Chapter 10
"Captain, I cannot believe you are here in my house," Francis said.
"I hope I am not inopportune," Francis replied a little nervously.
"Of course not, Captain. It is a pleasure to receive you in our house; my father will be very happy to see you again." Jane did not know why she was so nervous but was sincerely glad to see Francis.
"I imagine you must be wondering why I am here," Francis said more calmly. Seeing Jane smile, he realized she was sincerely glad to see him.
"You are correct, Captain. I am curious to know what brought you to this part of the country."
Francis felt like telling Jane the only real reason he was there was her. But he answered close to the truth and without revealing his feelings. "Miss Bennet, do you remember I told you that one of my dreams was to buy an estate? Well, I was spending a few days with my father in London, and he told me that his friend is selling a property near here. Considering that I shall be on land for three months and know someone in this area, I thought it was a good idea to come and talk to your father about this matter."
"I understand, Captain. Buying a property is a significant investment; it is best to research the area before deciding. Excuse me if the question is intrusive, but what is the name of the property you want to buy?
"Netherfield, and I understand it is a few miles from here."
"Yes, it is four miles from here."
Fortunately for Jane, Mr. Hill told Francis that Mr. Bennet was waiting for him, and he had no choice but to excuse himself and go to his host's office. For her part, Jane went to the drawing room and sat to think. If the estate was for sale, it was because Mr. Bingley did not wish to return to Netherfield and had completely forgotten about her and what had once seemed like more than a friendship. If he closed that part of his life, she would do it, too.
When Francis entered Mr. Bennet's study, he went straight to the point because he did not want to spend too much time with the man. He was there for Jane and not to socialize with her father. Plus, he wanted to meet the rest of the family and see if she wanted to spend more time with him.
"What do you want me to tell you, boy? I would love to have you as a neighbor; there are few intelligent people with good judgment in this place. However, I must be honest and tell you that the estate has been abandoned for a long time. You will have to work hard to make it productive again."
"That is not a problem. I plan to hire a good steward and leave some trusted men in charge of everything while I am away."
"Are you not planning to retire? Why do you want to buy an estate, then?"
"No, I still have to work a few more years to obtain everything I want to give a comfortable life to my future family. Mr. Bennet, I plan to get married, and I want my wife to have the option of being on land near her family if she does not wish to sail alongside me."
Francis stared at Mr. Bennet, and he understood perfectly what the young officer was telling him. He had noticed something but was not so sure because Francis was reserved.
"I like that you are so determined. Jane needs a man who knows what he wants. She is a good girl, and for that reason, she is very vulnerable. It is difficult for her to see evil. She needs someone to protect her not only from others but also from her own innocence."
"I understand, sir. I hope I can earn your daughter's trust," Francis replied. He did not feel comfortable discussing that topic with Mr. Bennet.
Jane was in the room thinking and hoping she could converse more with Captain Coleman. For her part, Mrs. Bennet had heard that a man had come to visit her husband and was curious to know who he was.
"Jane, who is the gentleman who has come to visit your father?"
"It is Captain Coleman, mother. He helped us with Lydia in Brighton."
"Yes, Lydia told me about him. Obviously, he is a very disagreeable man..."
"No, mother. Lydia talks about him like that because she still does not understand the seriousness of what she tried to do, and you should explain the consequences of her actions." Every chance she got, Jane repeated to her mother how serious Lydia's horrible behavior was and how she could have ruined the entire family.
Fortunately, Mrs. Bennet had managed to understand something, but every time Lydia complained and cried, she doubted again. For that reason, Jane and Mr. Bennet had to remind him how disastrous Lydia's behavior in Brighton had been.
After talking for more than half an hour in the study, Mr. Bennet and Francis went to the drawing room. When Mrs. Bennet saw the young Captain and knew he was interested in buying Netherfield, she could not control her desire to say something immediately after her husband introduced him.
"My dear Captain Coleman, are you planning to stay in Hertfordshire for a few days?"
"Yes, Mrs. Bennet. I plan to stay in this area for a week or two; it depends on how quickly I can resolve this matter."
"If you will be here, you must have dinner with us. Mr. Bennet, we cannot allow your friend to be alone eating in an inn…" Mrs. Bennet was happy. In a few days, Elizabeth would be returning home, and she was planning to make her spend as much time as possible around the handsome young Captain.
"I accept your invitation with great joy, Mrs. Bennet."
"Please, sit down, Captain; I will order tea so we can chat."
