by Zoe Carter
Chapter Eight
‘I take it from your expression that your conversation with Miss Elizabeth did not go well,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam the following morning.
The two men were in the billiard room.
‘What makes you say that?’ asked Mr Darcy.
‘I was watching you. To begin with, you were making an effort to be charming but at the end of dinner I saw you retreat into your shell. I take it, then, we will not be extending our stay at Rosings?’
‘No, we will not.’
‘So your infatuation has burnt itself out,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam. ‘A pity. I was hoping you would make a match of it.’
‘It is not an infatuation and it has not burnt itself out.’ Mr Darcy contradicted him, but he spoke without rancour. ‘It is true, I was nonplussed when Miss Elizabeth refused to accept my apology —’
‘What?! You apologised? It is the first time I’ve ever known you to apologise for being haughty, Darcy!’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam, roaring with laughter.
‘I had a lot more to apologise for than that. I discouraged Bingley from paying his addresses to Miss Elizabeth’s sister, and I unwittingly caused Miss Jane Bennet pain by doing so.’
‘I knew you had interfered in Mr Bingley’s life but I did not know the lady in question was Miss Elizabeth’s sister!’ exclaimed Colonel Fitzwilliam, leaning on his billiard cue and giving a low whistle. ‘I had no idea. I am afraid I might have added to your problems by telling Miss Elizabeth that you had helped your friend by saving him from an unsuitable match.’
Mr Darcy took his shot, then looked at his cousin and said, ‘Do not trouble yourself about it. I had already decided I must tell Miss Elizabeth everything if I ever wanted there to be complete trust and harmony between us.’
‘But is there complete harmony between you? It did not look like it to me.’
‘You are right. When Miss Elizabeth found out the extent of my interference she was angry. I apologised but she refused to listen. It was then my turn to be angry. But on due reflection I find I like her for it. It shows her devotion to her sister and presents her in a very amiable light. If she refuses to forgive a man who has wronged her sister, I know she will make a very good sister for Georgiana. In fact, she is just the sort of sister I wish Georgiana to have.’
‘All very noble,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam. ‘But if Miss Elizabeth won’t accept your apology, then I don’t see how she will ever become Georgiana’s sister, especially as you have decided not to extend our stay here.’
‘Just because I will not be extending our stay does not mean I have given up,’ said Mr Darcy, as he potted a ball with a satisfying thunk!
‘You have a plan?’ asked Colonel Fitzwilliam.
Mr Darcy nodded.
‘I have told Mr Bingley where he can find Miss Jane Bennet and I think Miss Elizabeth will soon receive a letter from her sister. I am counting on Miss Elizabeth’s natural goodness to make her relent in her feelings towards me when she knows her sister is happy. And then I have a plan.’
‘That is all very mysterious. Will you not tell me what it is?’
‘No.’
‘Very well, keep your secrets! But if you are not prepared to lose her, you must be really serious about her,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam.
‘Yes, I am. I can never marry anyone else.’ A slow smile spread across Mr Darcy’s lips and filled his deep, dark eyes. It changed his whole face, making it even more devastatingly attractive. ‘I am in love with Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and no one else will do.’
It was not long afterwards when Elizabeth found a letter from her beloved sister waiting for her on the breakfast table at the rectory.
She wished Mr and Mrs Collins a good morning, spoke to Maria, and then spread her napkin over her knee as she prepared to take a sweet roll for her breakfast. But she could not eat it until Mr Collins had questioned her most closely on the evening at Rosings yet again, demanding from her a veritable waterfall of praise for Lady Catherine, her daughter, her house, her clothes, her furnishings, her dinner – in fact, everything Mr Collins could think of.
Through all of this, Charlotte sat quietly eating her breakfast and pretending not to hear a word of it.
Poor Charlotte, thought Elizabeth. A bad marriage leads to all sorts of unhappiness. I am determined never to marry unless I can love and respect my husband. Nothing else will do. I would rather die an old maid, in poverty, than marry where I do not love.
