Page 11

Drawing Room

Longbourn

Morning

Two Days Later

Elizabeth lifted her head from her book and looked out the window at the bare tree branches swaying to and fro. The previous morning, she had woken up with an unaccustomed and dreadful headache, which had resulted in her making the rare decision to stay home from church. When her family had returned home after the service, they had been their normal selves, with no mention of Mr. Collins, who was currently staying at Lucas Lodge. That had been a relief, as Elizabeth had feared that the rector would attend church and inform the Bennets of his engagement to Charlotte. The last thing she needed was for her mother to scream at her when she was recovering from a headache.

She had awoken this day feeling entirely well physically and had forced herself to descend as usual to the breakfast table before repairing to the drawing room along with her mother and sisters .

She had hoped that a book of poetry would soothe her, but she was too agitated to focus on the sonnets that were usually such a balm to her soul. Unpleasantness and uncertainty swirled in her thoughts, troubling her heart and mind.

Elizabeth’s stomach twisted in distress as she considered the events from two evenings previously, when Caroline Bingley had openly hinted that she knew of Elizabeth’s near compromise at the ball. If such whisperings had reached the mistress of Netherfield, they were slithering through Meryton too. Unfortunately, there was a kernel of truth to the rumors, as she had indeed been locked in the library with Mr. Darcy. Nothing untoward had occurred, but the very circumstances were disgraceful enough. Moreover, while she had taken great pains not to be rumpled upon her return to the ballroom, the rumors said that she was.

This had to be slander started by Wickham. After all, he was the one who had turned the key, locking them in. When that evil scheme had failed, he must have turned to gossip in an attempt to destroy her reputation. She could only pray that her own irreproachable conduct her whole life would cause the scandal to die down quickly.

Of course, there were also other personal storms to weather. With Mr. Collins now on his way back to Kent as of this morning, Mrs. Bennet must be told of his engagement to Charlotte Lucas. It was not a prospect Elizabeth relished, for her mother would be thrown into transports of anguish. Mrs. Bennet's displeasure with her second daughter had not entirely subsided, and to hear the news from Elizabeth's own lips would bring on a torrent of reproaches and accusations. Elizabeth was enjoying the peace and quiet of having Mr. Collins gone and her mother calm, and she was in no rush to upset the fragile serenity of the household.

The door opened at this moment, and the butler entered with Sir William Lucas, his rubicund face full of joy. She watched nervously as Mrs. Bennet greeted the man with alacrity and invited him to sit down and enjoy some refreshments. He accepted tea from Mrs. Bennet and complimented the scones before imparting his good news – Charlotte was engaged to Mr. Collins.

Mrs. Bennet turned very white and then very red and Elizabeth winced pre-emptively. Lydia found her voice ahead of her mother. "But lawks, Sir William, he wanted to marry Lizzy!"

"Maybe so, my dear," their genial neighbor chuckled indulgently, "but when she turned him down, he asked my Charlotte."

"Are you very sure?" Mrs. Bennet asked in a despairing tone .

"Very sure, Mrs. Bennet," Sir William said courteously. "Very proper he did it, with my permission and all."

When it was obvious that Mrs. Bennet intended to continue, Elizabeth broke in and said, "Indeed, Charlotte told me on Saturday. I am very happy for her and wish her all the best."

"Indeed, we wish them both to be truly happy," Jane said. "I am sure she will find Hunsford perfectly to her liking, and it is so very convenient to Town."

Elizabeth joined in valiantly, and in this vein, they occupied Sir William until Mrs. Bennet had recovered her composure sufficiently enough to enable her to offer rather lukewarm congratulations.

“We are very pleased as well,” Sir William said with a jovial smile as he rose to his feet. “Miss Elizabeth, if you could spare the time, would you be willing to return to Lucas Lodge with me? Charlotte is eager to ask your advice about some matters of importance.”

Elizabeth was startled, but based on the outraged expression on her mother’s face, was all too ready to depart Longbourn to give her mother time to come to terms with the engagement.

“I would be honored, Sir William,” she said, rising to her feet. He bowed and expressed his farewell to the Bennet ladies, and then held out his arm to Elizabeth, who gladly took her chance to escape.

***

Bingley’s Private Sitting Room

Netherfield Hall

Charles Bingley stepped into his private sitting room and said, “You wished to speak to me, Brooks?”

Mr. Brooks, his valet, nodded and said, “I apologize for disturbing you, sir, but I heard something from one of the manservants that is sufficiently concerning that I thought you ought to hear of it.”

Bingley frowned. “What is it?”

Brooks hesitated and then said carefully, “There are rumors circulating Meryton that Miss Elizabeth Bennet was engaged in illicit behavior during the latter part of the ball here at Netherfield.”

