Chapter 19
Mr. Bingley felt calm, and he was at peace with himself. The months in the north had done him a lot of good, but above all, it had helped him reflect and realize that he had wasted valuable time hesitating every time he had to make a decision, not knowing what to do.
The day before, he had arrived exhausted after several days of traveling. For that reason, he had dined in his room and then slept. He knew his sisters would start questioning him as soon as possible. But this time, he would not avoid them as he always did. Instead, he would face them to show them he would not allow them to manipulate him again as they always had.
"Charles, it is nice to see you after so long," said Caroline to her brother. She was intrigued to know why he stayed in Scarborough for so many months.
"Charles, we missed you. It would be best if you hadn't stayed at Aunt Agatha's for so long. We are your direct family, and you should always be close to us," Louisa added sincerely. She had missed her younger brother.
"I am here now, Louisa. But I have to confess that not for a long time," said Mr. Bingley. He was in the drawing room reading the newspaper when his sisters came to talk to him.
When they heard their brother's answer, Caroline and Louisa were concerned. They hoped that Mr. Bingley had forgotten all about Hertfordshire, and they didn't want to argue with him again over Jane Bennet.
Don't you think you should spend some more time with your family, Charles? Also, it would be best if you enjoyed London's many diversions before thinking of leaving again. All your friends have missed you, and you must spend some time with them." Caroline saw something different in her brother's attitude and chose not to ask direct questions.
"Caroline, I have many acquaintances but very few friends. But if you are worried that I will leave tomorrow, you can rest easy. I will stay in London for at least three weeks because I have a lot of unfinished business with my solicitor that I have to resolve. Also, I wish I could see Darcy when he returns from Kent next week." Mr. Bingley answered his sisters' questions without taking his eyes off the newspaper.
"And where do you plan to go, Charles?" Louisa asked before Caroline got angry and started arguing with their brother. Also, she gestured to her sister to stay calm.
Mr. Bingley turned the page of the newspaper and, while feigning great interest in an article, answered serenely. "I intend to return to Hertfordshire to take over the estate I leased a few months ago."
Caroline was about to cry indignantly, but Louisa again managed to convince her to calm down.
"Charles, do you think you can stop reading that newspaper for a few minutes so we can have a serious conversation? I can't imagine what news could be so important than talking to us about this fundamental matter," Louisa explained, trying to appeal to her brother's gentle side.
"Even if you think I'm reading the newspaper to ignore you, the truth is that the article I'm reading is important to me. It's about a person we all know who is now considered a national hero," Mr. Bingley said, smiling.
"Who are you talking about, Charles?" Caroline asked.
"Colonel David Smith, a very nice man and, from what I read this morning, brave too. In case you don't remember him, he was the officer with the bushy beard." For the first time since the conversation began, Mr. Bingley looked at his sisters and did not understand why they were so nervous.
"Of course, we remember the Colonel. I am happy to hear that his career is going well. Most of the officers are second sons or men without much fortune, and they have a tough life," Louisa said so her brother wouldn't notice their discomfort. She recalled that she and her sister never mentioned to their brother that Colonel Smith had come to the house looking for him.
"Good for the Colonel, but Charles, we have more important things to discuss right now. First, let me tell you, I can't believe you're planning to go back to Hertfordshire instead of looking for an estate to buy in a more upscale place like Derbyshire, for example. Also, I think you should consult Mr. Darcy before making a final decision."
"Caroline is right, Charles. You should ask Mr. Darcy what he thinks of what you plan to do," Louisa added.
"I don't have to ask Darcy what he thinks of my decision because I know very well what he will tell me. Like you, he believes that Miss Bennet is not the woman for me because she has no dowry, and he disapproves of her family. "
"And don't you think you should listen to him?" Caroline asked angrily.
"No, because even though Darcy is one of the best men I've ever met, unfortunately, he has a rigorous opinion on life in general."
"He knows how things should be, Charles," Caroline corrected her brother.
"Caroline, Darcy is the grandson of an Earl and master of the largest and most important estate in Derbyshire. So it is reasonable that he aspires to marry a wealthy and well-connected woman. But, I am only the son of a tradesman, and the daughter of a country squire is more than enough for me."
"Charles, I think..."