"Thank you very much, Mrs. Bennet."
Francis stayed at the Bennet house for almost an hour and patiently answered all the questions, some of them quite impertinent. Furthermore, he noted that the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet was quite peculiar and that Jane seemed embarrassed by how her father spoke to her mother.
Furthermore, he noticed that the younger sisters were very different from his beloved Aphrodite. The girl named Mary made grandiloquent comments to demonstrate culture and education, but it was clear that she indeed knew very little. He got a better impression of Kitty because she seemed sweet and well-intentioned, but unfortunately, it was evident that no one had taught her how to behave. Finally, he confirmed everything he thought about Lydia and noticed that she wanted to say a few things to him, but her mother reprimanded her on more than one occasion and demanded that she stay silent.
Francis was optimistic that Mrs. Bennet had a good impression of him, although he did not know she had very different plans for him. Mrs. Bennet wanted to marry Captain Coleman to her most rebellious daughter.
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"Charles, you cannot let Mr. Darcy ruin his life like that. It is your duty as a friend to make him see how wrong he is," Caroline said, furious.
"Caroline, Darcy is not a little boy nor the type of man who accepts others making decisions for him. If he is determined to do something, nothing and no one will change his mind. Please desist and leave me in peace!" Mr. Bingley was tired of having to endure his sister's complaints.
"But, Charles…"
"Desist, Caroline! I swear I do not understand why you did not go with Louisa and Hurst to Scarborough. I am only staying a few days in London, and then I am returning to Netherfield, and you do not like that place!"
"Charles, you will need a hostess. You cannot travel and have guests if you do not have someone who can manage the house."
"Caroline, from the first day we arrived in Hertfordshire, you did nothing but complain and beg me to return to London. And now you tell me that you want to spend time in Netherfield? Who understands you?"
"I do not do it for you but for Mr. Darcy and my dear Georgiana. They have always been the perfect hosts when we have visited them in Pemberley. It is the least I can do for them."
"If you think I shall allow you to meddle in Darcy's affairs, I tell you you are very wrong."
"Charles, advising a good friend is not meddling in his affairs. As you have said, Mr. Darcy is a grown man and is not so easily influenced."
"That is the only reasonable thing you have said today. Darcy is certainly not a fool who lets others make decisions for him."
A week ago, Mr. Gardiner received a letter from his assistant asking him to come back to London as soon as possible. A gentleman who had returned to England after making his fortune in the East wanted to invest in a solid and stable business like Mr. Gardiner's, and the assistant, fearing to miss a great opportunity, decided to contact his master. Logically, Mr. Gardiner agreed to advance the journey by two days to personally attend to the matter.
When Mr. Darcy learned that Elizabeth would be traveling back to Hertfordshire, he made the decision to travel with her and the Gardiners. He told his friend Bingley everything that was happening between him and Elizabeth and asked if it would be possible to use Netherfield for a few weeks. Upon learning that Mr. Darcy was willing to court Elizabeth, Mr. Bingley decided to do the same with Jane. His significant impediment in approaching her no longer existed, and he did not mind what his sisters thought of his decision.
For her part, Caroline was sure that what Mr. Darcy felt for Elizabeth was nothing more than a passing infatuation. If she was present in Netherfield, pointing out all the defects of the Bennet family and making him notice the enormous differences between them, she was sure he would give up on that stupid idea. She had done it on their previous visit to Netherfield, and Mr. Darcy agreed to leave Hertfordshire. If she tried, she knew she would achieve her goal, and this time, she would separate them forever. But Caroline did not know that Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth were almost engaged because her brother preferred not to tell her anything to avoid problems. She thought they were just friends, and Mr. Darcy had not yet decided to court her.
After breakfast, Mr. Bingley went to his study to read the newspaper and write a message to his solicitor. He needed to prepare many things and had few days. The following week, he planned to return to Hertfordshire. Unfortunately, Caroline did not allow him a break from her presence. She followed him to the study and insisted that she should accompany him to Hertfordshire.
"Caroline, can you please leave me to resolve this problem?"
"Charles, I cannot..." Caroline insisted, but someone interrupted her.
"Excuse me, Mr. Bingley, but a gentleman wishes to see you," the butler said and handed a card to his master.
Mr. Bingley did not even read the card and told the butler to show the gentleman in. That way, he planned to get rid of his sister's annoying company.
"I am very sorry to interrupt and arrive at your house without being properly introduced, Mr. Bingley. But I urgently need to talk to you. That is the reason I took the liberty of coming here."
