A/N: An apology, sort of, and Jane comes into her own! Also, sorry for the boldface it comes and goes, I can't seem to get rid of it.
Elizabeth stood in the parlor not saying a word. She was shocked at Jane's retort to her ploy. She had never seen her sister so angry. She knew things did not happen as she had expected but she did not expect such an outburst from her serene sister. Elizabeth's aunt and uncle just gazed at her with disappointed looks on their faces. That hurt her almost as much as Jane's rebuke. Her father entered the room and to her surprise he was chuckling.
"Elizabeth that was quite a show. I would have thought you would have been subtler in your machinations." He said with a grin.
"Thomas, don't encourage her. This was a most ridiculous display. You left the room before you could see Miss Darcy's distress." Mrs. Gardiner reprimanded.
"Margaret, you knew Elizabeth would attempt to do something to get out of this marriage. Now perhaps she is resigned." Mr. Bennet replied.
"Not likely," Elizabeth uttered under her breath.
"Maybe this will be an end to it now. Mr. Darcy certainly will not want to marry a woman his sister dislikes. One of the myriad of reasons he gave me for this marriage was that he wanted a kind companion for Miss Darcy. The girl will recover." said Mr. Bennet.
"I cannot support behavior such as this. Elizabeth, you owe Miss Darcy some sort of explanation and most definitely an apology. I believe you also owe your sister an apology. This type of machination is worthy of Caroline Bingley not the Elizabeth Bennet I know." replied Mrs. Gardiner.
"But what if it worked?" Elizabeth cried out. "Maybe he will release me."
"Whether he does or not you must make amends to that child. Your conscience should demand as much at this point. I understand your anger at Mr. Darcy but Miss Darcy should not have been your target." Margaret Gardiner answered sternly.
"Aunt she was not a target she was more of a tool. I had expected a completely different reaction from her. I was not under the impression she was so shy and fragile. If I had known the reality of the situation I would have approached her quite differently." Elizabeth answered trying to defend herself.
"The damage has been done Elizabeth and regardless of your feelings for Mr. Darcy the girl deserves better. I suggest you think long and hard regarding your intrigues and act accordingly." her aunt responded.
"Margaret, please, young girls are often hysterical, of this I have daily proof. Some strong tea, a sweet and a new bonnet will put her to rights." Mr. Bennet replied somewhat callously.
"Father, I appreciate your support. But, I suppose some sort of apology to Miss Darcy is necessary. Jane was correct in her observation that I was livid at Miss Bingley's treatment of herself. I didn't think of anything other than gaining Miss Darcy's disapprobation when I concocted this scheme. I will find a way to make amends to Miss Darcy but I must do so without gaining any sort of notice from her brother. His expression when he left was one of sheer abhorrence. I truly think he may withdraw his offer now. I will think on it and I promise Aunt, my apology will be sincere and tactful." Elizabeth answered.
"I should hope it will. Your father and I had a very interesting discussion with Mr. Darcy during your performance. He, as he promised your father, offered you a very generous settlement and guaranteed the future of your mother and sisters. If Collins will not be bought out he pledged himself to situate them in a comparable situation if ever necessary. I am beginning to respect the young man despite his earlier behavior." Mr. Gardiner added.
"Uncle, how can you trust him after the way he has acted? I am sure it is all a ruse and he means to watch my family suffer and he will probably enjoy it." Elizabeth cried out nonsensically feeling betrayed.
"Elizabeth, you are becoming irrational again. I saw his pledge in writing as did your father. There is no point in continuing with this conversation at present. You should take some time to think about how you plan to apologize to your sister and Miss Darcy." Mr. Gardiner said sternly ending the debate.
"Yes uncle, please excuse me." Elizabeth answered and wandered outside to the garden. As she reflected upon her behavior she was not pleased. Introspection is not always a pleasant process. If Miss Darcy's personality had been as arrogant and superior as Mr. Wickham described her plan would have worked perfectly. Why would Mr. Wickham have misled her so? Perchance Miss Darcy changed since Mr. Wickham knew her? That was a matter to ponder at another time. She knew she must first make amends to Jane.
