Chapter 12

G eorgiana Darcy—Gigi—looked at the letter in her hands as if she was imagining the words. Was William not perfect? If he too erred, then was it possible her own almost elopement was not something about which he felt disgust?

"Gigi, why do you look like something has shocked you?" Lady Rebecca—Becca to friends and family—enquired. As the cousins were so close in age, the youngest Fitzwilliam and youngest Darcy had always been as close. Since Gigi had been resident at Matlock House, Becca had been trying everything she could to convince her younger cousin her near mistake was not the end of the world. After all, William had arrived in time, and Gigi had confessed all to him.

"Please read this Becca," Georgiana requested as she handed Becca William's letter.

The two were in the sitting room between their bedchambers without their companions who had a half day off. Becca sat on the settee next to her cousin. They looked like they could have been sisters. Both had straight blonde hair and the Fitzwilliam blue eyes. The difference was in their facial features. Becca favoured her mother while Gigi was the image of her own late mother. The youngest Fitzwilliam lifted the letter, smoothed the paper, and began to read.

25 October 1812

Netherfield Park

My dearest sister,

My prayer is that you have truly begun to recover your spirits, and Becca is assisting you with that. I hope you have finally realised I do not blame you as you believe. Should you have known better than to agree to what was suggested? Yes. However, you were thoroughly betrayed by one meant to protect you and the other one is a very skilled liar. If anyone is to blame it is me for making some bad choices, one of them being not verifying Mrs Younge characters as I should have. The other, more egregious error was I did not ensure you knew the true nature of the silver-tongued snake. Such knowledge would have allowed you to protect yourself better. I am sorry I did not write sooner, but the skies opened up here and I suspected the floods of Noah were upon us for a few days.

Today is the first day the heavy rains have ceased altogether. There have been some periods of lighter rains since the day it started, and breaks of an hour or so here and there, but not like today. As of this morning the heavy veil of clouds has lifted and the sun, albeit, it is rather weak as is to be expected at this time of the year, is out.

Without going into intimate details, a certain lady (you will know who I mean as she is the only one in the area who deluded herself in the belief I would offer for her) is to be sent away by her brother. She attempted (and did not come close to succeeding) to compromise me, ignoring her family's admonitions that I would never give in to a compromise. I cannot say more just in case this letter falls into the wrong hands. She is going where we will never see her again.

In one of my previous letters, you will remember I mentioned Miss Elizabeth Bennet to you, the daughter of a local landowner.

"Hah!" Lady Rebecca snorted. "In one of his letters? William has mentioned the lady in every letter since the one he sent to tell you he had arrived safely. Sometimes more than once!"

"She must be important to William, but read on, and you will see he has not made things easy for himself," Gigi averred. " What he writes gives me hope for myself, that he has truly forgiven me and was not just saying he had."

Becca lifted the letter once more.

Gigi, the more I have come to know about her, the more I have felt she may be the one . She and her sister have been resident at this estate since the day it began to rain when they were stranded here. After they arrived to call on Mrs Hurst, Miss Bennet (who is blonde, willowy, and with deep blue eyes), took ill. It was a cold that took a turn for the worse—do not worry, the lady is well on her way to recovery. The problem is Miss Elizabeth will not speak to me beyond a curt greeting, and she hardly looks at me.

"Is this woman simple? Does she not know what William brings to a match?" Rebecca asked. She returned to the letter.

It is my fault. The first night I saw her, not long after I arrived in Hertfordshire, was at a local assembly where I rudely and more importantly, falsely, insulted her loudly enough that she and others were able to hear. So, Gigi, my dear, you can see your brother is human and errs at times like all other flawed characters. You, Sweetling, are not alone in making mistakes.

You have heard me state my good opinion once lost, is lost forever. It seems the same for Miss Elizabeth. She will not allow me to deliver my amends to her, which I have wanted to do since a few minutes after I made my unwarranted remarks. Until she permits me to address her, I know not what to do.

