Page 18

THE BENNET CONUNDRUM

T he slowing of the carriage woke the couple. They drew into the Netherfield driveway just as Elizabeth’s mother was leaving it. Elizabeth let down the window and leant out. “Mama,” she called.

Mrs Bennet looked around guiltily. She walked up to the carriage and burst into tears. “Oh Lizzy,” she said quietly. “Your sister is extremely sick. Your father refuses to believe that she is. He has deprived me of all of my children. Please look after your sisters. You are the only one who can. Your father refuses to allow my sisters to even offer your sisters a home. Both of them would happily help your sisters. However, your father knows something that means neither of them can help.”

“How bad is Jane?” Elizabeth asked.

“I believe that, if she recovers at all, she will not last out the year,” Mrs Bennet told Elizabeth.

Elizabeth took a deep breath. “We will look after our sisters, mama. I promise.”

“And make sure you come and visit. You are married so I think you will be safe from your father,” Mrs Bennet advised.

Elizabeth promised her mother that she would visit. She was perturbed by all that she had heard so far and nothing made any sense. Elizabeth chewed her lip. It went through her mind to wonder if her father was sick, but that too did not make much sense, as her mother had never spoken of any illness. However, she had no time to ponder the situation as the carriage had been spotted from the upstairs windows and Mary, Cathrine, and Lydia were now waiting for them on the stairs.

Darcy stepped down first, before turning to help his wife to get out of the carriage. One look at the girls’ faces was enough to know how serious the situation was. After a brief greeting, the Bennet sisters returned to Jane’s room, leaving Darcy to confer with his cousin and friend in the parlour.

Jane lay listless and pale in the large bed.

“Jane?!” Elizabeth gasped. “What happened?”

“Nothing happened, Lizzy,” she said, coughing. “I caught a cold from one of our tenants, that is all.”

“That is not all, Jane. Why do we have Mr Jones worrying us all?” Elizabeth demanded.

Jane shrugged.

“Because it is pneumonia that she’s caught and not just a cold. We suspect it could even be consumption,” Lydia declared.

“You are worrying too much, Lydia. It is only a cold,” Jane argued.

Elizabeth changed the subject. “What is the report I hear of papa’s behaviour?”

Lydia shrugged. “He has always been distant to the rest of us, but your near scandal seems to have made him terrified. Apparently, it was always expected of Kitty and me to create a scandal, but when it was you and not me he seems to have decided that none of us can be trusted to not bring scandal to the family.”

“His exact words yesterday morning were that ‘women are weak. ’ He seems to think that it is we who are easily led astray. He has also taken it as confirmation that he was right to entail Longbourn away from us,” Catherine added.

“Lizzy, none of us have a home to go back to. We don’t want to be a burden to anyone, but as you know without papa we don’t have any money at all,” Mary added. “He has left us in a terrible situation.”

“Do not worry about that,” Elizabeth told them. “You will all always have a home with us.”

“Papa will disinherit you too,” Jane objected.

Elizabeth shrugged and then giggled. “I don’t think he will disinherit us. Fitz brings with him good connections and a better fortune than papa’s.” She sighed. “Besides, even if he didn’t have all those things he gives me more love and attention than Papa ever did. There’s nothing papa can do to us. So I repeat, you will all be able to depend on us to provide a home for you. That is a promise you can all depend on.”

“Mr Bingley says that your London home is not very big, so you won’t be able to provide us all a home when you go back to London,” Jane objected.

Elizabeth shrugged. “We will find a way, even if you have to share a room or two.”

“You’ve thought it through then, Lizzy?” Jane asked. “You do know we might not have any money from papa.”

“We know,” Elizabeth assured them.

“Perhaps it would be better for me to find employment,” Mary suggested.

“Absolutely not!” Darcy said from the open door.

The girls turned and looked at him.

“I’m sorry, ladies. I did not mean to intrude. The door was left open and I need to speak to my wife for a few minutes,” Darcy explained.

“We are not talking about anything that cannot wait,” Elizabeth firmly told him as she stood up. “I will be back soon.”

Lydia giggled slightly as she watched Elizabeth leave, but a glare from Elizabeth quietened her. “We’ll let you know if you’re needed, Lizzy.”

Elizabeth and Darcy slipped into their room, which was a few doors down from Jane’s. However, the moment the door closed behind them Darcy turned to Elizabeth. “We need to visit Longbourn within the next few hours.”

“That soon?” Elizabeth gasped.

Darcy frowned. “Your sisters are going to try and hide exactly what is going on. I’m not entirely sure that I understand, but your father’s behaviour is not normal.”

