17. The Correction
Chapter 17
The Correction
O nce Mr. Darcy had gotten back to his hotel room, he was resolved.
He could not leave Milton! No, he must stay! From his experience with Mr. Dennison, to seeing the state of Frances Street. He could not leave Miss Elizabeth alone in this dreadful place.
Even though she had rejected his proposal, he could not deny the pleasure of seeing her, nor could he abide knowing he left her to remain not fully safe. She did not ask him to help her, and she never would. However, he flattered himself that she would understand why he did anyway.
However, he couldn’t remain in the hotel forever, so it perhaps would be best for him to rent an establishment eventually. The next day, he would visit Thornton and ask him what the best way would be to find proper lodgings to rent from anyone.
Next, he dismissed the idea, in place of a better one that he felt that he should have identified earlier.
After coming to that resolution, it now came time for him to set all his other affairs in order. Tomorrow, he would have his valet, Jefferson, compose letters to his housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, to understand that he would not return to Pemberley as he had expected. Next, they would have to write to his Aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, to tell her that he would remain in the North for a longer duration.
The last two letters were not ones that he ought to have his valet compose but were now his responsibility.
Sitting down, he wrote a letter to his sister, Georgiana, who was staying in town with her friends. She needed to know where he was and why his plans had been changed. He also wondered if she would wish to visit him there, for the sake of a change of scene and society. For wherever Mr. Wickham was in the world, it definitely was NOT in the North. If she came, he knew that she would at least enjoy knowing that she wouldn’t encounter a man who almost destroyed her life.
The last letter to write had to have been the harder one.
For this one required him to confront his own error and guilt. This one required more weight behind his words and more deliberation on how things ought to be phrased. At some point, he had to get up and eat some dinner to refresh himself before he continued, to gather his wits again.
At last, he finished his letter, near the midnight hour. Prepared, at last, he rubbed his eyes and read it over.
Dear Bingley,
I write to you as a friend, who needs to reconcile himself with the actions of his past. More important, I come to you as a man who has to confront an error that may have been made.
I just acknowledge that I start at the end, rather than the beginning. Allow me to correct that.
As you know, I am visiting an acquaintance of mine here in Milton, Mr. John Thornton, manufacturer and magistrate. When coming, I was surprised to discover mutual friends of ours: the Bennet sisters of Longbourn.
Or rather, three of the five. Miss Mary Bennet remains in town, working for her uncle, a Mr. Gardiner. The youngest, Miss Lydia, is married to an officer, Denny—which is not wholly unexpected, when we analyze her character.
However, the other three sisters, Miss Jane Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, and Miss Kitty, are living here, in the North. Miss Kitty is a chambermaid to The King’s Hotel, Miss Elizabeth is a professional notetaker to a Granger Hall, where classes are held. And Miss Jane Bennet…is a governess to a family named Kirkpatrick. They are now women of profession.
I am aware that this will come as a surprise to you, for you are not aware of their present situation.
And here is where one of my many sins must come to light.
This sin is withholding information that you had the right to know of.
As you know, the Bennets cousin is Mr. Collins, and my aunt is his patroness. Well, she wrote to me a few months ago, to inform me that she was seeking a new reverend for her parish, since Mr. Collins now had become a gentleman who owned Longbourn.
Naturally, when hearing this, I wrote to her to elaborate on the matter.
Over time, I would learn everything. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet passed away in a carriage accident, thus leaving all five sisters orphaned, and with little to live on. At this time, Lydia married Denny, to save herself from destitution and from being unprotected.
Since Mr. Collins had been recently married, he naturally was all too eager to take possession of Longbourn. Having to relieve his post, he placed him and his new wife in Longbourn, as their new master and mistress very quickly.
The Bennet sisters were encouraged to find another place to live. Until they were ready to find employment, they were homeless. Mr. Collins wrote back to Lady Catherine about how they were staying with their aunt and uncle, the Philips, or the Gardiners. Once they all found employment, they scattered in different directions. I lost track of their whereabouts.
When coming to Milton, I found out what happened to them. And that is how I found them here.
Bingley, to see them thus… I am humbled. I had wronged them. I know this now.
More importantly, I have recently begun to entertain the fact that I misjudged the state of your relationship with Miss Bennet. You know how I watched you and Miss Bennet most acutely and observed how her affection for you was not as deep as yours. All that I saw was a woman who did not love you in the way that you loved her. Believe me, I was doing my best to save you from heartbreak, or from being ensnared by a woman who was choosing you for your wealth, and not for your character.
Since my coming to Milton, I have made a further acquaintance with Miss Elizabeth. The more that I have spoken with her, the more that I discovered that I willfully misunderstood Miss Bennet’s nature. She is not indifferent, as I had determined. Rather, she may perhaps just be somewhat shy, and is averse to exposing her feelings to the eyes of the world.
When it comes to securing a person’s heart, I do not regard this as being the best plan on Miss Bennet’s part, but that is her right to be so.
Thus, Bingley, I lay my truth before you and I apologize for what I have done. If you can forgive me, perhaps we can set about repairing any injuries that I may have inflicted.
Would you come to Milton? Would you come to see Miss Bennet?
If you do, please write back to me as soon as possible to inform me of when you shall come. The sooner that you arrive, the better it shall be.
F.D.
The next morning, Darcy had Jefferson send the letter by express, hoping to hear from Bingley soon.