Page 56

After seeing Mr. Bingley off, Mr. Darcy called for his horse, and set out for Longbourn. As he neared the house, he spotted Mr. Collins, walking along the lane.

And Mr. Collins spotted him. “Mr. Darcy!” he cried.

“Your arrival at this moment is fortuitous. I was meditating upon certain events of this morning, and you are the very man to give me some advice. Being as wise and knowledgeable as your aunt, you will be capable of dispensing advice as good as hers.”

“On what subject?” Mr. Darcy queried, hoping he could evade this task by claiming a lack of expertise.

“Marriage. The situation is this. I have this very morning endeavoured to propose to my cousin Elizabeth, but she is going to marry Mr. Madison.”

Mr. Darcy could hardly breathe. “Mr. Madison?” He managed to query. I had no idea.”

“Neither did I,” Mr. Collins said. “But so it is. He spoke to her just a few minutes ago. Which I thought most unfair because I had been about to make my own offer. Indeed, I would have already done so if Mrs. Bennet had not delayed me by wasting my time with foolishness.”

Having appreciated Mrs. Bennet’s efforts on the previous evening to divert foolishness, Mr. Darcy assumed that the time wasting had been intentional.

But how could he have so completely misjudged Elizabeth’s feelings?

Or had she perhaps liked both him and Mr. Madison so well as to feel that either one of them would suit her?

“What I was wondering was whether or not I should address myself to my cousin Mary instead,” Mr. Collins said. “But now I have a better idea. Since the two of you are such good friends, you might speak to my cousin Eliza and persuade her to accept my offer instead. She will listen to you.”

“I would not dream of interfering in her choices,” Mr. Darcy said stiffly. Oh, how he wished he had spoken first.

“If Lady Catherine were here, she would advise Miss Elizabeth to accept my offer immediately. Her ladyship never hesitates to give her opinion.”

“I do not have her talent for speaking an opinion so freely.”

“That is unfortunate.” Mr. Collins sighed. “I suppose one must accept being beaten to the prize by Mr. Madison.”

Yes, one must.

“But I’m not sure if I should bother addressing myself to any of my other cousins.

That was what your aunt desired me to do, but Mrs. Bennet has been excessively difficult instead of accommodating my magnanimity.

I wonder if it would be better to look elsewhere for a wife.

To be honest, I am beginning to find the ladies of Longbourn a disappointment.

They do not have the sense to appreciate a valuable opportunity when it comes their way.

Indeed, their mother seems determined to throw it away. ”

Mr. Darcy wished Miss Bingley could hear this. “Mrs. Bennet does have some unusual ideas about marriage,” he said. “I believe that it would be best for you to look elsewhere.”

“Then that is what I shall do. I am much obliged for your assistance.”

Mr. Collins bid Mr. Darcy good day and continued down the lane, saying, “Perhaps I might encounter that nice Miss Lucas, who is such a sensible lady.”

For her sake, Mr. Darcy hoped he would not. However, Charlotte Lucas was quite capable of taking anything in stride.

He had been pleased to understand that Mrs. Bennet cared more about protecting her daughters from unwanted attention than an opportunity.

This was the best of her, and now he was even more glad of having taken his own opportunity on the previous evening to show her, and the world, that he accepted her as she was. Far from perfect, but meaning well.

But what about his future? What was he to do now that the tower he had been building had collapsed around him? All his hopes and dreams were at an end.

Unless Mr. Collins’s information was incorrect.

He was just the sort of man to get a hold of the wrong end of the stick.

Perhaps he had misunderstood, and Mr. Madison had only been speaking to Elizabeth of plans for a walk or another excursion.

Or requesting her company for his daughters, who had such a liking for the elder Bennet ladies.

Feeling that there was hope after all, Mr. Darcy spurred his horse on to Longbourn. But as he was admitted into the house, Mr. Madison stepped out of Mr. Bennet’s drawing room, saying, “I should be able to get the documents to you by the end of the week.”

So it was true after all. He and Mr. Bennet had obviously been talking about settlements.

“Good morning, Darcy,” Mr. Madison said.

“I wish I could stay and chat, but I am overdue at the vicarage. And then I must have a word with Sir William. But I would love to talk later if we can. I have some news to share, but best not to get into it now. Too much to explain.” Putting on his hat, he hurried out the door.

As the butler closed it, Mr. Darcy felt that the door was closing on a period in his life, which had been sweet but all too short.

***

It had been an interesting morning. First there had been the surprise of Mr. Collins wanting to address himself to her after all. Then the pleasure of being backed up by her mother, who had been so determined that Elizabeth hadn’t felt the need to add anything to the conversation.

