The morning rain had not lasted long. Elizabeth went for her long walk, surrounded by her sisters. They were quiet as they started out. However, Lydia was not one for lengthy bouts of contemplation. "Why are we all so dull this morning?"
"We are worried about what will happen with Lizzy," Kitty replied softly.
"Of course, we are. I know we will miss Lizzy, but Mama is right. Jane, Lizzy, and Mary are all out. Are they not expected to leave us? And if Mary marries Mr. Collins, she will be gone to Hunsford in a few months."
"I will not marry Mr. Collins." Mary protested. "I know Mama wishes it, but it will not happen.
"For Papa will never allow it," said Elizabeth.
"For Papa will never allow it," Mary agreed. "The night before Mr. Hurst came with Mr. Darcy, I asked Papa not to demand I marry Mr. Collins."
"What did he say?" Jane was relieved Mary did not wish to wed Mr. Collins. Mary enjoyed religious texts and debating moral issues. However, she was not overly pious, and tempered her learning with an understanding and empathy of human frailty. She would make a fine parson's wife, as long as that parson was not Mr. Collins.
"At first he was a bit put out that I thought he would force me to marry where I had no feelings. Then, he admitted that while he is amused by Mr. Collins, he finds him difficult to tolerate. He can well conceive what life with the man would be like. He does not want that for me. He said he would talk to Mama and Mr. Collins and suggest he look elsewhere for a bride as he will find none at Longbourn."
"Mama will be disappointed," Kitty said.
"She will be, but she will not blame Mary. If she thinks about it, she will realize she cannot to live in a house with Mr. Collins after Papa is gone. Living under his strictures and having so little say over the household would be insupportable for her. Even if Mary were mistress, Mama would still have to deal with his hovering and ignorance and mind-numbingly endless prattle about Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Every dinner party or occasion would require not only his permission but his presence as well. The dower house will be a much more comfortable situation for her." Jane flushed, noticing the smirks on the faces of her sisters at her comments.
"I think that is the most uncharitable thing I have ever heard you say, Jane," Mary joked, glad to turn the attention away from herself.
"Too bad there is not a dower house for sisters. Jane, if you marry Mr. Bingley, will you not have to live with Miss Bingley?" Kitty asked, 'hovering and ignorance and mind-numbing endless prattle' bringing to mind the unpleasant woman.
"We do not know I will marry Mr. Bingley." Jane responded to yet more grins.
"But you might also live with Lizzy, too, sometimes. If you marry Mr. Bingley, you will be connected to Lizzy forever. And then so will we." Lydia ignored Jane's demurral, excited as she thought out the connections that would keep Lizzy in their family.
"We will be connected forever, regardless," Elizabeth said with great feeling. Before they could say more, they were interrupted by the sounds of hooves. Looking they saw two riders approaching. As they came closer, they could discern the riders were Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. The gentlemen dismounted and greeted the ladies.
"Good afternoon to you all." Mr. Bingley sketched a quick bow to the ladies. Stepping closer to Elizabeth, he took her hand and bowed over it most properly. "Miss Elizabeth, I know this all must be disconcerting for you, but may I say how delighted I am to welcome you to the family. I would also be delighted for you to call me Charles. Our closer association is most agreeable," Bingley said before his attention was transferred to Jane.
"Thank you, Charles. You may call me Elizabeth or Lizzy. And thank you for your warm acceptance. I imagine the news was not uniformly well received at Netherfield."
Both Bingley and Darcy scowled but said nothing. Elizabeth assured them it was no cause of upset for her. "Do not worry. It does not hurt my feelings that your sisters do not approve of the relationship."
"It is not for them to approve or disapprove, Miss Elizabeth. But as it happens, Mrs. Hurst is greatly pleased. Miss Bingley is…not," Darcy answered when Bingley would not.
