November 3, 2014 – I hope everyone had a nice weekend. We certainly did. Tomorrow is Election Day in the USA; I'm ready for the campaign ads to be over. If you are eligible to do so, vote.
Jane and Anne meet again. I think this may be my favorite chapter in the story.
Chapter 35
Easter came and went and the Darcys departed Rosings, bound for Netherfield. A few days in London were once again required. Anne needed to visit Mrs. Langley's and also settle some details with her housekeeper, Mrs. Thomas, in preparation for their return to Town to begin the Season.
Both Anne and Fitzwilliam were anxious to return to Hertfordshire. The letters they had received from family and friends detailed the furious pace of preparations for the wedding. Anne also wished to see for herself the progress of the courtship between her sister Mary and her friend Sir John Whitby. She felt strangely protective of the little man who had won her esteem and Mary was so young and unsophisticated. She could not bear to see either disappointed.
Georgiana had decided to join her brother and sister in Hertfordshire rather than remaining in Town under the watchful eye of Mrs. Annesley. Anne had told the young woman of her plans and Georgiana wanted to be with her beloved sister as much as Anne would allow. After all, Anne had done the same for her after the Ramsgate affair.
Mr. and Miss Bingley graciously welcomed the Darcys yet again to Netherfield and informed them that they would be staying in their usual rooms. Sir John was in residence, as were Mr. and Mrs. Hurst. More of Bingley's relations from Scarborough were due to arrive the following day.
When they reconvened in the drawing room, Anne sat next to her friend Sir John on one of the sofas. She stared down at him with an inquisitive look on her face.
"Well?" she drew out.
"Well, what?"
She swatted his arm. "You impudent man!" All eyes in the room turned toward the two. Sir John tried to look innocent while Anne glared at him. She said nothing more and the others gradually returned to their conversations.
"You know exactly what I want to know."
"I do, but that does not mean I have any announcements to make."
"You are taking longer than Fitzwilliam," she muttered.
"As I recall, your cousin allowed you an entire Season and then some before you came to an arrangement."
"Yes, but you've had all winter to get to know Mary. How long does it take?"
Sir John motioned with his head towards Bingley. "You have forgotten our friend. He is getting married in a few days. Pity to steal his glory."
"I do not think he would mind one bit if you had an announcement to make. Look at him – would anything bother him short of disturbing his wedding?" Bingley did look annoyingly happy. No one should be in such a good mood while in conversation with Caroline Bingley.
Sir John smirked. "No, but the right time to discuss this with the young lady involved has yet to occur. Take heart, you will be among the first to know, one way or the other."
"You do not doubt your reception?" Anne asked incredulously.
"The last time I was foolish enough to believe I would be received with pleasure, I left with my tail between my legs. So while I hope, I dare not presume."
Anne colored a bit; he was referring to her handling of him. She knew she had not been as kind as she should, even if he never got to the point of a proposal. She had sent him away long before then. "You will ask, though?"
"I would not be humoring you if I did not intend to do so."
Anne laughed, her guilty conscience somewhat alleviated by his teasing. She also recognized she would have to tell Sir John the truth about her heritage before it became common knowledge, especially since it appeared he would soon be her brother.
That evening Charles Bingley found the opportunity to talk to Anne privately as well. He told her he would keep her secret as long as she wished, that he was honored to call her sister, and delighted to call her husband brother, even if his sister Caroline had once hoped the connection would come about through her and not Anne. He gave Anne an affectionate kiss on the cheek and left her in the care of her husband.
~~~/~~~
The Netherfield party was at home the next morning when the Bennets came to call. Anne had wondered how her first meeting with her eldest sister would happen. On this occasion, being away from Longbourn, they were on somewhat neutral ground, though Jane would soon be mistress of the house.
It was obvious that Jane was nervous about the meeting as well. It was hard to tell who was more relieved to see the other smile, but they both relaxed when they realized neither was angry with the other. Elizabeth was brought in by her nurse to be shown to the group. The little girl was growing so quickly that many comments were heard on how much bigger she was than on the last visit. When the child began to fuss, Anne allowed the nursemaid to take her little girl back to the nursery.
Jane took advantage of the disruption caused by the baby's departure to ask Anne if she would like to take a walk with her in the gardens. Mr. Bingley, of course, knew his intended needed to speak with her sister, and Georgiana and her brother knew Anne wanted to talk to Jane as well. Thus the two young women were allowed to make their escape outdoors without any other company.
It was a lovely day. High clouds littered the sky, bringing shadow and bright sunshine to the countryside. The early spring flowers were in full color and the air was redolent with the scent of their blooms. It was a welcome distraction. They could talk about the foliage while they gained the courage to revisit their last tête-à-tête.
