Page 23 of It Taught Me to Hope
M irroring the previous occasion when Mrs. Edwards returned to Longbourn, the Darcys visited the day after the last of Miss Bennet’s sisters graced the estate with her presence. Curious as she was about the Bennet sister she had not yet met, Georgiana entered Longbourn wondering about Mrs. Westbrook’s character. Perhaps she should not have found her behavior surprising, given what her brother had informed her of his recollections of the woman, but the reality of Mrs. Catherine Westbrook’s character was nothing less than a shock.
“What good fortune it is to make your acquaintance!” said the young woman, her effervescent personality bubbling to the surface. “My sisters have told me much of you. If you had only come to Hertfordshire with your brother, we might be longstanding friends!”
While Georgiana did not quite know what to make of her, she was not opposed to fostering friendly relations. Mrs. Westbrook was a married woman with three young children, but Georgiana could see something of her brother’s comments in her, for her behavior echoed what Georgiana suspected of a seventeen-year-old Kitty Bennet. Little that crossed her mind did not emerge from her mouth soon after, she was lively, and she appeared as eager to make friends as a girl of ten. Soon, Georgiana was ensconced beside her, hearing Mrs. Westbrook’s stories of her children, her sisters, life as a married woman, and anything else that crossed her mind. Georgiana could imagine being quite intimidated by her manners had she met her as a girl!
“How shocked I was when I heard of Mr. Darcy’s return!” exclaimed she as they sat together. She turned to Georgiana, appearing uncertain, and said: “You must have been as astonished to learn of his interest in my sister.”
“In some ways,” agreed Georgiana, the first time Mrs. Westbrook had stopped long enough to allow Georgiana to speak. “It was necessary to pull my brother’s interest from his unwilling lips, for he does not share much of his private thoughts. However, I do remember hearing something of your sister when he was in Hertfordshire.”
Mrs. Westbrook’s eyes grew wide. “Mr. Darcy told you of my sister?”
“In letters he mentioned her.” Georgiana considered those letters and grinned. “William reported some rather infamous disagreements between Mrs. Powell—you know her as Miss Bingley—and your sister.”
“When was this?”
“I believe your eldest sisters stayed at Netherfield for a time while Mr. Bingley was in residence?”
“Oh, of course,” replied Mrs. Westbrook. “As I recall, Jane became ill, and Lizzy went to Netherfield to nurse her back to health.”
Then she fell silent, considering.
“Do you recall the subject of their disagreement?”
“Something to do with accomplishments, as I recall.” Georgiana made a face. “Miss Bingley pursued my brother until he disabused her of any notion of his intention to propose to her.”
“That much I recall. Even I, who am not accounted the most observant of my sisters, could see Miss Bingley’s determination.”
“William never liked her. He tolerated her for his friend’s sake, but there was never any chance of him proposing to her. Even if he was interested, I would have counseled him against her in the strongest terms, and William would never have acted against my wishes.”
Mrs. Westbrook again stopped to ponder her. “Do you have such control over your brother’s actions?”
“Oh, no, not at all!” exclaimed Georgiana. “Rather, he would not have wished to make me unhappy. If he loved Miss Bingley—as ridiculous as such a thing sounds—he might have married her anyway. Before he met your sister, William had not thought of marriage, for he was to make a society marriage.”
“If you will forgive me, I do not think marrying Miss Bingley would have been acceptable to society at large.”
With a laugh, Georgiana agreed. “You have the right of it. In Miss Bingley’s eyes, she was the pinnacle of society; in reality, she only gives herself airs. When William distanced himself from her, it ended all her pretensions.”
While she nodded, it appeared Mrs. Westbrook was not at all interested in speaking about Miss Bingley. “Then this business of your brother’s return is most perplexing.”
“In what way?”
“Six years have passed,” said Mrs. Westbrook. “I can recall no instance of regard on his part, though I do recall a particular dance at a ball when Mr. Darcy danced with no one else.”
Georgiana regarded Kitty with shock. “My brother never mentioned that.”
“I thought nothing of it. Though I did not see them, my sister Lydia told me later that it appeared they were arguing while dancing.”
“That is not a good way to woo a woman,” said Georgiana, looking at her brother, curious about this new information.
