A/N:Thanks for reading and commenting. Many of you have concerns about Mr. Bingley that Elizabeth also expresses below. Will Jane be heartbroken when she finds out about Mr. Bingley's desertion?
About why Lady Catherine will live, I have received only one or two guesses, and I will tell you the reason later.
This is quite a long chapter. Enjoy!
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In the guest bedroom of their uncle's house on Gracechurch Street, Jane and Elizabeth finally had a chance to talk after the day's events. Jane had been very curious about Lizzy's sudden appearance at their uncle's house without his manservant, and her lack of explanation before being called away by Miss de Bourgh. According to Lizzy's descriptions in her letters, Miss de Bourgh was supposed to be sickly, cross, and silent. When Miss de Bourgh came into the Gardiners' parlor, she was indeed quite abrupt and aloof, but animated. The way she clung onto Lizzy's arm when they exited the house for the carriage told her that the heiress had a special bond with her sister.
Having told all to Charlotte, Elizabeth could not hold back anything from her dearest sister except for Mr. Darcy's collusion with Miss Bingley to deliberately keep Mr. Bingley away and Miss Darcy's near elopement. When Elizabeth told Jane about Mr. Collins' accident, the sisters could not help but wonder whether Longbourn's entail would end if her cousin did not survive. They would have to go back more than four generations to find the next presumptive heir, which would not be an easy task.
"Was it difficult to meet Mr. Darcy face to face after such a vehement refusal of his hand in marriage?" asked Jane after the whole account had been retold.
"It was not as bad as I had feared. When we first laid eyes on each other before dinner, he was even more distant than at any time before, and I was extremely embarrassed. However, the Earl said he had vouched for my character as a suitable helpmeet for Miss de Bourgh before I came. I assume my refusal did not make him bitter and turn me into persona non grata."
Elizabeth felt shy about telling Jane how her impression of Mr. Darcy was beginning to change, and she was even more confused about her own feelings than ever. To be so ardently loved by one so lofty whom she now knew to be honorable – was gratifying!
On the other hand, she no longer felt flattered by Colonel Fitzwilliam's solicitous manner which was on display again at the dinner. She started to wonder whether she had been ruled entirely by her own vanity: she favored Mr. Wickham and Colonel Fitzwilliam, imagining them well on their way to falling in love with her, and she disliked Mr. Darcy because he slighted her in public at their first meeting. Mr. Wickham turned out to be a rotted-through scoundrel, and Colonel Fitzwilliam was not truthful about his circumstances, probably because he feared a potential entanglement with her. Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, was unyieldingly honest, and yet his honesty, lacking as it was in tact, offended her deeply. Why did she feel now that honesty, along with integrity, should be the most valued traits in a gentleman?
The next morning, Miss de Bourgh came early to sweep Elizabeth away from her uncle's house. Once they were in the carriage, she started telling her friend excitedly that her mother had regained consciousness during the night. She was very weak, could not speak, and could not move her right side. Even in this state, everyone in the house seemed afraid of her. The Earl left the house early to join the parliamentary commission investigating the Luddite unrests. He looked noticeably relieved to be out of the house. That was why Anne wanted to come fetch Lizzy herself because the atmosphere in the house was oppressive to her. She could not watch her mother looking so helpless. Darcy had not yet arrived, and the Countess was at her wits' end having to deal with all the fuss associated with her sister-in-law's untimely affliction.
Elizabeth said, "It is best not to let your mother know that I am in the house. I do not want to cause her condition to worsen."
Anne said exasperatedly, "Oh, Mother!"
By the time they arrived at Rockingham House, it was quiet. The doctor had given Lady Catherine some laudanum to sedate her and force her to rest.
Anne said downheartedly, "Lizzy, Darcy avoids being in the same room with me. He never looks at me. I doubt that he will help me…." As if reminded of some important discovery, she looked at Lizzy with brightened eyes and said, "However, he stared at you a great deal while at Rosings. You have an effect on him. Why don't you go in my place? He might be willing to help me because of you."
Elizabeth was flummoxed. On the one hand, she was nowhere close to be composed enough to face Mr. Darcy despite their more or less cordial conversations the previous evening; on the other hand, she could not stand down from Anne's challenge. She thus reasoned with her friend, "Anne, this is the very last step in your quest to be legally recognized as the sole mistress of Rosings. Whether Mr. Darcy looks at you or not does not signify. All you need to do is to sign a few documents. Let us go forward together, even though Mr. Darcy will look at me to find fault!"