"Don't waste your time, Caroline. There's nothing in the world that will change my mind. I've spent enough minutes with you, and I want to continue reading this interesting story about Colonel Smith," Mr. Bingley said and ignored his sisters.
Louisa and Caroline realized it was better not to insist. Hence, they went to Caroline's room to think more calmly about what they would do. They would not allow their foolish brother to ruin everything they had achieved socially because of stupid Jane Bennet.
P&P
Elizabeth decided to take a deep breath before answering Mr. Darcy's insulting proposal. She thought of her poor sister, who was suffering without knowing where her husband was. She also thought of Georgiana, a sweet and lonely girl who had clung to their friendship if only through correspondence. Finally, she thought of Anne de Bourgh and her innocent smile, and she realized that it was better to end that unpleasant encounter as quickly as possible and without arguing with that haughty man.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Darcy, but I cannot accept your proposal. However, I sincerely hope that the objection and internal struggle you have waged between your duty and your feelings help you understand that it would be a grave mistake to marry me." Elizabeth finished speaking and was satisfied with her explanation.
In his dreams, Mr. Darcy had imagined Elizabeth weeping with happiness and thanking him for giving their love a chance. He had even thought it would be possible to kiss her on the lips, even if it was for a few seconds. But he never imagined that she could reject him and less in such a cutting and dispassionate way.
"Are you mocking me? Are you rejecting me? May I know why you reject me in such an uncivilized manner without any regard for my feelings?" asked Mr. Darcy between sorrow and anger.
Mr. Darcy hesitated for a few seconds but responded enraged and without reasoning. "And what did you expect me to do? Conceal my inner struggle and lie to you by pretending there isn't a tremendous social difference between us?"
Elizabeth again had to control her temper not to tell that man everything he deserved. She did not want to prolong that unpleasant encounter any longer because she needed to pack everything and prepare for the next day's journey. Also, she needed to be as calm as possible to help Jane in the difficult moment she was going through.
"No, Mr. Darcy, I actually appreciate you being honest because it has allowed me to give you a straight answer without feeling guilty. I don't love you, sir. But if you had hidden your genuine opinion of my family and me, maybe I would have felt compelled to consider accepting you in the future. Thanks to your detailed explanation of everything that is wrong with me, I know that I could never be happy with you, and that is why I have given you a direct answer without hiding what I really think of you. Also, you cannot deny that you thought my sister was not good enough for Mr. Bingley, and she is probably the noblest person in this world. So, if you have been honest, you should be thankful I have also been honest with you."
"Is all this related to Miss Bennet? I do not desire to deny that I would have advised my friend to stay away from her for the same reasons that prevented me from proposing to you earlier. But I didn't intervene out of consideration for what you had done for Georgiana."
"How considerate of you! But you do not have any idea what happened to my poor sister when you all left Hertfordshire. The horrible rumors, accusing her of something she never did. Mr. Bingley showed a marked interest in her in front of the entire neighborhood for several months, and suddenly he left without saying anything." Elizabeth said, losing her calm.
"What rumors?" Mr. Darcy asked.
"That doesn't matter anymore. Fortunately, that's all in the past now," Elizabeth replied curtly.
Mr. Darcy, at that moment, felt hurt and ridiculous. He had opened his heart to Elizabeth and offered marriage to a woman who seemed to despise him. But he would not allow Elizabeth to treat him like a fool and intended to let her know how wrong she was.
"I understand, I suppose that you, like many women, prefer men who flatter them with false words of love, and it is clear that I am not like that. I am just an honest man, and when I marry, I will honor and respect my wife and I will give her anything she desires. As a result, she will not only be the mistress of a wonderful estate and a luxurious house in London. Also, she will be able to enjoy all the pleasures of belonging to a wealthy and well-connected family."
"Then it is clear I am not the right woman for you. Since I met you in Ramsgate in a certain way, I knew you would never respect me. After you insulted me in that despicable manner, I could corroborate everything you thought of me. And now, when you asked me to marry you, you were more concerned about telling me how low my social standing was compared to yours than telling me why you admired me.
