Chapter 19 - The Homecoming

1812

The morning after their first night home, Mrs Bennet had arrived for a morning call. She had, she said, heard from Jane's aunt, who heard from the butcher, who had taken an order from the Netherfield cook, that they were home. Nothing travels faster than gossip! thought Jane. Mrs Bennet had then made straight for Netherfield as soon as she left her sister. She had invited Jane and Charles to dinner and Jane had been happy to accept, after confirming with Charles. The evening at Longbourn was pleasant and Jane, having missed her family, was happy to see them again and catch up on all the estate news, as they had been gone for over a month.

The next morning Mrs Bennet once again arrived for a morning call. Jane didn't think too much of it, although it was oddly difficult to get her to leave when it became time for luncheon, which was an extraordinarily long morning call.

When Mrs Bennet arrived yet again on the third day, Jane sat her down for words.

"Mamma," she said, taking both her mother's hands and looking her in the eye, "you know I love you, don't you?"

"Yes, of course I do, dear. Oh, dear Jane! I am so happy you are married and settled so close to me! It is lovely to have a married daughter to visit!"

"Yes, mamma, it is very nice that we are so near each other. But that does not mean you should visit me every day."

"But Jane - "

"No, mamma, I have duties to Netherfield, and you have duties to Longbourn. Neither of us can carry out our tasks while we are sitting together drinking tea!"

"But - "

"Mamma, I was planning on calling on some of our neighbours this morning. You were here yesterday. I know that you know that it isn't proper to call on someone every day." Jane gave her mother her most severe serious look. Her mother sighed.

"So," said Jane, "we shall enjoy this cup and then you shall go home. I know my still room needs attention and I am sure yours does too. I shall call on you on Thursday and you can call on me next Tuesday. Do you think that would work."

Mrs Bennet looked downcast, "Yes, Jane, dear." She looked down and picked up her cup. Presently, she gave her farewells and went home.

~~ HoL ~~

Jane woke the next morning to see the early spring sunshine coming in the window. Beside her, her darling husband snored softly. She was sure it was going to be another beautiful day. She hopped out of bed and slipped on her slippers. Admiring the fire that had been lit in the fireplace long enough ago that the room was well warmed, she donned her gown and rang for tea.

She sighed with happiness as she looked out the window in the sitting room until she heard the bustle of the tea delivery behind her. She turned to see Mrs Nichols bring the tea in herself. She raised an eyebrow in surprise. It was most unusual to have the housekeeper bring the tea. It wasn't long before Jane found out why.

"Mrs Bingley, I hope you don't mind me bringing the tea myself, but I thought it might be a good moment for a private word with you." began Mrs Nicholls.

Jane looked at her with raised eyebrows but said only "pray, be seated!" with a wave of her hand.

Mrs Nicholls sat down tentatively.

Jane had already decided that she needed to have a closer relationship with her housekeeper and said "Mrs Nicholls, I expect us to be together for many years, so I think we need to relax our relationship. I see no harm and many benefits from you and I being able to sit down together with a cup of tea to talk. I think Netherfield will be run very well if we feel free to do that when alone".

Mrs Nicholls relaxed a little. While she did not know Mrs Bingley well as yet, she was very acquainted with the servants of Longbourn, having lived so near to them for many years, and she knew that the then-Miss Bennet had an excellent reputation on her father's estate. So, she was willing to believe that she could sit with the younger woman and have the needed heart to heart.

"Let me pour us both tea," she said with a nod, relief and unspoken agreement with Mrs Bingley's suggestion on her face. She stood up to fetch a second cup and saucer from the cupboard at the side of the lady's sunny private drawing room. After she had poured the tea, she sat again and sipped quietly for a moment, then she set the cup down firmly and said without preamble "One of the maids is stealing."

Jane's jaw dropped a little. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"I am," replied the housekeeper, nodding, 'unfortunately. I was unsure, but I have been leaving small bait to see if it disappears and all three items have. I am fairly sure of who it is too, based on who had access. Young Gwen Sims."

Jane pursed her lips then sighed. "We will have to catch her in the act. I would not feel right dismissing someone just because we believe she has done wrong… Is she part of the house staff, or my husband's staff?"

