Page 4 of The Gossip War
When they settled down, I calmly said, “You would be fortunate if none of the servants witnessed Miss Bingley’s supposed loss of virtue—that is, if she still had it to lose—but it would behove you to be certain the debacle was either unobserved or hushed up.”
Miss Bingley hissed like an angry snake (quite apropos, in my opinion), and started to speak, but I just spoke over the top of her.
“I suggest you keep it that way. My honour is otherwise engaged, so your plan has failed. You may need to throw some money around, but hush it up you must.”
They sputtered some more, and I was surprised when Miss Elizabeth added her two pence worth. “Might I make a suggestion?”
The incongruity of such a polite request in this situation had the desired effect. Everyone shut up.
“Emotions are running high, and we are all tired. May I suggest we retire and meet again in the light of day? Shall we say one o’clock in the library?”
Nobody had any better ideas, so we all nodded. I knew, and I suspect Miss Elizabeth knew, that this was just the end of the first battle, and the war was barely begun.
However, retiring from the field for the night seemed like the best course of action, so I replied definitively. “Agreed! We will meet you in the library at one o’clock… the other one o’clock. Do not be late!”
Bingley said, “This is not over, Darcy.”
I nodded. “I expect not, but it is over for now. For the moment, either get out of my sight or feel my wrath.”
It turned out that I could sound quite intimidating when I wanted to, and the Darcy stare was deployed with full force on each of the Bingleys individually until they all turned around to return to their own chambers.
Once they were out of sight, I was not the least bit surprised when Miss Elizabeth whispered, “I will not keep my sister among these people one minute longer. Pray meet us in the library in a half-hour.”
I could sympathise with her need for a hasty exit and quickly agreed. A half-hour would be enough for me to dress a little better, start my valet on damage control, and prepare for what was to come—whatever it was.
It was hard to think about anything but the upcoming conference in the same library where we had sat for a half-hour without a word, twelve hours earlier.
Netherfield Library, 1:40 AM, Jane
I could reasonably be excused for swooning when Lizzy said she was engaged to Mr Darcy.
My first thought was, ‘of course they are engaged—why would they not be?’ They both seemed like admirable people to me (and to be honest, the lady doth protest too much). Four days in company was more than enough time for them to resolve their misunderstandings and fall in love.
That thought, however, was quickly overrun by the fact that my sister would not and could not keep such a secret from me.
Even beyond that, Mr Darcy would not propose while we were in the same house, as that would demand a rapid departure to satisfy propriety. If the pair had an understanding, it was of the informal kind at best. Even that seemed unlikely since she could barely tolerate the man twelve hours earlier, as far as I could tell.
One of Lizzy’s tricks seemed a much more likely explanation.
My thinking is not as rapid as Lizzy’s, and after being bedridden for four days, it was not exactly in top form anyway. It took me a moment to puzzle out that my sister identified some sort of problem and solution in less than ten minutes. Once I came to that conclusion, I knew all would be well. Of course, by that time it was entirely too late to swoon anyway (a touch anticlimactic, if you ask me).
I cannot say I enjoyed watching Mr Bingley put on a mask as easily as he put on his hat or boots (easier, since gentlemen’s boots are notoriously difficult). Once I worked out (long after Lizzy) that the man and his entire family were involved in a compromise attempt against Mr Darcy, my whole view of the world shifted. What a stroke was this for me! I would willingly have gone through the world without believing that so muchwickedness existed in the whole race of mankind, as was there collected in one family.
Not one to mess about with middling feelings, I went from thinking the absolute best I could of the Bingleys to the very worst in an instant. I finally saw how insincere the pretensions of the sisters were, and how inconstant the so-called gentleman’s attentions. It seemed likely the cad had been preparing Mr Darcy for this crime for years.
I briefly wondered why Lizzy felt the need to rescue Mr Darcy, given her animosity. I eventually surmised her innate sense of fairness was sufficient explanation. The fact that he was handsome and rich did not hurt, and my conclusion (right or wrong) that one could not dislike someone so intensely without admiring him just a bit had no bearing on the matter.
As soon as the Bingleys went elsewhere to sleep or strategize, Lizzy turned to me.
“Save the explanations for later, Jane. I asked Mr Darcy to join us in the library in a half-hour. We need to leave this house… tonight… now!”
Such was obvious, so I simply nodded and turned back to my room to gather my necessities and dress in a simple morning gown that did not require help or stays. Since my hair was braided for sleep, I let it fend for itself. Mother sent a month’s worth of clothes for me and a pittance for Lizzy, but we only intended to take what we wore, and servants could bring the rest.
For all I knew, we would be walking to Longbourn. I did not look forward to it but knew I could manage. I was recovered from a cold, not a broken leg.
The mantle clock said 1:40 when we arrived in the library to find Mr Darcy waiting, surprisingly calmly.
Ever the gentleman (yes… really), he bowed. “Miss Bennet… Miss Elizabeth… I am sorry to have you dragged you into this debacle.”
