Miss Bennet & Mr Bingley (16 page)

Laughing, Jane leant over and blew out the remaining candle leaving them
in the soft glow of the fire. ‘Imagine their delight at becoming part of
this
family? I think we should have the better of the arrangement.’

Jane dressed with particular attention the next morning hoping Charles
might come immediately. However, what took place after breakfast made further
contemplation of the possibility of a match between herself and the man she
loved, take second place. She was occupied upstairs when she heard pandemonium
erupt below. Her mother appeared to be very vexed about something. She moved
towards the door, but heard hurrying footsteps approaching. Her sister came in,
her face a little paler than was usual.

‘Jane, it is as I feared. Mr Collins has just made an offer and I have
refused him. However, he will not take my refusal seriously. Our mother is
beside herself: she has run to seek support from the library and I expect to be
summoned to answer for myself at any moment.’

Jane was not surprised by this revelation; although Elizabeth had not
intimated she was aware of Mr Collins intention, she knew her sister could not
hold the man in high regard.

‘Oh dear! Mama will be suffering from her nerves for days after this.
But you are right to refuse him, Lizzy, he is not the man for you.’

‘I hope that I can convince our mother of that. I believe she was hoping
I should marry him so that Longbourn shall stay in the family. This must be how
Mr Collins intended to make recompense, by marrying one of us. Jane, you know
my feelings on the subject of matrimony. I have little regard for it, but it
would only be supportable if one’s feelings were engaged. I could not
contemplate a union of convenience.’

‘And no more could I. I do hope Bingley does not come this morning when
the house is in such an uproar.’

Sure enough, not long afterwards the summons came and Elizabeth was
obliged to join their father in the library. ‘I shall not change my mind, Jane.
I know it would be helpful if the entail was circumvented in this way but I
refuse to marry Mr Collins; the man is a nincompoop.’

Jane was glad she had not been put in this situation; if Mr Collins had
asked her what would she have said? She frowned. It did not bear thinking of;
as she was officially as unattached as her sister, she might not have been so
ready to refuse, not when accepting would please her mother. Elizabeth would
not be so coerced, or feel obliged to do anything she thought was wrong.

 
‘Jane, I cannot tell you how
unhappy I am. Your ungrateful sister has refused to marry Mr Collins. It would
be the answer to my prayers, I could die happy knowing that one of my daughters
was living here in my stead. You must speak to her, convince her she must marry
him for all our sakes.’

‘I cannot do that, ma’am, Lizzy is adamant she will have none of him.
Like me, she will not marry unless she loves her partner.’

Her mother threw up her hands in disgust. ‘Love? What has that to do
with the subject? One marries for the benefit of one’s family and one’s self;
love may come afterwards if it wishes. No, Lizzy must be made to see the
advantages of this match. It is up to you to persuade her.’

‘I have told you, it would do no good. You know once Lizzy has made up
her mind she will not budge from it. Mr Collins must look elsewhere for his
wife, I am sorry, but you must forget about a match within this family.’

Eventually, exhausted by the argument, Jane escaped to the garden. She
glanced frequently towards the paddock hoping to see Charles cantering across
but was disappointed. If only he would come this minute, her mother would go
into raptures and Lizzy would be forgiven. When she returned to the house it
was calm.

She had no doubt that her mother would not speak to Elizabeth for days
to come, the atmosphere would be unpleasant, but she would remain apart from it
all. This upset would not spoil
her
happiness. She was sorry that her
sister should have to suffer in this way, but as long as neither Charles, nor
his sister, were party to the argument she would be content to wait until it
was her turn to receive an offer, one she would accept unlike her sister and Mr
Collins.

 
* * * *

Charles had never enjoyed an evening so much. He knew his mind was made up.
Tomorrow he would go and speak to Mr Bennet, ask if he could pay his addresses
to Jane. He knew some of her relatives were not quite acceptable, but they
could have no objection to his choice. She was everything a man could wish for
in a partner.

The next morning he was surprised to find both Darcy and Caroline
waiting to greet him in the breakfast parlour. ‘It is a fine morning, but I did
not expect to see either of you abroad so soon. I am going to break my fast and
then ride at once to Longbourn.’ He smiled at them and was shocked when they
did not respond.

‘It is as I feared, Miss Bingley, we have almost left the matter too
late.’

‘What matter? Why are you both looking so Friday-faced? Do you not
intend to wish me joy?’

‘Charles, you must sit down, we have serious matters to discuss. You
must not be so precipitant in your desire to ask Miss Bennet to marry you. Have
you considered to whom she is related? Her sisters are little better than
flirts; and Mrs Bennet is the outside of enough. Surely you do not wish to have
her
for your mother?’

His joy in the day began to fade. ‘I do not understand why you should
say this, Caroline. Jane is a friend of yours, you have smiled on us both
throughout these past few weeks. It is no matter to me that her sisters and
mother are silly. It is Jane Bennet that I wish to marry. Why should
you
suddenly change your mind?’

It was Darcy who replied. ‘My dear Bingley, are you sure that Miss
Bennet reciprocates your feelings? It is obvious to all who know you well that
your heart is engaged, but I do not believe that she feels the same way about
you.’

‘How can you say that? She has spent time with me and is always smiling
and happy in my company. I am sure that she loves me.’

‘I am certain that she does not; I agree that she enjoys your company,
but I watched her closely throughout last night’s event and at no time did I
see her treat you with any more partiality and she did any other gentleman. I
believe she has an open disposition, and it is her nature to be friendly with anyone
who shows her kindness.’

