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Chapter Text

His reception, however, was of the most flattering kind. Miss Lucas perceived him from an upper window as he walked towards the house, and instantly set out to meet him accidentally in the lane.

“Good morning, Mr. Collins. Did you sleep well?”

“Not overly well, but that is to be expected when one is staying in a house not one’s own – and when the purpose of one’s trip has been denied…”

Charlotte looked at him in confusion. She had thought that her careful attentions yesterday had got him past this stage of sulking at Elizabeth’s rejection, and that he was favourably disposed to look upon herself as a marriage option – but he seemed to have regressed overnight.

She thought quickly, and responded calmly “Yes, of course. Would you like to come inside?”

“Ah, no, no thank you. It was actually you I had come to see, Miss Lucas. I wanted to thank you for your support over the past day or so. All of this has been quite a shock, and thankfully, overnight, I have had time to think things through – hopefully with some measure of clarity.”

She nodded at him to continue, caught between wanting to understand where this conversation was going, and wanting to speak of her own feelings.

“When I left Rosings, Lady Catherine advised that I should look for a wife, and I agreed, realising that I had to take the initiative in such a matter. So, given the entail over Longbourn, I had thought it would be easy to attend, and offer my hand to one of the Bennet daughters as a way of ingratiating myself to the family and softening the blow of losing their house.

When I learned that Jane was unavailable, I was somewhat dismayed, but that was nobody’s fault – a mere lack of timing. But for Elizabeth to spurn my offer in the manner that she did has made me realise that much of what I had held as truth was false. Just because I have a living does not by itself necessarily make me an attractive match to young women. Nor does the fact I am a respected churchman – indeed, the youngest Bennet sisters seemed to attach no importance to my role whatsoever, little though I care for their opinions.

And overnight, I have realised that I have been naïve. To expect any woman to move far away from home with a man they have just met was always going to be a tall order. Therefore, I think that I will return to Hunsford and ask Lady Catherine for her assistance in this matter. After all, my future wife will need to obey me, and to follow Lady Catherine’s excellent advice in every particular, given her position and undoubted wisdom.”

He glanced at Charlotte, who was looking at him intently. She paused for breath, smiled, and, with as much charm as she could muster, replied with great daring -

“Mr Collins, there is no need to return to Hunsford empty-handed. I am quite willing to be your wife, and to follow your directions. I realise that I am no beauty, but I hope you have seen enough of my character to know that I would be a good match for you. Have I not been calm, patient and caring to you over the last few days? I am not as young as the other women, but I am perfectly healthy, and I don’t play games. If you ask for my hand, you can rest assured I will be faithful to you.”

Mr. Collins smiled sadly at this outburst. It had in fact occurred to him yesterday that Miss Lucas was indeed trying to position herself, and he had given it serious thought. She was correct, to some degree, in that their personalities matched far better than he did with Elizabeth Bennet. But against that was the fact that her family had recently been in trade, her age, and her plain features. More than that, if he married Miss Lucas, he would likely be driving a wedge through the Meryton congregation as a whole if they took up residence at Longbourn at some future date. He had therefore decided that Miss Lucas - despite being a pleasant enough woman - was not worth making the effort for. And he had not, at any stage, actively encouraged her attentions, had he? She was just offering a listening ear, as any good Christian woman should do.

So he looked her squarely in the eye now, and said “I find your outburst extraordinary. Surely you are simply treating me as a good Christian woman should – with patience and succour when I have undergone such a blow to my respect and my standing? I have thanked you for your kindness, and I have taken care not to show you any encouragement – if I have done so, it was accidental, and not intended as such. Beyond that, Miss Lucas, I have a question for you. You are good friends with the Bennet girls, are you not?”

Charlotte, who was somewhere between bewildered and angry, nodded.

“Regardless of who I marry, visiting them in the future will be painful for me following Elizabeth’s rejection of my suit. But visit them I must, especially once Mr. Bennet dies. And my wife must visit with me. It will also be painful to them, and I expect that I will be greeted with the barest civility, especially when I inform them it is time to leave Longbourn. That being the case, how do you think the Bennet household would react if you were to suddenly become their landlady? Do you think that your friendly relations would last for long? They cannot. And if that is the case, would it not split the congregation right down the middle?”

Charlotte was now standing open-mouthed in shock. She had taken a massive chance offering herself to this man – and now all he wanted to do was to offer excuses in a most vexatious manner. But more than that, she wanted to die of the shame she was feeling. She had taken the biggest gamble of her life – and she had lost.

With a great effort, Charlotte pulled herself together, and glared at this pompous clown who had just destroyed her dreams. She said to him in a low, even voice that belied the passion behind it - “If there is nothing else, Mr. Collins, I ask you to leave this place now. You are no longer welcome here.”

Mr Collins, who was surprised at this reaction, merely nodded, turned and began to walk back to Longbourn. He was now keen to return to Rosings, given that there was clearly no longer any reason to be here in Meryton.

Charlotte did not wait beyond his nod. She turned, and ran to the back of the barn behind the house. Once she was there, she fell to the ground, prostate with grief, pain and disgust, and finally released the choking sobs that racked her body from end to end.

Chapter Text

With great relief, Lizzie heard Mr. Collins say on his return to Longbourn that he intended to leave that afternoon. The Bennet family made polite noises, but in essence were no less happy about this turn of events than Mr. Collins himself was. Once he had gone, Lydia and Kitty had made much sport of his arrogant behaviour, until Jane had advised that such behaviour was not becoming, and was supported in this by Elizabeth, who just wanted the whole business over and done with. As such, the conversation returned to the previous obsession – namely, the Lucas Lodge Ball the following evening.

In the morning, Lizzie had expected Charlotte to visit, but as the hour passed 10am, and no such event occurred, Lizzie decided to visit Lucas Lodge instead. She was cordially received, but was told that Miss Lucas had gone for a walk along the road to the north. That was unusual – it wasn’t their usual location, as it was a rather bleak and windswept place. But Lizzie hurried along, and within 15 minutes, saw Charlotte sitting on a log some distance ahead.

Lizzie could immediately tell something was wrong from her friend’s body language, so she approached quietly. “Charlotte?” she asked pleasantly, and was horrified to see her friend’s face. She looked as though she had aged 5 years overnight – her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, her nose was running, and the look in her eyes was desolate – like nothing Lizzie had ever seen.

Charlotte looked away to her left. They both sat silently for about 10 minutes, and then Charlotte said “I’ve been such a fool, and now I have no idea what to do.” As she said this, a single tear rolled its way down her face. Lizzie gently touched her hand “Whatever you have done can’t be that bad, can it? You haven’t murdered someone, or robbed a stage coach, have you?” Charlotte smiled in spite of herself in response to this, then shook her head, and faced her friend.

“No, Lizzie – but you are not going to like what I tell you. Do you remember when I visited the other day, and Mr. Collins was pontificating? And I sat there and listened to him patiently?”

“Yes, of course – and I thank you for it again.”

“Well, I was acting under false pretences, Lizzie. What I wanted Mr Collins to do was to transfer his attentions from you to me. And I had thought it was working when he came to see me at Lucas Lodge.”

“But –“

Charlotte held up a hand “Please, I beg of you, let me finish before you comment. Lizzie, he visited this morning, and I was hopeful that he would offer for me. But instead, he simply wanted to thank me for my kindness in recent days. He explained that he would be leaving for Rosings today, and, given that the purpose for his trip has been denied, that he would ask Lady Catherine to assist him in choosing an obedient wife. And so I took a gamble, and more or less proposed to him! I said he didn’t need to go to Rosings, that I would be a good and obedient wife, and that hadn’t I shown him my true character over the last few days?

Charlotte blinked with pain, and sighed before going on, in a much quieter voice…“And he turned me down. He said that as a “good Christian woman”, I had acted entirely in accordance with Scripture in providing comfort to a man in need. He said that he had never encouraged me, and was bewildered by my outburst of affection. "He then asked" – at this, Charlotte looked at her friend’s face, and cringed inwardly at the expression on it – "how he thought I could realistically ever want to be mistress of Longbourn, and thus landlady – or worse – to your family.”

Lizzie nodded slowly, trying to process the maelstrom of angry, confused thoughts that were flowing through her head at the moment. After what seemed an eternity, she asked Charlotte “Is that all?”, and Charlotte nodded, with a weak, watery smile.

