A Most Civil Proposal (15 page)

It was at least a start, and with that thought in mind, though she knew it must be nearing dawn, she was at last able to sleep.

Chapter 11

Saturday, April 18, 1812

At last the day of her departure arrived, and on Saturday morning Elizabeth awakened early. She was just placing the last of her things in the trunk when she heard a soft knock at the door, and Charlotte entered the room. After the two friends secured Elizabeth’s trunks, Charlotte took her hand and pulled her to the bed to sit down.

“Lizzy,” she said earnestly, “I do want to apologize to you for the manner in which you have been slighted by Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine. She has been abominably rude to you since the night Mr. Darcy visited, and I am grieved for the pain that you have suffered.”

Elizabeth embraced her friend. “Her ladyship’s ability to pain me was never very great, Charlotte, and it will surely end with my departure. I can hardly wait to see Jane and share her joy now that she is engaged.”

“It is indeed wonderful how matters have arranged themselves after the unhappiness Jane suffered in the winter,” Charlotte said, “but it is you that I am worried about. After Mr. Darcy left his letter, you promised me that you would at least consider what we discussed, yet you have not mentioned it, and I did not wish to intrude. But now you are almost ready to leave — I must know that you will approach this matter most carefully.”

“What you really are asking is whether I have rejected my foolish romantic sentiments that kept me from accepting Mr. Darcy’s offer of marriage, is it not?”

Charlotte blushed, but Elizabeth only laughed and squeezed her friend’s hand fondly. “I have indeed considered your arguments, and you will, I hope, be gratified to know that I found them quite persuasive. I cannot predict the future, but if Mr. Darcy does renew his offer, I can assure you that ‘impractical romantic sentiments’ will not determine my response. At least, they will not be my
only
considerations. Beyond that, you will have to trust me.”

Charlotte was well-satisfied, for she was all too aware of the firmness of Elizabeth’s convictions, and if she had been moved to alter her opinion that much, she felt she could safely trust her friend’s reasoned honesty.

“I think that is a wise choice, Lizzy, and I do wish you every happiness. In a union with Mr. Darcy, I think you have an excellent chance to be very happy indeed.”

“If it does come to pass, I very much hope you are correct in your prediction,” she laughed. “Surprisingly, I am rather looking forward to seeing Mr. Darcy again, though I am still mortified at the way I took Mr. Wickham’s side against him. But I am at least certain that he is not nearly as wicked as he was described, and I believe that I have a fair chance to improve his humour if nothing else, for I shall not hesitate to tease him at every opportunity!”

Charlotte smiled at her friend’s irrepressible spirits and summoned a servant to carry the trunks downstairs.

* * * * *

After the three ladies finished breakfast, Anne de Bourgh’s phaeton stopped at the front gate, and Charlotte went out to meet her. However, she was back shortly to inform Elizabeth that Miss de Bourgh desired to speak with her. Elizabeth got her shawl and went out to meet the young lady, who was nearly swallowed by the large bonnet intended to protect her from the morning sun and air. But Miss de Bourgh’s eyes shone bright and friendly from beneath the brim as she greeted Elizabeth.

“I understand that you will be leaving us this morning, Miss Bennet,” she stated cheerfully, “and I thought it best to call on you to make my good-byes since my mother has seen fit to banish you from our table. I wanted you to know that you will be missed by at least one of the de Bourgh line.”

Elizabeth was startled to see a side of her that she had never seen when visiting Rosings. Miss de Bourgh had never shown this much spirit before.

“I thank you, Miss de Bourgh,” she said with a smile. “And I must apologize for not having taken the opportunity to further our acquaintance during our earlier meetings. I seem to have been so busy responding to the conversation of your mother and cousins that I have quite neglected you. It appears now that I have missed an opportunity.”

“Please do not distress yourself,” Anne said carefully. “My mother is quite used to having her own way, and my cousins and I have developed different methods of dealing with her. For myself, I tend to retreat into my inner thoughts.”

