By the time the residents of Longbourn prepared for dinner, it seemed they had received a visit from everyone of note in the neighbourhood, as well as seeing a parade of tenants, merchants and others finding some reason or other to call on the estate. Luckily, most of the latter were intercepted by Mrs Hill, who ensured they were given such gossip as was to be had and speedily sent on their ways without bothering the family. It was with a sense of great relief that they sat down to a table with only themselves and the ever-genial Mr Bingley, who had arrived from Netherfield at a proper hour and not one minute too early.
Jane was too conscious to say much in that gentleman's presence, and Elizabeth was glad for a reprieve from the need to entertain with stories of her engagement to his illustrious friend from Derbyshire, for Bingley was the only person in the neighbourhood to have advance knowledge of that event. Lydia and Mrs Bennet, however, saw no cause to suspend the gloating over their good fortune that had characterised the rest of the day.
"Mr Bingley, you are most welcome," cried Mrs Bennet on his arrival. "You find us all a-flutter, for we have such news!"
"Indeed, Madam," replied he with all good humour, "I am all ears. But first, perhaps I could greet your lovely daughters and divest myself of my hat?" He actually winked at Mrs Bennet as he said this, and she preened with pleasure at being teased by a young man she was sure she would one day call son. Bingley turned to bow politely to Kitty, Mary, Lydia and Elizabeth before his eyes came to rest on Jane, where they stayed for a long moment before he bowed deeply and raised her had to his lips, saying, "Miss Bennet, is very good to see you again so soon."
Delighted by the flustered blush that stained Jane's cheeks at his forwardness, Bingley then turned back to Mrs Bennet and prompted in excited tones, "Now, you must tell me your news!"
"Oh, sir," she gushed, "It is news of the very best sort. My Lydia and my Lizzy have both come home from London ..."
"I can see that, madam, for they stand here beside you," interrupted Bingley, a teasing glint in his eye.
"Well, yes," said the matron, somewhat confused by the interruption, but not to be diverted from her revelation, "but the thing is, you see, they have both come home engaged to be married!"
Having had his fun, Bingley was too kind-hearted to disappoint Mrs Bennet by revealing he had known of the engagements before he left London, and instead happily listened while both Mrs Bennet and Lydia explained all the particulars and insisted he must attend the wedding. "A double wedding, Mr Bingley. Can you imagine?"
Bingley answered when called upon and generally kept the conversation going through much of dinner, occasionally exchanging a roll of the eyes with Elizabeth or a gentle smile with Jane. Little effort was needed, as Mrs Bennet and her youngest daughter were perfectly happy to carry the conversation. As he was the only gentleman present, there was no separation after dinner. It was still early and a pleasant evening beckoned, so he suggested a stroll in the gardens, to which Jane and Elizabeth quickly agreed. Mrs Bennet, however, proclaimed that with less than two weeks before the wedding, she would need Elizabeth and Lydia to attend her instead. Mary and Kitty might go, she declared, since no-one would miss them. Mary begged off, preferring her book to walking, and so Bingley and Jane were accompanied by Kitty, and set off directly.
Elizabeth reluctantly attended her mother, thoroughly convinced that she was not needed in planning a wedding that Mrs Bennet and Lydia were more than capable of devising, and certain that her own views and wishes, should she be reckless enough to express them, would be disregarded in any case. She would much prefer to be outside, enjoying the evening and watching the interactions between Bingley and Jane. But she swallowed her rebellious thoughts and sat politely, listening to her mother's plans and occasionally murmuring her agreement to some detail or other. After all, Mrs Bennet lived for the day her daughters married, and she had been given less than a fortnight to organise a double wedding, including that of her favourite child. Elizabeth reminded herself that it would soon be over, and her own boredom was a small price to pay for her mother's happiness. And despite all her mother's fussing and fluttering and mentions of her nerves, it was reassuring to have at least one parent who was unequivocally in favour of her match.