Lizzie exhaled slowly, and then said “The biggest shock is that it appears that I don’t know my own best friend at all. First of all, why on Earth would you pursue Mr. Collins? The man is a snivelling worm not fit to lick your boots, Charlotte! You and I have talked about who we’d like to marry for years, and I had thought us of similar mind on the topic. And then I find that you enter our house in the guise of offering help, only to serve your own purposes. You would have sacrificed our friendship – and my whole family’s future – in order to have a comfortable life – without a second thought! What is wrong with you, Charlotte?”

Charlotte’s eyes now blazed with anger. “You are a hypocrite, Elizabeth. You see fit to turn down Mr. Collins, only to be angry when I try to solve my own problems? Am I not allowed to pursue my own interests if you don’t agree with them?”

Lizzie responded in like tone “No, Charlotte, if it was any other man, while I may not like them, you are free to do whatever you wish. But if your actions threaten my family’s future, then of course I will speak out!”

Charlotte was now beyond politeness. “Yes, I grant you, Mr. Collins was not the right answer. And I am truly sorry for what I have done. But there is a big difference between us. Pray tell me, Lizzie, exactly what are my options? I have been going to balls, and being ignored at them, for 10 long years now. Do you have any idea how that feels? To know that the only reason any of the men will dance with you is because their parents insist upon it out of politeness? To know that everyone pities me as “poor Miss Lucas”?

Lizzie was dumbfounded, and while she was trying to find words, Charlotte hammered the point home. “No, you have no idea. You are prettier than me – that’s an objective fact. You also have all the time in the world to daydream, and so you have the luxury of being able to turn down suitors that I cannot. And now I am worse off than I was before. I was not looking to become mistress of Longbourn to ruthlessly throw your family into the hedgerows, but it appears that’s all you think me capable of. Go away, Lizzie. When you are ready to forgive me, and to stop being so judgemental, maybe I will talk to you. But for now, just leave me alone.” And with that, Charlotte stood up, and stomped off down the laneway.

Lizzie looked after her, and then didn’t move for 20 minutes, trying to work out how she felt. She was angry at Charlotte for her behaviour, but now that she knew what was behind it, Lizzie was also embarrassed at her own lack of judgement, and her quick temper. Even more so, she was horrified at how desperate Charlotte’s behaviour was, and with a sinking feeling, she realised much of what Charlotte had said was correct.

She – who prided herself on seeing others clearly – had no idea how her best friend had been feeling. And if she couldn’t understand her best friend’s motivations, then how many other people was she misunderstanding? And while Collins was – undoubtedly – not a good choice for Lizzie, could he have worked for Charlotte? Her friend was usually far calmer and more patient than she was, and she had managed to listen to him for hours, although they had shared the odd smirk at some of his more outlandish comments. If she was in Charlotte’s position, would doing that every hour of every day be worth what she gained? Possibly. Charlotte wasn’t stupid – she’d find things for him to do, and minimise contact with him when she could.

Now that she thought it through, Lizzie cringed with pain as she realised that Collins may indeed have been Charlotte’s last chance, and that her friend’s future was as precarious – even more so, perhaps – than her own. She could not remember any man showing interest in Charlotte in the 4 years since she herself had come out. And of course, lined up against beautiful, gentle Jane, and witty, confident Lizzie, what hope did Charlotte have of her more subtle attributes even being noticed?

Lizzie stood up from the log, and slowly walked towards home. This was too big a shock to take in quickly, and she needed time to think. At this stage, she didn’t even want to talk to Jane. She needed to put on a mask, and to pretend that nothing had happened.

Chapter Text

Charlotte did not feel like attending the ball, but as it was her family hosting it, she had no choice. With a grim determination, she decided that she would not give people the satisfaction of knowing how she truly felt. So when they arrived, she had greeted Lizzie coldly, and then excused herself to talk to her parents.

Lizzie was quickly offered a few dances, which she accepted with a distracted air. And then she saw Lydia trying to sneak out a side door. She looked around, but Jane was dancing with Mr. Bingley, and her parents were in conversation on the far side of the room. So, she made her excuses to her partner, and followed her sister outside. It transpired that Lydia had arranged to meet a junior officer behind the building, and Lizzie spent ten angry minutes trying to enlighten Lydia as to why meeting men in the dark without a chaperone was not a good – or ladylike – idea.

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Jane and Charlotte were talking, close enough for Charlotte to overhear the following conversation:

“You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room. As for the Lucas girl, she is exceptionally plain. She had nothing much to say to anyone tonight, so why does she bother turning up to events like this? It’s not as though any local man wants her, or she’d be married by now. But who would want such a wallflower? You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.”

Bingley began to respond, but he heard a sudden gasp over his shoulder, and saw Charlotte Lucas walk towards the door, with Jane following her. Once outside, Charlotte ran away down the lane and into the darkness. Lizzie, who had been outside putting Lydia into the carriage to go home, had seen Charlotte leave. She looked at Jane, who shook her head.

“What happened – what’s wrong with Charlotte?” asked Lizzie.

“Mr. Darcy said some rather unkind things about her, and she overheard them.”

Lizzie went rigid with anger. “What – exactly – did he say to her?” she ground out between gritted teeth.

“I’m not sure, but what I heard was him asking Bingley why she bothers turning up to events if no local man has ever offered for her.”

Lizzie hissed in disgust, and her face turned purple. Jane paled; she’d seen that face on her sister before, but not for many years. The last time was when a 10-year-old Lizzie had come across some older boys throwing stones at a dog tied to a pole. She had picked up a stick two inches wide and glared at Jane not to stop her. She had silently approached the boys from behind…and then, like a hurricane, had belted the three boys black and blue with it, and torn her dress into the bargain. Jane had managed to reach out and to hold a shuddering Lizzie from behind until she dropped the stick. But Lizzie had only been concerned about the dog, and was heedless of how she looked. Jane had eventually managed to get both Lizzie and the dog home, and by using the servant’s stairs, had smuggled her sister upstairs. Then she visited her father, who kept the dog safe until its owner was located. And Mrs Hill, well used to Lizzie’s adventures, quietly mended the dress and put it back without Mrs. Bennet noticing it had been damaged.

“Lizzie” – and here Jane held her sister’s arm gently – what’s going on? Why are you this angry about a man we don’t know making a flippant comment?”

Lizzie rounded on her sister, and said tightly “I meant to tell you, but there hasn’t been time. After I turned down Mr. Collins, Charlotte thought that he might accept her, so she did her best to encourage him. But he rejected her rudely yesterday morning. And while I was – and remain – shocked by her proposing to him, the fact is that I fear for Charlotte’s sanity. But she’s not talking to me. Please, Jane, go and find her if you can!”

Jane gasped, and with this, Lizzie shook off her sister’s arm, and marched into the hall, heading straight for Mr. Darcy….

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“Mr. Bingley, could I borrow your friend here for a few minutes?”

“You are very welcome, Miss Elizabeth, however, he has just been telling me that he is not in the mood for dancing.”

Lizzie gave a tight smile, and then spoke directly to Mr. Darcy. “Mr Darcy, I need to speak to you urgently – outside.”

Darcy was annoyed at the temerity of this woman. Who did she think she was, to request that he go outside? He answered haughtily “I have no interest in going outside, especially with someone I barely know.”

Lizzie leaned in and said “I strongly suggest that doing so is in your interest. Otherwise, I will let everyone in here know exactly what I think of you at the top of my voice – and it won’t be even remotely polite.”

Darcy was confused at what she was talking about, but one look at the anger in her face convinced him that she certainly wasn’t bluffing. He nodded, and they made their way across the floor, around behind the building, and then some way up the lane to be out of hearing range.

Lizzie turned to face him “I understand you met my friend Miss Lucas earlier tonight, and that you were unkind enough to ask why she bothers turning up at social events. What else did you say to her?”

Darcy replied “I do not resile from what I said. If Miss Lucas overheard it, that is unfortunate, but it doesn’t make what I said any less true. Miss Lucas is plain, and…”

Lizzie could not control what she did next. She closed the distance between them, and slapped Darcy across his left cheek as hard as she possibly could, and then yelled at him “You arrogant blackguard. Even if what you say is true – and I dispute that – you have no right to say such things about ANY woman. Being of noble birth does not absolve you from common respect and good manners.