"Do not worry, sir. I am not busy and can spare a few minutes for you. Let me introduce you to my sister before she leaves and allows us to talk about business," said Mr. Bingley, smiling. He would finally get Caroline to leave.
Caroline looked resentfully at the newcomer. Although he dressed elegantly and spoke confidently, she knew he was a merchant trying to pass as a gentleman.
"Caroline, allow me to introduce you to…" Mr. Bingley said, looking with open curiosity at the card his butler had given him. "Lord Evans…"
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Bingley. I am very sorry to interrupt your pleasant afternoon, but as I told your brother, I urgently need to talk to him. Mr. Bingley, I am here because I have just purchased Netherfield for my son, and I want to notify you of our plans for our property."
Caroline felt like her heart was going to jump out of her chest. In her house was the famous Earl Evans, who would also force his brother to forget that stupid idea of returning to Hertfordshire.
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Elizabeth was glad to be back home and able to talk with her dear sister, although she could not deny that she missed Mr. Darcy very much. She found it hard to believe that the man she met a few weeks ago in Pemberley was one day a haughty and proud gentleman. But that was already in the past, and Elizabeth wanted to give him a second chance. She sensed that her happiness was with him. Furthermore, he was excited to know that she would be able to see him soon, although she was a little concerned about Jane. She was unsure that her sister had forgotten entirely Mr. Bingley, and she did not know his intentions with her. The day before Elizabeth arrived, a little before dusk, she had no opportunity to talk to Jane and tell her everything that had happened in Derbyshire.
After breakfast, Jane went to the garden to water the flowers she had so carefully cultivated. She also knew that Captain Coleman would come to speak with her father, and before entering the house, he would spend a few minutes talking to her. Although Jane did not want to get her hopes up so she would not have to suffer again, she could not deny that she felt attracted to him. Captain Coleman was an exceptional man, and any woman would feel honored to win his heart.
Elizabeth was glad when she saw Jane in the garden and thought it was an opportunity to talk to her. "Dear, if you allow me to help you, we can take advantage and converse. I have many things to tell you."
"Lizzy, I need to speak with you too. A lot has happened in the days we have not seen each other, and you should know. I am very sorry to have to inform you about unpleasant news, even more so when you have not yet recovered from your accident, but…"
"Dear Jane, do not worry about me. I precisely wanted to tell you that I have remembered some things, and I am optimistic that soon I shall be able to remember everything." Elizabeth saw that Jane was tense and preferred to give her time to explain what was worrying her so much. "Jane, tell me how I can support you."
Jane took her sister's hand and told her everything that had happened in Brighton as they walked through the garden. "If it had not been for Captain Coleman's help, I do not know what I would have done, Lizzy. Our father was not much help. The worst thing is that Lydia does not understand the impropriety of her behavior. Although our parents have comprehended that they should control her better, I do not know how long they will be willing to discipline Lydia.
Elizabeth was apprehensive about her younger sister's situation and thanked Jane for acting in such a timely manner. Furthermore, she appreciated that a stranger had assisted her sister while her father was socializing with new friends. Captain Coleman appeared to be an older, disciplined gentleman with a sincere service nature. "Jane, you can count on me for anything you need. I shall speak with our father, and you can ensure that our mother does not interfere."
"That is a great idea, Lizzy. Now, let us converse about more pleasant topics. Tell me about your trip and everything you saw and learn."
"Of course, Jane. I also have other news to tell you." Elizabeth told her sister everything that had happened on her trip, including her recent understanding with Mr. Darcy. "Jane, I see you surprised. Is it true then that he and I were not exactly friends?" Elizabeth said, smiling.
"Lizzy, Mr. Darcy always seemed rather unpleasant to you." Jane decided to inform her sister about everything that had happened between them during the gentleman's stay in Hertfordshire.
"Jane, I believe much of my dislike of the gentleman was based on what other people told me about him. Now that I have had the opportunity to get to know him better, I know that he is a good person."
"Maybe you are correct on that. Mr. Wickham told many lies about Mr. Darcy. Considering how he behaved with Lydia and everything we learned about him in Brighton, I know we cannot trust his word. He is a liar!" Jane was happy to see Elizabeth so cheerful and excited, although she found it difficult to believe that someone as severe as Mr. Darcy could be in love with her sister.
