7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

"I never thought you had it in you, Bingley!" Darcy said as they rode away from Longbourn at last, having ensured that Mr. Collins had enough on his plate to leave Elizabeth and Jane in peace, for a little while at least. "What a tissue of lies!"

"I didn't lie to him at all!" Bingley defended himself. "I might have omitted a few salient facts," he admitted with a grin, "and perhaps confused details of exactly what happened when, but I didn't tell him any lies. Not like you and your whopper about asking Mr. Bennet permission to court Elizabeth," he added with a raised eyebrow.

Darcy grimaced. "Dammit, you're much more astute than you used to be," he grumbled.

"Yes, well, that comes from realising just how much my sisters have been concealing from me about Miss Bennet," came the sardonic response. "I'll acquit you of not realising that she did care for me, because I myself wasn't sure until yesterday, but they surely have had much more intimate conversation with her, and must have had some idea of her affection. As for her being below our station..."

Darcy winced at that too. Bingley was landing too many verbal blows today. "You cannot deny they do not have the best connections, and that Mrs Bennet and the youngest sisters show a distinct want of propriety," he claimed.

"My only connection better than any they can claim is my friendship with you," Bingley responded dryly, "and at least the younger sisters don't feign the appearance of friendship while offering none. In my opinion Caroline has behaved far worse than those children, for they are still children, Darcy, and should not be out of the schoolroom. Girls at that age show poor judgement often..."

Darcy cringed again, thinking of his own sister. Georgiana was in between Miss Catherine and Miss Lydia in age, and indeed, she had once exhibited far worse judgement than anything the younger Misses Bennet appeared to have shown thus far.

"... but I expect better from Caroline!" Bingley continued, shaking his head. "I tell you, Darcy, I have learned a lot about myself in these last couple of days, and before God, I'll do whatever is needful to rein Caroline in and make sure Jane and her family are all secure and happy. I know you muttered something about Miss Mary perhaps being more suitable for Collins, but Darcy, be honest here. Would you see any young girl in your care, no matter how silly or religious of bent she might be, married to that cretin? "

"No," Darcy muttered eventually. "No – she would come to regret it, and still be trapped for the rest of her life with a sanctimonious creep. I'd not wish that fate on any woman."

Bingley only nodded in response, satisfied that he was doing the right thing in removing all the Bennet girls from Mr. Collins' influence, at least long enough to offer them an alternative! He thought a year or two of school would be the best solution for the youngest two, and while Mary was rather too old, perhaps a few months of private lessons would benefit her. Perhaps she might join Georgiana Darcy for a little while in her lessons with her companion and music masters. He mentioned the idea to Darcy, who did not dismiss it out of hand.

Darcy was grappling with himself. Charles' pointed remark about the Bingleys' own connections had made him think harder about his objection to the Bennet family. After all, an uncle who was a solicitor and another in trade, it could be far worse. Bingley's own father had been a tradesman, if a clever and successful one, and his maternal uncles were an army sergeant and a baker! As for Mrs Bennet, well, was she any worse than any of the ton's matchmaking mamas? And most of those ghastly women did not have such pressing fears of losing their home to an idiot, or five daughters to marry off in a neighbourhood which did, in truth, suffer from a dearth of eligible gentlemen.

Darcy concluded, glumly, that his real objection to the Bennet family was the fact that he did not want to be attracted to any woman. Not at this time, when he had such pressing concerns for his sister. And Elizabeth – well, how could he help wanting her? She was just so very different from all the other women he knew. She was opinionated yet charming, clever and sweet, and as for not pretty enough to tempt him – that had been a lie when he first said it, and it was even more so now. The mere thought of her delicate, piquant face with those bright eyes glimmering with unshed tears – he had wanted nothing more than to draw her into his arms and kiss her tenderly until she clung to him.

Darcy sighed and glumly gave himself up. He'd marry Elizabeth Bennet, he decided, any way he could get her, because he was hopelessly in love with her and had been, he suspected, from the moment she refused to dance with him. What kind of contrary idiot falls in love with a woman who does not respect him? he castigated himself. But then, she was the first woman he had ever felt he could respect as a marriage partner. Her respect had to be earned, that was clear to him now, as indeed he would have to earn her affection. He must start by doing his best to respect her family, even her mother: that her family was dear to her in all their embarrassing glory was evident, and thus to win her he must make them dear to him.

