Chapter Twenty-Nine
Kitty, who liked to curl up on the window seat in the parlour, was the first to spy an unknown carriage entering Longbourn’s drive. “Mama, look at this carriage! Is it not fine?”
Mrs. Bennet peered out the window beside her daughter. “Why, I have never seen it before. It is not Mr. Bingley’s, that is certain.”
“It is Jane!” Kitty shrieked, jumping off the window seat and running to the front door.
“What on earth?” Mrs. Bennet demanded.
By the time Jane reached the front door on the arm of an unknown gentleman, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Kitty and Lydia had gathered together to welcome her. There was a general hubbub, but at the end of it, Jane was asking, “Where is Lizzy?”
“Out walking with Mr. Collins and Mary. But will you not introduce us, Jane?” Mrs. Bennet asked, nodding at Mr. Darcy.
“Oh! Mr. Darcy, please forgive me,” Jane said. “Allow me to present you to my family.”
After introductions were completed, Mr. Darcy was invited to take refreshments with the family.
He was sorely tempted to do so, as he very much wished to speak to Miss Bennet and had had very little opportunity to do so during the journey, but he was aware that he had not alerted Bingley as to his arrival.
It would be best to get to Netherfield as soon as possible.
A practiced hostess, Mrs. Bennet saw his unease and promptly said, “Perhaps Mr. Darcy thinks he should pay his respects to his host and hostess at Netherfield first. Mr. Darcy, we see a good deal of your friend, Mr. Bingley. Might you join him when he next visits us?”
“I thank you, Mrs. Bennet. I will certainly do so, at my earliest opportunity.”
Once he took his leave of them, Mrs. Bennet would not rest until she learned all about the handsome gentleman with the elegant carriage!
All of Jane’s protestations that she scarcely knew him, and it was merely coincidence that he was going to Meryton just when she wished to be home, went unregarded.
“But why are you here, Jane?” Mr. Bennet finally asked, once Mrs. Bennet’s curiousity had been satisfied. “Not that I am not happy to see you, child, but I thought that you were…” He trailed off.
“Finding a husband in London?” Jane said.
“Well, I met any number of gentleman. I received offers from three gentlemen who were the sons of some of Uncle Gardiner’s friends, but I felt nothing for any of them, and so I refused.
There was one gentleman, the son of a Baron, who seemed quite interested, but he vanished upon learning that I had no dowry. ”
Mrs. Bennet opened her mouth and then closed it again.
She and her husband traded uneasy glances.
Alas, they would have to have the same conversation with Jane that they had had with Lizzy.
Jane had turned down three offers, any one of which might have saved the Bennets!
This marrying for love idea must be abandoned.
When Elizabeth, Mary and Mr. Collins returned, Jane waited until Mr. Collins was introduced, and then she wrapped Elizabeth in a hug, whispering that they would speak very soon. It was not until bedtime, however, that Jane and Elizabeth were able to do so in private.
“Now, then, Jane, tell me the truth. Why did you come home?” Elizabeth demanded.
“Mary wrote me about what is happening here at Longbourn.”
Elizabeth frowned and shook her head. “She should not have done that She knew very well that I wished you to be kept in ignorance of the situation.”
“To my mind, she should not have had to do so,” Jane returned. “You should have told me yourself!”
“Jane, I hoped, oh, so very much, that you would find love in London!!”
“And you would sacrifice yourself for my benefit, was that your idea?” Jane’s voice was low, but she was clearly furious. “How do you think I would feel, knowing that my happiness was bought at the cost of your own?”
Elizabeth looked away.
“You did not consider that at all, did you! Lizzy, I love you! I could not bear to be happy and not see you the same!”
“I could be happy with Mr. Bingley!” Elizabeth insisted.
“How long have you known him now?”
“Some weeks,” Elizabeth mumbled.
“And you still feel nothing; is that not right?”
“Oh, Jane!” Elizabeth burst into tears. Jane’s arms were around her in a moment.
A quarter of an hour later, Lizzy wiped her face and said, “Now tell me about London. What happened?”
“Both Uncle Henry and Aunt Madeleine made certain that I meet many young gentleman, though most were of the merchant class. I suspect Aunt Madeleine would very much like to claim the honour of finding me a husband.”
“No doubt,” Elizabeth agreed dryly.
“But we were invited to dinner at the home of Lord and Lady Stanford, as Lord Stanford is an investor in Uncle’s business.”
“And there is where you met their son; I recall that from your letter.”
“He was very handsome, very charming.”
“And he took you to art museums?”
“Yes, museums and exhibitions, all sorts of things.”
“Did you enjoy that?”
“Not particularly. Nor was I particularly enthralled by the gentleman himself, though there was certainly nothing wrong with him.”
“And then?”
“Why, then Lord Stanford paid a visit to Uncle Gardiner and learned that I have no dowry to speak of and that our father’s estate is entailed away.”
“And that was enough to chase this Mr. Stanford off? Why, good riddance to him!” Elizabeth was indignant on her sister’s behalf.
“Exactly! Oh, Lizzy, how I have missed you! Tell me about Mary and Mr. Collins. They were not present when I first arrived, but at dinner it seemed that they had a good deal to say to one another. And, of course, you must tell me all about this Mr. Bingley!”
“Mr. Bingley is just like your Mr. Stanford, Jane. He is pleasant, well-looking, well-mannered and wealthy. But there is just no spark between us. Honestly, I do not know why he pursues me, as I do not think he feels it either.”
“I do not think gentlemen expect to feel a – well, a spark, as you put it.”
“Perhaps not. In any case, he is at Netherfield with two sisters and the husband of the eldest sister.”
“Are they pleasant?”
“The eldest sister is pleasant enough; the younger one is rather high in the instep. The husband of the eldest mostly sleeps.”
“Do you think he will make you an offer, Lizzy?”
“I fear that he will.”
“You fear it because you know you must accept it,” Jane whispered.
“Exactly.”
“But what of Mary and Mr. Collins? Would a match between them not solve the difficulty? Oh, no, I suppose not. It is unlikely that he has three thousand pounds to give us.”
“Yes. But I am happy for Mary. She loves him, Jane, can you imagine that?”
“Really? Is that what she told you?”
“Yes, and she has all the symptoms!”
“Who would have thought that it would be our practical Mary who would make a love match?” Jane marveled. “I am so happy for her!”
“It is not done yet,” Elizabeth said. “After all, he might decide on you rather than her!”
“Oh, I hope not! That would be dreadful!”
***
Mr. Collins was confused. He had decided to make his cousin Mary an offer of marriage, and had been on the point of proposing when Miss Bennet, the eldest daughter, came home from London.
His mouth had fallen open when he had been introduced to her.
What a beauty she was! Those blond curls, those long-lashed blue eyes!
Why, a man could drown in those limpid cerulean pools!
But beautiful as this Miss Bennet was – and she certainly was! – the idea of not spending his life with Mary was intolerable. He felt a pang of regret, as what man would not want such a woman as the beauteous Miss Bennet on his arm, but knew he was making the right decision.
Tomorrow, he would propose to his Mary.