Chapter 6
As soon as the guests departed, Elizabeth hurried to the library to speak to her father; it was a daunting task that she decided to complete as soon as possible and be done with it. She knocked and entered. Mr. Bennet was in his favourite armchair, with a book and a glass of port.
“Papa, there is something of a peculiar nature which I want to speak to you about.”
“What is it?” He put the book down and Elizabeth sat near him.
“It is something that occurred during my stay at Netherfield.”
“Oh? What could it be that you are so solemn?”
“You will be amused, I believe. It is actually rather hilarious.”
“Then do amuse me, please.”
“Well, one night, while Jane was unwell, I could not sleep. It was the night of that nasty storm. So I went to search for a book in the library. However, the doorknob was broken and the door closed behind me… so I was trapped in the library.”
“Really? Why have I not known about this until now?”
“Well, I did struggle hard to keep it secret because after the door locked, I discovered that Mr. Darcy was also there…he was reading and I did not notice him...”
Mr. Bennet’s eyebrow rose in disbelief and he frowned enquiringly.
“So you were trapped with Mr. Darcy in a room, in the middle of the night?”
“Yes…”
“Now that is a story indeed…I wonder why this is not the gossip of Meryton…Or is it? How has your mother not found out yet? If she knew, I would be aware of it too.”
“Papa, calm down. Nobody knows. Mr. Darcy was very cautious and he managed the situation carefully. Mr. Bingley and his valet went to look for him about an hour or so later. In fact, Mr. Bingley came to look for me, as he had enquired after Jane’s state and she was worried that I was missing.
Stevens looked for Mr. Darcy as it seems he used to spend quite a lot of time in the library so he knew… the valet…Mr. Darcy, I mean…”
“I believe you should calm down and try to be coherent in your narration…” Mr. Bennet said quizzically. Elizabeth felt her cheeks flush and she laughed nervously.
“True. So, Mr. Bingley and the valet came to the door and opened it…And that was all…A few minutes later I returned to my chamber. Everybody else was still asleep…So nobody knew…”
“I see … So… what else?”
“Nothing else…”
“So nothing occurred? Nothing improper or compromising? Something that might jeopardise your future?”
“On the Lord’s name–no! How can you even ask that?”
“Then why are you telling me all this? Only out of amusement? You needed a good laugh with your old father?”
“Not quite…I was not sure if I should tell anybody…But Mr. Darcy insisted you should be informed.”
“Really? This is strange–and unexpected. Why would he do that?”
“He said there had been some discussion at Netherfield, so Mr. Bingley’s sisters knew that I was locked in the library and they might suspect–due to Mr. Bingley’s innocent indiscretion–that Mr. Darcy was there too.
So Mr. Darcy insisted on keeping the secret from everybody else, except you.
He said that, if some harmful reports appear, it was fair that you knew the truth in advance so you could respond to them.
He wished to tell you himself, but since you two are barely acquainted, I asked him to allow me. ”
“So Darcy suspects that Bingley’s sister would spread such ridiculous gossip?”
“No. But he said that there is a slight chance that if a servant heard something… rumours might arise…He said that you, as the head of the family, should be aware of the danger before that happens. That he would wish to know if such an incident happened to his sister.”
“Did he? This is puzzling…and extraordinary. And praiseworthy, I must say. He is right, of course; informing me was the right thing to do. Very honourable and thoughtful.”
“Indeed. I must say I was surprised too, both by this request and also by his manners during our stay in the library. He made me repent for judging him so severely. His manners were very kind… almost friendly. And he was very careful not to expose me to any indiscretion.”
“How nice of him. Still, I find it very hard to believe. Not the incident, but his decision to confess it to me. Such a disclosure exposes him to a big risk. I might demand he marry you, since you were undoubtedly compromised, even without anyone’s intention or fault.
How can he be oblivious to the consequences of such a happenstance? ”
“Papa, please do not make sport out of this. I can see you are mocking me now. Surely you – and anyone else who knows us–could not imagine something compromising between me and Mr. Darcy. There can hardly be two people who dislike each other so much! Even if he were the last man in the world, or if I were the last woman in the world, nothing improper could take place between us.”
