The Five Graces of Longbourn Read online

  “Very well. Miss Elizabeth Bennet,” she began.

  “I hope this letter finds you and your family well. Thank you again for your most congenial hospitality yesterday. Enclosed you will find your copy of the Grey’s Guide to Hertfordshire that I errantly purchased. Accept my good wishes for many diverting walks in the upcoming months, should the weather permit.

  While we have enjoyed our residence at Netherfield Park, we are all anxious to return to London and have therefore departed late this morning for an extended stay. As it is unknown whether or not we will return to the neighborhood, Mr. and Mrs. Hurst, as well as Miss Caroline and Mr. Charles Bingley, have asked me to send their regards and their goodbyes to you, your parents, and all of your sisters.

  Respectfully,

  Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy.”

  Elizabeth looked up solemnly from the letter. It could not have contained worse tidings. Her heart broke for Jane, who would surely take their abrupt departure personally.

  “Gone from Netherfield?” Mrs. Bennet exclaimed. “That can’t be right! Oh, Jane!”

  All eyes turned to Jane.

  “He meant it then,” Jane said softly.

  “Meant what?” Mrs. Bennet said sharply, so crushed she could not moderate her tone.

  “He once said that he would vacate Netherfield in five minutes if the mood struck him.”

  “Give me that letter,” Mrs. Bennet cried, rising and walking to Elizabeth who handed it over.

  She stood and read the few succinct lines and then handed it back to Elizabeth in disgust.

  “But he promised to throw us a ball,” Kitty complained.

  “Who cares about a stupid ball, Kitty? I thought he was going to marry Jane and save us all from Mr. Collins,” Lydia cried. Tears of disappointment ran down Lydia’s cheeks.

  Her tears induced the same in Jane. Kitty and Mary soon followed. Only Elizabeth remained composed. The memory of Mr. Darcy staring relentlessly at Jane vexed her. Mr. Darcy had to be behind their departure, of that she was convinced.

  But to leave so suddenly without mentioning their intent?

  She recalled the many mundane topics Bingley engaged in the day before, all the while knowing his departure was imminent. That was puzzling and a sign that, despite her high hopes for Jane, the chances of a happy union with Bingley had dropped dramatically.

  Stunned by this news, she couldn’t help but wonder aloud, “Why didn’t they mention their departure yesterday?”

  Amidst the sobbing, no one answered.

  Chapter 8

  A very quiet winter followed the quitting of Netherfield Park by Bingley and his party. Jane bore the quick departure of Mr. Bingley with Christian forbearance. In her heart, she could not understand how Bingley could leave without telling her. There had been no cross words between them, that she could recall. She confessed to Elizabeth that though her heart was heavy, she nursed a foolish hope that he would return as quickly as he left. Otherwise, she was in the crosshairs of Mr. Collins’ oncoming proposal and the thought of displeasing her mother left her nerves shaken.

  “Pray that Mamma does not write to Mr. Collins of Bingley’s sudden departure. The return of Mr. Collins is my most constant worry,” Jane confided as they whispered together before bed.

  Elizabeth could not console Jane on that matter as she too thought Bingley’s unexpected departure with no offer of marriage put Jane in a precarious position. “There is no way of Mr. Collins finding out unless Mamma tells him,” Elizabeth whispered back.

  “But she will write to him.”

  Elizabeth sighed. “I believe she will. But I fear none of us is safe. Oh, if only we were already married before Mr. Collins’ ventured into our territory. What a relief that would have been.”

  “If he comes back, I will have to refuse him and Mamma will make life very difficult for me and most likely force him upon you next. I cannot bear the thought of either.”

  “All she can do is complain. Pappa dispenses the pocket money and Hill takes care of everything else. I will never have Mr. Collins,” Elizabeth assured her.

  “True. But I can never be happy displeasing her. I am not as strong as you are, Lizzy.”

  “It is much harder to be as kind as you are to all you meet! I don’t have the patience for it. And I am sure Mr. Bingley loves you very much. I can see it, dear Jane.”

  Jane sighed. “I could never love Mr. Collins as much as I love Mr. Bingley.”

