Beginning, Previous Section, Section V, Next Section
Chapter 21
Posted on May 11, 1998
Elizabeth remained blissfully unaware of what was taking place (or was about to take place) when she awakened the following morning on the Ashton Four. All she knew was that she would likely be spending the better part of a month at sea, awaiting an uncertain future. Her first sensation when she awoke was that her headache had not completely disappeared. Her eyes were blurring a bit, and she felt dizzy when she stood. The boat was gently rocking, and so she had no cause to believe anything further than what she knew to be true.
A hasty knock at the door interrupted her reverie, and before she could grant her permission for the person to enter, the small figure had opened the door cautiously, balancing a tray in one hand as he pushed the door open with the other.
"Good mornin', Miss Elizabeth," Billy said with a grin.
"Good morning, Billy."
"Brought ye breakfast, I 'ave, and news."
"News?"
Billy set her tray on a small table and motioned for her to sit. Elizabeth reached for a chair and brought it to the table, sitting down.
"Yea, miss, news. We be back in London."
Elizabeth's eyes widened with the news, and the blood which pounded through her veins only made her headache worsen. Does the man truly wish to make my humiliation complete by returning me to London unmarried?
"Did anyone tell you why?"
"Well, miss, I suspect it 'as something to do with the fact that I told Mr. Ashton..." Billy bit his lip, realizing that he had been under solemn promise not to reveal that.
"What did you tell Mr. Ashton?"
"Nothin', miss. Nothin' at all."
"Billy...."
"All right! I told 'im that ye were bein' forced to marry the other bloke. I didn't mean to do it, but I did."
Elizabeth groaned loudly, pressing her hand to her head.
"Truly, miss, for me life I don't know why ye wanted that to be kept quiet. Seems to me that as the world'll see as ye ran away with 'im, ye might as well tell the truth."
Elizabeth sighed. "What, pray, did he say when you informed him of what my father had done?"
"Well, miss, 'e was stunned, that 'e was."
"Remember your h's, Billy."
"Right. But a few minutes later, the cap'n--captain was giving the orders to turn us around. We got back just about two hours ago."
"Have you seen Mr. Ashton since we returned?"
"Yes. He sent a note with a messenger to some bloke named...Connor something."
"Robert Connor. His friend," Elizabeth murmured. "Do you know what he said?"
"No, miss. How could I? The note was sealed."
Elizabeth looked down at her breakfast. Her future was uncertain, her head pounded mercilessly, her family was in ruins...how could she even consider eating?
"Billy, would you mind trying to find him for me? I need to speak with him directly."
"Aye, miss. I be--er, I shall be right back."
Elizabeth smiled as he slipped out of her cabin and disappeared. She stood up, clinging to the table for support and balance, and glanced around the room.
The evening before, she had not taken much note of her surroundings, but she now found herself in a small room, much of the space taken up by a bed and the small table. There were three trunks lined up against the wall. It was a sparse room, with very little to keep her occupied.
Elizabeth sighed. I suppose I should feel relieved that we have returned to London. An entire month without anything to do would have driven me mad.
A minute later, the door opened again and there stood Mr. Ashton, smiling at her. "Good morning, Beth," he said cheerfully.
She frowned at his sudden ease with her. Of course things are aright between us now, since you know that I did not affiance myself to Mr. Hollis of my own free will.
"Is something the matter?"
"Other than a dreadful headache and some confusion as to our location, no."
"Oh, yes...you cannot be peturbed at Billy for telling me the truth. You should have done so yourself, you know."
"I tried, sir. Can you not recall my overture just this past evening? I would have been more than willing to tell you everything, but you did not wish to listen."
"Beth, please understand. I had thought you willingly wanted to marry the man--"
"You knew me. How could you ever think that? How could you think I would willingly go back on my promise to marry you unless there were something--"
"But I did not know that! How could I have known that your father was threatening to engage Julia to Mr. Hollis if you would not marry him?" He walked over to her and put his hands on her arms. "Why did you not tell me sooner?"
"You seem to keep forgetting that you were gone. You left Longbourn soon after my father announced the engagement, then left Hertfordshire before I could ever see you. And you were preparing to leave England altogether. Just when was I supposed to tell you?"
Anthony sighed. "I know we have gone through a great deal of misunderstandings, my love, but I hope we can get past them now."
My love. Did she just hear what she thought she had heard?
"It is too late," Elizabeth said. "Soon, Papa shall undoubtedly hear that I have eloped with you, and he shall force Julia to marry Mr. Hollis. Caroline shall be heartbroken, and so Papa shall attempt to liven her up with the prospect of Edward Darcy, which ruins any chance Victoria ever had of winning his affections...and I am the cause of all this."
"There has been very little suffering as yet, except the suffering of fools on our part."
"You may consider that very little, but I assure you that I have suffered a great deal."
"I do not wish to make your ordeals seem nothing more than trifles, but you have predicted catastrophic events without even hearing what I had to say."
"I say this because I know what is to come."
"Perhaps, and perhaps not. You seem, my darling, I have a plan."
Ever since the entire mess had started, Elizabeth had been waiting to hear those words, even if they came from the least likely source.
"You do?"
"Yes, I do. We must act quickly, and present the entire thing to your father as fait accompli. If we are already married before he discovers that we 'ran away' together, and Julia's engagement has been announced in public--"
"How can Julia's engagement be announced to anyone, since she has yet to receive a proposal?"
"That was part of what I sent to Robert. I encouraged him to seek her out and ask her to marry him."
Elizabeth could not help but feel a surge of joy, knowing that Anthony, at least, thought highly enough of Mr. Connor's feelings to believe he would be willing to propose.
"They shall send the notice to the papers immediately."
"Papa could still force her to cry off her engagement, and I have few doubts that he would do so."
"For no other reason than to engage her to another man? She would be seen as the worst type of flirt, and it would not reflect well upon the family." Anthony smiled. "I think it has an excellent chance of succeeding, my dear. All shall be well. You and I shall finally be married, Julia shall be safe from Mr. Hollis, and perhaps the rest of your family shall work things out as well."
Elizabeth frowned. "Your plan has an obvious flaw, sir, one I do not believe you have taken into consideration."
He could not think of anything wrong, having spent the better part of the evening coming up with his plan. "What is that?"
"I have not agreed to marry you."
Chapter 22
Posted on May 11, 1998
For a moment, Anthony had not been certain he had heard her correctly. "Excuse me?" he asked.
"I have not agreed to marry you, sir."
"But--but you most certainly did! Or was I with Julia in the garden at your father's welcoming party for the Darcys when you agreed to--" He looked into her violet eyes, for the first time in what seemed to be ages seeing laughter within them.
She had every right to be upset. She had every right to think him presumptuous for taking it upon himself to arrange things for her and family.
Yet she loved him anyway.