William had been open about the mistakes he had made during his acquaintance with Miss Bennet, but it appeared he had not told her all. It was not a surprise, she supposed, for most elder brothers confided little in their younger sisters, and William was more circumspect than most. There were some matters he would wish to keep to himself, and the memory of events six years before was not always precise.
Still, Georgiana had to wonder how her brother had formed such a fascination for Miss Bennet when by all accounts he had not gotten on well with her. Georgiana knew he had never considered their interactions to be confrontational. It was still puzzling, however, for from everything she knew, she could not see how a man who held himself aloof to the extent her brother did could know enough about a woman to develop a tender regard for her. Given all she was hearing, Georgiana was no longer surprised Elizabeth had refused him with such acrimony.
By her side, Mrs. Westbrook sighed, her gaze on Elizabeth and William, her expression more than a little dreamy. “It is all so romantic.”
“What is?” asked Georgiana, uncertain what her new friend was saying.
“Why, Lizzy and Mr. Darcy, of course!” Mrs. Westbrook regarded her as if it was the clearest thing in the world. “Lizzy never knew that Mr. Darcy liked her, and Mr. Darcy suffered in silence for six years before finding the courage to approach her. While I never would have considered Mr. Darcy as lacking in confidence, I agree Lizzy can be intimidating.”
“Oh, aye,” replied Georgiana. “It is romantic, indeed.”
Left unsaid was the rancor at Hunsford, the difficulties they had experienced as related by her brother. Given Mrs. Westbrook’s way of expressing herself, Elizabeth had never informed her youngest sister of the truth of the matter, and Georgiana was not about to break her confidence. Telling Mrs. Westbrook might be a risk anyway, as she was not the most circumspect person Georgiana had ever met.
“Do you suppose they will make a match of it?”
To that question, Georgiana could do nothing more than shrug. “You know your sister better than I do. It has been my observation that they have grown closer since we came to the neighborhood, but I still cannot say if she will accept him. William would propose this moment if he thought there was any chance of success.”
Mrs. Westbrook considered this. “Would it surprise you to learn that my sister is a romantic?”
A laugh bubbled from Georgiana’s lips. “No, that would not surprise me at all. I have gained that much of a measure of your sister’s character.”
“Then you apprehend that Lizzy will not accept a proposal from anyone if she does not feel herself in love with him.”
That sobered Georgiana as she understood the thrust of Mrs. Westbrook’s comment. “I would believe it of your sister even if I did not already have her testimony on the subject. The question is whether he will convince her enough to provoke her love.”
“Yes, that is exactly it.”
For several moments thereafter, they sat together observing the conversation between William and Elizabeth, and Georgiana thought she saw enough to give her hope. As Georgiana reflected on them, she could not recall any moment when Elizabeth had given her any indication of dislike or disapproval of William. When they had appeared in Sir William’s parlor unexpectedly she had shown an excess of shock to be certain, but even then, while she had been collecting herself, there had been nothing of anger, disdain, or any wish they had not come. To own the truth, once she had become accustomed to their presence, Miss Bennet was cordial at worst, and no less than welcoming at best. Now they were speaking with animation, Miss Bennet making some point with her hands, while William regarded her with adoration, an expression rendered all the sillier by his slight smile, lopsided as if mesmerized by the sound of her voice.
As for Elizabeth, Georgiana did not think she would speak with such animation with a man she did not favor, or at least did not esteem to some extent. While that was a fair distance from the love required in a man who proposed to her, it was clear their relationship was growing. Where it would lead, she could not quite say, but Georgiana’s hopes were rising for a happy end in a marriage that would, she was certain, bring them both much joy and contentment.
“You see it too,” said Mrs. Westbrook, leaning close and speaking in a whisper so they would not overhear.
“If you speak of your sister’s apparent openness with my brother, I do. It has been growing since we arrived.”
Mrs. Westbrook hid her mouth with her hand, stifling her mirth. “Nigh incomprehensible though it is, I suspect they are on their way to making a match. What Lydia would say if she could see Lizzy now!”
Georgiana turned to her new friend, wondering after her meaning.
