Chapter 18

Bingley sighed and shoved his belongings into a trunk as his sisters complained to him.

"You are equally to blame as Eliza!" accused Caroline. "You encouraged her to be close with Mr. Darcy!"

"I do not see anything wrong with that."

"Eliza went away, and as a result, we are forced to leave Pemberley!"

"Why must you follow her and Mr. Darcy?" asked Louisa, playing with her bracelets. "We would not be forced to go if you stayed. I have no interest in an early arrival at Scarborough."

"I know that the two of you have interfered with my personal affairs," stated Bingley.

"You forced us into those awful rooms! Was that not punishment enough?" cried Caroline.

"No rooms at Pemberley are awful. Those only had a little bit of dust."

"A little bit of dust! They were ancient." Caroline huffed. "Will you at least end your engagement with Jane Bennet? I know you do not love her. You have not spoken about her smiles or her kindness at all recently. Please, brother, do not subject us to your marriage if you cannot even feel for the lady. If you at least loved her, we might be able to overcome our disdain for her family and lack of fortune and connections."

"If my engagement ends, it will not be at your and Louisa's direction," said Bingley, closing his trunk. "Now, let us part."

So the Hursts and Caroline went one way, and Bingley another.

Bingley worried for Lydia. He knew her to be lively and not frightened of anything, but the world was against young ladies. It was a fact his most cheerful thinking could not deny. He knew that life was beautiful, but he knew that it was also cruel, and he hoped—he really, really, hoped—that Lydia was sound.

He thanked the heavens, then, when he was involved in one of the most fortunate, accidental meetings to ever take place.

"Lydia!" he cried, hopping off his horse and running towards her. "Lyddie!"

In front of a door in a row of houses, she turned and smiled. "Oh! Bingley!"

He reached her, panting. "Lydia! You are here!"

"Evidently."

"Lydia."

"What is the matter?" she asked.

"What is the matter?" repeated he. "What is the matter? Lydia, I know what happened! Where is the boy?"

"Oh, you mean my Denny? I have forsaken him."

"What?"

She shrugged. "He did not want to marry me immediately. He would rather listen to papa than me! So when Mrs. Younge told me that she knew a handsome man who would like a grown lady such as myself, I went with her."

"Mrs. Younge?" Bingley knew of her. He had even met her, when she was Miss Darcy's companion. Her betrayal of Miss Darcy was known to him; though he did not know the exact details, she must have done something terribly wrong if Darcy said that she was never to be near his sister again. "You cannot go with her. She is not good. And you are not a grown woman!"

"I am! I am out, and I am the tallest of my sisters already. Mrs. Younge understands me. I quite like her," said Lydia. "She bought me a pretty dress, and she will introduce me to a handsome man, who might make Denny jealous, if he will come after me. They shall duel for me, and I will marry the winner."

"There will be no duel. You will come with me, and I will bring you home to Longbourn," stated Bingley.

"You will not!"

"I will."

"I did not think that you were such a bore! What happened to the spontaneous Mr. Bingley, who would throw a ball at a moment's notice?"

"Even he knows that two young people should not elope. Please, Lydia. Come with me."

"Make me!"

"Lydia—"

She turned to walk away, and Bingley was forced to grab her arm.

"Think of your family, Lydia!"

"I will think of myself! Now let me go!"

"No, you will—" A great weight struck his face. In his surprise and pain, he let go of Lydia. Holding his nose, which he dearly hoped was not broken, he looked down. On the ground was a pretty reticule. "What the—"

"You will not impose on the girl any longer!"

Lydia began laughing. Seeing that she was not going to run away, Bingley turned towards the newcomer. She was tall, clearly wealthy if her attire was to be observed, and very handsome. She looked about his age. Bingley's gaze was drawn to her eyes, which he would have thought pretty if they were not staring murderously at him. He was, in fact, quite annoyed with her, and he rarely was irritated by people not his sisters. The woman moved to stand between him and Lydia.

"You will leave this girl alone now," she demanded.

"I will not—ow!" Bingley gawked at the stone that was thrown at him. "Where did you even get that? Never mind. Madam, I appreciate your valiant support of a damsel, but you are interfering with my own attempt of rescuing, of which I, as her brother, have precedence."

"He is your brother?" the lady asked Lydia.

