Here Elizabeth interjected, “I am sorry, Mama, I believe I must have forgotten to inform you. Mr. Darcy told me earlier that he would be gone to London for a short while to speak to his solicitors. I do not exactly know when he shall be back.”
Apparently the lure of the unknown was powerful to Mrs. Bennet, for she acknowledged Elizabeth’s statements with another gracious smile, and then focused her attention back on her husband. She knew Mr. Darcy was an honourable man who did not speak malicious falsehoods, no matter how wrong he was, she thought. She remembered his comment on the unvarying society of country life very well. And yet her Lizzie had been varying enough for his temperament!
“Who will be our guest, Mr. Bennet?” Mrs. Bennet demanded impatiently. Her husband soon put her out of her misery.
“It is Mr. Collins,” Mr. Bennet replied, “my estranged cousin and heir to this estate. When I am dead, he shall be able to turn you all, barring Lizzie of course, out of this house as soon as he pleases.”
Elizabeth, as well as the whole of the table, watched in fascination as different emotions flitted across her mama’s face, as well as the varying shades of red. It seemed, Elizabeth concluded, that her mama would allow no news on this day to upset her. How often had she lamented that Longbourn was entailed and that her dear girls would be left with nothing but an equal share of her own dowry?
Mrs. Bennet grasped her wine goblet, and took a healthy drink, and then turned her attention to her own dinner, speaking under her breath the entire time about how heartily ashamed she would be to inherit something that did not belong to her.
With Mrs. Bennet’s thoughts occupied, quietly for once, the rest of the table fell into a gentle hum of conversation.
Elizabeth willed it all to pass quickly, for she needed to speak to her sister, to be held by her, and told that everything would work out for good. For tonight, she could try to believe it, for she had no other recourse.
***
The pacing was not helping her temperament at all, Louisa observed silently as she watched her sister angrily walk about the room.
When the Bennet sisters had departed Netherfield in their brother’s new carriage, Louisa had taken the time to draw her sister into the music room, suggesting that they practice a few concertos for that evening’s entertainment. Caroline had eagerly obliged, knowing that she would have Mr. Darcy and their brother to themselves for the evening. It would be a good way to subtly display her superiority over the Bennets, by displaying talents that those young ladies freely admitted to not possessing. Louisa was not entirely sure it would have the wanted effect, for Mr. Darcy had heard Caroline and Louisa play many times, and such a thing did not cause a gentleman to fall in love with, or marry a gentlewoman. However, its calming effect on Caroline was all that Louisa wanted.
After two strenuous hours spent over the pianoforte, during which Louisa patiently instructed her younger sister on the latest concerto she had been practising, they had decided to take a short break. Caroline had always been a quick study, so she played the piece tolerably well, although somewhat lacking in passion. She certainly did not play it as well as Louisa, who prided herself on pouring all of her emotion into the piece, as it required. Louisa snorted to herself. Passion, as if she had any to give.
Instead of going to one of the smaller rooms, perhaps one that opened to the veranda outside, they had elected to take their small meal into the sitting room that Charles had done up for them. In the end, Louisa was very grateful they had, for sometime later, Braxton had come to inform them of the rumours that had been spread so very quickly throughout Meryton, and that Mr. Darcy had ridden to Longbourn.
Louisa had barely dismissed Braxton, before Caroline had erupted. For Louisa knew, as well as Caroline, that Mr. Darcy had only gone to Longbourn for one purpose--and that was to make a formal offer of marriage to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Otherwise, he would have called his valet to pack his things, and left for London or Pemberley, the moment the news reached Netherfield.
After some time, Louisa had been able to calm her sister down by slipping her some calming, soothing herbs that would make her drowsy within her tea, for Caroline drank anything that Louisa pushed at her, when she was angry. However, Mr. Darcy’s absence at the evening meal had worked Caroline up again.