You and I could never be happy, Mr. Darcy. Georgiana always tells me that you are a good man, and I believe that, in a certain way, that is true. I know you work hard, are responsible, and take good care of the people you love. So, sir, you deserve to be happy, and for that, it is evident that you need a woman you can be proud of by your side. I know that in the future when you look back, you will thank me that I was not a calculating fortune hunter who took advantage of your hasty decision."
"I think you're right; I should never have proposed to you, and I do not want to continue wasting my time talking about this subject anymore," Mr. Darcy replied angrily. Knowing that Elizabeth didn't love him had hurt his pride to such an extent that he felt like a fool, enraged with himself. "I think I have nothing more to say; thank you for your honesty. I'd better go now. Good day, Miss Bennet."
"Good day, sir," replied Elizabeth.
As soon as Mr. Darcy left the house, Elizabeth ran to her room and locked herself in tears for almost an hour. She didn't know why she was so sad, but she supposed it was because of all the tense moments she had lived through in so few hours.
Mr. Darcy rode for several hours around Rosings Park. He didn't want to go back to his aunt's house to avoid having to answer absurd questions. He just wanted to be alone to think about everything he would do from now on. First, he would tell Richard that they would return to London the day after tomorrow, as planned. He wanted to get to London and go to lots of social events and balls to meet women of his social standing who truly appreciated him. He wanted to meet a gorgeous woman, court her for a few months and marry her. Then, he would publish the happy event in all the newspapers so that Elizabeth would see he was happily married to another woman. The only thing that bothered him was what Elizabeth said about rumors related to Miss Bennet and his friend Bingley.
When he returned to Rosings, he told his valet to inform everyone that he was sick and would eat in his room. Then, when he had calmed down, he decided to write Elizabeth a letter to make it clear that he and Mr. Bingley never were informed about any rumors. After that, he would close this harsh episode of his life forever.
P&P
Jane was like floating on a cloud where everything was happiness. The night before, she and David had had an evening full of friendship and romance. They had dinner with Rebecca and Mark, talking and remembering happy times. Later they loved each other to sleep, embraced, and contented the whole night.
After breakfast, they locked themselves in Mark's study to write David's new story. Jane loved spending time with her husband and listening to the many ideas that sprang from his remarkable wit.
"David, why can't General Robinson tell Lady Amanda he is her husband?" Jane asked.
"Because he knows she doesn't remember him, and he doesn't want to pressure her into accepting him. He'd rather wait for her to regain her lost memory or have to win her love back," David explained.
"But if he explained it to her, maybe that would help her remember, don't you think?"
"I don't know; I'm a Colonel in Our Majesty's service, I'm not a doctor, my dear. But, in the story, the General is afraid," David explained.
"And what is the General afraid of?"
"That his wife accepts him out of duty and not because she loves him. Men are very insecure about that, Jane. We do not like to know that the woman we love just tolerates us because she believes it is her duty."
"Is that how you felt at the beginning of our relationship? Is that why you always stayed so distant from me?" Jane asked, puzzled.
"Partly, my love. I didn't want you to feel obligated to accept my attentions, but I also wanted to give you time to get to know me better."
"And you did," Jane said and kissed her husband for several minutes.
Rebecca was in the drawing room talking to the housekeeper. They had everything ready to leave for Kent in an hour. The idea was to get there before dark and the next day to pick up Elizabeth, who was ten miles from Mark's aunt's estate.
"My dear, do you have a few minutes for your husband?" Mark asked.
"Of course, though, we'll be locked in a carriage for several hours, and you will have time to tell me anything you want," Rebecca replied.
The housekeeper left, and Mark passed the newspaper to his wife. When she saw her brother's name, she sat down and read the entire article very carefully and as quickly as possible. The newspapers reported the situation in the Dover Strait for several months, and they informed their readers of the resolution of the conflict. Then, of course, they narrated in full detail the intervention of the brave young Colonel Smith to sell more newspapers and make the story more interesting. According to the article, David risked his life to save eighty people living on an islet. The French smugglers had taken them hostage and threatened to kill them all if they were not allowed to return to Calais. So, David infiltrated one of the groups and managed to free them after confronting several smugglers despite being injured in one of his arms.
"Can you believe David hasn't told us any of this?" Mark asked with a mischievous grin.