Bingley suggested I pass a message through the eldest sister, who is Miss Elizabeth's closest sister (they are 2 of 5 sisters, no brothers.) If she will not allow me to address her, even though it is not my preferred method, I will request Miss Bennet convey my words. If I decide it is the only way, I will have to wait until the older sister is returned to full health once again.

"Not easy for himself was a great understatement," Lady Rebecca shook her head. "Poor William, he certainly knows how to say the wrong thing at times. Just wait until Mama and Papa hear about this. No, more so Richard. He will tease William for a long time about his great faux pas ." As the rest of the letter was only her brother's wishing his sister well again and his salutations to the family, Becca handed the missive back to Gigi.

"I suppose we can mention this as William has not demanded that I keep it private. Then again, he almost never asks me not to relate what he tells me in his letters," Georgiana stated thoughtfully. "For my part reading about William's grave mistake has allowed me to begin to finally forgive myself."

"In that case, even though William should never have slighted this Miss Elizabeth, for you, a positive has come from it," Lady Rebecca asserted.

Gigi nodded her agreement.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Bennet reread the letter from his cousin three times, and with each re-reading he found something new about which to laugh. He could only imagine what type of person William Collins's revered patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, was. For her to have awarded this man a clerical living in her advowson, who from the letter he wrote was an idiot at best, was unfathomable. All Bennet could think is the great lady , as his distant cousin seemed to think her, must crave the cloying attention a sycophant like William Collins so obviously bestows upon her.

Knowing how his wife would react, Bennet decided to write back and welcome the man to come visit Longbourn. Of course, as soon as Fanny found out about the amends the man wanted to make, she would do everything in her power in order to make sure the man succeeded in his quest.

Although he would have preferred to return to his book and glass of port, Bennet pulled a sheet of paper off the pile, dipped his quill in the ink, shook off the excess drops, and began to write.

26 October 1812

Longbourn

Mr Collins,

I appreciate the sentiments you expressed in your rather succinct letter. It does sound like you have been preferred to a living by a noble woman who values you and your talents very well.

You may call on us, arriving on Friday the 6th of November at 4 o'clock. I am sure my lady wife and daughters will be extremely interested in meeting you.

Until you arrive to make peace, offer your olive branch, and make amends, I wish you well.

Yours,

Thomas Bennet

There was much more Bennet could have written, but he did not want to waste any more of his reading time. Besides, he was sure the dullard would not recognise sarcasm, more than likely thinking he was being complimented. It boded well for his entertainment when the oddity arrived.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

By Saturday, the water had receded to the normal level below the bridge and the roads had dried sufficiently for travel, so Bingley, accompanied by Darcy, and with a large footman sitting either side of a laudanum drugged Caroline, departed Netherfield Park for London.

With his sister asleep from the opium laced narcotic, she would not start spouting nonsense about the reason Darcy was accompanying them to London. Bingley needed his friend to make the introductions he required to be permitted to apply to place his sister at The Sanctuary .

The previous evening, not long after his coachman drove his coach back to his leased estate, Bingley visited Miss Bennet who was seated in the sitting room between her and her sister's bed chambers with her legs covered by a blanket. Miss Bennet had Miss Elizabeth and a maid as chaperones with her.

Bingley explained he was to escort his younger sister to London, but he would return in about a sennight, or less. He had not said it to them, but he would no longer allow Caroline to affect the direction of his life. He assured Miss Bennet that no matter what, he would be back, and he would call on her soon after he arrived—with her permission of course—which was bestowed with alacrity. He also informed the Bennet ladies that after consulting his older sister, he had asked her to organise a ball for the neighbourhood for Friday, the thirteenth day of November. Bingley very much wanted to request at least two sets from Miss Bennet, but he decided it was not good form to do so before she was healthy and while she still resided under his own roof.

"Darcy, will you call on Matlock House while we are in London?" Bingley enquired.

"We both will. It is my uncle who has the connection to those who admit patients to the asylum about which I told you," Darcy averred. He was looking forward to seeing Gigi and hopefully seeing some evidence of her improvement. He so hated to see his sister in such a state as she had been when he departed London. Her eyes were always downcast and since Ramsgate she had not been able to look anyone in the eye.

