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When Mr. Darcy was announced, Mrs. Bennet couldn’t help wondering if he had come to propose.

But instead, he announced his intention of leaving the neighbourhood almost immediately. His visit had come to an end, and he was returning to London that very morning. The shock of hearing this sent Mrs. Bennet’s heart into palpitations.

But Lizzy, whose own heart must be grievously affected, queried in a calm manner, “So soon? You never mentioned this.”

She carried on revealing nothing as Mr. Darcy declared that he had always meant to make a stay of about six weeks at Netherfield.

“Was the autumn as satisfactory as you anticipated?” she asked, sounding as though his visit had been quite ordinary.

Mr. Darcy replied that it had been, and that he had very much enjoyed seeing the countryside and their expeditions. Lizzy responded to this, bravely hiding disappointment behind smiles and pleasantries. Watching in admiration, Mrs. Bennet tried to hide her disappointment as well.

Lizzy almost gave herself away when Mr. Darcy said, “I shall always remember my friends in Hertfordshire fondly.”

“Remember us?” she cried. “Do you not think of visiting Netherfield again?”

“Yes, of course I shall. But while I am elsewhere, I will often think of the pleasant time I enjoyed here.”

Composed and smiling again, she said “I am glad that you enjoyed your visit. Until next time then, shall we say?”

“Yes, until next time.”

But there wouldn’t be a next time. Mrs. Bennet could see that in his eyes and in Elizabeth’s resigned expression.

She wanted to cry out to him, “Don’t break Lizzy’s heart. Don’t throw away love. Don’t give up a lifetime’s happiness. I can do better. If you marry her, I will try very hard not to disgrace you.”

But however much she tried, it would never be enough.

He had been exceedingly generous with his friendship, and his forgiveness for her faults, but it was beyond him to tolerate a closer connection.

She could see that he had come to this decision regretfully.

There was sorrow in his expression, and hesitation as he rose to go.

But he left.

Mrs. Bennet could not blink back her tears. “Oh, Lizzy,” she said with heartfelt contrition, “I am so sorry.”

***

A short time later Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst were astounded to hear that Mr. Darcy had ordered his valet to pack with all speed and was intending to leave within the hour.

“He’s going back to London!” Miss Bingley cried with delight. “I always knew he wouldn’t marry Eliza Bennet. Mr. Darcy would not stoop so low.”

Mrs. Hurst made no reply. Her expression said that she had thought he would. But as her sister was absorbed in her own thoughts, this did not cause any quarrel between them.

After a pause for reflection, Miss Bingley declared “We have a splendid opportunity before us. The battle is not lost.”

Mrs. Hurst’s expression said that she thought otherwise. But when her sister said, “Come, Louisa. We shall pack and go to London as well,” she allowed herself to be pulled up from her chair. Recent letters from her friends had been full of dinners and balls and gossip which she was missing.

***

It was Mrs. Bennet who had needed more comforting.

She knew that her daughter was suffering, but Elizabeth had remained stoic.

And a good thing too because they had a succession of visitors that morning, which required composure.

Determined not to have any of them perceive that Lizzy had been disappointed, Mrs. Bennet copied her example and hid her feelings from the world.

The first of their callers was Lady Lucas. “You will not believe what has happened,” she cried.

Mrs. Bennet knew exactly what had happened. Mr. Collins had gone and proposed to Charlotte, who had accepted him. And now it fell upon her to be gracious.

“Emily is engaged!”

Mrs. Bennet’s mouth fell open. She knew that Mr. Collins had no difficulty changing his mind in an instant, and that he didn’t have the sense to choose a wife suited to life in a parsonage, but it was astounding that Emily had accepted him.

“To Colonel Forster.”

Right. In her bemusement, Mrs. Bennet had forgotten about Colonel Forster. Offset by this conception, she expressed her congratulations with more babbling than graciousness. But Lady Lucas was too joyful to heed how things were said.

Mrs. Bennet felt a pang of envy. This was the moment she had once imagined for herself.

The first engagement among her circle of friends.

But she shouldn’t be wishing all the joy for herself.

Others deserved their share, and she was glad that this honour had gone to a friend.

Especially since Lady Lucas said that she had hurried to tell her dearest friend first, which was very gratifying.

Lizzy, very much to her credit, kept up the appropriate smiles and pleasantries, just as she had done with Mr. Darcy.

“That must have been difficult for you,” Mrs. Bennet said to her after Lady Lucas had departed on a mission to spread the news far and wide.

“It is no easy thing to have a broken heart. And then to hear the news of an engagement. I thought you handled that very well. I know I’m not very good at saying things, or being sympathetic.

But I do feel for you, and I wish that somehow I could make everything better. ”

“I know you do,” Elizabeth said. “And I very much appreciate it.”

The next caller was Mrs. Partridge. Who had also come to tell them about an engagement. Although not quite as joyful as Lady Lucas, she was wanting to represent her future son-in-law in the best possible light.

“Mr. Charlton’s living is much more valuable than I had realized, which I suppose makes him worthy of Susan with her twenty thousand pounds.

Although I had hoped she could do better than a mere parson.

But I expect greater things will come his way before long.

With his connections, Mr. Charlton might very well be a bishop one day.

” Now Mrs. Partridge’s eyes were gleaming.

Mrs. Bennet had the grace to blush for having once thought the same thing.

But now she knew that Susan and Mr. Charlton would be happier without the palace.

They were a very compatible pair, like-minded and sharing a desire to do good work.

Wherever they went, they would be valued and loved.

And she was confident of them being exceedingly happy in each other’s company.

That was just what Lizzy said. The poor girl must be suffering dreadfully, but she was still managing splendidly.

The third caller of the day was Mrs. Long, whose eyes were also gleaming.

“You will not believe what has happened,” she cried, and for a second Mrs. Bennet thought she had come to announce the engagement of one of her nieces. Although it was a puzzle who the gentleman could be.

But Mrs. Long said, “Mary King has eloped.”