My friend is now out there in the darkness with her heart breaking. Did you know she was rejected in a marriage proposal just this morning? I fear for her life. I don’t care who you think you are, or who your family is. You are an arrogant, prideful, selfish, unfeeling grub, and you are very lucky that I don’t have a weapon to hand, or I would do far more than just slap you. Do not come anywhere near me, or anyone else in my family, or I will make you sorry you were ever born. Is that clear?”

Darcy, still in shock at both the slap and the tirade, nodded, and turned back towards the dance hall.

Lizzie stood still, and closed her eyes while she tried to calm her breath, and let her heart slow from its racing pace. It took a good five minutes, and she tried to gather her thoughts. She couldn’t quite believe what she had just done, but she still felt that Mr Darcy had deserved every last part of it. Insufferable prig!

Beyond that, though, what was she to do now? And where was Charlotte?

Chapter Text

With her usual lack of fuss, Jane passed responsibility for a whining Lydia to her father – who stopped misbehaving instantly when she saw how stern Mr. Bennet’s face was. Jane then walked quickly to the coachman who had been with the family for many years.

“Matthew, did you see a woman run out along the lane here about three minutes ago?”

“Yes, miss, I did. Who was it, and why is she running around in the dark?”

“It was Miss Lucas, and I fear for her safety. Would you mind taking me along the lane on foot? If we use the coach, I suspect that she will hide – and in the darkness, she could hurt herself.”

“Of course, Miss Bennet. Do we need a light?”

“Only a very small one, or we will be unable to see in the dark. Can you make sure it’s one of those lanterns where we can hide its light if needed? I suspect we will be relying on our hearing more than our sight – and we need to be quiet in our approach.”

“I understand, Miss Bennet.”

Matthew rummaged around under the seat of the coach, and found exactly what they were looking for. He lit the lantern, and he and Jane slowly walked along the lane. For the first 10 minutes, they heard nothing except the usual nocturnal sounds of frogs and insects. And then they heard it – a sob off to their right.

Jane smiled at Matthew, and whispered “I think we have found what we are looking for. I suspect that this is going to take some time. So, please wait here for me. If I have not returned in half an hour, please walk back to the hall and let Mr and Mrs Lucas know where we are. Please be discreet – Miss Lucas is already the focus of gossip, and we don’t need to add to it.” Matthew nodded, and replied “God speed, Miss Bennet – I will do as you ask.”

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Jane walked towards the sobs, which were coming more often now, and waited a minute for her eyes to get used to her surroundings. There was a half-moon in the sky, and it highlighted the silhouette of a fence line, and a gate, about 50 metres away. The sounds were coming from somewhere just to the right of the gate. Jane continued slowly, and very quietly, until she was about 20 minutes away. In a very soft voice, she said “Charlotte, it’s me, Jane. Can I come closer to you?” The sobbing paused, and Jane could hear the sound of Charlotte trying to slow her breathing. “Jane, is that really you?”

Feeling more confident, Jane spoke softly “Yes, it’s me. I am going to come to you. Is there room to sit next to you?”

Charlotte replied that there was, and Jane slowly made her way across to the log that Charlotte was sitting on. The two women looked at each other, and Jane opened her arms. Charlotte moved forward into the hug, and sobbed loudly, her tears flowing freely. After 5 minutes, Charlotte’s sobs lessened, while Jane gently soothed Charlotte with both her words and her hands.

“Suppose you start at the beginning” suggested Jane.

Charlotte gurgled, a strange sound that was half -hiccup and half-chuckle. Where on Earth could she start, and where on Earth could this horrid situation end? She went quiet for a few seconds, slowing her breathing, and looking for the right words, and then she sat up. “You know how Lizzie rejected Mr. Collins’ proposal the other day?”

Jane nodded, and gave a small laugh “Yes, she made her feelings towards him very clear indeed. I am sorry that you got tied up in all of that as a friend of the family.”

Charlotte found the next bit especially painful to say, so it came out in a tumbling rush. “Jane, I am not such a good friend to your family as you may think. It hurts me to admit it, but when Lizzie rejected him, I decided to pursue him myself. I wasn’t just being a good neighbour by listening to him – I wanted him to see me as a potential wife. So this morning, when he came to visit, I was so hopeful that he would offer for me. I even went so far as to actually propose to him – and he turned me down flat."

Jane gasped with shock “Oh, good Lord, Charlotte - that’s awful, and then Mr. Darcy was indiscreet enough to insult you at the ball. No wonder you are feeling upset!”

“It gets worse. Lizzie came to visit me this morning, and I was a mess. But instead of listening to me, we had a huge argument, and I’m not talking to her at the moment. She more or less accused me of ruthlessly planning to throw your entire family to the wolves for the sake of an easier life. How can she think that of me? Why would I want to see my neighbours and friends suffering if I was actually in a position where I could do something to help? But the worst of it is that much of what Mr Collins said was right. As much as I want to hate the man – and that’s easy to do at the moment – I was blind to the consequences of my plan. I just saw a chance, and I ran at it like a bull at a gate. What sort of a selfish, grasping woman am I?"

Jane reached out and squeezed Charlotte’s arm. “I am sure that nobody thinks that about you. We all make mistakes, and I strongly suspect that Lizzie is regretting her harsh words. It was actually her who asked me to come and find you, she was really worried about you”.

Charlotte burst into tears again on hearing this, and Jane shook her head as she soothed her friend once more. What an unholy mess this was, and a large part of it was due to Lizzie’s temper. Jane decided that she would be having words with her sister in the morning. Another few minutes passed, and Charlotte calmed for a second time. Jane considered telling Charlotte what she expected Lizzie to have done to Mr. Darcy, but then thought better of it- the poor woman had enough to deal with at the moment.

Charlotte spoke then “It was good of Lizzie to send you to find me. But I am still very angry with her. It appears that we don’t know one another half as well as we thought we did. I really don’t want to talk to her at the moment, as I suspect we would both say things that would make the situation worse. Could you thank her for me, and tell her I will get in touch with her when I am ready to do so?”

“Of course. I think, given how tangled this situation is, that you both need time to clear your heads. But for now, dear Charlotte, we find ourselves under the moon in the dark, and it’s getting a little cool. Do you mind if we walk back along the track, and go home? It’s been a long day, and I think we could all do with some rest.”

Charlotte murmured “Yes, that’s an excellent idea.”

“Fair enough. Well, Matthew is actually back on the road over there with a lantern. Provided he hasn’t walked back yet, he can show us the way”.

Chapter Text

Darcy walked back into the hall in a daze. He wasn’t sure if his face showed any damage from the slap, but it certainly stung. He realised he hadn’t been slapped like that since he was about 10, when he’d gone beyond the patience of his beloved nanny. It had been a sobering experience, and he was surprised to find that he was sobered, rather than angry, now.

But he wanted time – and space – to think. He approached Bingley, who said “You’ve certainly made an impression tonight. Am I to take it you now wish to leave?” Bingley wasn’t very impressed with his friend – he’d been getting along famously with Miss Bennet, but she had suddenly run after Miss Lucas almost half an hour ago, and had not yet returned. Darcy nodded, pleased that his friend wasn’t going to push the point. Bingley said “Fine. I will make your excuses for you, and we will discuss this tomorrow”.

Darcy looked up at this confused, as it was not delivered in Bingley’s usually happy tone. His friend wasn’t smiling, and Bingley turned, and walked away towards the front door. Darcy sighed, and walked outside to take a carriage back to Netherfield.

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Bingley was thankful that Miss Lucas had had the discretion – and the presence of mind – not to create a scandal. To his huge relief, he saw both Miss Bennet talking to Mr. and Mrs Lucas that Charlotte had gone to bed as she wasn’t feeling well. When he approached, she curtsied and said “Mr. Bingley, I – and Miss Lucas – would very much appreciate your discretion about what was said.” She looked at him with a level gaze.

“Of course you will have it, Miss Bennet. Is Miss Lucas truly alright – does she need a doctor?”

“No, a doctor cannot help her, for she has a broken heart. And your friend’s vile comments helped to break it.” Bingley cringed. So, it was true – Miss Lucas had heard, presumably, every word of Darcy’s insulting and arrogant display. “Miss Bennet, I cannot do more than apologise profusely for Darcy’s arrogance and pride. I am deeply ashamed of what he has said, and I will insist that he writes a fulsome apology to Miss Lucas. Indeed, I am angry enough at him myself at present that I would like to take a whip to him.”