He had made a good start, Darcy decided. Jane was clearly Elizabeth's closest sister, and withdrawing his objection to Bingley's choice had been done before ever Elizabeth knew of it. He would help in any way he could to pave the way for Jane's happiness, and Elizabeth's regard for him would surely grow. Even assisting Mr. Collins in planning a respectful farewell for Mr. Bennet would aid his cause, for Elizabeth had evidently been fond of her father; indeed had been quite obviously his favourite daughter. The lie that Mr. Bennet had approved Darcy's courtship of her sat uncomfortably with Darcy, but he absolved himself with the thought that offered the choice of Collins or Darcy, no man alive would have given Elizabeth to the prating parson.

The remainder of the ride back to Netherfield was completed in silence, both men lost in their thoughts, and when they arrived Caroline and the Hursts had already departed, to Darcy's relief. Bingley too seemed relieved and they enjoyed a quiet, pleasant dinner together before Darcy settled down to write a letter to Georgiana explaining why he would be delayed some few days at least.

Bingley, though, could not settle, striding about the room mumbling under his breath until Darcy set down his pen and fixed him with a stern look. "Bingley, will you stop? You will drive me to Bedlam!"

Bingley grinned, throwing himself into a chair. "Sorry, Darcy."

"Do not you have letters to write, also? Weren't you supposed to conclude business in town? It would be only polite to write and explain your delay, and probably instruct your man to take care of things on your behalf."

"You know how dreadful a letter-writer I am!"

"I know that you had best improve if you mean to take a wife. Or do you wish to be forever called from her side to deal with minor matters that a few lines could have resolved?"

That made Bingley look thoughtful, and at length he settled at another writing-desk and took up pen and paper. Darcy smiled to himself, bending back to his own letters. Jane Bennet would be very good for Bingley, he suspected.

"Shall you tell Mama?" Elizabeth asked Jane in an undertone as they walked upstairs together. Jane had taken to staying very close by Elizabeth's side, always with a wary eye out for Mr. Collins. Elizabeth had thought she could not love Jane any more than she already did, but Jane's protectiveness of her made her want to throw her arms around Jane and hug her tightly. How would she bear it when Jane married Bingley and she lost her most beloved sister ?

It is not losing Jane, but gaining a brother, Elizabeth told herself sternly as she felt tears prick at the back of her eyes again. A more amiable brother I could not ask for, either, and I know he will endeavour to make Jane as happy as she deserves. She forced a smile, though it could not match Jane's for radiance.

"Oh, how can I not?" Jane asked. "It would bring her a small glimmer of joy in these dark days, I hope. And," she cast Elizabeth a sidelong glance, "perhaps it will make her a little less apt to pressure you to accept Mr. Collins, Lizzy!"

"You know well I would not accept him anyway, Jane," Elizabeth kept her voice low so that they should not be overheard. "But I will not deny that it would be something of a relief if Mama has something else to think on."

"Then let us make her happy, and keep her from trying to browbeat you at the same time." Jane squeezed her hand.

As they turned to walk along the landing to their mother's rooms, another door creaked open and a soft voice hissed "Psst!"

"Kitty? Is that you?" Elizabeth asked curiously.

"Yes, come in, quickly!" Kitty beckoned to them, and they traded curious glances before following their younger sister into the room she and Lydia shared. Lydia was not present, though, as they saw when Kitty hurried to close the door behind them.

"What's the matter?" Elizabeth came straight to the point. Kitty was wringing her hands together, biting on her lips, her expression as anxious as Elizabeth had ever seen her.

"I think Mary's made an awful mistake," Kitty said hurriedly.

"What?" Jane looked at Elizabeth before reaching to take Kitty's hands. "What mistake, Kitty? "

"She wants to marry Mr. Collins and she went to try and convince him to ask her and not Elizabeth. Only, she came back upstairs crying and she's locked herself in her room."

Elizabeth blinked, several times, uncertain of what she was hearing. Jane was apparently unable to believe it either, because she asked Kitty to repeat herself before sinking slowly to sit down on Lydia's bed.

"Mary wants to marry Mr. Collins?" Elizabeth said, confounded. " Why? "

"She says one of us has to, and since it's evident you don't want to, she's willing to do it. She asked Lyddie and I to help make her pretty so Mr. Collins would want her."

"Make her pretty?" Elizabeth parroted Kitty's words back, unable to believe what Kitty was telling them. " Mary? "

"I know!" Kitty threw her hands up. "Of all the most unlikely things to happen, Mary walking in here asking us that was the last thing I expected. But... I mean to say... she isn't wrong. One of us does have to marry Mr. Collins, and she's really the best-suited to him, even if he is too shallow and stupid to see it."