  “You do love Bingley, and he loves you. I am certain Mr. Darcy had something to do with Bingley’s sudden departure,” Elizabeth said. “He was watching you relentlessly that last afternoon.”

  “Was he? Oh dear, Mr. Darcy does not care for me. I am sure of it.” Despite her inner strength, Jane could not keep a tear from trickling down her cheek. Elizabeth saw it and dabbed it away with the coverlet.

  “Jane, if you blame yourself for their departure I shall be very angry with you. Remember, this is Mr. Darcy we are talking about, the crossest man of our acquaintance. That he would hurt you, my dear sister, grieves me deeply. How I wish he had never come to Meryton.”

  “But then I would never have met Mr. Bingley!”

  “True, but why can we not have Mr. Bingley without Mr. Darcy? Why must they always be a pair?” Elizabeth said unhappily.

  Jane lovingly placed her hand on her sister’s shoulder.

  “I do not know. But I do not blame Mr. Darcy for their leaving. If Mr. Bingley loved me he would stay with or without Mr. Darcy’s interference. Nay, I will survive the loss of Mr. Bingley. I was happy before I met him and I can be happy again.”

  “Jane, I wish I were as good as you. You may refuse to blame Mr. Darcy, but I foster enough blame inside of me for the two of us. I intend to blame him forever.”

  “How I wish we were both already happily married to good men whom we loved. Then we would not have such turmoil with Mamma,” Jane said.

  “I wish Mr. Collins’ letter had fallen into the stream. Then we should have all been as before, with no pressure to find a match. But let us have faith, Jane, in happy homes and happy endings,” Elizabeth whispered.

  “You are right. Good night, dear Lizzy,” Jane whispered, as she blew out the candle and the room sank into darkness.

  Mrs. Bennet spent the winter following Bingley’s departure lamenting. Not only had Jane’s fortunes been destroyed but the rest of her girls would no longer have access to Mr. Bingley’s circle of friends from which to make satisfying connections. To plunge the household’s sorry spirits even lower, news came of the regiment’s impending departure.

  “All of my hopes now rest on Mr. Collins,” Mrs. Bennet was heard mumbling. Jane’s heart skipped a beat in terror.

  “If only we could go to Brighton,” Lydia whined. Elizabeth hated the idea of following the regiment around but the gloomy atmosphere inside of Longbourn was distressing her too.

  “There is pleasant society in Bath,” Elizabeth said. “Should we persuade Pappa to take us there for diversion’s sake?” Bath was even farther from Kent than Longbourn, thus decreasing the likelihood of a surprise appearance by Mr. Collins while Mrs. Bennet was on the warpath.

  “Not until after the regiment leaves!” Kitty cried. “Captain Carter is just starting to remember my name after this many weeks!”

  “Very well, Kitty,” Elizabeth said. “I like Captain Carter very much and goodness knows we have had enough trouble with men lately.”

  “Officer Wickham still asks after you, Lizzie. Although Charlotte Lucas has been monopolizing his time whenever you are not around,” Lydia said.

  “Charlotte thinks Officer Wickham very fine. She told me so herself,” Elizabeth said. But the mention of Wickham’s name lifted Elizabeth’s spirits. He was a cheerful presence in the assembly halls and drawing rooms of Meryton, popular with both men and women alike, a friend to the young and the elderly, but most importantly, a favorite of Mrs. Bennet.

  “I’ve never seen an officer as amiable as he is handsome, with
such open manners. If Officer Wickham admires any of my girls he is welcome to her. The lucky one of you must resolve to accept him as soon as possible,” Mrs. Bennet had instructed upon their first acquaintance.

  “I should pay more attention to Wickham next time I see him. Not that I want to spoil Charlotte’s fun but he is a lively antidote to the gloomy company Mr. Darcy provided,” Elizabeth decided.

  And if he showed interest in me, Mamma might defer Mr. Collins to Mary or Kitty or Lydia.

  * * *

  One afternoon, upon arriving home from a walk into Meryton, Jane and Elizabeth were summoned by Mr. Bennet.

  “Jane, Lizzy, come here. I need to speak to you.”