Once Elizabeth had satisfied Mr Collins with such reasonable praise as she was prepared to give, she was allowed to get on with her breakfast and then pay attention to her letter. It was even better news than she had hoped for. Mr Bingley had discovered that Jane was staying with her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner in London and so he had gone to see her there. There had been some little awkwardness at first, but then Mrs Gardiner had suggested that Jane show Mr Bingley the small garden, and the two of them had walked there together. Mr Bingley had told Jane that he had not known of her visit to London and things had progressed rapidly from there. They had spend all afternoon and evening walking together, both before and after dinner, and had not gone in until the daylight failed them. Before he left, Mr Bingley had said he would go to see Mr Bennet and ask for permission to marry Jane. He had done so, and Mr Bennet had given his permission.
The end of it all is that we are to be married! Jane wrote. Oh, Lizzy! I am so happy, you cannot believe! I thought it was all over between us, but he was always in love with me, as much as I was in love with him. It was only by some misunderstanding that he did not know I was in London. But now everything is well and we are engaged, and we are to be married in the summer. I am returning home tomorrow, earlier than arranged, so that I can begin to make preparations for the wedding.
Do you know, it is the strangest thing, but it was Mr Darcy who suggested that Mr Bingley should come to see me. Perhaps he guessed our feelings and wanted us to be happy. If that is the case, then I am sincerely grateful to him, for my dear Charles – you see, I can call him Charles now! – and I are the happiest people alive. I only hope that one day you can find this happiness, too.
There was more in a similar vein. Jane’s happiness was boundless and she spent many pages praising Mr Bingley and extolling his virtues, as well as looking forward to a happy future as his wife.
Elizabeth was still reading her letter when Mr Collins excused himself, saying he must go and write his sermon. She was glad to see him go, so that she would be saved from any more of his foolish utterances. She finished her letter in peace and then folded it with a happy sigh.
‘Good news?’ asked Charlotte.
‘Yes,’ said Elizabeth. ‘The very best news. Mr Bingley has returned to Netherfield Park and he is to marry Jane.’
Charlotte nodded thoughtfully.
‘It is a good match for her. I hope she will be very happy.’
‘I know she will be happy,’ said Elizabeth.
‘It is good news to take away with you. I am sorry your visit is coming to an end.’
Elizabeth gave a polite return, saying that she, too, was sorry her visit was nearing its end. But privately she examined her feelings and found them mixed. She had had an interesting stay and in many ways it had been very pleasant. But it had also been perplexing. Mr Darcy was a complicated man, and she felt she had only just begun to scratch the surface of him. He had fallen in love with her, quite against her expectations, and been prepared to propose to her. He had admitted himself in the wrong where Mr Bingley was concerned and he had taken action to set matters right – she had the evidence of his success in her hands, with Jane’s letter. He had also apologised for his interference. She had been unwilling to accept his apology, but such happiness had beamed from Jane’s letter that she found she was now prepared to accept his apology. No love affair ran entirely smoothly and their short separation had only strengthened Jane and Mr Bingley’s love for one another.
But there was still the matter of George Wickham. Mr Darc
y had acted badly there, and he had no excuse for it. Nor had he apologised for it.
She was saved from further thought by Charlotte saying, ‘Will you come with us to visit the parishioners today, Lizzy?’
‘Yes, gladly,’ said Elizabeth.
‘Then we will set off as soon as you are ready.’
The three ladies retired to their rooms. They readied themselves for their walk and then took up their baskets, setting off for the village with their cloaks billowing in the breeze.
They visited the same parishioners as before, and Elizabeth found herself once again in Mrs Roberts’s cottage.
‘I’m very pleased to see you, dearie,’ said Mrs Roberts. ‘I’ve been thinking about you ever since you left me the other day. I wondered if you’d overheard anything when you came back to give me the cake.’
Elizabeth felt uncomfortable but she could not deny it and Mrs Roberts said, ‘I thought so. He’s a good man is Mr Darcy. He might not seem so at first, he’s always been awkward round strangers, but he’s just the sort of man I’d like my daughter to marry, if I had one. Not for his money or his position, but for himself. He’s a very good brother, you know. He gives his sister anything that can make her happy and takes great care of her. There’s not many would do the same. I know you love your sister, so you can understand.’
‘Yes, I do love my sister, and Mr Darcy hurt her by his interference,’ said Elizabeth, not mincing her words.
‘But he’s put matters right?’ asked Mrs Roberts.