"Yes, it seems my brother's modesty doesn't just apply to his lifestyle."
Rebecca and Mark were going to the study to talk to David when the butler announced General Nicholson's visit.
Rebecca greeted the General, and Mark went to his study to tell David and Jane to come to the drawing-room because the General wanted to talk to them.
"Colonel Smith, nice to see you well. I imagine the beautiful lady is your new wife," General Nicholson chirped.
"Yes, sir. This is my wife, Jane Smith. My dear, this is my superior officer, General Andrew Nicholson," David said.
"It's nice to meet you, General," Jane said worriedly. She prayed that the General wasn't there to send her husband away from her again.
Rebecca had asked the housekeeper to bring tea and served it to the General and the rest of the family.
"Smith, I imagine you know why I'm here," General Nicholson said.
"No sir, I really don't know. I think you can tell from the state of my arm that I'm not fit to take on any new orders at the moment," David replied. He had no idea what was going on because he had only dedicated himself to being with his family since he arrived in London.
"I understand; then let me explain. Our Majesty wants to meet you and decorate you personally. Also, I think he wants to knight you for your honor and bravery. You already know that our authorities are not that popular among the people, and that is why they like to be around men like you, whom everyone admires." Then, General Nicholson told the whole family what David had done in Dover and how an entire community owed their lives to him.
Jane was speechless. Her husband had told her everything he had done to her but very differently. She thought the rescue of the people from the islet had been in charge of an entire patrol, but she never thought that only her husband had risked his life for all those people.
"They exaggerate, General. I was the last to evacuate, so they thought I was the only one who did all the work. But my men played an important role throughout the mission."
"I know how modest you are, Smith. But anyway, you were the officer in charge, and that's why you will be the one receiving the honors. In any case, don't worry because I explained to the royal secretary that you were injured, and it would be better if they held the ceremony when you are feeling better. So, you've got two weeks to enjoy your wife's company, tell your parents and get that arm better," General Nicholson said, smiling.
The General stayed fifteen more minutes chatting and drinking tea until he finally left. As expected, Mark, Jane, and Rebecca bombarded David with questions, and he tried to answer as best he could.
"David, be thankful I have to go because if I hadn't, I would have spent the rest of the day berating you for not telling us everything that happened in Dover. In any case, we'll be back in a week, so be prepared."
"Jane, we will bring Lizzy to London," Mark added.
"Thank you, I want to see my sister," Jane added gratefully.
Rebecca, Mark, and little Robert said a fond goodbye and headed for Kent. As soon as Jane and David were alone, she told her husband.
"Now you will tell me everything that happened in Dover, and I don't want you to hide anything from me."
"Do I have an alternative?"
"No."
"Alright," David said. He sat next to her wife and narrated the events exactly as they had happened.
P&P
Elizabeth was anxiously awaiting the arrival of Aunt Alice's carriage while Mr. Collins talked nonstop. "
"Cousin Elizabeth, I don't know how you can leave a week early. I assure you that you will probably never again in your life have the opportunity to visit such a beautiful estate and such a large and luxurious mansion as Rosings. I hope you know and appreciate that it is difficult for people of Lady Catherine de Bourgh's category to relate to people like us."
"I know, Mr. Collins. I'm aware of everything I'll be missing by leaving a week early," Elizabeth replied so that her cousin would stop bothering her.
"Besides, Lizzy, you can always come back to visit us," Charlotte added to calm her husband.
"Thank you, Charlotte," replied Elizabeth to her good friend.
Elizabeth only wanted to leave that place and be with Jane, Aunt Gardiner, and especially Aunt Alice. She desired to tell her what had happened and ask for her wise advice.
Fortunately, Elizabeth heard a carriage arrive and was ready to leave when the maid ushered in Rebecca and Mark. She was perturbed, but Rebecca immediately put her at ease.
"First of all, my dear Lizzy, I want to tell you that David is in London with Jane." Then, she looked at Charlotte and Mr. Collins and said kindly. "We're so sorry to interrupt your morning routine."
Greatly relieved, Elizabeth immediately introduced her sister's in-laws to Charlotte and Mr. Collins. "Mr. and Mrs. Collins, they are Lord and Lady Atkinson, Jane's husband's relatives.
