Chapter 6

Six

After returning to Netherfield, Darcy claimed a need to finish an important letter and went to his apartment until dinner. In truth, it was an excuse to be alone. He was devastated by the conversation with Elizabeth, and all he could think about was finding a cave in which to hide so that he might grieve in private.

That evening, once he had picked at his dinner while listening to Bingley talk about Miss Bennet for as long as he could bear it, Darcy announced that he would leave the next day.

"What? You cannot!" Bingley said, sounding shocked by the suggestion.

"You do not require my presence any longer. The Bennets could not be more welcoming, Miss Bennet in particular, and I ought to leave you to it." Darcy wanted to kick himself. The words sounded ridiculous, and he always prided himself on the elegance of his speech. Then again, considering some of his exchanges with Elizabeth, perhaps he ought to give up that pretension.

Momentarily, Bingley's attention drifted, likely to the beautiful Miss Jane Bennet. "She is an angel and far more forgiving than I have a right to expect."

Just as Darcy thought he could slip out of the room and go tell his man to prepare for their departure, Bingley fixed his attention on him.

"You cannot go, Darcy. I insist you remain."

"Why?" He sounded petulant and hoped Bingley did not notice.

"Because I shall go mad if left alone in this huge house. As much as I might wish otherwise, I cannot be at Longbourn every hour of the day, and you know I do not have the means to entertain myself. But more than that, I require your advice. No, do not say it. I know you will tell me I need to make my own decisions. Very well. I would appreciate your advice. Please, I beg of you, do not leave me here alone."

After all the ways Darcy had failed Bingley as a friend, he could not deny his request.

"Of course. I shall be glad to bear you company for as long as you like." And pray I do not go mad myself, having to see Elizabeth.

The day after the walk with Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley, Elizabeth sought out Jane to ask if she would like to take a walk in the gardens. Jane agreed, and as they strolled, arm in arm, enjoying the warmth of the sun and stillness of their surroundings, Elizabeth asked about Mr Bingley. In Derbyshire, it had been evident Mr Bingley did not know anything of what she had told Mr Darcy about Jane during their horrible exchange in Kent. She surmised that Mr Darcy had since informed his friend of it, which meant he had told him after learning of Lydia's disgraceful behaviour.

Elizabeth appreciated it as the mark of the excellent gentleman she knew him to be. He plainly did not mean to renew his attentions to her . His words when they had been alone had made that clear—he regretted their time together in Derbyshire had ended so abruptly. He meant that he was sorry the connexion they were forming had ended. She did not blame him. Why would he want to align himself to a family Wickham was a part of? It occurred to Elizabeth that he might only have accompanied Mr Bingley to Hertfordshire to deliver this message to ensure she did not retain any hope or expectation where he was concerned.

"I shall not waste my breath to ask if you are glad Mr Bingley returned. I can see that you are, and equally that he is very happy to be with you again," Elizabeth said, doing her best to mask how wretched she truly felt.

"You should not tease me. Though if you did not, I would believe you were ill." Jane chuckled and her cheeks turned pink. "I am glad he is come, and I…I hope he does still like me."

"He is as much in love with you as he ever was, if not more so."

"I had thought I no longer favoured him as I once did, but, oh, Lizzy, I do. I have been struggling not to permit myself to hope, but everything he says, the looks he gives me—all of it is too much to ignore. But I shall not feel secure, or not anxious, until he proposes."

"You might consider asking him to marry you. It would alleviate your suffering—and Mama's." Mischief made the corners of Elizabeth's mouth twitch.

"While it might help me, Mama would have apoplexy if she learnt I had done such a bold, unladylike thing!"

The sisters shared a laugh, and Elizabeth allowed Jane to speak of her gentleman without interruption for some minutes.

"I have been debating if I should tell you, but I think you would want to know," Jane said.

"Oh?" Alarm stole a portion of Elizabeth's ease.

"Mama asked me about you and Mr Darcy. It seems she has taken the notion that the two of you…care for each other. I do not know why."

"What did you tell her?" Elizabeth asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"I would have said nothing, but that would not satisfy her. I reminded her that your dislike was formed long ago, and it would be kinder not to ask you about him. Was I right to tell you?"

Elizabeth nodded but worried if she tried to speak, she would only manage to snort or sob at the irony. For her part, she was in love with Mr Darcy and could imagine nothing better than to marry him. The realisation of her true sentiments had burst upon her the instant he had left her at the inn in Lambton after she had told him about Lydia. She supposed that was the moment his wishes regarding her had died. While usually so quick to spot a possible romance, her mother misunderstood Mr Darcy terribly if she believed he harboured intentions towards Elizabeth. That she must have discerned Elizabeth's tendre for him meant she would have to do a better job of hiding it.

Mrs Bennet strode about her chamber, Felly once again in her arms. What with one thing and another, she had been occupied with other matters all day, but finally, she could turn her mind to the matter of Elizabeth and Mr Darcy. The cat was purring, though Mrs Bennet hardly noticed as she tried to remember everything she had observed since Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy had returned to the neighbourhood—more particularly, everything that had to do with Mr Darcy and Elizabeth. All the hours watching them studiously not talking yet constantly taking shy glances at each other had been enough to tell Mrs Bennet that they were not merely acquaintances.

"I would wager my pin money for a year that they saw each other this summer, and between that and last spring, something has changed between them! I do not know what keeps them apart, but I must see the situation put to rights!"

