Darcy looked at him with sympathy. “Your heart will heal in time. You are young and will love another. A woman who loves you in return. And you will thank god I spoke to you and had your best wishes at heart.”
“I know you did, Darcy.” Bingley stared into the golden depths of his drink. “But I cannot believe I will love again. You do not understand how much Miss Bennet means to me.”
Darcy laughed to mask the worm of discomfort in his chest. “Oh come, man. This is most dramatic. I fell like I am watching a play. Of course, you will love again. It is not as desperate as all that.”
Bingley took a deep sip of his drink and did not respond. He would not have had time to do so anyway as the door opened and Miss Caroline Bingley swept into the room. Her face lit up at the sight of Darcy, and her smile was so wide, he felt a little alarmed.
“Why, Mr Darcy,” she cried. “How are you, sir? You are heartless to have kept away from us for so long, is he not, Charles? Heartless, sir! And how tiresome of Charles to not tell me you were here. If I had not recognised your carriage, I should not have been here to greet you. How wonderful to have you back with us. How long have you been in town?”
“A few days.”
Caroline staggered backwards with an affected little cry. “Days? I should have thought hours. And you are only calling on us now? This is shabby indeed! I don’t know how we shall ever forgive you.” She smiled as if she could think of several ways Darcy could earn her forgiveness, most of them involving a wedding ring and a removal to the mistress’s rooms at Pemberley. “You will stay here with us, of course. I will have a room prepared at once.”
“Thank you, Miss Bingley, but I am staying at my house with my sister and my cousins.”
“Oh, dear Georgiana. How I long to see her. You must tell her I am still in ecstasy over her painting of Pemberley. I carry it with me everywhere I go…”
“I wondered where it went,” said Bingley but he might as well not have spoken as his sister sailed on,
“Shall you bring her here? I so much want to see her. How about Charles and I come to you at Darcy House? Georgiana and I are such good friends I know she will be thrilled to see me.”
Darcy could not share her confidence. Any mention of an expected visit from Miss Bingley made his sister blush and mutter something about attending to another matter before fleeing from the room.
“I shall discuss it with her but I am afraid I am only in London for another few days, and I have much business to attend to in that time,” said Darcy.
“And what business is that when there are dear friends to be met with?” She gave him a coquettish smile. “Come now, sir. I know you. You will work yourself to the ground and make no time for pleasure unless forced. And why should you leave London so soon after arriving? I am sure you do not mean it.”
“I hope you will pay me the compliment of knowing exactly what I mean,” said Darcy smoothly.
“Darcy has much business to attend to, Caroline, and it is the best business in the world,” said Bingley. There was a slight smile about his lips.
“The best business in the world,” repeated Miss Bingley. She looked confused, but her face cleared, replaced by a look of hope. “And you came to London for a brief business. Do I - dare I hope that dear Mr Darcy means to marry?” She took a step towards him as if to make it easier for him to pull her into his arms and declare his love.
“I do,” said Darcy in a flat tone.
“Well — this is most unexpected.” She lowered her gaze then glanced up at him from under her eyelashes. “And is the lady known to us?” she asked in a breathy tone.
“She is. You know her well.”
Miss Bingley’s breath caught, and she moved even closer. She glanced from Darcy to Charles and back again, hoping Darcy would take the hint and ask her brother to leave the room so he might propose to her properly.
“And do you have my brother’s blessing?” she asked with a smile.
“He does indeed,” said Bingley. “I have always thought Miss Elizabeth Bennet a fine girl and a wonderful match for anyone. She will make Darcy an excellent wife.”
Miss Bingley still smiled up at Darcy, and it took a moment for her brother’s words to filter through. She blinked.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I am to marry Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Miss Bingley.”
Miss Bingley gave a shrill laugh and clutched the back of a chair, her knuckles white. “Well — this is a surprise, is it not? I wish you joy. How did this come about? I was not aware you had seen Eliza since we left Hertfordshire.”
