Chapter Forty-One
The carriage ride home was not a particularly pleasant one for Jane and Elizabeth, for only Mary was spared Mrs. Bennet’s scoldings.
She began with Elizabeth. “Why did you allow Mr. Darcy to sit with you? You are to be spending your time with Mr. Bingley, and you are not to forget it! As for you, Jane, if you had been here from the beginning, then I have no doubt that you would have been the one to capture Mr. Bingley’s interest. But it is too late for that now!
You are not to cut your sister out, do you hear me? ”
Neither Jane nor Elizabeth could bring themselves to comment on their mother’s strictures. They both bowed their heads and sat in silence.
When they were alone in their room, Jane began, “Elizabeth, I apologise, I did not mean to –“
“Please, no; I was happy for you to sit with Mr. Bingley. You will recall that I suggested it. But there is something I must tell you.”
“About Mr. Bingley?”
“No; about Mr. Darcy.”
“Very well; I am listening.”
“When I brought him his teacup, our fingers touched.” She stopped.
Jane prodded her. “And?”
“Well, the oddest thing…my fingers began to – well, sort of throb, and I found my heart racing!”
“Really?! And what was his reaction?”
“He took the cup, after we both almost dropped it, and he fled – there can be no other word for it – to another chair!”
“Tingles in the fingers and racing hearts? That can mean only one thing!” Jane was astonished.
“But – but – he is engaged, and I am all but engaged to Mr. Bingley!” Elizabeth wailed.
Jane put her arms around her sister and held her. “We do not know if Mr. Darcy is truly engaged, dearest. And we both agreed that Mr. Bingley would be permitted to take his pick of the two of us.”
“But what if – what if Mr. Bingley picks me and then we learn that Mr. Darcy is not engaged? No, no, that would not matter, for there is no reason for someone like him to offer for someone like me! I must put him from my mind, that is the only thing to do!”
“Lizzy, we must simply wait, as difficult as that is. Perhaps when Mary goes to Kent, she will learn more about the engagement.”