Chapter Fourteen

E lizabeth had never been happier to be back in her own home. Even the incessant chattering of Mama, Kitty and Lydia was sweet music in comparison with Miss Bingley's screeching. She and Jane had not finished reading The Midnight Bell , so she was taking it home to finish it, with Mr. Bingley's hearty consent.

Jane was still tired from her illness and retired to their room immediately upon their arrival. Elizabeth had started up the stairs with her, but Mama had called her back.

"Lizzy? Lizzy, I would speak with you." Her mother's voice was determined.

Elizabeth said, "Go on up, Jane. I will join you shortly."

She followed her mother into the parlour. Mrs. Bennet sat in her favorite chair and gestured to Elizabeth to sit in the sofa beside the chair.

"Tell me everything, Lizzy."

"About?"

Her mother's eyes narrowed.

Elizabeth sighed. "Very well; Mr. Bingley is very much interested in Jane, but Miss Bingley opposes the match."

"Will that deter Mr. Bingley?"

"Yes, I very much think it will. I was seated beside Mr. Bingley at dinner yesterday evening and he told me that he cannot go against his sister's wishes."

"He truly said that?!" Mrs. Bennet was shocked, and fanned herself vigorously.

"Words to that effect, yes."

"Tell me exactly what he said."

Elizabeth closed her eyes, trying to recall Mr. Bingley's exact words. "Let me see. We were speaking about Miss Bingley not leaving Mr. Darcy alone –"

"Who is Mr. Darcy, pray?"

"Oh, I forgot that you had not met him. He did not attend the assembly due to a bad headache, but he is Mr. Bingley's good friend and is staying at Netherfield to help Mr. Bingley learn about estate management."

"So this Mr. Darcy must have an estate of his own." Her mother's tone was thoughtful.

Elizabeth realised that she had to be careful now. She did not wish to lie to her mother, but nor did she wish Mr. Darcy to become an object of interest to the Bennet matriarch. "I suppose he must, though I know very little about it."

"You must learn how to ferret out such information, Lizzy! Very well; go on."

"Miss Bingley has very much set her cap for Mr. Darcy, though he is completely disinterested in her –"

"Wait, Lizzy. If Miss Bingley is interested in this Mr. Darcy, he must be quite wealthy."

Elizabeth stared at her mother. "You are singularly focused on Mr. Darcy; I am trying to tell you of my conversation with Mr. Bingley."

"And you are singularly unfocused on what is in your own best interest, Elizabeth. No matter; continue."

Elizabeth cleared her throat and stared at her mother mutinously for a moment before continuing. "As I was saying, Mr. Bingley commented on his sister's continued pursuit of Mr. Darcy despite his obvious disinterest. I asked why Miss Bingley was Netherfield's hostess rather than Mrs. Hurst who, as a married woman, should have been his choice for hostess. He said that Miss Bingley wanted to impress Mr. Darcy by showing what a good hostess she would be for Pem-" And here she stopped, realising that any mention of Pemberley would alert her mother to Mr. Darcy's desirability as a suitor.

"Go on, Lizzy."

"She was hoping to impress Mr. Darcy. When I pointed out to Mr. Bingley that he must have agreed to Miss Bingley's plan, he said that he had indeed done so, and then he admitted that he did not seem to be able to say no to her."

Mrs. Bennet shook her head in dismay. "That is not good, Lizzy."

The two women sat in silence for a moment; then Elizabeth brightened. "But there is another man at Netherfield who seems interested in Jane."

"Indeed! And who is that, pray?"

"A cousin of Mr. Darcy's. His name is Richard Fitzwilliam. He is the second son of the Earl and Countess of Matlock, and is a Colonel in the regulars."

"The son of an Earl!" Mrs. Bennet looked impressed. "And how do you know he is interested in your sister?"

"Mr. Darcy told me so in confidence."

Mrs. Bennet eyed her second daughter closely. "I keep hearing this Mr. Darcy's name."

"Well, I can scarce avoid it, as he was staying there at Netherfield," Elizabeth said. If her heart was beating hard, no one would know it from her calm voice.

"Very well; go on up to Jane. But you must keep me apprised of events, Lizzy."

"I shall, Mama." And with that, Elizabeth ran up the stairs to the room she shared with Jane.

"I am here, Jane," she said, closing the door behind her.

"I suppose Mama wanted a complete report on Mr. Bingley," Jane said.

"She did, yes."

"And you told her about him not being able to say no to his sister?"

"Yes, also about the Colonel declaring his interest in you!"

"What?!"

Elizabeth laughed, gleefully. "I was waiting until we got home to tell you!"

"Very well; tell me now. I rather suspected as much, after the attentions he paid me after dinner last night, but I had not imagined he had spoken of it aloud!"

Elizabeth repeated Mr. Darcy's words, adding, "I like the Colonel very much, and I do not think he would be swayed by the demands of any sisters or brothers or anyone else once he had made his mind up. He is a strong man; Mr. Bingley is a weak one."

Jane protested against Mr. Bingley being so described, but Elizabeth held firm. If Mr. Bingley could not say no to his sister, particularly one so lacking in both sense and sensibility as Miss Bingley, then he could not possibly be good husband material for Jane.