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Mr. Darcy had been very much taken aback. Although he had always supposed that Mrs. Bennet was as determined as other mothers to get her daughters married, he had not imagined her forming such extensive plans.

He could not agree with Miss Bingley that those ramblings were evidence of scheming and contrivance; however, he could not mount a defence of Mrs. Bennet’s character.

If her sister was right, she had at one time encouraged her daughters to cast out allurements.

The notion of him marrying Mary, which had once seemed amusing, now felt like impertinence.

And even though he did not think Mr. Bingley had fallen victim to any design, it had been presumptuous to treat his existence as an opportunity.

And this was the woman he had been intending for his mother-in-law. Miss Bingley had made a valid point. A gentleman should not impose such a connection upon his friends and relatives. Especially a gentleman who had been raised to know that it was his duty to protect his family’s reputation.

Even Mr. Bingley, whose upbringing had been more relaxed, seemed to understand that. His sisters had at last silenced his objections. He had gone to bed in a dismal mood.

He was still quiet when he and Mr. Darcy sat down to breakfast on their own. They ate in near silence at first, but then Mr. Bingley suddenly said, “I suppose you think I should give Miss Bennet up.”

“What? No,” Mr. Darcy cried. “I don’t think that at all.”

“But you didn’t say anything to back me up yesterday. Why were you so quiet? Surely you do not think there was any harm in her matchmaking.”

“Not particularly, but I was disconcerted. I didn’t agree with everything your sister said, but she wasn’t entirely wrong. I also thought it presumptuous of Mrs. Bennet to plan our futures for us. And she probably will be an embarrassing mother-in-law.”

“It sounds as though you are trying to discourage me. But you know this doesn’t matter to me. I can live with her being a bit embarrassing at times. Besides, she has been trying to be more sensible. You said so yourself just the other day.”

“She has, but there is still foolishness in her nature, and a dreadful tendency to babble about whatever is in her head. I doubt that she can ever learn how to guard her tongue.”

“I thought you had a good opinion of her.”

“I do in many ways, but there are aspects of her behaviour which cannot be ignored. A lack of elegance, and sometimes rationality. Even with the best of intentions, Mrs. Bennet may never achieve the standards which define ladylike behaviour. And at her worst, she has the potential to mortify her friends and family.”

“I won’t be talked out of it,” Mr. Bingley firmly declared.

“I really wasn’t trying to do so. I was just answering your question about why I hadn’t much to say yesterday, but I still think you should do exactly what suits you best.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

But Mr. Bingley still did not look pleased with Mr. Darcy, who wondered if his friend had guessed at his own intentions and was now thinking that he meant to give up Elizabeth.

The silent accusation wasn’t entirely unjust. Mr. Darcy had been feeling the pull of duty.

It had been one thing to think that his relatives would just have to learn to live with the lowness of Elizabeth’s circumstances, which was far from the worst thing he could inflict upon them.

But quite another to realize he would feel that he had failed them if his mother-in-law caused them much greater embarrassment.

But he also knew that he could never give up Elizabeth. He could neither look elsewhere for a wife, nor remain unmarried, knowing that the person existed with whom he wanted to spend all his days.

He felt himself to be at a crossroad, knowing exactly which way he wanted to go, but still glancing the other way. His problem was not so much that he could only choose one direction, but that he hesitated to move at all.

The weather was also set against him going anywhere.

The day was grey, dreary, and windy after the rain of the previous day.

When Mr. Hurst came down, he expressed a preference for sitting in front of the fire instead of going out of doors.

Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley went out, planning to take one of their usual rides to Longbourn.

But they did not even make it beyond the boundaries of Netherfield before an incident on muddy ground sent them back to the stables, with Mr. Bingley leading his horse.

Fortunately the injury was only slight, but in consequence, they spent the rest of the day in quiet, indoor pursuits.

With the whirlwind of parties having lately slowed, they had no invitation for that evening.

On the next day, they were engaged to go to Hertford with Mr. Madison.

Mr. Darcy was expecting to see Elizabeth at a dinner party that evening.

But it turned out to be an unexpectedly small party to which the Bennets not been invited.

Feeling very much put out by the absence of his favourite person, Mr. Darcy reverted back to a taciturn, foreboding man, which had the young ladies of the house looking nervously at him.

