Chapter 3
RUMOURS AND HEARSAY
Elizabeth had readily perceived that Colonel Fitzwilliam, for all his affability, was the sort of man who liked to chew over the news of the day.
For any person that was seen, he had an amusing story or interesting titbit to relate, and he had no scruples in relating them.
Thus it was that at length, she said, “I am surprised Mr and Miss Bingley are not here. I understood them to be great friends of Mr Darcy’s. ”
“Mr Bingley certainly is. For Miss Bingley, I daresay there is less attachment on his side than on hers, and certainly less affection.” Then, with a little light in his eye, he added, “They were at school together, Bingley and Darcy, and Darcy made it his business to see that Bingley did as he ought and was not tormented by the older boys.”
“I had that impression, that Mr Darcy took good care of Mr Bingley.”
“Care of him! Yes, I really believe Darcy does take care of him in those points where he most wants care. In fact, Bingley is lately very much indebted to him for having saved him from a most imprudent attachment.”
I knew it! Just when I had been imagining a more benevolent Mr Darcy, I am reminded of his true character!
Elizabeth hid the flash of righteous fury within her from her partner and said, remarkably mildly, “Indeed?”
“But I ought to beg his pardon, for I have no right to suppose that Bingley was the person meant. I only suspected it to be Bingley from believing him the kind of young man to get into a scrape of that sort, and from knowing that he was lately with him at a place called Heatherfield.”
“Netherfield,” said Elizabeth.
“What is that?”
“The estate Mr Bingley leased is called Netherfield Park. That was where Mr Darcy was all the autumn.”
“Oh.”
As they were then skipping down the line, hands joined, Elizabeth could not see the expression on the colonel’s countenance; for that pleasure she would need to wait.
When they had again a moment for conversation, the colonel said, looking decidedly sheepish, “I daresay you must know of—”
“It was my sister,” she said flatly. “The very one you met not an hour ago.”
“Oh,” he said again. Then, with a smile that may have mollified another more tractable woman, he added, “Well, as I said, I am only supposing—”
She cut him off. “Did Mr Darcy give you his reasons for this interference?”
“I must repeat that I do not truly know—”
“Come now, Colonel. What were his reasons?”
“I-I believe that—”
“Was it because we have no fortune?”
“N-no, he did not—”
“Ill-behaved family? Relations in trade?”
The colonel chuckled uncomfortably. “As your relations in trade are here in his home this evening, I cannot think that was his hesitation. He admires Mr Gardiner enormously. I have heard him say so himself.”
You are being boorish and ill-mannered. It will not do.
“Thank you,” Elizabeth said, striving to calm herself. “Forgive me…I-I am taking you to task when you have nothing to do with it.”
“Think of it no longer,” the colonel said gallantly. “But I must say the rage of a wounded female is the equal of any of Napoleon’s troops, I assure you!”
She laughed again then offered the colonel a conciliatory smile. “Pray forgive me, and let us speak on pleasanter subjects.”
“Not at all,” he said warmly. “After all, it was my wagging tongue that began the topic, was it not? And here I only meant to impress Darcy’s goodness upon you. There is little he would not do for someone who is his friend.”
Mr Darcy’s goodness! She wanted to scoff at that but refrained. She had been contentious enough for one dance.
“Allow me to add only this—Darcy would not separate his friend from someone he really loved based merely on prudence.”
“Perhaps then Mr Bingley was not as attached to my sister as we had believed,” Elizabeth said lightly.
The colonel paused then, glancing over to where Jane was speaking with a gentleman unknown to Elizabeth. Elizabeth cared not who the man was; she was merely happy to see Jane enjoying herself.
“Your sister is very beautiful, and by all accounts, exceedingly sweet,” the colonel began carefully.
“I do not doubt that Bingley was in love with her. Wherever he goes, he is in love with some lady or another. But I do not think he had any real idea of a permanent attachment. I daresay it might have been imprudent on both sides had the affair continued.”
Darcy’s chest was tight as he strode down the hall towards his bedchamber. Mr Collins had proposed to his Elizabeth! The unmitigated audacity of the man!
The door to Georgiana’s chambers opened as he drew near, and his sister yelped with the surprise of seeing him. “Brother!”
“Forgive me.” He stopped and gained command of himself enough to say, “The ball is an unqualified success. Your arrangements have been complimented profusely by all, including Lady Warwick, who is notoriously critical.”