But she had been astounded to learn that Mr. Darcy was apparently Lady Catherine’s nephew.

And affronted to hear that Lady Catherine would consider her unworthy of Pemberley.

Her mother, who seemed to already know of this connection, made the very argument which Elizabeth would have presented herself.

As a gentleman’s daughter, she was Mr. Darcy’s equal.

She had been as angry as her mother to hear herself declared an upstart. And presumptuous for being Mr. Darcy’s friend. If it had been possible to get a word in edgewise, she might have told Mr. Collins that she would never consider a proposal from a man who insulted her in such a way.

Elizabeth had eagerly seized upon the opportunity for escaping the room.

After taking possession of the book, she had only spent a moment talking to Mr. Madison.

But since he wanted to discuss something with her father as well, she had walked into the study with him, and from there she went through the French doors into the garden.

Although willing to return and refuse Mr. Collins if her mother still hadn’t been able to make him understand, she couldn’t trust herself to do so politely without first taking some time to cool her head.

Upon returning indoors a little while later, Elizabeth found only Mrs. Bennet in the parlour.

“Kitty went to visit Susan Partridge,” she said, “And I think Mr. Collins may have gone in search of a wife. But hopefully not Mary.”

“He has changed his mind about me, has he?”

“Yes. I think I may have finally succeeded at putting him off altogether.”

“Dare I ask if he is under the impression that I was just receiving a proposal from Mr. Madison?”

Fortunately Elizabeth appeared only to be amused, but Mrs. Bennet still wanted to explain.

“That was not my idea when I sent you out of the room. I just thought it was a good excuse for you to get away. But then Mr. Collins made the assumption that Mr. Madison had come to make you an offer, and I let him think so. I shouldn’t have done, but I was quite fed up with him saying that you aren’t good enough for Mr. Darcy.

Of course you are, and I’m sure that Mr. Darcy thinks so too. ”

“But we are just friends, exactly as you said.”

“No, you aren’t. I only said that because Mr. Collins was being so annoying, suggesting that you were presumptuous, which is ridiculous.

I know that Mr. Darcy is the man for you.

I don’t mean to interfere, and I don’t care that he is wealthy and has a vast estate.

And I extra don’t care that he has important connections.

My own sister, with all her faults and follies, is more worth knowing than Lady Catherine, who obviously thinks herself above her company and orders people about.

I hope that when you are married to Mr. Darcy, you won’t see much of her. ”

“Mama! You mustn’t say such things.”

“No, I know I shouldn’t. And I shall take great care not to do so in front of anyone else.

But what I am trying to say, Lizzy, is that I can see that you love him, and he loves you.

I do believe that he will propose to you, and it will be a very happy union.

Two people united in happiness is just what I want for you.

And Mr. Darcy is the man who will give you that. ”

Elizabeth saw no point in denying this, but she said, “You mustn’t expect anything. We do not know what will happen. Please don’t go telling anyone.”

“Not a word,” Mrs. Bennet promised. “I’ve already forgotten what we were discussing. But about this business with Mr. Madison, I’m hoping he won’t call for the next few days, and then Mr. Collins won’t be able to say anything to him.”

“He won’t. Mr. Madison mentioned that he is going to London in the morning. He’ll be back on Saturday.”

“Excellent. I can tell Mr. Collins that we aren’t going to announce your engagement until after his return.”

“I’m not certain that will keep him silent on the subject. He is excessively fond of sharing information. And we are dining with the Lucases tomorrow evening.”

“I shall keep him quiet,” Mrs. Bennet said firmly. “He’s been enough of a nuisance to us already. And by the time that he learns that you aren’t engaged to Mr. Madison, he will be long gone, so there won’t be any bother about coming up with an explanation.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me if Mr. Collins writes to demand an explanation. I just hope that he doesn’t describe me to Lady Catherine as a jilt.”

“That would be unfortunate. But we don’t care what she thinks, do we?”

“Not at all. If she came here to reproach me in person for jilting Mr. Madison or refusing Mr. Collins, I would tell her that I am at liberty to act in accordance with the dictates of my own heart.”

“I’m sure you would be able to handle her extremely well. I wish I had your courage.”

“I think you have a great deal of courage,” Elizabeth said.

Mrs. Bennet shook her head, but she smiled happily and thanked her daughter for the compliment.

It had been honestly meant. Elizabeth thought it had taken great courage for her to face up to her own shortcomings.

And now she was willing to go to any lengths to protect her daughters.

If only she had a little less impulsiveness.

But hopefully they could get through the next few days without any awkwardness arising in consequence of her efforts to discourage Mr. Collins.