Page 10 of I am Jael (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

“No, she did not,” Richard stated with a disgusted sniff.

“She told her sister yesterday while we were in the parlor. I was speaking with Georgiana. You were writing a letter elsewhere, I believe. Miss Bingley spoke loudly enough that both your sister and I were forced to hear the entire thing. Apparently you insulted Miss Elizabeth, who repeated your snub to the entire village in some kind of pathetic attempt to take revenge. The servants heard of it here at Netherfield, and a maid passed it on to Miss Bingley’s private maid, who passed it on to Miss Bingley. ”

Darcy groaned and lowered his now heated brow into his hands. What had he done?

“I was irritated with Bingley,” he muttered feebly. “I did not care to dance and he was provoking me. I did not mean to insult Miss Elizabeth.”

“Whether you intended to or not, you did,” the Colonel stated unsympathetically. “It was not well done of you, Darcy. If you did not care to dance, you should have avoided the assembly.”

“Bingley insisted …”

“If you cannot keep yourself from being rude to others, you need to show more of that Darcy spirit and refuse more firmly.”

“I did not care to be alone here with Miss Bingley, and she would doubtless have stayed behind with me.”

“That is, at least, a legitimate reason to go. Well, I have remonstrated with you enough, I daresay. I expect that the young lady would likely not have you even if you did make her an offer, so perhaps it is well that you are determined not to propose.”

Darcy blinked in astonishment, “Surely she would accept me. Her family’s situation is difficult as her father’s estate is entailed to Mr. Collins. I am extremely eligible.”

“I do not know the young lady well, Darcy, but if she is as remarkable as you believe her to be, what makes you think she would marry for money?”

“In any case, it does not matter. She is not well connected and her family is a disgrace. I must put her out of my mind.”

Richard frowned, but shrugged, “As you wish, Darcy. Far be it for me to encourage you to court the only woman to whom you have ever been strongly attracted.”

Darcy winced at these words but plowed on, “I do wish to leave Netherfield. I believe that once I am away from her exquisite presence, my attraction will naturally fade.”

“Have you forgotten Wickham, Cousin?”

“An agent could handle sending him to debtors’ prison.”

“I think not. I will not trust another to manage the man who fooled both Georgiana and Uncle Darcy.”

Darcy sighed and rose to his feet, placing his hands behind him and rocking back on his heels, “I must think of Bingley as well, Richard. As his sisters pointed out, he is dangerously attracted to Miss Bennet. I fear he will make her an offer if he returns to Netherfield.”

“Why is that your business, Darcy? What right have you to interfere with your friend’s love life?”

“Bingley is a warmhearted man. He deserves a woman who genuinely loves him.”

“How do you know Miss Bennet is not in love with him?”

Darcy shook his head, “I have watched her carefully. Her demeanor is warm and cheerful, but without any particular regard for Bingley. Doubtless she would accept at her mother’s urging, but ...”

He trailed away in astonishment as Richard suddenly began laughing. The Colonel’s laughter turned into a roar at the expression on Darcy’s face, and finally the army man collapsed onto a nearby chair, his hands pressed against his abdomen.

“May I inquire what you find so amusing, Richard?” he demanded coldly.

“You,” Richard replied, wiping amused tears from his eyes.

“You. My own cousin, a man I have known all my life, presented such a stern front that I thought he despised a woman with whom he is nearly in love. I think you have no legitimate cause to doubt Miss Bennet’s love for Bingley when you have done such a fine job of concealing your own interest in her sister. ”

His cousin frowned at these words, “I have my reasons for concealing my lo ... my attraction to Miss Elizabeth, Richard. Miss Bennet has no such reasons. If she is genuinely in love with Bingley, and wishes for him to make her an offer, why is she not open about it?”

“Perhaps she is shy. Perhaps she wishes to be as different from her garrulous mother as possible. I do not know, but neither do you. She is a charming young woman and the daughter of a gentleman. Bingley, as a son of a tradesman himself, would do well to marry a kind, gentle, lovely woman like Miss Bennet. I urge you to stay out of it.”

Darcy stood stock still for a full five minutes, thinking hard.

“It appears that I have a great many character flaws,” he said wearily. “In Wickham’s case, I have failed to act. In Bingley’s case, I am tempted to interfere illegitimately.”

Richard rose to his feet, patting his cousin on the shoulder, “Darcy, no one knows more than I do how hard these last years have been. You are a sensible man, and an intelligent one, but you are still but eight and twenty. There is more for you to learn.”

“And of course, your extra six months on this earth give you special wisdom, oh graybeard,” Darcy said with a rather feeble chuckle.

“I envy you your money, Darcy, but I do not envy you the responsibilities of Pemberley. I daresay we both have much to learn, but your mistakes are liable to cause more grief as you have influence over so many people.”

/

“Lizzy!”

Elizabeth looked up from the garden seat where she was hiding with a book. It was a crisp, cold day and her hands were chilled, but she had no desire to be in the house with an irritable Mr. Collins.

Two days previously, Mr. Collins had indeed requested a meeting with Elizabeth in the parlor and proceeded to make her a bizarre and insulting offer of marriage.

She had refused, firmly though courteously, only to have the idiotic clergyman insist that she was refusing to ‘increase his love by suspense’.

She had refused repeatedly, then fled the parlor.

Mr. Collins had, of course, shared his interactions with Elizabeth with Mrs. Bennet, who proceeded to beseech her husband to force Elizabeth to marry the foolish parson.

Mr. Bennet had supported Elizabeth, but had not taken his wife in hand.

Mrs. Bennet thus spent the ensuing hours and days complaining to everyone who would listen about Elizabeth’s refusal to marry Mr. Collins.

Mr. Collins had added to the chaotic atmosphere by stalking around the house, looking affronted.

It was frustrating and tedious and thus Elizabeth was lurking, warmly dressed, in the garden.

“Lizzy!”

She smiled at her youngest two sisters, who were returning from a walk to Meryton.

“Did you have a pleasant walk?”

“We did, and oh, we have such news!” Lydia cried out. “You will never believe what our Aunt Phillips told us about Mr. Wickham and Miss Darcy, sister of that cruel Mr. Darcy.”

Elizabeth felt a sudden lurch in her chest and she rose to her feet, “Mr. Wickham and Miss Darcy? What about them, Lydia?”

“Miss Darcy and Mr. Wickham were engaged, Lizzy!” Kitty cried out with excitement. “They were in love and were to be married, but Miss Darcy’s cruel, snobbish brother interfered and tore them apart. It’s so romantic!”

“I don’t think it is romantic,” Lydia replied with a toss of her dark head. “If Miss Darcy is anything like her brother, she’s arrogant and proud. Mr. Wickham is far too handsome and charming a man to be tied to a woman like that, no matter how rich.”

“Perhaps he will fall in love with one of us!” Kitty suggested joyfully.

“With me, you mean. I’m far prettier than you …”

“You most certainly are not!”

Elizabeth stood in shock, barely hearing the all too common quarrel between her sisters. This was, she knew, catastrophic gossip about young Miss Darcy. Her reputation would be destroyed if this story was widely disseminated and believed.

She knew that Mr. Wickham was a despicable man, and likely the source of this most dangerous rumor. She could do little to stop the man, but Mr. Darcy and his cousin were Miss Darcy’s relatives. She needed to warn them.