Chapter 58

The defeat was apparent in his posture when he was announced. Mr. Bennet, arriving shortly after dark, had no success chasing his wayward daughter. His other daughters quickly stood upon his entrance into the Gardiner's sitting room, desperate for news, not only of their poor sister but out of palpable fear for their own futures he assumed.

Looking upon their desperate faces, he wished all the more that he had done better by them. There was no guarantee Bingley would not break the engagement, he could hardly blame the man, as he had a sister to see to and a family to establish firmly in the gentry, disgrace would hardly help. And Lizzy, his Lizzy, he sorely did not wish to disappoint her, as she would likely never again have another suitor, he knew and suspected she understood it as well. In spite of that, he still could not bring himself to regret supporting her dismissal of Mr. Collins, though he well knew, as his wife often reminded him, that it was not he who would live in poverty after his demise.

Mr. Bennet stood there, in the same place since he arrived, pondering these matters while his daughters looked upon him. To them, he had all the appearance of his usual philosophic composure, with only the added air of defeat. He said as little as he had ever been in the habit of saying; made no mention of the business that had taken him away, and it was some time before his daughters had the courage to speak of it.

"My poor father! how you must have felt it upon the discovery!" cried Elizabeth, she could wait no longer to break the silence, seeing him so look so defeated disheartened her. It felt as though he had not brought himself to speak a word for a full ten minutes, though she knew it could not have been nearly so long.

"Say nothing of that. Who should suffer but myself? It has been my own doing, and I ought to feel it."

"You must not be too severe upon yourself; I am certain it shall solve nothing and only add to our burdens, by necessitating fear for your health. You must promise me to see to your own well-being," replied Elizabeth.

"You may well warn me against such an evil. Human nature is so prone to fall into it! No, Lizzy, let me once in my life feel how much I have been to blame. I am not afraid of being overpowered by the impression. It will pass away soon enough."

Though they all wished to know what news had made it to the rest of the neighborhood, they dared not inquire. They again stood there speechless, until Jane, out of sincere concern for Mrs. Bennet, inadvertently brought forth the answer by exclaiming, "My mother must have taken ill immediately, I doubt her nerves could suffer such abuse without effect. The whole household must be in such confusion, with neither Lizzy nor I there to see to the running of it."

"Your mother has been ordered to her rooms Jane, she is not to see anyone, not even her sister. It is unkind of me, but I daresay it is for the best."

"It is indeed better for my mother to stay at home,'' cried Elizabeth; "perhaps she means well, and truly only wishes for comfort from her friends, but under such a misfortune as this, one cannot see too little of one's neighbors. Assistance is impossible; condolence, insufferable. If they must know, let them triumph over us at a distance, and be satisfied. I would hardly choose to have my own mother add to the gossip in her ignorance; no, her desire for attention would hardly curb her exclamations, her thoughtlessness would surely hasten our ruin. Yet she would declare it a benefit to have others to hear her lament. ''

"Lizzy, that is unkind," gasped Jane. Her sister, she knew, did not always readily believe the best in everyone, but it was unlike her to so quickly cast blame and with such outward contempt for her own mother.

"If we are lucky, and the servants did not hear too much, the news may not have left Longbourn; or I would not have troubled myself, but either way it is done, either they know or they don't," replied Mr. Bennet, his voice entirely level, ignoring the interaction between his two eldest.

Following his lead, Elizabeth too choose to dismiss any further mention of Mrs. Bennet, she could neither bring herself to repent nor did she wish to continue what she knew to be an unkindness. She knew that her mother wasn't sensible of the indelicacy of her behavior, making it unjust to so harshly criticize it. She instead changed the topic; inquiring after her sister.

The whole party was in hopes of further news from Mr. Bennet but they were to be disappointed. He outlined his travels on the road north, detailing how he had become suspicious when it became clear no one had remembered their party passing. He knew Lydia could not help but to make a spectacle of herself, though he was now embarrassed to admit it, knowing it was his responsibility to have checked her behavior sooner. Mr. Bennet was wholly ashamed that he had not imagined that it would come to this.