Anne looked at Elizabeth questioningly and said, "Was that why he constantly stared at you? Well then, once I am mistress of Rosings, I shall tell him to mind his manners."
Elizabeth looked fondly at Anne and said, "Anne, you are already the mistress of Rosings. You just need to believe it yourself."
As it turned out, the process of signing documents was quite straightforward. Mr. Darcy was all business, and the solicitors were very efficient. Mr. Darcy talked to Anne directly about what would happen next with only a few occasional glances toward Elizabeth. Since Lady Catherine was not yet ready to travel, he said, Dr. King had agreed to take care of Lady Catherine in London and, when the time came, he would take Lady Catherine back to Rosings and care for her there. There would be a long process of rehabilitation, which the doctor eagerly took on as it was directly related to his specialized research.
Anne would be going back to Rosings with Miss Bennet and himself to begin to take over the management of the estate. He would stay as long as necessary, but not so long that it would interfere with the plantings at Pemberley. He would include his sister in the party so that they could travel north together directly from Rosings.
Since a successful system for running Rosings was already in place, then without Lady Catherine's frequent interferences, the system should run better than before. It should not take more than just a few days for Anne to learn the ropes enough to take over.
Elizabeth was amazed how everything was so easily organized and executed. Her old self would have thought Mr. Darcy high-handed as he never asked anybody's opinion in his management of the affairs. In particular, her opinion on whether she could accompany Anne was never solicited. However, she could now also appreciate him as a skilled and experienced master and not just a disgustingly proud and unjust man with no redeeming qualities.
Anne also forgot that she should have been uneasy in front of her cousin Darcy because she had an important request that could not wait, and asked directly, "Will you lend me some money until I have received my pin money? I want to buy some books."
Before Mr. Darcy could respond, she turned to Elizabeth and pleaded, "Lizzy, please come with me. I have no notion on how to buy books at a bookstore."
Elizabeth looked fondly at Anne and said, "Of course, Anne. It would be my pleasure."
Overnight Mr. Darcy had made the decision to return to his stern and cold self when next in Elizabeth's company because he had failed in his mission to secure Bingley for Miss Bennet. He could not see any pathway to get back to Elizabeth's good graces. Richard told him to woo Elizabeth as a woman worthy of being wooed, but he had thought that was what he was doing at Rosings. Yet somehow, his wooing resulted in a most devastating disaster. If he went back to feigning indifference toward his heart's desire, perhaps he could bear it better when Elizabeth inevitably treated him with contempt after she discovered Bingley's final desertion of her sister.
"I would be honored to escort you to Hatchards." Mr. Darcy stopped abruptly, extremely surprised that he had blurted out such an offer, going against his original intentions, that would put him in company with Elizabeth for at least half a day. He decided that he might as well try for one last chance to be close to his unrequited love.
He soldiered on, "Miss de Bourgh, are you thinking of buying Lord Byron's 'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage?' If so, my presence could be of some service."
Elizabeth was extremely intrigued when she heard that Mr. Darcy could help with procuring Lord Byron's new book. She had wanted to buy a copy before going to Kent but was told that the first printing published just days before on the third of March, had been sold out in three days. She was quite anxious to see whether she could pick up a copy this time before leaving town.
She interjected, "Mr. Darcy, how would your presence help me….and Anne procure a copy of Lord Byron's book?"
Mr. Darcy looked at Elizabeth directly the first time since the morning conference and said, "Both the first and the second printings have sold out. However, Mr. Hatchard always puts away some copies for his friends, and I am fortunate to count myself one. Would you like to have one too, Miss Bennet?"
Elizabeth murmured softly, "Yes, very much! But I am not a friend of Mr. Hatchard. Will he let you buy one for your friend?"
Mr. Darcy felt his heart leap at hearing Elizabeth considering him a friend. He said while suppressing his delight, "I cannot promise, but I will try."
Elizabeth beamed at Mr. Darcy then and said excitedly, "Thank you, Mr. Darcy!"
Miss de Bourgh watched her two companions with impatience and interrupted, "I am neither an admirer of this Lord Byron nor enamored with poetry. Lizzy, you may have my copy. Mr. Hatchard should certainly oblige Darcy with a copy for his cousin. Darcy, you have not answered me: Will you lend me money? I just want to buy all the novels I like."
Mr. Darcy could not help being amazed by this new assertive Anne de Bourgh. He answered matter-of-factly, "You do not need me to lend you money, madam. Rosings has accounts with all the best merchants in town, including Hatchards. As I recall, Lady Catherine has a standing order for the new novels that are published by quite a few authors. Are you thinking about having a copy of everything for your own chambers?"
