Chapter 86 #2
“What an extremely interesting young man! Such manners, such presence, such consideration. It is a long time since I have met with anyone quite so charming!”
“Yes, Mama, he can be very agreeable.”
“Agreeable? Is that the best you can say about him? What are his circumstances? Who are his people?”
“His family resides in Kent. I believe he is quite comfortably situated,” replied Mary. “His income is such that he is not to be obliged to follow any profession.”
She did not mention his connection to Lady Catherine. She knew this would only sharpen her mother’s appetite to push her into Mr. Ryder’s arms.
“Then he is a most eligible young man. I assume he has no existing ties? He is not promised elsewhere?”
“I believe not,” admitted Mary, “although another lady has shown herself ready to oblige him, if he could be persuaded to ask her.”
There was a moment’s silence as Mrs. Bennet absorbed the implications of this knowledge.
“I am not sure I quite believe my ears.” She leant forward, fixing her daughter with a disbelieving stare.
“Here is a young man with every advantage—rich, obliging, very good-looking—a man who is interested in you—very interested, from what I have just seen. And yet you talk about another woman pursuing him with no more concern than if he had been a pound of butter.”
She sat back in her seat, exasperated by such wilful stupidity.
“What are you thinking of? What can have possessed you to be so foolish?”
“I think of Mr. Ryder as a friend,” replied Mary uncertainly. “A good friend, but no more than that.”
“A single young woman cannot have a man as a friend!” exclaimed Mrs. Bennet. “He is either a suitor or he is nothing! And there is no doubt in my mind that, whatever you may say, Mr. Ryder was here very much in the character of a suitor!”
Mary rose up from her chair and walked quickly to the window. She did not want her mother to see how her words had affected her. In her heart, she knew they were true—but she had not wished to acknowledge that fact, even to herself.
“I have not considered him in that light.”
“Then it is time you did, before it is too late.” With this final disbelieving exclamation, Mrs. Bennet turned her infuriated attentions to Mrs. Gardiner.
“I am amazed, sister, amazed that I have been told nothing about this young man. And then, just as I learn of his existence, I discover that there is a rival for his affections—that there is a chance Mary may be cut out!”
“She cannot be ‘cut out’ if she does not wish to marry him,” replied Mrs. Gardiner. “And I have not heard anything from Mary that suggests that is what she wants.”
“Of course it is what she wants, even if she does not know it yet. Marriage is what every woman wants, and, whilst she was in your care, it was your duty to persuade her of that.”
“I am not sure interference on my part would be either helpful or desirable,” retorted Mrs. Gardiner, who had made up her mind not to be provoked and, not without difficulty, continued to keep her temper. “In my experience, these matters are best left to the young people to decide.”
Mrs. Bennet waved a dismissive hand.
“How can they possibly do so, when they are neither old enough nor experienced enough to know their own minds? It is up to us to show them what is for the best, and make them act on it if we can.”
“Then I’m afraid we must disagree,” declared Mrs. Gardiner icily.
“Their affections are not to be forced or coerced. They must find their own way. All we can do is prevent the very worst from happening—to keep our daughters away from blackguardly men and instill in them enough sense to resist their blandishments.”
The words elopement and disastrous and Lydia hovered in the air, but Mrs. Gardiner thought better than to utter them; and Mrs. Bennet was too distracted to perceive any personal application in what had been said, which, if she had, would have required her to leave her brother’s house that very evening, if not before.
“You are entirely mistaken,” declared Mrs. Bennet. “The cleverest girl is sometimes utterly blind to where her true interest lies; look at Lizzy, if you like. Having safely married four daughters, I think I may be allowed some experience in these matters.”
Mrs. Gardiner thought it prudent to say no more, but Mrs. Bennet was not to be silenced. “And what have you been doing in all of this to advance your cause? No, miss—don’t speak—I can see—nothing at all!”
She shook her head, unable to believe a daughter of hers could be so indifferent to her own best interests.
“Even you, Mary, must surely see,” her mother continued, “that if Mr. Ryder has made no offer to this other lady—who appears to have a better grasp of her position than you—it must be because he likes you.”
“He may not wish to marry either of us, Mama. Have you thought of that?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Mary. A single man in possession of a good fortune must be in search of a wife.”
“As I say, I consider us as friends only. I have no reason to believe he thinks of me in any other way.”
Mary knew this was disingenuous; but her mother’s eagerness frightened her.
“Nonsense,” retorted Mrs. Bennet. “He looks at you with real admiration. I suppose you are not used to it, and don’t recognise it when you see it, but I assure you, it is so.
” She turned towards Mrs. Gardiner. “Even you must agree with me on this point. It is impossible to deny he admires her, is it not, sister?”
Mary could see her aunt had no wish to encourage Mrs. Bennet, but could not bring herself to lie.
“Yes, Mr. Ryder is very fond of Mary. He sees qualities in her that others have not appreciated—even those closest to her—and that is greatly to his credit.”
“In that case, I am all the more amazed you haven’t done more to advance matters. But fortunately, I am here now, and I will have everything settled before I go back to Jane.”