Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

D inner that evening was eaten in heavy silence. All were preoccupied by memories of past times when they had all been together at the large table; the noisy animated conversations enjoyed over bounteous meals. After the dishes were carried off, Mrs Gardiner exchanged a significant glance with her husband and led the ladies away to sit in the drawing room.

As Osbeck poured out the port, Mr Bennet raised an eyebrow at his brother-in-law. "I take it you have something to tell me?" Mr Gardiner nodded his thanks to the butler and sipped his wine. "Bennet, you do not need me to tell you how difficult your life is at present. Not only is your sorrow profound, your family suffers greatly from their isolation. It is not good for your daughters. It is too soon to speak of this since you have your mourning period to consider, but my wife and I wish to plant the seed. What are your plans for the girls' futures? Lydia's disgrace has ended any chances of their marrying locally. Madeline and I wish to take them, each in turn, to live with us in London, where the scandal is less likely to be known. They will each have a turn, Jane first. We shall introduce them to men who could be prospective suitors. Educated young men of business or professional men who would accept a gently born wife even with a scandal in their background. There would be no coercion, no obligation on the part of the girls to accept any of them. But we all are aware that they must marry."

Briefly, Mr Bennet looked as if he might argue, but then he hung his head and spoke softly. "You are right, of course." He sighed. "I did not provide dowries for them, nor did my wife and I engage a governess who might have prepared them with the knowledge required for employment." He barked a laugh. "Poor Fanny was convinced that wealthy men would be beating down our door to marry Jane, who would then find rich husbands for the rest. Yes, Gardiner, I will consider your plan. But my daughters must also agree of their own free will."

Several days later, Jane and Elizabeth watched as the Gardiners' carriage rolled out through Longbourn's gate and disappeared from view. Without speaking, Elizabeth took Jane's arm, and they walked around the house and through the garden, where they gathered daffodils. With the breeze ruffling their hair, they proceeded to the fresh graves in the cemetery and decorated them with the flowers. Elizabeth finally broke the silence. "What think you of our aunt and uncle's plan? Do you wish to return to London?"

Jane answered after a few minutes of reflection. "I think it wise, and besides, it is our only hope. Of course, we could remain at home, but we are so isolated we might slowly wither away. Even if we tried to seek employment, our scandal would prevent respectable families from hiring us."

"Can you be reconciled to marrying without love? Do…do you still think of Mr Bingley?"

"Lizzy, will you believe me when I tell you that I have not thought of him even once since Lydia's accident? I am speaking the truth. Only days before, his sisters finally returned the visit I had paid to them a fortnight prior. They were rude, full of their own consequence, and made it very clear that I had no hope. It hurt me terribly, but I began to realise that if Mr Bingley had any love for me, he would not have let his sisters have so much influence in his life. Why should my future happiness depend on people so determined to dislike me? It also made me ponder the difference between love and infatuation, both on his part and on mine. Even had he resumed his attentions and we had become betrothed, I would have been obliged to release him in light of the scandal. That would have been much harder to bear."

"Are you certain, Jane?"

"I am." Jane turned to Elizabeth in earnest. "These last few weeks, though dreadful, have taught me how important my family is to me. I have learnt about strength and forgiveness and practicality. I deserve a man who will be strong for me when I need him to be. We all do. While I am not willing to do as Charlotte did and accept any man out of desperation, I hope to find a husband who is intelligent, kind, and respectful of me. Not just of my outward appearance but of my heart and mind. If two people of good will can offer that to each other, it seems likely that regard, perhaps even affection, may grow as well. Our full mourning will be over in six months. In September, I shall go to London and seek my future." She smiled. "In preparation, I have asked for Mrs Hill's instruction in running a household."

"You have changed, Jane," said Elizabeth, laying a hand on her sister's arm.

"As have we all. Let us hope we have changed for the better," Jane agreed.

Darcy walked from his steward's cottage back towards the house. Although the Derbyshire air was still cool, the sun was increasing in strength. Already it was March; Eastertide was approaching, and his mood was darkening. With every year, his aunt's demands grew more onerous. With every letter, her insistence upon his marriage increased in vehemence.

He recollected the previous year's visit; Lady Catherine had monopolised the conversation, and Anne, almost completely buried in shawls, had said nothing, having been either in a deep doze or staring raptly at something no one else could see. This year, having briefly entertained a vision of what true happiness might have been, he was even more reluctant to travel to Rosings.

The post awaited him on his desk. It was a larger stack than usual, and he began to sort it into business and personal letters. One missive stopped him. The hand, blotted and obviously written in haste, was that of Charles Bingley. He had not heard from Bingley in several weeks. He opened the letter enough to see the first line. Bingley was announcing his marriage!

Darcy dropped the letter as if it were on fire. Had he not mere months ago got Bingley out of a scrape? What had happened? Had he returned to Netherfield after all? His heart quickened at the prospect. Or had another fortune-hunter sunk her claws into him? He should never have left his friend to fend for himself in town!

Darcy sank into his chair, regretting his hasty flight from London just before Christmas. He had selfishly surrendered to bad temper and vexation. What a blessed relief it had been at the time!

After his escape from Hertfordshire to London, he had attended enough parties and entertainments to satisfy even his aunt Matlock, though she had argued that he should at least stay for the round of Twelfth Night balls. He had informed her that he had found the current crop of aspiring Mrs Darcys to be sadly lacking, though he knew in his heart that was not the reason for his disappointment. His own requirements for a Mrs Darcy had changed radically. In addition to impeccable connexions and a large dowry, she must be intelligent, well-read, pert, and teasing. She must laugh often, have an original mind, wildly curling chestnut hair, and large, expressive eyes. She must be exactly like Elizabeth Bennet, only with no entailments, a substantial fortune, and a completely different set of relations.

If the young ladies he had encountered in the brief few weeks he had spent in London after fleeing Hertfordshire were any indication, he would never find anyone with those qualifications.

Darcy had needed to escape, to remove himself to Pemberley. His only regret had been leaving Bingley, still suffering from his disappointment over Miss Jane Bennet. He had considered inviting his friend to join him, but his sisters would have insisted on accompanying them. Bingley had never been able to put up any resistance to them. Darcy had hoped that his friend would do as he had always done in the past and quickly find distraction in other pretty ladies. And now it appeared that he had been snared by the parson's mousetrap.

He steeled himself and warily opened the letter fully, only to sigh in relief. While there was reason for surprise at Bingley's choice, there was no reason for concern. His bride-to-be was Miss Rose Grantley, a nice enough girl with an acceptable dowry, an old, established family, and no embarrassing relations or connexions to trade. Bingley might have done better, but she was an appropriate choice for a tradesman's son. Worthy as Miss Grantley was, Darcy would never have considered her for himself.

The wedding was to be as soon as the banns were read, which they had already been once, so in two weeks' time, in Lincolnshire, only one and a half days' drive from Pemberley. Bingley asked Darcy to stand up with him, which brought a rare smile to his face. At last, he felt vindicated that he had warned Bingley against returning to Netherfield. He had quickly found someone else, as Darcy had known he would. He was safe from entrapment by Miss Bennet and her mother in a marriage without true regard.

Even more pleasing, Bingley's wedding provided him with an excellent reason to avoid Rosings this Easter. Darcy would send his regrets to Lady Catherine and a list of topics to Colonel Fitzwilliam for consultation with the steward. He sat down at his desk to immediately pen his acceptance.