Anne and Elizabeth looked at each other with wonder. Trivializing the mind indeed! No wonder Lady Catherine knew what was in 'Sense and Sensibility.' She had read it in her own copy!
Anne answered, "Yes, I shall need my own copies, as mother hides hers in her own rooms. Let me go to see how mother fares, and then we shall go."
As soon as Anne had left to go upstairs, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy became awkward again. Mr. Darcy was the one to break the silence, "Miss Bennet, I must compliment you on bringing out the assertiveness in my cousin, but please make certain that she does not go so far as to be like her mother."
Elizabeth was astounded by this accusatory-sounding quip, but when she looked at his face, the lightheartedness in his countenance was obvious and very becoming. Elizabeth could not help staring for a moment too long and finally understood why Mr. Darcy stared so intently at her before: not to find fault, but to admire.
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth stood silently at the open doorway to the Earl's study, and the inevitable happened to Mr. Darcy's chagrin. Elizabeth asked, hesitantly, "Mr. Darcy, how did it go with Mr. Bingley? You said you would meet with him last night."
Mr. Darcy took a deep breath and answered rather woodenly, "Miss Bennet, Bingley left for the north this morning. He will be looking for opportunities in trade, and if he is successful, he will give up his father's wish for him to become a landed gentleman.
"As for Miss Jane Bennet, he said he was not certain at this point of his constancy. I have told you that Bingley falls in and out of love often. However, if his behavior had caused Miss Jane Bennet to have engaged her heart irrevocably, he would be willing to make things right by offering for her, but it might be a long while, up to a year or more before he could establish himself in a trade and be ready to marry. He is heartily sorry that he has caused such pain for your sister, as am I.
"If you wish me to remove myself from your presence for being the instrument to cause this rift between Bingley and your sister, just say the word, and you will never see me again. I could help Miss de Bourgh by proxy, and I could send Mr. Hatchard a note alerting him of your imminent visit and asking him for his assistance to procure a copy of Lord Byron's book for you."
Darcy finished his monologue without looking at Elizabeth directly and with an exceedingly glum countenance. When he did not hear a response from Elizabeth, he finally ventured to look in her direction. Elizabeth was staring ahead of her, not looking at him either. He asked meekly, "Miss Bennet…."
"Oh, Mr. Darcy, I apologize for being seemingly inattentive. I heard every word you said and was thinking what a narrow escape it was for Jane. She would be devastated if she were married to someone who would not love her and her alone. It seems to me that Mr. Bingley needs to grow up some more to know his mind firmly… if he is not a rake."
Elizabeth then turned and looked Mr. Darcy directly in the eye and continued, "Mr. Darcy, while I do not know the depth of your friendship with Mr. Bingley, and whether your interference with your friend's affairs was justified or not, I do believe that in this case, it brings forth an outcome that prevents future heartaches for my sister. I wish Mr. Bingley well in his endeavors to find his path toward a calling that suits him. In the meantime, Jane will overcome her current melancholy once she has realized that Mr. Bingley is not what she imagines him to be. As for removing yourself…."
"Lizzy, Darcy!" Anne called from the landing of the stairs and interrupted their important conversation, at least as far as Mr. Darcy was concerned. She came up to her friend and cousin and said, "We may go now. Mother is awake but did not seem to recognize me, neither can she yet talk. Mr. King said it would be best for her to rest more for her body to heal. Darcy, should we use your carriage, or mine?"
Mr. Darcy looked to Elizabeth for directions. Elizabeth, understanding his purpose, said to Anne, "Mr. Darcy was wondering whether he should send a note to Mr. Hatchard instead of going with us in person. But I want Lord Byron's book desperately, and you need to learn how to charge things to the Rosings accounts while shopping. Don't you agree that your cousin had better come with us to make sure that our missions will be successfully accomplished?"
Darcy finally smiled but returned to his usual serious mien almost immediately before saying to the ladies, "Let me send for my carriage as my coachman knows the streets in town better than yours." He then bowed and excused himself to order the carriage.
Anne looked at the retreating back of her cousin and said dreamily to Elizabeth, "Lizzy, don't you think Darcy is quite a dashing, strong, tall fellow? I never looked at him closely before and hardly talked to him until now. Without his scowl, he looks very handsome, quite like Lord Orville."
Elizabeth looked quizzically at Anne, "Who is Lord Orville? Is he someone you secretly admire? You sly thing!"