Elizabeth sighed. “No one has outright told me what is going on. All I know is what was in Christopher’s letters and what little I’ve managed to glean from my sisters — which is practically nothing.”

Darcy pulled Elizabeth into his arms. “I am not sure what is happening. Your father has disowned the girls for coming here to care for Jane. Yesterday morning your father practically accused Fitzwilliam and Bingley of making Jane’s illness up so that they could… well treat the girls like mistresses. I am not sure of anything at the moment. Apparently, our near scandal has set your father against my cousin and my friend. Your sisters are cut off without a penny to their name. Your father’s behaviour yesterday was erratic. When he saw Jane before going home, he still maintained that it was a ruse. Your mother’s behaviour is also erratic. Her usually excitable personality has been softened. When she arrived earlier to check on Jane, she was looking over her shoulder in case your father had her followed. I am worried about what Mr Bennet is doing and how he is behaving.”

“I do not know what to say. The whole reason he entailed the estate at my birth was that he did not believe that women could run an estate. It has nothing to do with familial pride or anything like that, just simply my father’s belief that no woman is sensible enough or intelligent enough to run the estate.” Elizabeth stiffened in her husband’s arms and glared into the fire. She went on to explain what her sisters had told her.

“Let’s go to Longbourn and go from there.” He leant down and kissed his wife. Pulling back slightly he traced the signs of her worry. “Trust me, Elizabeth, your sisters will want for nothing.”

“I am concerned about more than just that,” she admitted. “I am concerned about all our sisters. Georgiana should improve with your aunt, but what about Jane? What is Fitzwilliam’s interest in Kitty? What about Mr Bingley? I also wonder how this is going to affect them. If we lose Jane we lose the last steadying influence over them.”

“Only time will tell.” He kissed her again and undid the fastenings of her dress while he did so. Pulling back he whispered, “Enough about this for now.”

Elizabeth squealed as her dress and petticoats fell to the floor, but revelled in his actions. They seemed to take time for everyone but themselves. She began to untie his cravat and run her fingers up and down his throat and then moved lower to open his jacket and waistcoat, pushing them from his shoulders. They were in no rush and relished their time together.

* * *

T he carriage rolled up outside Longbourn at eight that evening. The couple in the carriage expected that the noise would attract the attention of those inside the house. However, the windows were dark and showed no signs of habitation. Curious, the couple stepped down and rang the doorbell.

Almost immediately Hill, the faithful housekeeper opened the door. “You’ve come home, Miss Elizabeth,” Hill greeted her. “The master, he’s in a right state. Nothing’s bin the same since you left.”

Elizabeth laughed slightly, “I’ve only been married just under two weeks. Surely, things can’t be so bad.”

“Judge for yourself, miss,” Mrs Hill told her. “I tell you, it’s a bad business. Your poor ma is hosting a dinner party tonight. They’re in the dining parlour.”

“Thank you, Hill,” Elizabeth said, her lips forming a thin line. “No need to announce us, we’re family.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Hill answered, taking the outerwear of the couple.

Elizabeth and Darcy crept forward and stayed out of sight, next to the slightly open dining room door.

“Oh yes! My Lizzy is handsomely situated. He has ten thousand a year. I think my Jane and Kitty could both be settled quite soon too. Mr Bingley is taking a prodigious amount of care over Jane,” Mrs Bennet pontificated.

Elizabeth looked at Darcy and mouthed, ‘ Sorry!’

“Mrs Bennet, kindly refrain from mentioning any of our other daughters. They are nothing to either of us,” Mr Bennet declared.

“Surely you cannot mean that!” Lady Lucas gasped.

“I can and I do! Lizzy is decently married, but my other girls are all courting scandal to visit in that house. I assure you, Lady Lucas, that not only do I mean it, but I will no longer associate with anyone who gives those girls any kind of notice,” Mr Bennet shouted.

“Then you will be a very lonely man, Bennet, because I can guarantee that there is not one member of this society who would not give those girls refuge and society,” Sir William Lucas informed him. “They have done the noble thing to care for their sister. I cannot believe that you think so little of your girls.”

Mr Bennet took a deep breath. “You have seen the ruse that Elizabeth’s husband and his cousin have been playing on the neighbourhood. Tell me, who among you could tell the difference between the two men?”

“Lizzy is married, Bennet. The fact that we cannot tell the difference between the two men is immaterial. If Elizabeth can trust her husband enough to know the difference between the two, then the rest of us should trust her judgement,” Sir William told him.

