“I don’t know if I do know that,” said Bingley. “But I shall tuck that away as a sage piece of advice, I think. If such a thing ever happens to me, I shall not dignify it.”
Darcy give him a weary smile.”
“We, of course, know,” said Bingley. “Because right before the wedding, there was a great deal of discussion of what we must do. My wife was quite worried over all of it, and my sister made her plans. I should have realized what it was she was after, I suppose. I did not, and I have heard from Louisa how badly things went.”
Darcy sighed heavily.
“No, I must apologize,” said Bingley. “Caroline is…” He let out a breath. “I have no words for what my sister is, but I know you were angry enough with her to threaten that you would no longer associate with us.”
“Look, Bingley, I likely would not have taken you to task for whatever it was that Caroline did—”
“You would have been well within your rights,” said Bingley. “It was with trepidation that I wrote you. I thought it likely you simply would not respond or that you would make excuses that it would not be a good time for us to visit. I would not have blamed you, if so.”
“No, there was a time where there was to be all sorts of, I don’t know, retribution, I suppose. And then I went and shot him and everything…”
“Oh, that’s how he was shot.” Bingley swallowed. “Oh, I see.”
Darcy sighed. “Perhaps I ought not have admitted that to you.”
“No, I would have done something similar in your situation, I think,” said Bingley.
“At any rate, there was no taking anyone to task. Not him. Not your sister. No one. And now Patience is here, and she is quite the sweetest of babes, and I think that whatever we went through to get her, I cannot entirely regret it, because she is so perfect, you know.”
“Well, be that as it may, I sent her off,” said Bingley.
“You sent… Caroline?”
“Mmm,” said Bingley. “I sent her to stay with some maiden aunts we have in Ireland. They live on a little pig farm, and I get letters from them that they are finally making progress in making Caroline understand she must earn her keep if she wishes to be fed the same as everyone else.”
Darcy could not help it. He laughed. “You are not serious. Really? I think that’s marvelous.”
“It did nothing to quell the rumors, however,” said Bingley. “And who knows what it will mean for your Patience when she is grown, when it is time for her to wed.”
“Who knows indeed,” said Darcy. “We can but weather one thing at a time, though.”
“Those are wise words, my friend.”
ELIZABETH DID NOTknow what to say to Jane.
She kept waiting for her sister to apologize.
But Jane did not.
That day that they were alone together, her sister spoke mostly about herself, relaying that she was finally with child with her husband, how she had nearly despaired of it happening for a time, but that everything had seemingly worked out now, and that she was ever so grateful.
Jane said only this: “I suppose those sparring matches with Mr. Darcy were truly something else. He has become your white knight, I see. The way he dotes on you, Lizzy. And little Patience, too. You are likely the luckiest woman in England.”
At first Elizabeth was rather affronted.
Lucky?
How dare Jane say such a thing? Lucky to have been raped by Mr. Wickham? Lucky to have gotten with child from one encounter? Lucky to have been shipped up to Derbyshire and hidden away by the Bingley sisters? Lucky to have nearly starved to death?
None of it had been lucky.
But after Jane had left and some weeks had passed, Elizabeth received a missive from her aunt, who said she and Mr. Gardiner and the children would be staying in the Lambton cottage, and that if Elizabeth wished to visit them, they would be happy to receive her. They had no thoughts of being invited to Mr. Darcy’s house, of course, for he would not associate with people like them.
But Elizabeth knew her husband better.