8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

The day of Mr.Bennet's funeral dawned grey and damp, a typical late November day, with thick drizzle hanging in the air, soaking through clothing and leaving anyone foolish enough to venture outside chilled to the bone. Darcy hoped Elizabeth and her sisters had stayed in the warmth of Longbourn; there were quite enough mourners at the graveside to do the departed credit. Every gentleman in the district had come to pay their respects, it seemed, including the officers of the militia. Wickham was included in their number, though he had taken one look at Darcy and made himself least in sight.

Darcy was a little surprised to find the Bennet family had quite a sizable crypt in Longbourn's small parish church. There had been Bennets at Longbourn for over a hundred and twenty years, he discovered when he took a few moments to read the names and dates inscribed on the outside of the crypt once the service was over.

Sir William Lucas came to stand beside him, sniffing heartily. The man's nose was red, his eyes too. Darcy did not remark on it. Lucas and Bennet had been close, he thought. Certainly their daughters were; he had seen Miss Lucas many times in Elizabeth's company, two dark heads bent together as they talked in confidence.

"A fine man," Sir William said, rather thickly. "He will be greatly missed in the neighbourhood."

"I regret I did not have the opportunity to know him well," Darcy said honestly.

"Such a dry wit, and a keen observer of character!" Sir William said.

Both qualities inherited by Elizabeth, Darcy thought. Indeed, it had been obvious even to the casual observer that Elizabeth had been her father's favourite daughter, most likely because of those shared traits. Darcy had the impression that Thomas Bennet had been a man with a poor tolerance for fools.

"Very good of you to come, Mr. Darcy," Sir William was saying. "Thought you and Bingley would be back in St. James by now, don't you know!"

It was the perfect opening. Darcy leaned in and said confidingly "There can be no formal announcement, of course, but you should know that Bingley and Miss Bennet had come to an understanding. The timing could not be worse - Bingley was literally on his way to Longbourn to ask Bennet for her hand. He arrived to find the household in uproar, of course. "

Sir William's eyes opened very wide, and Darcy was quite sure the news would be all over Hertfordshire before the week was out. "Indeed!" the knight said, nodding avidly for Darcy to continue.

"Miss Bennet is quite distraught, naturally. I do not think it would be possible to pry Bingley away just now, even if the Bennets are not socialising; he is in the process of arranging a license to marry her as soon as it can decently be arranged. Quite possibly, before Christmas, even if she must remain in mourning for some time yet."

"Quite sensible, really," Sir William nodded agreement. "And you are...?"

"Staying to support Bingley, of course," Darcy said briskly. "His sisters, I regret to say, were disinclined to enter mourning for Mr.Bennet, claiming they barely knew him, and are gone to London. Bingley is quite disappointed in them, and I could not leave him here alone."

"You are a good friend to him, Mr. Darcy." Sir William gave him an approving nod. "Dreadful timing, how terribly unfortunate."

"Indeed. And while Bingley will of course be considerate of Miss Bennet's grief and respectful of her mourning period, he will not remain apart from her for any length of time."

"A man very much in love." Sir William placed a hand over his heart. "Quite, quite understandable. I am sure Mr. Collins will not be so strict as to bar Miss Bennet from all interaction with Mr. Bingley; that would be cruel under the circumstances."

"Too, Mr. Collins has been thrust quite unexpectedly into his new role as master of Longbourn and head of the family, when he scarcely knows them," Darcy said. "His visit was, after all, designed for him to come to know the family and begin learning what would be required of him as Mr.Bennet's heir. He will have a very great deal to learn."

"He will," Sir William agreed .

"I do not doubt he would value your sage counsel, sir. Your knowledge of the neighbourhood, your long association with the family, and indeed the understanding you must have of Longbourn itself, would be invaluable."

Sir William puffed himself up slightly with importance, nodding sagely, and Darcy hid a smile. Sir William would undoubtedly be descending on Mr. Collins in short order, determined to make himself as helpful as possible. And, fortuitously from Darcy's point of view, providing both a distraction to keep Collins away from Elizabeth and a potential source of information on Collins' state of mind. There was no chance Lady Lucas would be kept away if her husband was constantly at Longbourn, too, and doubtless Miss Lucas would accompany them, which would please Elizabeth. Darcy knew Elizabeth and Charlotte were close. Having her friend close could only be of benefit to her, in this time of grief.

Well pleased with the outcome of his conversation with Sir William, Darcy was in a cheerful mood as he mounted his horse to return to Netherfield at Bingley's side. Seeing Bingley's sorrowful expression, however, Darcy constrained his smiles and listened as his friend lamented Mr.Bennet's passing.

"I should have liked to know him better," Bingley said. "He was obviously dearly loved by his daughters, and a loving, indulgent father to them."

