Chapter Twenty-Two
Hertfordshire
Mr. Bingley’s grand fete began so merrily that the entire affair promised to be a great triumph. All of Meryton had been invited for the ice-skating portion in the early afternoon, including his very well-pleased tenant farmers.
It was a clear day and the sun was out, but the shallow pond on Mr. Bingley’s estate was well-frozen, and dozens of skaters were making merry together there.
Beside the pond, the snow had been cleared away for a large canvas tent to be erected.
Inside the tent, there was refreshments and seating for those who did not wish to skate, and fires in two large braziers just outside the tent provided ample warmth.
Elinor was among those who were content to sit and observe the frivolity, and there was certainly enough of it to keep her mind agreeably engaged. Lady Rebecca sat with her for a while, though she was obliged to greet guests as they arrived, she always made her way back to Elinor with a ready jape.
The pair of them were sitting together enjoying some hot cocoa when Mrs. Dashwood arrived with Meg and Julia. Elinor was instantly alarmed that the Bennets did not accompany her mother.
Margaret and Julia made haste in donning their skates and joining in the fun, while Marianne and Mr. Bingley skated over to greet Mrs. Dashwood.
Their affable host ensured they were all swiftly served hot cocoa, and Marianne began to assault their mother with questions at once.
“Where is Aunt Fanny, and Kitty, and Mary? And are Jane and Lizzy not expected? I had even hoped my uncle would come – we worked so hard on the arrangements, and it is jolly good fun!”
“We received some distressing news at Longbourn this morning,” Mrs. Dashwood said, eyeing Mr. Bingley and Lady Rebecca warily. “And some good news… and then more bad news.”
“What is it? You can tell us in front of Lady Rebecca and Mr. Bingley; our friend will surely be discreet, if you think it necessary.”
Elinor smiled tightly at Marianne, not sure if her sister’s faith in their friends was wise. “I hope it is nothing too serious.”
“They ought to know that Jane and Elizabeth are still in London and will not be home in time for the party after all. Jane fell ill; we received a letter from Mrs. Gardiner yesterday afternoon,” Mrs. Dashwood said.
“My elder brother also sent word,” Lady Rebecca said. She raised a brow at Elinor as she added, “I have heard there was some unfortunate incident involving your friend Mr. Ferrars; Miss Bennet took a severe chill after quarreling with him in the street.”
“That is not like Jane,” Marianne gasped.
“Nor Edward – Mr. Ferrars,” Elinor murmured.
Lady Rebecca gave a dramatic roll of her eyes at this. “Well, Charles, what a pity, indeed! I am sure my relations will be missed, and you must have wished to make an impression on Miss Bennet.”
“Hmm? Oh, uh… I am very sorry she is ill.” But Mr. Bingley seemed entirely preoccupied with making sure Marianne did not teeter on her skates as she shambled off the ice and onto the packed snow outside the tent.
“I may have to entreat Miss Marianne for an extra song during the musical portion of the day, for I had quite depended on Miss Elizabeth delighting us.”
Lady Rebecca smirked at him before turning to Mrs. Dashwood. “But is it very dire? The Bennets must be in some distress over it, to stay at home and forswear the day’s festivities.”
“We pray she will recover,” Mrs. Dashwood said, watching Mr. Bingley and Marianne with interest. Elinor and Lady Rebecca had been chiefly occupied in doing the same since breakfast, and they shared a private smile.
Marianne still clung to Mr. Bingley to steady herself, and her face turned serious. “But there is more bad news? Surely Jane’s illness is not what merits discretion, though I am very sorry for her. But I am sure I cannot bear to hear any worse, on such a day as this.”
“Nor I,” Mr. Bingley said. “But if it is a matter in which I may be of assistance….”
“Bah! Off with you,” Lady Rebecca chided, waving her hand dismissively. “Let us serious ladies speak.”
Elinor smiled indulgently at her sister, amazed by the contrast of Marianne’s initial reaction to Mr. Bingley, and their present camaraderie. “Might we have the good news, Mamma?”
Mrs. Dashwood’s entire demeanor instantly altered, as if she had been lit from within.
“It is a miracle. I received a letter this morning from a solicitor in London. He is employed by a gentleman who wishes to remain anonymous – the very same gentlemen we all thought the worst of not a week ago – the gentleman who won Norland Park from my step-son in that horrid card game.”