"Brother-to-be," answered she, "if ever. He and my sister are taking quite a while to marry. I wonder if they will be a wedding between them at all. So you see, he is not family yet, and you may continue to protect me from him."

The lady glanced between the two.

"She has run away from her friends and into the arms of a woman not to be trusted," explained Bingley. To Lydia, he called, "I bet my new foxhounds that Mrs. Younge does not have a man worth marrying waiting for you. I know her. She is deceitful."

The lady gasped. "Mrs. Younge?"

"You know her?" asked Bingley.

"She was my friend's governess." To Lydia, she spoke, "He is right. Mrs. Younge may seem respectable and nice, but she is really selfish and conniving."

Lydia sniffed. "How can she be selfish if she gifted me pretty things?"

"To lure you in. Now, I will buy you pretty things, if you agree to come with me to your family," said Bingley.

"Fine." She lifted her chin. "You will buy me my own establishment in town, on a fashionable street."

"What about a pretty dress?"

"Why should I settle for that? I could be married, with my own home if I do not follow you."

"I cannot buy you a house."

"Then you best think of something before I leave you here on this quaint street. Say, what are you doing here, and not with Jane in Hertfordshire, again?"

Bingley offered, "If you will come with me, I will tell you a secret."

"Is it a good one? You must give me a hint, or I shall not listen."

"It is about one of your sisters, and an engagement."

"If it is about you not wanting Jane anymore, I already know of it. Kitty told me."

"It is not about me and her," said Bingley, though he had really meant to use the information. "It is about Lizzy."

"La, I doubt it will be anything interesting. If a man proposed to her again, she probably refused him. She is that way, thinking that all the men in Meryton are stupid. Why, when the militia left, Kitty told me that Lizzy did not cry at all!"

"Again?" asked Bingley, distracted. "What do you mean again? She has been proposed to in the past?"

"You do not know of Mr. Collins? How droll!"

"Mr. Collins?" Darcy was not going to like that.

"Yes. It seems like I have more interesting secrets than you. I wonder why I still stand here."

"I can tell you that this gentleman who loves Lizzy is someone of great consequence. He is very rich—richer than some dukes. But I fear Lizzy will not give you anything if you run away."

He got her. Lydia was intrigued.

She agreed to come with him at the moment a voice from the upper story window shouted her name.

"Go!" the woman with the reticule exclaimed to them. "I will distract her."

As Bingley hauled Lydia onto his horse, she cried to the stranger, "But what is your name?"

The woman smiled and answered, "Lady Cassandra."

Longbourn was in chaos when they entered. Recent callers had just been leaving. Wide eyes were quickly replaced by a sly smile on Lady Lucas as she waved at them from atop her curricle. Mrs. Phillips, upon seeing them, immediately chose to follow them back into the house. The servants ran as they tried to balance their attention between their wailing mistress and the new arrivals. The elder Gardiner children shouted gleefully at the sight of their parents and cousin, while the younger ones cried as they witnessed their aunt's tears. As always, Mary chose the inappropriate moment to play her instrument. Kitty coughed. Mrs. Bennet, the loudest of them all and the source of most of the uproar, was not afraid to rant all of her thoughts and feelings. Her daughter might be ruined! It could not be! How could she think of absconding with a man without the distinction of marriage? How could she risk ruining her mother, her family, and her sister's engagement to Mr. Bingley? Did she have no compassion for her mother's nerves? For her mother's health? Wild girl! Never listening to her mother! Now the entire county was talking, mocking, and speculating all the wrong things, no doubt. How could Lizzy do this to her poor mother?

"What?" Elizabeth could not believe her ears.

Darcy frowned. Mr. Gardiner's brow furrowed and his wife tried to reassure Elizabeth with a glance.

"What are you talking about, Fanny?" asked Mr. Gardiner.

"Lizzy of course! Thank goodness you have come, brother! You must convince Mr. Bennet to find—Mr. Darcy! Lizzy!" Mrs. Bennet gasped upon seeing the haughty, wealthy gentleman standing in her house next to the daughter he was rumoured to have scandalously pursued. The transformation was sudden. She was stunned into silence.

Her brother, familiar with her antics, spoke confidently. "Mr. Darcy and I will be speaking to Bennet. Do excuse us."