Jane knew that some of the staff, including the housekeeper, the butler and the cook came with the house, as an empty house required some staff present to keep it maintained. To dismiss any of those staff would require approval from the owner, via the rental agent. Jane was not yet clear on exactly which of the junior staff were Netherfield's and which came from London with Charles, although she intended to learn this as she took more control of the house.

"She is not one of my girls - she came with the master, not the house."

"Well that simplifies it anyway. Do you have a thought on how to prove her guilt yet?"

"If we left out something with a mark on it, and then searched her when it was missed, then we could show she had it."

"Very well, make it so. Let me know when it is sure, and I will tell her she is dismissed."

Mrs Nicholls nodded and got up, bobbing a curtsey before she left the room. She walked out feeling half relieved and half impressed - the young mistress was very pleasant to work with, she didn't fuss, just made the decisions that needed to be made.

On Jane's side, she continued to sip her tea thoughtfully. She had expected to have no problem working with Mrs Nicholls, as the woman was well thought of in the neighbourhood, and so it had turned out to be.

As she sat thinking, Charles wandered out with a sleepy look on his face. He sat down next to Jane on the sofa and lifted her hand to his lips, kissing it with a gentle smile on his face.

"Dear Charles," Jane said smiling, then she sighed. "Mrs Nicholls has just been in."

"I thought I heard voices", he said.

"She is concerned that one of the maids is stealing. One of the London maids, Gwen Sims. If she can prove it, we will have to let the girl go."

Charles sighed, "She was a new hire - Caroline found her not long before we arrived. That is a pity, I hate it when that sort of thing happens."

He kissed her hand again and left to call his valet and dress.

~~ HoL ~~

Elizabeth had left on her trip to see Charlotte and the living at Hunsford before Jane had arrived home - but they had known their trips would overlap. There had been letters and Jane was interested in the details of Hunsford life she described, and very amused by Elizabeth's witty descriptions of Lady Catherine. May saw Elizabeth's return. Her last few letters had been less chatty than her early ones, which coincided with when Mr Darcy had left the area, and Jane wondered what had happened.

Jane and Charles were often around Longbourn, and they were invited for dinner on the day Elizabeth arrived home. They attended happily - Jane had missed her sister and had so much to tell her!

When they arrived, Jane knew straight away that more was wrong than she had feared. Lizzy stood ramrod straight. The smile on her face looked glued on. Jane was able to draw her away briefly from the rest of the family and whispered, "What is so wrong?" Elizabeth could only look at her with tears in her eyes. "I need to talk to you so badly, my Jane." They both knew they couldn't leave the dinner. "Come to me tomorrow morning. I will send our carriage for you first thing." Elizabeth nodded and they re-joined the party.

~~ HoL ~~

The next morning, Elizabeth and Jane sat together in Jane's private sitting room. Once the maid had brought the tea, Jane shut the door firmly and turned back to Elizabeth "Now, tell me dearest, I can see you are unhappy."

"Oh, Jane! It was awful! You will not believe it - Mr Darcy proposed, and in the most horrible way possible! And I had no Jane to comfort me. Oh, how I wanted you!"

Jane had to sit down.

"He did what? But… he does not even like you! Why would he propose?"

"I don't know!" Elizabeth's response was almost a wail. "It makes no sense! He said I was inferior, and I would be a degradation and, and… so many horrible things! I don't understand how he could do it at all, and - oh Jane, he made me so angry. I said such horrible things. I cannot forgive myself for how harshly I spoke to him. But how could I marry him? I don't even like him, and he may claim to love me but - what he said shows he doesn't respect me. He would come to regret it," her voice dropped to a whisper, "he would come to regret me, like… like papa does mamma," her voice dropped off and she looked at the floor.

A tap on the door disturbed the two ladies and Charles stuck his head in, "Jane, I was wondering if you c- oh, hullo Lizzy, I didn't know you were visiting today. But…" he suddenly noticed Lizzy's tear-stained face. "What is wrong? Oh - am I interrupting?"

Jane looked at Charles then looked at Elizabeth and took her hands more firmly.

"May I tell him? He may have some insight."

Elizabeth sighed and nodded her head.