"You are a cruel young woman, Elizabeth Collins."
"If I were truly cruel, Anthony, I would have continued the charade a bit longer. Yet how could you doubt for an instant that I did not want to marry you?"
"Er, well...I suppose you did have a right to be quite out of sorts with me."
"I did."
"And I do not see how you could have forgiven me anything...I do not think I would have done the same."
"You were only upset at what you thought to be true."
"Know this, Beth. I may have doubted you, and hated you, and wished never to see you again, but I know in my heart that I would have always loved you. And I shall...till the day I die."
Elizabeth took a satisfied breath and said, "Thank you. You do know, of course, that my feelings and thoughts are unchanged since we spent our last evening together in the garden at Longbourn...and so I would be more than honoured to marry you, Mr. Ashton."
Anthony lowered his head and kissed her. They remained locked in a sweet but strong kiss until they heard the discreet clearing of a throat.
Elizabeth groaned, and for the first time wished that Billy were anywhere else besides on the ship with them.
"How long is it going to be before we can marry?" she asked him.
"I did not think it would take long to arrange for a special license for the two of us. Robert should have it within a day or two, and he is the only person who knows our exact location."
"We are not in London?" she asked. "We are, but the crew has been ordered to tell all but Mr. Connor that we are aboard the ship."
"I believe that Mr. Darcy and Sir James shall endeavor to keep the scandal from breaking."
"I hope you are correct, Beth, but I have very little doubt that someone shall inevitably discover your disappearance, which shall bring your father to town."
"But not before we can be married, right?"
"Perhaps. It depends on how quickly the gossip spreads."
"If it spreads at all," Elizabeth said. "I cannot think of whom the news would interest in London, though. I am not well-known within any of the important circles in Society."
"A scandal is a scandal, Beth, and as little-known as you might be, I happen to be known to a number of people."
"Oh." Elizabeth sighed. "I hope Mr. Connor arrives with that license as soon as possible. I know that I shall not feel completely at ease until we are properly wed."
Anthony smiled at his once-again fiancee. He could understand that feeling perfectly.
Mr. Connor paced frantically as he awaited Julia's presence in the study. Although the butler had tried to put him off, saying that the family was not receiving visitors for the day, his insistence--and the mention of his friend, Mr. Ashton--persuaded the butler that this was a man someone in the family might wish to see.
However, when the study door opened, it was not Julia who had arrived but rather Mr. Darcy and Sir James Hampton. Mr. Connor smiled, clearly disappointed.
"Good afternoon, sir," Mr. Darcy said. "Will you not have a seat?"
"I thank you," Mr. Connor replied. "Would it be possible for me to see Miss Julia?"
"I think you should speak with us before speaking to her," Sir James said, his voice calm but determined. "Sir, the butler informs us that you are aware that Miss Elizabeth Collins has disappeared."
"I should say I am."
"How did you come about this information? No one outside of this family knows, not even her own good parents."
"The goodness of one parent is seriously in doubt, sir, but as to the other one, I pray that she does not become overly concerned should she hear that her daughter has disappeared."
Sir James smiled, instinctively liking this young man and hoping that his eagerness to see Julia was an indication of the violence of his affections.
"That is neither here nor there, but we are curious to know how you have discovered this."
"Be aware, Mr. Connor, that we have been informed that you received a communication just this morning from your friend, Mr. Ashton." Mr. Darcy was frowning, thinking that perhaps Mr. Connor was in league with his friend to spirit Elizabeth away. Even though it seemed as though she might have gone willingly...
"How the deuce did you know that, sir?" Mr. Connor was furious with himself as that slipped out before he could prevent himself from saying it.
"Needless to say, we have our sources. We know that she boarded his ship and that it sailed; however, the message you received has us wondering. Are they in London at the moment?"
Mr. Connor squirmed, determined not to say another word on the matter, but from his reaction it was clear that he knew where they were...which meant they were indeed in London.
Sir James sighed. His cousin was one of the more sensitive people he knew, but there were times when Darcy was simply too dense to understand human nature. It was clear that threatening the young man was going to get them nowhere.
"At least tell us this, Mr. Connor," he said softly. "Did he kidnap her?"
"No!" Mr. Connor exclaimed. "I spoke with Anthony not fifteen minutes before he left for the docks. His last words were against the lady...certainly not those that would indicate he still loved her, or that he intended to kidnap her."
"Do you think he might have kept his plans a secret from you?" Sir James asked. His cousin glared at him balefully, because he felt this to be his responsibility, but as had been pointed out to him several times, Beth had disappeared while Sir James had been her chaperone.
"No. I have known Anthony Ashton all my life, and I assure you, if he were thinking of taking her to America by force, he would have told me. He truly felt that Elizabeth wanted to marry Mr. Hollis."
"My son told you that Elizabeth was being forced to marry. Why did you not tell him that?"
Mr. Connor cringed again, and Sir James shot a glance to Mr. Darcy which told him to keep out of the interrogation. "Alexander did say he had spoken to you on the matter."
"Anthony did not want to hear anything about her. I tried to tell him what I had heard, but he said that nothing mattered. She had made her choice and he would not interfere."
Sir James nodded. "It is most important that we know what has happened to them. Elizabeth's reputation is at stake. Please...you must tell us if they have returned to London." With a small frown, he added, "Julia's reputation is at stake."
At the mention of Julia, Mr. Connor sighed and said, "They are in London. I do not know why Anthony turned the ship around, but they returned early this morning, the messenger told me. But outside of some very basic requests, I do not know anything further."
"Do you know where they are now?"
"I would presume they are still on the Ashton Four."
"What did the letter say?" Sir James asked, before Mr. Darcy could get the words out.
Mr. Connor sighed. "Anthony asked me to get him a marriage license so he could marry Miss Collins. And he...he recommended that I propose to Julia as rapidly as possible and make the announcement in the paper."
For the first time in the interview, Mr. Darcy smiled. "And I presume that your presence here is to do just that?"
"Yes, sir. I love her."
"Not her sister?"
"Perhaps at first I harboured some tender feelings for Miss Isabel, I came to realize that she was...not the woman I wished to make my wife." Mr. Connor smiled. "But Julia...Julia is the woman whom I can picture sitting at the head of my table...or rather, sitting beside me. I would not want her to sit at the other end of a table, I would want her near me so we could talk and laugh and love together...I...sir, I would consider it the greatest pleasure to have Miss Julia for my wife."
A startled gasp came from the doorway, and the three gentlemen turned to see Julia Collins standing there. She had seen Mr. Connor arrive from her window and when she had not been sent for immediately, had come down to see him rather than wait.
She had heard the entire conversation and had almost come flying into the room when Mr. Darcy had been most rude to Mr. Connor, but when Sir James had taken over she felt it prudent not to give her position away.
