Chapter 19

19

E lizabeth stood by the window in their chambers as Jane sat at the table picking aimlessly at the breakfast which had been brought upstairs.

"I do wish we could go home, Lizzy. Mr. Bingley could call on me there, and I wouldn't have to be anxious that Miss Bingley would appear in my chamber and want me to make endless conversation. I'm so tired by it that I am sure it is preventing me getting better."

Elizabeth turned from the window, and from the sight of the smoke from one of Longbourn's chimneys rising above the trees in the distance. "Well, you are fortunate. I wrote to Papa this morning early and hopefully convinced him that we need to return home today."

Jane brightened. "Oh, that was a good idea. I was thinking we might have to ask Mama and she would say the carriage is needed elsewhere. But Papa might come."

"Indeed." Elizabeth crossed the room and took a piece of bread from the serving dish. "So you must eat a little more, and then you might have a bath here, where there are so many staff to fetch the hot water. I think Papa may appear in the warmest part of the day."

Jane was bathing in the small room off the dressing room in the chambers they shared, when Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst appeared at the door, dressed as if they were out on a fashionable call. Elizabeth was delighted to stand in the doorway, rather than allowing them just to stroll in as they seemed to be expecting to do.

"How good of you to call," Elizabeth said, smiling sweetly. "I am afraid my sister is not yet ready for company."

Miss Bingley frowned. "The gentlemen are working on estate matters in the library this morning, so we will have to be downstairs for their refreshment time in the drawing room. So it is most convenient to call on dear Jane now."

"As I said, it is unfortunate that she is not ready for company," Elizabeth reiterated. "She had a restless night, and is taking the opportunity to bathe so that hopefully she may feel refreshed to come downstairs later." She forced a smile again. "I am sure she will not expect you to call again when you are entertaining the gentlemen."

Miss Bingley's eyes narrowed. "I know what you are planning, Miss Eliza. But it will not work. Mr. Darcy is not going to fall for your flirtations over the chessboard, or your supposed skill at music."

"I am glad to hear it, Miss Bingley." Elizabeth gritted her jaw behind the smile. "If you wish it, I will not play chess or the pianoforte, or sing, while I remain here at Netherfield, if that is your desire."

"I am sure your sister is well enough to return home," the woman said spitefully. "But your mother will delay matters as long as she can in an attempt to entrap my brother."

Elizabeth laughed. "Mama has no intention of trapping your brother, Miss Bingley. It may have escaped your notice that she already has a husband." She nodded at the woman's reddening complexion. "Thank you for calling. I will tell Jane you were here."

Gently, she closed the door, having to wait while she moved further away so she could not be heard when she finally could release the gales of laughter she'd had such difficulty holding onto.

"What was that all about?" Jane looked through the door, her hair wrapped in a towel.

Elizabeth was still very amused. "Go back by the fire and continue drying your hair, dearest, and I will come through and explain."

Papa arrived at midday, just as Elizabeth had hoped, and was shown into their chambers by the housekeeper, who had also sent up a tray of refreshments.

"Well, my dears, the cat is certainly among the pigeons. It is hard to decide who is the most concerned for your return to Longbourn, Mr. Bingley or Mr. Darcy."

"Why would Mr. Darcy be anxious about me?" Jane sounded extremely puzzled, and Papa threw Elizabeth a sardonic glance before turning back to Jane.

"He is being a very gentlemanly gentleman today, Jane. He seemed concerned that the journey home might cause you to suffer a relapse, and said that you were very pale after just going downstairs for an hour yesterday."

"Oh, how kind of him!" Jane looked delighted. "You see, Lizzy. I told you he must be honourable to be a friend to Mr. Bingley, and his behaviour at the assembly must have been caused by some trouble in his life."

"Of course, dear," Elizabeth smirked at her father. "But you said yourself you wished you could go home, and then you won't have to endure the condescension of the Bingley sisters' calls upon the sick."

"Lizzy!" Jane sounded reproachful, while Papa merely chuckled, and then the maids ushered in the footmen with their trunks and vanished into the room with the closets to begin packing.

"Anyway, it is all moot," Papa settled back in the chair. "I told Mr. Bingley that I needed you both back home at once, as we have a visitor arriving who is very desirous of meeting you."

Elizabeth stared at Papa, Jane doing the same by her side. "Who is it, Papa? I thought I could go to London quite quickly, as soon as Jane no longer needs me."

He shook his head. "Unfortunately, I think we will need to wait a little before I can send you, Lizzy. Not only is this visitor coming — and I will show you his letter when we are in the coach — but I need you to assist Mary with the tenant visits. She has been finding it hard work, I think."

"Dear Mary. She would never ask for help, though." Jane looked grieved on their sister's behalf.