To his surprise, Miss Bennet laughed softly. “I would like to join you in that, but I suspect that my sister Elisabeth may have beaten us to it. She is fiercely loyal, and Miss Lucas is her best friend. And while I was out looking for Miss Lucas, I suspect that she has had words with Mr. Darcy that he will not have enjoyed.”

Now it was Bingley’s turn to laugh. “You may well be right, Miss Bennet. Your sister approached us not long after you left, and requested a word with Darcy outside. When he came back, he was very quiet, and one of his cheeks was decidedly darker than the other one.” Jane gasped – “She didn’t!” Bingley, noticing her face going pale, rapidly backtracked. “I am not certain, Miss Bennet, because I simply sent him back to Netherfield in a hurry – I wasn’t in the mood to hear more from him tonight”.

Bingley sighed. “It appears we both have more talking to do with our respective friends in the morning. Darcy – despite tonight’s performance – is actually a loyal friend, and a decent man. But he is wealthy, proud, and rather disdainful of people he doesn’t think he should be spending time around. If your sister has indeed slapped him, I hope it will do him some good. But part of this is my fault. I wanted to introduce my neighbours to him, and to see if I could help him unbend beyond the strictures of the Ton. So, I pushed him to dance, which backfired – and then he said those awful words about Miss Lucas.”

Jane listened intently, and then sighed in turn. “I am sure that Mr. Darcy is a better man than his appearance tonight shows, and it stands to reason that he is uncomfortable beyond his usual settings. We’ve all said things we wish we hadn’t at some time or other. As such, I am willing to give him another chance. But I am very concerned about how he will react if Lizzie has indeed slapped him. He is a man of consequence, and he could have her arrested for assault. Mr. Bingley, my sister is intelligent, passionate, loyal, and outspoken. She just wants to fight injustice wherever she finds it – and she doesn’t let anyone, no matter how grand they might be – get in the way. I love her for it, but sometimes, I wish that she would think about the consequences of her actions…”

Mr Bingley was at pains to reassure her. “Miss Bennet, I will do everything I can to ensure that Darcy take no such actions against Miss Elisabeth or your family. You have my word on that. But I do have a question I’ve been thinking about. Miss Lucas struck me as a most self-contained type of woman. A little quiet, perhaps, but certainly well-mannered and pleasant to talk to. Why did she take such offence to Darcy’s remarks, ill-advised as they were? After all, it’s not as though he had just turned down her hand in marriage!”

Jane looked at Bingley searchingly. After an agonisingly long pause, she lowered her voice, and said “Mr. Bingley, can I ask for your absolute discretion?” He nodded, and replied “Of course, you have it completely”.

Jane continued to look at him, then nodded, and gestured off to a spot some feet away, where there was no chance of being overheard. “Mr. Bingley, do you remember our cousin, Mr. Collins, who left Longbourn yesterday? Bingley nodded. “Well, he proposed to Elizabeth a few days ago, and she turned him down.” Bingley’s eyes widened at this, but he said nothing. “Unfortunately, our cousin did not expect to be rejected, and so he has made life at Longbourn rather tense this week, ignoring Lizzie, and ensuring that she has to listen to my mother’s complaints that we will all be thrown out to starve in the hedgerows because Mr. Collins holds the entail over our house and land.”

“Charlotte – I mean Miss Lucas – often comes to visit us, and when she did so this week, she helped the situation immensely by distracting Mr. Collins from the rest of us. What none of us realised at the time is that she saw him as potential husband material – which in time would make her mistress of Longbourn. But to her shock, despite her patience and kindness, Mr. Collins spurned her. She had seen him as her last chance to avoid becoming a spinster, and the rejection destroyed her confidence. When she heard Darcy’s comments, she felt completely worthless as a human being. And that is why she reacted as she did, and why I had to go after her so quickly. I am still very deeply concerned for her.”

She looked up at him to see tears in his eyes that matched the ones in her own. Bingley shook his head, and said quietly “Oh, what a mess. I had no idea, and, despite his comments, neither did Darcy. When I tell him this tomorrow – he will be horrified….”

Jane spoke to him sharply. “Please, do not do so yet. Firstly, I need to understand exactly what Lizzie has said to him, and then I would like to talk to Mr. Darcy. If you hang him out to dry without knowing the full picture, then we will just be causing more dominos to fall, and doing more damage. Can I have your word on that?”

Bingley looked out into the darkness, and breathed a few times. As angry as he was at Darcy, what Miss Bennet was saying made sense. Having her there would mean both he and Darcy would need to curb their tempers, and she would likely phrase things better than he could.

He looked back at her in surprise, coming to realise that not only was this woman exceptionally beautiful, but also a person of the highest character. If he agreed to her condition, then he could see her again. Thankfully, he retained just enough of his common sense that he replied “Miss Bennet, you have my word – on one condition. My condition is that your sister Elizabeth is not to be anywhere near Darcy for the next few days. It’s one thing to slap him when he deserves it – it’s quite another for her to remind him that she has done so.” Jane grinned, and replied “I agree to your condition. I cannot think Lizzie’s presence would calm the situation whatsoever. Would it work for you if I was to arrive at 8am?”

“Yes, that would be good. I will ensure that Darcy is ready to receive you. And Miss Bennet – thank you for all you are doing to sort this out. It speaks highly of your character that you go to so much effort for the people that you love.”

Jane blushed, but she held his gaze. “Thank you, Mr. Bingley. But I am only doing what needs doing – and I would hope that my sisters and friends would do the same for me if the tables were turned. I will see you at 8am”.

Bingley watched her go back into the hall in admiration…and something approaching adoration.

Chapter Text

Lizzie had been watching her sister the whole time, wondering what was going on. She knew that Jane liked this man, and while she longed to tease her, there was something about their conversation that wasn’t light-hearted and fun. As a result, she waited at a distance, and tried to calm her thoughts.

The enormity of what she had done was starting to dawn upon her. On the basis of a few nasty words, she had slapped a member of the Ton across his face, and then threatened his safety. Her temper had gotten the better of her before, but not to this extent. The consequences didn’t bear thinking about. She was only glad that she had not done any of this inside the hall where everyone could have seen and heard her. And that Lydia was not witness to it.

Jane approached her and said, in a flat tone “Charlotte is safe. I have sent her home, and her parents know she is unwell.” Lizzie exhaled a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding. “I’ll go and see her tomorrow” – she started when Jane cut her off. “No, you won’t. She’s very fragile, and she doesn’t want to see you. She told me to thank you for your care, but she’s still very angry at you, and she will get in touch when she’s ready with you”. Lizzie started to protest, but Jane held up a hand and silenced her. Lizzie was confused – she hadn’t seen her sister act like this before, and she was quite un-nerved. Jane’s usually calm and placid manner had been replaced by a kind of cold steel, and the look in her sister’s eyes sent chills down her back. It was like looking into the wildest possible ocean - one that was intent upon drowning you.

Jane continued in a level voice - “Did you slap Mr. Darcy?” Lizzie nodded, and looked to the floor in shame. Jane, with a great effort to control her anger, asked “And what else you did you say to him?” Lizzie squirmed under her sister’s merciless gaze. “I told him about the engagement – although not to who. That I was worried about Charlotte’s state of mind. And that if he ever came near my friends or family again, he would regret it.”

Jane visibly stiffened, and said “You’ve done quite enough damage tonight. We are going home.” And with that, she went and asked Mr. Bennet to arrange that process. He noticed the look in Jane’s eyes, but wisely said nothing, and after extricating Mrs. Bennet from the crowd, the Bennets left for Longbourn.

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Charlotte looked up at the ceiling in the darkness. She had slipped in as quietly as she could, and dismissed her maid. She’d washed her face as best she could, undressed, and then lay on top of the bed. While was she was feeling calmer now, she was no happier. She wondered how many people knew of her disgrace; even though Jane had assured her that no-one beyond herself and Lizzie did, not even Matthew. Oddly enough, while his words still hurt, she wasn’t really worried about Mr. Darcy any more. No doubt he was simply saying what others were thinking, except that given his exalted social position, he didn’t care about other people’s opinions – and he could get away with such behaviour.

Charlotte imagined how Lizzie would have reacted had someone said those words about herself. She’d have torn strips off such a man, maybe even slapped him…or worse. In her fuddled state, Charlotte’s mind threw up a picture of Lizzie dressed in Highland tartan, hair loose and claymore in hand, prepared to attack….and the clarity of it made Charlotte giggle….and then cry once more. The bed shook as sobs racked through her. She had not only lost her confidence, but her best friend as well…

She fell into an exhausted, dreamless sleep some hours later.