Wordlessly, with eyes almost as large as the pin money Elizabeth would surely receive upon being Mrs. Darcy, Mrs. Bennet nodded. Mrs. Phillips was in the same silent, astonished state; after all, she was childless, and could consider her niece's success as her own.

As Mrs. Gardiner attended her sisters-in-law, Elizabeth went to Kitty. Jane and Mary, who was replaced on the instrument by her younger cousins, quickly joined them.

"What has happened? What did mama mean?" Elizabeth asked.

"Oh, Lizzy, I had hoped that my letter reached you," said Jane worriedly.

"How could it, when you wrote the address so hurriedly? It must have been delayed," commented Mary.

Elizabeth spoke, "I do not understand."

"It is not as grave as mama believes it to be," said Jane. "Our neighbours think that Mr. Darcy has dishonoured you, but they do not know that he is not engaged to his cousin. Are you engaged to him, Lizzy? I thought that the two of you were very close when he returned with Mr. Bingley to Netherfield, and he is here now. Please say that you are!"

"Please say that you are not! Lizzy could do much better than a dour man," stated Kitty. "I told Maria that, but she said that he visited you often at the Parsonage. Then her mother wrote to Charlotte to ask her about it, because someone said a comment to her about Mr. Darcy liking you after his friend got engaged to our sister, and you know how one engagement always leads to another. Well, Charlotte wrote back, and it did not do you any good. You have to know, Lizzy, that Jane does not understand how bad it has gotten, for you are in dire straits indeed. The entire county is talking about how Bingley only returned so that Mr. Darcy might see you. They say that Bingley only proposed to Jane so that all eyes were on them and not you and Mr. Darcy, and that Bingley never plans to marry Jane at all. Then they found out that you were travelling to Derbyshire. You can imagine what they were thinking!"

"We dare not repeat the terrible things we have heard," spoke Mary.

"It is not all bad," said Jane. "Several of our neighbours believe that Lizzy and Mr. Darcy would never behave improperly. They are excited for a potential match, as I am sure everyone will be once they realise that nothing untoward has occurred."

"Do not listen to Jane's happy takes," commanded Kitty. "I overheard the other day a conversation between papa and Mr. Hill. Papa had received a letter from Mr. Collins. The gossip in Kent is even stronger than the one here, it seems. I think that our toad of a cousin fears that his patroness will be displeased. What will you do, Lizzy? It is not like you will marry Mr. Darcy."

"I am," confessed Elizabeth. "Do not be alarmed, Kitty. He loves me, and I love him."

Kitty gasped. Mary rose a brow. Jane smiled.

"But he is so dreary!" cried Kitty. "How can you love such a man? You need not sacrifice yourself for wealth when Jane is going to marry Bingley, who is rich enough for us all."

"Bingley might not want to marry Jane if scandal persists," said Mary.

"Indeed, there is a scandal, but it is a different one." Elizabeth turned to Kitty. "What have you heard from Lydia?"

"Nothing since I wrote to you about her. You received my letters, correct?" Kitty glanced at Jane and Mary. To Elizabeth, she whispered, "They do not know about her plans."

"What plans?" asked Mary.

"You would like to know," said Kitty with an air of superiority.

"The only gossip in Meryton, then, is of me and Mr. Darcy?" asked Elizabeth.

"Yes, you are all they can talk about. Oh, and the fact that Charlotte's brother is pursuing Mary King; but he only expressed his interest after the rumours about you and Mr. Darcy were around, so I suppose it is still about you."

Elizabeth was not sure what to think. The gossip around her and Darcy offended her, but she was relieved that Lydia's actions were not yet known. Was it the case of one rumour hiding another? She was surprised that there was no sign of Colonel Forster at Longbourn. Did young Denny's procurement of a supposed companion for Lydia possibly succeed in its intentions? He had said that Colonel Forster believed that Mrs. Younge had been hired by Mr. Bennet, but Elizabeth had assumed that the forgery of a letter would have been observed by one with such a position in the militia. The only bright development she considered secure was Jane's happiness and lack of bitterness at her engagement; but even then, she knew that her sister would experience disappointment once Bingley arrived.

Later, while the men were still in Mr. Bennet's library, she took Kitty aside.

"Lydia has run away," she revealed.