" None of us have to marry Mr. Collins, and he'd make Mary just as miserable as he would make me or you," Elizabeth said vehemently. "She doesn't need to make a martyr of herself,"

Kitty said nothing, but her expression showed her doubts. Elizabeth looked at Jane and nodded, encouraging her to share her news with Kitty. Jane needed no urging to reach out and take Kitty's hands in hers.

"Kitty, dearest, believe me, Mr. Collins will have no power to dictate our lives very shortly, and no matter what Mama says, there are no hedgerows in our future. You see," she smiled tremulously, "Mr. Bingley and I have come to an understanding of our own."

Kitty's eyes opened very wide, and then she pulled her hands from Jane's and threw her arms around Jane with a squeal of excitement. "Oh, Jane! Oh, my goodness! What did he say? Please, will you tell me all about it?"

"I was just on my way to tell Mama," Jane said, laughing as she accepted Kitty's embrace. "Why don't you come along with me, and then you can hear it with her, and I won't have to say it all twice!"

"I'll go to Mary," Elizabeth said in an undertone as Jane led Kitty towards the door, and Jane nodded. Both of them knew it was best to keep Elizabeth out of Mrs Bennet's sight just at the moment anyway, lest their mother once again start up her demands that Elizabeth marry Mr. Collins.

Mary didn't answer the door to Elizabeth's knock, but Elizabeth had no intention of giving up and going away quietly. She knocked again and tried the door handle, unsurprised to find the door locked. "Mary," she said, leaning down to put her mouth close to the keyhole, "it's Lizzy. I need you to open the door. I have to speak to you."

"Not now, I beg of you," Mary's voice came back after a moment. Elizabeth thought Mary's voice sounded thick with tears.

"Yes, now," Elizabeth said. "I know what you did, Mary, and it was a mistake. I need to know what Mr. Collins said to you."

There was a long pause before the key finally grated in the lock and the door eased open a crack.

"I really would rather not talk about it," Mary said, her face averted.

"Undoubtedly, but a problem shared is a problem halved. I respect your courage in doing what you thought you had to, Mary... whatever is that on your face?"

Mary had turned to look at Elizabeth as she spoke, and Elizabeth saw to her shock huge dark smears under Mary's eyes.

"Are those bruises ? Did he hit you?"

"No!" Mary pulled the door open fully, allowing Elizabeth to enter the room. "Lydia put some soot on my eyes, I don't know why. Lydia said I mustn't cry, but I did... has it made a terrible mess?"

"Dreadful," Elizabeth said bluntly, closing the door. "Come here." Picking up the washcloth beside the ewer, she dipped a corner of it and began to wipe Mary's face. The water was cold, but Mary stood still and submitted quietly to having her face cleaned.

"Do you really think I was brave?" she asked quietly.

"Very much so! Braver than I, for certain. I could not bring myself to accept Mr. Collins for the sake of all of you, even when I believed it was necessary. You tried to save me , and I'm grateful, Mary, truly." Dipping the cloth again, Elizabeth wiped some more of the greasy soot away, shaking her head over what Lydia had done. "Nobody needs to martyr themselves to Mr. Collins, though."

Another tear welled on Mary's lower eyelid. "What choice do we have?" she said weakly. "Even all together, with Mama, we don't have the resources to find even the simplest of homes for all of us. I suppose Aunt and Uncle Gardiner would take you in, and Jane perhaps, and Mama would go to live with the Phillips, but they don't have room for all of us. I could try to find a position as a governess, but without references I doubt I should have any luck."

Impressed that Mary had already tried to reason her way out of the situation, even to thinking about potential employment opportunities, Elizabeth nodded. "You're quite correct in all those things, but what you do not know is that Mr. Bingley offered for Jane just a little while ago."

Mary's blue eyes opened wide and she stared in silence for several moments. Elizabeth took the opportunity to sit down on Mary's bed, tugging her sister to sit down beside her .

"While the exact date for their nuptials is yet to be fixed, Mr. Bingley has already given Jane assurances our entire family should now consider ourselves under his protection." She hesitated, unsure whether to continue. "I have other news, but I must ask you to promise to keep this in confidence for now? I would rather Mama not know about it just yet. She might become overwrought."

" More overwrought, you mean?" Mary asked wryly as shrieks echoed along the landing to them.

"Indeed, though I hope those are cries of happiness as Jane shares her good news." Taking Mary's hand in hers, Elizabeth swallowed back the tears which threatened to fall again when she thought of her father. "At the ball, it transpires that Papa and Mr. Darcy spoke privately in the library for a time, and... Mr. Darcy asked for permission to court me."