"Jane, there is one more thing I would like to talk to you about. It is possible that Mr. Bingley will return to Netherfield…"
"Lizzy, Mr. Bingley is in the past for me. Please do not worry about that. Several months ago, I realized that I could not spend my life waiting for him to make a decision."
Elizabeth was pleased to see her sister content. Although she had found Mr. Bingley to be a kind and gentle man, she could not deny that he seemed very immature and had two sisters who would never accept Jane into their family.
Francis dismounted his horse. He was pleased to see Jane walking in the garden and was curious to know who the young lady accompanying her was.
"Captain, how nice to see you," Jane said, excitedly. "Allow me to introduce you to my sister Elizabeth."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Elizabeth," Francis said, smiling. He could not help but smile and think that Jane's pretty sister looked like the goddess Athena. Apparently, the Bennet sisters were the daughters of Zeus.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Captain. My sisters informed me everything you did to help her when she was in Brighton," Elizabeth replied. She was surprised to see Captain Coleman as a handsome young gentleman. She also noticed that he was looking at Jane like Mr. Darcy looked at her.
While the Captain was talking with the sisters, Mrs. Bennet looked out the window and was delighted. Elizabeth and the Captain were talking animatedly, and she was making plans for the future. So, to let them get to know each other better, she ordered a servant to tell Jane that she needed her urgently and leave the future lovers alone.
Elizabeth and Francis stayed in the garden conversing for almost half an hour until Mr. Bennet told the Captain that he was ready to accompany him to tour the lands that belonged to the Netherfield estate.
For her part, Elizabeth returned to the house with the idea of inquiring more about Captain Coleman.
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Mr. Darcy and Georgiana were comfortable traveling to Hertfordshire. They were both very excited to see Elizabeth again, although they were not so happy about spending time with Caroline.
After Lord Evans' visit, Mr. Bingley committed himself to show the house and estate to Captain Coleman and to hand over the property to its new stewards within six months. He was satisfied with the agreement because it would give him enough time to win Jane's heart and marry her. He had thought that the best thing was to live away from the Bennets and buy an estate away from them.
For her part, Caroline promised Lord Evans that she would help his son understand the running of the house and introduce him to the employees. She was delighted to know that she could ingratiate herself and establish bonds of friendship with someone from the first circle.
"Charles, fix that cravat," Caroline told her brother in a firm voice.
"Caroline, I doubt Darcy or Georgiana will care if my cravat is not perfectly aligned," Mr. Bingley replied angrily. Unfortunately for his plans, Lord Evans was overjoyed when Caroline offered her help and insisted she guide his son on how to manage the house. Mr. Bingley felt that opposing an Earl's wishes could have severe consequences for his social future. In fact, he wanted to maintain a good relationship with Lord Evans so that he could have his support and help when introducing his beautiful new wife to society.
"Charles, you are becoming more unbearable every day. Mr. Darcy and my dear Georgiana will arrive in the afternoon. You know very well that we are expecting Lord Evans's son, and I do not want you to make a poor impression on such an elegant and important gentleman."
"All right," Mr. Bingley said with resignation and straightened his cravat.
Francis was quite confused by the letter he received from his father. He had bought Netherfield and wanted to give him the estate as a present. Although Francis did not like the idea much at first, he thought that the funds he had saved could be used to improve the condition of the fields and do something for the tenants of the estate. They had been abandoned for so long that they needed someone to help them. Francis planned to continue sailing for several more years, so he had to find a good steward, someone he could trust to manage what was already his new property.
Francis had toured the land and met the tenants but had yet to see the house. In the letter his father wrote to him, he told him that the sister of the current tenant would be in charge of informing him about the operation of the house and introducing him to the staff who worked in it. His father said that Miss Caroline Bingley was friendly and helpful.
When Francis arrived at the house, the butler led him into a lavishly decorated room. He was impressed with the size of the house and thought that his dear Jane would be the perfect mistress of such an elegant mansion.
"Good morning, Mr. Bingley. I am Captain Francis Coleman. I thank you very much for doing me the honor of receiving me," Francis said a little nervously.
Mr. Bingley walked up to Francis and, with a firm handshake, said, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Captain Coleman. Welcome to your home."
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Thank you to everyone who enthusiastically follows the story and leaves supportive comments.
We have five more chapters, so please remember that when the story is complete, I will leave it for a few days and remove it.
In the next chapter, Mr. Darcy will see his beloved Elizabeth again, Francis will learn some things that will make him doubt, and Mrs. Bennet will complicate matters even more with her machinations.
See you soon!
Saludos,
Yo