Outside, Kitty proved a much less observant chaperone than Elizabeth might have. Jane and Bingley were left largely to themselves after Kitty planted herself firmly on a garden bench, declaring that she had only come outside to get away from all the talk of weddings, and had no inclination to walk. She waved her companions on, and they were happy to oblige. Bingley offered Jane his arm, and they strolled gently around the rose garden. If it was Jane or Bingley that bent their steps towards the pretty little wilderness off to the side of the house, it was impossible to know, but somehow their meanderings led them to a secluded bower overarched by climbing roses and surrounded by a profusion of cheerful flowers.
Until this point, they had each been silent, apart from occasional inconsequential comments on the garden and the mildness of the evening. Both were acutely conscious of the presence of the other, but uncertain how to begin a conversation without causing offence or hurt. Finding themselves with the privacy each had hoped for, they now both spoke at once:
"Mr Bingley, I ..." began Jane, but stopped when she heard him say, "Miss Bennet ... Jane ... please tell me it is not too late."
Unable to speak, Jane nevertheless managed to raise her eyes to his, and to take his hand and pull him to join her on the seat nestled in the bower. This was sufficient encouragement for Bingley to continue, and his professions of affection were most happily received and returned in equal measure. It was difficult for Jane to speak of her inmost feelings, but in this instance, there was sufficient motivation, and when Bingley declared his love, she was able to assure him that she had loved him from the evening they first met.
"I had thought," said Jane when their mutual affection had been established, "that when you left Netherfield last year I had mistaken your feelings. I believed you left to distance yourself from me and avoid giving rise to expectations. I grieved your loss, but respected you for your delicacy towards me. You never said anything to lead me to hope that your feelings matched my own, and I could not blame you for my own disappointment. But I had thought you showed some preference for me. I had allowed myself to fall in love."
"You were not wrong," assured Bingley. I did feel a great affection for you - indeed, I was on the verge of proposing when Darcy and my sisters urged that I take some time to consider. I did have business that took me to town, but what kept me there was their conviction that your feelings did not match my own - that were I to propose, your mother would give you no choice but to accept, and you might find yourself trapped in a marriage you did not want. While being married to you was all I wanted, I loved you too well to place my own happiness above yours. And so I stayed away. What a fool you must think me!"
"Not that," said Jane. "Never that. You may have been badly advised, and I might wish that you had trusted more to your own feelings in the matter than to the observations of others, but you acted for the best of reasons. I honour you for your forbearance."
"You are too good!" cried Bingley. "I do not deserve your forgiveness, but it seems I will have it nevertheless. I have always said you were an angel! I cannot bear to be parted from you again. I wish to always have you by my side. Miss Bennet, Jane, beloved, will you do me the great honour of accepting my hand in marriage?"
"Yes," said Jane, tears of happiness in her eyes, "yes, a thousand times yes. I thought you would never ask!"
After so long believing the other did not care for them - languishing in the misery of a broken heart with no hope of remedy - to be so suddenly thrown into the raptures or requited love was overwhelming. The seclusion of their location lent itself to an ardent expression of their mutual affections, and it was some time before they recalled the need to return to the house.
Standing with Jane Bennet in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder and the taste of her lips still on his own, Bingley raised her chin until their eyes met. "My dearest heart," he said, "how soon do you think we could marry? We have waited so long already."
"I see no need to delay," said Jane with feeling. "If only you had procured a license at the same time as Mr Darcy and Captain Denny, we could have a triple wedding."
Although this last was said in jest, Bingley took it quite seriously. "But I have a license," he said. "I purchased it last year, when I was first planning to propose. If you truly wish it, we could have a triple wedding."
Jane laughed in delight. Only a few days earlier she had reconciled herself to never seeing Mr Bingley again. Now he was back, had proposed in the most romantic terms, and wanted to marry her before the fortnight was out! She could barely believe it was not a dream, but her own imagination could not have conjured up the delight of kissing her beloved. It must be real! "Charles, my love," she said, bringing a brilliant smile to his face, I can think of nothing that would please me more than to marry with Elizabeth at my side. Let us go in and break the news to the others."
Holding hands, they did just that.
© 2018