Chapter 1.27
Elizabeth and Jane Bennet were allowed to remain in town for only three days after the ball.
Mr Bennet had long come to the end of his patience, and his second letter to Mr Darcy and to his brother Gardiner left no doubt regarding his wishes: he wanted his two sensible daughters at home and to be spared any further talk of lace, dowries, and jewels for at least the next ten years.
Mrs Bennet also insisted that her daughters return home for precisely the opposite reason.
She longed to have someone to talk to about lace, dowries, and jewels; furthermore, to have the future Mrs Darcy accompany her on the numerous visits she paid every day would inspire tremendous jealousy in all her neighbours.
She had been informed by Mrs Gardiner of Elizabeth’s success at the ball, and her excitement while passing along all the details to Mrs Long and Lady Lucas hardly allowed her to pause for breath.
Her triumph over those two ladies and many others in Meryton filled her life with more happiness than she ever could have imagined.
Not only had she two daughters very soon to be married, but also Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s nephew was soon to be her son-in-law, and that was a fact she could not repeat often enough to anyone who had the misfortune to be around her.
Another problem that concerned Mrs Bennet was Elizabeth’s trousseau, as Mrs Gardiner informed her sister that she, together with the bride-to-be, were purchasing everything needed for the happy event.
She could not put aside the fear that neither her daughter nor her sister Gardiner knew the best shops, and that Mr Darcy would be displeased by their lack of taste.
Finally, after many exchanged letters, Mrs Gardiner was struck by a wonderful inspiration: she mentioned in her next letter to Longbourn that Elizabeth had been assisted in her purchases by none other than Lady Matlock and that all her gowns had been ordered at Madame Claudette’s.
That news occasioned the second most pleasant shock of Mrs Bennet’s later years—the first pleasant one being, certainly, the news of Elizabeth’s engagement.
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Although the weeks spent in London had been by far the happiest and most fortunate time of their lives, both Miss Bennets shared their father’s anxiety to return home, as they truly missed their family.
Their departure from London was eagerly anticipated, especially as it would not require a separation from the gentlemen who had captivated their hearts.
Mr Bingley had ordered that Netherfield be prepared for his return, and he addressed a permanent invitation to Mr Darcy, who never once considered refusing it.
Still, both gentlemen were forced to face a similar problem—both regarding the closest member of their families—their sisters.
Georgiana had openly expressed her wish to accompany her brother to Netherfield, and Mr Darcy was tempted to concede to her desires.
He hoped that she and Elizabeth would have time to become close friends, and the remainder of their engagement seemed to be the perfect opportunity for such a friendship to develop.
Selfishly, he was already determined not to share his wife’s attentions with anyone immediately after the wedding.
The month before the Season would be spent at Pemberley—the two of them alone.
Therefore, it was all the more important that Georgiana spend as much time as possible with her new sister now, as they would have little chance to be in each other’s company after the wedding.
For that reason, he was inclined to take his sister with them to Netherfield.
But Georgiana’s doctor, though pleased with his patient’s progress and not opposed to her travelling, expressed some concern about a journey so soon and for such a long distance.
He advised them to delay the journey for a fortnight, a suggestion that saddened Georgiana.
However, her disappointment found some release after long talks with Elizabeth—who was visiting her daily—and with Lady Matlock.
Together they convinced Georgiana that it would be much better and wiser to have a little more patience.
Lady Matlock insisted that she would join the Netherfield party ten days before the wedding, and that it would be the perfect opportunity for Georgiana to accompany them.
The Gardiners were due to arrive at Longbourn at the same time—ten days before the wedding.
Until then, Mrs Gardiner accepted Georgiana’s request to allow Becky and Margaret to visit her and keep her distracted from her loneliness.
Unfortunately for Charles Bingley, things had not been as simple regarding his sister. Dealing with Caroline proved to be a difficult task for him, but later, over a glass of brandy with Mr Darcy, he admitted that he had not chosen the most favourable moment to address her.
The day following the ball, Caroline had likely been in the worst mood of her life.
She felt humiliated, betrayed, abandoned, and full of rage against the person who had brought her to such a state: Eliza Bennet.
To see that little nobody being accepted by Mr Darcy’s family and the guest of honour at a ball hosted by Lady Matlock in the presence of the most influential members of society was her darkest nightmare come true.
She had desperately tried to engage in conversation, at least with those ladies whose resentment towards Eliza Bennet was barely hidden, but she had failed miserably in that as well.
Apparently, the ladies of the ton were unwilling to share anything with her—not even their grudge against Mr Darcy’s future wife.
Eliza Bennet might have been an opportunist and a fortune hunter to some of them but she, Caroline Bingley, was nobody—nothing.
She had not slept a single hour after the ball and could eat nothing at their late breakfast, unlike her brother who seemed to be in an extraordinarily good mood—so good, in fact, that she felt sick upon seeing him.
“Caroline,” she heard his joyful voice, “I am returning to Netherfield in three days’ time. If you want to join me, you should start packing.”
His words marked the beginning of a quarrel that lasted half an hour.
Caroline angrily accused him of not asking her opinion when he made the decision to remove from town.
As Bingley’s patience was not what it used to be, he answered in the same manner: that he was not obliged to ask anyone’s opinion when making such a decision as he was his own master.
“Caroline, as I told you previously, you are not obliged to join me. You can remain in the house, at least for the moment, as the lease has been paid for the entire year, and I have not decided what I shall do with it.”
“What you will do with it? Charles, have you completely lost your mind? How can you say such a thing? Can you think of nothing except being near the Bennets? What have they done to you that you have lost all reason and common sense?” Rage made her voice rise higher, and her face turned bright red while she could hardly breathe.
“Caroline, speaking to me this way will not convince me to change any of my plans. And now, if you will excuse me, I have an appointment.”
He rose from his chair and made one last attempt before exiting the room.
“You are my sister, and I do love you. I can understand your feeling disappointed these days, but you must consider that Darcy never showed you anything more than consideration for being my sister. Regardless of Miss Elizabeth, his choice still would not have been you. You must understand and accept that before you expose us all to ridicule.”
“I shall never accept that. I shall never accept Eliza Bennet.”
“That is very unfortunate for you; first, she does not need you to accept her for she will be Mrs Darcy. Secondly, I suspect you will be in the Bennets’ company quite often, and I shall not tolerate any uncivil behaviour towards any of them.”
“Quite often? What are you saying Charles? What are you planning?”
“Nothing more than I have already declared, Caroline. My strongest desire is to marry Jane Bennet. As soon as I do that, all my plans will follow her wishes and happiness. You should start to accustom yourself to that, regardless of how difficult it might be.”
She threw her fork down and left the table, pushing her brother aside and exiting the room before him.
She did not want to return to Netherfield.
She hated more than anything to be in the company of all those country people.
No, something else was worse than that: more than anything, she hated Eliza Bennet and her family.
However, in her room later, after screaming a few times and frightening the servants, she reconsidered her decision.
She might have hated to go there, but would leaving Charles alone be a better option?
Could she remain calm while stupid Charles destroyed what was left of their future and hopes?
Something must be done. Anything. No matter what it might cost. She yelled for her maid and ordered her belongings to be packed.
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More yelling and harsh orders for the packing of belongings had been heard at Matlock House in Lady Catherine’s apartments.
Her ladyship had finally left town two days after the ball as she could not bear to hear about Miss Elizabeth Bennet a moment longer.
She dragged her daughter Anne with her all the way back to Rosings though the doctor advised them to delay the journey and allow him to supervise the patient a little longer.