Until she heard Mr. Connor's feelings toward her.
"I was about to tell you that you should wait to make your speeches to Julia, but I see that it shall not be necessary," Sir James said with a laugh. "Darcy, I think our presence is no longer needed. We know what we need to know, and it is likely that they are still at the docks."
Reluctantly, Mr. Darcy found himself being pulled out of the room just as Julia entered it. Sir James shouted for a carriage to take them to the docks as she shut the door.
"Were you serious, sir?" she asked quietly.
"More serious than I have ever been about anything in my life, Miss Julia. I would consider it an honour if you would consent to be my wife."
Without warning, Julia scurried into his arms, clinging to him so deliciously that he never wanted to let her go. He inhaled her sweet scent of lavender and caressed her golden blonde hair, which she had dressed in loose curls about her shoulders.
"I would be more than happy to marry you," she said, her eyes shining. "It would be the greatest honour to me, sir, that you would wish to be my husband."
Their conversation, however, was to be cut unexpectedly short by the ringing of the doorbell. They thought they could ignore it until they heard feminine voices in the hall.
"Well, I never in all my life believed that the Darcys would allow such a scandal for one of their charges, but the gentleman I spoke to was most insistent that one of those lovely little twins had run off with that charming American we met a few months ago," they heard one say.
Julia stiffened in Mr. Connor's arms.
"I do not know that I would not believe it. After all, can you not recall that Mrs. Darcy's youngest sister eloped with that scoundrel Wickham?" a second woman said. "I think this sort of neglect runs in the family."
"Now, Margaret, you know perfectly well that the Darcys keep a tight rein over their own children, and none of them has ever been accused of misbehaviour, except possibly their youngest boy, who tried to hire himself on as a cabin boy to America. But Alexander's always been fascinated by the place, I dare say he shall end up living there when he is older."
"Do you suppose it is true?"
"It cannot hurt to ask. We shall simply insist on seeing the two of them together, and when the one we see cannot provide a good reason for her sister's absence, we shall know it to be true."
Julia whispered, "I must hide. They cannot know I am here."
Mr. Connor agreed. "Is there any other way out of here?"
"Not that I am aware of. Oh, Lord, how did they ever discover that Beth was missing?"
Elizabeth had been more than content to dreamily wonder what her wedding was going to be like, thinking that even if she could not have Julia to be her bridesmaid, it would be worth it as long as she was to marry the man she loved. And soon Julia would be protected from her father's wrath.
And not even Papa can change things once they are settled in such a fashion.
There was a dreadful pounding on the door. Elizabeth had been instructed not to let anyone saving Anthony or Billy in, so she ignored it. Either of them would have identified themselves immediately after knocking.
But a minute later, she heard an all too familiar voice shout through the door. "Elizabeth, we know you are in there! Come out now!"
With a surprised cry, Elizabeth opened the door to reveal Mr. Darcy and Sir James.
"We have come to take you home now," Mr. Darcy said.
Chapter 23
Posted on May 21, 1998
Elizabeth Collins had to say that she was perfectly miserable. It had been three days since, against her own will and his cousin's protests, Mr. Darcy had dragged her off of the Ashton Four and back to his townhouse.
They had barely arrived when they were accosted by three society matrons who had heard a dreadful rumour about one of the lovely little Collins twins and had come to see if it was true. Julia was nowhere to be found until she heard her twin's voice, which immediately brought her out of hiding from the library (for propriety's sake, she had insisted that Mr. Connor remain there until the ladies were well away from the house). Seeing both sisters together, one in the company of Mr. Darcy, and one who had clearly been at home all day, disappointed the ladies who had arrived expecting a major scandal.
Sir James covered Elizabeth's somewhat messy appearance by saying she had fallen from a horse during a riding lesson--one of the silliest excuses she had ever heard in her life, as she had become an expert rider to spite her father, who did not felt it seemly for young ladies to hide. Of course, they all knew that he had said that to cover the fact that he could not ride himself.
Elizabeth alone had dared to defy her father and get lessons from her Lucas cousins.
The ladies left soon after seeing for themselves that the scandal could not be true. Breathing a sigh of relief, Mr. Darcy had ordered Elizabeth to her room for "rest."
Elizabeth, who was not in the least bit tired, acquiesced nonetheless and spent the next three days resting.
A great number of things occurred in the next three days. Mr. Connor had indeed sent notice to the papers of his engagement to Miss Julia Collins, to the delight of his sisters, who had attempted to call at the Darcy townhouse and give their apologies to the young ladies.
Julia had been willing to receive them, but Mr. Darcy demanded that no visitors be allowed until he had been able to "straighten this entire mess out." His wife commented that everything seemed to have straightened itself out and there was no call for him to bother to do something that was already finished, and all he had to do was allow Mr. Ashton to marry Elizabeth.
The problem was the scandal--or rather, the lack of scandal. Although a small notice appeared in the paper the same morning Mr. Connor and Julia announced their engagement which said:
"A rumour of no consequence reached me the other day dealing with one of the Misses C-- who caused a stir at the Connor engagement ball. This person of dubious reputation actually claimed that she had disappeared with Mr. A--, a good friend of the Connors. However, since this Person appeared to tell of this escapade, the young lady in question has been seen in the company of her lovely twin, which leads me to wonder if perhaps this rumour was started by a gentleman who wished to ruin her reputation. In my opinion, that would be a great tragedy should such a thing occur because it is clear to me that she is a lady of the highest order."
And therein lay the problem.
Had the scandal actually occurred--and none of the family could figure out how the newspaper had discovered what had happened--then a marriage between Elizabeth and Mr. Ashton would have been the fastest method of silencing tongues. Yet it had been relegated by Elizabeth's sudden appearance to nothing more than a nasty rumour started by someone obviously of a poisonous disposition.
Thus there was no cause for Elizabeth and Mr. Ashton to marry--at least, no hurry for them to marry. In fact, a marriage at that moment would result in the gossip starting again, for people would begin to think that there was truth to the accusation against her.
Which was why Elizabeth had been isolated for the past three days and Mr. Ashton had returned to the Connor townhouse.
Mr. Darcy had given her a long lecture on the foolhardiness of her actions in disappearing without telling anyone, which had nearly ruined her family's reputation forever. Elizabeth had left his study, her face a bright scarlet, to return to her sanctuary. In some ways, she felt as much a prisoner here as she had at home, and was tempted to ask Mrs. Darcy if perhaps it would be feasible to return her there as soon as possible.
Mrs. Darcy, knowing how Beth was feeling at the moment, chastised her husband in private for his treatment of the poor girl.
"But she does not seem to understand how her actions have affected--"
"My dear, I can assure you that Beth knows exactly what she has done. In fact, I think she fears that her father shall hear of the 'scandal' and shall be arriving." Mrs. Darcy sighed. "I just wish I knew who had started the whole mess. No one outside this family knew."
