Page 12 of Unwillingly Mrs. Darcy
Darcy nodded. “Indeed. But it seems my aunt is determined to make a match out of Anne and me. This campaign, announcing that we are engaged is a last-ditch effort on her part, I am sure. And it is increasingly difficult to combat. Half of London have already congratulated me on my upcoming wedding.”
“I see. Well, what do you intend to do?” Bingley asked. “You can’t outright deny it. It would be a scandal.”
“Indeed. It would. I wrote to my aunt and told her that no matter what, I will not marry Anne. I will refuse. Naturally, if I do refuse, there will be a scandal as well. No matter what I do, there will be a scandal of some sort.” He groaned and took another sip.
“So what will you do? I assume marrying her is out of the question?”
“Of course it is, for both our sakes. I intend to see my uncle, Lord Matlock. I do not think there is any other way. I will need him to see sense and speak to my aunt. It is awkward,because I cannot tell him that it is not only I who does not wish for this wedding.”
“He does not know about Richard’s designs on Anne?” Bingley asked.
“He does not. Richard has not spoken to him yet. In fact, I have not spoken to Richard since Anne told me about him.”
“What an intricate web,” Bingley said. “It is never easy, is it? Love, marriage—when we were young, we thought it was all so simple. We would meet someone we liked, marry them, defy our parents’ convention if they did not agree with our choices and live happily ever after,” he scoffed, and took a gulp of his drink. Darcy felt a shift in the air as the conversation moved away from his troubles to Bingley’s.
Darcy drank the rest of his whiskey and set the glass down. Only then did he feel strong and courageous enough to admit to his own wrongdoing.
“Speaking of love and such, Bingley, I fear I have made a mistake.”
“You are admitting to a mistake?” Bingley chuckled. “I think I can count on one hand how often that has happened. And I will not even need all of my fingers.”
His friend’s words stung a little, but he also knew that they held the truth.
“Indeed, it is no laughing matter, my friend. You see, I think the advice I gave you along with your sisters and brother-in-law was quite wrong.”
Bingley sat up straight, his hands crawling around the edge of his seat. “You mean regarding Jane?”
“Yes. I know I called her cold and calculating. But I have since spoken to several people who know her, and it appears that I was wrong. It seems her feelings for you were genuine. It was only her reserved character that led me to believe otherwise. I was worried for you and believed I was doing you a favour but now it appears perhaps I was wrong and robbed you of a chance at happiness.”
Bingley wetted his lips and cleared his throat before speaking in a more serious manner than was usual for him.
“It was not your interpretation of Jane’s demeanour that made me choose to walk away,” Bingley said to his surprise. “It was the way that the four of you convinced me that it would be detrimental for myself and my future to be connected to her family. Indeed, I do recall my brother-in-law Hurst saying that would also be bad for Jane, because everybody would think that she set her cap on me only for my money. If there was already gossip circulating stating that she did not truly care for me, then our marriage would always be dogged by these rumours. It would hurt her. And I didn’t want to do that. Although now, I think I was mistaken. I should not have listened to anybody, I should have trusted my heart. I knew in my heart that Jane loved me, as I loved her. As I still love her. I allowed myself to be influenced because I am weak of character.”
Darcy wanted to tell him that this was not so, but he knew that would be doing his friend a disservice. For the truth was Bingley was easily influenced. And he always had been. And if Darcy was perfectly honest, he had taken advantage of his friend’s gullibility on occasions. Never in a malicious way,of course, but if he thought that Bingley was on the wrong path regarding a matter or another, he knew that he could easily influence him. However, this had always been done for his friend’s benefit, at least that’s what he had always believed. Such as in this instance. Yet he’d been wrong.
“I feel it is my responsibility. I have always looked out for you. But I gave you poor counsel in this case, and for that, I am sorry. I would encourage you to speak to her. To see if perhaps you could reconcile. I know in these days, especially, she will need someone who genuinely cares for her by her side.”
“I do not think that she would want me,” Bingley said sounding morose. “Indeed, I cannot imagine that she would…” He paused and looked up at Darcy. “What do you mean, ‘in times like these’? Why now? Has something happened to Jane?” The panic that gripped his voice was obvious and spoke of the deep care he had for the young woman.
“You have not heard?” Darcy said.
“Heard what? Do not keep me in suspense. What has happened, Darcy?”
Darcy took a deep breath. “Mr Bennet had an accident some weeks ago. I heard of it from Miss Elizabeth Bennet, who received a letter while at Rosings Park. I am told it was apoplexy and the situation is quite dire. Collins has gone to Longbourn to—”
Bingley slammed his open palm onto the arm of his chair. “That weasel! I should have known that he would immediately take advantage of such a situation. Goodness gracious. Poor Jane. She must be beside herself. I wish I could help. I wish there was something I could do… Jane… That dreadful man, he willmost certainly take advantage of the family if he can. We cannot allow that to happen.”
“Of course not,” Darcy said. “But one thing after the other. Has she returned home to Longbourn? Or do you believe she might still be with her relatives here?”
“I was unaware Jane was in Town at all,” Bingley said, his voice pained. “If I had known, I would have called on her.”
“She was visiting her aunt and uncle in Cheapside. Miss Elizabeth mentioned it once.”
“I see. Well, then perhaps we ought to call on her there? See if she is still there and if not, the Gardiners may be able to assist us. I wonder how Mr Bennet is,” Bingley said. Darcy noticed that he appeared more vibrant now that he had decided to try and rectify things with Jane Bennet.
“The Gardiners will know. They can give us what news there is. And perhaps they can facilitate communication between the two of you. If you like,” Darcy said.
Bingley nodded. “Indeed, I would like it. I have thought of her often these past few weeks and I regret ever letting her go. Darcy, it is as though I am missing a part of myself and now knowing that she is going through such difficulty without me there to support her, makes me feel dreadful. Though I am unsure if she will speak to me after what I have done.”