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Darcy paced the room, unable to sleep. He had tried for an hour, but the pain in his cheek, and more importantly, his racing brain, would not let up. There was nothing wrong with what he’d said about Miss Lucas, surely? She WAS plain, and she was clearly not of interest to any of the men at the ball. So, what was wrong with saying so? He hadn’t meant to hurt her, and if she eavesdropped on conversations like that, well, she had what was coming to her. Miss Lucas overreacted to a flippant comment, and then her Amazonian friend decided to avenge her. Surely both reactions were completely beyond the pale in polite society. Darcy was glad he would be leaving later this week, and he was annoyed that Bingley had pushed him to dance. Well, for the rest of the week, he would keep his own counsel as much as possible. There were limits to being a good guest.

But Bingley hadn’t seen it like that. He’d been about to say something to Darcy when of the neighbours had waylaid him for a few minutes. By the time Bingley had returned, Miss Bennet had gone, and Miss Elisabeth had asked him for a word outside. When Bingley had spoken to him, Darcy was confused - his friend usually resembled a Labrador puppy, but this Bingley had looked – and sounded - more like a wolf.

So what was the connection here? Why would Miss Elisabeth be so aggressive towards a total stranger, apart from being clearly unhinged and violent? It was then that Darcy remembered something. That nanny who’d slapped him at age 10 had disappeared when his mother had died a few years later. At the time, he’d loved her dearly, and had felt he was being punished by God for having no loving adult women in his life. At the time, there had been whispers she was with child, and it had been with a man above her station.

He sat bolt upright – the lake! They’d been dredging the lake at Pemberley when he woke up, and his father calmly told him it was to allow for more fish to be introduced. He’d been taken into Lambton for the day, and allowed to do what he felt like. When he got home, all of the dredging was done, and the house was back to normal. They must have been looking for her body! Had his nanny taken her own life? He feared that she must have done, and that they had sent him out of the way so that he wouldn’t find out. A single tear ran down his face, and he murmured “Nicole, I am so sorry. I didn’t know…but I didn’t help you”.

And then it hit him. Was Miss Lucas with child? Was there a scandal at play? Oh God, just how much damage had his ill-considered words done? It was one thing to look down on people, it was quite another to have blood on his hands…

When he eventually got to sleep, his dreams were fitful. There were a pair of angry eyes in a red sky. Then a black hand rose out of a murky lake and pointed at him, while a female voice shrieked “murderer” at him….

Chapter Text

At 7am, Bingley bustled into Darcy’s room, and ordered him to wake up. Darcy blearily looked at Bingley, who glared at him. “Be in the breakfast room in 20 minutes”, and walked out again. Darcy clambered to his feet, and slowly walked over to wash his face. What he saw made him look deranged. The left-hand side of his face was purple and swollen, and it still hurt. He sighed – it really had happened; it wasn’t a dream. After shaving (painfully, and not terribly well), and putting on his clothes, he ambled down the hallway to the breakfast chamber. Bingley rose to greet him, and did a double-take when he saw Darcy’s face. “Good Lord, Darcy, that’s one heck of a shiner you’ve got there!”. Then his face hardened – “and God knows you deserve it. What do you recollect about last night?”

Darcy sighed “You came over to me and asked me to dance. I stated that I wasn’t keen on dancing, but you kept pushing, which led me to make some very unkind comments about Miss Lucas. I hadn’t realised she had overheard me, but she clearly did. Then Miss Elisabeth wanted to talk to me outside, advising that she would embarrass me in front of the entire hall if I did not follow her. So, I did, and she asked me what I had said to Miss Lucas. I started to justify my actions, when Miss Elisabeth decided to slap me with the best right hook I’ve seen since I left Oxford. She also, for good measure, hissed at me not to come near her friends and family ever again – or she will make me sorry that I was ever born. I must say that I believe she’s capable of it.”

Bingley sighed, and sat down next to him. “We should get some herbal tincture onto your face, or it will look even worse.” When Darcy began to protest, Bingley waved him to silence. “For once in your life, Darcy – shush. I am in charge here, not you, regardless of our social rank. Now listen, and I’ll tell you how my experience of last night unfolded.

Last night, I wanted to introduce you to my neighbours. If I am going to buy Netherfield, then I need to develop – and maintain - good relations with these people. And I was trying to do you a favour. You know how you are sick and tired of Caroline following you about? Well, I thought that this would be a good chance for you to have some fun without her being around. That if you didn’t feel yourself being scrutinised by the matrons of the Ton, you might show more of the friendly, kind and affable fellow we both know you can be. But you threw it back in my face. If you weren’t overtly rude to people, you were certainly disdainful, and you made it look as though you would rather be anywhere else on Earth.”

“I am sorry, my friend” began Darcy…but Bingley held up a hand.

“That’s good, but I’m nowhere near done yet. When you said those unkind words to Miss Lucas, I was going to say something to you. I was horrified that you would be so blunt as to say them in such a public space, and even more horrified that you would think doing so was acceptable behaviour. How would Georgiana react if she heard you saying such things? For shame, Darcy, honestly. Such behaviour is unworthy of any man, no matter how high, or how humble his station in life.

What you don’t know is that Miss Lucas had been humiliated by another man not 24 hours earlier. She was at the ball not because she wanted to be, but because at the age of twenty-and-seven, she is running out of time. Regardless, she bravely put her feelings to one side, and she showed up. That takes real guts, Darcy. But your vicious, thoughtless words ripped all the remaining courage from her. I am pleased to tell you that Miss Lucas is this morning safe and sound in her own bed. I know, because our asked our stable boy to run across and check with the servants at Lucas Lodge. But you are very lucky that we are not attending a funeral this morning.

As for Miss Elisabeth, well, I cannot vouch for her behaviour. Her sister Jane tells me that she has a strong sense of justice, and will stop at nothing to see it achieved. But she also doesn’t give much thought to the consequences of her actions. So, it appears that what Miss Elisabeth did last night was entirely in character, as Miss Lucas is her best friend. Just think on that, Darcy – how strong would a female friendship need to be in order for a woman to slap a member of the Ton? And rather than showing disdain, you might think about what that says in regards to how one friend supports another. So, if you decide to sue Miss Elisabeth for assault, or something similarly ludicrous, you will be on your own. Apart from the fact it will expose you to ridicule, I have to say, Darcy, that I think you got off lightly with just a slap. Imagine how much worse it could have been. Anyhow, have your breakfast. Miss Bennet will be here to see you at 8am, and you will respect her. I am going for a walk.” And with that, Bingley stood up and left.

Darcy stared after him, trying to process all that he had heard. The full measure of his behaviour was starting to sink in. He ate some toast, barely tasting it, when a servant announced “Miss Jane Bennet to see you, Mr. Darcy.” “Ah, thank you. Could you ask her to meet me in the courtyard, please?” That was just outside the kitchen window, and so propriety would be kept, although it wouldn’t be easy for them to be overheard.

The servant bowed, and a few minutes later, Darcy entered the courtyard to see Miss Bennet seated on a bench. She looked both shocked and bemused at his face, and she glanced at the ground to hide a quick smile. When she looked up again, however, there was ice in her eyes. “So, it is true then, Mr. Darcy – my sister Elisabeth did slap you?”

He grimaced as he touched his cheek “Yes, I think the evidence is clear enough as to leave little doubt. Miss Bennet, forgive me, but Bingley did not tell me why you are here. I know I behaved abominably badly yesterday, and I look to make amends, not that I know where to start. And your sister – is she here to murder me as she offered to do yesterday?”

Jane smiled slightly “Mr. Darcy, Mr Bingley and I both agreed it would a good idea to keep you and Lizzie separate. Now, I am more interested in the future than the past. Did anyone see Lizzie slap you last night?” “No, we were around the side of the building”. “Good” said Jane. “Did anyone else apart from you, I and Bingley overhear the words you said to Miss Lucas last night?” “No, I don’t believe so”.

“Well, that’s promising, as I want all of us to get out of this situation with our reputations intact. So, my next question is – are you planning to sue my sister for assault, or anything similar?”

“I hadn’t thought that far, and Bingley has advised against it.”