Anne looked at Elizabeth as if she had been daft and cried, "Lord Orville, the one Evelina admires!"
Elizabeth muttered, "Oh, you mean the one in 'Evelina,' Mrs. Burney's novel." Some previously unknown feeling surged from the depths of her heart. Was Anne considering Mr. Darcy as a potential husband? But she said she would never marry!
Elizabeth asked tentatively, "Anne, have you changed your mind about not marrying? Your cousin is very eligible for certain. He is also an honorable gentleman. He should be a good husband to you."
Before Anne could answer, Mr. Darcy came back and told the two ladies that the carriage was at the door.
During the entire outing to Hatchards on Piccadilly and then onto Bond Street for other shops, Mr. Darcy was attentive, Anne was wide-eyed and excited, but Elizabeth was subdued except when Mr. Darcy handed her a wrapped package and told her that the Byron tome was within. She could not help giving her benefactor a brilliant smile as a 'thank you.'
When she opened the package on her way back to Gracechurch Street with Anne, what she found astonished her greatly: The book was from the first printing and was signed by the author! It was indeed very special even without a dedication specifically to her. For the first time in her life, she envied the privileges the rich enjoyed and wondered what she had missed by refusing Mr. Darcy's hand in marriage. Envy, 'tis a new feeling.
Anne watched the expressions on Elizabeth's face and remarked, "I am glad that just holding this book seems to have brought your spirits back up. You were very quiet the whole day. Was it because you wanted to buy something but lacked funds? You know you can charge anything to Rosings just as I do."
Elizabeth was surprised to hear that her discontent was so obvious. She had not worked out the cause of such an unfamiliar feeling, and blurted out the question without meaning to, "Anne, you have not answered my question earlier. Are you considering Mr. Darcy as your future husband?"
"Oh, what an odd question! Darcy and I had not looked at each other since I was fifteen years old. I was just surprised that he was not an ugly person after all without the scowl that was on his face constantly, especially in my mother's presence. Why did you ask, and why do you want to know?"
Elizabeth was embarrassed when thus confronted, "Oh, I was just curious. You had said that you would never marry at dinner last night, and I had meant to ask you about it."
"I will not marry. I have no wish to have another person ruling over my life, which is sure to happen if I have a husband. I have never felt so marvelous since this morning, even at the expense of my mother's lying paralyzed. I felt some guilt when she collapsed, but now I believe that giving up my freedom would not bring her back whole, and so there is no need for me to feel undeserving of my current happiness.
"However, my Uncle Fitzwilliam did say I am at the end of the de Bourgh line and should marry. This is indeed a quandary for me. If I must marry, I still do not want a master over me and certainly do not want to bear any children. My mother said she almost died giving birth to me, and Darcy's mother did die shortly after giving birth to Georgiana. I love my freedom too much to die giving birth to the heir of Rosings, when I could play that role myself for many years if I do not give birth. I do not care who inherits Rosings after my passing on to the other world. Perhaps I should make you my heir. You will take good care of my estate, will you not?"
"Anne! Do not say such things! Your family would think that I tried to befriend you to cheat you out of your inheritance," Elizabeth exclaimed heatedly.
"You did not try to befriend me. It was the other way round. I do not see why not. Evelina gives half of her inheritance to the young girl who fraudulently claimed to be her father's daughter!" Anne exclaimed back.
"Anne, let us not argue about it now. Characters in a novel can do what they want, but not people in real life. You have just come into your own as the mistress of Rosings. There will be plenty of time ahead to plan your future. Perhaps you will fall in love with a worthy man who will treat you like a queen, and everything will work out as it should," soothed Elizabeth.
"I do not hold out high hopes for that if my parents' marriage was any indication. When mother was urging me to trap Darcy for marriage, she said that she would make sure Darcy would leave me alone after the wedding; and so, the marriage would be tolerable. She pinched my cheeks and forced me to eat to look more robust for Darcy, and I hated every minute of that. Darcy never looked at me anyway and all that suffering was for naught!" Anne said petulantly.
Elizabeth felt that it was futile to prolong this conversation. and would just accept that Anne was not targeting any particular gentleman for marriage, which curiously eased her mind. It was clear that the young mistress of Rosings would hang fiercely onto her new-found freedom. She had to agree that, in Anne's case, the incentive to marry was not compelling. If she herself had Anne's fortune, she might also think marriage an unnecessary evil, or mightn't she? One thing, however, was certain: Miss de Bourgh needed help to guard her fortune, or else she would give it away to random people based on one novel or another and would find herself in want before too long.