Elizabeth quietly knocked on the door of Jane's bedchamber. Jane allowed her entrance and was chagrined to see her sister's red eyes. Jane had been crying. Before Elizabeth could speak, Jane said, "Please forgive me my outburst. I know that was most unlike me."
"Oh, no, Jane, it was well deserved. Please accept my apology. You had every reason to react as you did after what you have gone through since November. I did not think beyond my desperation in getting out of this marriage. I would never have behaved so if I thought it would upset Miss Darcy so terribly. I really thought she would be disenchanted with her brother's choice, especially after she met you, the true epitome of a graceful lady. I thought she would counsel Mr. Darcy against the match. I did not even think about how my conduct would remind you of Mr. Bingley's sisters. I was furious with them when they acted less than kindly to you. I did not make the connection until you pointed it out. Will you forgive me?" Elizabeth begged.
"I will sister but please do not involve me in any more of your plotting. I can't tell you how much I despise cunning of this nature. I do believe Miss Darcy deserves a sincere apology as well." Jane replied.
"She will get one my dear. I will begin at once and send it express to Darcy House. Will you read it once I am finished and give me your input?" Elizabeth asked.
"No, Elizabeth. This must come from you and I do not care to be involved as I have said. I trust you will let your Christian kindess guide you." Jane answered frankly.
Elizabeth left the room after her discussion with Jane. She sat down at her writing desk and began what would be at least ten revisions of her apology to Miss Darcy. Her first attempt was far too conciliatory. She was frightened that if Mr. Darcy read it he might think of not retracting his offer. Her second attempt was far too indifferent to be considered sincere. Comforting Miss Darcy while still keeping Mr. Darcy at arm's length was proving to be a difficult task. After hours of work she finally felt she crafted a balanced apology.
Dear Miss Darcy,
Please excuse my presumption in writing to you after the events of this morning but I feel I owe you an apology. I can say honestly that I did not comprehend that you believed your brother to be engaged to Jane until it was too late. It was an honest mistake on your part and I hold you in no blame whatsoever for the misconception. In fact, it is quite a compliment to my dearest sister Jane who is the embodiment of everything good and kind. I apologize for making the circumstances worse for you with my unnecessary and biting comments. There is much that you probably do not know regarding my engagement to your brother, things that I am not at liberty to share. You seem to be a very sweet person, one who in any other circumstances I would wish to have as a friend. As I have been informed by my own dear and painfully honest family that my behavior was very out of character. My disguise and uncouth manner in the parlor were beneath my dignity and that of my family. For that I am ashamed. Please accept my genuine apology and a promise that if we ever meet again I will behave with the utmost decorum and kindness of which you are in every way worthy. Finally, I ask that you not share this apology with your brother. I would wish to keep this between us. I do not ask you to dissemble but not to offer the information freely. I realize I have no right to ask anything of you but I had to make an attempt. I wish you all the happiness in the world.
Yours Truly,
Elizabeth Bennet
As Elizabeth wrote and rewrote her apology to Miss Darcy, the Gardiner family had another visitor. Mr. Bingley arrived in the parlor with yet more flowers and requested an audience with the family. Mr. Bennet exited the parlor after a very brief greeting to the young man. His delicate sensibilities could not take any more love and courtship this morning. Gads, he was turning into his wife he thought with a pout.
Mr. Bingley took tea with Jane and the Gardiners. Mr. Gardiner soon excused himself to see to a matter of business. Mrs. Gardiner removed to a chair near the window to give the young people a modicum of privacy.
They discussed very inconsequential matters for a few minutes. Then Mr. Bingley said something that made Jane pale. "Miss Bennet, I have a very important matter to discuss with you." Jane began to panic. She was not ready to hear any sort of pronouncement from him. It was too soon. She needed more time to sort out her own mind.
"It involves my sisters." he said with a frown. Jane left out a sigh of relief and nodded at him to continue.
"I know there has been a great deal of confusion regarding my lack of knowledge regarding your presence in town. I was very put out with my sisters for not informing me that you were here and for their apparent ill treatment of you." Mr. Bingley continued.