  Obediently, they followed him into his library where he settled into his well-worn chair. When the door was shut soundly behind them, he cleared his throat and said, “It appears an invitation from Mr. Collins has arrived this morning while you were out. Now that the worst of winter is behind us he wishes you both to visit Rosings Park as his guests.”

  At the sound of Mr. Collins’ name, Jane gasped and Elizabeth audibly sighed.

  Mr. Bennet held up his hand. “Let me finish before the wailing and gnashing of teeth begin.”

  His light touch of humor made Elizabeth smile.

  “Your mother has insisted you both attend and I am too beaten down by her anxieties to argue with her. However, I am not so abused as to stand back and see my two eldest daughters thrown to the matrimonial wolves because of their mother’s tremors.

  “Therefore, as requested, the three of us will travel to Rosings to fulfill this obligation. I will act as chaperone and chief discourager to Mr. Collins. Rest assured, both of you will return home as unspoken for as you are at this present moment.”

  Jane clasped her hands together and exclaimed, “Oh thank you, Father!”

  Elizabeth walked swiftly to him and hugged his neck. “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear.

  “Now off with the two of you! And I do not need to remind you to make no mention of my intentions to your mother.”

  Both shook their heads in agreement and scurried out of the study, closing the door quietly behind them.

  As the time for their trip to Rosings drew near, Mrs. Bennet was overcome with instructions to her departing daughters. “You must write to me immediately if Mr. Collins makes an offer. Mr. Bennet has promised to write but he is apt to forget. I also desire a very detailed description of the parsonage. How many drawing rooms, how close to the road? If you could be so kind as to perhaps make a sketch of it for me that would be very helpful.”

  Elizabeth promised to put pen to paper as soon as Mr. Collins unbent his knee and a highly specific description of his abode was also promised.

  Satisfied, Mrs. Bennet went about supervising the packing of her daughters’ portmanteaus, ensuring that not a ribbon or frill was accidentally left behind.

  “How I wish I could be there to see the expression on Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s face when she beholds the loveliness that is our Jane,” she exclaimed. “And Lizzy, you must control yourself in such refined society. Please do not repeat Mr. Darcy’s unpleasant comments about your appearance. It reflects very badly on you and you must consider your lack of current prospects. While Mr. Collins may not make you an offer of marriage, there may be other suitors in Kent that will be dissuaded from pursuing you if they hear you are thought to be merely tolerable-looking. Men can be as dense as a herd of cows in this regard and you have no fortune with which to make up for your face.”

  Elizabeth rolled up a petticoat and laughed. “I promise, Mamma. I will speak highly of my looks and my family situation to put us in a favorable light in Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s eyes. Or, I mean to say, in the eyes of all the potential suitors in the entire county of Kent.”

  Mrs. Bennet smiled and patted her difficult daughter on the arm. “I am glad to see you coming around to reason, Lizzie. I have prayed nightly that the situation with Mr. Collins resolve itself in the best interest of all my girls and Longbourn too,” she emphasized.

  “Now I do confess, I have been wondering if it would be better for me to accompany you girls as I do pine to see Rosings, but your father insists on chaperoning you, which is I believe, the best solution. There is plenty of time for me to see Rosings with a daughter married to Collins. No, while the officers are still here there are assemblies to be danced and calls to be made. If I were to accompany you instead and leave him here, he would put your sisters on lockdown and what a miserable time they would have. Your sisters need me here.”

  “Father has promised to make as many introductions as needed in Kent,” Jane said, hoping to convince her mother not to change their plans.

  “I am glad to see your spirits picking up Jane. What a disappointment Bingley was! Such inconstancy does not make for a suitable spouse, despite his riches. His inability to settle in one place is telling. Whereas Mr. Collins’ has the living at Hunsford and you will never need to know the bother of packing up.”

  Jane and Elizabeth exchanged conspiratorial glances and smiled. Both their hearts were at rest with their father’s assurances. Mr. Bennet could be sharp with his tone and stingy with his time, but his word was always true. All three were looking forward to the adventure of the trip and a chance to catch a glimpse of the much-touted Rosings Park and its esteemed patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

  Mrs. Bennet spoke of nothing but the impending trip to Kent that evening as the entire Bennet family joined their neighbors at the Meryton assembly hall. “My Jane is most likely to be affianced soon,” she said to Lady Lucas when they met in the crowded hall.