"The Connors knew."
"Yes, but everything happened so quickly that they would not have had time to reveal anything. Think. Did perhaps you tell anyone other than James and Caroline?"
"Absolutely not. I can think of no one who--" Mr. Darcy suddenly recalled one gentleman who might have discovered it. "Mr. Hollis."
"What about him?"
"Mr. Hollis was here the morning Elizabeth was returned. He demanded to see her."
"You did not tell him anything, did you?"
"No! I keep thinking that he might have found someone within the household to speak to him. Summon the staff immediately. If someone spoke to him, it is likely he is the anonymous source for the paper--and more likely that he sent word to her father."
The message was well-travelled. It had gone from the hands of a gentleman to a lady, from that lady's personal maid to one of the household staff, from that parlor maid to one of the cooks who would be in the market that day. Once in the open, it was handed to the food procurer for another household, who upon returning to her residence handed it to one of the parlor maids, who gave it to a lady's maid, who handed it to her lady.
And when the message finally reached the person it was intended for, Elizabeth Collins reluctantly opened it.
My darling Elizabeth,I have been frustrated in my every attempt to see you. I even attempted to send Lucinda and Mrs. Shawcross to visit, but they were prevented from seeing anyone but that butler of Mr. Darcy's. Have I done something wrong which would make you refuse to see me? Have you changed your mind about marrying me? I refuse to believe it after what has gone on before. I believe instead that we are being kept apart to prevent further scandal, or perhaps Mr. Darcy fears you might run away with me again. Please show me a sign, a note, anything, to reassure me. If you give a note to the person who gave you this, you may be certain it shall reach me.
Anthony.
With tears in her eyes, Beth went to a writing desk to compose her letter, which would go through a similar route to reach Mr. Ashton.
Dear Anthony,For dearest you always shall be to me. It is Mr. Darcy's well-meaning attempt to prevent us from eloping that keeps us apart. I know that we have agreed to marry as soon as we could, but for the moment, he feels that perhaps it would be best for us not to marry now. The fear that the scandal would arise again is too great for them to accept, especially since it has recently been discovered that one of the cook's helpers informed Mr. Hollis of my disappearance. The likelihood is that he has told my father and my father is, as we speak, en route to drag me home to marry him.
I wish I had you to comfort me, because I honestly do not know whether or not he is right. I know that I want to marry you. I would like us to be married before my father arrives to threaten me again. I would like us to be married so that I may call myself forever hereafter Mrs. Ashton. Never doubt my love for you, Anthony. It shall never die.
Love, Elizabeth.
The reassurances, given in secret, made the couple feel more confident in their love for each other. Elizabeth, the day she received her note from Anthony, chose to have dinner with the family for the first time since her return.
"Mr. Hollis is not to be found," Mr. Darcy said over dinner. "I have had Cuthbert check everywhere, and he has left the employment I arranged for him. It is likely that he has returned to Rosings to seek solace with my cousin Anne. However, news of a grave nature has reached me just an hour ago and it concerns Mr. Collins."
"What has happened?" Julia asked, concerned.
"What surprises me is that the message has arrived, and he has not," Mr. Darcy mumbled.
"It is likely that Charlotte sent the note immediately after his departure, which would mean, given Mr. Collins' dubious horsemanship, that it would arrive before him by possibly a day or more," Mrs. Darcy said.
"Papa is coming?" Elizabeth gasped.
"It appears that he is, and according to your mother, he is most furious with you, Beth. She says that she prays you are well, and that this letter shall find you married to Mr. Ashton, but she warns you that you are...yet twenty. Dear Lord, I had not thought of that."
"What has age to do with anything?" Julia asked.
Elizabeth groaned. "Everything. We are not of legal age to marry without Papa's consent. Even had I married Mr. Ashton, he could have had it annulled."
"He would not have brought such scandal upon your family," Mrs. Darcy said.
"Forgive me, ma'am, but I believe my father to be capable of all things."
"Then perhaps the man should finally listen to a voice of reason," Mr. Darcy said. "I am thinking that perhaps you should marry Mr. Ashton soon, Beth."
"Of course I intend to marry him. Did you think I would not? Did I not tell you that I wished to marry him when you dragged me away from the ship?"
"That was for your own good, as you have seen." His voice brooked no arguments.
"So why do you now feel that I should marry Mr. Ashton immediately? The scandal shall flare up again if I do. You were correct in saying that."
"I think perhaps you should already be married when your father arrives. In fact, I think perhaps both you and Julia should be married. The idea of destroying two marriages would be worse than just one."
"Especially for a man who believes that God created marriage for His own purposes," Mrs. Darcy added. "You know, Fitz, by having them marry together, you could eliminate the scandal."
"Or create a new one," Julia objected. "If we marry with indecent haste, can you not think of what everyone would say? Beth needed to be married off because of the scandal of her elopement, and I...they may well say I am...am..." She blushed prettily, and without saying another word her meaning became clear. "They would say we are both scandal-ridden."
"And you are both headed for America," Mrs. Darcy added. "If you should ever return, the scandal would likely never be remembered."
"What about the rest of them?" Elizabeth asked. "If we create a scandal by marrying quickly, then who will think to marry Isabel, Caroline, and Victoria? No one, that is who."
"Edward shall marry Victoria. I suspect he shall offer for her soon, if his latest letter--" Mr. Darcy held this up so they could see it. "--is any indication. And according to him, some most interesting events have occurred between your eldest sister and Mr. George de Bourgh."
"Miss de Bourgh's cousin?" Julia asked. "That horrid boy?"
"I suspect that he has become an adult and one that Isabel admires, if Edward's letter is to be believed. He says Victoria has observed them often together and that they are either agreeing on everything or fighting like children."
"Sounds like love to me," Julia mumbled.
"I do not know. Edward also mentions that Victoria said Isabel has taken up chess."
Elizabeth had been about to take a drink of her wine. She sputtered with laughter.
"That leaves Caroline, whose heart has been broken by Mr. Hollis," she said once she had recovered her composure. "I somehow do not think she shall want to marry for quite a while, so perhaps by then any possible scandal shall have faded away. Especially if we do go to America soon after the wedding."
"But we have nothing appropriate to wear! I have not even considered shopping for a trousseau, and--"
"And I believe I have the perfect solution," Mrs. Darcy said. "One of you may borrow my wedding gown, and if Caroline could be persuaded to loan one of you hers, then you could be married in that. And let me assure you that Caroline did not marry in orange, as Sir James suggested."
Elizabeth looked at Julia, who was staring at her. She knew what her twin was thinking--of how much she wanted to marry Mr. Connor, of the risks involved, of their father's fury when he discovered what had happened. It was likely that their father would never allow them to return home again.
