Page 37 of A Most Beloved Sister
“Is there someone?” Mrs. Hurst asked in astonishment, looking up from the tea she was pouring.
“Do you remember Mr. Hyde from two seasons ago?”
Mrs. Hurst squinted, searching her memory, as she handed the teacups to the two gentlemen. “The tradesman whose father was in business with ours?”
“Yes, James Hyde. He has been quite in love with Caroline for about five years, but she has always had her sights set higher. In his letter last month, he inquired about her marriageability status.”
“So she would have to choose between going to Aunt Ethel or marrying Mr. Hyde?” Mrs. Hurst confirmed.
“What do you think?” Bingley asked, looking back and forth between his sister and Darcy.
“I think giving her an option is a much more palatable approach,” Darcy said. “I have never liked seeing a woman forced to do anything.”
This last statement was said with such vehemence that the two siblings looked at him in mild surprise. Mrs. Hurst was the first to recover while Bingley continued to look questioningly at his friend.
“I agree, Charles. This will allow her to feel more in control of her life. You do not think that this Mr. Hyde will mistreat her?”
Bingley shook his head. “No, I have known Hyde since we were children. He has always been kind toward his mother and sister, which I think is a telling sign.”
“I agree,” Mrs. Hurst said. “When shall we tell Caroline?”
“Fortunately, Hyde is in London right now on business. I shall send an express right this moment, and we shall hear from him tomorrow or the next day, at the latest.”
“Perhaps if you allowed myself or Mrs. Hurst to act as your scribe,” Darcy interjected.
Mrs. Hurst laughed. “Probably a good idea. We wouldn’t want the poor man to think that Charles is proposing a marriage with his sister!”
Bingley smiled at this, but it quickly faded away. “Louisa, I’d actually like to discuss matrimony with you.”
“With me?” she asked, startled.
He looked at Darcy, uncomfortable. “I know we spoke about it this morning, old chap, but the doctor’s news has made things different. You saw how Mrs. Bennet was, and it’s dangerous to move Miss Bennet to her home. Even if her cough subsides, the weather is getting colder by the day. She may never even be allowed to go home.”
Darcy sighed. “The fact that she will only live a year or so does change things.”
“What are you talking about?” Mrs. Hurst asked bewilderedly, then took a sip of her tea.
“I’d like to marry Jane… Miss Bennet,” Bingley said.
Mrs. Hurst gasped as she swallowed, causing her to choke. As she frantically reached for a napkin, she struggled to contain her coughs. “Why?” she managed to ask.
“Because she makes me happy. I’ve never felt the way I do when I’m speaking with her. I enjoy being around her, and I think she could receive better care here than at Longbourn. She could have servants dedicated to her every need, and I could be in the same room as her when she feels ill without causing a scandal.”
“But the closer you become to her, Charles, the more heartbreak you’ll feel when she inevitably passes on,” Mrs. Hurst said gently.
“It would be worth it,” Bingley said firmly.
When Mrs. Hurst protested once more, Bingley raised a hand to stop her. With some difficulty, he recounted the experience he’d had as a youth with Maggie, the flower, and his first kiss.
There was silence in the room. At last, Mrs. Hurst said, “Oh, Charles, please forgive me for how I treated you then and now.”
He shrugged. “It was what it was, Louisa. Mother and Father were not the most loving parents; I think we’ve turned out quite well, all things considered. But meeting Jane—Miss Bennet, that is—has brought all those longings for love and acceptance back to the surface. I want to have that, for once in my life.”
“I understand,” she whispered, her eyes shining. “I understand much more than you may realize.”
“Well, you know what I think,” Darcy broke in. “I would also like to point out that you’ve only spoken aboutyourwishes,yourdesires. What about hers? She may very well prefer to spend her last days with her family, and they with her.”
Bingley conceded the point with a nod, and Darcy continued speaking. “It’s also unlikely, given her health and her mental capabilities, that she will be able to be the true mistress of her home.”