"She has done it?" Kitty's eyes widened. "Wait. Was that Mr. Denny's cousin who arrived with you? I did think him quite handsome. But where is Lydia?"

Elizabeth explained what had happened, which took quite a long time, for her sister kept asking about her and Darcy, and if she was really fine with marrying a frightening man.

"I want you to be happy," said Kitty.

"Oh, my dearest sister, I will be."

"I suppose he did do well with finding Mr. Denny."

"Yes, he did. He is the best of men."

"It is better for you to believe that, if you are to marry him."

Elizabeth then implored Kitty to keep Lydia's disappearance a secret from her friends. The repercussions of the scandal would hurt them all. For once, Kitty listened wholeheartedly.

"I will even tell Maria that Lydia was making a great joke, for I am sure that she has written to her."

They waited together, whispering back and forth, until the men were finished with their meeting. Just as Mrs. Bennet regained her wits and called for her second eldest daughter, they heard the door to the library open and shut.

"They are coming!" cried Mrs. Bennet, hurrying to arrange several pillows. "Lizzy, sit straight and pinch your cheeks!"

The severe looks of the men, and one frightened boy, were not what Mrs. Bennet expected. Mr. Bennet's mien, in particular, was awfully grave, and fear consumed her when he immediately ordered the servants to ready the carriage.

"Mr. Bennet! What is it?" exclaimed she.

"My dear." In several long strides, he reached her and took her hand. "Do not exhaust yourself with alarm. Your health is of utmost importance, and you will remember that although I bear bad news, I also bring to you an announcement of your dreams. Our family will be in good hands, no matter what has occurred."

"What do you mean, Mr. Bennet?"

"Our youngest daughter has run away. This boy was with her, and she is now with a woman who disguises herself as a companion. We think that she is in London and shall go there immediately to find her." He gripped her hand strongly so she could not lose focus. "Fear not. We have the help of Mr. Darcy, who is engaged to your Lizzy."

Mrs. Bennet nearly fainted. A flurry commenced, with her daughters, sisters, and husband attending her and Mrs. Hill being called for. Mr. Bennet placed a hand on her stomach and begged her to calm.

"Foolish Lydia," remarked Mary as she grabbed the smelling salts.

"It is devastating, and I am worried for her; but we must have hope that she will be found," said Jane. She began to fan her mother.

"Oh my!" Mrs. Bennet cried for Elizabeth, who knelt forward to have her cheeks grasped. "Is it true, Lizzy? You are engaged?"

"Yes, mama. The rumours were wrong. Mr. Darcy and I have had a respectable courtship."

Mrs. Bennet glanced at Darcy. Unable to say anything to the formidable gentleman, she returned her gaze to her daughter and exhaled. "Oh, my dearest child! You have saved us! My sweet, clever Lizzy! But Lydia will be found, will she not? She must be! Tell me that she will be found!"

"She will be found, mama. She will be brought back to you," promised Elizabeth.

"She must be."

"Yes, mama."

"Lizzy, Lizzy, my sweetest child!"

As the combined efforts to soothe Mrs. Bennet went on, a carriage sounded at the front of the house.

"They could not have arranged it so soon," said Mr. Bennet, glancing at the clock.

At the window, Kitty exclaimed, "That is not our carriage! It is big and gold and coming towards the house."

"Who could it be?" asked Mr. Gardiner. He and Darcy went to look, and the latter recognised it immediately.

"It is my aunt, Lady Catherine," he said. "I do not know why she is here."

"So my cousin did not exaggerate her displeasure," spoke Mr. Bennet. He sighed. "We must delay our travel until dawn if we are to see to her."

"I will go ahead," said Mr. Gardiner.

His wife shook her head. "It will be dark soon, and you will be far more efficient when you are well-rested. Nothing good will come out of travelling tonight."

"We must ready the house to greet her ladyship," spoke Mrs. Bennet, standing with her daughters' help. To Lizzy, she leaned in close and urged to accompany her betrothed.

When Elizabeth took her place next to Darcy, he lent her a comforting arm.

"I know not her objective in coming here, but I do not think we have anything to fear," he whispered to her. "She might only be offended that I did not tell her of my plans to marry you."

He was wrong. At being presented to the room and spying Darcy and Elizabeth together, Lady Catherine's strict mien transformed into a vicious glare.