“Oh, do not suppose that Lydia would be angry.” Mrs. Westbrook paused and shook her head, a shadow coming over her features. “Or I do not suppose she would be now . Lydia took Mr. Wickham’s side of the story and quite despised your brother. I have no knowledge of my sister and have not heard from her in several years; I cannot say what she would think of it now. Lydia was always a tease, so I know she would not have lost any time in nettling Lizzy about it.
“Of perhaps more interest is what my mother would have said about it.”
At Georgiana’s questioning look, Mrs. Westbrook looked skyward, a hint of exasperation for her departed mother.
“Mama was always pushing us at one man or another, though more particularly Jane. With the entailed estate and our small dowries, she feared genteel poverty should my father leave her unprotected.”
“That is understandable,” said Georgiana. “If she was at all overt about it, William would not have appreciated being the focus of such machinations.”
Again, Mrs. Westbrook released her mirth. “Oh, Mr. Darcy was never my mother’s target, for he slighted Lizzy almost as soon as he made her acquaintance. Mama was far more concerned with Mr. Bingley and Jane.”
“It may shock you to hear this about my brother,” replied Georgiana, “but I suspect he considered it an excellent trade. Perhaps his reputation worsened in the neighborhood, but at least he was not enduring ladies’ schemes to recommend themselves to him.”
“No, indeed!”
Georgiana found Mrs. Westbrook to be an excellent sort of woman, though perhaps a little more heedless than most. They remained together for most of the visit, turning their topics of conversation to other, less fraught matters. While Georgiana could not say that she was as stimulating a conversationalist as her sister, she liked Mrs. Westbrook very well, so much that by the time they had remained together for fifteen minutes, they were on a first-name basis.
––––––––
“D O YOU SUPPOSE THEY are speaking of us?”
Elizabeth regarded Mr. Darcy, mirth filling her breast. “If they are not, it would surprise me to learn of it. They are both of a romantic disposition; our unusual story cannot help but fire their imaginations.”
Mr. Darcy regarded his sister with affection before he turned back to Elizabeth. “I hope you will forgive me if I suggest we ignore them. There are more important things by far to consider than our younger sisters’ speculations.”
“Not at all,” replied Elizabeth. “Kitty has improved much over the years, but there is still much of the girl who ran amok with Lydia when she was a girl. I love her dearly, but she can be a little tiresome.”
With a nod, Mr. Darcy changed the subject. “I received a letter from my cousin.”
“Colonel Fitzwilliam?” asked Elizabeth, having no acquaintance with his other cousins except Miss de Bourgh who had passed on.
“Yes, it was Fitzwilliam. It was most amusing, for he has grown weary of my aunt’s company.”
Elizabeth stifled a giggle with her hand. “Then you better tell me about it, Mr. Darcy.”
The gentleman did just that, sharing his cousin’s wish to leave Rosings for a time and visit with Mr. Darcy, and his return letter inviting the colonel to Hertfordshire. When he completed his account, Elizabeth could not help but shake her head.
“It appears your aunt has a long arm, indeed, if she can discompose him so when she does not even live in the same house.”
“My aunt possesses the ability to discompose others even in distant locales. My uncle often speaks of how much she exasperates him, and his estate is in Derbyshire!”
Together they descended into mirth at Mr. Darcy’s comment.
“Should I take that as a warning, Mr. Darcy?” asked Elizabeth, arching her brow at him. “A woman might think twice about accepting a gentleman with the threat of interference from the infamous Lady Catherine de Bourgh hanging over his head.”
“I might have thought you already knew of the possibility of my aunt’s interference.”
“Let us say it is not one of the... benefits of your suit.”
Mr. Darcy seized on her comment. “Then you are considering my suit.”
“If I was not,” was Elizabeth’s wry reply, “we would not be here, Mr. Darcy.”
The gentleman nodded. “Yes, I understand enough about you to know that much.”
“As concerns your cousin, we should be happy to have him in our midst. Kitty might even recall something of her fascination for a man in a red coat if you mention his past as a colonel.”
A laugh was the gentleman’s response. “Perhaps it would be best to refrain, Miss Bennet. I would not cause trouble between your sister and her excellent husband.”