"Apparent ill treatment?" Jane questioned quietly.
"Yes, when I confronted my sisters, they assured me they were only trying to protect me. My sisters knew how much I cared for you and how despondent I had become. When you visited our home they thought it would throw me into greater emotional upheaval if I knew. Caroline especially stated that she could not bear to see her younger brother in any more pain and thus kept the knowledge from me to spare my feelings. It was not well done but they were convinced of your lack of regard towards me. They honestly told me they could not detect any attachment on your part beyond common friendship. They have convinced me that their actions originated out of familial love." Mr. Bingley said naively.
Jane was becoming more and more uncomfortable as he spoke. She could not help but see the similarities between her own prior trusting persona and Mr. Bingley at the moment. "Mr. Bingley, if that is so, why did Miss Bingley abruptly end our friendship? I was most confused at her attitude during our visits." Jane queried politely but firmly.
"I asked her that myself. She professed to feel guilty at remaining in a friendship with someone who did not care for her brother and caused him pain. Again, she was looking out for me because she was well aware of my feelings for you." he answered.
"And what of informing me of your attachment to Miss Darcy in the letter she sent when informing me of your entire party's departure from Netherfield?" Jane asked pointedly.
"She did not want you to think that I was pining away after your unrequited affection. She now understands that using Miss Darcy's name was completely inappropriate. I will admit that she did wish for that connection and still does because she sees Miss Darcy as a very close friend." Bingley replied.
Jane took her time before commenting. She needed Bingley to understand what she was about say without offending him. "Mr. Bingley, I appreciate you sharing this with me. Unfortunately, I believe you are being put upon once again." Jane said earnestly.
"Whatever do you mean, Miss Bennet? Do you suppose my sisters were being less than truthful in their explanations?" a confused Mr. Bingley asked.
"Yes, I do. May I speak bluntly." Jane asked.
"Of course Miss Bennet, though I have never heard you speak in anything but a gracious manner. You are not one for brusque discourse." he answered.
"I do not mean to be brusque just direct. I believe the time has now come. I do not like to believe in the dishonesty or unkindness of my fellow man but in this circumstance I feel compelled to speak plainly. Please accept my apologies now for what I say may offend you. I do not believe your sisters ever truly esteemed me. They were very pointed that you deserved better than my family's connections. They did not keep us apart to spare your feelings they did so to gratify their own. They wanted a match between you and Miss Darcy to further their own social aspirations. I believe Miss Bingley thought it may also further her own desire to become closer to certain members of the Darcy family. I am sorry to pain you but after much reflection I believe this to be true." Jane replied.
"I, I don't know how to respond Miss Bennet. Surely my sisters would not take advantage of my good nature to such a degree?" he answered, his mind in disarray.
"I do believe so Mr. Bingley. Knowing that their scheme was revealed they had to save face somehow. They are financially dependent on you for the most part are they not?" Jane answered.
"They are but my sisters are not mercenary, are they?" he said very quietly. "I am at a loss regarding what to think Miss Bennet. Perhaps I should consult with Darcy and gain his opinion before we discuss this further."
"Mr. Bingley, I do not think you should. Perhaps relying on your own intellect and conscience would be best in this situation. I admire you greatly and think that you are a very good person. Forgive me for being so forward by after the events of the past few months I have determined that reticence is not always my friend. I feel we are very well suited and I do have strong feelings for you. But, I do not think I can be in a union with someone who cannot rely on his own good judgment. I also will not be able to trust your sisters to be a large part of our future life if things progress in that direction. I would never be uncivil or unkind but they have proven to be my adversaries for no reason but their own self-interest. I could not live again in a home with constant acrimony. I wish for a life of harmony and love. I believe before you call again you should take some time for reflection." Jane said with tears in her eyes.
Mr. Bingley looked on the verge of tears himself. "I believe you are correct Miss Bennet. You have given me much to think on. I thank you for that." He said quietly and left the room.
"Brava, Jane!" Mrs. Gardiner said from her chair near the window with a smile on her face.