Page 151

His countenance clouded, he responded, “Tell me what, my dear?”

Elizabeth drew a quick breath. “Oh! I thought you already knew. You see, Papa, Jane has eloped—she and Mr. Bingley are to be married.”

Mr. Bennet ran his hand across his silvery beard. “This is an interesting turn of events. Indeed, a happy outcome. Although, I cannot pretend to be completely surprised the two fancy themselves in love, for not only have I seen the way that young man looks at Jane, I have seen the way Jane looks at him.”

“Regardless of how this may appear in the eyes of society, I am exceedingly happy for my sister and Mr. Bingley. I only regret not being so attuned to what was unfolding between them. I, who fancy myself such an astute studier of others, do not know how I shall ever forgive myself for being so obtuse,” Elizabeth said.

“There now, do not be so severe toward yourself,” he began, “some things a father knows best what his own child is about.”

“But Jane is my dearest sister,” Elizabeth cried. “I have always prided myself on knowing her better than anyone. It is as though I wished so deeply that she and Mr. Darcy were designed for each other that I would allow for no other possibility for my sister’s future happiness.”

“Ah, young Mr. Darcy. One only needed to have observed him the instant he rounded the corner on the heels of our arrival at Pemberley all those weeks ago to know that my beautiful Jane never stood a chance of winning his heart.”

“I, too, have been informed on more than one occasion that his heart would not easily be touched. I suppose I simply chose not to believe it, thinking surely if anyone stood a chance it would be Jane.”

“Did you indeed, my dear?”

Not knowing what to say in response to her father’s retort or even how to feel, Elizabeth sought to change the subject to the other pressing matter of the day. Her voice a bit unsteady, she said, “Papa, how is your dear friend, Mr. Darcy? Is he⁠—”

“I fear the end is near,” he said, his tone sober. Taking his daughter by the hand, Mr. Bennet said, “His children are by his bedside as we speak.”

CHAPTER 25

REPEATED ASSURANCES

Elizabeth, feeling all the helplessness of her situation, likened being at Pemberley during the Darcys’ darkest days to being a stranger amidst a gathering of long lost friends as people came from miles and miles apart to pay their final respects to the late Mr. George Darcy and offer their condolences to Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Pemberley’s new master, and Miss Darcy.

There had been little to no time for her to be in company with either of the two that did not also find them in the company of others directly connected to them who were thus in a far better position to offer the comfort and solace the grieving siblings needed. The Earl of Matlock and his wife, Lord Edward Fitzwilliam and Lady Ellen Fitzwilliam, oversaw whatever needed to be done to relieve their nephew’s burden during what was such a low point in his young life. Also, the colonel returned.

He was deeply affected by his uncle’s passing, of that, there could be no doubt. He likened the elder Mr. Darcy to a father and Pemberley to his second home. Through it all, he remained the upstanding gentleman whom she had grown rather fond of, doing all he could to attend the Darcys as well as their guests during this their greatest hours of need.

If it were not for Colonel Fitzwilliam’s repeated assurances of the appropriateness of the Bennets’ presence, Elizabeth would have been entirely persuaded that she ought not to be at Pemberley. As much as she wished otherwise, she rarely saw its new master away from others.

Having received a letter from Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bingley, it was decided that Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet would remain at Pemberley long enough to see the newlyweds upon their return, anticipating the possibility of traveling to Hertfordshire together.

Even Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who despite her grief, bore a confidence such that Elizabeth had never detected in her before as though her brother-in-law’s death had elevated her power over her grieving nephew and niece, could find no fault with the Bennets’ remaining there.

As for the Bingley party’s continuing presence at Pemberley, her ladyship’s tolerance for their failure to take their leave was strained at best as evidenced by the unmasked look of disdain that graced her countenance whenever she was forced to be in either of the Bingley sisters’ company. Having learned of the elopement in response to her inquiry on the whereabouts of Charles Bingley and why was he away from Pemberley at such a time when all his family remained, the grand lady did not know whether to be pleased or astounded — pleased because Miss Bennet’s marriage to that gentleman meant one less obstacle in her desire for an alliance between her nephew Darcy and her daughter, Anne, or astounded because an elopement, even one that furthered her own purposes, was one of the surest means of attracting scandal, gossip, and innuendo.

No doubt, her ladyship was certain that if either of the three developments were not already underway, by the time she had done her part, they surely would be.

She never did like the idea of her nephew, a descendant of royalty, associating with the likes of the Bingleys. They were nothing to her nephew—nothing at all. Surely such a betrayal by Charles Bingley would be the means of severing all ties with her nephew Darcy forever.

How blessed I am to witness the end of his distasteful alliance with two undeserving families in one fell swoop and with so little trouble to myself.

Lady Catherine could not be more pleased. In time, she would press upon her nephew the urgency of marrying her daughter; as the new master of Pemberley, he owed it to himself—to his family to beget Pemberley’s next heir. But she would allow a respectful period of mourning to pass before putting a plan into action.

Indeed, she considered, pursing her lips, I shall know precisely when the time is right, and then I will carry my point.

CHAPTER 26

CASUAL ACQUAINTANCES

One moment, Wickham was hurrying to the billiards room and the next he found himself standing in the room across the hall, face to face with a very irate Miss Bingley.

“Why have you failed to uphold your end of our bargain?”

“I beg your pardon?” Wickham responded after freeing his arm from the young lady’s grip.