Charles was beginning to have doubts. Darcy was a shrewd fellow; if he
had studied Jane Bennet and not seen what he thought was there, then maybe he
had been mistaken in believing that she returned his affection.

 
‘I know that she does not love me
as much as I love her, but that will come. We have so much in common, I had
never met a woman I liked half so much.’

‘Charles, you have fallen in and out of love on several occasions these
past few years. How do know that this is not another fleeting romance?’

He stared hard at his sister; she must be a fair weather friend if she
could disregard Jane in this way. No, his mind was made up, he would not let
them persuade him not to chance his luck.

‘I am determined to ask her, you shall not make me change my mind on
this matter, my friend.’

‘But would you wish her to accept you out of duty? Her mother is set on
the match, can you imagine the pressure that will be brought on the poor girl
to agree even if she is not in love with you?’

 
‘Darcy, I have no wish to
embarrass her by asking her to marry me if she has not been thinking of the
future as I have.’ He dropped into a chair, unable to believe that he could be
wrong in his assumptions. ‘However, I shall go over and speak to her myself, try
and ascertain her feelings before I speak to Mr Bennet.’

‘Why not leave it until you return from London? I know you have to go
tomorrow, leave it until you return. This will give you time to consider your
feelings.’

‘I know how
I
feel, I love her and I intend to marry her whatever
you say. But I will compromise, a few days can make no difference either way. I
shall go to town, that way I will be back all the sooner.’

‘I feel that I must warn you that everyone is expecting you to make an
offer, Mrs Bennet was talking as if it was a certain thing. That odious woman
made it perfectly clear to anyone who would listen last night that she expected
Miss Bennet to be installed at Netherfield by the New Year.’

‘In which case Jane would feel obliged to accept me whatever her own
feelings on the subject, just to please her parents. I could not do that to
her; I love her far too much to bring pressure on her to accept me. I shall let
the rumours cool for a few days and then return to see how the land lies.’

He pushed himself upright feeling he had aged ten years in the past ten
minutes. He looked across at his sister, but saw nothing but sympathy in her
expression. If it had just been she who was against the match he would have
totally ignored it, but Darcy would not willingly misdirect him. He did not
want his friends. What he wanted was Jane Bennet to love him as much as he
loved her and now he was committed to travelling to town before he could speak
to her.

 
* * * *

When Charlotte Lucas came to visit later in the day she was asked for
her opinion on the matter of Mr Collins and Elizabeth. Like Jane, she declined
to comment on the subject. When Elizabeth passed quietly out of the room Jane
followed as did Kitty. She was surprised that Charlotte remained behind, but not
that Lydia did. Her youngest sister would be determined to hear all she could
on the matter.

Fortunately this was to be the end of the discussion. All they had to
endure over the next two days was the occasional peevish allusion from Mrs
Bennet. As to the gentleman himself, he appeared neither embarrassed nor
dejected, but made every effort to avoid Elizabeth. When they were obliged to
meet he was silent and resentful in her presence.

 
After breakfast Jane was pleased
to accompany Elizabeth and her other sisters on a walk into Meryton. The
primary purpose of this was to enquire if Mr Wickham had returned. He joined
them as they were entering the town and attended them to their aunt’s house,
where his regret and vexation and his concern for everybody was well talked
over.

 
* * * *

Darcy had decided to travel back to town with him leaving the ladies in
residence alone at Netherfield. As the carriage was approaching Meryton,
Bingley saw Jane and decided to ask the driver to pull over so that he could
make his farewells.

As he lowered the window to lean out he saw a group of officers surround
her and watched her laughing and talking as if she had not a care in the world.
Indeed, she looked as amiable and happy as when she spoke to him. He sunk back on
to the squabs and the carriage bowled past the group.

Perhaps Darcy had been right all along, Jane was an open affectionate
girl and responded to all in the same way. He had read too much into it; he
must think about what he should do next.

He would not give up so easily, he had enough love on his side of both
of them.

 
* * * *

Mr Wickham and another officer walked back with Jane and her sisters,
but they were fully occupied by Kitty and Lydia and she was able to talk
privately with Elizabeth.

 
‘Mr Wickham said, Jane, that it
was better that he did not meet Mr Darcy, that to be in the same room, the same
party with him, for so many hours together might be more than he could bear,
and scenes might arise unpleasant to more than himself.’

Jane nodded sympathetically. ‘That was good in him, Lizzy. You must know
that I am still puzzled by the whole thing. Mr Bingley has assured me Mr Darcy
is not the guilty party, but when I see Mr Wickham I cannot believe that he can
be the villain of the piece.’

The gentlemen were invited in, but she could not concentrate on the
conversation, was waiting, watching the drive, starting at every sound, hoping
Charles would come to speak to her father that morning. He did not come, but
not long after they returned to Longbourn a letter was delivered.

It was addressed to her. She opened it reading the contents with dismay.
She could not believe what was written there. Jane became aware that her sister
was watching her closely. It would not do to reveal her disquiet now and distress
the rest of the company. Pinning a false smile on her face she pushed the
letter into her pocket.

It was difficult to participate, but she believed no-one, apart from
Elizabeth, realized there was anything amiss. Somehow she remained composed
until the officers took their leave. Once they had departed Jane excused
herself and, with a quick glance at her sister, left the room and ran upstairs.
As soon as they were inside their own apartment she removed the letter.

‘Lizzy, this is from Caroline Bingley; what it contains has surprised me
a good deal. The whole party has left Netherfield by this time, and are on the
way to town without any intention of coming back again. You should hear what
she says.’