Mary blinked at her several times, and then said "Why do you sound surprised about that?"

Elizabeth stared in response. "Why are you not surprised?"

"It has been evident in every interaction between you that Mr. Darcy admires you greatly. His expressions belie his words at times, but surely even you have seen the way he follows you with his eyes whenever you are in the same room? Or perhaps you have not." Mary obviously saw Elizabeth's shock at the suggestion. "I assure you, the rest of us have not missed it. Mama has only not pressed you to work harder at attaching his affections because she is a little afraid of him, I think."

"Well." Elizabeth regained her breath. "I daresay Papa was looking forward intensely to seeing my reaction to the news!"

Mary squeezed her hand, and they both had to take a moment to regain their composure. "Papa would have loved to see you as mistress of a magnificent house, such as Pemberley is reputed to be," Mary said finally, through her tears. "He would have been so proud of you, Lizzy."

Elizabeth's handkerchief was already wet, but she wiped her eyes with it yet again, unable to speak through her overwhelming grief for a few moments. Finally, she managed to swallow down her tears and speak, redirecting the conversation. "The result of all this, of course, is that none of us need marry Mr. Collins. I cannot believe that you truly wish to, Mary, so I must ask you to tell me exactly what you said to him, and him to you?"

Mary was silent for several long moments before she squared her shoulders and looked Elizabeth in the eyes. "I went to ask Mr. Collins if he would consider me as a bride instead of you, because you do not care for him."

"Did you say that?" Elizabeth was a little horrified at Mary's bluntness.

"Yes, I did." Mary's gaze was unflinching. "I told him I would respect him, and you would not."

"Well, I can only admire your honesty," Elizabeth puffed out her cheeks. "How did Mr. Collins react?"

"He still wants to marry you. Oh, he did not say as much, but I saw his expression, Lizzie." Mary looked down, and chewed on her lips again briefly. "He looked at me differently, in a nice dress and looking pretty, or as pretty as Lydia and Kitty could make me, but still not in the way he looks at you. How do you bear it?"

"Bear what?" Elizabeth didn't understand the question. "Mr. Collins looking at me? Looks may be unpleasant, but they cannot hurt us, Mary."

"Not just Mr. Collins. Everyone. Every man you meet, you and Jane, and even Lydia and Kitty - they look at you as though you're a... a... a piece of cake ." Mary's disgust was palpable. " And I thought... well, I was angry with myself for trying to be pretty, and thought it was my fault that Mr. Collins was looking at me like that because I'd tried, but then I realised, you don't really try! And neither does Jane! It's not fair, and... and I'm sorry that I've thought badly of you for it."

Elizabeth tried to sort through the rapid-fire jumble of words, to understand Mary's meaning. Finally, she reached out to put an arm around Mary's shoulders. "Mary, you don't need to feel badly because some men don't behave like gentlemen in the presence of ladies. It's not your fault, it's not mine either. And it isn't all men, really. Only consider Mr. Bingley; you could not ever say that he looked at Jane as though she was a piece of cake, could you?" She smiled, inviting Mary to join her amusement. "Rather, he looks at her as though she is a queen, with reverence and awe combined."

"That's true," Mary admitted. "And Mr. Darcy doesn't look at you like cake either."

"No," Elizabeth agreed, "he has never done that." I never thought he looked at me other than to find fault, but it's true... he never looked at me in that dreadful way.

"What should I do, Lizzie?" Mary asked plaintively. "I all but told Mr. Collins I would marry him, if he should ask me. If Mr. Darcy is going to marry you, maybe Mr. Collins will decide I would suit well enough after all..."

"Mary, I absolutely forbid you to marry him," Elizabeth said sternly. "Even if you are standing before the altar, it is not too late to back out, after all. Could you really stand in God's house and swear to love, honour and obey Mr. Collins?"

Mary looked struck by that argument, nodding slowly. "I could manage two out of the three," she said, "but I don't think I could ever come to love him. "

"And at that, you'd still be two better than I." Hugging Mary again, Elizabeth whispered in her ear "Have a little faith, dear sister. God loves you just as much as you do Him. He would not want you to be miserable for the rest of your life."

"God will provide?" Mary asked, returning the embrace.

"Indeed, and if He does not, I'm quite sure Jane can convince Mr. Bingley to do so instead!"

"Lizzy!" Mary reproached.

Elizabeth only laughed. "Come, sister. Let us go to Mama. It will do us all good to celebrate a little over Jane's good news. Just don't mention any willingness to marry Mr. Collins, or you may well find yourself in front of that altar having to say no to the vicar!"