“What?” Bingley replied in astonishment. “Miss Elizabeth! Nonsense. ”

Brooks, a man of some five and thirty years who had served his master since Bingley’s majority, nodded gravely and said, “I do not believe that it is true, sir, but you know how rumors spread.”

Bingley grimaced and ran a hand down his face. “That is true enough, but Miss Elizabeth is as refined as she is charming. Moreover, she is a popular lady, and thus I can only imagine that she danced every dance.”

“That occurred to me, sir,” Brooks said solemnly, “but according to the servants, there was a significant amount of time when no one remembers seeing Miss Elizabeth in the ball room. Moreover, someone apparently saw her return in a disheveled state indicative of some sort of improper encounter.”

Bingley bit his lip and wandered over to stare at the rolling fields outside the window. This was, he realized, a potential catastrophe to not just Miss Elizabeth, but the entire Bennet family. It was the way of the world that a lady’s reputation was a fragile, even brittle thing, and if there was no proof that Miss Elizabeth had been in the ball room all evening, the assumption would be that she was indeed engaging in ungodly behavior upstairs.

Of course, the Bennets were well thought of, especially the elder Bennet daughters, so there was every reason to hope that these scurrilous whispers would soon fade away .

But Brooks, who knew of his master’s fascination with Jane Bennet, was a sensible man with a great deal of experience and would not have spoken of the matter unless there was cause for serious concern.

It was hard to know what to do, though. Rumors and rumblings and reports were like the mists on a wet summer morning, appearing solid until they dissipated in the sunshine.

No one would likely admit to starting the rumors, and no one would declare them to be definitively true or false. Instead, the claims would creep from house to house through the active tongues of the gentry and the excited whispers of the servants.

“Thank you, Brooks,” he said wearily. “You may go now.”

“Yes, sir,” the man replied, and Bingley heard the door close softly behind him.

He remained by the window, his stomach roiling his distress. He loved Jane so very much, but to wed a lady when her sister was caught up in a dreadful scandal was not an easy thing. It would affect Caroline’s hope of marrying well, and he was responsible for her care and happiness, to some degree at least.

He did not know what to do.

** *

Charlotte’s Bedchamber

Lucas Lodge

Elizabeth stepped into Charlotte’s bedchamber and smiled at her friend, who was sitting at a small table writing a list.

“Please sit down while I finish this list, Eliza,” Charlotte requested in an abstract tone.

Elizabeth obediently took her place on the window seat and stared out toward a nearby clump of evergreens. The sky was clear, and the wind was strong, and she enjoyed the swaying of the branches to and fro against the clear blue.

A minute later, she heard the flutter of papers and turned to see that Charlotte had set aside her list and was gazing at her with an odd look on her face.

“Is something wrong, Charlotte?” Elizabeth asked worriedly. In her mind, something was very much wrong, given that Charlotte was engaged to a fool. Was it possible that her friend now regretted her acceptance ?

“There is,” Charlotte said slowly, “and it pertains to you, dear friend. There are rumors spreading throughout Meryton that you were seen climbing the stairs to the first story of Netherfield during the ball, and that when you returned, your dress was rumbled.”

Elizabeth stared back in genuine horror, and Charlotte leaped to her feet and said, “You are pale. Let me get you some water.”

“I am well,” Elizabeth replied instinctively, and then shook her head. “No, I am not well. Yes, I would like some water.”

Miss Lucas hastily poured a cup of water from a pitcher and handed it over, and Elizabeth took a few sips before leaning back against her cushioned seat.

“Who told you of the rumors?” she asked softly.

“Mrs. Coome,” Charlotte replied, referring to the Lucases housekeeper, “and she heard it from some of the servants. Elizabeth, I know that these whisperings are completely absurd, but is there anyone who was with you during the sixth and seventh sets of the evening? Apparently, no one saw you during that time.”

Elizabeth moaned and rubbed her forehead. “No, not really. That is to say … of course, I did nothing wrong, Charlotte, but I crept away to the library to be alone, as I was frustrated by my family’s behavior. ”

“I understand, though that is a great pity. But come, do not be overly distressed. Given that there is no truth to the rumors, they should die back quickly.”

Elizabeth suppressed another moan and said firmly, “Of course they will. Now, may I assist you in any way? When are you and Mr. Collins planning to marry?”

“In early January,” her friend replied, blushing with obvious pleasure. “If you are willing to assist me in looking over my gowns, I would appreciate it. My mother is determined that I order any clothing that I will need in Hunsford, and I would value your thoughts as to whether my dresses are appropriate or not for my position as a parson’s wife.”

Elizabeth did so with outward cheer and a very concerned heart. Given that Lieutenant Wickham was certainly behind the rumors, she was fearful that the scandal, instead of dying down, would spread. But there was not much she could do about it.