“Good. I like your friend, Mr. Darcy, and he tells me that you are a decent, loyal friend. I would also like you and I to become friends, but to do so, I need your word that you will neither sue my sister or family, or breathe a word about this situation to anyone. Do we have a deal?”

Darcy looked across at this beautiful, swanlike creature opposite him, and suddenly realised what Bingley was attracted to. It wasn’t just the gentle smile, but the steel beneath the silk. He blinked at this realisation, and then nodded at her. “Yes, Miss Bennet. We have a deal, and you have my discretion.” He wanted to add “and my friend’s heart”, but then thought better of it. He was, after all, still on the carpet, and he hadn’t proven himself as yet.

Jane eyed him curiously. That was easier than she had thought it would be, but she had no intention of being light-hearted yet. Charlotte’s problems, after all, were still very much in place. She continued “So, what has Charles – I mean, Mr. Bingley – told you about Miss Lucas?”

“He has said that she had recently been humiliated by a man. He did not go into the particulars, but that between he and I, we had destroyed her confidence and self-worth. Could you please share the details with me? You need not tell me any more than absolutely necessary, but I must know if I am to make amends.”

“That is why I am here, and why I will be the messenger for the apology you are to write to her. And you will also write one to Elisabeth – the reason for doing so will become clear once you know the whole story”.

Darcy nodded, and so Jane told the whole story – how the Lucas family had come to Meryton a decade ago, and had almost bankrupted themselves to buy Lucas Lodge. How Charlotte had been going to balls etc. from the time Jane and Lizzie were in children’s clothes. How Jane had noticed some years ago that Charlotte, despite her calm, friendly, patient, demeanour, was constantly overlooked by men for other girls like herself, and especially for her witty, extroverted best friend Lizzie. How the Bennet entail complicated things, and how Lizzie had turned Collins down, only for him to do the same to Charlotte.

“And so, we now have a dilemma, Mr. Darcy. You have two best friends who miss each other desperately, but have hurt each very badly, and have no idea how to bridge the gap. You can apologise to Lizzie, and she’ll get over it eventually, although she will tease you for the sport of it. But while your apology to Charlotte will be accepted, it will not fix either the rift, or her situation – what is she to do? Because the fact is, your observations are correct. If she cannot catch a husband, she will become a burden to her family, which would crush her. She cannot go and become a governess, or she will crush everything that her family has worked so hard for in terms of social standing. And her window for becoming a wife and mother is closing.

I do not expect you to find her a husband amongst the Ton, Mr. Darcy. She would be out of her depth, and very uncomfortable. She is also very unlikely to appreciate you trying to set her up with someone you think of as being of appropriate rank – the poor woman has her pride, after all. No, I want you to think about what you can offer her for the long term, above and beyond the horizon. Not in terms of money, but in terms of purpose. And I suggest that you put that idea into your letter, which you will then show to me.

You have one week.”

And with that, Jane Bennet rose to her feet. “Good morning, Mr. Darcy. I wish you a pleasant day.” And despite her beauty, and the sunshine streaming through her hair, Darcy felt chills ran through him from head to foot as she smiled. If Elisabeth Bennet was about as subtle as a cannonball, her sister was like a charming, ruthless…. assassin.

Chapter Text

Charlotte awoke, later than usual, but she had no desire to get up and face the day. While she was thankful for having spoken to Jane, she still felt very depressed. While she was still angry with Lizzie, she could, in hindsight, at least rationalise why her friend had reacted so vehemently. Charlotte’s situation reflected everything that frightened Lizzie the most, and the difference was that while Lizzie was frightened by the possibility of it, Charlotte actually had to face it as lived reality. In the cold, hard light of day, Charlotte knew that what Mr. Darcy had said held a large amount of truth, which was precisely why it had hurt so much. And while the timing was awful, she reflected that maybe, in fact, his comments were something she had needed to hear for a while now; that she had been deluding herself.

While she knew her parents would not kick her out while they lived, she wasn’t so sure about her brothers, as they weren’t particularly close. And it’s not as though she had been unhappy with life up until now, but of course that had been with the idea that one day it would change…and the events of the past few days had ripped that certainty away. If she did nothing, it was increasingly clear, then nothing would change. She would simply get older, and both her social position and choices in life would only get worse. As such, what were her options? She could ask to move out with her brothers when they got married, but that was anything but a certain proposition. Yes, it might mean that she came into contact with different people, but then there would be other, younger women around also looking for husbands.

What if she gave up her status as a gentlewoman, and worked for a living? She had had some education, more than the Bennet sisters, and growing up in a commercial family, she had some idea of how to do accounts and the like. But her parents and family would be horrified; they had worked so hard to escape being tainted by trade that they would likely disown her. And it was hard to even imagine having such a conversation with her father…he would likely write her out of his will, and thus whatever small capital she might have under her own name would vanish.

Was there a way, then, that she could both keep her status as a gentlewoman, AND earn an income? Something along the lines of being a silent investor, with no need for her to get her hands dirty – or, at least, not be SEEN to get her hands dirty. Charlotte sighed. Only men held the reins in this world, and it was men who had put her in this position. Beyond her family, she didn’t know of any men who were likely to either advance her the capital she needed to do something along those lines, or to even understand why she would wish to do so.

Charlotte thought of whether it would be possible to leave it all behind – to sail to another part of the British Empire, maybe Canada, or New South Wales? It sounded very exciting in novels, but in practice? Charlotte stood up, and walked over to the mirror. She practiced flexing her arm muscles in different positions, trying to imagine being a washerwoman, or the idea of chopping wood, or panning for gold. It was no use. While she wasn’t a weakling, her day-to-day life meant that she didn’t lift anything much heavier than a tea tray. And while she could swim, and she liked walking, there was a big difference between doing these things for pleasure, and having to do them out of necessity. She would still need to make a living, and to have some level of capital – and she’d have absolutely nobody to call upon for help.

On the plus side, though, she reflected, maybe developing skills beyond needlework and playing piano was not such a bad idea. After all, if she ever did get disowned by her family, then she likely wasn’t going to have much to live on, or to be able to pay any maids. In such a scenario, she would be washing her own clothes and dishes, paying her own bills, etc. And it would certainly help to have some idea of how to do these things. As to how to do it, while she might ask the staff at Lucas Lodge, it would likely be frowned upon, and if anything, might accelerate people thinking of her as an old maid. No, that wouldn’t do at all. But what if there was a way she could use her status as a gentlewoman to her advantage?

Charlotte looked at the clock – it was almost nine in the morning, much later than she usually rose. If nothing else, at least thinking about ways to make things happen, even if she made slow progress, was better than doing nothing, and certainly better than feeling miserable. She determined that today, she was going to go for a long walk. Her parents had been giving her some odd looks the last few days, but none of them had actually really pushed hard beyond asking if she was alright. She could understand their concern, but she really didn’t want to talk about what she’d been through – it was too raw, and too soon. And at least, if she stayed out of their way, she could think more clearly and take the time she needed to develop a plan.

Chapter Text

Bingley returned from his walk to find Darcy sitting still in the courtyard, a pensive look upon his face. He had considered coming back earlier, as he would have enjoyed seeing Miss Bennet again, but upon reflection, he realised that it would be better to give Darcy time to think, and to follow up with Miss Bennet at a later date. No doubt she had her own challenging conversation with her sister to face. In any case, now that they had been introduced, he could visit Longbourn without causing offence.

Bingley studied Darcy carefully. His friend had not noticed his arrival, which was unusual. While Darcy was often somewhat taciturn, he was aware of his surroundings most of the time. Bingley hoped that whatever Miss Bennet had had to tell Darcy had done some good, and it appeared that he was certainly deep in thought, if nothing else. “A penny for your thoughts” Bingley asked. Darcy looked up at him, went to speak, and found he had no words. Instead, he just shook his head sadly, and both men went quiet for some time.

Darcy eventually spoke “I am ashamed of my behaviour beyond measure, sir. I didn’t think about what I was saying, and I had no idea of the pain it would cause. While I don’t think Miss Bennet was entitled to slap me, it appears that I needed it done to me, and needed it badly. Bingley, I am immensely sorry I have been so rude to you, and to your guests. While I might be of noble birth, my actions have been anything but noble. Can you forgive me?”

“That depends” replied Bingley. “I am willing to forgive you for what you have done to me, although it did hurt me, and I am going to insist that you meet my neighbours again in order for them to see that you have indeed changed. Are we agreed?”