‘Yes, he has.’
‘A man can’t do more than that,’ said Mrs Roberts. ‘He’s looked after your sister, as he looks after his own. Why, when Mr Wickham —’ She stopped suddenly.
‘I am not surprised you stopped,’ said Elizabeth. ‘Mr Darcy did not behave well there. He behaved very badly, in fact, depriving Mr Wickham of a living he was meant to have. I could never respect a man who would do something like that.’
‘Even if it was deserved?’ asked Mrs Roberts.
‘Mr Wickham has done nothing to deserve such a fate,’ said Elizabeth, growing hot as she thought about it. ‘He was promised a career in the church, with a valuable living that would have given him a house – a gentleman’s residence – and a good income to go with it. But Mr Darcy took it away from him. It was an abominable thing to do. Nothing on Mr Wickham’s part could have made him deserve such a fate.’
‘Oh, dearie, you’re so good yourself, you can’t imagine wickedness in others, but it’s there, all the same. I looked after George Wickham when he was a little boy, along with my dear Master Fitzwilliam and Miss Georgiana Darcy. George looked like an angel, and he could wind old Mr Darcy round his little finger, but he was a scamp. He was charming with it, though, and he seldom got found out. And when he did, nine times out of ten he charmed his way out of it.’ She shook her head. ‘It did him harm in the long run. He got away with things too easily, and he kept on with his wild ways when he grew up. Little boys can’t really do too much harm. Grown men, though, that’s another matter.’
‘What do you mean?’ asked Elizabeth.
She had become so engrossed in Mrs Roberts’s conversation that she had not even got around to taking her cloak off, and the basket was still unpacked.
‘I mean, dearie, Mr Darcy had good reason for making sure Mr Wickham couldn’t go into the church, and you shouldn’t hold it against him.’
‘Nay, this will not do,’ said Elizabeth. ‘Now you have told me so much, you must tell me everything.’
‘Well, perhaps I must. I didn’t mean to mention it, but you’re just the wife for Master Fitzwilliam and I don’t want this to come between you. You’ve got high standards, dearie. Anyone else wouldn’t care what Mr Darcy did to Mr Wickham. They’d overlook it because of his money. But not you. That’s why I say you’re just the wife for him – or one of the reasons. There are plenty of others.’
‘You still have not told me why Mr Darcy hates Mr Wickham so,’ said Elizabeth.
‘Well, dearie, take off your cloak and unpack the basket, then make us a pot of tea if you please and I’ll tell you all about it.’
Elizabeth quickly did as Mrs Roberts bid her and before long the two ladies were sitting with a cup of tea before them, and a slice of seed cake.
‘They all played together as children,’ said Mrs Roberts, her old eyes shining with her reminisces. ‘Master Fitzwilliam, Master George and Miss Georgiana, I mean. Of course, Miss Georgiana was a lot younger than the boys, but she liked to play with them when they’d let her. So when she met Master George again in Ramsgate, last year, she was willing to meet him as a friend. He’d been wild at university, but Miss Georgiana didn’t know anything about that. It wasn’t a fit subject for a girl’s ears. So she took him at face value and he charmed her and flattered her, and the result was that he tried to elope with her, and she but fifteen.’
‘What?’ exclaimed Elizabeth in horror. ‘This cannot be true!’
‘Yes, dearie, it is. I wouldn’t say so otherwise. I like Master George, I can’t help it, he’s got so much charm he’s a favourite wherever he goes. But he’s not half the man Master Fitzwilliam is. There’s something rotten at the heart of Master George. He’s always looking for the easy path. He could have had a good living in the church, but he got so drunk so often that Master Fitzwilliam in the end had to say he couldn’t have it. A clergyman can’t always be drunk and mixing with . . . yes, well, let’s draw a veil over that, dearie. There are some things not fit for young ladies’ ears. So Master George decided to get his revenge by running away with Miss Georgiana, and he was after her fortune, too. A fair face, a silver tongue and a black heart, that’s our Master George, I’m afraid,’ said Mrs Roberts, shaking her head sadly.
Elizabeth could not believe it. But she knew that Mrs Roberts would not lie and so in the end she had to accept it.
