I am sorry, Jane,” Elizabeth said in exasperation, “but you are far too trusting! Of course there is a far more reasonable explanation, and it is this; Caroline sees that Mr. Bingley is in love with you and she wants him to marry Miss Darcy, who is rich and the niece of an earl. She and Mrs. Hurst are following their brother to Town in the hope of keeping him there and are trying to persuade you that he does not care about you. It is entirely absurd!”
“If we thought alike of Miss Bingley,” replied her sister, “your representation of all this might make me quite easy. But I know the foundation is unjust. Caroline is incapable of willfully deceiving anyone, and all that I can hope in this case is that she is deceiving herself.”
Elizabeth swallowed hard and forced herself to take a few moments before speaking. She loved Jane. She adored Jane. But it was frustrating that her elder sister assumed that everyone was as kindly and principled as she was.
“Jane,” she said as steadily as she could manage, “Caroline Bingley looks down on us. I know she does. She, well … when you were sick at Netherfield…”
“What happened?” Jane demanded.
“I was walking in the shrubbery one day with Mrs. Hurst and overheard Miss Bingley conversing with Mr. Darcy. She was openly mocking our Uncle Phillips by comparing him to one of Mr. Darcy’s uncles, who is a judge. You did not hear her tone, Jane!”
“Indeed, I did not,” Jane answered, looking troubled. “But perhaps you misunderstood? What was Mr. Darcy saying?”
“I did not hear what he was saying – his voice is deep and does not carry like Miss Bingley’s shrill tones. In any case, it was a private conversation…”
“Which you ought not to have been listening to,” Jane said with quiet reproof.
“I did not mean to eavesdrop, of course. Miss Bingley was speaking loudly, and Mrs. Hurst and I happened to be nearby.”
“Did you actually speak to Miss Bingley?” her sister asked uneasily.
“Oh yes, we met them when the paths intersected, and Mrs. Hurst was indignant that the others had gone out without telling her. She immediately abandoned me and hurried to take Mr. Darcy’s other arm.”
“That was rude!”
“It was, though I did not mind in the least, as I had no desire to stay with them. Mr. Darcy suggested we shift to the lane to make more space, but I insisted that they stay together so I could ramble alone.”
“That was courteous of Mr. Darcy, at any rate.”
Elizabeth wrinkled her nose and nodded. “I suppose. Given that his first act on seeing me was to insult my beauty, I confess it is surprising.”
Jane regarded her in wonder. “I did not realize that you disliked Mr. Bingley’s family and closest friend so very much, Lizzy.”
Elizabeth blew out a breath. “Well, the truth is that I do dislike all of them except Mr. Bingley, who is as charming and generous a man as I could ever hope to meet.”
“If we do marry, you will need to interact with the rest of the family on a regular basis, and Mr. Darcy is Mr. Bingley’s closest friend.”
“I know, and frankly I find it bewildering. Mr. Darcy is so rude, and his treatment of Mr. Wickham is … well, in any case, I can and will be polite, and of course I will be. I do think you and Mr. Bingley are perfect for one another.”
“If he comes back,” Jane said, looking at her letter, and then repeated softly, “If he comes back.”