It was, at last, Julia who spoke. "Then I suppose we should begin to prepare for a double wedding."
"Do you, Elizabeth Grace Collins, take this man, Archibald Anthony Ashton IV, to be your lawfully wedded husband?""I do," Elizabeth said, love shining in her eyes.
From behind her, a voice shouted, "No! She is not marrying this man! She is marrying me!"
Elizabeth turned to see Mr. Hollis standing there, furiously waving a scrap of paper in his hand. "Her father has promised her to me, sir, and she shall marry me now...this instant!"
And even worse, she heard a second voice, that of her father. "Did you honestly think I would allow you to marry him, Beth? You shall not marry such a man. I am your father and you shall do what I say."
"But I love him!" she cried.
"I care not! I have chosen your husband and you shall marry him or else...or else...or else..."
"No!" Elizabeth cried as she awakened, drenched in sweat and breathing hard. "no."
It was her wedding day, and it had started out with a nightmare.
A marriage license had already been arranged for Elizabeth and Mr. Ashton, so all that remained was for one to be gotten for Mr. Connor and Julia. Mr. Darcy had decided that a small ceremony would be best, in the possible event that perhaps they could keep the marriages quiet until a decent interval had passed and they could claim to have taken place in a country church.
To perform the ceremonies, Mr. Darcy had sent for the gentleman who ministered to Pemberley, a plan of which all approved. Mr. Markingham was a most trustworthy gentleman and one who would not mind the unusual circumstances of the weddings he would officiate. Indeed, as long as he was assured that both brides went willingly to their prospective grooms and that the gentlemen were of the same disposition, he would be more than pleased to perform the ceremony.
Lady Hampton had needed very little prompting to volunteer her wedding gown for a second use. She had always felt a bit of disappointment that she would never have a daughter to wear it in later years, and once Sir James requested that she give the dress to Julia to wear, she was pleased to loan it.
The dresses then had to be altered to fit the twins' petite frames, for while Mrs. Darcy was not as tall as Lady Hampton, she was yet taller than Beth. The hasty alterations took another day.
And thus it was four days following the decision for them to marry that Elizabeth and Julia awoke to be married.
"This is so terrifying," Julia said as they were having a light breakfast. "I wish Mama were here. She would reassure us."
"There is nothing to fear," Elizabeth replied. "You love Robert. Surely that should be enough."
"It is. But...Beth...have you never thought about what happens...you know, after you are wed?"
"You live together and be happy."
"Not that. I mean...the wedding night. Your Marital Duty. You know."
"Oh." Elizabeth blushed. "I have reason to believe that perhaps it should not be as dreadful as we think."
"Why not? Beth, you did not--"
"Of course not! But I have kissed Anthony on a few occasions and I think that it shall be a most pleasant experience indeed."
Elizabeth would say nothing more and Julia felt a bit of jealousy that her sister had experienced something she had not. Later, Mrs. Darcy and Lady Hampton in two separate sessions tried to impress on both girls the importance of Marital Duty. All these talks did was to increase the embarrassment of the twins and cause their orators no small humiliation.
The dresses were donned, the minster arrived, Mr. Darcy and Sir James prepared to give the girls away, and the entire party headed for the tiny church outside of London that Mr. Darcy had arranged for them to be married in. He had left word with the servants where they could be found, but that they were under no circumstances to inform anyone of where that was.
Elizabeth was smiling into the eyes of Mr. Ashton as her twin did the same with Mr. Connor. The wedding ceremony had just started. Mr. Markingham cheerfully proclaimed that it was a joyous day for a wedding and that he was always so pleased to join people in matrimony when it was clear that they came before God with pure motives and hearts.
Never mind that no one present had a pure motive in the haste of the marriages.
Mr. Markingham continued his miniature sermon, listing the purposes God had in creating the state of marriage and listing what marriage was created to prevent. Elizabeth wished he would simply be quiet and get to the important part of the ceremony, but it was clear that he was going to take his time and they could not rush him.
After listing all the reasons for marriage, Mr. Markingham asked calmly, "Is there any here who can show just cause why these people should not be joined in holy matrimony? If so, that person should speak now or forever hold their peace."
Elizabeth was paralyzed with fear, but not a voice was raised in protest (at least, not at that moment) and thus the ceremony continued.
Mr. Darcy smiled. He had to confess that there was a part of him that was satisfied to have gotten around the odious Mr. Collins, whom he had never liked. And another which was pleased that he had been instrumental in bringing about this double wedding, in which two young women who had before been miserable because they were not with the men they loved were reunited with their true loves. He glanced at his wife.
Mrs. Darcy was beaming as well. Beth looked so beautiful in her wedding dress, her violet eyes glowing as she listened intently while Julia spoke the words which would join her to Robert Connor forever. Mrs. Darcy would have been more than willing to confess that she was thrilled to have defeated Mr. Collins, much as it might pain Charlotte. Any man who would with such blind willingness blackmail his daughter to marry a man she could not stand was not to be tolerated.
Once Julia and Mr. Connor had exchanged vows, Mr. Markingham turned to Elizabeth and Anthony. The couple had stood in eager anticipation of their turn to say their vows to each other, and their moment had arrived. But just as Elizabeth was about to begin to speak, the doors to the church opened, and a voice shouted--
"This wedding must stop at once!"
The minister looked up to see who had interrupted the ceremony as everyone else turned to look at him.
"And why should this wedding not continue, sir?" he asked.
"Because this young lady is engaged to marry me," Mr. Hollis said, pointing to Julia.
"And because I have not given either girl my consent to marry," a voice added behind him.
With mounting horror, Elizabeth realized that her nightmare was about to come true, for her father had arrived, and he was looking at her with murder in his eyes.
Chapter 25
Posted on May 21, 1998
Instinctively, Elizabeth scooted closer to Anthony, who put a protective arm around her.
"Who are you, sir?" Mr. Markingham inquired, pointing to Mr. Hollis.
"I am this lady's fiancee," Mr. Hollis replied, again pointing at Julia.
"That is Julia, you ignoramus," Lady Hampton snapped.
Mr. Hollis frowned at the lady, but knowing who she was and never being one to insult those who were his betters, said nothing.
"And you, sir?" Mr. Markingham then asked of Mr. Collins.
"I am William Collins of Longbourn, sir, the father of these two young ladies. They are not of legal age, and I have not consented to either of their marriages. In fact, this man is correct. My daughter Elizabeth is engaged to him."
Mr. Markingham looked at Elizabeth. "Is what he says true?"
"No," Mr. Darcy spoke before Elizabeth could. "Elizabeth engaged herself to Mr. Ashton before her father attempted to blackmail her into a marriage with that man."
Mr. Markingham set down his Bible. "Oh, dear. I fear that I cannot continue with this ceremony unless everything is straightened out with their father, for he has the right of it. I cannot marry them without his consent."