It was better that he was not dining with the Bennets, Louisa decided. His action was not surprising, for she knew by the look on his face when she greeted Mrs. Bennet and her younger daughters on their visit, that he had barely concealed embarrassment and scorn for the majority of the Bennet women. However, it was worse for Caroline, as Charles had cheerfully informed them, that he was on his way to London to speak to his solicitor about the banns and marriage settlements. Perhaps he would even procure a special license, Charles had blathered on, seemingly unaware or uncaring of how his words were being taken by his younger sister, for Darcy certainly appeared eager to marry Miss Eliza Bennet.
At those words, Caroline had hastily stood and excused herself, citing a headache. Beside her, Mr. Hurst had let out a cough that sounded suspiciously like a scoff, as he was much more awake now that it was nearing his regularly kept hours.
And Louisa had brought some of the same tea she had given her sister earlier, and would have to get Caroline to sit down long enough to drink enough of it, so she could go to bed.
“Caroline, dearest,” she tried to cajole gently, “please sit down before you run a hole in the carpet. You were insistent that Charles purchase it, and now your slippers will ruin it.”
Considering the carpet below her feet, as Louisa was correct, Caroline had triumphantly bought the last one over a Duchess for heaven’s sake, and she had no wish to ruin it quite so soon. She should, however, have it moved down to the main parlour, so she would be able to speak of it often to guests.
Her mouth twisted into a frown. Jane Bennet had been a dear, sweet girl. The sort of girl who sat and spoke only when spoken to, who supplied information when asked, and now their friendship would be over before it had even begun. Once again, as she had upon hearing the news, Caroline cursed that she had ever invited Jane Bennet anywhere near Netherfield. It had simply been a test--to see if the eldest daughter of what passed of as a prominent family would make a good sort of pet, and to get an idea of her dowry and connections. Both were downright pitiful and insulting, as though any Bennet woman thought herself good enough for the Bingley name.
No, Caroline decided angrily, one particular Bennet woman had decided herself good enough for the Darcy name, and so she had just taken what she wanted, propriety be damned.
“Caroline?” Louisa questioned, and Caroline forced herself to address her sister.
“Yes, Louisa?” She replied, taking care to keep her tone even. Louisa often scolded her for her temper, and she had no wish for another lecture, especially when Braxton had not yet attended upon her. She was due in another half an hour, and propriety and station needed to be kept while amongst the servants, especially the lady’s maids. Caroline had gone through several upstarts who believed that because they spoke French with a half-passable accent that they were destined to become friends and share each other’s worlds. It had taken very little effort on her part to train up Braxton, far easier than her other maids, and Caroline surmised it was only due to her previous employment in such a noble household.
“Have some tea and calm yourself, Sister.” Louisa stated, her tone brooking no argument.
Caroline scoffed. She would sit when her sister asked, she would drink her tea when her sister asked, she would lower her voice when her sister asked--but this? Calm herself? This was worthy of an argument, of a discussion. And Caroline would get her pound of flesh. First from her sister, and then from that conniving upstart, Miss Eliza herself.
“I cannot believe you are so changed by your marriage, Louisa.” Caroline stated in an almost sickly sweet tone, as she carelessly dropped a lump of sugar into her tea. It was her reward for the evening. Years of boarding school had left her
with a compulsion to never take sugar into her tea, for among her peers it had been a race to see who could have the slightest, most womanly figure among them. Caroline had to cut out most of the treats in her diet, including a few lumps of sugar in her tea, in order to prevail upon her peers, most of whom were the daughters of aristocracy. Caroline was now above such petty games, but it had become habit, and now she only took a lump of sugar once a night, or when she was feeling particularly put out. The situation with Mr. Darcy and Miss Eliza qualified.
“How do you mean, sister?” Louisa queried, aware that Caroline’s venom was about to be unleashed upon her, as it always would. When they were younger, barely into their teen years, Charles had once asked her why she deferred to Caroline so often, and had taken the brunt of her moods, and Louisa had told him that he would never understand the bond between sisters. It would always be difficult for them, especially with their past in trade, and the one thing Grandmother Caroline had taken the time to teach Louisa, was to never side against your family. Louisa had learnt the lesson well, and eventually, she hoped, so would Caroline.