“Is that so? But you just admitted being wrong in your estimation of his character and praised his care towards you.”
“And I will gladly acknowledge it again. He is well-read and highly educated, with a deep understanding of the world and art, music, science, or anything else you want to name. He appears to be very fond of his sister, family and friends. His behaviour reveals an honourable man, who seems well accustomed to handling difficult situations, who is ready to help anyone in need. But that does not compensate for his pride, his pettiness and his conceit. I am sure he would help anyone who was in a difficult situation but never take the trouble of at least speaking with the same person under usual circumstances. He readily took care of my wellbeing when I was in danger of catching a cold, but he would not hesitate to offend me again and refuse to dance with me. Although I do appreciate the good traits of his character and appearance, I would not consider him among my favourite acquaintances by far. And I am sure the feeling is mutual.”
“You are very outspoken, Miss Lizzy,” Mr. Bennet mocked her. “And a little too heated in expressing your disapproval of the man. So I would assume marrying him is out of the question? Even if that would make your mother the happiest human being on the face of the earth!”
“Papa, please do not joke! And never mention it again! God forbid that Mama should ever find out about this!”
“You do have reason to worry; your mother would surely drag both you and Mr. Darcy to the church in no time if she knew. Well, let us hope nothing transpires beyond the walls of Netherfield.”
Elizabeth embraced her father. “Thank you for listening to me, Papa. And for being so fair.”
“You are welcome, my dear. Now go; I still need some time to think properly of what I have just discovered. I hope Mr. Darcy will call on us during his stay, as I must look at him more carefully. I do not think I have spoken more than ten words to him since we met, until today.”
“I am not sure he will, Papa. We all know Mr. Darcy is not fond of our family. I would be happy if Mr. Bingley comes more often though, for Jane’s sake.”
She closed the door behind her, breathing in relief. The difficult conversation had gone as well as she could have expected. She found herself looking at the doorknob and felt her cheeks colouring for no particular reason.
∞∞∞
During dinner, Elizabeth felt her father’s gaze on her several times and she knew he was still intrigued by their earlier discussion. She was intrigued too; and, after her father's questions, more doubts regarding Mr. Darcy’s intentions filled her mind.
During the second course, Mr. Bennet sipped some wine and addressed his wife and daughters with his usual mockery.
“Tomorrow will be a memorable day; not only will Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy attend dinner, but I expect another guest who might take the spotlight from the first two. I hope you have ordered a good and rich enough dinner to satisfy the addition to our party.”
“Another guest? What do you mean, my dear?” Mrs. Bennet enquired with the expected curiosity. “Will Mr. Bingley’s sisters and brother-in-law come too?”
"Of that, I have no knowledge. The person of whom I speak is a gentleman, and a stranger, although he might be considered part of the family."
Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled. "A gentleman and a stranger! Another one?”
“Is he young? Is he single? Is he handsome?” Lydia and Kitty asked at the same time.
“That you will have to wait and judge for yourself. I never saw him in the whole course of my life either."
“Come now, Papa–tell us,” Elizabeth smiled.
After amusing himself for some time with their curiosity, Mr. Bennet thus explained, "I never mentioned it to you, since you barely speak of anything but Mr. Bingley.
About a month ago I received a letter from my cousin, Mr. Collins, who, when I am dead, may turn you all out of this house as soon as he pleases. "
"You did well to keep the secret, as I cannot bear to hear that mentioned,” Mrs. Bennet cried. “It is horrible enough that your estate should be entailed away from your own children; I wish to know nothing more about that odious man.”
“You are right, my dear; it certainly is a most iniquitous affair," said Mr. Bennet. "But Mr. Collins’s letter said that he is willing to become well acquainted with our family and to remedy some of the wrong this entail has caused us. Whatever he meant by that, we must wait and see.”
"Well, I am sure he cannot compare to either Mr. Bingley or Mr. Darcy, and I do not look forward to seeing him. I hope he will not ruin the gentlemen’s disposition during dinner,” Mrs. Bennet grumbled.
