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Chapter 2: After the ball

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The rest of the ball passed without incident. Between dancing and conversation, Jane was able to put out of her mind the embarrassing antics at supper from Mrs. Bennet and from Mary.

As the evening drew to a close, the Bennet family was last to leave. Mr. Bingley talked with Jane about his plans to go to London in the morning. He had tedious, but important, business to attend to in town, and expected to return to Netherfield in a week or less.

“I hope that, during my absence, you’ll be able to spend some time with Caroline and Louisa. I’ll suggest that they invite you over for at least one evening.”

Jane thought about the new intelligence she had received about Bingley’s sisters. “If they would like for me to visit, I would be happy to do so. But there is no need for you to press them to invite me, sir.”

“I will still mention it to them. Of all their acquaintances in this neighborhood, I believe you are their favorite.”

When at length the Bennets arose to take leave, Mrs. Bennet was most pressingly civil in her hope of seeing the whole family soon at Longbourn, and addressed herself especially to Mr. Bingley, to assure him how happy he would make them by eating a family dinner with them at any time, without the ceremony of a formal invitation. Bingley was all grateful pleasure, and he readily engaged for taking the earliest opportunity of waiting on her, after his return from London.

On their arrival back at Longbourn, Lizzy went to Jane’s room to see if any further intelligence could be gained before she retired.

“Jane, I saw that you danced with Mr. Darcy. Did you ask anything about Wickham?”

Jane found an answer to give that would be true enough, “No, Mr. Bingley was the object of our conversation.”

Her sister’s response was surly. “I suppose that he thinks you inadequate to be Mr. Bingley’s choice.”

“Actually, Mr. Darcy is determined not to interfere with his friend’s choices in that matter. Lizzy, I know that you don’t wish to think well of Mr. Darcy, but I am now convinced that Bingley could not ask for a truer or more devoted friend.”

“He has been known to betray his friends in a spectacular fashion,” Elizabeth retorted.

“We can’t be certain that we know everything about his dealings with Mr. Wickham. I still believe that he may be innocent. Lizzy, there is something else Mr. Darcy said that surprised me. He told me that Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst have been trying to discourage Mr. Bingley from having any interest in me. He has heard them make demeaning comments about me to their brother. Mr. Darcy feels that their reasons for wanting to separate Bingley from me have to do with their own aspirations, rather than an interest in their brother’s happiness. I hardly know what to make of it.”

Elizabeth was startled. “I think it very likely that what Mr. Darcy tells you is true. It doesn’t surprise me in the least that Bingley’s sisters would be at work against you, or that they would be so deceitful as to feign friendship. But it surprises me greatly that he would have told it to you. Perhaps his dislike for Miss Bingley is so great that he would rather see you with Bingley than to see her triumph.”

“Or perhaps, Lizzy, he is acting out of care for his friend. If he cares about Mr. Bingley, which I believe he sincerely does, he would oppose anyone who tried to stand in the way of Bingley’s best interests. I feel certain of it, and you should admit that it is at least a possibility.”

Elizabeth stroked Jane’s hair. “Yes, it’s possible,” she allowed. “And if Mr. Bingley has an ounce of sense, he won’t let anyone keep him away from you.”

They bade each other good night. Once Elizabeth was gone, Jane lay in bed and pondered all that she had learned that evening. She didn’t like to think ill of Bingley’s sisters, but she saw no benign way to interpret the information that Darcy had given her. She couldn’t avoid the feeling that, while she had more of a friend in Mr. Darcy than she’d had before, she had a less of a friend in Caroline or Louisa.

~ooOOoo~

The next day opened a new scene at Longbourn, for their cousin, Mr. Collins, had decided that the time had come for him to make his offer for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage. Jane was not at all surprised at the failure of his suit, and when Mr. Collins finally left the house to seek sanctuary with the Lucases, the Bennet family was in complete disarray. Mrs. Bennet vacillated between vociferous fury and moaning misery, Elizabeth was exasperated, and Lydia and Kitty were all whispers and giggles, impatient to get out of the house to spread the news.

The house had only slightly settled down when they were informed that Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy had come to call. Mrs. Bennet received them gladly. They announced that they would be leaving for London later that day and wished to say their goodbyes.

“Mrs. Bennet,” Bingley said, “I thought that a walk in your gardens would be refreshing before we have to spend hours in a carriage. Perhaps Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth could accompany us?”

Mrs. Bennet looked pained for a moment. She was in no mood to let her rebellious and thoughtless second daughter go anywhere. But she would not dare offend Mr. Bingley. She consented and the four went out.

It was a cool morning, but pleasant enough. Jane and Mr. Bingley soon walked far enough ahead of Elizabeth and Darcy that they could talk without being heard.

“I hope, Miss Bennet,” Bingley began, “that last night’s festivities did not leave you overly tired.”

“Not at all. Are you looking forward to your time in Town?”