“Not at all, Mr. Darcy. If anyone understands her character, I am certain it is Martin. What I am more interested in is how Jane will greet your cousin.”
“I do not understand your meaning,” said Mr. Darcy with a frown.
Elizabeth shrugged, though she was certain she was not fooling Mr. Darcy. “Jane fancied herself in love with Mr. Bingley, and Colonel Fitzwilliam is a man possessing a similar character, even if they do not look at all alike. It was what drew her to Mr. Edwards, for he presented himself in a similar light when he was courting her.”
“I can’t imagine Edwards behaving in such a manner.”
“And yet he was charming and genial to all,” said Elizabeth. “It was not until after that we became aware of his true character.”
“I suppose we all don a mask that suits us at certain times. Some, like Wickham, are masters at wearing and discarding them at will, while others do so only when they must. If Edwards thought your sister would receive Longbourn, it would have been worth his while to portray himself to advantage.”
Mr. Darcy regarded her. “Then you suppose your sister will appreciate my cousin?”
“I cannot say,” said Elizabeth. “The notion that he might be the sort of man who would intrigue her has occurred to me, but I am still coming to terms with the changes her marriage has wrought in her.”
For some moments Mr. Darcy was silent, and though there was something particular on his mind, Elizabeth thought he would not voice it. At length, however, he seemed to decide to share his thoughts, though when he spoke, what he said was most unexpected.
“In truth, I had some notion of making Bingley aware of your sister’s available status.”
So shocked was Elizabeth that she could not so much as gasp at the preposterous suggestion.
“You thought to play matchmaker between Mr. Bingley and Jane after all these years?”
While he might have taken her blurted response as a reason to become defensive or exclaim he had no intention of suggesting such a thing, Mr. Darcy did neither. Instead, he regarded her with all seriousness, though the smile tugging at the corner of his lips suggested he had expected her response. Perhaps he had, to an extent.
“No, Miss Bennet, I suggest no such interference. I learned my lesson and will not wade into those waters again.
“However, I will point out one important factor that you may not have considered: should I persuade you to accept me, there is no doubt you will come to Bingley’s attention, for he is still a friend, albeit one I do not see as often.”
“I have considered the possibility,” interrupted Elizabeth. “It was obvious the moment you made your intentions clear and informed me of your continued friendship with Mr. Bingley.”
Mr. Darcy chuckled, regarding her with no little affection. “I do not intend to suggest any lack of perspicacity on your part, Miss Bennet, for I well know your quality. Yet now, with Edwards’s passing, the situation has changed. She cannot accept even the suggestion of a suitor until she has completed her deep mourning, so nothing can happen at once. The fact, however, is that she is now a widowed woman and free to marry again. I cannot say if Bingley would have any interest now after so many years, but I will note that he remains a bachelor.”
“Should Jane go to Derbyshire where she is unknown, she could forgo half mourning to accept a suitor.” Elizabeth offered a wry smile. “Mourning customs are not so defined as to render one who does not follow them a pariah, and those in Derbyshire would only know what she told them. My opinion of her late husband is so poor that I would not blame her if she decided not to mourn him at all.”
“I had no better opinion of him,” said Mr. Darcy. “Please be at ease, Miss Bennet—I shall do nothing to push them together, nor will I offer my opinion to Bingley. The most I will do is inform Bingley of our union and that your sister is a widow. Any action Bingley takes thereafter will be his decision and not from any prodding on my part.”
Elizabeth weighed Mr. Darcy’s words, for he was correct. Now that Jane was no longer married, a reunion with Mr. Bingley was a possibility. So long as they did nothing to interfere, it was only prudent to prepare themselves for the possibility of their coming to each other’s attention again. The notion of Jane marrying Mr. Bingley after so much time was a curious one, for all that Elizabeth had held to her opinion of Mr. Bingley’s continued affection for her sister against all indications and the man’s continued absence. Jane had never been happier than those few months receiving the gentleman’s attention, so some part of her wondered if Jane could find her happiness with him.
