One Thread Pulled: The Dance With Mr. Darcy (71 page)

The door to the sitting room opened again, and Mrs. Bennet entered, followed by Mrs. Hill with a tray of refreshments. Mrs. Bennet fussed and directed the other woman in her preparations, which Darcy observed with some amusement. Several minutes later, Jane and Mr. Bingley also returned to the sitting room. Jane had a strange, rather shocked, expression on her face, which Elizabeth did not notice, due to the depth of her discourse with Miss Darcy.

When the refreshments were ready, Mrs. Bennet proved herself a gracious hostess. This Mr. Darcy noted with some degree of astonishment, for the same woman had certainly served him on previous occasions, yet he had not until today noticed the ease with which she performed her duties. In one unguarded instant, as Mrs. Bennet handed him a cup of tea, Mr. Darcy bestowed on her a smile of approval and appreciation. A gleam appeared in Mrs. Bennet's eye as the gentleman from Derbyshire found favor in it, and she immediately began to consider which of her remaining three daughters would best suit Mr. Darcy as a wife, for she already considered Mary as good as taken by Mr. Timmons.

“Mr. Darcy.” Mrs. Bennet began as soon as the refreshments were distributed, “It is very good that you are back from London. Your sister is a lovely girl, and I see that she and my Lizzy are well on their way to becoming fast friends.”

“Indeed, madam, so it would seem,” Mr. Darcy replied with a glance toward where Elizabeth and Georgiana remained engrossed in conversation. “I believe that my sister has enjoyed meeting all of the Miss Bennets today.”

“Of course she has!” Mrs. Bennet exclaimed. “My girls are as good as any you will find anywhere, and better than some others in the neighborhood. That is why I do not care one farthing that Charlotte Lucas is to marry Mr. Collins, for else she would surely have ended an old maid, which I would not wish on anyone.”

“Nor would I,” Mr. Darcy agreed. His interest was piqued by the news of the betrothal, and he inquired, “I had not heard of Mr. Collins' engagement. Pray, where is your cousin? I should like to wish him joy.”

“He is not here, Mr. Darcy,” Mrs. Bennet admitted. “He left Longbourn a few days past and is presently a guest at Lucas Lodge.” She hesitated for a moment before adding, “But you must not call on him there, for he is at present indisposed.”

Darcy grew stern. “If I may presume to ask, what is the cause of his indisposition?”

“Why, Mr. Collins is stricken with the fever.” Mrs. Bennet replied. “He is, in fact, gravely ill.” She eyed Mr. Darcy nervously.

“I am sorry to hear it.” Darcy said politely. He silently reflected on the events Colonel Fitzwilliam had disclosed about his last encounter with Mr. Collins.

Mrs. Bennet, having decided just moments before that Elizabeth was the best candidate for Mr. Darcy, was now struck with a new worry. Rumors that Mr. Collins had compromised Elizabeth were entirely possible due to Mr. Collins' feverish talk, probable, in fact, if one considered Lady Lucas' shocking lack of discretion. She cleared her throat to be certain she retained Mr. Darcy's attention. “Oh!” Mrs. Bennet ventured with a slight laugh, “I hear that the fever has produced wild imaginings in Mr. Collins. He has uttered a good bit of utter nonsense in his delirium. I am certain he will be most diverted when his health is restored.”

“Fevers are known to produce such effects.” Mr. Darcy acknowledged. “One should not give too much credence to words spoken by one so stricken.” Darcy abruptly looked at Elizabeth, his thoughts turning back to the sweet conversation at her bedside before he went to London. He had hung on her words of love the entire time he was away.
 
Do I give too much credence to what she said in such a state?

“Exactly so,” Mrs. Bennet replied with some relief that she had averted disaster. She turned her attention then to Jane and Mr. Bingley, leaving Darcy to his own thoughts.

~*~

When the visitors from Netherfield departed, Jane drew Elizabeth aside. “Oh, Lizzy, much has happened in the past day! My poor Mr. Bingley has put on a brave face, but he is grieved, sister, grieved! He has had to send Caroline away!”

