Page 79

W hen Gardiner arrived and had washed the dust of the road off his person, it did not take long to add his permission to those of the other two guardians and give his blessing for Mary to marry Richard Fitzwilliam.

Richard sent the notice, which had been prepared by Hertfordshire before his departure to Ireland, to the London papers. He also wrote to his parents, brother and sister-in-law, Aunt and Uncle Darcy, and Anne de Bourgh to inform them of his engagement.

Mary was happier than she could ever remember.

As soon as Richard had completed his tasks, she handed him the velvet pouch containing the ring he had presented to her when he proposed.

She had the supreme pleasure of watching as he slipped it onto the fourth finger of her left hand.

All of her sisters gushed over Mary and her good fortune.

They all agreed the ring suited her perfectly.

As would be expected, Richard spent his waking hours at Longbourn in his fiancée’s company. Until Mrs Hildebrand Bingley arrived, William and Bingley joined Richard, as there could be no entertaining at Netherfield Park with no mistress.

After he greeted his hosts, Bingley could always be found in conversation with Jane Millar. On days with milder weather, Bingley would ask Jane to walk in the park with him, something she would agree to as long as one or more of her sisters and one of the footman guards were with them.

The day before his aunt was to arrive, Jane requested that Mr Bingley join her in the west parlour for a private conversation.

She assured him a maid would sit in the opposite corner and a footman would be outside of the fully open door.

Jane’s heart was engaged, but she was determined that Mr Bingley know all of her history.

She would rather he leave her now because of who she used to be than when her feelings had become even deeper.

Bingley agreed and joined Miss Millar in the parlour. As she had told him, a maid was in the corner at the farthest point from them, and they passed a man on duty in the hallway.

“Mr Bingley, I know the man should speak first, but I find I must familiarise you with my past before we proceed—that is, if you want to proceed,” Jane began. “Am I correct that you feel drawn to me?”

“I do. I will hear what you have to say, but I doubt it will divert me from my course,” Bingley responded.

“And I have developed tender feelings for you as well. However, if I do not tell you of my past, I will feel like I am lying to you, and that is not a good basis on which to form a healthy, respectful, and loving relationship.” Jane paused and took a deep breath.

“You are aware I am half-sister to Lizzy, Mary, Cathy, and Lydia, are you not?”

He allowed it was so.

“My father…” Jane told everything. She did not leave anything out; she did not gloss over anything; she did not try to make any of the actions she took in the past seem better.

She also did not try to excuse any of her past actions.

Jane told Mr Bingley about how she had attempted to harm Lizzy and been sent to Greenfield.

She related what she had done there and revealed all up to the recent past. “This way, if you are too disgusted with my past, you may withdraw with your honour intact.”

“Allow me to cogitate for some minutes. You gave me much information,” Bingley requested.

Jane nodded. She crossed her hands, resting them in her lap, her head down.

“Am I to understand that your late mother, rather than raise you to love, she instead inculcated you with hate for your sisters from the time you can remember?” Bingley asked.

Head still down, Jane nodded.

“If your mother had not banished your sisters, or your stepfather had not allowed her to do so, and you had been raised in a way most of us are, do you believe you would have done anything to attempt to harm Lady Elizabeth?”

“No! Never!” Jane exclaimed as her head shot up. Her eyes and head dropped again after her outburst.

“Then when you were sent to His Grace’s estate in Ireland, rather than become bitter and plot revenge on those you could have decided wronged you, you did all that was asked of you and became the estimable woman who sits here before me.

” Bingley gently lifted Miss Millar’s head by applying light pressure under her chin.

“A lady who still harboured malice in her heart would not risk running off a wealthy, and I dare say, handsome, suitor. Would she?”

Jane shook her head.

“Rather than the selfish creature your late mother attempted to mould you into, you are the exact opposite. That you were willing to tell me all, to give me the chance to cry off when keeping quiet would have caught you a wealthy man as a husband, only proves that you put the comfort of others ahead of your own.” Bingley paused as he considered his next words.

“Miss Millar, I was falling in love with you before, but your selfless act has made me love you more than I thought possible. Unless you would prefer a courtship, I would very much like it if you would agree to be my wife.”