“I met her in Kent when she stayed with her cousin, and I stayed with my aunt.” Darcy paused. He considered saying more but he could not. It was no secret why he was to marry Elizabeth, but he would not give his reasons to someone like Miss Bingley. It would dishonour his intended. No doubt Bingley would tell her all the details later. “If you will excuse me, I must leave. There is much I need to do. But before I go, I need a favour of you, Bingley.”
“Ask it,” said Bingley at once.
“I am to travel into Hertfordshire with Elizabeth this week so we can arrange the wedding and I can spend time with her family. I can stay at the Inn at Meryton, but…”
“Netherfield is at your disposal,” said Bingley. “I will send word ahead to have it prepared to receive you. Think of it as your own home as long as you need it.”
Darcy thanked him. He bowed to Miss Bingley, who had sunk into a chair pale and shaken, before striding out into the crisp London air. If he hurried, he would have a whole evening to spend with Elizabeth.
“I cannot believe it,” said Miss Bingley after he left. “Mr Darcy to marry Eliza Bennet. Mr Darcy of Pemberley, one of the noblest men in the kingdom, to marry some country nobody with mud up to her knees. How can such a thing come about? Mr Darcy, who might have married anybody.”
Bingley refilled his glass and took his chair. He stared into the fire, his thoughts filled with Bennets.
“Miss Elizabeth Bennet is a fine young lady. I have always liked her. I think she will suit him perfectly.”
“But how did it come about? He went to Rosings Park to see his aunt and just like that, they are engaged? No, I cannot believe it. His aunt’s presence alone would have impressed him with Eliza’s unsuitability. How did his proposal come about? He must have told you.”
Bingley sighed reluctantly. There was little point in keeping the news from Caroline. She would find out eventually.
“There was an incident,” he said carefully. “Darcy met Miss Elizabeth as she walked in the woods. They conversed with one another, and while doing so, thieves came upon them. They stood their valuables and locked them in a nearby empty cottage so they might escape before they could raise the alarm. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth spent the night there and were discovered by a search party the next morning. Obviously, after such an encounter, there is little else for them to do but wed.”
Caroline’s hand flew to her mouth, and she shook her head. “Oh, my poor Mr Darcy. How dreadful for him. To endure such an ordeal and be forced to marry someone I know he would have never looked at otherwise.”
“Oh, he looked at Miss Elizabeth,” said Bingley. “I think we both know he definitely looked. She had improved on him by the time we left Hertfordshire. He is not the first man who has found himself obligated to restore a lady’s honour with marriage and he won’t be the last. But in Darcy’s case, he is to marry a girl of wit, intelligence and beauty. I cannot find it in me to feel too sorry for him.”
“You are a fool, Charles. Darcy is your dearest friend, and he saved you from an imprudent match. Now you smile as the same fate is forced on him? I wonder how you can call yourself a friend.”
Caroline rose from her chair and paced the floor. Her mind was a whirl of activity. Surely there was a way the engagement could be broken? They were not married yet, so perhaps it was not too late. But what could she do? She would need to find a way to prevent it, but Darcy was to leave L
ondon by the end of the week. Leave London for Hertfordshire, and…
She whirled around on her heel to face her brother. He noticed her determination with some alarm.
“Well, you must be a good friend to Darcy now,” she said.
Bingley looked at her warily. “If you say so…”
“I do. I say so. You must be with him as he goes through this. He will need his closest friend by his side.”
“But he is leaving London.”
Caroline shook her head. How could her brother be such a blockhead? Did she need to spell everything out for him?
“He is leaving London to stay at the house you rent,” she said with forced patience. “It is the most natural thing in the world that you should go with him. He will appreciate your support, and you will have use of the house you are paying for. It is perfect.”
“Go back to Hertfordshire? I do not know…” His mind at once went to Jane Bennet’s face and her enchanting smile. To be in Hertfordshire was to see her again. He would be in her presence all the time. All those wedding plans would force them into one another’s company. How could he see her, knowing she did not care for him? What if she had found another during that time?