Mr Bennet laughed. “Elizabeth is as silly as her sisters. I believe that she may just be sillier. However, I do not trust the men who are occupying Netherfield at the moment. I believe that they pose a danger to my daughters’ reputations. That is why I did not wish for them to visit Netherfield. If the cousins are willing to switch places and deceive us while they are courting the girls, I do not trust them not to do so once they are married.”

Darcy had heard enough and strode into the Longbourn dining parlour. “I am afraid that you have severely misunderstood both Elizabeth’s character and my own.” He paused and kissed Mrs Bennet on the cheek, causing his mother-in-law to blush. “Elizabeth is just coming.” He greeted the rest of the room pleasantly.

Sir William looked up from his dinner plate in surprise. “Mr Darcy, I presume.”

Darcy nodded. “I still think of my father when addressed as such. Please, call me Fitzwilliam.”

“The same name as your wayward cousin?” Sir William asked.

Darcy swallowed. “Fitzwilliam hates his first name, and I dislike being addressed by my surname. We are aware of the confusion, but I confess in our arrogance we did not anticipate courting two girls of the same family or the same time. We are both heartily sorry for the confusion we caused.”

“Tell me did either of you attempt to fool the Miss Bennets?” Lady Lucas asked.

Darcy almost laughed at the face Elizabeth pulled at the idea. “No,” he answered. “Fitzwilliam and I have too much respect for the young ladies, my wife and Kitty in particular. Although I will admit it was fun watching Jane and Lydia attempt to work out which of us was which. Mary didn’t seem to be very bothered as to who she was being addressed by. Elizabeth had also made it very clear that we were not to try and court the other sister, even if the situation might be difficult. I have to admit I wouldn’t do that anyway. It would not be fair to Elizabeth or Kitty!”

Mr Bennet frowned. This was not going the way that he thought it would.

Darcy continued. “Before I was courting Elizabeth, I admit that we potentially would have tried to switch on both her and Kitty. However, once we were courting, Elizabeth put strict rules in place as to our behaviour and what would be acceptable. Rules that I am happy to say that Kitty, Fitzwilliam, and I were in full agreement with. Kitty showed a tremendous amount of attention to the more subtle differences between Fitzwilliam and me that we generally do not notice ourselves and that even our family tend to overlook. I have to admit I do not think that were we to even try to fool my wife or Kitty we would be able to.”

“How can I be sure that you are Elizabeth’s husband and not Colonel Fitzwilliam pretending to be Mr Darcy?” Mr Bennet sneered.

Darcy grinned and nodded to his wife, who now stepped through the door. Elizabeth lightly stepped around the table and stood next to her husband. “There are several ways that you can tell the difference between Fitzwilliam and I.” Darcy took off his right-hand glove. “My right hand is my main tell.” He then went on to explain the physical distinguishing traits on his right hand. “Fitzwilliam has a scar on his left ear. Recently, Fitzwilliam was flogged and the whip marks came up along his neck. There are other distinguishing marks, that I beg leave that only Elizabeth will know about.” Darcy flushed a bright red as he said that.

Elizabeth giggled slightly and also flushed a bright red.

Sir William Lucas laughed at the couple’s discomfort. “That is enough for us. I do believe that you have given us enough to know which of you we are talking to. We do not need to know details that are embarrassing for you.”

Mr Bennet snorted.

“Please join us for dinner,” Mrs Bennet invited them.

Darcy shook his head. “Thank you for the invitation, but we have already dined.”

“At least take a seat and have some tea while we finish our meal,” Mrs Bennet pressed.

Elizabeth and Darcy took their seats. The conversation turned to more general discussions. Wickham had withdrawn from society since he had rejected Georgiana and jilted Lydia. There seemed to be a disillusionment in the neighbourhood with the officers in general. Something had happened, but the guests seemed to be reluctant to talk about exactly what.

The separation of the sexes was painful for Darcy. His wife had left the room with the other women. Almost immediately, the gentlemen began teasing him about being a newly married man. Darcy blushed, but refused to say anything about his marriage. The port was of excellent quality leading Darcy to suspect that there could be an illegal source. However, he decided to simply sit back and enjoy it.

“Now that the ladies are settled, you can speak freely,” Mr Bennet pushed Darcy.

Darcy shook his head. “I would not dishonour Elizabeth in that way. I love and respect her far too much for that.”

“Yet, was it not you that was meeting with both Kitty and Elizabeth while your cousin was in London, embroiling them both in scandal?” Mr Bennet demanded.