"The grounds are lovely; you will enjoy walking here in the future," Anne said as they ambled along.
"I am sure I will, though Charles tells me that this place is nothing in comparison to Pemberley."
"I am too biased to give an accurate account, but Pemberley's gardens and park are magnificent. But I hope you will make your own judgment soon enough. Fitzwilliam and I would love to see you there this summer. My de Bourgh cousins have been invited as well. It is time we return Bingley's generous hospitality. We have not been the easiest of guests."
"Thank you for your invitation. I will speak to Charles and then we will give you an answer. But Anne, I am surprised you are not angry with me. I had no right to speak to you the way that I did. I cannot think of it without abhorrence. I do not know what led me to make such outrageous demands. You are not to blame for what happened to you, for who you became. My outburst was most unlike me, I assure you. My selfish resentment appalls me."
Anne knew Jane needed to apologize, for Jane had been wrong, but so had she.
"Perhaps your admonitions were not altruistic in nature, but that does not mean that your conclusions were wrong. You gave me much to ponder in your… our father's bookroom. It was … difficult to be honest with myself and acknowledge the real reason for not declaring my parentage. In short, you were right. I was ashamed to be a Bennet. To my mortification, I must admit that I was raised to think entirely too well of myself. The shock of learning that I was not who I believed myself to be was extreme. I could accept my family as individuals, but I could not accept their inferior position, for that brought me down to a level of society that I have always regarded as unworthy of my time.
"I am a proud, arrogant and vain woman, Jane. I now understand to what extent and I do not like it. Your reproofs were well aimed."
"I think you are a wonderful woman," Jane cried in Anne's defense. She really did have a difficult time thinking ill of a person. "Your gift of the dresses I did not deserve, not after my infamous treatment of you."
"My purpose was to show you that I had taken your words to heart. By providing you access to an exclusive modiste – your new sister Caroline has been trying for years to get into Mrs. Langley's shop – I hope to help establish you in London society. People will discover whom you patronize and make judgments of you based solely on that, I am afraid. And I really do love the gowns Mrs. Langley creates. You will find no better."
"They are beautiful and I thank you. I look forward to wearing them when I go to Town with my husband.
"Have you forgiven me for being so selfish and demanding things I ought not?" Jane asked with trepidation
"Of course, if you can forgive me for being the same," Anne replied with great sincerity.
"If it helps you, I now think your reactions were justified. And I was wrong to force you to make such choices. If you wish to remain my cousin, so be it. You are my sister now in my heart."
Anne was very relieved, but steady in her purpose. "Thank you, Jane, but the truth needs to come out. It will be better for us all, including Caroline Bingley, if my parentage is known. Young Anne looks too much like me to hide it forever."
"But what of your reputation?"
"I think honesty and integrity the most important."
That was an answer Jane was willing to accept. Anne then told Jane of all her plans for after the wedding. Jane was a bit awed by the extent of the engagements, and even more surprised with the news that Lady Catherine was to be in attendance as well. Anne explained the reason she had asked her mother to join them in London and Jane again saw the merit in her reasoning. By the time they returned to the house, they were walking arm in arm, laughing and looking forward to the days and weeks ahead. From then on, they endeavored to make their disagreement, and its resolution, the foundation for their deepening friendship.
~~~/~~~
There was one more event of great import that occurred before Jane Bennet and Charles Bingley could tie the proverbial knot. The next oldest Bennet daughter became engaged, though the official announcement – the one made to the bride's mother – would not be made until after Mary became Miss Bennet.
Anne discovered it the night before the wedding.
Sir John had an air of confidence about him that Anne had never seen before. It did not take her long to deduce what had brought about such a change in her friend.
"You finally asked," she said under her breath, but loud enough for him to hear. They were seated next to each other.
"I told you I would." He sounded very proud of himself even at a whisper.
"By your downcast countenance, I would hazard that she refused," she teased, and he was willing to indulge her.
"Utterly and completely," he prevaricated.
"Smart girl!" Anne was quite happy. "When will this great misfortune that is to befall Miss Mary be announced?"
"In a few days. Mr. Bennet wishes to recover from one wedding before the next is thrust upon him."
"What is that you are whispering about?" Fitzwilliam asked his wife after he sat down opposite Sir John.
"Why the wedding, my dear," Anne answered elusively.
"Yes, you have certainly proven yourself to be quite energetic on the topic of late. Forgive my wife, Whitby."
"Mrs. Darcy is always forgiven, even before you realize she has already bested you."
"Aye, something about which I have a great deal of firsthand knowledge," Fitzwilliam affirmed. When Anne smiled and nodded, he said to Sir John, "I need to speak with you privately."
Sir John was caught off guard by the request. "Now?"
"If you do not mind."