Bingley had been greatly disturbed by Miss Bingley's reaction. He had never bothered himself to check the worst of his sister's unrestrained behavior. He had given her too much latitude. Miss Bingley's reaction to learning Elizabeth was a Hurst had been alarmingly intense. Bingley was at a loss to know what to do with her. Though they had all gone their separate ways after the conversation that morning, the tension in the house was oppressive. Darcy and Bingley had finally made their escape, going for a ride that led them to the Bennet sisters.
"I imagine there is quite a story behind that rather too concise summary," Elizabeth said.
"I will leave Hurst to fill you in on what occurred. I am sure he will tell you when you next see him."
Jane noticed the younger girls becoming restless. She turned them back toward Longbourn. "I am afraid we are not all the walkers that Lizzy is. Shall you escort us back Longbourn and perhaps stay for tea?"
The gentlemen consented to the proposal. The party broke up into three groups. The three younger girls took the lead, followed by Jane and Bingley, with Elizabeth and Darcy bringing up the rear. As the gentleman were walking their horses alongside them, the groups became increasingly spaced out.
"I am not sure when I will see Mr. Hurst again." Elizabeth chided herself. Had she not vowed to call him David? "David," Elizabeth said tentatively. Clearing her throat, she tried again. "David has been kind to give me time to orient myself. But I feel I am being very selfish."
"By no stretch of the imagination are you selfish, Miss Elizabeth. What makes you thinks so?"
"Everybody is stating that my world is upended or it must be disconcerting or that my life will change forever. It is true. But is my situation really so pitiable? I return to the bosom of a family that has held me in their heart for so long. I will have another home, more parents, and more grandparents." Elizabeth brightened at the thought of grandparents. She did not remember much her Gardiner grandparents and did not know the elder Bennets. "I have decided I prefer the terms 'another' or 'more' rather than 'new' or 'old', which, by the way, is rather confusing. It is acknowledging abundance rather than replacement. So, I will have another sister. I am quite familiar with sisters. We will all be very merry for the addition. I will have a brother. I think I might like that. Though the David I met is very different from the Mr. Hurst I knew before." She said the last sentence almost to herself.
"How does any of that make you selfish?" Darcy asked again.
"The Hursts have lived with this pain nineteen years. It is very easy to say a few more days to accustom myself to the situation would not make a difference. But is it not selfish to ask for more time when they have waited so long? It seems unnecessarily cruel. Even now, as they anticipate a reunion, one they must have thought would never come, to keep them at arm's length while I come to terms with everything feels selfish. We will all have to learn how to navigate this together."
"Miss Elizabeth, it has only been a little more than a day since you learned the truth of your family. You would be excused if you need to ruminate on everything. That you think not of yourself, but the Hursts, speaks of your tremendous compassion." The sincerity in Darcy's voice touched Elizabeth. "Everyone wants the best for you. Meeting them too soon, when you are not ready to, may not be for the best. It may do more harm than good. It might not be intentional or rational, but reticence can sometimes feel like rejection.
"Perhaps you put too much pressure on yourself. Imagine you are simply meeting a new acquaintance. After all, you are not ill-qualified to recommend yourself to strangers. Try to see them as friends before you see them as family. Be yourself, you need not do anything else to impress them.
"Hurst will be leaving tomorrow for London to meet his parent. Might your father go with him? They can clear up the most serious questions and address any legal issues that may arise. And you trust your father. By my thinking, the minute he walks into the room upon his return you would know if he had any reservations about the Hursts.
"You are correct in your assessment." Elizabeth was thoughtful. "That is a very reasoned perspective. Thank you, Mr. Darcy. I will think on it."
"Well, I am a man of sense and education, and who has lived in the world. You need not sound so surprised," Mr. Darcy teased.
Elizabeth laughed. "Mr. Darcy, I am only surprised that I am no longer surprised at what you have shown of yourself lately. Your help and encouragement have been beyond value. And your teasing has lifted me up just when I needed it most.
Try to see her as a friend before you see her as family. Try to see her as a friend before you see her as family. Darcy repeated this in his mind, heartened by her words. He had no doubts. His affections were engaged.