Chapter 4
FOUR
“Colonel Fitzwilliam, ma’am,” The housekeeper announced, as the gentleman entered the vestibule alone. Almost half an hour had passed since he had gone after Mr Darcy.
Mrs Collins stepped into the hall from the stillroom and curtseyed in response to the officer’s bow. Rising from her curtsey, she invited him to sit once more in the parlour. They took the same seats they had occupied earlier in the morning.
“Mrs Collins, I regret to say I have seen neither hide nor hair of my cousin, nor of Miss Bennet. I must admit I have no idea of what steps to take next. I cannot impose on your hospitality any further, yet I cannot and will not return to Rosings. Lady Catherine will demand an explanation and all hell will break loose.”
“Rest assured sir, you are welcome to stay here for as long as you need. Are you hungry? Would you care for any refreshments?”
“Some coffee perhaps?”
Mrs Collins signalled to the housekeeper and turned back to her guest.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam, do you believe Mr Darcy to be in any danger?”
He snorted at that. “I believe him to be acting strangely, but not in any danger.”
“Yes, you said earlier that your cousin has not been quite himself. Let us consider what we have observed about Mr Darcy and about Eliza. Yesterday, my friend walked out after she received some letters. She often takes her letters outdoors if the weather is fine.”
“That may be when I encountered her as I was also walking the grounds,” the colonel replied. “I always take a tour of the park before we take our leave, though this year Darcy has put off our departure more than once.”
“Did she seem herself when you spoke? I only ask because one of the letters looked to be from her elder sister, for whom she has been particularly concerned.”
Fitzwilliam shook his head. “No, I did not sense anything amiss.” He paused and added thoughtfully, “At least at first. I may have said something… I related a little story about my cousin Darcy and it seemed to… For a moment it seemed displeasing to her, but then she changed the subject and I did not think anything more of it.”
Mrs Collins looked at him. “A story about Mr Darcy.” She pursed her lips briefly, then enquired, “What sort of story, if I may ask?”
“We were speaking of Mr Bingley, and Miss Bennet remarked upon how Darcy often advises him. I agreed, and told her of how only a few months ago, Darcy had discouraged Bingley from offering for an unsuitable lady.”
Mrs Collins sat up straight, her eyes sharpened. “A lady in Hertfordshire, I presume?”
“Yes. It was a lady from an estate near the one Bingley leased.” He peered at Mrs Collins. “Oh, that is your home, is it not? Perhaps I have misspoken, ma’am.”
“You have indeed. The lady in question is Miss Jane Bennet, Eliza’s elder sister, and her favourite person in the world.”
The colonel closed his eyes and let his head drop backwards onto the chair, muttering an oath. Raising his head, he said, “Oh, my apologies, Mrs Collins! Should I assume our conversation led to the headache that prevented Miss Bennet from joining us at Rosings for tea yesterday?”
Mrs Collins nodded solemnly. “I believe that it most likely did, though Eliza did not relate that to me.” She paused, and then continued.
“Perhaps I should tell you how the situation was perceived in Meryton. Mr Bingley showed Jane a great deal of attention when he was at Netherfield, almost to the point of recklessness. It was noticed and remarked upon by everyone there. He did not hide his attraction to her. In fact, he danced with her twice the very night they met at an assembly just after Michaelmas.”
“That does sound like Bingley,” Fitzwilliam said drily, shaking his head.
“This behaviour continued through the autumn. The Bingleys gave an elaborate ball in late November. Mr Bingley barely left Jane’s side all evening, often neglecting his duties as host. They seemed entirely wrapped up in each other.
His regard for her was so obvious that it was generally expected in the neighbourhood that he would propose, but instead, he packed up and left for London the very next morning.
The day after that, Netherfield was closed, and Mr Darcy, Miss Bingley, and Mr and Mrs Hurst left for town, never to return. No notes, no farewell visits, nothing.”
Mrs Collins met his eye. “Jane was, and remains, heartbroken. She has been made the object of pity and gossip, most painful for her because she has always been careful with her heart. It became so distressing to her that after the festive season she left Longbourn and travelled to London to stay with her uncle. Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst made a great show of an intimate friendship with Jane while they resided at Netherfield, but when she paid a visit to their home on Grosvenor Street they treated her very shabbily. It was all a pretence.”
She folded her hands on her lap and continued.
