Chapter 5 Truth Be Told #3
“You have been exceptionally fortunate in your choice of husband, Jane. In fact, I doubt there is another lady in all of England who is as fortunate, or as deserving. Mr Bingley is a good and modest man, as Mr Darcy declared a long time ago.”
Bingley’s cheeks heated at Elizabeth’s praise, and he shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
“I cannot help but think the colonel must have had an ulterior motive. I have no idea what, but when I look back at our dealings, I do not believe he ever did anything without purpose. You see, when I was at Rosings, I happened upon him on one of my walks about the park. He offered to escort me back to the parsonage, and I accepted. He spoke about his need, as an impoverished second son, to marry for money.”
The sarcasm dripping from Elizabeth’s voice was unmistakable, but neither he nor his wife chose to interrupt her.
“I laughed it off with a jest about the price of a second son. It was awkward at best he should mention such a thing to me, as if I had designs on him! A ludicrous thought. It is not as if I want to marry every male I happen to address. We had three or four conversations in the company of those who were either not speaking at all or speaking too much. But I digress. After the awkwardness, he suddenly began to praise his cousin. Minutes before, he had complained about always being at his disposal and about Mr Darcy’s mercurial moods, changing the date of their departure on a whim, which is why I was bewildered by his sudden endorsement.
I mentioned Mr Darcy should marry to have someone else at his disposal.
Miss Darcy was briefly mentioned before he brought you, Mr Bingley, to my attention.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam told me a tale of how his cousin had recently saved a friend from a mésalliance, but he should not have spoken of it to me. Like Mr Wickham, he was confessing confidential matters to a stranger. He even mentioned it would be unpleasant if word of it should reach the lady’s family, which contradicted his purpose if it was benign.
He knew Mr Darcy had visited Mr Bingley at Netherfield.
He knew I had four sisters. He knew my oldest sister was currently in town, suffering a disappointment.
You need not be concerned, Jane, nothing specific was ever mentioned, but I distinctly remember Charlotte asking me whether your spirits had improved, on the first day the cousins came to visit the parsonage. ”
Elizabeth drew breath and gazed out of her tiny window. The Bingleys exchanged a look, sensing there was more to come, and kept quiet so as not to disturb her train of thought.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam brought Georgiana home to Pemberley after our month of solitude. I refuse to call it a honeymoon because I do not want to think about it. The memories are still too raw to bear contemplating…
“When they arrived, the colonel embraced me, and I did not like it. You know of my dislike of overfamiliar touches to my person, Jane. I let my displeasure show, and both the colonel and Mr Darcy were perturbed by my reluctance, but it is simply not done. A gentleman does not embrace a lady in company—or in private unless he bears the relationship of father, brother, or husband. Our acquaintance had been too brief—five or six conversations, months past—and he was now a cousin. Imagine Mr Collins embracing each and every one of us when we met!”
Elizabeth shuddered, but so did Bingley and Jane.
“There can be no dispute in this, Lizzy. The colonel behaved inappropriately. But what could be the meaning of it? What could be his intent?” Jane asked.
“I do not know. It is all unfathomable to me. Why would he risk estranging himself from his cousin? Have you heard any rumours in London?”
“I have heard nothing, but that is not so strange because the colonel was sent on an assignment to Portugal, from which he has not yet returned.”
Bingley could hear Elizabeth’s stomach rumble across the table; she was clearly hungry, but with the meagre offerings on display, she was clearly reluctant to offer them a meal and too embarrassed to eat by herself.
Jane must have heard as well because she rose abruptly to excuse them.
The Bingleys soon left for the Full Moon Inn, leaving Elizabeth with the promise of their return the next day.
Mr and Mrs Bingley spared no time at the inn before making enquiries and hiring a midwife.
The next morning took them on a bout of shopping before they visited Elizabeth bearing an abundance of gifts.
They brought food, candles, fabric, and tea.
Elizabeth could do nothing but accept; her sister would not allow it.
Parting at midday was difficult, but promises were made for copious letters to be written.
Bingley left a substantial sum of coins for postage and emergencies, which Elizabeth reluctantly received and hid.
Bingley brooked no opposition; in this he was firm.
Neither he nor Jane was unyielding by nature, but their union had strengthened the mettle of both.
Bingley promised to take Elizabeth to visit her family as soon as Mary’s and Kitty’s courtships had reached their desired conclusions.
Elizabeth did not dispute him, but she firmly declined his offer to terminate the lease on Netherfield and move to another part of the country, suggesting she could then live with them until her two maiden sisters had married.
“I cannot be the cause of uprooting Jane from everything she has ever known,” Elizabeth protested.
Bingley kept his counsel and postponed that particular argument for a later date.
As it turned out, the Bingleys did not limit themselves to sending letters; they also sent gifts.