“I mean that simply because you and Hurst were forced to marry under somewhat similar circumstances,” she began, although Louisa noted that she was highly exaggerating the situation, in an effort to spare herself any more pain regarding Mr. Darcy’s decision. For while Mr. Hurst had married her because they had been seen by several members of their house party, Mr. Darcy was being a gentleman by not leaving a poor country squire’s daughter to her undeserved fate, “does not mean that you should pity Miss Eliza, Louisa! You should pity poor, Mr. Darcy!” She finished with a twist of her mouth.
“I never said I pitied Miss Elizabeth, Caroline” Louisa started, and it was true. She did not pity Miss Elizabeth for her marriage would be to one of the wealthiest men in Derbyshire, and that was more than she could ever have hoped for, “I simply do not see the need to rage about, especially when Mr. Darcy is not our relative, merely a friend. If he does not think the connection is too low, then what is it to us?” she finished, knowing no matter how patiently she explained, Caroline would be riled up until the tea took effect.
She was correct.
Caroline sneered at her sister’s response--Louisa had always been too weak-willed. If she had been stronger, she would not be married to a drunken oaf who slept half the day, and spent the other half shooting when the weather was fine enough. “If it is nothing to you, that poor Mr. Darcy has been misrepresented and deceived by the whole of Meryton, nevermind those upstarts, then I do not know what to say to you, Louisa! Who else would have to gain from such malicious lies? Lies that began to circulate throughout town no less than two hours after Miss Eliza and her sister left Netherfield in our carriage that we had so generously provided! And look how they threw our generosity back into our face! Indeed, I am angry that Mr. Darcy left Netherfield so quickly, no doubt in an attempt to get away from Miss Eliza and the rest of this backwards town, for if he had not left so quickly, I would have been able to explain to him the circumstances of such a rumour! Mr. Darcy is a consummate gentleman, and as such, I believe, he puts too much upon himself to right other people’s wrongs, even when he had no involvement. He is far too trusting, poor man, especially in his attempt to educate Miss Eliza!”
“Educate Miss Elizabeth, how?” Louisa questioned, as she watched her sister slowly wind herself down, as she began to speak more and more of Mr. Darcy.
Caroline threw her sister a barely concealed eye roll. “During her farce of a visit, sister! She claimed to have come to nurse her conspiring sister back to health, yet she spent more time than not dining with us and seeking out Mr. Darcy’s company! I saw them together in the library not two days before we left, the little whore. It was probably there that she formed her plan, which is why she left a full quarter of an hour before Mr. Darcy. As to my original point,” Caroline realised she was getting off track, “Miss Eliza spent the entirety of the visit being obstinate and deliberately contrary, and of course Mr. Darcy, in his goodness, spent that time attempting to educate her as to how her betters viewed accomplished ladies and the like. Perhaps I could speak to Mr. Darcy when he returns!” Caroline exclaimed excitedly, as an idea formed within her head as she spoke the words.
“He may not need to shackle himself to Miss Eliza yet, Sister! Indeed. It shall only take a few days to conclude his business, and even then I should be able to draft a letter tonight for Charles to send out in the morning under his own signature, and perhaps I shall be able to catch him early.”
“What are you writing to Mr. Darcy, Caroline?” Louisa asked worriedly. It was one thing to complain within the privacy of one’s home, of one’s rooms, but another to interfere in the business of a gentleman of whom they did not share either blood or relations.
“If I may convince him to stay in London for the time being, and indeed for Charles to quit this wretched estate, for I find it to be rather spoilt, we shall all be able to quit to London and there shall be no need for Mr. Darcy to marry that little upstart! It is perfect, Louisa! We simply must speak to him before he takes out a public announcement, if indeed he will publicly announce that he is to be connected to such a family by marriage. He truly is too good a gentleman, and we simply need to remind him that he should not allow himself to be taken advantage of, especially by a bunch of country nobodies.”