But he could not deny the idea of being near her, of conversing with her once again held a powerful attraction.
“Come, Charles, you know how much you like Hertfordshire. You are not enjoying London now, and you will wish to be with Darcy. Once he marries, he will not be free to stay with you for long periods anymore. This is your last chance to spend time with your friend.”
That was true. Bingley nodded. “Send word to Nicholls and tell her we will return to Netherfield.”
Caroline nodded, trying her best to suppress her triumph. She left the room to give orders that they were to travel to Hertfordshire.
Chapter 20
Elizabeth had never seen her mother so overjoyed as she was when she fled down the steps of Longbourn House to pull her daughter into her arms.
“You clever, clever girl,” she cried. “You have saved us all. Oh, thank goodness. Your father can die at once, and we shall still all be saved. Ten thousand pounds a year! A house in town and one in the country. Oh, my love, it is too wonderful. I am so glad you did not marry that ridiculous Mr Collins. What is he to Mr Darcy?”
Elizabeth worked her way free from her mother’s embrace, but she was almost sorry she had done when she caught her father’s eye. He did not look happy, and he nodded to her.
“I hope you are well, Lizzy? You had quite an adventure.”
“I am well, Father. No lasting damage, as you can see.”
“Where is Mr Darcy?” Mrs Bennet interrupted her. “I hoped he would come with you.”
“I asked him to come later. I wished to have time alone with my family first.”
“Oh, what of that? Mr Darcy is family now. I am only sorry I did not like him more when he was here before. Well, that will all change. Pray, what is Mr Darcy’s favourite dish? I will have it prepared for him at once.”
Mrs Bennet ran ahead to the kitchen after Elizabeth shrugged and told her to prepare beef, having no idea what Mr Darcy’s favourite dish might be. The rest of the family followed her into the house. Lydia, her youngest sister, giggled behind her.
“Lord, and I always thought I would be the first to marry. I should have taken Lizzy’s idea and locked myself in a house with a handsome man. What fun it must have been when everyone opened the door and saw them standing there. I should have burst out laughing.”
“Hush, Lydia,” said Jane with a frown.
“Why must I hush? We are celebrating Lizzy’s engagement and her remarkable idea to be locked up with a man all night. Although I am not sure if I should like to be locked up with Mr Darcy. I cannot imagine he was much fun. I would much rather be locked with Wickham.”
“You should not speak about any man that way, never mind one engaged to be married,” said Elizabeth in as calm a tone as she could muster. Lydia’s nonsensical chatter could give her a headache at the best of times. She realised between Lydia’s vulgar remarks and her mother’s indelicate gloating about Darcy’s wealth, she could not fault Darcy for having his doubts about her family. She would wince to invite them to stay with her in London and have them behave as they did.
They had reached the girls’ private sitting room. Lydia bounced in her seat, unable to keep still even for a moment.
“You are wrong about that, Lizzy. Wickham is not engaged. Ha! I knew that would give you a start. Are you not sorry now you are engaged to stuffy old Mr Darcy? Wickham is free at last.”
“Free?” Elizabeth took a moment to process the news, unable to decide how she felt about it. “How did this come about? I thought they had made plans for their wedding?”
“It turns out Mary King’s uncle did not approve the match. He came down and took her away to Liverpool. Lord, there was such a to-do about it. Do you remember, Kitty? It was such sport to see her freckled face all blotched with tears, but she could not really believe Wickham cared for her. He did not give two straws for her, how could he?”
“I believe you are blushing, Lizzy,” said Kitty with a delighted grin. “I wonder if you are not regretting your decision already. What a fine joke it would have been if they had locked you in a room with Wickham.”
“I might try that,” said Lydia. “There is a small unused warehouse outside Meryton that might serve…”
“Stop it,” snapped Elizabeth. “I have had a long journey and cannot listen to your chatter.”