“Perhaps we will have an opportunity in the future to repair this error,” Elizabeth replied with equal care.

“I also wish that, Miss Bennet,” said Anne. Then she looked at Elizabeth closely, with a twinkle in her eyes as she asked blandly, “Is it true, then, that you refused my Cousin Darcy’s offer of marriage?”

Elizabeth started at this unexpected question and could only look at her in confusion. Anne laughed. “Do not think that my excessively reticent cousin disclosed such a private matter, but I guessed it when he asked me to help deliver his letter to you. I must offer you my congratulations on standing up to him since he dearly needed to learn a little humility.”

Elizabeth had to smile at this saucy comment, which further amused Anne. Her smile faded, however, as Miss De Bourgh turned to a more serious topic. “I presume that your absence from our parlour this past week is related to the decidedly improper gossip circulating among the staff at Rosings, Miss Bennet, and for that I must also apologize.” Elizabeth’s furious blush confirmed the accuracy of her estimate, and Anne continued, “I am most sorry for the pain it must have caused you.”

“It was painful, Miss de Bourgh, but I anticipate a great degree of relief once I am on my way home.”

“No doubt,” said Anne dryly and then added, “I do hope that you and Darcy will be very happy together.”

Elizabeth was again taken aback, and she could not believe that such an intelligent, lively, even impertinent girl had been so completely concealed beneath the drab exterior she had always exhibited. Impulsively, she reached out to squeeze Anne’s hand.

“Miss de Bourgh, if you ever feel the need to spend some time away from . . . Rosings, I would be delighted if you might consent to visit me.”

“That might be a very good idea,” Anne said, as she gathered up the reins and urged the phaeton into motion. “After the honeymoon, of course,” she chortled, leaving Elizabeth speechless.

* * * * *

After the visit, Elizabeth was more anxious than ever to be away. At length the chaise arrived, the trunks were fastened on, the parcels placed within, and it was pronounced to be ready. While Maria went to her room to make sure she had forgotten nothing, Charlotte and Elizabeth descended the stairs to the chaise. As Elizabeth embraced Charlotte and made her farewell outside by the carriage, she could not help feeling melancholic to be leaving her friend to such society as Mr. Collins and Rosings.

But Charlotte had chosen her situation with her eyes open, and while it was obvious that she was sorry to see Elizabeth leave, especially in such an unsettled situation, she did not seem to desire compassion for herself. Her home and her housekeeping, her parish, her poultry, and all their dependent concerns had not yet lost their charms.

No sooner had she thought of Mr. Collins than that worthy deigned to leave his study to see his guests off. After he bade his cousin a distant and cool farewell, he handed her into the carriage. Maria followed, the door was closed, and the carriage drove off.

“Good gracious!” cried Maria, after a few minutes silence, “I am glad to be going home. Our visit was so agreeable at first, but the last week has been so boring. And though we dined six times at Rosings and drank tea there twice, we had not a single invitation this past week!”

“I do believe you are correct,” said her companion with a sigh.

“But still,” said Maria, becoming more cheerful, “the first part of the visit
was
most agreeable! How much I shall have to tell!”

Elizabeth privately added under her breath, “And how much I shall have to conceal.”

Their journey was accomplished without much conversation or any alarm, and within four hours of their leaving Hunsford, they reached Gracechurch Street. As the coach pulled up in front of the Gardiner home, Elizabeth looked up to the windows of the sitting room above and was delighted to see Jane leaning out with a large and joyous smile, waving vigorously to her. Then she ducked back inside the window and disappeared. By the time Elizabeth exited the coach, the front door flew open, and her sister ran forward to embrace her. The tumultuous events of the past week, combined with the arrival of her dearest sister, were unexpectedly too much for Jane, and she tightened her embrace of Elizabeth, shedding tears of joy and emotional release. Elizabeth held her usually reserved older sister, overcome herself by the emotion that led Jane to such an unusual public display, but Jane was able to quickly recover herself and release her embrace.