He was now determined to enquire at all the principal hotels in town, so soon as he refreshed himself, regardless of the hour. He thought it possible they might have gone to one of them, on their first coming to London. It was unlikely they had yet procured lodgings but as soon as they did it may prove impossible to locate them.

"You need not trouble yourself, papa, Mr. Darcy, and uncle are already about the business. You must rest, I daresay your services will be needed more in the morning," said Elizabeth, hoping she could cause him to see reason. They hardly needed to add to their concerns his wondering about London, in likely less than fashionable (and less safe) areas of town.

"What is Mr. Darcy to do with?" gaped Mr. Bennet, surprised to find himself so astonished again that day.

"He was here when I read your letter, he offered his assistance, and we've declared our mutual affection.'

"Had he called with Mr. Bingley then? You know that I would not force Mr. Darcy's suit upon you to save our family, do you not?"

"That isn't it at all, I assure you, as I was determined to have him before reading your letter. Indeed, I knew my heart before reading his letter, though I would not commit to matrimony before this matter is resolved. I would not lure him into such disgrace with me for all the world."

"Am I to understand he wrote you Elizabeth?" He was incredulous, his sensible daughter accepting a letter from a gentleman; he had failed all of them it seemed, not just the silly ones. He was utterly ignorant at the doings of all his daughters he now realized, not just the ones he preferred to ignore. When had his Lizzy fallen for Mr. Darcy? It seemed not so long ago that they could not tolerate each other's company in his study. But that proposal, perhaps he had been remiss to not inquire if it was without foundation. He had just assumed Darcy lost his head over an impertinent, pretty girl and his Lizzy was smart enough to see that such infatuation was no basis for a happy marriage.

"Indeed sir, through my uncle Gardiner, nothing improper was done," she replied, guilty, thinking of that embrace. Though it was innocent, it was not proper, and she well knew it.

Mr. Bennet sighed. "He will have you then, in spite of the scandal?"

"He will, though I will not relent. I will not answer him until we understand the full weight of what is to come."

Mr. Bennet raised an eyebrow, then turned to Jane. "Your Mr. Bingley, he has not abandoned you, has he, Jane?"

"It cannot be so very bad as that. Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Darcy are looking for them now. I will tell him, of course, though I hope by then there will be a happy conclusion."

Mr. Bennet did not know how such a situation could conclude happily, though it perhaps it may not end in disaster, that, he deemed was the best he could hope for. "You think that Jane if it brings you comfort."

Elizabeth shot him a look; it was well earned, he knew. He could hardly mock Jane's naivety justly when his own lack of wisdom was so prevalent. Jane was ignorant of a world she had not lived in, but he had managed to remain ignorant of a family he resided with. Old habits died hard though, tomorrow he would apply himself to do right by all his daughters.

Mrs. Gardiner, who had remained silent thus far, finally said, "You'll need to be made aware of Lydia's situation. It's likely she was persuaded to elope to loosen Mr. Darcy's purse, though he could very well have his eye on Bingley as well. That much wickedness and greed are unlikely to be easily quenched. In addition to searching for the couple, they are also about finding a more acceptable groom."

Mr. Bennet let out a heavy sigh. It was not welcome intelligence, but nor could he say he was shocked, as his pocketbook could not have provided an inducement. If Mr. Darcy did not step in, he knew his entire family was ruined. There was little he could deny the man now, even his favorite daughter. He would not have refused him, had Lizzy truly wished it, but he could not like this added inducement weighing upon her decision.

Without further discussion, or Mr. Gardiner's return, the retired. None of them had the energy required to be good company; nor did they wish for anything other than to be alone with their thoughts, as each wished to think on the part they had played in Lydia's lack of reverence for what is proper.