Lady Rebecca’s eyebrows shot up, and Elinor discreetly reached for her friend’s hand, feeling she was in great danger of betraying what she knew.
Marianne screwed up her face. “What can he want? Has he counted the silver and found some missing?”
“He wants to return it to us! He asks nothing in return,” Mrs. Dashwood said, her face radiant with joy.
“He apparently heard of our circumstances and was afflicted by a sense of moral conscience, and has decided that we poor women have a greater right to the place than himself, for he had never heard of Norland before winning the deed with a lucky hand at cards. He is prepared to transfer it to me at once, and I am to contact this solicitor in London whenever I am ready to return home.”
Marianne squealed with unbridled joy and threw her arms around her mother, but lost her balance in the process, and again Mr. Bingley hastened to her aid.
“We can go home! We shall never need to set eyes on Barton Cottage again! Oh! I would go tomorrow! Elinor, is this not the most wonderful thing you have ever heard in your life?”
Lady Rebecca gave Elinor’s arm a subtle pinch. “Indeed, is it not? The gentleman who won the deed must not be a reprobate gambler after all – no, I daresay he is the most generous man in all of England! And to act anonymously, without any wish to be thanked, or impose a sense of obligation….”
When Elinor recovered from her astonishment, a smile spread across her face, and she raised a hand to her heart as if to quell the great surge of emotion she felt.
Colonel Fitzwilliam must have gone to London expressly for the purpose of seeing Norland returned to her!
She felt a great many conflicting feelings, but seeing the joy this brought her family was all that presently mattered to her.
Mr. Bingley, however, seemed to be struggling to keep his composure. “I am very happy for you, though I shall be sorry to see you all go away. You will not really leave tomorrow, will you?”
“Unfortunately, we cannot act quite so hastily,” Mrs. Dashwood said.
“My brother has some business in London tomorrow, pertaining to the other distressing piece of news we have had. I may join him in a day or two and meet with the solicitor, but I fear I cannot leave Mrs. Bennet at such a time. Taking Meg and Julia out of the house for an hour or two shall be my first act of consolation for her, but then we must return and make ourselves useful.”
Elinor waited with a sense of rising panic at what her mother might tell them, for only something grave indeed could keep Mrs. Dashwood from setting out to reclaim her home directly.
Marianne tittered nervously. “I cannot bear to hear anything unpleasant after….” She was cut off when she was struck in the back of the head by a snowball, and she tumbled to the ground, bringing her would-be rescuer Mr. Bingley down to the ground beside her.
She let out a peal of laughter as Meg and Julia continued their assault from some distance.
Marianne sat up on the snowy ground, her legs splayed out before her, and laughed merrily.
“Margaret Louise! I shall make you pay for that!” She dipped her gloved hands into the snow to form a snowball of her own, which Mr. Bingley obligingly launched into the air for her as he sat at her side.
They hurled a few more before scrambling to their feet, the looming bad news entirely forgotten.
“Pish, off with you,” Lady Rebecca said again. “Go and play with the other children.”
Armed with a fresh snowball in each hand, Mr. Bingley and Marianne skated across the pond toward the younger girls.
Mrs. Dashwood watched them with a wistful smile before turning back to Elinor.
She sighed heavily. “Oh, Elinor. I had not the heart to spoil her merriment with such dreadful, shocking news.”
Lady Rebeca did not conceal her curiosity as she voiced a half-hearted offer to allow them modicum of privacy, but Mrs. Dashwood shook her head.
“I am sure you shall hear of it eventually, and if you can be of any comfort to Elinor, you ought to stay and hear the worst. I know you are clever, you may think of something that can be done, which my family had not considered.”
“Your faith in me is flattering, Mrs. Dashwood. Whatever is the matter, I am glad to hear you hint it is not a hopeless case.” Lady Rebecca led them to a bench that had been placed a little further from the frozen pond; it offered more privacy than anywhere else they might find, without retreating to the manor.
Mrs. Dashwood glanced around, and when she appeared satisfied that they were unlikely to be heard or interrupted, she folded her hands in her lap and drew in a deep breath.
“Last night, a messenger bearing an express from Colonel Forster woke us all from our beds, bearing the most distressing news. Two days ago, Lydia did not appear for breakfast, and her friend Mrs. Forster discovered a note Lydia left behind. Lydia… has run away.”
“Run away?” Elinor gasped. “But she was so determined to visit her friend – she cannot have been unhappy there!”