Page 63

After deciding that she must go to London, Mrs. Bennet had made the excuse of a toothache requiring the attention of a dentist. Mr. Bennet had looked at her a bit suspiciously, but he had made the arrangements for her journey.

She had been obliged to get up at a very early hour.

And listen to Mr. Collins all the way to London, as they had travelled on the same stagecoach.

Fortunately it was not too difficult to find her way to Mr. Darcy’s house.

He had once mentioned that it was in Hertford Street, which had been impossible for someone who lived in Hertfordshire to forget.

A hackney carriage had delivered her to the street, and she had been able to find her way to Mr. Darcy’s house by asking questions of passersby.

On the front steps Mrs. Bennet had hesitated.

Mr. Darcy would probably think her encroaching.

It was very likely that the butler would turn her away.

But she had come this far. And she had to confess to her foolishness for Lizzy’s sake.

So she had steeled herself to knock upon the door and was now waiting in trepidation as the butler went to find out if his master was at home.

He was. Relieved to learn that she wasn’t unwelcome, Mrs. Bennet followed the butler up a richly carpeted set of stairs and into a room, of which she noticed nothing except that it contained both Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley.

“Oh, how pleased I am to find you here as well,” she cried. “I did want to speak to you as well, but I only knew where Mr. Darcy lived. Looking at him, she said, “And it was very good of you to admit me. I was afraid that you wouldn’t, which would have been perfectly understandable.”

“I would never deny you admittance to my home. Especially after you welcomed me so warmly into yours.”

“That is very kind of you to say. And you have been so friendly to me as well, but you must still be thinking me dreadful. I say such stupid things, and I am hopeless at behaving properly, and I don’t know much about important matters.

And I’m sure you were disgusted with me for having been so determined to get my daughters married.

I know you heard what I said, and it was true that I once made those plans, but I really don’t think like that anymore.

I only want them to be happy, which is why I came today.

I wanted to beg both of you not to break their hearts.

If you could just tolerate me as a mother-in-law, I promise to try very hard to be less foolish and more ladylike. ”

In unison, Mr. Darcy said, “I would be happy to have you as a mother-in-law;” and Mr. Bingley said, “I knew my sisters must have been unkind. Has Miss Bennet suffered greatly?”

“Would you really?” Mrs. Bennet replied to one of them. And to the other she said, “Jane has a great deal of fortitude, but I know she feels the loss exceedingly.”

“I really would,” Mr. Darcy said. “In fact, that was exactly what I had in mind until I made an unfortunate error.”

“He listened to Mr. Collins,” Mr. Bingley said.

“That never ends well,” Mrs. Bennet said. “Did he say that Lady Catherine would forbid the engagement?”

“No, he told me that Miss Elizabeth was engaged to Mr. Madison.”

“Oh dear. That was my fault. I let him think that because I didn’t want him bothering Lizzy. You see, Mr. Collins came to Longbourn with the intention of proposing to one of my daughters, and he refused to believe me when I said that they weren’t interested in marrying him.”

“He doesn’t seem to be a very perceptive man,” Mr. Darcy said.

“No, he isn’t. Since I couldn’t make him understand, I decided to say that they were all on the verge of being engaged. I didn’t give any names, but I was thinking of Mr. Bingley in Jane’s case. I should apologize for having been so presumptuous.”

“Not at all,” Mr. Bingley said. “I have known for some time that I want to marry her, and in fact, I am in a hurry to get back to Netherfield because I mean to propose this very day.”

“Oh, that is wonderful! And I shouldn’t be keeping you. I will try to finish quickly. Never mind about Mary and the man who doesn’t exist, or whether there is something between Kitty and Edward Partridge, or if it is really John Lucas, which Mr. Collins seems to think.”

“My money is upon Edward,” Mr. Darcy said. “I do not trust any opinion of Mr. Collins. But do tell us about the man who doesn’t exist.”