“Away? Before the wedding?” Elizabeth puzzled.

“Oh yes.” Jane wrung her hands. “She departed for London this morning with Mr. and Mrs. Hurst, where they are to arrange for a physician to examine her. Lizzy, she is quite mad!”

“Jane, are you certain?”

“After Mama left the parlor, Mr. Bingley asked me to remain for a moment. He was very serious—I have never seen him so upset. He proceeded to tell me that there is another Bingley sister, an older sister named Annabelle.”

“Why have they never mentioned her?” Elizabeth wondered aloud.

“It is because ... oh Lizzy, I can hardly bear to say it. Annabelle is in Bedlam.” Jane pressed her lips together to prevent herself from weeping.

“Bedlam? Oh no, Jane, but this is terrible!”

“And now Charles fears that the same demons that have taken Annabelle's mind prey on Caroline. A voice told her to put the laudanum in the wine, Lizzy.” Jane whispered. “He asked me if I still would have him, with such a family! Oh, my dear, dear Mr. Bingley, he was so worried.”

Elizabeth embraced Jane, who accepted the comfort gratefully. “Jane, perhaps it is not wise to marry him. What if these demons were to afflict him as well?”

“Charles will not go mad, Elizabeth. I can assure you of that,” Jane said resolutely.

“But how can you be certain? With two sisters...,” Elizabeth shook her head, dread in her eyes.

“They are half-sisters, Lizzy.” Jane did not pause for questions, but rapidly told the essential elements to her sister. “Their mother had three daughters very young, and then began to act very strangely. Before his father realized she was not right in the head, she took her own life. The girls were all small children and do not truly remember her well. Charles' father married again, and Charles is the product of that union, not the first.” Jane parroted back the information that had just been given her. “Old Mr. Bingley wished to elevate his family's station once he had made his fortune, so they did not mention the first Mrs. Bingley to anyone at all due to the shameful mode of her demise. Charles did not even know of this history until after his father's passing, and it was all in a private letter given only to him. His sisters do not even know of it. He showed me the letter, Lizzy. Ever since the eldest was sent to Bedlam, he has lived in fear that this secret would emerge.”

“I will not divulge it to anyone,” Elizabeth promised. “What is to happen to Caroline?”

“I do not know. She is to be examined in town, and if they can avoid Bedlam, they will do so, but she cannot be allowed near those she might harm. Charles said they might send her to an island, if it can be arranged. We should hear more from the Hursts in a few days.” Jane gave her sister a weak smile. “I believe all shall be well, Lizzy. I am only glad that it was discovered before she did any harm to you, or to anyone else.”

“Will this not cast a pall over your wedding, Jane? Are you certain you should not postpone it?” Elizabeth prompted. “Perhaps you should wait until this matter is all resolved.”

“Nothing shall cast a shadow of any sort over my wedding!” Jane exclaimed. “I am to be Mrs. Bingley, and I am marrying the dearest, most amiable man in all of England. I only wish such happiness for you, my dear sister, for I cannot sleep at night, so great is my anticipation.”

“Then I am happy for you,” Elizabeth cheered. “What are you to say when people inquire after Caroline?”

“I will not lie, Lizzy. She has gone back to London with the Hursts, and, due to urgent family business, they cannot be present at the wedding.” Jane smiled, her serenity restored.

“I cannot say that I will miss their superior ways at the wedding, but my heart does break for Mr. Bingley and for Caroline too. I daresay her life will not be what she hopes for.”

“Do not worry about Mr. Bingley.” Jane said sweetly. “I daresay that I may find a way to console him when we are married!”

~*~

Upon their return to Netherfield, Georgiana repaired to the drawing room, eager to try out the pianoforte, and Bingley went to his study. Darcy, noting that, for a winter day, it was fine out, declared that it had been too long since he had gone for a ride.