Darcy sighed, and nodded, replying “While I do not relish the idea, I will take my medicine without complaint. I cannot promise to be the life of the party, however.”

Bingley nodded in turn. “Nobody is expecting that of you. All I ask is that you attempt to make conversation, and to listen to people. I won’t ask you to dance again, and I apologise in turn for pushing you to do something that you really don’t enjoy. However, we are only a third of the way through the problem. You are going to need to apologise to the Bennet sisters – both of them – but particularly to Miss Lucas. And how you do that effectively is beyond me, because I cannot imagine any circumstances in which she would be willing to meet you.”

Darcy said “Yes, I can do that with the Bennet sisters. I thought perhaps a letter to start with, and then I could visit their property to apologise in person. But I would much prefer to do that with your assistance, Bingley – I don’t need a matching bruise on the other cheek.” Both men looked at each other and smirked. It wasn’t overly funny, but there was some truth in the possibility of it. “As for Miss Lucas, Miss Bennet told me what had occurred to her, and much more besides. She has also set me a challenge that I am determined to meet, and I need your assistance with that.”

“Oh? What exactly did Miss Bennet have to say on the matter?”

“Her explanation was that part of the reason that Miss Lucas is hurting so badly is that much of what I have said about her situation was true. She is a gentlewoman of only moderate means, moderate social standing, and moderate chance to attract a husband, with her chances to do so falling with every passing day. This was why my unkind words caused such a violent reaction, because they brought home to Miss Lucas just how precarious her situation is. Miss Bennet explained that we have a dilemma – in fact, we have two. The first is that Miss Elisabeth Bennet and Miss Lucas have fallen out over the rejected proposal from Mr. Collins. Were you aware of this?”

It was Bingley’s turn to sigh. “No, I had no idea. I had been under the impression that the two women were great friends. Now it appears as though some of what drove Miss Elisabeth’s behaviour last night was her own guilt. This is a bigger mess than something from one of Caroline’s novels!”

Darcy nodded, and continued. “I don’t think I can do anything to heal their rift, but I can at least write to both of them and apologise for what I said. But the second dilemma is much larger. Miss Bennet has explained to me that regardless of any apology I may make, and whether it’s accepted or not, Miss Lucas is still in an untenable situation. She is unlikely to marry, she cannot return to trade without disgracing – or being banished from – her family, and she is therefore out of time – and out of choices.

So Miss Bennet has thrown down the gauntlet to me. She has given me a week, with all of the contacts, wealth and power I have, and she has commanded me to find a future for Miss Lucas that allows her to chart her own course over the long term. I was thinking I could make her a governess for Georgina, but that’s a step down socially from her current position, so that’s unworkable. She could be a lady’s companion for Georgina, but I cannot compel my sister to take Miss Lucas with her once she is married. In any case, while Miss Lucas may have excellent manners, I fear she is too quiet herself to bring Georgina out of her shell.”

Bingley whistled softly. “That’s….” and words failed him momentarily. He tried again “That’s a genuinely difficult challenge. I will help you, Darcy, because I can see that you are in earnest. But I will need to give it some thought, as nothing comes to mind immediately. By the way, consider yourself forgiven, my friend”, and held his hand out. Darcy shook it, relieved beyond measure to see Bingley’s natural ebullience return.

Bingley smiled at the look on his friend’s face, pleased that Darcy had come out of the situation a better man. Darcy tried to return the smile, but it became a grimace of pain. “Oh, I’d forgotten your face, Darcy. I am sorry! Wait here, and I’ll get some help for you.” And with that, Bingley ran into the house to do so.

Chapter Text

Lizzie had woken, and to her surprise, Jane wasn’t there. In fact, Jane was nowhere to be found, either in the house, or in the garden. Lizzie was anxious. She had slept poorly when she eventually got to sleep, but upon waking, she was no clearer than she had been the night before. As she ate some breakfast without tasting it, she gave silent thanks that none of her sisters had awoken as yet. She really wasn’t in the mood for bickering siblings, or her mother’s brand of nagging.

Lizzie pondered further about the events of the last 24 hours. She felt bewildered at how much had changed in so short a time. She wanted to talk to someone in order to sort her muddled feelings out, but who? Jane had warned her away from Charlotte in no uncertain terms, and Lizzie wasn’t sure she’d even be received by Charlotte at present anyway. Jane had also thoroughly scared Lizzie last night – she’d never seen her sister do anything like that, which spoke volumes of itself. Lizzie knew that she would have to talk to Jane, but she wasn’t looking forward to it. Mary? No, as that would likely only lead to a sermon. Mary was kind, but had little life experience that would be useful in this situation.

Lizzie eventually decided to walk to Oakham Mount. She always enjoyed a good walk, and the day was clear, with only a light wind. As she walked along, Lizzie thought about Mr. Darcy, and realised with a sinking heart that she’d gone much too far with her reaction. Yes, she was shocked by her friend’s revelations, and she felt guilty about their fight, but even so, the man had only a flippant, off-the-cuff comment. It’s not as though some of her witticisms hadn’t fallen flat, or badly hurt someone’s feelings before now. But to slap a member of the Ton, and then to threaten him! Good God, would he sue her for assault? While there were mitigating circumstances, he had every right to do so….and then where would they be? Lizzie felt the colour drain from her face, and then shook her head.

She would write him a letter, and explain what had been behind her actions. While his own behaviour had been nothing to be proud of, it paled in comparison to hers. And even if she didn’t like the man, she needed to humble herself and to beg his forgiveness for the sake of her family.

As for Charlotte, could she write a letter there too? But what would she say? Was she truly sorry? Weren’t Charlotte’s actions as bad as hers? Lizzie sighed. Charlotte had at least owned up to what she had done, and she had even tried to apologise, but Lizzie’s harsh reaction had obliterated that attempt. With regards to what Charlotte had said, Lizzie felt incredibly guilty the longer she thought about it. Lizzie had always imagined that marriage would just happen one day, as soon as she bumped across a man who met her standards. But what if she continued to turn down offers, hoping to marry for love, only to find herself in Charlotte’s position in a few years’ time? Charlotte was the oldest girl, which had previously delayed the coming out of her younger sister Maria.

Lizzie had never considered this possibility before, because she had always assumed that Jane – beautiful, gentle Jane – would marry, and that would keep the wolves from the door. And she had certainly seemed to enjoy the company of Mr. Bingley last night. But even if that saved the family, that didn’t (of itself) guarantee that Lizzie herself would marry. She realised that she was content with how life was at present precisely because she had a false assumption that the future would take care of itself. But if it didn’t – if she was in Charlotte’s shoes – how on earth would she be feeling about the future?

The wave of emotion that this thought triggered buckled Lizzie’s knees from under her, completely taking her by surprise. Thankfully, she merely landed in some soft grass, but she suddenly found herself racked by sobs, and she gasped for air, amazed at the pain of them. It took a good 10 minutes to regain her composure, and she exhaled slowly. Now, she thought she better understood what Charlotte was feeling, and she hung her head in abject misery. Not only had she brutally hurt her friend’s feelings, she had arrogantly attacked her, without having any idea of why she would act so out of character. She had been right when she had said that she hadn’t known her best friend at all – but all of the fault was on her side. Then, to add insult to injury, she had risked her family’s future with a rash act that may still have massive consequences. No wonder Jane was so angry with her!

And who, exactly, had given her the idea that she was such a wonderful wit? Why, everyone who had laughed at her jokes over the years; but no-one who had been the target of them. Why had she not seen this earlier, and listened to Jane’s repeated advice to tone it down? Lizzie blushed with shame as she realised that what her loving sister was trying to do gently, was essentially the same thing as when her father had loudly said to Mary about her singing and playing – in public, no less – “You have delighted us long enough. Let other young ladies have time to exhibit.”

Her father, she thought, had encouraged her along this path for his own entertainment. And while she had loved his affection, she realised now that he was oblivious – or worse, he didn’t care – about the corrosive effect such “wittiness” could have upon other people. So, she had spent years being witty in their small social circle simply because her father encouraged her to do so. And her neighbours, not being blessed with the same skills, had never called her behaviour out as inappropriate. It was no wonder, Lizzie thought, that Mr. Darcy was not impressed by what he had seen at Netherfield. If she was the best on offer (with the exception of Jane), whether she was talking about beauty or intelligence, she had certainly not done any woman at the ball any favours whatsoever. And even then, she gasped – she was still assuming that she was the “best” on offer! Who was she to make such a statement without any evidence?