A little too indulgent with the younger ones, Darcy thought but did not say. A few terms at a good school would do wonders for Lydia and Kitty, at least.

Determining it politic to steer clear of Longbourn for a few days at least after Mr.Bennet's being laid to rest, Darcy found Bingley almost driving him to distraction. The weather had turned wet and cold, trapping them indoors together at Netherfield, at least until the third day had passed and Darcy, looking out of the window early one morning, saw the rain was holding off, however temporarily.

"Let us go out and do some shooting," he suggested to Bingley, who perked up from a glum contemplation of his breakfast at the suggestion. "If we bag a good haul, we could deliver some to Longbourn. Share the bounty."

"A fine idea!" Bingley brightened further still, abandoning the remains of his meal and rising to call for his man to get his guns ready.

Netherfield's coverts had not seen shooting in some years, so the game was plentiful indeed. It was not even two hours later that Darcy and Bingley strode with full game bags over the low hill that rose just behind Longbourn and looked down on the old manor house.

Smoke rose from only two chimneys, despite the coldness of the day; Darcy could see his breath with every exhale. Narrowing his eyes, he glared at the house, quickly calculating that the only fires lit were in the kitchen and the study.

"Collins is being exceedingly parsimonious with the coal, I think," he noted to Bingley, who frowned.

"Only two fires lit?"

"The kitchen and the study, unless I miss my guess," Darcy said. "And I suspect he only permits the kitchen stove to be lit because he enjoys a hot meal."

"Jane must be freezing." Bingley looked infuriated. "I will not stand for this, Darcy. If he will not take care of them adequately..."

"Easy, Bingley. Let us not charge in like bulls at a gate," Darcy cautioned. "Collins is not accustomed to managing an estate, recall. I suspect a few comments about what my aunt would expect from a house of Longbourn's stature might cause him to rethink his stance."

A carriage came into view then, two horses trotting along the lane leading to Longbourn, and Darcy smirked as he recognised it. " I believe Longbourn may be about to receive callers. That is the Lucas carriage, unless I am much mistaken."

"Will they not be turned away?" Bingley asked, his brow furrowing.

"I think not. I suspect Sir William took some comments I made yesterday to heart, and is coming to offer Mr. Collins the benefit of his wisdom. Whether Lady Lucas and any of their children have accompanied them is another matter, but I hope so. Lady Lucas will soon be gossiping about the entire neighbourhood of how Collins has not the slightest idea of what is due to keep up appearances at Longbourn."

"Remind me never to cross you, Darce," Bingley said admiringly, "for your plotting is positively Machiavellian."

They rode on down the hill, and were greeted at the stables by Longbourn's groom, who was assisting the Lucas man in freeing the horses from the carriage. Obviously the Lucas party had no intention of departing directly.

"Has Sir William come to visit with Mr. Collins, then?" Darcy asked blandly.

The coachman hawked and spat into the mud beside the stable. "Ayup," he muttered. "An' the ladies."

"Lady Lucas?"

"An' Miss Charlotte and Miss Maria."

Just as Darcy had thought. He slipped both men a coin before he and Bingley proceeded to the house, where Mrs Hill greeted them at the door.

"Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy." She looked a little frazzled. "I... the family are not... receiving. Not precisely."

"Of course not," Bingley said affably. "We're here to see Mr. Collins on business, you understand. Estate business. "

The study door opened, and Sir William popped his head out, smiling cheerily at them. "Bingley! And Darcy, excellent, I thought I recognised your voices. Do come in. I am sure Collins will greatly appreciate the benefit of your wisdom as landowners."

Bingley was a tenant rather than a landowner, but neither of them cared to mention it. Neither of them particularly wanted to spend the next hour trapped in a room with Collins, either, but Darcy had a plan, and Bingley trusted him enough to go along with it.

As Darcy has suspected, he didn't have to say much. Sir William talked incessantly, advising Collins in firm but kindly tones of the myriad duties he would have to attend to as Longbourn's new master. It was certainly evident that Collins hadn't been raised to any kind of understanding of what running an estate like Longbourn would actually entail, nor had he availed himself of any knowledge he might have gained in observation at Rosings, Darcy thought. The man looked positively alarmed as Sir William pontificated, mopping his increasingly sweaty face with his handkerchief and occasionally stammering out questions which only served to display his complete lack of comprehension.

Darcy waited. At last, the opportunity arose, and he struck.

"What don't you show Mr. Collins, Sir William?" he asked. "You could take a short walk up to the Home Farm - you know it far better than Bingley and I, of course, and we really should be getting back to Netherfield anyway. The weather is mild enough today for a brief perambulation."