He was soon astride his mount Romeo and, together with Apollo, they covered the grounds around Netherfield. Tensions fell away as the exertion worked out the stiffness that had formed over the past few days of less physical pursuits.

Whether it was consciously done or not, he did not know, but Darcy soon realized that he was on the road to Meryton. His destination, he knew, was Longbourn once more, for he had been unsatisfied with the brief interaction he had with Elizabeth, who had spent the duration of their visit at Georgiana's side.

Once he acknowledged to himself where he was going, he urged Romeo back into a canter, and he closed the distance between himself and his beloved with an urgency born of the deepest yearning to see her face, hear her voice and to gaze into her eyes.

Soon the smoking chimneys of Longbourn Manor appeared in the distance, and he slowed to straighten his hat and make certain that all else about his appearance was in order. His heart raced with anticipation. He did not know how he would prevent himself from sweeping Elizabeth into his arms and taking her lips with his. As he was contemplating this act, which seemed increasingly more alluring every minute, her realized that the darkness that had pressed on him in London, that sense that something was wrong, had faded almost to oblivion. All that he could imagine to be wrong had been resolved, and nothing was left but to make Elizabeth an offer and marry her with the same haste that Bingley had set about to claim her sister as a bride.

He was now at the very spot where he had met Elizabeth the morning of the ball. Today there was no wind, but as if on cue, Apollo began to bay. Darcy snapped his whip lightly on Romeo's flank and made the short distance to the entry gate as Apollo bounded after them.

In the house, Kitty heard the sound of the hound and searched the window for a visitor. She loudly reported to the household that Mr. Darcy was back, and that he had come alone.

This was perceived by Mrs. Bennet as a good sign, and she determined to do as well for Elizabeth as she had for Jane. She sent the maid to fetch Elizabeth from her room, for the earlier visit had exhausted her and she had lain down again. She instructed the maid to tidy Elizabeth's hair and make sure that her dress was not wrinkled before she entered the sitting room.

When Hill announced Mr. Darcy, the sitting room contained the same residents as had attended earlier in the day. Mrs. Bennet and four of her daughters were there, missing but Elizabeth. He greeted them all politely, and although it had been just a few hours since he had been there, he inquired after Elizabeth's health.

“Oh, she is on the mend.” Mrs. Bennet replied. “She is well enough, that is, although not quite herself....”

“Thank you Mama.” Elizabeth said from the doorway, her hair untidy and her dress slightly wrinkled. “Mr. Darcy, you are returned. Have you forgotten something?”

As the eyes of four sisters and a mother turned to await his answer, Mr. Darcy realized his mistake. He had anticipated a more private conversation than this! “Indeed I have Miss Elizabeth, and I have made haste to rectify it.”

Elizabeth invited him to sit, in a chair opposite the settee, where she sat—joined by Jane and Kitty. Mrs. Bennet could clearly see that Mr. Darcy wished some privacy, and after making a point of the pleasantries, she excused herself from the room. She thought that, to be less obvious, she might drain the room of its excess occupants one at a time, so every few minutes she sent a blushing Hill into the room to summon a daughter until only Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy remained.

For once, Elizabeth was grateful for her mother's scheming.

“I received your letter, Mr. Darcy.” Elizabeth began. “I thought that my sisters did exceedingly well in remaining discrete about Mr. Wickham's death, did you not think so?”

“Yes. They were a delight,” Mr. Darcy answered with a smile as his eyes unrelentingly bore into her visage.

“And my first meeting with your sister, I trust, was as much a pleasure for her as it was for me,” she added with sincerity. “I did not know exactly what to expect, but I found her all that is wonderful.”

“And a third person took pleasure from your meeting,” Darcy said softy. “I was tremendously gratified to see the two of you finally meet.”

“I am glad you approved,” Elizabeth said. She raised her eyes to his but looked away with uncertainty. “There was another item besides the letter that came in the trunk, Mr. Darcy. I believe it was packed by the Netherfield staff in error, and I must restore it to you.”