Elizabeth feared that she would die on the spot, for her father would never consent to the marriage. She knew it at certainly as she knew that she loved Mr. Ashton and hated Mr. Hollis.
"Come, daughters. You are to return to Longbourn with me."
"No." Mr. Darcy stepped between Mr. Collins and the altar. "You are going to listen to me for once in your life, you inconsequential man, and when I am finished speaking you shall allow both your daughters to marry."
"How dare you presume to tell me what I shall and shall not do with my own children!"
"I dare when you continue to interfere with what would make them most happy!"
"I made them decent matches--good matches which would suit them well! Mr. Hollis is the man who would suit Elizabeth best--"
"Do you honestly think that, sir, or did you set out to marry her to a man you liked rather than the one she preferred?"
"I do not like Mr. Ashton. I shall not deny this."
"Why?" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Why do you not like him? What has he done to you? Is it simply because he ignored Caroline?"
"The man has injured me on a number of occasions, including an incident at Netherfield for which you were present."
"You insulted him first, sir," Mr. Connor said.
"Your reasoning has no logic," Elizabeth said. "You dislike the man for not wishing to court Caroline, yet you wish Caroline to marry Edward Darcy. Victoria is in love with him, but you demand that she marry Mr. de Bourgh, who apparently cares for Isabel. You refuse to make that match because you think Isabel should marry Mr. Connor, who loves Julia."
"It is not the way I wanted it!"
"Things rarely go according to plan, good man." Sir James spoke for the first time.
Mr. Collins, uncertain of who the gentleman was, nodded to him.
"For instance, did you know that my wife and I have but one child? A son. He is a wonderful young man, and I want what is best for him, but sometimes what I feel is best for him and what he wants differs."
Mr. Collins sensed he had a friend in all this, and eagerly agreed with Sir James. "Yes, indeed, sir. And on these occasions, I am certain that you lecture your son to obey his father."
Sir James smiled sardonically. "No, sir. I generally tend to allow him to do as he wishes so he learns his lesson. Experience, dear fellow, is the best teacher of all." He stepped forward to actually put his hand on the man's shoulder. "Mr. Collins, you have a rare and precious gift. You have five daughters, wonderful girls. I have met only these two, but they have spoken of the others with such love that I cannot help but envy you. For all the world, my wife and I wished we could have had a daughter of our own."
"You have no idea how much I wish I had your son."
Sir James nodded. "Yes. We cannot always have what we want. Sometimes, that which we want most does not come to us. I know you wanted Mr. Hollis to marry Elizabeth."
"I still do. Indeed, it took a great deal to convince him to still want her."
"If he had to be brought here reluctantly, and you know Elizabeth does not want to marry him, why do you continue to insist on the marriage? Do you hate your daughter that much?"
Mr. Collins did not answer. He attempted to catch Elizabeth's notice, but she did not look at him. She was trying to control her tears by looking at the floor.
"Because...because..." Mr. Collins sputtered.
"I know it is frustrating to have our plans we worked hard for ruined. I have been in a position where I had to see the woman I loved...well, that is not a story for this place but suffice it to say, I have seen her near death and if I had lost her, I know that I would not have been able to survive. I do not presume to know your wife, but am I correct in assuming that you love her a great deal?"
"Of course I do!" Mr. Collins said, offended that he needed to be asked the question. "My Charlotte is a wonderful woman, and I do not know how I would have survived without her thus far."
"Then how could you deny your daughters the happiness you now have? Is that not the height of selfishness and, dare I say it, arrogance?"
"I...I suppose it could be said that--"
"I understand that before you came into your inheritance that you were a man of God."
"I was."
"Do you honestly feel that this is God's will?"
"The Bible teaches children to obey their parents."
Elizabeth had almost hoped that Sir James was convincing her father to allow the wedding to continue, but when he brought religion into the discussion she knew all hope was lost.
"Yes, I know that. But the Bible also teaches about forgiveness and tolerance and understanding. You have condemned Mr. Ashton and have not attempted to forgive him. Can you not see that he is genuinely in love with Beth? Can you not look past your prejudice to allow her to marry him? If you dislike her..." Sir James' voice lowered. "I do not say you should or should not love your children. But if you truly dislike her, America would be the best place for her. You would not have to see her. She would not be an influence to your other daughters. Indeed, America might be a fitting punishment for such a child."
Mr. Collins considered the man's words. Never in his life had he met a man quite as intelligent as this one, one who could understand him so well. He had absolutely no idea who he was, but he knew he liked him.
Had he known what the gentleman thought of him, he might not have been so eager to consider him an ally.
"I believe you have the right of it, sir," Mr. Collins said. "I think, perhaps, experience should be her teacher in this instance."
"Then you shall allow Beth to marry Mr. Ashton?"
"Yes," Mr. Collins said. "My friend, you have made me see the error where she is concerned."
Mr. Darcy had been about to speak, but his cousin waved his hand furiously to keep him quiet. A fragile truce had been reached, and it was not quite completed.
"And for Julia, sir? Julia's a good girl."
"But Isabel loves Mr. Connor. I could not allow my younger daughter to marry if the elder loves him."
"Yes, but she is nothing but a reminder to you of Elizabeth. She may be a good girl, but if she remains at Longbourn, she shall do nothing but infuriate you as Beth shall not be there. Better that she marries now before you do damage to one who does not deserve it."
"But--but what about Isabel?"
Sir James looked at the furious Mr. Hollis, who had been told he would marry Elizabeth that day and was about to be shut out. "I do not know. Perhaps she could marry that man." He motioned to Mr. Hollis. "After all, he has been promised to one of your daughters, and I must say, if what I have heard of Isabel's legendary beauty is true, that he shall not be disappointed."
"Quite so," Mr. Collins said with a smile. He turned to the minister, convinced of the right of his actions. Sometime in the future, he might even try to tell people of his magnanimous gesture in allowing both of his daughters to marry men of whom he did not quite approve. "Very well, sir. You may continue the ceremony."
"Perhaps we should begin again," Mr. Markingham said. "This way, no one could dispute that they are well and truly wedded."
"All right," Mr. Collins said. "Come, girls."
Elizabeth and Julia looked at each other, fearing that there was some sort of trick. Once he had them, he would drag them out and they would never return. Still, they had no choice but to walk to their father, who led them to the back of the church. Slowly, they were both returned back up the aisle to the men they would marry.
This time, nothing prevented the ceremony from going forward, and both young ladies were married. It was Mr. Collins' happiest day, for in his paternal pride he felt as though he had done right in getting rid of two of his daughters, one who deserved what she was to get, and the other...well, as that nice gentleman had said, she was going to learn the hard way that she should have married the man her father chose for her.
