She was the last to arrive, for Mrs Cooper had already descended, and their hosts awaited them. The other guests had already assembled and would all go down together within half an hour.
“Elizabeth, you are cheerful,” exclaimed Mrs Cooper.
Then, turning to the others, she added, “She has received many letters from home.”
“Has something pleasant occurred in Meryton?” she continued, probably the only person present who would dare ask directly about their new life in the small town near Longbourn where the Bennet family now resided.
“Yes, I have received very happy news. My mother, my aunt, Mrs Phillips, and my sister, Kitty, have all written to me about the same event. Kitty is to marry James Lucas, Sir William’s son.”
She paused for a moment, savouring once more this entirely unexpected yet delightful news.
For there was more.
“You remember Sir William?” she asked Darcy.
He nodded. “Yes, of course I do. We attended dinner at Lucas Lodge at least twice. He is also Mr Collins’s father-in-law…”
Darcy fell suddenly silent, wondering whether the mention of that name might spoil her good humour.
But Elizabeth quickly inclined her head.
“Yes, yes. Sir William was my father’s closest friend, and when I departed for Derby, he insisted upon seeing me. BeforeI left, he whispered that I should travel without concern, for he would look after my family. At the time, I believed it was merely a kind expression of goodwill, but apparently not. It seems he already had this plan. Amidst all the confusion and distress, he perceived what none of us had noticed, that Kitty and James were attached to one another. At the same time, the prospect of a marriage, it seemed, had been agreeable to him as well. He is not the kind of father to give his blessing easily.
“And that is not all. My aunt, Mrs Phillips, writes that her husband, who is a solicitor, is at this very moment arranging for Longbourn to be leased to the young couple.”
There was such joyfulness in her voice that everyone present shared her delight.
“Congratulations on the marriage,” said Mrs Cooper. Then, suddenly anxious, she added, “Will you wish to return for the wedding?”
Several pairs of eyes turned immediately towards Elizabeth.
“No. They will marry very soon, but for the present, my mother has not yet found a house to rent and remains with my aunt. I shall return after Kitty has settled at Longbourn. There will probably be repairs and improvements to undertake…good heavens, what happiness it gives me to know that my sister will live there and be content. My aunt assures me that the lease is firmly secured for five years, for Mr Collins desires only the income and nothing more. Entailed though it may be, he cannot sell it.”
“And he is entirely devoted to Lady Catherine,” Darcy added.
“Exactly. That was his very answer when he was asked whether he might remove to Hertfordshire.”
“Congratulations,” said the colonel.
Yet his voice sounded less cheerful.
He glanced at Darcy. It was impossible not to recognise that this new arrangement relieved part of the burden Miss Elizabeth carried. It would likely make her less inclined to think first of her family’s future and only afterwards of her own feelings.
Had he been able, he would have shouted at Darcy that the favourable moment which had blossomed scarcely two hours earlier had already begun to fade.
Yet Darcy was probably not disappointed, having fixed his mind upon the idea of love.
How could he not see that a woman such as Miss Elizabeth, once married, would love her husband? She would never marry a man who did not at least offer the promise of affection, even if she did not yet love him entirely at first.
On the other hand, Mrs Cooper had told him, in that indirect manner in which they had spoken of such matters, that she was convinced Elizabeth already possessed deep feelings for Darcy beneath all her grief and uncertainty; feelings which awaited only a favourable moment to bloom.
That moment might well be a proposal of marriage. Unfortunately, it seemed unlikely to arrive in the new conditions. Darcy wanted love, and it was not clear that Miss Elizabeth could offer such a feeling while the favourable moment when she could have said yes had obviously passed.
He saw Darcy withdrawing, no doubt to attend to some matter requiring his attention, and hurried after him. He caught up with him in the hall.
“Darcy—”
“Enough, Richard. This conversation is closed, and when I say closed, I ask you to accept my decision.”