On the other hand, Elizabeth did not wish Jane to be hurt, especially if Mr. Bingley lacked any further interest in her. Jane was, in essentials, the same woman she had been during Mr. Bingley’s stay in Hertfordshire, though older, wiser, and perhaps a little more guarded. Her marriage to an odious man who had misrepresented himself assured those changes in her character. If one looked at the situation with Mr. Bingley with a jaundiced eye, one might suppose that Mr. Bingley had also misrepresented himself. While that might be a logical assumption, Elizabeth had never thought Mr. Bingley so callous; if anything, he had only been easily persuaded by a sister who cared nothing for his happiness and everything for her selfish designs.
“I agree it is prudent to consider it in advance, Mr. Darcy,” said Elizabeth at length. “So long as we say nothing to influence them, I am content to allow matters to proceed. To own the truth, I had considered introducing Jane to your friends—perhaps she could find a husband she can esteem among their number.”
“That is possible,” agreed Mr. Darcy. “Then again, if there is a mutual attraction between Fitzwilliam and your sister, this business with Bingley may be moot.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Yes, I suppose you must be correct.”
A little later, the Darcy siblings rose to depart, and before they did, Georgiana spoke of the coming of Colonel Fitzwilliam, promising to hold a dinner party after he arrived. Then they quit the estate, leaving the Bennet sisters and their families at Longbourn. It did not take long for Kitty to state her opinion.
“If I had not witnessed it myself, I might never have believed it! Your antipathy for Mr. Darcy was so virulent that it is a surprise to see you laughing with him in your sitting-room.”
“It shows Mr. Darcy in an entirely different light,” opined Jane.
“Aye, it does at that,” said Mary. “And you have both only seen him for a few visits. I have been watching them for more than a month now. Trust me, Lizzy appears far more comfortable with him than she did when he first appeared.”
“That is because I am more comfortable,” said Elizabeth.
“Had you suggested otherwise, it would have been nothing more than dissembling,” was Mary’s wry reply.
“For that reason, I do not dissemble.”
“Well, I think it is so romantic,” said Kitty with a sigh that had her sisters all grinning at each other. “I cannot fathom the reasons behind it, but Mr. Darcy pined after you all these years and then appeared without warning to sweep you from your feet. What woman would not wish to be the subject of such devotion?”
“What woman, indeed,” said Jane, her manner all introspection.
“We are not engaged.”
“No, you are not,” agreed Jane. “However, I have hope for you, Lizzy. You deserve your happiness the same as the rest of us. Mr. Darcy appears to be carrying on charmingly, so much that I hope he will prove himself to you and carry you off to the north to live in wedded bliss for the rest of your life.”
“What of you, Jane?” asked Elizabeth, considering the conversation she had just had with Mr. Darcy. “Kitty and Mary are happy in their marriages, but yours turned out nothing like you had hoped.”
Jane sighed and offered a wan smile. “If you are asking if I am open to marriage again, I shall agree that I am. As I am also wiser than I was, I do not wish to make the mistake I made when my husband misled me into thinking he was a different man than he was.”
“That is prudent, Jane,” said Mary.
“Should I enter those waters again,” said Jane with a nod to Mary, “I will not allow a man to assume the details of my situation. You own Longbourn, Lizzy, and as my portion of Mama’s fortune came to Mr. Edwards when I married, I have nothing now. I am a widow and have a connection to you should you marry Mr. Darcy, but that will be the only benefit I possess.”
Elizabeth regarded Jane, thinking she might possess Longbourn, for Elizabeth did not suppose Mr. Darcy would protest if she passed the estate on to Jane when they were married. How much that would help Jane she could not say—it may even prove a detriment, as it had when she married Mr. Edwards. Regardless, she could not say such a thing now, for there was no way to know if Elizabeth would grow to esteem Mr. Darcy enough to accept a proposal. It was also no guarantee he would offer for her, regardless of his stated intention. Thus, Elizabeth said nothing of her thoughts.
“Then we shall see what happens. Should I marry Mr. Darcy, we may introduce you in London. The connection to Mr. Darcy may be enough to ensure you receive attention enough to find a husband.”
“If it happens,” said Jane, “I shall not protest.”
With that, they left the subject alone. Elizabeth said nothing about Mr. Bingley, of course. Jane knew something about his present situation, but Elizabeth did not wish to interfere any more than Mr. Darcy did.