Mr. Hollis had been furious at first, until he recalled the extraordinary beauty of Isabel. As he had once considered Caroline and believed Elizabeth to be far superior, now he considered Isabel and realized that he was to be given the highest prize Mr. Collins had.
It would not take much convincing on Mr. Collins' part for Mr. Hollis to believe himself in love with Isabel. Mr. Collins would need only the trip home to Longbourn.
Both gentlemen smiled as the newlyweds walked past them. Neither couple noticed, so caught up were they in their joy and love for each other.
Chapter 26
Posted on May 23, 1998
Further appeal from Sir James convinced Mr. Collins to allow his daughters to visit their mother--which meant a return to Hertfordshire. The newly wedded couples would stay at Netherfield, as it would be asking a bit much of them to be forced to share living quarters with a man who could be convinced to allow them to marry on such grounds--one for his lack of love for her, the other due to her similarities to her sister.
It offended neither Elizabeth, who had known all along how her father truly felt about her, nor Julia, who was too grateful that her father had been able to be swayed in the matter to care how it had come about.
Still, Mr. Collins had insisted that neither Mrs. Ashton nor Mrs. Connor visit Longbourn until he had had an opportunity to inform Isabel that the marriage proposal she had been anticipating was never to come. He knew that Isabel would be furious and might not wish to see her sister, in which case he would take precautions to insure that she was not present when the ladies made their visit to their mother.
Charlotte, who had worried so greatly for her twin daughters, still awaited the return of her husband, fearing he would be bringing both girls with him still unmarried, both miserable. The fear of the unknown was paralyzing, and had it not been for he own prudence in sending a messenger to warn the Darcys that Elizabeth's disappearance had been discovered by Mr. Hollis, she might have feared for worse.
In his absence, she had continued to foster the relationship between Victoria and Edward, even under the somewhat offended eye of Miss Anne de Bourgh, who tried just as desperately to force George to pay court to the girl. George reluctantly went along with what his patroness wished, yet found his eyes increasingly drawn to Isabel.
She was the most frustrating piece of baggage he had ever seen in his life, he had decided. Admittedly, Isabel Collins did not have her sister Caroline's sense or Victoria's grace, and she did have a tendency to talk far too much of beaux and parties, fortunes and estates, and of course, her imminent proposal from some gentleman named Mr. Connor, but for some reason she fascinated him. He found more and more that it had to be her beauty.
Anne de Bourgh saw this as well, and thought nothing of it. George had often been swayed by beauty and stupidity, but Isabel Collins took the two descriptions to a new level. She prayed George did not allow the former to overlook the latter, given that he hated fortune hunters, which was clearly what Isabel was. Besides, she reminded him time and again, he was intended for another girl.
And nothing would deter her from having that girl as a surrogate daughter to fuss over, just as her mother had fussed over her. As far as Anne could see, Victoria needed her, for to be sure, her mother did not give her the attention such a delicate constitution required. In fact, Charlotte Collins seemed to encourage the girl to take walks with Edward Darcy. They were supposed to be to show him everything there was to Longbourn, but Anne knew that they were for the purpose of the two getting closer and falling in love.
In response to this, she would insist that George read to Victoria following dinner, when the family would come together to listen to Caroline play the piano.
Things had become quite knotted at Longbourn, which needed nothing more than Mr. Collins to unravel.
George had thought he would find Isabel playing the piano when he heard it, for she told him she enjoyed playing often during this time of the day, but when he opened the door to the room he found Caroline bent over the instrument, playing a quiet melody with such poignance that he felt obliged to applaud her once it was over.
Caroline, startled that she had been interrupted, gasped when she realized he was present.
"Pardon my intrusion, Miss Caroline," he said. "I thought I would find Isabel in here."
"No, Mr. de Bourgh, I fear you shall not."
"Isabel told me she plays often."
Caroline wrinkled her brow, which her father had told her time and again made her most unattractive. She could not help it, however. She would have been surprised to discover that it was similar to a face Isabel would make, only on Caroline it was far more interesting.
"Isabel cannot play the piano," she said. "She never bothered to learn."
"But she told me..." George frowned. "If it is not her who plays such wonderful music, then who?"
"I am the only one here who can play. Julia and Beth are still in London, and Victoria..."
"Yes, yes. Victoria was too delicate to learn, though I do not see how strenuous it can be to play the piano."
"Neither can I. Or at least, it does not seem to me that playing the piano is difficult, but then, I..." She blushed. "I have been told I have talent."
George smiled. He was uncertain about whether or not she was fishing for a compliment, as Isabel often did, or if she truly did not think she had much skill. He decided that her reluctance was due to the former.
"You do," he said. "You play marvelously."
He expected her to preen and say something about how she thought she did, but appreciated his saying so. Instead, she blushed even more and said nothing.
The colour that came to her cheeks was most becoming, he thought. She was not beautiful. She could not even be considered pretty. But there was a gentleness of spirit about her that he liked.
Nonsense. You like her sister. Isabel is more your sort of lady than this plain sparrow.
Yet he could not understand why Isabel had lied to him. If she could not play at all, why claim that she could?
"Are you enjoying your stay at Longbourn, Mr. de Bourgh?" she asked.
"Quite," he replied. "It has been more eventful than I anticipated."
"Yes, it has been. If Elizabeth and Julia were here, you would have even more excitement than before."
"I suspect that it is just such an excitement that sent your father to London."
"Papa did not say why he had to leave." Caroline frowned at the suggestion.
"I do apologize, Miss Caroline. I did not wish to offend you in any way." George recalled that when he had asked Isabel if she knew what had sent Mr. Collins away so abruptly, she had been more than eager to tell him all the mischief her sister Elizabeth had gotten into as a child. Some of it, he knew, must be exaggerated.
And yet Caroline had sense enough to say nothing to a man who was, for all practical purposes, a stranger to her.
Odd that he was noticing all these things about Caroline that his past couple weeks' fascination with Isabel had not arisen in him.
"Perhaps you would be willing to play something for me," he said.
Caroline smiled. "What would you like to hear, Mr. de Bourgh?"
"Do you play Mozart?"
"Yes, I do." Caroline rose from the piano to leaf through the sheets that lay atop of it. Finding one, she sat down again and prepared to play.
The music filled the room, and George was entranced. He could not keep his eyes from her coutenance the entire time she played. She had a style of playing that was fascinating, as though it were only her and her music and nothing else in the room. She was a true proficient at the instrument.
Even if she had nothing else to recommend her, he reminded himself.
"Mr. de Bourgh?"
George looked at her to see that she had stopped playing.
"Am I boring you, sir? You seemed most distracted a moment ago."
"I was merely enchanted with your magnifiscent playing, Miss Caroline. It is a wonder that I have not noticed it before."
"Perhaps because you have been captivated by other things," she said. "You will excuse me, sir, but I fear I do grow tired of playing."
"What else do you have interest in?" he asked.