Darcy shifted and smiled ruefully. “I needed Elizabeth and Kitty’s help with my sister, who my cousin and I are the joint guardians of. With Fitzwilliam recalled to London and Georgiana’s behaviour getting worse, I needed help. I cannot say that I regret my courtship with Elizabeth, as disrupted as it was with my concerns over my sister. However, I do regret that my actions impacted the reputations of Elizabeth and Kitty. All I can do right now is show Elizabeth the love and respect that she deserves while doing what I can to prevent any further scandal.”

“How can you tell me that while all of my daughters are parading themselves at Netherfield?” Mr Bennet asked, leaning back in his seat. He thought that he had Darcy now.

“Quite easily. Your eldest daughter lies sick and her sisters are concerned about her and tending to her needs. I know that they are all focused on planning what they are going to do when Jane recovers. Not one of them, Elizabeth included, is focused on much more than Jane’s recovery,” Darcy informed them. “Once Jane recovers, Elizabeth and I will be taking the girls into our home.”

Mr Bennet’s face turned a deep puce. “How dare you sit there and tell me that you wish to avoid more scandal and then say that you will take my other daughters into your home? After the scandal with you and Elizabeth, I would have expected you to be more careful about having so many single girls in your home.”

“What harm is there in looking after my wife’s sisters? Are you so entrenched in your vile assumptions about my family that you would think that I would betray my wife like that?” Darcy demanded.

“There is nothing wrong in looking after your wife’s sisters — it is noble of you to do so,” Mr Robinson assured Darcy.

Darcy turned to acknowledge the comment. He had almost forgotten that this argument was going on in front of the gentlemen of the neighbourhood.

“I speak as I have found the situation,” Mr Bennet argued. “I have not forgotten how you manipulated me into agreeing to your marriage. The behaviour of yourself and your cousin….”

“Was a comedy of errors,” Darcy snapped. “Do not forget that I married Elizabeth as soon as I could! It was unfortunate that Fitzwilliam was called to Horse Guards at the same time as my sister was acting out. If I regret anything, it was that I could not court Elizabeth in the manner that she deserved. Elizabeth has been more generous than I deserved in the time that she and Kitty have devoted to trying to educate my sister.”

Mr Bennet snorted. “All I observed was one young man playing around with my daughters. Lizzy is married, so she is not going to be disinherited. However, I must say that I do not wish to see you more than is necessary. In short, I will tolerate you in my home for the sake of my wife. However, that does not mean that you are welcome. I was disappointed in Elizabeth’s behaviour and still find you and your cousin distasteful. I would prefer it if we only saw each other on a social level. That is to say at social events which we are both invited to.”

“So be it,” Darcy agreed. “I will, of course, not stop my wife from visiting her mother.”

“Thank you for the hospitality that my family and I have received from you over the years,” Mr Robinson said. “However, I find that I do not like the way you talk about your daughters and son-in-law. I will go and find my wife and mother. We will take our leave now.”

“There is no need for that,” Mr Bennet objected.

“I find I agree with Mr Robinson.” Mrs Long’s nephew stood up. “I will be finding my aunt and sisters. I have heard enough.”

Mr Bennet watched in amazement as one by one his guests politely took their leave. Eventually, only Darcy and Sir William Lucas were left.

“Bennet,” Sir William began. “What has happened to you? I do not believe that you would ever have done this before. You have spoken proudly of all of your girls.”

“If it were your girls under threat you would do the same thing,” Mr Bennet argued.

“No, if my girls were under threat, I would have my wife go with them to protect them — or one of their brothers. Our family looks after the family. I am sorry, but I do not believe that you are trying to look after your daughters. I think that you have seen something that threatens your comfort. Therefore you are doing whatever comes to mind to maintain your comfort. When your daughters are exposed to the world, you will then lean back and say ‘I told you so!’ – even though it is you who has set them up for disgrace. I promise you that I will not be stopping my family from associating with your daughters nor will I be stopping my wife from visiting yours, but know this – I will be advising my family to distance themselves from you! Beware, your actions may well have resulted in the situation that you and your wife find yourselves invited to fewer social events. If you are sick, I advise you to seek treatment. If you are not sick then I advise you to reconsider your actions. Bring your daughters home once Jane has recovered,” Sir William advised.

“I will not bring my rebellious daughters home,” Mr Bennet thundered. “They all knew the consequences of their actions when they visited Netherfield. Get out! If you will support my daughters, then leave!” He turned to his son-in-law. “That includes you! You have brought scandal to my family and caused this. I would rather be alone than look at you! Take your wives with you.”

Angry and embarrassed both men stood up and with looks of mutual sympathy for each other left Mr Bennet without another word.