Chapter 47
Instead of the anticipated visits from Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy, Miss Bingley arrived in her brother's carriage. Jane and Elizabeth exited Longbourn to meet her on the step. She was dressed for travel, and her luggage was strapped to the back.
“I am for London,” she said, indicating the carriage with the driver still awaiting her. “I will not tarry long, but I wish to share my exciting news with you, Jane, my dearest friend. Mr Darcy has asked for my hand, and I have accepted.”
Elizabeth felt her legs go weak and thought that she would sink to the ground. Only Jane reaching out and taking her hand gave her the strength to stay standing.
“Congratulations,” Jane responded with the expected reply, but Elizabeth was unable to speak.
“Thank you, dearest Jane,” she said, and seemed not to expect a response from Elizabeth.
“I won’t keep you outdoors any longer, but I am off to town to start to shop for my trousseau.
We are not planning a long engagement, but I could not leave without sharing my news with you all,” she said and looked directly at Elizabeth, a look of loathing evident on her face.
She said nothing more, only entered the carriage, and with a wave she instructed the driver to move on.
A whimper escaped Elizabeth; he was to marry Miss Bingley!
She could not speak, and instead she ran into the house and directly to her room, where she finally allowed her tears to fall.
Some minutes later, the door opened without a knock.
Elizabeth did not look up, sure that it was Jane come to comfort her, but she was mistaken.
“Some terrible thing must have occurred,” her mother said, patting the back of her head in comfort, as Elizabeth had not raised her face from her pillow.
“I think my dear, we understand Mr Darcy well enough to know he is a man of honour and he would never have shown you such attention had his heart not been engaged. But, Miss Bingley has announced their engagement, so there is nothing to be done.”
Elizabeth just cried harder. She knew her mama was trying to be comforting.
“It is all my fault,” she said, and the tale of her rejection of him in Kent came out haltingly but clearly.
“I think it is best that you go away to London to your aunt and uncle Gardiner for a time?” her mother suggested, and Elizabeth raised her head and nodded.
“I will have Hill arrange for a bag to be packed for you immediately, and I will have your papa arrange to have the carriage readied. I would send Jane with you if not for Mr Bingley, but Mary will accompany you.”
“Thank you, Mama,” Elizabeth replied, in a quiet and sorrowful voice.
It was not above two hours, but Elizabeth and Mary were on the road to London, and two hours after that, Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy arrived at Longbourn.
Mr Darcy was most disheartened to discover that Elizabeth had departed for London, and he understood that she had done so to protect him from a second unwelcome proposal.
He was then congratulated on his engagement, and with much confusion and misunderstanding, the story of Miss Bingley’s visit and announcement was revealed.
“I am so sorry, Darcy,” Mr Bingley said, his face flushed as the details were told.
“I am not, nor have I ever been engaged to Miss Bingley,” Mr Darcy told the Bennet family. “Miss Bingley has been informed time and again that I will never ask for her hand in marriage, under any circumstances.”
“Well, you had best be on your way then,” Mr Collins said. The instruction was met with a quizzical brow from Darcy.
“She is gone to her aunt and uncle in Gracechurch Street,” Mr Collins said. “If you leave now, you will not be two hours behind her.”
Mr Bennet had entered the room during Mr Darcy’s declaration, and Mr Darcy now looked to him.
“Off with you,” he said with a smile and a clap on his back, which Mr Darcy reacted to immediately by running out the door and to the stables to retrieve his horse.