Chapter 12

Twelve

On the chance that she would encounter Mr Darcy, Elizabeth set out for a walk early the next morning. There was no sign of him, however, only birds and other wild creatures who inhabited the fields. Another day, she would have delighted in the blue sky and the beginnings of autumn colours on the trees, but it was impossible currently. Disappointed, she returned to Longbourn and joined her family at the breakfast table.

To her surprise, contrary to his recent habit, Mr Bingley was not there. Elizabeth said as much to Jane.

"Are you not missing him dreadfully? Whatever can he mean to be ignoring you thus? Pray tell me it is not because he finds Mr Darcy's company preferable to your own. I thought better of him."

Behind her teasing, Elizabeth's true purpose was to discover when they would see the gentlemen so that she could talk to Mr Darcy. With Mrs Bennet already attempting to matchmake, Elizabeth could not ask directly; her mother would drag her to Meryton to order wedding clothes.

"Mr Bingley is engaged today. Did you not know? An old connexion of his father's now lives in Hertford with one of his children. Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy visited him and will remain until Monday."

Elizabeth did her best to hide her disappointment. It would be at least two days before she might see him again! Her appetite fled, and her courage—which she had done so much to bolster the previous night—went with it.

Later that morning, Mrs Philips and Mrs Goulding came to call. Elizabeth and Jane sat with the ladies and Mrs Bennet in the small parlour. Mary had gone to help the vicar's wife, while Kitty amused herself elsewhere.

Elizabeth soon wished she had had an excuse to join Kitty, even if she was occupied with something inane, such as reorganising her closet. The three older ladies insisted on repeating to Elizabeth everything they had previously said about marriage, all with the evident purpose of convincing her she should secure Mr Darcy as quickly as possible. She was assured she would be envious of Jane once she was a married lady; it was only natural that she, too, would want her own home and that she would be unhappy if she remained single.

"Mr Darcy is quite the fine gentleman. The lady who captures him will be very fortunate, indeed!" Mrs Bennet said.

She accompanied her words with a wink, and the three matrons exchanged a look, Mrs Goulding pressing her lips together as though to prevent a giggle. Any subtlety they had previous employed was gone. Elizabeth supposed they felt their matchmaking was taking too long. Of course, they did not understand the situation fully.

"One of my chief pleasures in life has been that my dear friends and I married gentlemen who are friends. Despite growing up and becoming wives and mothers, we retained a strong connexion because our husbands know each other." Mrs Goulding smiled at Mrs Bennet and Mrs Philips, sitting together on a sofa.

"Very true. When two ladies are intimate friends or sisters, I highly recommend their husbands be brothers, cousins or close friends. Even should their husbands have estates some distance apart, they will have added reasons to spend as much time together as possible," Mrs Philips said.

Mrs Bennet bobbed her head in agreement—or perhaps approval—at this attempt to hint to Elizabeth which gentleman she should select as her bridegroom. "Women must always find the company of ladies we know and love such a comfort. I do not know how I would have made it thus far without my nerves failing me completely if I did not have you two."

Elizabeth dared not look at Jane. She could feel her sister's puzzled expression, and if she actually saw it, she would be unable to keep her composure.

"Jane and I shall leave you to enjoy your visit," Elizabeth said. She stood and glanced at Jane, who nodded and practically raced to the door, hardly remembering to say good day to their guests.

No sooner had they exited the house than Jane grasped Elizabeth's arm to stop her from walking further into the gardens.

"What was that about, Lizzy?"

Elizabeth looked heavenward and shook her head before tugging Jane to where they were less likely to be overheard.

"Mama is attempting to make a match between Mr Darcy and me."

Jane looked aghast. "But I told her not to bother you about him! Why would she want you to marry someone you do not like?"

Elizabeth made a noise halfway between a laugh and a snort. "When it comes to husbands for her daughters, I would not say our mother has the most discerning tastes. Do not forget she wanted me to marry Mr Collins, and she believes Wickham is all that is charming. Fortunately, she is right to like Mr Bingley."

"Lizzy!" Jane's tone was exasperated.

Elizabeth led them towards the wood bench, grey with age, by a grouping of three ancient elms. Once they were seated, Elizabeth kept her gaze on the arrangement of bushes and flowers across from them.

"I do not know why my mother has decided he and I should marry. She did not like him last year, but then, few did, given his poor manners and the way he insulted me at the assembly. Now, I am sure you have seen how he has improved."

"I have supposed it is because of what passed between you at Easter."

"Mama might simply see a wealthy young gentleman and want to secure him for one of her daughters."

"That is unfair. If Mama was only interested in his fortune, she would have attempted to encourage his interest last autumn."

Elizabeth inclined her head in apology but did not know what to say. Jane was silent for a long while.

"Mr Bingley told me you saw a great deal of each other when you were in Derbyshire—as much as possible, given your short time there. I was surprised you never mentioned it," Jane said.

Tears filled Elizabeth's eyes, and Jane wrapped an arm about her shoulders. After a short interval, Elizabeth told her what happened in Lambton.

"Can you imagine, just as I was beginning to understand Mr Darcy and see my feelings for what they truly were— are —we learnt of Lydia's disgrace? I do not know why he returned with Mr Bingley. I have told myself it is to show the world that he will acknowledge our family, despite the gossip about us, and to demonstrate his approval of his friend's engagement. What he said to me the first time we walked together, seemed to make it plain that he cannot overlook my connexion to Wickham. I do not blame him, if that is the case."

"Do you think my mother, aunt, and Mrs Goulding see that—I can hardly believe I am saying this— you are in love with Mr Darcy, and mean to encourage you?"

"I can conclude nothing else." Genuine laughter bubbled out of her. "I have seen all three of them speaking to him, and I pray they are not so clumsy as they are with me. They are hardly subtle, as you noticed."

Grasping Jane's hands in hers, Elizabeth gave her a stern look. "I do not want you to do anything about this. I am serious, Jane. I know your instincts will be to tell Mr Bingley, but that will serve no purpose. It will only cause awkwardness, perhaps even cost Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy their friendship. It is an impossible situation, and if—mind you, I said if —there is any hope that our situation can have a happy ending, he and I shall have to sort it out on our own."

"I want you to know the happiness I feel with Mr Bingley." Jane's expression was slack, and she blinked away tears.

"I shall be myself again, whatever happens with Mr Darcy."

The sisters embraced and a few minutes later, began to stroll quietly along the paths that wound through the gardens.

"There is an assembly on Thursday. Do you realise it is almost exactly a year ago that we met them?" Jane said as they approached the house.

"How could I forget that night?"

Perhaps something momentous would happen this year, just as it had the previous one.