The girls fell silent. “Well,” said Lydia in a huffy tone. “I am sorry you are unhappy, but there is no reason to take it out on me. I am sure it is not my fault if you regret you cannot marry the man you really want…”
Unable to listen to them any more, Elizabeth left the room. She paused in the passage and considered where to go. She could hear her mother in the kitchen shrieking instructions as to Mr Darcy’s dinner. Her father had shut himself away in his library once he satisfied himself that Elizabeth was safe. After her long absence, nowhere in the house felt like a refuge.
Elizabeth left the house and went for a walk along a lane that cut through the woods. It was the only place she could have peace.
What a way for her wedding to come about. All their neighbours knew she would marry a man she had always disliked. To listen to indiscreet giggles and suggestions would be intolerable. Her feelings about Wickham’s engagement were confused, and she could not decide how she felt. It would be strange to see him knowing she belonged to another man and that man his enemy. Would he feel betrayed? After all, she was the first person he had confided in when he arrived in Meryton. He had trusted her, and now she would be the wife of the man who left him with nothing. She could not blame him if he resented her.
As to Lydia and Kitty’s remarks about her feelings for Darcy, Elizabeth did not know how to untangle those. All of Meryton knew how she felt about him last winter. How they would laugh at her predicament now. Or they would call her a sly thing and accuse her of feigning dislike for Darcy to lure him in. She could hear her Aunt Phillips now, congratulating her on using her affected disdain to attract him as a way to stand out from all the Miss Bingley types who fawned over him.
But it was not her earlier dislike of Darcy that would cause her to feel distressed by their remarks. Much as she told herself not to grow too confident in the changes between them over the previous days in London, Elizabeth could not deny she liked Darcy far more than she used to. She looked forward to his visits and took delight in the new sides to Darcy’s character. It was a struggle to reconcile those feelings with the man who gave offence everywhere he went and would deny a man his living out of nothing more than spite.
She heard a noise coming in her direction and looked up. Mr Darcy was walking towards her. He paused, looking just as astonished to see her as she felt.
“Elizabeth. I thought you would be with your family.”
“After a long separation, I found it o
verwhelming to be amongst them all at once,” said Elizabeth with a small smile. “But what of you? Where are you bound?”
Darcy gestured vaguely as if he was not sure but then relented.
“I was on my way to Longbourn. I hoped you might be ready to receive me now.”
Elizabeth nodded and chewed her lip.
“Is everything alright?” he asked with a look of concern.
She blushed. “Oh, nothing. It’s just…”
“Elizabeth, if anything is wrong, I hope you will tell me. I am to be your husband. I wish to help you.”
Elizabeth looked a little startled at his suggestion. A husband who would help her and support her. Who would take her side. She could not deny that such a marriage would not be hard to bear. It was something that was missing in her parent’s marriage and what she always hoped to find in her own.
“It is my family,” she admitted. “They can be a little wanting in their behaviour sometimes.”
Darcy nodded in agreement but stopped at once for fear of causing pain. “And it is a trial for you?” he suggested as if this was a new thought for him.
“It can be, yes. I wish they would sometimes stop to consider their actions. But they seem intent on exposing themselves.”
She glanced up to see how he took this. Would it remind him once again of what he was to marry into and his distaste for them? She was forced to admit he was not wrong. Any sensible man would find her family a trial.
“Your sisters are young,” he said somewhat doubtfully. “And your mother I am sure is happy to have a daughter married. Perhaps it makes them a little…” he hesitated, unsure where to go with that line of thought.
Elizabeth looked at him and tilted her head with a smile.
“Mr Darcy, are you telling me you are trying to be more understanding? This is new, is it not?”
Darcy poked at a tuft on the ground with his cane. “Perhaps I have been proud,” he said. “I told you once that my temper can be resentful and my good opinion once lost is lost forever. But I wonder if it has made me too quick to judge. It would not be the first time I formed an opinion of someone only to realise I was wrong.”
Trapped at Rosings Page 14