Louisa swallowed as delicately as she could, and then spoke: “I do not believe Mr. Darcy would behave in such a manner Caroline, and that your letter would be most unwelcome-----”
“Oh, so you believe Mr. Hurst and Mr. Darcy are of the same caste of gentlemen, do you, Louisa?” Caroline taunted, her tone becoming ugly, “For I do not believe, when Mr. Darcy truly chooses to marry that he should spend half the day drunk and avoiding his wife! Now,” she intoned smugly as Louisa went to her feet at Caroline’s slur at her marriage, “that I shall need my rooms to myself, in order to compose my letters. You may close the door on your way out, Sister.”
Gathering what composure she had left, Louisa did as her sister bid. However, she did not make her way to her own chambers, but to Charles’, to inform him of Caroline’s plans. She would need to be reined in before she ruined the family’s friendship with Mr. Darcy, as well as her own reputation. Caroline had never been subtle, and it was one thing to set your cap for an unattached man, and another to a man who was engaged. Only her reputation would suffer, not his, no matter whether or not she received encouragement.
Chapter Five
At breakfast the next morning, when Mrs. Bennet’s ecstasy at her second born’s engagement had waned into a more tolerable excitement, she had demanded of Mr. Bennet that he should read at least the relevant part of the letter from their cousin, Mr. Collins. Mr. Bennet did so, noting that Mr. Collins was a vicar within the parsonage of a most esteemed patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, of Rosings Park and very extensive property. Privately, Elizabeth thought the man a fool, what with his ever-flowing adjectives describing his patroness, which bordered on infantile, and she believed her father did as well, given the small smile he showed while reading the letter aloud.
Although she had asked her dear Mr. Bennet to read the letter aloud, Mrs Bennet could not help but let out a moan of pain and degradation. “I cannot believe his manner, Mr. Bennet.” she could not help but interrupt, for her despair was too great to keep within herself. She would veritably explode otherwise. “That he should be blessed to have such a well-connected patroness along with such an honourable profession to boot! Why should he inherit Longbourn, and not one of our girls! My dear Jane, although she, nor Lizzie, shall have no use for it. It should not be borne! I have no wish to meet such a man who takes not the slightest care in how our family shall feel at such a letter.”
“Now, now Mrs. Bennet, you have not allowed me to finish. Allow me to do so, and then you shall take back your words!” Mr. Bennet teased.
Mrs. Bennet gave a sniff. “I should hardly think so, Mr. Bennet. Such an odious man!”
Mr. Bennet continued reading, “It says here that he hopes to extend an olive branch, Mrs. Bennet, and to repair the breach that was done by his most blessed father. Have I satisfied you?” he queried, looking over his spectacles to catch his wife’s eye.
Mrs. Bennet wished to fold her arms sullenly, as she had when she was Lydia’s age and a bit elder, but she was a married woman of two score and five, and it would not due to be anything less than the mistress of Longbourn. His letter had shown nothing of the olive branch he had intended to extend. She would not be fooled with pretty declarations! Not when Mr. Darcy had saved her daughter’s reputation from the horrible gossipmongers. He was a true gentleman, not this odious man who would inherit. Instead, she decided to focus her attentions on her two eldest girls. Lizzie was engaged, and Jane would soon follow! Nothing would dampen her joy at this day, nothing.
She turned her nose in the air. “When he behaves in the same manner as Lizzie’s young man, then perhaps I will believe his words.” she proudly proclaimed for the household to hear.
***
Mr. Collins, a rather tall, yet heavyset, young man of five and twenty thankfully did not arrive until it was close to their mid-afternoon tea time. After a rather exaggerated bow to each of the ladies, and to Mr. Bennet, as well as an unusually descriptive tale of his journey to Longbourn from the parsonage of Rosings Park, Mrs. Hill soon showed Mr. Collins to the room she had prepared. It was there he stayed, well past tea time, as he had informed the assembled Bennet ladies, rather noisily, that he wished for none but himself to unpack his clothing. His esteemed patroness had an extensive list of helpful hints as to the proper unpacking and packing of trunks, that he was determined to follow.
Consequence of Jealousy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Page 5