"Oh, all sorts of things. I enjoy reading."
"Those dreadful Gothics?"
"No, though I have read some of them. I find them overdramatic for my taste. I prefer books of a serious stamp at times."
"Do you ever read romantic poetry?"
"Sometimes. Do you read, sir?"
"I do at times. I like Shakespeare a great deal. By chance have you heard of a fellow by the name of Fielding?"
"Henry Fielding? The author of Tom Jones?"
"Yes. Do you enjoy his work as well?"
Caroline blushed again, knowing quite well that she was not supposed to have read that novel. And yet she had.
And he knew it.
"I--I--"
"Would you say that it was fairly obvious from the beginning what the truth about Tom's parentage was?"
"Perhaps I was obtuse, sir, but I did not think it was," she said before realizing she had stepped into his trap.
George smiled. "A lady who takes risks. I must say I admire that."
"You shall not tell anyone...shall you?"
"Of course not, Miss Caroline. We shall consider it our secret."
"George! George de Bourgh, where are you?" The strident and annoying voice of Miss Anne de Bourgh echoed throughout the hall. "Mr. Collins has returned, dear boy!"
"Oh, Lord," he grumbled.
"What is it?"
"My...cousin has told me on several occasions that she intends to ask your father for permission to allow Victoria to return with us to Rosings, and from there to be married."
"And you do not wish to marry Victoria."
"Nor does she wish to marry me."
"Granted."
"If you had your wish, you would marry Isabel."
"I cannot say for certain that I would."
"Everyone wishes to marry Isabel, and if they do not, they wish to marry Elizabeth or Julia. Isabel has such great beauty that everyone can ignore the fact that she has no mind and the twins...they were so pretty and lively that it was impossible not to love them at first sight." Caroline spoke with such pain that George felt great sympathy for her.
"It must be difficult for you."
"It is. I tried my best to learn what a wife should be, to learn the fine arts considered necessary for an accomplished lady, and yet no one wishes to marry me. Even my father acknowledges it, which is why he continues to insist on the match between Mr. Darcy and me."
Caroline blinked back tears. "Pray excuse me, Mr. de Bourgh. Should my father discover that I am aware of his return, I shall have to face him and I do not wish to do that now."
George was confused as he made his bow to Caroline. He had heard Mr. Collins describe his second daughter as everything a lady should be. He had seen nothing in their interaction before which had made him think she cared less for him.
So why would she want to hide herself from him now?
George shook his head in confusion as he reluctantly went to greet Mr. Collins.
Upon hearing the news that Mr. Connor had married Julia, Isabel had gone into a rage. She had pounded her fists on her father's chest, injuring him to the extreme until he had pulled her away. She was furious with him for what she saw as a betrayal for allowing Julia to marry her beau.
Charlotte was thrilled, but of course did not show it. When she had first seen Mr. Hollis looking rather pleased with himself, she had feared the worst--that her husband had caught up to Elizabeth and forced her to return to England to marry Mr. Hollis. However, when Mr. Collins announced that Elizabeth had married Mr. Ashton the same day Julia had married Mr. Connor, she could not help but feel relief.
And of course, there was that smug look on Mr. Hollis' face to worry about. Somehow, she had a feeling that Mr. Collins had offered him the hand of another one of her daughters.
Anne de Bourgh's desire to tell Mr. Collins of her idea was dashed for the moment, for there was nothing to be done but celebrate the recent marriages of the twins. Isabel disappeared into her room when Mr. Collins informed them that both couples would be dining with them that evening.
George had been startled, shocked, and slightly embarrassed by Isabel's childish reaction. Although he could not blame her for feeling cheated, he could not help but wonder whether or not she were mourning the loss of the man himself or the loss of his fortune and the possibility of being mistress of Netherfield. He was beginning to suspect it was the latter.
And he could not help but think of the differences between Isabel's rage and fury and the calm but hurt sadness of Caroline, whose hopes had been ruined by an unknown man--likely at the hands of one of her sisters. She would never make such a display in public.
And for the first time, George wondered if maybe he had been looking at the wrong sister the entire time.
Mr. Collins had spent nearly three hours attempting to consol Isabel, telling her that Mr. Connor had not been good enough for her and that if she had married an American she would never get to see him.
He did not wish to discuss the possibility to her marrying Mr. Hollis as yet, although that man had been well on his way to being persuaded that he could love Isabel. After all, Isabel was a far more malleable girl than Elizabeth ever would be, or so Mr. Collins assured him. Isabel would do her duty as his daughter and be happy.
Isabel, however, had other things in mind. Since she had been quite publicly thrown over by Mr. Connor in favor of her sister, she had decided that perhaps she should take what might amount to her last offer and marry Mr. de Bourgh. The man had certainly been interested in her in the recent days, and she thought that perhaps she had a chance of winning him.
The trick, she knew, would be to win over his battle-axe of a cousin, Miss de Bourgh, who seemed more determined than ever to have Victoria be the future mistress of Rosings.
As if that twit could manage anything outside of her paper dolls.
It would take great courage, she felt, and would show great strength of character if she were able to show a calm facade to Miss de Bourgh in front of Mr. Connor and Julia. She dearly wished her Papa had told her about the marriage in private, for she knew in her heart that the fuss she had stirred upon hearing it had not done her any good in the lady's eyes at all.
She dressed in her best gown, hoping to show Mr. Connor exactly what he had passed up in marrying her sister. She wore her hair in a style most becoming. She pinched her cheeks until they turned a lovely shade of pink, covering the pallor they had obtained from her ordeal.
When there came a timid knock at the door, informing her that the guests had arrived, Isabel steeled herself against the inevitable anger she would feel that her sister had won the man and the fortune that by all rights should have belonged to her.
While Isabel came to dinner determined not to catch a new fortune and a new husband, Caroline was trying to tell herself that there was absolutely nothing wrong with seeing Mr. Hollis again. Indeed, she did not even know if she loved him anymore.
If she ever had.
It was just that he had had such ideals and views...he had said things and thought things that she so admired. Strange, then, that she could barely remember any of them. All she could recall about the man was that he had preferred Elizabeth, and had been willing to overlook the fact that he had been willing to have her forced into marriage as long as he had her in the end.
Caroline, however, was not foolish. He had returned to Longbourn despite of his losing Beth, which meant one thing to her. He intended to get another wife.
And it was likely to be her.
Caroline looked at herself in the mirror. She saw a pale copy of Isabel, one that was faded a bit. Not as pretty. Not as dazzling. Ordinary. One that was perfectly suited to a man such as Mr. Hollis. He was likely to be the only man who ever offered for her, and she was going to have little choice but to accept him.
When the knock at her bedroom door came to inform her that the guests had arrived, she sighed. Did she still love him?
No.
But he was her only chance of marriage, and she was going to have to take it.