The two men excused themselves and Anne gave her husband a grateful look before they left. They chose the billiards room for some privacy.
Sir John grabbed a cue and leaned over the table to execute a shot. "I suppose you have been assigned to interrogate me for your wife?"
Darcy smiled, rather sadly at that. "Not at all, but I do assume you are to be married to Miss Mary?"
"Yes, she accepted me today, though the announcement will come after tomorrow." He struck the ball and watched it careen into the others at the end of the table. "We shall be cousins, Darcy."
"Not cousins, Whitby. Brothers."
Sir John was preparing for a second shot but stood up, forgetting the cue in his hand when he noted the lack of mirth on his companion's face. This was no joke. "You are serious. Who is your…" he stopped. Darcy had said brothers, not cousins. That could only mean…"Anne?"
Darcy nodded. "My Anne was actually born Elizabeth Bennet." He then told Sir John all that he knew about Anne's abduction and the discovery of her real family. He then explained Anne's decision to acknowledge her family.
"Darcy, I am speechless. I will be honored to call you brother and sister, but are you sure it is wise to make the connection public?"
The game lay forgotten in front of them.
"The decision is Anne's and I have pledged my support. Obviously, I have reservations and so does Anne, but this is not a choice made without great deliberation. Anne has very good reasons for following this course, and as such, and because of my devotion and belief in her, we will do as she has determined. I do believe she is correct in that it is only of matter of when, not if, this will become known. The family resemblance is too great, and the Bennets' new connections to the ton make it impossible for the secret to remain hidden. Perhaps if Anne Bennet did not look so much like my Anne at that age, it might be possible, but I tell you Whitby, had they been closer in age, people would have mistaken them for twins."
"I am still shocked. Who would have known?"
"No one, had Bingley not taken up residence at Netherfield," Darcy mused. "However, it has caught both you and Bingley wives, so I will not wonder what would have happened had we never come to Hertfordshire. For better or worse, my family circle has been greatly expanded.
"Will you come to London then, after the wedding tomorrow?" Darcy asked the diminutive man.
"I had planned to do so, if only to see my attorney about the wedding settlements."
Darcy nodded. The business of marriage was not simple for a rich man. "Have you set a date yet?"
"I convinced Mary and Mr. Bennet to agree to a six-week engagement. Mary was already set to travel to Town to stay with the Bingleys. Now she can do her shopping for her wedding clothes and return to Hertfordshire a little earlier than planned. Kitty will take Mary's place when the newlyweds travel to Scarborough and the North for Bingley to introduce his bride to the rest of his family."
"Excellent! I know Anne will extend the Bingleys' invitations for her London fêtes to include Miss Mary. You must come too. I am anxious to reacquaint my "little" brother-to-be with my family."
Sir John glared, good-naturedly of course, at his tall friend. "I will have you know being shorter has its advantages."
"Such as?"
"A woman's décolletage is closer to eye level."
"At my height, I can look down at the part hidden by the fabric."
At that comment, both men burst out laughing. Darcy shook Sir John's hand. "Welcome to the family."
"Are you going to ask me about the proposal?"
"No, I leave those kinds of discussions to the women. You asked, she accepted. That's all I need to know. Anne, however, will corner Mary tomorrow and not leave her alone until she has learned every last detail. You would be surprised by how much you did not know had occurred. Then she will spend a great deal of time and effort telling me everything she thinks Mary left out. I will pretend I am interested and we will go to sleep content."
"Ah, excellent strategy. Any other bits of wisdom from an old married man?"
Darcy did not even hesitate. "Apologize even when you do not know what you are supposed to have done wrong."
"I will remember that." Sir John lined up his next shot… and missed.
~~~/~~~
Everyone agreed that the wedding of Miss Jane Bennet to Mr. Charles Bingley was as fine a wedding as the neighborhood had seen in many a year. The ceremony, of course, was attended by family and a few close friends. The wedding breakfast was held at Longbourn and was somehow attended by more people than had been in the church – many more. Mrs. Bennet was in all her glory. Her eldest daughter was well settled and she had hopes that another would soon join Jane in the married state.
Mr. and Mrs. Bingley left the festivities in the afternoon, bound for an undisclosed location for a few days alone to begin their married life. They would then travel to London to stay for the Season, after which they would go to the north of England. Caroline Bingley remained at Netherfield, along with Mr. and Mrs. Hurst, until the last of their guests had departed. Then they too would journey to Town so Caroline could throw herself into her hunt for a husband. The Darcys left the day after the wedding. Anne had much to do and not much time to do it. By the time the next few weeks had come and gone, Anne knew her life would never be the same.
Well, one more chapter and the Epilogue. Lots of things to happen still and I'm sure you are all wondering if the truth will come out.