Chapter Fifty-Seven
Upon arriving at Longbourn, Mr. Bingley went at once to his betrothed. Mrs. Bennet and Mary sat with them as well, and the four of them launched into wedding planning.
Elizabeth invited Mr. Darcy to sit with her by the fire. This was the first time she had actually asked him to sit with her, and his heart stuttered with happiness.
After a bit of hesitation, she said, “I must thank you for giving me a new perspective on my father’s situation.”
Mr. Darcy replied, “I hope you understand that it was up to him to adjust himself to his new life; it was not for you to make allowances for him when you were a child.”
“No, but I can make allowances now. At some point, I will speak to him about it, but not yet.”
“I have news for your father, Miss Elizabeth. I imagine he would like you to be present.”
“Very well.”
The two of them made their way to Mr. Bennet’s study. Mr. Bennet set down the agricultural journal he had been reading, and rose to welcome them. “I take it there is news of some sort, Mr. Darcy?”
“There is, and it is most unexpected.”
“Go on.”
Mr. Darcy produced Mr. Stanley’s most recent letter and handed it to Mr. Bennet. Mr. Bennet read it, his eyes widening.
“I can hardly believe it,” Mr. Bennet said, giving the letter to Elizabeth to read. “The entail is ended? Heavens, Lizzy, are you not well?”
Elizabeth sat in her chair, the letter clasped in her hand, tears beginning to make their way down her cheeks. “Is this possible?” she whispered. “All the worry, the fear, everything we have lived with since we knew Mama would bear no son – all for naught?”
Mr. Bennet rose from his seat, walked to Elizabeth, knelt beside her chair and put his arms around her. Mr. Darcy, knowing his presence was not required, quietly left the room.
Mr. Bennet held his beloved Lizzy in his arms as she wept.
“Lizzy, I must tell you! I was wrong, utterly wrong, to have placed you in such a position when you were a child.
I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am, how sorry I have been all these many years, and how much I have missed – missed you –“ His voice caught and he stopped.
“Oh, Papa!” Elizabeth said. “I have missed you, too! Truly, I did not understand how difficult it must have been for you to inherit an estate and all its responsibilities when all you wished to do was to study and read and –”
He put a finger on her lips. “And instead, I was gifted with a beautiful wife and five extraordinary daughters, all of whom I failed to appreciate,” he said. “My life is a good deal fuller than it would have been, had I been allowed to stay in the ivory tower I had chosen for myself.”
“Surely it is not too late to appreciate us, Papa!”
“I hope that it is not. This is a new beginning for all of us, Lizzy. If Longbourn is ours to keep, then – why, that changes everything!”
“We will have to go to court, will we not?”
“Ha! I would love to go to court to watch Collins’ face!” Mr. Bennet sounded triumphant.
“Do you think he knew?”
“I do not know; we may never know.”
“You must let Mama read the letter.”
“I will read it aloud to everyone!”
Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth left the study and went into the parlour; Mrs. Bennet, Jane, Mary, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy looked up as they entered.
“Where are Kitty and Lydia?” Mr. Bennet asked.
Everyone looked around. Jane sighed. “Evidently, they managed to creep out when no one was watching. Those two!” She shook her head and began to get up. “I must go and find them.”
“But before you go, Jane – all of you, listen to this!”