Chapter 11
Eleven
When all, save Mrs Bennet and Lydia, were gathered in the drawing room, plans for Elizabeth’s marriage began to be discussed in earnest.
“Surely this talk of marrying within a fortnight is nothing more than foolish speculation,” Mr Bennet said, clearly making one final effort to retain his daughter a little longer.
“Lydia has not, in truth, ruined herself, and as she is to be confined to the nursery for the present—or at least until I can make enquiries regarding the school Mr Darcy mentioned—our reputations may yet be preserved. There is no need for such haste. Your mother will be most disappointed.”
Elizabeth could not help but glance at Jane, but her sister sat very still, her hands folded in her lap, her expression perfectly composed.
Unable to gain any support there, she met her father’s gaze with steady composure, but she could not entirely quiet the unease that had lingered since the previous evening.
Her heart beat rapidly, and while she could, in some ways, understand his reluctance, she knew that she would not allow it to sway her.
On the journey south, she and Fitzwilliam had discussed what they wished, and among other reasons, neither had any desire for the extravagant display that her mother would wish.
“There may be no need, Papa,” she replied, her voice calm, but leaving little room for quibbling, “but there is every reason. You know very well that Mama would wish for a lavish affair, and given all that has transpired here of late, I have little desire to be paraded about the entire village for weeks on end. No, Fitzwilliam and his sister are already here, as are the Gardiners, so I see no reason to delay.”
Elizabeth felt Fitzwilliam’s quiet support beside her, and when she glanced at him, his expression held steady agreement. His hold on her hand tightened, just a little, in encouragement and support.
“Yes, Bennet,” Gardiner interjected, clearly seeing that Elizabeth was irritated.
She could only assume that he meant to prevent her from arguing with her father again, and she relaxed just a little, suddenly aware of just how tense she had been.
Even so, the sense that something was not quite right lingered in her mind, although she could not yet name its source.
Her uncle continued. “Since we are all here, it will be easy enough to plan a small ceremony and a simple breakfast to celebrate the couple before my wife and I are obliged to return to London. With all your guests out of the way and the wedding behind you, you can begin making the necessary arrangements to place Lydia in a school—escorting her there yourself as is your responsibility.”
“It may serve you well to arrange for Mary and Kitty to have a companion or someone who can instruct them while Lydia is at school,” Mrs Gardiner joined in. “If Jane wishes, she can accompany us to London for the rest of the summer, if that will ease your burden here at home.”
“You would take away my other sensible daughter?” Mr Bennet complained. “It is bad enough that Elizabeth will go away after this, but without Jane present, I will not hear a word of sense until she returns.”
“That is why you must hire a companion, for perhaps she can teach your daughters—maybe even my sister—to speak with sense as well as propriety. You have paid little attention to any of the others, beyond Elizabeth, so you do not know what they might be capable of with just a little aid.”
It was her uncle who spoke this time, and Elizabeth nearly sagged with relief against Fitzwilliam.
His presence steadied her, even as the conversation threatened to turn once more.
While she knew what her aunt and uncle were saying was correct, she could not help but wish things could have been a little different.
When she had been small, she had often joined her father in his book room and he had always indulged her by allowing her to read with him. She knew he had been pleased when she began asking him questions and discussing what she read with him, but none of her sisters had ever sought the same.
She returned her attention to the discussion, aware that she should not allow her mind to drift too far from the present conversation, particularly as she heard the voice of one of her sisters joining in.
“Why should we need a companion?” Kitty asked her uncle. “Lydia will not like being sent away to school, but if Mary and I are to remain at home, I do not see what use we have for one.”
To Elizabeth’s surprise, it was Mrs Annesley who replied.
“A companion does not so much instruct as she guides,” she said gently.
“She is there to accompany you, to observe, and to advise when necessary. As you begin to move in a wider circle of society, such support may prove of greater value than you expect, particularly when that circle differs from what you have hitherto known. There are occasions when guidance is better received from one who stands a little apart.”
This answer seemed to satisfy Kitty, for she sat back and appeared to be considering the matter. At the very least, she did not say anything else, and the attention returned to the matter of the wedding.
“Since Elizabeth has requested that we remain until the wedding, my suggestion is that the wedding take place as soon as it can be arranged. Today is Saturday, so if the wedding is held mid-week, we can depart soon after and arrive at home that same evening. We had intended to return home near then anyway, so that will not require us to extend our trip by too long,” Mrs Gardiner said.
“Jane, as I said, you are welcome to join us in London, but I will leave the decision up to you.”
Elizabeth glanced at Jane, but her sister’s expression was too composed for Elizabeth to read anything into it. Her sister hesitated before answering.
“I think that I will remain at home, at least for now,” Jane said, her fingers smoothing her gown, though there was no crease evident.
Elizabeth wondered at Jane’s words, for she could interpret neither her expression nor her tone.
Jane continued. “Mama will need someone to sit with her when she learns Lydia is to be sent to school, and if Papa must take her there himself, she cannot be left to endure that alone. No, I think I ought to remain at Longbourn for now.”
Elizabeth wanted to shake her head at this, and for a moment, she wondered if Jane somehow thought that she also ought to stay, but how would that even be managed after she was married?
She would not subject Fitzwilliam nor Georgiana to her mother’s theatrics in that instance, but she did not think that Jane ought to be required to bear it either.
“Fitzwilliam and I spoke of our wedding trip on the way south, and we thought to go to the Lakes for a fortnight after the wedding. But before we went, we intended to escort Georgiana to Pemberley; Jane, would you like to accompany us?”
“No, Lizzy,” Jane said with a slight sniff, “I would not. It is best that I remain here to deal with Mama while you are off seeking your own pleasure.”
“Jane?” Elizabeth nearly cried, the hurt evident in her tone. Instead of responding to her, Elizabeth was astonished to see Jane stand and nearly run from the room. She made to follow, but Mrs Gardiner laid a hand on Elizabeth’s arm.
“Allow me, Elizabeth,” she said quietly. “You and Mr Darcy need to finish making the plans for your wedding, and I believe that, at the moment, I am the one who ought to speak to Jane. The two of you can speak later.”
Reluctantly, Elizabeth nodded as she watched her aunt leave the room. “Papa?” she asked, turning to him.
“I cannot say anything for certain,” he admitted. “I do believe she received a letter yesterday, or was it the day before?”
This last was said absentmindedly, and Elizabeth wondered if, by some chance, Caroline Bingley would have somehow written to Jane from Pemberley and said something to upset Jane further.
She could not think of anyone else who might have written to her, particularly no one who would upset Jane in this way.
It did not take long to settle the practical matters attending Elizabeth’s marriage to Mr Darcy, and a letter was quickly dispatched to the rector at Longbourn, requesting that he meet with the Elizabeth and Mr Darcy on Monday to arrange a wedding ceremony for Tuesday or Wednesday.
The wedding breakfast was to be small, confined to those family members currently in residence at Longbourn, along with the Philipses.
There was no need to invite the wider community, and any whispers occasioned by the suddenness of the wedding might be easily explained: Elizabeth and Mr Darcy had met again in Derbyshire, after having previously spent time together in Kent in April, and, following so long a separation, neither had any wish to delay their union further.
And yet, even as the arrangements were settled, Elizabeth could not entirely dismiss the unease Jane’s behaviour had stirred.