“No, I do not suppose he would,” replied she.
“Then you have the measure of him. Perhaps I might espouse concerns for Fitzwilliam’s happiness, but I would never presume to impose my opinions on him.”
Miss Elizabeth cocked her head, her eyes searching his. For a moment, he wondered if she meant to be severe with him. Then she softened and looked away.
“No, I do not suppose you would, nor would he allow it if you tried.” She paused, summoned her courage, then looked back at him. “If you will pardon me, Mr. Darcy, I am curious about your friendship with Mr. Bingley.”
“Bingley?” asked Darcy, confused about what she was asking.
“The gentleman did not return to Hertfordshire,” replied she. “I have always attributed his absence to his sisters, but I have wondered...”
“If I had a hand in it,” finished Darcy, understanding her meaning.
Miss Elizabeth appeared abashed. “I apologize, Mr. Darcy. It is notmy intention to cast aspersions.”
Though Darcy wondered what he should say, he recognized that this matter had been between them, perhaps the last barrier preventing further understanding. Should Darcy wish to proceed to a closer connection with her, and by now he was certain that he did, it would be best if he acted to remove all misunderstandings.
“Do not concern yourself, Miss Elizabeth,” replied Darcy. “The truth is, I had a hand in that business, but not as much influence as you suppose.
“Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurstdidoppose an alliance with your sister as you suspected. My concern was for Bingley’s happiness. As your sister cannot provide the benefits of fortune and standing, he must at least have her heart.”
“And what was your assessment?”
“That she did not care for him as much as Bingley wished,” replied Darcy, refusing to avoid the truth. “The strange part is that I did not see her affection then, though now it is as clear as day.”
“Perhaps it is not so curious as you believe.”
Darcy regarded her, urging her to explain. Miss Elizabeth sighed, but she did not wait to do so.
“Two weeks after Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived in Meryton, but before you returned, Jane confessed she wasnotin love with Mr. Bingley. At the time, she believed she was; time in your cousin’s company taught her that she had recovered from his abandonment more quickly than she had expected.”
Darcy considered this. “Do you suppose her recovery would have been so rapid if my cousin had not come?”
“No, I do not suppose it,” replied she. “Even if she was not in love with him, the distraction Colonel Fitzwilliam provided allowed her to consider something other than her desolation. If Mr. Bingley had proposed, Jane would have accepted him, thinking she was in love.” Miss Elizabeth shrugged. “I think she would have been happy with Mr. Bingley, but I can acknowledge her connection with Colonel Fitzwilliam is much more durable.”
“Then I am happy to hear it,” said Darcy.
“Where is Mr. Bingley now?”
“In the north visiting family,” said Darcy. “They departed only days after my return to Hertfordshire.”
“And what of Mr. Bingley? Did he ask after my sister?”
Darcy regarded her. “By this, I suppose you are asking if Bingley remains affected by his time here with your sister?”
“In part, I suppose,” replied she.
A troubling thought occurred to Darcy, but he knew now was not the time to consider it. Pushing it to the back of his mind for later thought, he again focused his attention on Miss Elizabeth.
“I do not know, Miss Elizabeth. Bingley said nothing to me about Miss Bennet and presented the same jovial countenance to me as he shows to everyone.”
“Then perhaps his esteem for her was not so deep as he thought.”
“Again, I cannot speculate. You may be correct, but Bingley is so gregarious that it is sometimes difficult to know if something is bothering him.”
“Much like Jane’s reticence renders her inscrutable,” said Miss Elizabeth.
“Yes,” agreed Darcy. He paused, considering her. “I hope you do not believe that I was officious. Though I did not disagree with Miss Bingley’s assessment of your sister, I would never have stood in Bingley’s way if he had chosen her.”