"We are very pleased to meet you," said Mark.
"Thank you for caring for our dear Lizzy for all these weeks. Mr. and Mrs. Collins, if it is not too much to ask, my husband and I would like to be able to discuss a matter privately with Elizabeth," said Rebecca.
"Of course, my Lord," Charlotte replied.
But Mr. Collins was still stunned because he couldn't believe that one of his cousin's daughters had married a man of the first circle. "Sorry, but you are related to my cousin Jane's husband. She married an officer, right?"
Rebecca didn't like Mr. Collins's tone, and she responded emphatically. "My brother is not just an officer, Mr. Collins. He is a national hero, the heir to the Continental Bank, and brother to an Earl, who is also best friends with him."
"Do you have any other questions, Mr. Collins?" Mark asked very seriously.
"No, my Lord," replied Mr. Collins submissively. He would tell his beloved patroness that he was now practically an Earl's cousin and that he and his wife had visited his home.
Charlotte had to use all her best arguments to convince her husband to leave Elizabeth alone with her friends for a few minutes. Instead, he wanted to continue questioning Mark about his estate and whether he knew Lord Matlock and his family.
"Sorry, Mr. Collins can be a bit…." Elizabeth tried to explain.
"Annoying," Rebecca concluded with a smile. "But don't worry about your cousin, and let us tell you why we are here." Rebecca and Mark explained to Elizabeth all that had happened in London and that Jane and David were happier than ever.
"We wanted to give them a week to be alone, and that's why we came to Kent," Rebecca said.
"And you can join us and stay with us in my aunt's estate or stay with your friend as planned," Mark concluded.
"I'd like to go with you if I am not bothering you," Elizabeth said sheepishly.
"Not at all, my dear Lizzy. My husband will be spending much of his time hunting with his cousin, and little Robert and I can enjoy your company while we go out for a walk."
Elizabeth was happy that she would be able to leave Hunsford, and Jane was enjoying her husband's company. They deserved to be alone, enjoying time together until being separated for almost three months.
When Elizabeth was ready to board Lord and Lady Atkinson's carriage, Anne appeared in her one-horse shay accompanied by Mrs. Jenkinson.
"Lizzy, Mrs. Collins told me you were leaving today, and I wanted to come by and say goodbye. Mrs. Jenkinson told my mother that we would go around the park, and she permitted me to leave the house for one hour. Oh, Lizzy, I will miss you so much," Anne said, hugging Elizabeth, crying inconsolably.
"I will miss you too, Anne," Elizabeth said and kissed her cheek. "But we will always be in touch because I will write to Mrs. Jenkinson to tell her how I am, and I hope to know about you."
"I'll be anxiously awaiting your letters," Anne said, sobbing.
Mrs. Jenkinson saw Charlotte beckoning to her from one of the windows. It probably was because she couldn't keep her husband busy any longer. They knew that if Mr. Collins saw Anne, he would tell Lady Catherine immediately.
"It's time to go back to Rosings, Anne. You know what your mother is like," Mrs. Jenkinson said. She said goodbye to Elizabeth and her friends, and they left without Mr. Collins seeing them. Finally, Charlotte and Mr. Collins came out of the house and said goodbye to the visitors, and the Atkinson's carriage took the road heading east.
Mr. Darcy had hardly slept the night before, filled with rage and pain at what had happened with Elizabeth. He still blamed himself for proposing to a woman who didn't deserve it. But he also blamed her for not recognizing and appreciating the sacrifices he was willing to make for her.
He was miserable, but he wanted to clarify the matter of Mr. Bingley and Jane Bennet. Also, he needed to assure Elizabeth for the last time that he would never bother her again because all the feelings he confessed to her were already part of the past. He had decided to walk because his head hurt.
On the way to the parsonage, he ran into Anne and Mrs. Jenkinson in their little carriage, and he was very concerned when he saw his cousin crying uncontrollably.
"Mrs. Jenkinson, what happened?" he asked, worried.
"Don't worry, Mr. Darcy. Anne is sad because we just came from saying goodbye to Miss Bennet. My dear girl really likes and appreciates her new friend, and she is a little sad, that's all."