“It was supposed to be Mr. Fordyce. But when Mr. Collins said that he was too poor to afford a wife, I pretended that Mary was going to marry someone else, who had gone away because that meant Mr. Collins couldn’t have met him. I really have been quite deceitful.”

“It was a just cause,” Mr. Darcy said. “And I quite understand why you thought it necessary.”

“Mr. Bennet was very understanding about that as well. And even though he agreed with me that untruths can make life complicated, he was the one who made up Mr. Addison.

“And Mr. Collins confused Addison with Madison, did he?” Mr. Darcy queried.

“No, Mr. Addison was supposed to be engaged to Charlotte Lucas. I really was thinking of Mr. Madison when I told Mr. Collins that Lizzy was on the verge of being engaged to a neighbour. It seemed like a good match because they are very good friends, and I didn’t know at the time that she was in love with you. ”

“Is she? I thought so, but couldn’t feel entirely confident.”

“I knew she was,” Mr. Bingley said.

“I shouldn’t have given away her secret,” Mrs. Bennet said. “I said that I would never speak of it.”

“Never mind,” Mr. Darcy said. “In a few hours I will be proposing to her, and then she can tell me herself.”

“That is wonderful too. I am so glad that I didn’t ruin everything by being stupid and vulgar.”

“You aren’t vulgar,” Mr. Bingley said. “Mr. Darcy knows duchesses who say worse things than you do.”

“Does he? That is reassuring. Although I don’t think Lady Catherine likes me much. I am sorry, Mr. Darcy, if I made a bad impression with her.”

Mr. Darcy looked astounded. “You have met Lady Catherine?”

“Yes. She came to tell Lizzy that she couldn’t marry you.

Which wasn’t a complete surprise because Mr. Collins had already said that Lady Catherine would not allow it.

That was when I told him that he was mistaken to think Lizzy wanted to marry you, which is where the idea of her being engaged to Mr. Madison began.

That is how I was able to guess the purpose of Lady Catherine’s visit, and I’m sure she would have forbidden your marriage if Mr. Collins hadn’t confused her. ”

“So she didn’t actually forbid it?”

“No, she didn’t quite get to that point because Mr. Collins told her that Lizzy was engaged to someone else.”

“Mr. Madison,” Mr. Bingley said.

“Yes. At the time I didn’t know that he was already engaged to Charlotte Lucas.”

“He is?” they both cried at the same time.

“Yes, and I think it a very good pairing. I am so pleased that he changed his mind about second marriages, just like I always thought he would, although it wasn’t for me to say.

But for all that he loved his wife, I could not think it good for him to be alone or for his daughters to be without a mother.

Since he and Charlotte are good friends and they like to talk about the same things, I expect they will be very happy together.

And she will be an excellent mother to his children.

She is so very sensible, and kind-hearted as well. ”

“She is indeed,” Mr. Darcy agreed. “And it seems that Mr. Collins made himself useful after all, by keeping my aunt from her purpose, which is not an easy thing to do.”

“I can see that,” Mrs. Bennet said. “And that reminds me of something else. She said that you are engaged to her daughter. I hope you are actually free to marry Lizzy.”

“Lady Catherine has something in common with Mr. Collins. One should never take her word for anything either.”

“I shall keep that in mind in case our paths ever cross again. And now I had really better let you get on with travel arrangements. You don’t want to be proposing at midnight.”

“The stars are romantic,” Mr. Bingley mused.

“But the owls aren’t,” Mrs. Bennet said firmly.

“And neither is stumbling in the dark,” Mr. Darcy said. “Will you be returning home today, Mrs. Bennet?”

“No, and on that subject, you haven’t seen me this morning.

I was at the dentist having a tooth attended to.

And this evening I am going to the theatre with my brother and his wife.

But you don’t know that. I would appreciate it if my part in this business could remain a secret between us.

I think my daughters might be embarrassed to hear that their mother has been so forward. ”

Her future sons-in-law promised not to speak of her visit, and Mr. Darcy very handsomely sent her back to Gracechurch Street in his town coach.