Jane turned back to her husband "Come in, Charles, and shut the door. We need your advice."

Bingley shut the door behind him as he came into the room, looking from one to the other.

Jane patted the chair across from her and he sat.

"Mr Darcy has proposed to Lizzy and in the most horrid way possible."

"He what? But - he doesn't even like Lizzy!"

Jane turned back to her sister. "Lizzy, why don't you tell us everything and we will see what we think."

Elizabeth nodded, sighed, and gathered her thoughts to begin. "About a week ago, I had a headache and stayed at the parsonage rather than going to Rosings for tea. I was sitting in the parlour reading when Mr Darcy was shown in. I was very surprised to see him. He enquired about my health, wanting to hear I was well, then he paced around and then suddenly he bursts out with 'In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.' I was shocked! I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say anything at all. I can only assume he took that as encouragement because he kept going. And suddenly it wasn't pretty words anymore. He was telling me how he thought I was inferior to him, how marrying me was a degradation, how my mother was ridiculous and… he was just as rude as he has always been."

"Even so, I tried to be polite, and gently let him down. But when I offered thanks for his sentiments and tried to end the conversation, I guess he was flabbergasted and became angry and… then I lost my temper too. I think I went through every single arrogant, disdainful thing he ever did in Hertfordshire and threw it all in his face. Then I said that he hadn't behaved in a gentleman-like manner, and he was the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.And then he was rude back and walked out. So, he left. And… I haven't seen him since!" She reached out and took Jane's hand again. "Oh Jane, I think I have been horrible. What if I am wrong about Mr Darcy? When I think back over it, it's only that he slighted me at the assembly. Everything else is no more than you would expect from someone who is related to the peerage. Jane, I don't know what I have done. And… and I do hope I haven't ruined Charles' friendship with him, now he is my brother." She looked at Charles with a trembling lip.

"When did he slight you?" asked Charles, confused.

"At that first assembly," said Jane.

"Eh?" replied Bingley, still with a confused look on his face.

Lizzy reminded him, "You were trying to get him to dance when I was seated nearby and he wouldn't and you offered to ask Jane to introduce him to me, but he looked at me, looked me right in the eye, and said I wasn't at all tempting, and he wouldn't give consequence to ladies that were slighted by others. I was so hurt by it, and mostly because I had thought him very handsome until that moment." Her voice had gotten smaller and smaller as she spoke.

Charles had a thinking look on his face. "I wish I had known you had overheard that, Lizzy," he started, "but we didn't know each other well enough at the time."

He looked thoughtful.

"You see, Darcy almost didn't come to Netherfield in September. Something had happened over the summer, I'm not sure what, something to do with Miss Darcy I have suspected. Something bad."

He paused and looked downcast.

"I'm not sure she is recovered yet - when we saw her in town before Christmas, she was still much more subdued than she used to be. Darcy had been upset for weeks about… it, whatever 'it' was, and had hardly gone out at all. I didn't expect him to come along, but he did."

Bingley stopped and blinked twice.

"Actually, he said something about his aunt - the other aunt, not the Kent aunt - insisting he leave London."

Bingley's mouth screwed up in frustrated look.

"He was in no mood for any sort of entertainment when he arrived. He wouldn't have danced with any stranger no matter what I did, and I should have known that and not pushed him. He would have stayed here at Netherfield the night of that wonderful assembly," he smiled at Jane and then continued, "except that when he mentioned it, Caroline was intent on staying with him, and he didn't want to be alone with her. I can understand that, who would!"

He looked back and forth and then realised his bit of levity was poorly timed, so continued on.

"So, I should have known better than to pester him to dance, really. It really was a dreadful few weeks for him, nothing seemed to go right. He had been talking about bringing Miss Darcy to Netherfield as a treat for her, but he recognised someone in Meryton and suddenly that was not happening. It was all very difficult at the time. I regretted insisting he come. Then he was eager to leave, and he ummed and ahhed about staying for my ball and seemed to want to stay."

Then he stopped.

"Oh," he said and looked at Elizabeth, "he danced with you, and only you, at the ball. I think he stayed for you, Lizzy."

The tears started leaking out of Lizzy again while Charles went on.

"And Caroline had some complaint that he admired someone's 'fine eyes'."

