Chapter Nine
Mrs. Bennet flatly refused to attend the wedding of Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas, declaring them both traitors. Elizabeth was glad when it was over and the newlywed couple had departed for Kent. She was going to miss her best friend dreadfully and the following day made good on her promise and sat down to write her first letter.
After the wedding, the house seemed to descend into a gloom. Mrs. Bennet spent much of her time upstairs in her own chamber bewailing the fact that none of her daughters were married, Mary buried herself even deeper in her books, Lydia and Kitty spent a lot of time in Meryton where the militia had recently settled and Jane was often at Netherfield Park. Elizabeth was delighted when Mr. Gardiner arrived for his promised visit.
"My dear brother, have you heard that treacherous Mr. Collins has married Charlotte Lucas instead of our dear Lizzy," Mrs. Bennet told her brother soon after he arrived.
"I didn't want to marry him, Mama, so it does not matter," said Elizabeth.
"It does matter," screeched Mrs. Bennet. "You never stop thinking of yourself, Elizabeth. What are we to do now?"
Mr. Gardiner was a great deal more patient that his sister and he immediately tried to soothe Mrs. Bennet's shattered nerves. "My dear sister, you must not upset yourself. Mr. Collins has said you can continue in the house and from what I know of him you should not be worried that he will change his mind."
"But how will we manage, brother?" asked Mrs. Bennet, who was determined to make the worst of everything. "I must get the girls married. Even Mr. Bingley has not yet proposed to Jane."
Mr. Gardiner had only met Mr. Bingley very briefly at Mr. Bennet's funeral and although they had only spoken a few words, he had found him a pleasant young man and he knew that his brother-in-law had approved of him.
"I suspect Mr. Bingley is mindful of the tragedy that has befallen you. I am sure in time he will marry Jane."
"Yes but when?" said Mrs. Bennet, picking at the shawl around her shoulders in an agitated manner. "I understand he has five thousand a year, so they should be comfortable. It is enough for him and Jane, but is it enough to look after the rest of us?"
"Mrs. Bennet, you cannot expect a young man to take a wife and then be responsible for her entire family," said Mr. Gardiner reasonably.
"I don't see why not. Why not indeed. Netherfield Park is a large house. We could all move there."
Jane looked alarmed. "Mama. I do not want you saying such a thing to Mr. Bingley. He has not even proposed and he might not."
Mrs. Bennet looked as if she was about to burst into tears. "You see what I have to put up with, Mr. Gardiner? None of them seem to understand how much I suffer. They are all so very selfish."
"My dear sister. You must calm yourself. No good can come from you working yourself up into such a state. Jane will marry soon enough and I suggest Elizabeth come back to London with me. That would be one less daughter for you to worry about."
"And what about me?" said Mrs. Bennet. "How can I run the house with one daughter missing? I am not a strong woman, dear brother, you know that."
"Mama. We have Mrs. Hill here and all the other servants. And I will not leave you," said Jane. "Mary, Kitty, and Lydia will always help where needed."
Kitty and Lydia did not look happy, though they said nothing. Elizabeth was once again very grateful to her sister.
"Very well, if you feel you can abandon me, then do so. Perhaps you will find a better husband for yourself while you are in London," snapped Mrs. Bennet at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth sighed. There was little point in trying to argue with Mama when she was in that sort of mood.
"I am grateful to you, Jane," Elizabeth told her sister when they were alone later that night, drying their wet hair.
"It is nothing, Lizzy. I do not mind, but tell me the truth. Why did Mr. Collins suddenly propose to Charlotte?"
Elizabeth had wanted to keep Jane from ever finding out, but her actions might have repercussions for them all. Jane deserved to know the truth. "I told him that I had an affliction that ran in the family. I did not think he would want to say to Lady Catherine he had married a madwoman. Nor did he want to and he transferred his affections to Charlotte."
Jane stopped rubbing her hair. "Oh Lizzy."
Elizabeth blushed. "I know it was not right, Jane, but could you have married someone as tiresome as Mr. Collins?"
Jane was thoughtful. "I would have found it very trying."
"I would have found it impossible," said Elizabeth firmly, picking up a comb and carefully starting to untangle her long locks. "It is done now and Mr. Collins is married to Charlotte and hopefully they will be very happy."
"But what about you, Lizzy?"
"Jane, you must not be worried about me. It is not as if my heart has been broken. I am more concerned with you. We have not seen Mr. Bingley here at Longbourn and I have noticed you have barely spoke about him."
Jane's face suddenly grew pale and Elizabeth was immediately worried. "Jane, what is it?"
Jane stopped drying her hair. "Lizzy, I am worried. I thought Mr. Bingley and I had an understanding. I know he was going to ask for my hand before Father fell ill. I understand why it has not been mentioned while we have been in mourning, but that is over now…"
Jane looked very troubled and Elizabeth hastened to reassure her. "Jane, Mr. Bingley loves you. Surely you don't doubt that."
"I am not so sure, Lizzy. He has been different these past few months. I cannot understand it."
"Have you asked him about it?" asked Elizabeth.
"I did try, but he simply laughed it off. However, when I went to have tea with Caroline Bingley the other day she kept hinting there were some kind of money issues."
Elizabeth was surprised that Miss Bingley had been so indiscreet. She was the sort of woman who always wanted to maintain appearances. Perhaps she was hoping to cause trouble between Mr. Bingley and Jane.
"I would try again," said Elizabeth.
"I did and this time Mr. Bingley confirmed a business transaction has gone wrong and he may have to leave Netherfield."
Elizabeth was astonished. She stopped combing and quickly fastened her hair into a long thick plait. "For how long?"
"For good," said Jane with tears in her eyes.
Elizabeth was not sure what to say. She hated to see Jane so upset.
"But I am sure before he leaves he will make clear his intentions and a date for the wedding will be set."
"No, Lizzy. I suspect because of the change in his circumstance he may not be in a position to take a wife.".
"I wish I wasn't going away," said Elizabeth. It was unfair of her to leave Jane to look after her mother when she was so sad.
"You must go, Lizzy. There is nothing you can do."
"But you will have Mother, Kitty and Lydia, even Mary to look after."
"Mary as you know will be no trouble at all and I don't expect Kitty and Lydia to be. You need this break, Lizzy."
"And so do you, Jane. I wish you could come with me."
"So do I. However, I do not want to be far from Netherfield until I know for certain what is going on."
Elizabeth understood but she grieved for Jane in her current predicament. "You must write every day while I'm away and let me know what news there is."
"I will try, but you know what Mama is like. She will demand a great deal of my time."
They both knew that Mrs. Bennet was very selfish and would demand Jane's full attention. It would be difficult for even to escape to Netherfield. It was not like Jane to speak so freely of Mr. Bingley's business and the fact that she had showed how worried she was. Elizabeth knew it did not bode well.
"Lizzy, you will not say a word to anyone else, will you?" asked Jane suddenly.
"Jane, not a word will pass my lips. I will only pray that whatever trouble Mr. Bingley has it will be resolved and he will claim you as his wife."