  “How lucky. And so soon after the disappointment with Bingley!” Lady Lucas could not help but remind her of the slight, which Mrs. Bennet determinedly brushed off.

  “My Jane is a very pretty girl. It is Mr. Bingley who must suffer the disappointment. I do not mourn the departure of a man so inconstant. Jane has made another conquest and I am most excited about the impending offer from Mr. Collins.”

  “But this Mr. Collins is what? A clergyman? How is that better?”

  “Not just a clergyman,” Mrs. Bennet stressed. “His living is by the grace of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She is very rich and very generous and she gives him a good home and ample income. Lady Catherine is much, much richer than Mr. Bingley and so my Jane will be practically living at Rosings. Lady Catherine will just love my Jane.”

  Lady Lucas raised her eyebrows and changed the subject. She was tired of Mrs. Bennet’s habit of touting engagements that never came to pass.

  Miffed by Lady Lucas’ indifference, Mrs. Bennet turned her attention to her daughters. Both Kitty and Lydia were dancing with officers, and while Elizabeth and Jane were not, Elizabeth at least had the good sense to be speaking to one.

  Her favorite one.

  “Of course I have heard tales of Rosings Park but myself have never been,” Officer Wickham said to Elizabeth as they sat out the dance together at the end of the assembly hall.

  “I hear it is very grand. But then, you are used to such places, as I have heard that Pemberley is its equal,” Elizabeth noted.

  “Yes. Pemberley is beautiful. You should take the tour one day.”

  “I would have to be certain its master was away,” Elizabeth laughed.

  “What do you know of its master?” he asked, with a raised eyebrow.

  “Only that Mr. Darcy was reluctant to engage in Meryton society and kept himself removed as he could. I heard of his ten thousand pounds annual income. He also seems to have an unusual influence on his friend, Mr. Bingley. But other than that, I am uninformed.“

  Wickham smiled coyly. “I can tell you everything you need to know.”

  “Then tell me, what would I see if I were to tour Pemberley? Marble statues and rooms as cold as their master?”

  “Ah, I dare say you know Mr. Darcy well enough then. Yes, Pemberley is full of art and statues and draperies. Since his parents’ deaths, I have heard it is also a very lonel
y place. There are only he and his sister Georgiana left to inhabit it.”

  “The poor dears,” Elizabeth feigned sympathy and smirked.

  “Georgiana is as pompous as he is. But unlike her brother, she is a horrible flirt.”

  “Is she?” Elizabeth’s curiosity was piqued. “How he must hate that about her, as he is so restrained about everything.”

  “Yes. She has always flirted tremendously with me to the point of my discomfort. Darcy, as he does, prefers to think that I encourage her silliness. But Georgiana was my childhood friend and we were always around each other. Why would I need to flirt to gain her attention? Darcy’s accusations seem borne of jealousy; he is protective of her and proud of his role as her guardian. He is well-regarded in that role, and is very controlling of her company, even to the point of excluding old friends such as myself who are no longer so well off to be part of his circle.”

  Elizabeth shook her head as Wickham went on.

  “Darcy’s pride is all-encompassing. He dislikes most acquaintances upon first impression and once his opinion is formed it is unlikely to be controverted. Of course, by virtue of his immense wealth, most of the society he encounters is inferior. At the same time, he is entitled, as anyone with his breeding and income would be. I dare say when he does find the woman that bewitches him, he will employ all his wealth and charm in pursuit of her with the single-mindedness of one who does not take no for an answer.”

  “Have you ever seen him show partiality to any woman?”

  “No,” Wickham conceded. “He is so used to flattery that he becomes bored and impatient very quickly with new society. He will not put himself out to go beyond the initial banal civilities that most people exchange as a way of beginning conversations.”

  “How fascinating,” Elizabeth said. “I’ve only known him briefly, but even in that short acquaintance your summation of his character seems entirely correct. Did you know he bought my updated Grey’s Guide to Hertfordshire right out from under me at the mercantile?”

  Wickham shook his head in a world-weary way. “That is life in his orbit. Few mortals can withstand being in his presence too long without being burned.”