Chapter IX.

"They have both been deceived, I dare say, in some way or other, of which we can form no idea. Interested people have perhaps misrepresented each to the other. It is, in short, impossible for us to conjecture the causes or circumstances which may have alienated them, without actual blame on either side."

"Very true, indeed; and now, my dear Jane," replied her sister, "what have you got to say on behalf of the interested people who have probably been concerned in the business? Do clear them too, or we shall be obliged to think ill of somebody!"

It was the day after an evening spent at the Philipses, where Elizabeth had occupied herself in listening to the supposed sad tales of Mr Wickham, who had chosen to inform her of his history with the Darcy family almost upon the instant of his arrival. She had not believed one word of it, seeing much of her late husband in him, and thus had spent the rest of her time there trying to keep Mr Collins away from herself and her elder sister.

"Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion. My dearest Lizzy, do but consider in what disgraceful light it places Mr Darcy, to be treating his father's favourite in such a manner, one whom his father had promised to provide for."

"My dear Jane, I did not mean for you to believe that I was taken in by him!" Elizabeth quickly assured her sister. "Quite the contrary. I believe every word he says to be a falsehood."

"Good," Jane declared on that. "For it is a slight against Cha... I mean, Mr Bingley, if you believe him so easily imposed upon."

"And by no means," said Elizabeth with a teasing smile upon her features, "would I speak against Mr Bingley's character."

"Lizzy!"

They were interrupted at that moment, and then promptly disturbed from their solitude in the shrubbery at Longbourn, as Mr and Miss Bingley, along with Mr Darcy, had arrived at Longbourn, in order to invite them to a Ball at Netherfield, in six days time.

Elizabeth secured a place opposite the latter gentleman, who had attended with his friend in the hope that the Countess would be there. Quietly, as soon as she could be sure that they were not overheard, she began to him, "I hope the unfortunate encounter two days ago did not make you plan to leave Hertfordshire."

"No it did not," Darcy assured her, touched by her astuteness. "I gather he spoke to you then?"

"Yes, he was invited to my Aunt Philips, and I had the occasion to listen to his conversation, as well as to avoid Mr Collins." Instinctively she glanced around, happy to see that the priest was with her younger sister, engaged upon a discussion of Fordyce. "He believes himself to be very hard done by due to you."

"Without any foundation," Darcy replied. "If anything, it is I and my sister who were hard done by." He paused, to gaze at her earnestly. "Did you believe him?"

"No," she replied in the same emotion. "He reminded me too much of the Earl. Too good to be true."

He watched her carefully as she slightly flinched after speaking of her late husband. "I know I presume too much, but will you tell me what happened to you one day?"

"Why do you wish to know?" Elizabeth asked.

"So I can ensure that it never happens again," he vowed.

To such a noble oath, Elizabeth could do naught but blush in reply. Across the room, Mr Bennet happened to look up, and take note of this. With an evaluating raised eyebrow, he surveyed the gentleman. Since the death of the first husband for his favourite daughter, Mr Bennet had made his own vow: to make sure that if she ever wished for a second, that he would make her happy.

For clearly, even if she would not tell him, the first had not. This Mr Darcy, while on an equal scale in terms of fortune and situation to her, may not be in terms of his character. Mr Bennet decided he would find out as much as he could about the gentleman. Only if any of it was good, would he proceed to give his blessing.

Darcy departed from Longbourn in much better spirits than he had been upon arriving there. He was very much relieved that the Countess had not been deceived by his once childhood friend, and the knowledge of this gave him confidence that if Mr Wickham had the presumption to spread the tale around the neighbourhood, it would not be as well received as he had feared it might.

He walked back into Netherfield and sought out his sister, informing her of his success in accomplishing the task of securing the Countess for the first two dances of the evening of the ball. He then left her to her music practice, seating himself before a bureau in the room. Taking out a piece of paper, he wrote to his cousin the following;

Netherfield 20th November

Richard, Mr Wickham has decided that the army shall be his profession, namely the regiment that has currently settled itself in the vicinity of this place. Georgiana has not yet encountered him, but there shall be a ball here soon, and as Bingley has issued a general invitation to the officers, I would like it if it is within your power to ensure that Mr Wickham does not have a chance to encounter her. If you can arrange for him to be transferred to another regiment, or sent to Horseguards, or something else in town on the 26th, I would be very grateful.

His cousin, while having the honour to hold of the rank of Colonel, was widely connected to certain influential people within the army and militia, and could be assured of finding ways to make Wickham's life in the militia extremely difficult. He finished the letter with a summary of events that had happened since their arrival at Netherfield, mentioning his acquaintance with the Countess, but only in brief terms, so as not to incur his cousin's teasing, and then sealed the paper.

As afternoon drifted into evening Elizabeth returned to Stoke Edith, relieved that fate and fortune had conspired to rid her of being Mr Collins's partner for the first two dances of the Netherfield ball. Barely a minute after the Bingleys and Mr Darcy had departed from Longbourn did he wait before asking her.

Not for the first time now, did Elizabeth wonder about his presumption. He seemed to be paying particular interest to her, despite all her attempts to discourage him, both from herself and from Jane. She did not mean to judge him by consequence of her situation in life, but she knew well what other people would think of him.

Nothing could induce her to marry him, for he was by far too ambitious and obsequious for her taste. Could her mother be encouraging him in the matter? Elizabeth did not believe that to be wholly unlikely. She knew her mother's enthusiasm for matchmaking extended to the desire that one of her daughters inherited Longbourn, even if it was only by marriage. And with Jane destined for Mr Bingley, she was the next likely candidate.

When she had married the Earl, her mother boasted of the match far and wide, believing that the family's future was secure, that her other daughters would be thrown into the paths of other rich men by her sister's good fortune, only to despair when the Earl died, leaving Elizabeth a widow, with no children to depend on. Her mother still feared that a distant relative of the Earl's family would suddenly appear to take away all the wealth that her daughter had gained, or that her least favourite daughter would be honoured with all the attentions of available gentlemen, at the expense of her other children, because of the fortune that came with her.

Whereas if she married Mr Collins, her mother believed that the Earl's fortune would remain in the family, and Mr Collins would not trouble himself with throwing her mother out of Longbourn, for he would have other estates at which he and Elizabeth could live, and house her sisters too, so they could be thrown into the paths of rich men. Her mother took care to make sure that Elizabeth would not fail her sisters a second time, by frequently reminding her whenever she visited Longbourn.

For the first time, as she entered the drive of her home, Elizabeth was grateful to have gained something from her late husband. That was the connection, via godson, to her cousin's esteemed patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Such a relationship, she was sure, would secure that Lady's objection to Mr Collins seeking her for his wife. How Mr Collins had remained ignorant of this connection was a mystery, but that Elizabeth intended to enlighten him as soon as possible was a certainty.