"Of course I will help." Elizabeth vowed that she would always be doing visits during calling hours. It was certain Mr. Darcy was concerned that she was leaving Netherfield and did not really care for Jane's well-being. And she had a lot to do at the cottage with Charlotte as well.

But first, she had to leave Netherfield with Papa and Jane. It was certain that Mr. Darcy would approach her, even if just to say goodbye, and she must not show, by word or the slightest expression, that she no longer found him quite so dreadful; that she actually had begun to believe he could see her … the real person behind her talent.

Not that it made any difference. He would never marry so far beneath him, and she must never reveal her attraction to him; it would be mortifying as they were not returned.

All too soon for her peace of mind they were descending the stairs. Jane was on Papa's arm and Elizabeth tucked herself in behind them, to be as out of sight as possible. But Mr. Darcy was waiting in the hall, close to the front door. It did not seem as if she was going to escape with just a brief farewell.

"Well, Mr. Bingley." Papa bowed at both gentlemen. "I must thank you for taking such very good care of my daughters, and being so hospitable."

"Mr. Bennet, it has been a pleasure!" Mr. Bingley was bouncing on the balls of his feet like an excited puppy. "It was delightful that Miss Bennet could be downstairs for an hour yesterday, and I just hope that she will not find the journey too taxing." He came forward and bowed over Jane's hand.

"I hope, Miss Bennet, that you might be amenable to a visit in a day or two's time."

Jane smiled uncertainly. "I have no idea who this visitor might be." She looked at their father.

"Will we still be able to receive callers, Papa?"

He chuckled. "As I said, I will show you his letter when we are in the coach. The man is here with a serious purpose in mind, and it may mean no one will wish to call." He smiled slyly over at the Netherfield gentlemen. "But far be it for me to prevent anyone amusing themselves by meeting him!"

Mr. Darcy stepped forward. "I thank you, sir. We will, perhaps, call in the morning, to enquire after the ladies, in the hope that their journey has not been too taxing."

But his gaze was on Elizabeth, as if he had wished to be able to speak to her without Papa listening in. She dipped a little curtsy, but made sure that she remained close to Papa until they were safely in the coach.

After making sure Jane was well wrapped in blankets with hot bricks under her feet, Elizabeth turned to Papa. "Let us see this letter, then. I am impatient."

Papa chuckled before sliding the sheets from his pocket. "If you would care to read it aloud to Jane, then she need not take her gloves off and get cold."

"So who is it from, Papa?" Jane sounded almost as intrigued as Elizabeth was.

"Someone I have not met in the whole course of my life." He frowned. "It is a distant cousin of mine. He is heir to Longbourn under the terms of the entail, and has invited himself to examine his inheritance," Papa growled. He nodded at Elizabeth. "Read it, my dear. I need the amusement."

Elizabeth took the letter and flattened out the sheets. She looked over at Jane and raised her eyebrows.

"Do read it, Lizzy."

"Very well." Elizabeth glanced down the pages and settled back in the seat.

"Hunsford,

near Westerham,

Kent,

15th October.

Dear Sir,

The disagreement subsisting between yourself and my late honoured father always gave me much uneasiness, and since I have had the misfortune to lose him, I have frequently wished to heal the breach; but for some time I was kept back by my own doubts, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with anyone with whom it had always pleased him to be at variance …"

Elizabeth glanced over at her father. "Can this be real, Papa?"

"I have no reason to think otherwise, Lizzy," he laughed and waved her to continue, which Elizabeth did until she came to the end.

"… If you should have no objection to receive me into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family, Monday, November 18th, by four o'clock, and shall probably trespass on your hospitality till the Saturday se'ennight following, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day.—I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,

William Collins."

She glanced up. Jane seemed as bemused as she had ever seen her.

"Papa?" Her sister seemed dismayed. "Does he mean to marry one of us? And — Monday the eighteenth? That is today!"

"Indeed it is. I was delighted to get your sister's note this morning, as I was reluctant to leave you alone at Netherfield when your mother wished to bring Lizzy home at once."

"I suppose she intends to marry me off to him," Elizabeth said dryly, her heart hardening within her, "since I have refused to attempt to gain a good marriage through my voice."

"No." Jane struggled to release her hand from the blankets, and reached for Elizabeth's. "If I haven't obtained a good marriage through my looks, then Mama ought to be as vexed with me as with you."

Elizabeth let out a peal of laughter. "Oh, Jane, anyone can see that Mama is determined that it is only a short time until you will catch Mr. Bingley!"

"No one is marrying Collins," Papa said firmly. "Until I can believe that he is worth marrying, and that one of you likes him enough to accept him."

"Thank you, Papa," Elizabeth said gratefully. But she was not very sanguine about Mama's agreement to what Papa was saying.