Mrs Bennet held the cat aloft and stared into her eyes. "You would like to see Lizzy married to such a man, would you not, dear little Felly? I know I did not always like him, but that is all to be forgot. Yes, I shall like him very well, as long as he makes Lizzy happy!"

Kissing the cat's head, Mrs Bennet placed her at the foot of the bed where she usually spent the night. Sure enough, after spinning in a circle several times, Felly curled into a ball, tucked her nose under a paw, and went to sleep. Elizabeth had given the cat her name. It was short for felis , which apparently meant cat in Latin or some other foreign tongue hardly anyone spoke, but Elizabeth had insisted on learning. It was an odd thing to call a cat, but Elizabeth, then twelve years old, had been so proud of herself, and Mrs Bennet could not bear to disappoint her by insisting on a different name.

She climbed into bed and extinguished the last candle. With her head so full of Elizabeth and Mr Darcy's situation, sleep was a long time coming. She must find a way to bring the couple together, to make them admit their mutual love and desire to spend the remainder of their lives together in marital bliss—or at least connubial harmony—but how? Given Elizabeth's stubbornness, Mrs Bennet required assistance. Her other daughters would be no help. Jane truly believed Elizabeth still disliked Mr Darcy, Mary was disdainful of anything romantic—which was a problem for another day—and Kitty was too indiscreet—also an issue Mrs Bennet would need to attend to in due course.

Inspiration struck her as she was eating breakfast the next morning. Naturally, her dear sister, Mrs Philips, would be her first choice of co-conspirator, but they needed another, someone who would keep them on task. Together, she and Mrs Philips might do little but exchange fond remembrances of their girlhoods and talk over the neighbourhood news. It was only with a mouthful of toast, richly covered with butter and strawberry jam, that she hit upon the right lady: Mrs Goulding.

She is a mother and has successfully married off her daughters, and likely will have her sons married when they are an appropriate age. She did a fine job of it, too, and will understand my feelings and need to make this match happen!

After breakfast, she went to her sister's home and insisted they call on Mrs Goulding, who had been a lifelong friend.

"I am always very pleased to see you, but it appears you have a special purpose for coming this morning." Mrs Goulding, of middle years and no longer the slim, handsome girl she had been when they were all young, adjusted the position of her glasses, which she claimed pinched her nose. She studied them, evidently awaiting an explanation.

"I have no notion what my sister's haste is, but she would not even come up when she arrived at my door. She demanded I join her in the carriage at once," Mrs Philips said.

"I shall tell you, if you let me get a word in," Mrs Bennet said. Her sister always had been excessively chatty, and it was just like her to jump in when she had nothing useful to add to the conversation.

Once her companions were quiet, Mrs Bennet told them of her conviction Elizabeth and Mr Darcy were in love. "But some silly, inconsequential matter is keeping them apart. Likely Lizzy acted against her best interests and told him she used to hate him. As if he is not rich and connected to the nobility! His uncle is an earl, you know? Can you imagine the jewels he has to present to his wife? I will see them married. He is a proud, disagreeable man, but if he loves my girl—as he surely does—and since she returns his affection, or very soon will, I have my heart set on it. I am sure to find some redeeming quality in him with time. He is handsome, which is something."

"Lizzy and Mr Darcy?" Mrs Philips exclaimed.

Mrs Bennet nodded, and she might have looked a tad self-congratulatory. If she did, who could blame her? Mrs Goulding's daughters might all be married, but none had husbands with ten thousand a year.

"I shall tell you everything I have witnessed and discovered since he and Mr Bingley took residence at Netherfield Park again. You must promise to help me. We shall contrive ways to have them spend more time talking to each other. With any other gentleman, I would worry about him hearing too many of her impertinent opinions, but Mr Darcy must be aware of Lizzy's manner by now, and he does not object. I do not understand it, but I suppose there is someone for everyone, and she is the one he wants. That girl has caused me more vexation than all the others put together!" She tilted her head to the side. "Perhaps not including Mary."

"What does that matter right now, Sister?" Mrs Philips said.

"Are you certain?" Mrs Goulding's eyes were slightly rounded as though she were in shock.

Mrs Bennet shot her sister a scolding expression before nodding and addressing Mrs Goulding. "Oh yes, without a doubt."

"And you would want Lizzy to marry him? He is so…stern and cheerless, so different from that lovely Mr Bingley," said Mrs Philips.

"I dare say he is not always like that. If he were, Lizzy would have more sense than to like him." Mrs Bennet gave them a full accounting of what she had seen and heard, including her conversations with her other daughters.

"A card party! You know how much everyone enjoys my card parties. I shall ensure Lizzy and Mr Darcy sit together." Mrs Philips gave a curt nod.

Mrs Goulding, showing her worth as a friend, leapt into the spirit of their scheme. "Excellent notion! You can have it soon since such affairs do not take all that much preparation, and I shall begin arranging a dinner party at once. They will keep each other company at the table, and it is nothing to make sure the meal is long. If the right people are at their other sides, they will naturally only want to talk to each other."

"There must be music. My niece has such a lovely voice, and a man like Mr Darcy will surely appreciate it," Mrs Philips said.

"I knew I could depend on you to help me!" Mrs Bennet clapped her hands together in glee.

The ladies spent an hour refining their plan of attack before Mrs Bennet and Mrs Philips prepared to depart.

"I shall have both Jane and Lizzy married by Christmas. You just see if I do not," Mrs Bennet said as she pulled on her gloves.