"I will speak to my nephew and Miss Elizabeth Bennet immediately," she demanded, and of course she was granted the audience.

Away from her throne at Rosings, Lady Catherine stood seemingly taller than ever. She would have been remarkable if her disdain was not so adamant. Her attempts of civility, made with feeble effort only for the respect of her nephew, had gone swiftly when she realised that her greatest fears were likely true. The confirmation of the engagement unleashed all of her fury.

"You will do your duty," she commanded of Darcy, "and break this wretched affair at once."

"You will not insult Elizabeth." His voice was thunderous. "There is no wretched affair."

"So you say, but you speak of her so informally and see her when she is alone at the Parsonage I bestowed on her cousin, when her cousin and his wife attend my dinner," spoke Lady Catherine. "This is the man you have become because of her arts and allurements."

"Our engagement is proper," stated Darcy. "We have not been dishonourable, so you will cease your damaging accusations."

"And I am to accept this? My sister's son, taken in by a woman of neither fortune nor consequence. It is not to be borne! Noble blood cannot be ignored!" She turned to Elizabeth. "If my nephew will not listen, you must. You will not be accepted. Censure will come from his society, and you will be turned away from all of his friends."

"Anyone who does not give Elizabeth her due will be turned away by me. You are no exception," spoke Darcy.

Apparently, he was no exception to her scorn either. Lady Catherine continued her diatribe, criticising his imprudent, foolish decisions, his betrayal of his upbringing, and, in an ultimate attempt to steer him away from his engagement, his failure to see how his chosen bride would one day regret marrying him.

Elizabeth could stand it no longer.

"He is a gentleman, and I am a gentleman's daughter," interjected she. "In that, we are equal. His honour will not suffer by his choice, and any misfortune presented to me will be of no importance. As the wife of Mr. Darcy, I will have far greater sources of happiness that to repine would be, in all ways, unnecessary."

"You are far too obstinate! Foolish girl, you will be his ruin!"

"She will not," spoke Darcy. "I have heard enough. Elizabeth will not be disrespected. You will leave her father's home."

She did not go without protest.

"Enough!" Darcy's voiced boomed. "Unless you apologise to the future Mrs. Darcy, our ties are severed."

Until then, Elizabeth knew not how fearsome her betrothed could be. She was not alone in her realisation. Lady Catherine was forced to understand that Darcy was not a man to be swayed. Yet she was also, through consequence and age, set in her idea of her own importance, and always had to have her words heard last.

"I approve none of this, and I take no leave of this house."

With that, she was gone.

Darcy immediately comforted Elizabeth. She leaned into his embrace and did not want to let go.

"How dare she," murmured Darcy.

"I would be dishonest if I said I was not upset," said Elizabeth, "but we are together, and that is what matters most. You will forgive her one day."

"I will not."

"She is your aunt."

"If she continues to insult you, I will not know her."

"My dearest Darcy." Elizabeth closed her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you," spoke he, "and I will never let you go. I will always choose you. She is foolish for not seeing it."

"Could you really say that she is? Did my father expect you today?"

"No," admitted Darcy. "My letter to him, and your uncle's letter, did not precede our arrival. Your father was completely surprised by me, as he had believed that the rumours about us could not have been true. He gave me his blessing, but he seemed hesitant. It was not until your uncle spoke of your youngest sister that your father appeared to fully accept me. His situation, however, is different than my aunt's. As affronted as I might have been at his initial response, he acted as any guardian would to a man he has scarcely spoken to before."

Elizabeth asked what she wished to know most of all. "My sister—is there hope for her? Was my father angry?"

"He is, but he is determined that she will be found."

"Will he welcome Lydia home?"

"I think so. He is relieved that no news of her ruin has been heard of yet. I will say, though, that his anger at young Denny is unmatched. I am unsure if he will make them marry."

They stood there together for a few moments more, before Mr. Hill gently knocked on the door to let them know that they were expected by the others. Curiously, Elizabeth watched the silent rapport between her betrothed and her father's butler. The respect between them seemed unusually strong. She was most impressed and meant to make a remark to Darcy before he left in the morning. However, she forgot all of it before dawn came, for Longbourn was interrupted by the arrival of Bingley and Lydia.

Up Next: Rupture and reconciliation.