“Thank you…I think? You said that in the accents of someone who has just learnt bad news.”
“In fact, I did.” He shook his head. “But no mind for that.”
Georgiana made no move to retreat and only stood staring at him, her soft brown eyes penetrating him. “The bad news is troubling to you, it seems.”
“I shall be well.” He forced a smile. “Fear not.”
“You would honour me if you spoke of it to me,” she said, and he saw then how she twisted her hands in front of her. She would suffer anxiety until he told her it was nothing to be afraid of.
“It is nothing to be concerned about,” he said. “Truly, nothing at all. But I recently learnt that Miss Elizabeth Bennet—”
“From Hertfordshire!” Georgiana exclaimed. “Oh yes! I thought it rather singular when you mentioned her in your letters. Is she here? Can I meet her?”
Darcy drew back. “I never mentioned her in my letters.”
“You certainly did. You said she teased you and challenged you but that she was so sweet that it was impossible to be offended by her.”
Darcy’s neck grew hot under his cravat. “I am sure I said no such thing.”
“I still have the letters,” Georgiana said. “Shall I go and retrieve them?”
“No, no…I…well, very well, I um, yes, met her in Hertfordshire, and I recently learnt someone made her an offer of marriage.”
Georgiana’s face fell, leaving him in no doubt of her hopes for the lady. “So she is engaged? And that is the bad news?”
He shook his head. “No, she is not engaged. She refused the man.”
Georgiana pursed her lips. “I am afraid I do not understand.”
Darcy sighed and took two steps down the hall then two steps back. “Her charms are not unrecognised by others, and should I delay…I just might lose her.”
“Do you mean to say you will propose to her?”
“Yes. No. I do not know!” He began to pace. “She was not raised as…as other ladies. As you, for example. She…her education was…and yet she is as clever as any man I have ever met. Possibly cleverer than me!”
“What do you mean she was not raised as a lady? You did say she was a gentleman’s daughter. Longbourn, I believe, was the name of her father’s estate? I know you mentioned she had no fortune, but—”
“Lord above!” Darcy chuckled. “I shall have to take care when I write to you! I had no idea how well you remembered what I wrote!”
He explained then, very quickly, why it was that Elizabeth was so terribly unsuitable. The lack of fortune, yes, but her connexions most of all. Georgiana appeared puzzled throughout, and nothing he said seemed to make her understand or agree with him.
“So because one uncle is a country solicitor—”
“And the other in trade.”
“The other who is presently in the ballroom?”
“Well, yes,” Darcy admitted.
“And the lack of fortune…is the money needed? By you, I mean?”
“No, no,” he said. “Pemberley is doing very well, and in fact, Mr Gardiner has lately helped me invest in a manner that is exceedingly promising indeed.”
Georgiana tilted her head and pursed her lips while she studied him. “If you had a friend who was in love with a lady like Miss Elizabeth Bennet—”
“I did not say I was in love.”
“You seem like you are.”
Darcy had assiduously avoided declaring himself in love. He had admitted he liked her, was tormented by her, could not stop thinking of her…but yes, he was. He knew it. He had never before been so captivated by a woman.
He turned his gaze to look down the hall, refusing to bare more to his young sister than he already had.
“If it were me,” Georgiana said softly, “I would hope you would not make me give up love for the sake of an uncle who was a country solicitor. Not when half the ton has bastard children and dissolute relations running about.”
“How do you know that?” he grumbled mockingly.
“Saye tells me all about them. He says it does me no good to be so unknowing.” She chewed her lip a moment, then added, “Just yesterday he told me about a duel between a Colonel Brandon and a Mr Willoughby over Mr Willoughby’s seduction of—”
“Enough!” Darcy cried out with mock outrage. “Your point is made, and I thank you for it.”
“Pray inform me when it is time to wish you joy.” She giggled as she retreated into her bedchamber and closed the door behind her. He was left standing in the hall, thinking of how delighted Georgiana would be to have such a sister as Elizabeth Bennet.
He leant against the wall for a moment imagining how it might be if this were their ball, if this were their house. Would the ton accept her? No one seemed to look askance at her this evening, to be sure, but the people he had invited here were those he considered the more liberal minded.
And the ones who are not? Shall I deny my own happiness for the approval of people I do not even wish to invite to a ball?
Of course not. Suddenly it was all clear to him, and he straightened. He would ask Elizabeth to marry him. Right here, right now.