“But I am penniless, and look at my antecedents,” Jane protested.

“I have more than enough money already, and I am the son of a tradesman; my mother was the daughter of a shopkeeper. I ask you to search your heart. If you feel that you can love me, then our path is clear. If you think I am not the man suited to be your husband, we will part as friends.”

Was she in a dream? Could she, Jane Millar, truly be on the cusp of lifelong happiness?

The answer was yes. Mr Bingley had heard every terrible thing Jane had ever done, and he was still seated before her.

His light blue eyes were watching her expectantly.

Suddenly Jane realised she had not replied to his proposal.

She knew there was only one answer she could give him.

“Yes, Mr Bingley, yes, I will marry you. I tried to convince myself my heart was still safe, but I had already fallen in love with you.”

“Thank you, Jane, you have made me the happiest of men. I think you should address me as Charles from now on.” Bingley was grinning from ear to ear.

Had the door not been wide open and the maid had not been sitting diagonally across from them, Bingley would have pulled Miss Millar, Jane, to himself to deliver some searing kisses. There would be enough time for that.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

As she was of age, Jane needed permission from no one, although her uncles bestowed their hearty blessings.

“You will be a very happy girl, Jane,” Gardiner told her when she joined her fiancé and Phillips in Longbourn’s study.

At first, Jane did not notice Lizzy sitting on the settee between the windows. “Lizzy, how is it that you are here?” Surely after everything they had been through and how close they had become, Lizzy did not have an objection to her marrying Charles?

“I am here for a good reason, Jane,” Elizabeth explained.

“Mr Bingley told us you said you were penniless. I am afraid it is not true. You did not prevaricate because you were unaware. Uncles Edward and Frank have all of the particulars, but Archy and I dowered you with five and twenty thousand pounds.”

Jane looked at the smiling faces in the study and promptly burst into tears. “How can everyone be so good to me?” she asked plaintively between sobs.

Bingley pulled his betrothed into a hug.

“It is simple, Jane, regardless of what the late Mrs Bennet tried to turn you into, you rose above her vile intentions, and against all the odds, you became a good person. Not just good, but a very good, caring, selfless woman, and you deserve every good thing which will come to you in this life,” Elizabeth asserted.

Her tone was one which brooked no opposition.

As she cogitated, Jane looked pensive. “If I was able to change, is it not possible Miss Bingley can as well?”

“Caroline was given years to amend her character. All she did was blame others for her own actions and make plans to pull the wool over my and others’ eyes.

I agree with Lady Elizabeth; I think my younger sister is living in a world of delusions.

Her maid shared her plan to compromise Fitzwilliam if she was not able to turn him away from Miss Bennet.

Anyone with any sanity would have been able to see the disdain both cousins have for her.

Neither would gratify a compromise, nor would I have demanded they do so. ”

“From what you say, I can see she will not allow herself to change,” Jane admitted. “What will you do with her?”

“My Aunt Hildebrand, my late Uncle Bingley’s widow, will arrive on the morrow. We will discuss it, but I feel Caroline needs to be somewhere far from society where she can be protected from herself and have no ability to leave,” Bingley mused.

“Surely not Bedlam?” Elizabeth enquired.

“No, if it is to be an asylum, it will be a private, caring one. As far from London and society as possible,” Bingley replied.

“My aunt will have good thoughts on the subject. She had a sister who had to be committed to such a place, and it was somewhere where she was treated with compassion and cared for very well.”

“It seems you have things well in hand,” Phillips observed. “Have you two discussed the wedding date yet?”

Jane and Bingley looked at one another. “We have not, but for my part, I would like to marry Jane sooner rather than later. What is your preference? I will bow to your desires.”

“I agree. However, my best friend, Betsy, is marrying the Friday before Christmas, and I do not want to take away from her wedding by marrying before her.” Jane stated.

She stood and walked over to the calendar on her uncle’s desk.

“What of the tenth of January? It is after Epiphany, and Betsy and Mr Collins are not taking a wedding trip until the summer, so they will be able to attend.”

“I have no objection to that date,” Bingley agreed.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~