CHAPTER 5 Arrivals from London
That night, during dinner, Darcy could hardly eat a bite he was so worried about Elizabeth. He pushed the food around on his plate and stared absently at nothing in particular. Thankfully, Anne and Richard kept up a running conversation, thereby shielding him from Lady Catherine’s attention.
But eventually, even she noticed his distraction. “What has come over you, Darcy? You have hardly said a word all evening.”
“I…”
“He has a megrim,” said Anne all of a sudden.
He looked at his cousin in astonishment, then back to Lady Catherine, and said, “Yes…my head does feel rather heavy…”
“I know the feeling,” said Richard.
“As do I,” said Anne, somberly.
If Darcy didn't know better, he would think that his two cousins were colluding to keep Lady Catherine’s attention away from him. He did not know why they would do such a thing but was grateful for it nonetheless.
He was just about to ask to be excused when the butler, Mr. Cullen, entered and announced, “Mr. Charles Bingley.”
He stood up abruptly from the table as everyone turned to Bingley.
“Mr. Bingley!” said Lady Catherine. “What are you doing here?”
“I apologise, Lady Catherine,” began Bingley “but…”
“He came at my request, Aunt,” said Darcy, rising and saving him from answering.
“This is most irregular, Darcy,” said Lady Catherine, who thankfully had met Bingley before, “but I suppose we can accommodate Mr. Bingley.”
She gestured for a footman to set another place at the table for him.
“Alas,” said Darcy abruptly, “my friend has no time to eat at present. Pray, excuse us.”
He pushed Bingley out of the room then led him into a small parlour where he motioned for Bingley to sit down.
“Where is Miss Bennet?” he asked as soon as he had closed the door.
Bingley looked surprised by his behaviour but only answered, “I dropped her, the doctor, and the maid who accompanied us off at the parsonage. That is where Miss Elizabeth is staying according to your letter. Thankfully, I was able to get to Gracechurch Street in good time and Miss Bennet was more than willing to accompany me.”
“And Miss Elizabeth? Is she well?”
“I do not know, for Jane was taken upstairs immediately by Mrs. Collins and I did not wish to intrude.”
“I see…and the doctor? How did you manage to bring him?”
“There was nothing to it. For when your man came to deliver your letter, he also mentioned that the other rider had gone to fetch the doctor. So I sent a note to him, offering to transport him to Rosings as well.”
“That was smart thinking of you, Bingley,” said Darcy, allowing his body to relax a little. “But did Mrs. Collins not say anything while you were there? About Miss Elizabeth’s condition, I mean?”
“She only said that Miss Elizabeth was sleeping and that she would take Miss Bennet to her immediately.”
Darcy nodded absently, knowing that he owed Bingley an explanation. But at least he’d done as much as he could for the time being. Jane Bennet and the doctor were with Elizabeth now, and he could only hope that they were able to help her.
“The doctor did say,” continued Bingley, “that he would call on you here after he examined Miss Elizabeth.”
“Oh! I had not thought of that. That is good to hear…”
“But tell me everything, Darcy. How is it that you are so involved in Miss Elizabeth’s personal concerns? And more importantly why do you think that Jane is in love with me?”
Darcy thought about how he might tell Bingley about it without mentioning the proposal. Perhaps he would tell Bingley about it later, but he was too tired at present to get into too many details.
Thus he said, “I went to call on Miss Elizabeth yesterday and…during the conversation she told me that Jane…loved you…”
“But how did such a subject even come up?”
Darcy shrugged. “I believe that Miss Elizabeth was not feeling well at the time…”
“And so she let on that Jane loved me?”
Darcy shrugged again. “She was even more ill the next day, and so I offered to send a carriage for Jane and the doctor.” It was close enough to the truth, he supposed.
“And,” he concluded, “recalling what Elizabeth said about Jane's feelings, I thought it best to inform you of it and have you bring her here. Tell me, do you still love her? For, if you do not, then I have made a terrible mistake in telling you about her sentiments.”
“Of course I still love her. Why do you think I am here now?”
“Gentlemany conduct, perhaps? You were simply doing what was honorable?”
“No, not at all. I love Jane and never stopped loving her. And I would do anything to help her or her family.” He looked reprovingly at Darcy and added, “And your mistaken beliefs have led both me and Jane to experience some of the worst months of our lives. I thought I would never see her again! Do you know what that is like?”
“Yes, I do,” said Darcy impetuously.
“But how can you? You have never been in love, let alone been separated from the object of your affections.”
“But you are wrong, Bingley. I have, on both counts.”
“And when did this momentous event occur, Darcy? Was it in London? Did you attempt to court the daughter of a duke and was turned away?”
“No, Bingley,” said Darcy quietly, “it happened yesterday - at the parsonage. I proposed marriage to Miss Elizabeth Bennet and she turned me down. One of her reasons for doing so, apparently, was that I separated her sister from the man she loved.”
Bingley looked nonplussed. “You love Miss Elizabeth?”
“Yes.”
“And is that why you have been involving yourself with her concerns?”
“Yes.”
Bingley nodded thoughtfully. “It makes more sense now…except…if she turned you down, then what makes you continue to…”
“Are you asking me why I sent for the doctor, and Jane and you, even though Elizabeth will not marry me?”
“Yes,” said Bingley. “I would have thought that you would leave here as soon as it happened. In order to…lick your wounds, as it were.”
“I actually was about to leave,” answered Darcy, relieved to be telling the truth.
“But then I found out from Mrs. Collins that Elizabeth was ill. And I could not stay away. I wished to do everything for her despite the fact that she would not have me.” He sighed and wondered if there was yet hope for him.
“Well it was very selfless of you, Darcy, to continue to help her as you did.”
“You think me selfless? I am only doing this because I cannot rest until I know she is well.”
Bingley nodded sympathetically. “I understand…”
“And do you forgive me, Bingley? It was unpardonable, what I did. The height of presumption. I should have let you pursue Jane Bennet because, if you had, you would likely be engaged to her now. Or even married.”
“Yes, Darcy, I forgive you. I suppose you were only trying to help.”
Darcy was thankful for his friend’s forbearance and vowed to himself that he would never again interfere in matters that were none of his concern.
“But I realise now that I was more to blame than you,” continued Bingley. “For it was I who spent the most time with Jane, and therefore I should have known better than to listen to you.”
“I apologise again…”
“Think nothing of it, Darcy. For at least now I am in a position to try to win Jane’s love. And I shall not leave until she tells me one way or another if she can accept me.”
Darcy smiled at his friend. “I believe you shall succeed.”
Bingley looked curiously at him. “But I believe you should try as well, Darcy.”
“Do you think so?”
“Yes, I do. For you are remedying one of the objections she had against you, are you not? Namely that you separated Jane from me?”
Darcy grinned. “You have a point, Bingley. Thus, if you succeed with Jane then I may succeed with Elizabeth.”
“That would be the plan, my friend,” said Bingley, then after a pause, added, “Do you think your aunt will allow me to stay?”
“Yes, I believe she will. But let us go and speak to her now. She must be quite annoyed at being kept in the dark for so long.”