By this time, her aunt and uncle, along with a beaming Mr. Bingley had also exited the house, and she greeted each in turn, concluding with Bingley as he bowed over her hand and accepted her congratulations. The trunks of the two passengers were quickly unloaded and taken inside, and Elizabeth and Maria entered the house with the rest of the party. Her uncle briefly informed her that he would like a few words with her in his study as soon as she was refreshed, and the two young ladies departed to their rooms to clean up after the journey.

* * * * *

“You wished to speak to me, Uncle?” Elizabeth asked as she entered his study.

“Yes, I did, Lizzy,” replied Mr. Gardiner, putting down the book he was reading. “Please, take a seat. I trust you are refreshed from your journey?”

“Yes, I am,” she smiled, “but you really do not have to go through all the civilities before coming to the point. I believe I have a good idea of what you wish to discuss.”

Mr. Gardiner smiled. “Then you can imagine how surprised I was yesterday afternoon when Mr. Darcy paid me a visit and wished to speak to me regarding one of my favourite nieces.”

“I daresay,” Elizabeth murmured, trying to stifle a smile.

“Perhaps ‘surprised’ is not a strong enough word,” he continued. “I think ‘astonished’ would more accurately describe my emotions when he asked my permission not only to call on you when you returned to London but to formally court you.”

Elizabeth had to stifle more than a smile at her uncle’s droll manner, and she arched an eyebrow as she asked, “And did you grant your permission, sir?”

Her uncle was serious now. “I told him that I would first need to talk to you and would then have to discuss it with my brother. He informed me that you were aware of his intention and had given him permission when you were in Kent.”

“That is correct.”

“Lizzy, now you must be serious. I have been firmly of the belief that your opinion of Mr. Darcy was most decidedly negative. Since I have made his acquaintance, I have come to the completely opposite conclusion, and both your aunt and I quite like him. But how did
your
opinion change so dramatically — dramatically enough that you agreed to a formal courtship?”

“Because I was wrong in my opinions,” she said carefully. “In fact, I was so completely in error regarding Mr. Darcy that it is quite embarrassing to remember the things I said about him.” She paused to compose her thoughts. She did not want to share every aspect of her conversations with Mr. Darcy, but there were some things she must share. “Perhaps the most significant error I made will serve as an example. You will remember, I hope, the good opinion I had of Mr. Wickham in Hertfordshire and how egregious I found Mr. Darcy’s offences against him?” Her uncle nodded gravely.

“Then, sir, I must tell you that the truth is the complete opposite. I have every reason to believe Mr. Darcy to be an honourable man, and I have the certain knowledge that Mr. Wickham is not only no gentleman but is a quite wicked man besides. You can imagine the shock to my pride and vanity when it became obvious on what false pretences I had based my opinions. And further examination of other circumstances only proved more embarrassing. When Mr. Darcy asked permission to attempt to change my bad opinion of him, I could not in good conscience refuse.”

“I see,” said Mr. Gardiner thoughtfully. After some thought, he asked, “And has your opinion changed enough that you would consider marriage? Assuming he asks, of course.”

Elizabeth smiled. “He has already asked once. I have no doubt that he will ask again. Mr. Darcy is a most determined man.”

“Again?”

Elizabeth nodded.

“You refused him?”

She nodded again.

Mr. Gardiner sat back and tried to organize his dazed thoughts. At length, he smiled.

“Then I shall certainly not keep such a determined young man from seeing my most surprising niece, at least until I can write to my brother Bennet.” He thought for a minute and then said, “Perhaps we could invite him to dinner next Saturday?” When he saw her distressed look, he continued blandly, “Or I
could
invite him to dine with us tonight.” He picked up a note from his desk and handed it to Elizabeth. “Perhaps you would give that to the groom to deliver?”