“I do enjoy the city, but,” he looked at Jane, “there are some attractions in the country that cannot be found in London. I find that I enjoy the country more with each day that passes. But Darcy is very eager to return to Town. He misses his sister greatly.”

“From what I’ve heard, Miss Darcy sounds like an agreeable young lady.”

“She is a very dear girl. Very quiet, but she has a sweet disposition and is immensely talented. And deeply devoted to her brother, as he is to her.”

“I hope that she can visit Hertfordshire someday.”

“Darcy is convinced that she should not come here. I can’t imagine why.”

Jane wondered at this. For a little while, they said nothing.

Bingley broke the silence. “So, Miss Bennet, do you think that the city or the country is the better place for a person to settle and establish his family?”

The question startled Jane slightly, but she steadied herself. “I’m partial to the country, Mr. Bingley, but I think that the location is unimportant as long as there is love between the members of the family. They would be happy no matter where they lived.”

“Agreed! So perhaps I shall raise my family in a tree in a jungle!” he said giddily. “Each child would have their own branch! Coconuts for every meal! Wouldn’t that be splendid?”

Jane giggled. “I think swinging on vines to visit your neighbors might be difficult.”

Their descriptions of family life in a tree grew more and more ridiculous until, finally, they had made their way back to the house. Jane had almost forgotten that Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth were with them, and hadn’t noticed whether they talked with each other or not.

The party came back into the house, where the gentlemen said their goodbyes and left.

Seeing both of her eldest daughters again set Mrs. Bennet’s mind spinning. She couldn’t decide whether she was more joyous at Mr. Bingley’s coming to visit Jane, or more vexed that Lizzy had refused an offer of marriage. Unable to think how she could convey both emotions at once, she retreated to her room.

Elizabeth’s expression was one that Jane recognized. Her sister had something to discuss with her. They went to Elizabeth’s room.

“Jane, Mr. Darcy told me the same things he had said to you about Bingley’s sisters. He further said that Louisa and Caroline have decided to accompany their brother when he goes to Town and try to prevent him from returning to Netherfield. He made no comment when they told him their plans, so they imagine that he is in agreement, but he says that he is not.”

“I wonder how they would try to stop him from returning to his home?”

“I don’t know, but I’m convinced that his attachment to you will bring him back. There was something else that Mr. Darcy mentioned as well.”

“Yes?”

“He talked about his sister, Georgiana Darcy. He describes her as a shy and tender-hearted girl who has very few friends, and he wants her to develop friendships with people who will influence her for the good. Jane, he desired for me to ask you if you would be willing to write to his sister.”

“Me?”

“He said that he will write a letter to Papa to invite you to correspond with Miss Darcy.”

“I’m honored to think that he trusts me to befriend his sister. However, it makes something Mr. Bingley said even more confusing. I asked whether Miss Darcy might ever visit Hertfordshire, and he said that Mr. Darcy was strongly opposed to the idea.”

“Well, there is one more thing that Darcy said that I found quite puzzling. He knows that our family is acquainted with Mr. Wickham, and he requested that you refrain from making any mention of Wickham in any communications you have with Miss Darcy.”

“Oh! But they grew up together, did they not?”

“Yes, Wickham lived at Pemberley in his youth.. And his description of Miss Darcy is completely opposite what Mr. Darcy says. Wickham called her cold and haughty.”

“Mr. Bingley also said that Miss Darcy is a very sweet girl.”

“Very strange. I certainly hope that we see Mr. Wickham tomorrow. I’m quite curious to hear more about his experiences with Miss Darcy. Anyway, it is clear that Mr. Darcy thinks very highly of you, even if he dislikes me.”

“I’m not convinced that he dislikes you, Lizzy. He thought enough of you to share Caroline’s secrets with you.”

“True, I suppose. But he seemed uncomfortable the whole time that we talked. I think he would have preferred to be anywhere else. But even if you don’t believe that Darcy dislikes me, are you convinced that Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst dislike you, dear one?”

Jane sighed. “I must say that I’m beginning to think they may not care as much for me as I had once thought.”

Elizabeth laughed. “From you, that qualifies as a stinging rebuke!”

The rest of the day was uneventful. Mr. Collins did not return to Longbourn until dinner and was actually quiet during the meal. Mrs. Bennet tried to engage him in conversation, but with little success. As he excused himself from the table and went straight to bed, Mrs. Bennet glowered at Elizabeth. “Look at what you’ve done to the poor man!” she whispered. “He can hardly bear the disrespect you showed to him. I rue the day when you finally see what your folly has cost you!”

As Jane watched Mr. Collins’s retreating figure, she wondered if her mother would have demanded that she accept Mr. Collins had he asked her. She wondered, as well, whether she would have felt it her duty to comply. But she knew Elizabeth’s character. Her sister would never, in this life or the next, regret that she had rejected her cousin’s proposal.

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