‘No wonder Mr Darcy hates him,’ she murmured.
‘Yes, dearie. Master Fitzwilliam loves his sister. He tried to help Master George for years, to bring him back on the straight and narrow, but after the business with Miss Georgiana he gave up trying.’
‘So that is why the two men behaved so strangely around each other,’ said Elizabeth.
She thought back over everything she knew about the two men, and it all fell into place. Mr Wickham saying that he would not run away from Meryton just because Mr Darcy had arrived, but then absenting himself from the Netherfield ball. Mr Wickham telling Elizabeth all about Mr Darcy’s faults at their first meeting, when he should not have been speaking in such a way to a stranger. Mr Wickham pursuing Miss King as soon as she inherited a fortune. Mr Wickham making all sorts of claims, but offering no proof. And she had believed it all.
Elizabeth felt ashamed. She had never tried to find out the rights and wrongs of things. She had simply accepted that Mr Wickham had been wronged by Mr Darcy, on the strength of Mr Wickham’s word alone, and on the strength of his handsome face.
Oh! how foolish she had been.
‘If you don’t like Master Fitzwilliam, if you don’t think you could ever love him, that’s one thing. But if you reject him because of George Wickham that’s another, and I couldn’t let you go on thinking Master George was a saint.’
‘No, you could not. I thank you for opening my eyes. When I think how easily I was fooled I am ashamed of myself. I will make it up to him when I see him at dinner. I was not very polite to him the last time we met, but I would like to get to know him better and I will make a start this very evening.’
‘He won’t be at dinner, dearie, he’s gone back to London,’ Mrs Roberts said.
Elizabeth felt a moment of unaccustomed panic. Mr Darcy had gone back to London? He had left her without giving her a chance to make amends for her behaviour?
‘Never mind, dearie. You might meet again,’ said Mrs Roberts.
‘We will not meet in London, that is certain,’ said Elizabeth with a sinking feeling. ‘Mr Darcy despises the neighbourhood in which my aunt an
d uncle are residing.’
As she said this, she felt anew the hopelessness of the situation. Mr Darcy had apologised for hurting Jane and he had set things right. He had nothing to apologise for with regard to Mr Wickham, since Mr Wickham had been in the wrong. But Mr Darcy was still a very proud and arrogant man, and as such she could never allow herself to love him. He would never visit her aunt and uncle in Gracechurch Street and he would not welcome them to Pemberley. If she married him, she would be cut off from her beloved relatives. She was a loyal young lady and she could not contemplate a life in which she would be called upon to be disloyal to those she loved.
It was with great regret she realised that a marriage between her and Mr Darcy was as impossible as ever.
Chapter Nine
The day soon dawned when Elizabeth had to leave the rectory. Mr Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam had already left and Lady Catherine had bemoaned the loss of their company. She had tried to persuade Elizabeth to stay, but Elizabeth had firmly refused, saying that she was expected at her aunt and uncle’s house, and then soon afterwards at her home, so that Lady Catherine had to accept it.
When Elizabeth was ready to leave, Mr Collins made her a long speech thanking her for her company. Elizabeth replied politely, saying she had spent a very happy six weeks at the rectory and thanking him for his kind attentions.
She took a warmer leave of Charlotte, feeling very sorry for her because Mr Collins was such a fool. But Charlotte had chosen her life with her eyes open and she had found much to enjoy with visiting the parishioners and looking after the poultry.
At last the chaise arrived at the door. The trunks were fastened on the roof and the parcels were put inside, then all was ready. Elizabeth and Maria took their places and the chaise set off. While Maria chattered away about all the things she had seen and done, remarking, ‘How much I shall have to tell!’, Elizabeth thought, How much I shall have to conceal.
She would tell her beloved Jane, of course, but she would not tell anyone else about her surprising and challenging discoveries regarding Mr Darcy. If her mother knew she had not encouraged Mr Darcy, when a few smiles would have brought him to the point of proposing, then there would be pandemonium in the house. Mrs Bennet would run around complaining of her nerves, and calling Elizabeth wicked; in short, re-enacting all the things she said and done when Elizabeth refused Mr Collins, only ten times more so. For what was Mr Collins as a prospective son-in-law to Mr Darcy? Nothing!