"Will I need to accompany my sister to Jersey?" Bingley wondered aloud. He would if he had to, it was after all his duty, but his preference was to return to Miss Bennet's side in Meryton without delay.

"From what I understand, no. The reason is that if a member of the Ton disappeared from society for an undetermined time, the gossips would not rest until they knew why, and in the absence of the truth, they would make up a reason from whole cloth," Darcy explained. "Once Miss Bingley is accepted, they will take her from you. If you want to accompany them, you may."

"Let us see if she is accepted first, then I will know how to act," Bingley decided.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

"I feel badly for Mr Bingley having to commit his sister to a sanatorium, but I am not unhappy Mr Darcy accompanied him so he is not here to accost me at every turn," Elizabeth stated with relief.

"Are you so prejudiced against Mr Darcy that you cannot own his going to assist Mr Bingley shows a good character?" Jane probed.

"It could, but I am sure it is just so Mr Darcy can direct his friend's actions."

"You said he only looks at you to find fault, did you not?" Elizabeth nodded emphatically. "Is it not you who seeks to find fault in everything he does? What about Mr Bingley? What have you seen that tells you he would allow anyone to decide what he should do? From what I have seen he is a resolute man and is not easily led."

"I suppose you have the right of it," Elizabeth admitted grudgingly.

"It is not for me to pardon Mr Darcy's words to you at the assembly, that is something only you can do. Is it not our Christian duty to forgive those who trespass against us?"

"It is, but how can I forgive a man who has not repented and asked for said pardon?" Elizabeth looked smug thinking she had won this disagreement.

"Lizzy, how can a man issue an apology to you if you will not allow him to say more than two words to you?" Jane quizzed. "Have you not spoken of a few times when Mr Darcy has attempted to converse with you? Is that fair to claim he has not made his amends when you will not allow him to do so?"

"I am sure he is far too proud to make an apology to one who is tolerable and not handsome enough to tempt him," Elizabeth bit back. She did not tell her sister she was following her father's advice.

Jane understood that Mr Darcy's words, on top of the untruths which flowed from their mother's mouth as she denigrated Lizzy's looks, had hurt her sister far more than Lizzy was willing to own. As such, Jane decided she would not push on this subject any longer.

"Lizzy, I am fatigued, I think I will seek my bed to rest for a while," Jane dissembled, well partially. "It is a nice day today. As there has been no rain for some days now, why do you not take a ramble in the park? You have been tethered to the house since we arrived here, and I know the outdoors is calling your name."

"Janey if you are certain, I would enjoy sometime in the park. I will not take one of my long rambles over hill and dale, so I will be close if you need me," Elizabeth responded thankfully.

As soon as Jane was in her bed, with the coverlet pulled over her, and the maid seated in the room, Elizabeth made for her bedchamber and changed into her half boots. She took one of her warm pelisses and made her way to the front doors. As would be expected, Mr Nichols was at his station, close to the doors.

"I will be walking in the park around the pond. If Miss Bennet needs me, please send a footman to notify me," Elizabeth told Mr Nichols. The butler replied that it would be so.

As soon as her outerwear was in place, Elizabeth exited the heavy oak front doors and crossed the stone veranda. Once she had descended the stone steps and crossed the gravel drive, Elizabeth sped up her walk until she was walking at a comfortable—for her—fast pace. The park, although much larger than Longbourn's was not very large in the scheme of things.

As she walked, Elizabeth played Jane's words over in her mind. ‘ Janey does not have the right of it! ' she tried to convince herself silently. ‘ He is a man who lives in the world, if he intended to make any sort of an apology, he would have found a way before now. ' The voice of her conscience screamed she was prevaricating to herself, but Elizabeth shut that contrary voice out, and refused to consider the truth of her own actions.

By the end of her three quarters of an hour exercise, Elizabeth had convinced herself she had behaved in a proper fashion, just like Papa had told her she should, and all of the fault lay with the tall, hateful, proud, arrogant, insufferable man. When her conscience attempted to assert itself, she simply ignored what did not fit with her version of events.