He looked thoughtful.

"I think that was you too, Lizzy. Oh my. Caroline will be fit to be tied if she finds out about this!"

Both women turned to glare at him.

"No! No! I won't tell! Have no fear!"

He had put both his hands up in defence and they subsided.

Jane took up the tale, "Then that explains why Caroline wanted to know about Lizzy's portion. She was trying to find out when I came for dinner that time, before the ball. I wonder what Mr. Darcy said that worried her so."

Jane looked at Charles, and added "and do you remember when we met Colonel Fitzwilliam in London and he quoted Darcy as saying you had married the second most beautiful woman in Hertfordshire? Now we know who he considered the most beautiful."

Elizabeth gasped and Jane squeezed her hand again and continued "And at the theatre during the wedding shopping trip? Lizzy, he was all attention? You wondered why he said nice things to us."

Charles added "And when we left the theatre, I heard him mutter 'I shouldn't have come' after Lizzy got on so well with Miss Darcy. Was he fighting against his attraction?"

Jane looked thoughtful, then shook her head to clear it. "But none of that helps. What do we do about this? What canwe do?"

Charles reached out and took Elizabeth's hand.

"Lizzy," he said, "I didn't realise you were so offended by him, but I think you have got completely the wrong take on Darcy. He is… how can I say it…"

He looked at her and for the first time she saw his face with a genuinely serious expression.

Bingley continued, "He is the best of men. He supports a large number of charities. He invests in young businesses at that point where they most need a hand and most people won't lend to them. That's how I met him - he was assisting a fellow I grew up with who needed working capital, more than I could risk."

He stopped, rolling his shoulders while he thought, and then continued.

"And he cares about the women who would seek to be courted by him to the point that… I don't know how to put this… he is constantly worrying about raising expectations. He is wealthy enough that he could ruin as many young women as he wanted and walk away completely unscathed - please, excuse my indelicacy!"

Both ladies looked a little shocked, but Charles continued.

"But he doesn't. He cares about people too much."

He looked at the floor and back up at Elizabeth.

"The whole aloof thing is nothing but a mask - he is almost cripplingly shy, and the mask is his way of getting strangers to stay away. What he said at the assembly... He was tired, and I think I recall he had a headache. I shouldn't have pushed him, but even if he hadn't been unwell, he still wouldn't have wanted to dance with ladies he didn't know beforehand. He doesn't do well at meeting people, it takes him a while to relax around new people. He has always been so - Cambridge was very difficult for him the first year, I've been told, and Eton was apparently a nightmare."

He stopped and looked intently at her.

"But he is a very, very good man. Yes, most of the ladies in London would swoon at his feet just for his money and connections - but that would not be the best thing they won in that marriage. I am so proud that he considers me his friend - he is simply the best of men," he concluded.

Lizzy looked at him for a long moment and then burst into tears. Jane put her arms around her and let her cry on her shoulder. She gestured for Charles to leave them, but mouthed "Thank you" as he looked back at them from the door. He blew her a kiss and left the room.

A/N I had a few reviews that asked for Charlotte not to marry Collins. And wouldn't we all love a better option for her? And you remember I wasn't sure about including Collins at all, as he wasn't the heir. But what you have to remember is that bringing Collins into play lets Charlotte marry him, which lets Lizzy visit her, which lets Darcy propose, which lets Lizzy refuse… you see what I am getting at here - we do after all want to torture ODC, don't we?

Umm, maybe I should try and rephrase that! ;)

(In honesty, I hadn't figured that out myself when I sobbed and thought "but Charlotte can't be left as a spinster under her little brother's thumb!" Maybe I should have tried to line her up with the Colonel and blow the plot line? ;) )

In this AU, there was no letter from Darcy because Lizzy never met Wickham and Darcy failed to separate Jane and Bingley, so he had nothing concrete to explain. Fortunately our dear Charles was available to fill her in on how wrong her impressions were anyway…

With this chapter, you've actually caught up to me, as I have been a bit distracted the last couple of weeks, so I won't be doing my twice-a-week schedule that I have managed so far. But I have more to say, so I will be back! There are several significant events yet to cover, and of course there was that prologue...