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Darcy continued, “Wickham and young Miss Lydia Bennet have been discovered. They are married, rendering moot the circumstances that led them to the altar. In other words, the scandal is averted.”

“That is impossible! That girl is ruined by virtue of having lived in sin with a man who was not her husband. There was no reason in the world that he should have married her. What could possibly have tempted him?”

“I shall leave it to you to ferret out the details of your failed scheme. I will only say this. Now that this matter is settled, I shall go to Miss Elizabeth. I will court her, I will win her heart, and I will ask her to be my wife. God willing, she will accept my hand, even if it does mean a familial connection with the likes of you.” Darcy stood in preparation to quit the room. “I will leave you with this, Aunt: Heaven help you should you do anything at all to stand in my way.”

The elderly aristocrat was highly incensed. “How dare you threaten me, Darcy! What is it that you think you can do?”

“Trust me, Lady Catherine; you do not want to find out.”

CHAPTER 21

PROMISING NEWS

LONGBOURN VILLAGE

The business of Mrs. Bennet’s life was marrying off her daughters. The near disaster that led to her youngest daughter’s current marital felicity did not diminish her enthusiasm one bit. Rather it bolstered her resolve. Who knew a daughter could be married with so little trouble to herself, and all that it required was merely sending her away to visit with friends?

Indeed, it had turned out to be a blessing in disguise that the militia encamped just outside of Meryton the year before. Now it seemed that fate was once again on the lady’s side. The good people of Meryton had heard rumors that a single gentleman of large fortune had come from London to look at the Netherfield Park estate. Matchmaking mothers from near and far entertained hopes that he would marry one of their single daughters.

This was especially true of Mrs. Bennet, for what did she live for if not to make advantageous matches for her girls? With Lydia out of the way, she had only to secure husbands for the remaining three—four if she counted Elizabeth. Mrs. Bennet still wore her disappointment that her second eldest had spurned the hand of the heir of Longbourn as a badge of her suffering. As a consequence, Elizabeth was on her own so far as finding a husband was concerned.

Now armed with the most promising news that the neighboring estate had been let after sitting vacant for what had seemed like an eternity, her spirits could hardly be contained. The excitable woman, who had once known more than her fair share of beauty, looked intently at her husband. “Have you heard the news, Mr. Bennet?”

“What news is that?” he asked in reply to his lady, not bothering to look up from his paper.

“Netherfield Park has been let at last.”

Mr. Bennet made no answer.

“Do you not want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife impatiently.

Widely perceived as an odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humor, reserve, and caprice, he replied, “You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.” With the unfortunate business of his youngest daughter’s elopement behind him, the gentleman was slowly returning to form.

For Mrs. Bennet’s part, her husband’s reply was invitation enough to share all that she knew of the particulars. “Why, my dear Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Long, who was just here not very long ago, says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England.”

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet went on and on in that manner for some time, quite unaware that they had attracted an audience.

Elizabeth’s sister Kitty was standing just outside the door; her spirits considerably recovered now that her favorite sister, Lydia, was safe and happily married. Mary, the third Bennet daughter, approached her. “Kitty, what are you doing? You know better than to eavesdrop.”

“Oh, hush,” Kitty whispered, a single finger pressed to her lips. She waved her older sister over to the door, silently encouraging Mary to listen too.

“I will not,” said Mary, pushing her spectacles against her face. “Listening to conversations meant to be private is wrong. It is just the sort of thing Lydia would do. Come away from the door.”

Kitty hushed her sister again. “Well, if you will not join me then you must at least be quiet so I can hear.”

Elizabeth and Jane, who were returning from their walk in the garden, handed their bonnets to a servant. Seeing their sisters, one standing with her ear pressed to the door trying to hear what she could hear and the other looking on with a scowl on her face, they stopped.

Jane, a lovely creature with golden hair and expressive blue eyes, said, “Kitty?” She bestowed a look of admonishment that the younger girl understood quite well.

Kitty shook her head in surrender, and tore herself away from the door. She seized Jane’s arm and then commenced coaxing her into the vacant room across the hall. Elizabeth and Mary were obliged to follow to see what had caused their young sister such enthusiasm.

“Oh, Jane! You will never guess what I found out.”

“Kitty, you know you should not have been listening at the door like that.”

“Never mind all that. If I had not been passing by when I did, I would not be privy to such happy news.”

“What is it?” Elizabeth exclaimed with energy, for after the month they had endured, a measure of good news was long overdue. Even Mary’s curiosity could no longer be curbed.