Page 13 of The Gossip War (Pride and Prejudice Shorts #1)

I will admit right here and now that my wife put me in my place definitively.

It had been some time since I was proud of her and ashamed of myself, but I supposed we still had a few years to see if we could make our lives more harmonious—or at least, less disharmonious. Certainly, respecting her more was a good start.

When she suggested going for the jugular, I expected at least Jane and maybe Lizzy to be shocked and argue against the idea, but as often happens, I was mistaken.

To this day, I have no idea if Jane was experiencing the reaction of someone spurned in their affections, or she was angry because after twenty-two years of pining, she finally got the best of brothers, and he was under threat.

I suppose she also felt keenly for Miss Darcy’s safety, since she was obviously another sister, who might increase the average sensibility of the family.

After an hour of discussion, there was much to be said for each camp, and several compromise variations short of all or nothing.

Jane surprised us by being the first and strongest advocate of the burnt ground strategy. She was all for salting the fields, killing the cattle, and poisoning the wells. When she was not speaking, she kept glancing at my writing set as if she could not wait to start the assault straightaway.

Elizabeth took the more conciliatory approach, I supposed to be contrary, or perhaps to enjoy the novelty of being on the opposite side of the kindness divide in a dispute with Jane for once in her life.

On the other hand, she was the one who would be in the thick of things, while Jane would be watching the battle from the ramparts, so perhaps she had a better perspective.

My wife sided with Jane, and while some might argue she just wanted to be vindictive, she was just being protective of her girls (including the new daughter-in-law), as we should be.

I mostly sided with Lizzy, while Darcy was undecided. I cannot say whether it was my natural indolence guiding me, or if I honestly thought it the best tactic.

In the end, I was willing to defer to the couple, since his sister was the most at risk, he was the injured party, and she would endure the repercussions. He listened carefully to all arguments and judged fairly. Whether he was giving the Bingleys a fair trial and a fine hanging was yet to be seen.

In the end, as the old saying goes, a compromise is a solution that pleases nobody.

Lizzy came up with the idea. “Like Jane, I have no qualms about smiting Bingleys, but that would have one problem.”

Darcy filled it in. “They will have nothing to lose.”

“Correct. If the game is over and they lost, retribution and revenge would be the order of the day. They would have no incentive toward good behaviour.

“On the other hand, if they escape unscathed, they will still eventually work out that Georgiana is vulnerable.

“They have the resources to dig, and the fact that you held your temper in the first minutes, and were on your way to discuss it, will convince them there is something to find—smoke and fire and so forth.”

“It sounds like a hopeless business,” I added.

“Not really. We need to make some sort of mutual destruction pact.”

“Meaning?” Darcy asked, eagerly. I had no opinion about whether his eagerness was over protecting his bride, protecting his sister, or was just enthusiastic about listening to anything his bride had to say. Any or all of those would make me happy.

“In days of old, Romans, Royals, and so forth, when two kingdoms were in danger of warfare, they would sometimes exchange hostages. That way, any hostilities would hurt everyone. It might be many less important hostages, or a few critical ones—but it made a situation where violence made everyone lose something important.”

I chuckled. “I applaud you, Elizabeth. Your insatiable curiosity has found a good use after all.”

“Do you know what I am proposing, Papa?”

“Not at all, but I have faith you do.”

She gave me one of her soft smiles calculated to melt the heart of any father.

My wife asked, “Perhaps you can enlighten us, Lizzy,” which may well have been the first time she looked on Elizabeth’s education with approval.

Jane looked interested, though just the slightest bit disappointed that her sport might be curtailed. Perhaps she had been the serene one a bit too long.

Elizabeth outlined her plan. “Suppose we meet with the Bingleys at one as planned, but first we—”

Her plan was devious, but I thought it had a good chance of success.

We worked out the particulars and sent her gentleman on his way.

She watched his departure far past the time when even an eagle could see him.