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Longbourn - Elizabeth

E lizabeth came down just before dinner, leaving her father soundly asleep, to find that their guest had already left.

Mrs Bennet’s voice filled the room, her hands fluttering excitedly as she moved from one topic to the next without pause, her eyes bright with animation.

How pleasant Mr Bingley had been. How rude his friend had been.

Elizabeth’s spine stiffened, her eyes widening as she glanced at Jane for confirmation. Jane nodded. Mr Darcy had been at Longbourn!

Jane’s usual gentle chatter was absent, her gaze fixed on her plate as she pushed her food around without eating. Elizabeth caught her eye, but Jane just shook her head, they would talk when they were on their own later that evening.

Mr Collins’ face beamed, his chest puffed out as he regaled them with yet another anecdote about Lady Catherine’s wisdom. He asked how Mr Bennet was.

“I believe he is a little better, he hopes he will be able to join us tomorrow,” Elizabeth said, trying to make light of his illness.

“I am glad,” Mr Collins said, “Lady Catherine always say that a drought of boiled holly bark in goat’s milk is the very thing for a bad cold.”

“I will be sure to arrange a drought for him tomorrow,” Mrs Bennet said with a smile. “You are so kind to us Mr Collins.”

“It is the most disagreeable thing in the world that my father should be ill,” Lydia said suddenly, surprising her sisters, “for we cannot go out as much as we should like.”

“Lydia!” Elizabeth warned, for she feared her sister would say something of the nature of his illness.

“I know you agree with me Lizzy. You are not an old married woman yet,” Lydia continued boldly, “Aunt Philips misses our company a great deal and we should, as good nieces, go and wait on her. Do you not think, Mama?”

“Why yes my dear. Of course, you must go and visit my sister. And I am sure Mr Collins will go with you, will you not Mr Collins?”

“Indeed Madam, I would be honoured to see your most excellent sister again.”

Lydia’s eyes lit up, a mischievous grin spreading across her face as she clapped her hands together in excitement, “We shall go tomorrow then,” she declared.

Jane retired to bed early that evening and Elizabeth soon followed her.

“Lizzy, I need to ask you a difficult question. Please understand that I would not ask it unless I felt it was important. But you must promise me to answer it truthfully?” Jane said.

“You are so serious tonight.”

“This is not a joke Lizzy. Will you answer truthfully or not?” Jane said sternly.

Elizabeth’s shoulders sagged. She closed her eyes briefly, then met Jane’s gaze. “Of course I will,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“What is your opinion of Mr Darcy?”

Whatever Elizabeth had been expecting. it had not been that.

* * *

Road to Netherfield - Darcy

“Well, that was interesting,” Bingley commented as they were leaving Longbourn.

“Indeed,” Darcy replied, mounting his horse. “But will Mrs Bennet truly prevent Miss Elizabeth from attending?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Bingley spurred his horse slightly. “I’ll mention to Miss Bennet that we hope for her sister’s company. If only we could leave Mr Collins behind.”

Darcy’s laugh was short and sharp. “Let us hope Miss Elizabeth Bennet will be there, and not pray for miracles,” Darcy said and then on impulse, “What are you waiting for? Your happiness is not as complicated as mine, I would have thought you would jump at the chance to secure her elder sister?”

Bingley laughed again, spurring his horse forward. “There’s no rush. We’ve barely known each other six months. I am enjoying her company, discovering more about her. I don’t believe I am in danger of losing her.”

Darcy smiled, “Bingley, you’re a lucky man. I’d give anything to court my lady at leisure.”

“Your situation is not so hopeless, Darcy. Anyone can see there’s no affection between Miss Elizabeth and Mr Collins.”

“Then why the engagement, Bingley? Did Miss Bennet offer any explanation?”

Bingley spoke slowly choosing his words carefully, “She was rather reticent on the subject.”

“And?” Darcy pressed.

* * *

Longbourn, Jane and Elizabeth’s Room - Elizabeth

“Why do you ask?” Elizabeth said quietly, turning her back to her sister so that she could not see her face.

“Please Lizzy, answer the question.”

“My opinion of him, you know how much I disliked him. I could not stand him, he was so proud and so disagreeable.”

“And now?”

“I hardly know, I was completely wrong about him and he has been so attentive lately.”

Jane’s lips curved into that particular smile Elizabeth had come to associate with their father’s illness - a blend of hope and worry that made Elizabeth’s stomach clench. She averted her eyes, unable to bear the weight of her sister’s optimism.

“Jane, don’t smile like that at me.”

“Oh, my dearest sister, I believe you are on your way to be very much in love.”

