Page 55 of Missing

Elizabeth soothed her and gave her more water. "Do not trouble yourself, Mama. I have always enjoyed being a rebellious girl," she replied, which made Mrs Bennet laugh softly.

"I am well enough now, so I want you to return to your husband as soon as possible.

Though he is serious, he is tall, handsome, and rich—it is not good to leave him alone for long," Mrs Bennet said with sudden earnestness.

"I always thought Jane would be the daughter to marry a wealthy man who could protect us all.

But you see, she has forgotten us, and I doubt she can ever have her own home with those witches she has for sisters-in-law. "

Elizabeth noticed Jane leaving the room abruptly after hearing this. Fortunately, Mrs Bennet had not realised Jane was within earshot; otherwise, she might have been more guarded in her speech. Elizabeth resolved to give her sister time and speak to her once their mother had fallen asleep.

Meanwhile, Violet was reading her son's letter when Jane rushed into the small sitting room.

Unaware of Violet's presence, Jane seized some cushions from a chair and threw them to the floor in a fit of suppressed anguish, tears streaming down her face.

But when she discovered Violet there, she hastily gathered the cushions and replaced them.

"I am sorry; I did not mean to intrude, Mrs Dalton," Jane said, blushing with embarrassment.

"Do not trouble yourself, Mrs Bingley. At times, it is well to release the burdens we carry," Violet replied kindly.

"Yes, it helps," Jane admitted. "I shall take a walk in the garden."

"I know you have not sought my advice, and I hope you will not think me impertinent. But do not keep within you what causes you pain. My son William is reserved, as you are, yet I always taught him that the only way to resolve what weighs on him is by speaking of it."

"There are feelings one cannot confess…."

"There is always a way to give voice to what troubles us. You need only find the right words, or the right person who will not judge but understand."

"No, Mrs Dalton, some thoughts are unspeakable because they are dreadful feelings."

"Jealousy is a dreadful feeling. But unless one accepts and examines why one feels it, there is no possibility of overcoming it."

"How do you know? Why do you say so?"

"Because it is plain that you are jealous of your sister Elizabeth. But you feel so because you have always believed she is better than you. In truth, she is not better than you, nor are you better than her," Violet said with a gentle smile.

"My mother always said… I think you know."

"Yes, I know."

Jane sat beside her sister's mother-in-law and confided things she had never told anyone.

She admitted that she had long resented her mother treating her as though she were a doll for display, believing it was the only means of securing her affection.

Her father had never shown the same interest in her as he had in Elizabeth.

After years of trying, Jane had resigned herself to her role as the pretty daughter, and nothing more.

Violet's heart ached for Jane—a young woman without direction, unable to manage her own life, and with no one in whom to confide or from whom to seek guidance.

"Worst of all, Mrs Dalton, my husband sees me exactly as my mother does. I am the pretty young wife he can flaunt before his friends, and nothing else. He will never oppose his sisters to give me my proper place," Jane said, wiping her tears.

"Have you told him how you feel?" Violet asked.

"No, but he should see it—just as your son knows what Lizzy needs and wants."

"I would not compare your marriage with that of William and Elizabeth.

And believe me, men do not always see what is plain to others.

Jane, it is time you began making adult decisions, rather than behaving like a wounded girl who runs home at the first conflict.

Speak to your husband; tell him how you feel.

It will help you to grow, and it will help him also. "

Jane remained with Violet for nearly an hour, sincerely grateful. Violet had dispelled her doubts, and for the first time, Jane understood that being thought good did not mean she must be without fault. She was, after all, as human as everyone else.

◆◆◆

William was sad. Uncle Gardiner gave him Elizabeth's letter, and she told him she would not return for another week. He could not stand another day without seeing her, so he was planning to travel to Hertfordshire the following day. He had not seen her for three days, which seemed like years.

William was in his study and intended to tell the coachman that he needed everything ready for the next day because he would be traveling to Hertfordshire. But he could not do it because Mr. Bingley came to visit him.

He entered William's study and immediately asked. "Dalton, have you heard from Lizzy? Is all well at Longbourn?" asked Charles impatiently.

"I just got a letter from Elizabeth, and she told me that her mother is better now, and the doctor said she will need some more weeks to recover fully. But come in, sit down," William said when he saw his friend so desperate. "Bingley, what is the matter?"

"I am living in hell!" Charles retorted. "My Angel left without even speaking to me; she left me a five-line note and has not written to tell me how she is or if she needs anything. What kind of wife does something like that?" asked Mr. Bingley more to himself than to William.

"Probably one that is very angry with her husband," William replied.

"Do you think my Angel is angry with me?"

"I do not know. Do you think she has a reason to be angry?"

Mr. Bingley got to his feet and began pacing the study, not knowing what to say. "I am not a perfect husband, but she knows I love her with all my heart."

"And how do you show her that you love her? Because it is not enough to say I love you, Bingley."

"And what should I do, then?"

"The fact that you ask me that question reveals that you have given the matter very little thought, Bingley.

If you came here for me to tell you what to do, you came to the wrong place.

That is for you to decide! When you can determine what to do, it will be because you are ready to be the husband your wife needs. "

"Perhaps you are right, Dalton," Mr. Bingley said. Then he stopped near the window and spent almost three minutes without saying anything.

William was getting impatient; he did not know what to do. His friend seemed to be immersed in his thoughts and not moving. "Bingley…"

"Dalton, I do not want you to tell me what to do, but please, just listen and tell me what you think about what I have decided to do."

"Alright, but with just one condition."

"Which condition?"

"That, regardless of what I say, you will do what you have decided."

"I shall do so... Well, tomorrow I shall travel to Hertfordshire to help my dear Angel in everything she needs, to take charge of my estate, and to live next to my wife without the harmful presence of my sisters interfering in my marriage."

"You have always known what you had to do, so why did you not do it?"

"Because I am lazy and feel comfortable living a life without obligations.

But I am not happy like this anymore, and now I need other things in my life.

I want my wife to be proud of me… Thank you, Dalton," Mr. Bingley said.

Then he gave his friend a firm handshake and went to his house to prepare everything for his trip.

William could not help but smile when he saw Mr. Bingley so happy. Apparently, he was willing to try to start taking charge of his life, and he hoped everything would go well for him. Charles Bingley was a good man; he just needed to grow.

William forgot what he was going to do when Charles came to interrupt him and realized that by reading Elizabeth's letter, he had not checked the newspaper that day.

He was in the habit of reading the newspaper without fail because he needed to know what was happening and how it could affect his business and investments.

But when he saw the first page, he was absolutely shocked by the headline of the national newspaper with the largest circulation.

After over twenty years of being missing, the Darcy family heir has returned to occupy his rightful place in his family and society.