Page 26 of Roses from Pemberley
“Is Mr. Bingley courting you again, Jane?” she asked, trying to distract herself from thoughts of Darcy.
Jane smiled. “I am not certain if he is courting me but…we did take a stroll in the gardens the other day. He mentioned that he should never have left Hertfordshire. And that he has been miserable the entire winter…”
“He never stopped loving you, then.”
Jane shrugged. “Regretting he left Hertfordshire does not mean that he regretted leavingme. Nor does it mean that he loves me.”
Elizabeth just smiled and shook her head. “You are just too modest, dear sister.”
“We shall see, Lizzy,” said Jane. There was a long pause before she added, “And you, Lizzy? Are you interested in any gentleman?” She looked curiously at Elizabeth, wondering if her sister would bring up the subject of Darcy’s proposal.
“No, no one in particular,” answered Elizabeth.
They were silent for some time till Jane said, “I believe Mamma may be coming here soon.”
“Mamma? Why would she?”
“Because I wrote to our parents while you were quite ill, thinking they deserved to know the truth. I expect that one of them will be coming shortly. And it is likely to be Mamma.”
“Oh…” said Elizabeth, thinking that a great deal of unnecessary fuss was being made over her.
“I know you are well now but…we nearly lost you, Lizzy, and I could not bear the thought that you would die and that I never informed them of it.”
Elizabeth, not wishing for Jane to think her ungrateful, replied, “I understand, Jane. And I am very grateful to you for everything you have done during my illness.”
Jane smiled but said nothing, thinking to herself,But it was mostly Mr. Darcy who cared for you. And he was probably the one who saved your life.However, she said nothing for the present.
After her visit with Elizabeth, Jane went to the back sitting room where Charlotte was working on the household accounts.
“And how is Elizabeth this morning?” Charlotte asked her, putting down her quill.
“She is improving,” said Jane, sitting down and remaining thoughtful for a while.
“Is there anything on your mind, Jane?”
“I was just wondering…have you told Lizzy yet that Mr. Darcy was in her room during her illness and was primarily the one who assisted her? She was barely awake that entire time, you see, and completely unaware of the goings on around her…”
Charlotte nodded thoughtfully and answered, “No, I did not tell her. Do you think we should?”
“That is the question…” murmured Jane.
After a pause, Charlotte said, “Have you noticed that Mr. Darcy has not yet come to call?”
“Yes, and I wondered why. I would have thought that he would be more likely to call now that she is better.”
“Do you think that he has given up?”
“I do not know.”
“It seems to me,” said Charlotte, “that if we tell her and he does not come back, then she might be disappointed.”
“And if he does call on her,” continued Jane, “and she falls in love with him, then it will not matter anyway.”
“So I suppose,” said Charlotte, “that there is no point in telling her.”
“I suppose not. Besides which, if nothing happens, and Elizabeth finds out that he was in her room, then it may embarrass her.”
“Let us not tell her, then,” said Charlotte.