“Eliza believes that Mr Bingley’s regard for her sister was genuine and that he was persuaded away from her.
She dislikes Mr Darcy intensely and had already convinced herself that your cousin induced Mr Bingley to leave Netherfield; your story confirmed it. ”
“Oh Lord!” Colonel Fitzwilliam ran a hand through his hair. “I could not have done worse if I planned it so. You see, I am of the opinion that Darcy has formed an attachment to Miss Bennet. I do not believe he has any notion of her dislike.”
Mrs Collins nodded. “I also had got the impression that he admired her, but Eliza believes that he despises herself and her family, that they are not high enough for him. Did you speak with him after tea? After our party had left Rosings?”
The conversation went silent momentarily when the housekeeper entered the room with a tray piled with sandwiches and a pot of coffee.
“Thank you, Mrs Ford.” As the housekeeper exited, Mrs Collins poured a cup for the colonel and handed it to him with a plate of sandwiches.
“Excellent memory, Mrs Collins. That is exactly how I like my coffee.”
“A hostess must have a good memory for details. Now, as you were saying?”
“I did not even see Darcy after tea. He took a tray in his room rather than joining us for dinner. When I retired for the evening, I knocked on his door and he did not answer. I assumed he had gone to bed. This morning he was out very early, and as I mentioned before, upon his return, insisted that we leave for town immediately.”
“He did not look well earlier. Neither did Eliza, when I saw her this morning.”
“I must ask, how did Miss Bennet get the idea that Darcy despises her? Even when he is among strangers, he is careful and punctilious in his behaviour to others.”
Mrs Collins raised an eyebrow. “Not every time. He attended an assembly shortly after his arrival at Netherfield. Possibly even the same day. He barely spoke to anyone except Mr Bingley and his family and stood against the wall all evening looking as if he had been assaulted by a foul odour. At one point, Mr Bingley was urging him to dance and pointed Eliza out as not having a partner. Mr Darcy caught her attention, looked her straight in the eye, and pronounced her not pretty enough to dance with; that he did not dance with women who have been slighted by other men. I did not witness this myself, but it was the talk of the assembly.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam put his head in his hands and muttered, “Great stupid ox!” He sat up straight.
“I would imagine that he attended against his own inclination.
Darcy detests assemblies and does not dance with strangers, but he would feel the obligation to please his host. However, that is no excuse for such behaviour.
“When he is in town, my mother is forever pushing him to attend this ball or that soiree. He makes a pretence of listening to her but only accepts invitations that she deems vital. He attends and is polite, but distant to the point of being aloof. He arrives late and stays for as little time as possible. He rarely dances. However, that is no deterrence to the ladies of our sphere.” He sipped his coffee.
“I have watched him for years, whenever I am in London. Women throw themselves at him; entrapments have been tried and tried again. Occasionally, the lady’s parents are behind the plot as well.
He is always on the defensive, poor devil. ”
“Is he not promised to Miss de Bourgh?”
“Lady Catherine believes that if she repeats the idea enough that it will eventually happen. The late Mr Darcy told my father that there was never a cradle betrothal or betrothal of any other kind between Anne and Darcy. Before he died, he even counselled his son against it.”
He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Was news of his income circulating around the room?”
“Oh yes, it was, but it made no difference. If his object was to keep scheming ladies away, then he succeeded admirably in Meryton. The entire neighbourhood pronounced him disagreeable and above his company. No matchmaking mamas or their daughters approached him at all the entire time he was there.”
“Your neighbourhood, Meryton, is it? It must be much less bloodthirsty than the haut ton.”
“It is a small backwater. The same families have lived there for many generations, and newcomers are a rarity.”
They sat in comfortable silence a little longer, until Colonel Fitzwilliam set down his cup.
Refreshed and energised from his coffee, he stood. “Mrs Collins, shall we walk together? Would Mr Collins mind? Perhaps you can show me which paths are Miss Bennet’s favourites, and we can discover if she can be found still walking in the grove.”
Mrs Collins agreed. “My husband will not mind or even notice. He will be busy conferring with Lady Catherine. He has written his sermon, and he will spend the entire afternoon consulting her on it.”
The colonel arched a brow. “Knowing my aunt, I expect she scrutinises, criticises, and most likely changes every word.” He rose from the chair.
Mrs Collins smiled and stood. “She does indeed. I shall fetch my pelisse.”