“Papa, could he be a sensible man?” Jane asked kindly.
“Anything is possible, but after reading his letter, I doubt that very much. In fact, I have great hopes of finding him quite the reverse. I am impatient to see him. There is a mixture of servility and self-importance in his letter, which promises well,” Mr. Bennet jested.
“Papa, you cannot live only to make sport of people,” Elizabeth laughed.
“No, we cannot. But we cannot live without it, either. Now, what a strange coincidence to have Mr. Darcy and Mr. Collins at dinner at the same time. It will surely be a most diverting evening,” Mr. Bennet declared with great satisfaction.
To Elizabeth, her father’s joyful disposition and the presence of a man so loathed by her mother did not bode well.
Mr. Darcy’s good opinion was suddenly important to her and she feared she would have too many reasons for embarrassment to feel at ease.
She could not stand to know that, to his already low opinion of her and her family, more objects of censure might be added.
That night was one more of restlessness and distressing musings; so she woke up after several hours of sleep tired and worried for what the upcoming day would bring.
∞∞∞
The din started at Longbourn even before breakfast. Mrs. Bennet talked to Hill again and again about the dishes and courses for the evening, and was hardly pleased with anything at all.
It was the first dinner at Longbourn for both Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy.
And, while the first was everybody’s favourite, the latter was equally disliked, respected and dreaded.
To Mrs. Bennet, his opinion was even more important than Mr. Bingley’s, precisely because he was such a proud, pretentious sort of man.
To the ladies’ astonishment, around noon Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy unexpectedly called. Mrs. Bennet panicked and almost needed her salts, as she feared the gentlemen had changed their minds about the dinner. However, Mr. Bingley’s smile the moment he saw Jane, put her heart at ease.
“How lovely to see you both,” Mrs. Bennet cooed. “We did not expect to see you so early, but you are welcome anytime. Lizzy, please fetch your father. Tell him that he has visitors.”
Elizabeth was as astounded and concerned as her mother at seeing the two unexpected guests. Her astonishment increased when Mr. Darcy responded, with a familiar politeness that was so rare in his voice.
“Actually, there is something particular I would like to speak to Mr. Bennet about, if I am not bothering him. I believe he is expecting me. Perhaps Miss Elizabeth could show me to the library if that is not too much trouble?”
When Elizabeth met Darcy’s gaze, she understood the early call had a purpose. Mrs. Bennet, however, allowed her little time to think.
“No trouble at all! Lizzy, take Mr. Darcy to your father. No trouble at all. You said Mr. Bennet is expecting you? How strange!”
Elizabeth immediately nodded to Darcy to follow her and walked towards the library.
Only after they left, did Mrs. Bennet realise that Darcy had been there only a day before and that Longbourn was not such a large house that he could already have forgotten the way.
That revelation increased her puzzlement so much that she remained oblivious to Mr. Bingley’s tender behaviour towards Jane while trying to guess the mystery behind Mr. Darcy’s private meeting with Mr. Bennet.
In the hall, Elizabeth stopped by the library door, and turned to face Darcy, who was only inches away.
“Is there anything wrong, sir?”
“No; I hope not,” he responded after a brief hesitation. “Mr. Bennet sent me a note earlier, asking if I might spare a few minutes for a brief conversation regarding the Netherfield doorknob. I assume you spoke to him yesterday.”
He smiled meaningfully and she blushed.
“Please bear with my father’s teasing. He will give you a hard time only to amuse himself. He means well, I assure you. In fact, he was very impressed with your willingness to inform him. He praised your honourable decision,” she explained.
Darcy’s puzzlement was apparent. “So you believe he called me here only to make sport at my expense?”
Elizabeth laughed nervously. “Probably not only for that, but his tendency to do so might appear in your conversation.”
He smiled and bowed his head slightly, their gazes locked. “Thank you for warning me.”
She curtsied and returned the smile, still flushed.
“You are most welcome. I only beg you to be brave and patient,” she concluded, leaving him there.