"Did Elizabeth leave? Where? With whom?" asked Mr. Darcy in shock. He was devastated; he had planned to see Elizabeth at least once more before cutting her out of his life forever.
Mrs. Jenkinson had noticed that Mr. Darcy was attracted to Elizabeth. In addition, she did not miss the fact that he said her Christian name and the look of anguish on his face when he found out that she had left.
"She left with family friends like twenty minutes ago. But I did not ask her where she was going. Now, we must return to Rosings, Mr. Darcy. Anne, we will play tea with your dolls, and with a cloth I have, I will make a new dress for the doll that Colonel Fitzwilliam gave you. What do you think, my sweet girl?
"What a good idea, Mrs. Jenkinson," Anne said, wiping away her tears. "Darcy, could you read me my favorite book today? I'm just so sad," Anne said as she tried to hold back more tears.
"Of course, my dear. I'll read you your favorite story as many times as you want," Mr. Darcy said, taking Anne's hand.
"Thank you, Darcy. I still have some chocolates. I think I need to eat one to feel better," replied Anne.
Finally, Mrs. Jenkinson ordered the horse to continue on its way, and Mr. Darcy stood in the middle of the road, not knowing where to go. Finally, without knowing how, he arrived at the lake where he had seen Anne run hand in hand with Elizabeth two weeks ago.
He sat on the bench looking at the small lake, and as much as he tried, he couldn't help but shed a few tears, disgusted and enraged. Then he took his head with both hands and stayed there for almost three hours, not knowing what to do.
P&P
Colonel Fitzwilliam couldn't help feeling sorry for his cousin. They were in the carriage heading for London in total silence, and it was obvious that something was wrong with him. The morning had been horrible because Lady Catherine had scolded them throughout breakfast for changing their departure date. But also, Anne, like always, cried a lot when saying goodbye to them. It was always hard for them to say goodbye to Anne.
He knew his cousin was an extremely private man and that he probably didn't want to talk about what was happening to him. But he thought it was related to Elizabeth Bennet and her sudden departure, so he tried to speak with him about the topic. Of course, he intended to do it indirectly so as not to be so obvious.
"Darcy, did you know that Miss Bennet's sister..."
"Fitzwilliam, I prefer not to speak of that lady or any other lady at this time." Mr. Darcy had made up his mind to forget Elizabeth as soon as possible, and to achieve that, he knew he had to cut her out of his life altogether. That's why he didn't want to know anything about her or her family.
"I understand. Don't worry; I won't tell you anything else." Richard verified that his cousin's melancholy was related to Elizabeth Bennet. But he didn't understand why he thought Elizabeth's sister had any interest in Bingley when she was apparently happily married to his good friend David Smith.
The day before, his cousin had been missing all day and did not have dinner with them. That's why he did not hear that their aunt was angry with Mr. Collins because he said he was related to an Earl. When he listened to the story that the parson told his aunt, he knew that Elizabeth's sister's husband was David Smith. He was the brother-in-law and one of Lord Atkinson's best friends.
"I will get you out of my heart and out of my head, Elizabeth Bennet. You'll see that in another month, you will be nothing more than a bad memory," thought Mr. Darcy as he traveled away from Rosings and the worst chapter in his life.
P&P
Thank you to everyone who leaves supportive comments and enthusiastically follows the story.
Thanks to everyone who lets me know they're reading it. You always comment with a lot of interest in what I write, so when I see the comments decrease, I think that maybe the story got boring, and you lost interest. I enjoy writing long chapters. I imagine they are like an episode of those series that we can see in the different applications where several situations happen, and somehow, they are connected. But I often think that maybe I went too far into the details, which makes me hesitate.
I know I have a fan base that reads me and other site users who would never read what I write. So, it is rather an exception when many people follow and comment on a story, as was the case with The Aunt or The Heir. But, as you know, I write just for fun, and my salary is your comments, LoL. So that's why I appreciate them so much.
In the next chapter, Mr. Darcy will face his life's feelings and discover many truths. Also, there will be a family reunion in London, and everyone will want to meet Colonel Smith and his wife.
Gracias a todos los lectores de habla hispana, portuguesa y francesa que siguen mis historias y dejan comentarios de apoyo.
¡Nos vemos pronto!
Saludos,
Yo