“What, in love with Mr Darcy? How can you talk so?”

“Very easily, I believe he is very much in love with you too.”

“No, Jane, you are mistaken.”

“He has been very attentive to you, since he found out about your engagement. You were the only lady outside his own party he asked to dance at the ball at Netherfield. And the only lady at the Middletons’ ball.”

“No, Jane, you are mistaken. Mr Darcy cares no more for me than he does for Kitty or Lydia. I was mistaken to judge him so hastily with no real reason to do so. But I am not in love with him, nor is he in love with me.”

“He came today with Mr Bingley and I watched his face whenever you were mentioned. I have watched him now for some time, ever since he dined with us and he coughed while drinking his wine. It is very clear, even my mother has seen something there. He even tried to come up here to personally deliver a letter from his sister, but Mama would not hear of it.”

“Mama has been acting very strangely around him. But I cannot believe that he is in love with me.”

“She doesn’t want you to go to the dinner at Netherfield, I will speak to her about it, and you will see for yourself if Mr Darcy is in love with you or not.”

Jane did speak to Mrs Bennet about Elizabeth going to Netherfield and at last talked her mother into the idea.

Mary was to stay with their father and as Elizabeth was the only other one who could play and so would not be involved in the dancing, Mrs Bennet agreed.

Jane’s brow furrowed slightly, her lips pressed into a thin line.

She nodded reluctantly, clearly not entirely pleased but willing to accept the compromise.

“It is such a pity, my dear Eliza, that I will not have the pleasure of dancing with you again,” Mr Collins said very solemnly.

“I am sure there will be plenty of other chances.” Elizabeth said, trying to remove herself from his presence.

“Indeed there will be. For I am sure you will realise very soon that we move in the first circles of society with the assistance of Lady Catherine.”

* * *

Road to Netherfield - Darcy

“She said very little,” Bingley said.

“Yes, you already said that.” Darcy’s jaw clenched, his fingers drumming an impatient rhythm on his thigh as he waited for Bingley to elaborate.

“She mentioned Longbourn’s entailment. Mr Collins is Mr Bennet’s heir.”

Darcy’s eyebrows shot up. “With five daughters? That is most unfortunate.”

He had always for his sister’s sake been pleased that Pemberley was not entailed. Not that she would need it with a fortune of ￡30 000. Elizabeth Bennet on the other hand was not nearly as lucky.

Darcy mulled this over as they approached Netherfield. The entail explained the large family, but not Elizabeth’s hasty engagement. Mr Bennet wasn’t so old… Unless…

“Is there more to Mr Bennet’s condition than we know?” Darcy asked abruptly.

“There’s more, Darcy, but we were interrupted. I fear there’s a urgency to this situation we don’t yet understand.”

* * *

Tuesday 18th of February 1812

Longbourn - Elizabeth

After breakfast that morning, Lydia reminded them of the plan to walk to Meryton to visit their aunt and as it was a fine morning and not too cold they agreed. Elizabeth declined as she would be leaving her father that evening, she did not want to be parted from him again.

“Lizzy, are you sure you will not join us?” Jane asked her quietly as she was putting on her gloves.

“Yes, I am sure. Give my apologies to our aunt, for me please, Jane,” she said.

Jane cast a worried glance at her sister, noting the dark circles under Elizabeth’s eyes and the pallor of her usually rosy cheeks.

She smiled reassuringly and disappeared into her father’s room.

He had managed to get out of bed this morning and had come downstairs.

“Close the door my dear,” he said as she entered the room.

“Mr Bennet hunched in his armchair, the firelight casting deep shadows across his gaunt face.

An open book lay forgotten on his knee, his trembling fingers absently tracing the worn leather binding.

“I hear your sisters and Mr Collins are off to Meryton this morning and you got stuck looking after me?”

“You know very well, father, that I would much rather be here with you than anywhere else. Please try to rest.” Elizabeth said as she picked up the book and was about to start reading from it when he interrupted her.

“Mr Collins came to see me again this morning and he is very insistent about fixing a date. I have stalled him as much as I can, but I doubt I will be able to stall him much longer. I fear my child that you must be Mr Collins’ wife before the summer. ”

The firelight cast deep shadows across Mr Bennet’s face, accentuating the new creases around his eyes and mouth. His once-robust frame seemed to sink into the armchair, as if the very air weighed heavily upon him.

“So soon?”

“There is little else to be done. We can hope that Mr Bingley makes Jane an offer soon, but I fear it may be too late by then. I dare say he will sooner or later, and we can only hope for sooner.”