Elizabeth attempted to calm her racing heart by taking a deep breath, but it was of no use. Jane had caused hope to grow within her soul. This was not good—not good at all!
“Lizzy, perhaps it was because Charles kept looking at Mr. Darcy, but I spent a good part of the day observing you, as well. Your opinion of the gentleman has altered drastically…” Jane held Elizabeth’s gaze steadily. “It is obvious to me you care for him.”
Was it evident to everyone?
Barely able to breathe, Elizabeth took a moment to recover enough to speak. “You are correct.” She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. “Upon further acquaintance, my estimation of Mr. Darcy has changed. After a great deal of thought and very little sleep these past few days, I have examined my past interactions with him under a different light. I have decided my previous attitude was prejudiced against him, partly due to my pride suffering a blow when I overhead what he said at the assembly ball. My wounded vanity allowed—even encouraged—my judgement to be easily swayed by all the horrid things Mr. Wickham said about Mr. Darcy and his sister. But one of the things Wickham was most adamant about when he spoke to me was that Georgiana was selfish, pompous, and disagreeable.”
Both ladies shook their heads.
Elizabeth continued, “Following our first meeting with her, and my realization that she was, in fact, an amiable and delightful young lady, I began to question all my preconceived notions about her brother, as well. In fact, I have very quickly come to think highly of Mr. Darcy.”
“I was wondering why you did not seem as upset as I thought you would when you heard about Mr. Wickham yesterday.”
“I had already puzzled out that he was a spiteful man. Though I must admit I did not think he would be quite so bad as what we did learn about him, I knew any one capable of saying such ghastly things about such a sweet girl would not hesitate to lie about anything else.”
“Lizzy…” Jane hesitated. “Charles would like to wait a while to make our plans in hopes that we may have a double wedding, as you and I have always hoped for.”
It took all of Elizabeth’s resolve to keep her mouth from dropping open. “You two certainly discussed quite a lot during that brief time in Mr. Darcy’s corridor.” Elizabeth could not help but laugh—more to ease her own anxiety than anything else—but her tone quickly turned serious again. “But Jane… you must know that simply wanting something to happen will not make it come about.” Elizabeth sighed. “I am sorry, but I shall have to disappoint both you and Mr. Bingley. Please, do not delay planning your own wedding while you wait for something I believe is quite impossible to occur.” Suddenly, worry overtook Elizabeth. “Mr. Bingley would not mention anything of his suspicions regarding Mr. Darcy’s feelings towards me to our parents, would he?”
What a disaster that would be! There was no telling how their mother would react.
“I am sure he would not, but I will ask him to make certain he keeps those thoughts to himself.”
Elizabeth let out a long breath. “Thank you.”
The church bells began to ring the ten o’clock hour. It was time to return to the Gardiners’ and prepare to leave for the Darcy’s townhouse.
Chapter 16
The parlour at Darcy House looked quite different this morning. All the usual furnishings had been placed along the walls and three long tables were now in their place. To one side of each table was a pile of greenery the footmen must have brought back from the country yesterday or earlier this morning. Several maids and footmen were almost finished creating a long garland which Elizabeth assumed would be placed on the banister of the main staircase at the orphanage. When finished, they would make a second one for the rear staircase, and then assist the others with their assignments.
Their own group—Jane, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy, and herself—would be responsible for the centerpieces for the children’s and teacher’s tables, then they would move on to build similar centerpieces for the ball’s supper tables. Lady Adelaide and her maid, Sarah, would make garlands for the hearths in the orphanage’s main rooms. Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley were already busy fashioning a large wreath which would hang on the main entrance door.
Upon their arrival, Lady Adelaide informed them the children, teachers, and other staff at the orphanage were also busy today creating trimmings for their private rooms, but as was tradition with the feast, the public chambers’ ornamentations were to remain a surprise until the day of the Saint Nicholas Day celebration.
Since Aunt Madeline was so busy with her son’s injury, Jane and Elizabeth had left Longbourn with every intention of constructing decorations for the Gardiners’ home, so it was helpful they had packed the thick leather work gloves they always wore to make the adornments at home every year.
Elizabeth and the perplexing Mr. Darcy went to work bending the greenery around a wire frame, which according to that gentleman, had been fashioned years ago by Pemberley’s carpenter.
As Jane paired up with Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth smiled knowingly at him. His grin widened.
“You heard the good news?” Mr. Darcy asked.
“I have.” Deciding to take a leap of faith he would not think her comment too inappropriate; she was determined to probe for more information. “You know, Mr. Darcy, there was a time I suspected you would not have approved the match.”
His colour rose slightly as he stilled unnaturally. His brow furrowed and the look of guilt that settled across his features confirmed she had been correct. “Let us say that I have come to my senses. I am now happy for them both.”
His comments were encouraging.
“I am sorry if you might think my question is rude, but I find I must ask.” She hesitated. “What changed your mind, sir?”
He busied himself with his work for several minutes as Elizabeth helped. So much time passed she did not think he would answer at all, but then he looked up and said, “If my sister had not experienced what she did last summer, I might not have recognized the discomfort they had both fallen into once Bingley and Miss Bennet had been separated.”
“Which is why you were watching my sister so closely…” Elizabeth said, suddenly understanding what she had witnessed.
His eyes widened. “I had not realized it was so obvious.”
Elizabeth busied her hands. “Perhaps not to others, but I was feeling rather protective over Jane, for when we met again in London, it was only one day after she had received a letter from Miss Bingley—especially once we were tasked to collaborate with your sister. But that was before we became acquainted with her.”
“Caroline had told me she wrote to your sister, but I am sorry, I do not understand… what does Georgiana have to do with anything she could have said in her letter?”
Elizabeth blinked at him, then whispered, “Miss Bingley wrote saying a marriage between Georgie and Mr. Bingley had been arranged—by you.”
He was shocked, then a spark of anger lit in his eyes. “That is not true.”
“As I have deduced.” She nodded. “And yet, I am certain you can imagine why I was concerned for Jane’s state of mind.”