But his good spirits were restored when he and Mr. Bingley were able to set out for Longbourn after church on Sunday, this time with no trouble and better weather.

However, they did not make it all the way to their destination because they encountered Jane and Elizabeth near the gates to Lucas Lodge.

The four of them went to call on Charlotte, where they found Mr. Madison in her mother’s parlour.

From there, the group of six took a walk to the top of Oakham Mount, where Mr. Darcy contemplated his situation as he gazed into the distance.

He had always found in nature a temporary release from the burden of responsibilities and a life of restraint, but today that was heightened by an exhilarating sense of freedom.

He could do what he wanted, and without hesitation or guilt.

It was time to let his more excessive notions of duty to go by the wayside.

He would always fulfil the most essential obligations, and treat his relatives with every possible regard, but he would not allow their particularity to hold him back.

As they were riding back to Netherfield, Mr. Darcy said to Mr. Bingley, “By the way, I am intending to make Miss Elizabeth an offer.”

Mr. Bingley smiled widely. “So you don’t mind having an embarrassing mother-in-law?”

“Not enough to sacrifice happiness. Besides, I think her babbling the other day must have been one of those addled-minded moments. You did say that was just a stage, didn’t you?”

“I think so. I’m not sure my aunts ever had their sense completely restored.”

“Oh well. I can endure anything for love.”

***

Mr. Darcy and Miss Bingley weren’t the only people who had overheard Mrs. Bennet’s revelations.

Catching sight of Mr. Darcy through the crowd, Elizabeth had gone that way to join him.

He had not noticed her walk up beside him, but she had been close enough to hear her mother’s voice, and her aunt’s.

From what she heard, it was easy to guess what else had already been said.

And even from a partial view of Mr. Darcy’s face, she had been able to perceive that he was horrified.

Mortified, Elizabeth had stepped back, wanting to slip away unobtrusively rather than have him see her at that moment. But before disappearing back into the crowd, she had heard Miss Bingley’s triumphant declaration.

She wasn’t certain if her mother had also heard, but Mrs. Bennet’s low spirits on the way home made it evident that she had. And Elizabeth also perceived that she was regretful. As she should be for having so foolishly made them all appear ridiculous.

Elizabeth said nothing to Jane. There was no good reason to subject her sister to agony. Even though she had no doubt that Mr. Bingley had by now heard every detail, she was convinced that nothing would persuade him against acting upon the feelings of his heart.

Having no such conviction concerning Mr. Darcy, and also feeling furious with her mother, Elizabeth suffered much agony herself during a restless night.

In the morning she couldn’t feel any better about the chances of Mr. Darcy being able to disregard what he had heard.

She spent much of the day hoping to be proven wrong by the sight of his cheerful face, but instead her disappointment was furthered by the eventual realization that he was not coming to call.

Despite this, Elizabeth found her fury abating over the course of the day.

She could see that Mrs. Bennet was continuing to feel remorseful, and from a great many guilt-ridden looks toward Jane, it appeared that her regret was much more on her daughter’s behalf than her own.

Here was the genuine compassion which she had not been able to muster a couple of months ago, combined with awareness of her own culpability.

She also seemed making a valiant effort at reining in her unhappiness so as not to inflict it on others.

Her sighs gave away her sorrows, but not a single word.

This was so much more consideration than she had ever been capable of before.

And as her entire speech had obviously been a mindless babble rather than an intentional boast, Elizabeth felt that she could not be so heart-hearted as to be unforgiving.

However, they might all have to live with much damage having been done.

When another day passed without them seeing Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth began to wonder if her confidence in the latter gentleman had been misplaced.

But then on Sunday there had been a very agreeable meeting with them when she and Jane had gone to call on Charlotte.

Her relief was furthered by discovering that they would have called on Friday if they could, and that prior plans had kept them busy on Saturday.

When Mr. Darcy said that he had been disappointed not to see her that evening, she had perceived in his tone that he meant that word in its fullest meaning, not just as a formality.

And when she heard him say to Mr. Madison at the top of Oakham Mount that the views were so inspiring as to make him feel that he could do anything, Elizabeth felt that everything was possible.