"Capital idea, Darcy, absolutely capital!" The bit well and truly between his teeth, Sir William surged to his feet. "Collect your coat and hat, Mr. Collins, and I will indeed show you exactly what I mean! "

Collins had little option but to follow meekly in Sir William's wake, too stunned to realise he was leaving Bingley and Darcy alone with the ladies of Longbourn - precisely where they wished to be.

Darcy lost little time in heading straight for the door of the parlour, behind which he had heard Mrs Bennet's raised tones as they entered the house. He knocked and entered, smiling around in as friendly a manner as he could manage as five pairs of female eyes locked on him and widened.

The younger Miss Lucas - Miss Maria - must be upstairs visiting with the younger Bennet girls, he supposed, for only Charlotte sat between Jane and Elizabeth on the chaise. Charlotte gave him a very direct, assessing look, and he wondered what she had been told of his faux courtship of Elizabeth. Darcy hadn't mentioned it to Sir William, but he suspected from the way Charlotte leaned closer to Elizabeth and squeezed her hand, the two young women might have discussed the matter.

Darcy certainly hoped so. He had high hopes for Charlotte Lucas as an ally, one who could enter Longbourn easily when he might not, carrying messages to Elizabeth and Jane. It was, therefore, all-important that she believed he had Elizabeth's best interests at heart. Which he did, of course. It was just that he was convinced it was in Elizabeth's best interests to become Mrs Darcy sooner rather than later, and it was very possible Elizabeth herself did not currently share that opinion.

"Mr. Bingley! And Mr. Darcy." Mrs Bennet half-rose from her chair, but Darcy stepped forward quickly, immediately gesturing for her not to trouble herself.

"Mrs Bennet," he said, exerting himself to be as charming as he could possibly manage. "I do beg your pardon for the intrusion upon your grief, but Bingley and I were just delivering some fresh game to your kitchens, and Bingley here... well, he cannot help himself." He threw an indulgent smile in his friend's direction: Bingley was gazing at Jane with his usual hopelessly lovesick expression.

"Well." Mrs Bennet seemed to consider for a brief moment, and then decide that an expanded audience could only be welcome. "Of course, Mr. Bingley is very nearly family."

"Indeed. Goodness me, ma'am, it is freezing in here, whyever is the fire not lit?"

He knew exactly why the fire was not lit, of course. He read the truth in the humiliation on Mrs Bennet's face as she cast her eyes down; no longer mistress of her own home and forbidden even to light the fire for warmth on a cold autumn day. Rage welled in Darcy's heart. Mrs Bennet had her pride, and Mr. Collins was being unconscionably cruel in more ways than one.

"Let me see to that," he said, keeping his tone jovial and light. The fire was laid ready in the grate, at least, and it was the work of only a moment to return to the study, light a taper and bring it back to the parlour.

"You are very kind, Mr. Darcy," Mrs Bennet said, her voice a little tremulous. "I shall be sure to tell Mr. Collins of your consideration."

By which he understood that she would absolutely blame him for lighting the fire in order to deflect Collins' anger. Which was perfectly fine with Darcy. Far better that Collins' ire be directed at him than at the more vulnerable Bennet ladies.

Bingley had drawn a chair close to the end of the chaise where Jane sat and the two of them had their heads bent together, talking softly. Darcy glanced wistfully at Elizabeth, wishing he might do the same, but he had work to do yet in enlisting his allies for the campaign ahead, so he took a chair close to Mrs Bennet and Lady Lucas instead. In the gentlest, kindest tone he could manage, he said ;

"You are bearing up very bravely, Mrs Bennet, but you must let me know at once if there is anything I may do to assist you. It is not so long since my own dear father departed the world, and I recall well the overwhelming grief; I do not doubt your daughters feel it very greatly, though the greatest burden is of course yours."

She looked as though she did not quite know what to make of him, but she smiled tremulously.

"You are very kind, Mr. Darcy. Jane's news has been a great comfort, of course, but... our situation is... uncomfortable at present." She glanced at Lady Lucas, and Darcy wondered how liable to gossip the other woman was. How much dare he say in front of her?

"You may be reassured that Bingley is a generous man and would never see his wife's family in anything less than perfect comfort," he said finally. "He suggested that you might all take a short trip to London, to see your brother and sister who reside there, I believe. So that they may be of comfort in your time of grief, and to assist you in selecting some bride-clothes for Miss Bennet. I have offered my carriage, so that you may travel in more comfort, rather than all crushed together into his."

"So very generous of you, Mr. Darcy," Lady Lucas said, nodding. "Most gentlemanly."

"It is no trouble at all." He glanced, very briefly, at Elizabeth, who was clearly listening to their conversation along with Charlotte. "I am glad to be able to be of assistance in the matter."