Chapter 5

Five

Mrs Bennet grimaced as Elizabeth disappeared through the door.

"That girl is too stubborn for her own good! Can she not tell I am trying to help her? With a little effort, she could be Mrs Darcy. Ten thousand a year and a house in town! She has no notion what a comfort it would be to her to never have to worry about money or her children's futures," she muttered to the empty room.

Worrying her lace-edged handkerchief, she did her best to think rationally. If Elizabeth still detested Mr Darcy, there was no point wasting her time trying to bring the couple together. But did she? Since it was evident Mr Darcy loved Elizabeth, she must be the one preventing them from forming a lasting union—a phrase Mrs Bennet had lately read in the most romantic novel. In it, the hero and heroine were being kept apart by their wicked families for reasons she could not quite recall. At least that would not be Elizabeth and Mr Darcy's fate; even though Mr Bennet did not care for Mr Darcy, he would not deny his permission if Elizabeth asked it of him, and Mr Darcy's family could find nothing to object to in Elizabeth.

An idea came to mind, and showing more vigour than usual, Mrs Bennet went to find her fourth daughter. Kitty listened at doors, despite having been told many times not to, and might have interesting information to share about Elizabeth's time in Kent, if she had overheard Elizabeth and Jane speaking about it. In addition, Maria Lucas was as much a gossip as her mother, and she had been there at the same time. Kitty and Maria were intimate friends, and Kitty would thus know whatever Maria did.

Kitty was in her room. Mrs Bennet let her speak for a few minutes about the trim she was adding to one of her gowns before interrupting.

"Seeing Mr Darcy brought to mind that his aunt and Mr Collins's patroness are the same lady. I seem to remember hearing that he was visiting her when Lizzy was with Charlotte."

Kitty nodded and smiled. "He was, along with a cousin who is a colonel. Maria said he was not particularly handsome, even though his father is an earl, but he was amiable. She said that Charlotte said she believed if the colonel had any money, he would have offered for Lizzy. His father?—"

"Do you know if they saw much of Mr Darcy?" Mrs Bennet had no desire to hear about a penniless officer. Having one daughter married to such a man was quite enough.

Again, Kitty nodded. Her expression reminded Mrs Bennet of an eager puppy. The poor girl was likely lonely with Lydia gone, and she and Mary had never gotten along particularly well, their dispositions being so different. It might do them good to befriend each other. She set aside the notion to revisit once she sorted out Elizabeth's future.

"Maria said that Mr Darcy called the very day he and his cousin arrived. Charlotte told her that Mr Darcy would not have done that for her , which means he must have wanted to see Lizzy. It was not to see Maria. They never said one word to each other when he was at Netherfield last year, and even in Kent, he said no more than good day to her or something like that. And Maria said she knew Lizzy and Mr Darcy walked together several mornings. She saw them or heard Lizzy talking about it. I do not remember how she knows, only that she does. Do you think he likes her? Poor Lizzy! I hope it is not always disagreeable men who take an interest in her. If I had to choose between Mr Collins and Mr Darcy, I would take Mr Darcy. He is handsome and rich. Mr Collins?—"

"Very true, my dear." Mrs Bennet patted her daughter's arm. Her thoughts were already elsewhere, and she stood and went to the door. Before leaving the room, she turned back to Kitty. "You ought to spend more time with Mary."

"Why?" Kitty's expression showed confusion and, unfortunately, distaste.

Mrs Bennet did not answer and a moment later, was in her chamber. Her daughter truly could be Mrs Darcy! Such was her excitement, she swept her elderly cat, Felly, into her arms and clutched her to her chest as she skipped about the room. Mr Darcy was a very good sort, even if his manner was a bit…aloof. He might be proud, but did he not have ample reason for it? A house in town, a mighty fortune, a large estate, and master of it before he was thirty years old! While she could not understand half of what he said, Elizabeth would, and she would find that much more interesting than being married to a stupid man. Mrs Bennet had often thought she and her husband would have done better had she been more intelligent and he less.

Mrs Bennet stopped walking and stared at the wall opposite her. It was covered with a floral pattern paper and a portrait of her mother, who had died soon after Mary's birth. Despite knowing what a good match Mr Bennet was, her mother had advised her to think carefully before accepting him because they were so unlike. Mrs Bennet did not regret the life she had, but she better understood her mother's caution all these years later.

"I tried to force Lizzy to accept Mr Collins. She would have been miserable with him and hated being a parson's wife." The realisation that she had wanted to condemn her daughter to such a marriage was shocking. "It is not the same with Mr Darcy. You agree, do you not, puss?"

She sat in a delicate bergère chair. Mr Darcy and Elizabeth were so stiff and awkward together. What could be keeping them apart?

There was a knock at the door; it was Mrs Hill. Somehow, the hours passed, and it was time to prepare for dinner.

Mrs Bennet decided to speak to Jane the next morning, as loath as she was to do anything to distract her from Mr Bingley. If anyone knew Elizabeth's true feelings about Mr Darcy, it would be Jane.

But Jane's only response was to widen her eyes and shake her head as soon as Mrs Bennet hinted there might be a romance brewing between the couple.

"Mama, please do not talk to Lizzy about Mr Darcy or even suggest such a thing to her! They are not friends, and I am afraid nothing will change that."

"Not even after they saw each other when she was visiting Charlotte? Your sister was in Derbyshire recently, very likely near Mr Darcy's estate. Did they meet there?"

"If they did, she did not tell me, which would be unlike her. She does not look on him as a friend. She learnt to dislike him long ago, and although she does not regard him quite so poorly presently, they are nothing more than…indifferent acquaintances, if even that."

Jane's hand lifted to stroke the back of her neck, which told Mrs Bennet she was not disclosing everything she knew. Mrs Bennet made a contemplative noise as she stood and left her daughter.

Jane was mistaken. She clearly believed what she said, which meant Elizabeth had not confided in her, which in turn only convinced Mrs Bennet that Elizabeth was hiding very interesting sentiments about the wonderfully wealthy and delightfully handsome Mr Darcy.

Although she supposed she ought not to interfere in her daughters' lives—and Elizabeth certainly would not appreciate it—she would see them married. It was for Elizabeth's own good, and what sort of mother would she be if she did not do what she could for her dear girl?