Lizzie walked back to Longbourn slowly, and unlike the usual feeling, today it seemed to take forever.

Chapter Text

Charlotte washed her face with a cloth. Her long sleep had managed to remove most of the puffiness from her face, but her eyes were still red, and it was clear that she had been upset about something. And she did her best to engage her family at breakfast, despite worried looks from her parents over the table. However, when she was finished, Lady Lucas asked to see her in a separate room. “Charlotte, your father and I heard that you left last night because you were feeling unwell. And now I can see that you have been crying. What’s wrong – did something happen to upset you?”

Charlotte felt her eyes prick at her mother’s concern. She so often felt invisible, in large part because she was the calm, stable, patient eldest child that everyone relied upon. “Yes, I am fine…now. I just overheard something last night that upset me, and I am having an argument with Elizabeth.”

“With Elizabeth? But you two are as thick as thieves! I know she has a sharp tongue, but I never thought that she would use it on you. Have you two been fighting over a man?” Charlotte rolled her eyes. Her mother wasn’t as blatant as Mrs. Bennet, but he did hold the same concerns for her children. “No, it’s not over a man, Mother. We just discovered that we have a fundamentally different view on some things, and that the world at my age looks very different than it does at hers.”

Lady Lucas looked pained. “Oh. I see.” And she was gracious enough to both let the topic lapse, and to gently squeeze her daughter’s hand. “Well, if you need to talk, I am always here to do so, Charlotte. What are you planning to do today?”

“Actually, I wanted to go for a long walk, in order to clear my thoughts. Would that be alright?”

“Yes, it sounds like a good idea. Would you like to take some food?”

“Thank you, that would be good. I would also like to look at one of Father’s maps.” Charlotte asked her father, and while he was surprised, he led her through to his office, and opened the drawer. To her surprise, all he said was “Just close the drawer and pull the door behind you when you are finished.”

Charlotte looked through the handful of maps until she found what she was looking for. It was a map of the local area, outlining various villages . It took a little while, but she narrowed down what she wanted. Lizzie and she usually walked in one direction, simply because it was more pleasant. But today, Charlotte felt like expanding her horizons, and heading in a different direction. So, she took a pen and paper, and slowly and carefully made a copy of the map. It took a little while, but she thought it was worth the effort. For safety’s sake, she had written a short note to her father outlining where she planned to go, which she placed on top of the drawer.

An hour later, she was away from Meryton, and, to her relief, no-one was overly interested in where she was going. When the sun reached its apex, Charlotte sat down on the stream bank under the shade of a tree, and ate her luncheon. After a short break, she gathered her belongings, and continued on. In the distance lay a small village called Bilham, known for its slate mining. It was isolated, and not near any of the coach roads, and while she had heard about it in passing, no-one from Meryton ever visited there, as they had no need to do so. But it was this very mystery about it which appealed to Charlotte.

She walked into the village and had quite a shock. The place was small, yes, but it was also quite run-down. There were a bunch of children playing in the street, who stopped what they were doing when they saw her, and simply stared. One boy, braver than the others, loudly asked “Who are you?”. Charlotte answered “My name is Miss Lucas”, and then paused, unsure of what to say next. She smiled tentatively, suddenly nervous about where she was. The children were happy enough with the smile, though, and let her pass through them .

Charlotte continued for a few more steps, but she was feeling out of place. What, exactly, was she looking for? Unless there was a main street here somewhere, she was unsure where she should go. After all, it’s not as though she could frequent a tavern. As it happened, she walked to the far end of the village without meeting anyone else. Although she was aware of the odd curtain twitching, there was no-one to meet. Charlotte felt oddly disappointed and annoyed at herself – she had taken a big step out of her comfort zone, but nothing good had come of it. And her feet were aching.

At this thought, she carefully sat down on a stone wall next to the stream and looked idly downstream. It was a pleasant enough scene, and after removing her shoes, she felt a lot better. She mused that it did fact make sense that there was nobody here – all of the men, and most of the boys, would be at the mines at this time of day.

She marvelled at the fact that this place had only ever been an hour’s walk from her house for her entire life, and that this was the first time she had seen it. It wasn’t, of course, the sort of place that a gentlewoman would generally be advised to go wandering around, especially without company – and preferably male company at that. The reminder of this made Charlotte frown. Why shouldn’t she be free to walk where she felt like, and in safety? At least she was here, which was at least a novelty, and better than yesterday. What could she do to ensure that this experience wasn’t a waste of time, though? Could she find a woman to talk to? But if she did, what would they talk about?

Charlotte had had some schooling from a governess, so she was literate and numerate. But she had rarely needed to actually put those skills to use beyond writing letters and doing accounts. So, what would the life of a slate miner’s wife be like? It was a sharp rock, and somewhat dusty, so there’d be a lot of cleaning and mending. Each of the houses had a garden, and she had passed several farms on the way in, so these people could feed themselves to some degree. Beyond that, though, how did people pass the time? It suddenly occurred to Charlotte that she had never thought about where the servants working at Lucas Lodge had actually come from. Some, of course, lived on site, and others in Meryton itself, but could some of the servants in the properties around her come from here? It would make sense in terms of explaining why the village was so quiet.

In the middle of this reverie, Charlotte didn’t hear the soft tread of a pair of feet off to her left. When she did, she gasped – and looked up into the eyes of an older woman. This person was dressed in a simple beige cotton dress, and wore an apron. She had dark hair pulled back in a bun, and there were streaks of silver in it.

“Begging your pardon, Ma’am, but I was wondering if you needed any help. We don’t get many strangers through here, and so I thought you might be lost?”

Charlotte smiled wanly, and answered gently “Well, you could say that. I am not lost in terms of the path – I know how to go home. But I am wondering what I am doing here”. The old woman nodded. “Curiousity is not necessarily a bad thing. What were you hoping to find here? Are you looking for someone?”

“No, I just wanted to take a long walk to clear my head. So, I left home early this morning, and decided to take a track by the river that I had never gone very far along. And a few hours later, it led me here.” Charlotte suddenly became very conscious of her bare feet – “Oh, you must think me so ill-mannered with my shoes off like this, please forgive me while I put them back on.” To her surprise, the old woman laughed, a loud cackle that, oddly enough, reminded Charlotte of Lizzie. “Don’t worry about it – I have delivered babies and animals, I’m hardly going to get upset about a pair of bare feet!”, and she grinned at Charlotte. Charlotte grinned back, relieved not to have committed a major faux pas.

When she stopped laughing, the woman said “My name is Judith. If you don’t think I’m being terribly rude to speak to a lady so directly, I’d like to know yours” and smiled gently. Charlotte took a breath, and said “I’m Charlotte Lucas”. Judith knew of the Lucas family, and indeed something of Charlotte herself. She didn’t miss much, but she simply said “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Charlotte. Would you like a cup of tea once you have put your shoes on?”. And to her great surprise, Charlotte nodded, and agreed that a cup of tea would be lovely.

Chapter Text

Jane was not surprised to hear that her sister had gone for her usual walk; in fact, she had counted on it. While she thought the conversation with Mr. Darcy had gone fairly well, there was no real guarantee that he wouldn’t change his mind. At least Charles agreed with her. Charles…. she sighed. In her mind he was already Charles, rather than Mr. Bingley, a title that felt too formal. And while she was disappointed that she hadn’t seen him, she was pleased that he had the presence of mind to make himself scarce when she was talking to Mr. Darcy.

Another small blessing is that her disappearing act last night meant that her mother had not quizzed her about Charles, as Mrs. Bennet was prone to do once any man showed the slightest interest in any of her daughters. Given the situation, that would be the last thing anyone needed.

Jane thought about Charlotte. She would ask one of the servants to deliver something to Lucas Lodge, and to quietly ask after Charlotte’s health. Beyond that, though, Jane hoped that she hadn’t overstepped the mark. She didn’t think so; after all, Mr. Darcy was in a position to help in many regards. She hoped that the man would do something more than just offer money; doing so would just hurt Charlotte’s pride, and even a huge sum would not give Charlotte back a purpose, or her self-confidence. But what could the woman actually do? Jane resolved to think about it further.

And then her thoughts wandered to Lizzie, who likely wasn’t too far away. How should she handle that situation? She loved her sister dearly, but she had really stepped well beyond the pale last night, and the sheer arrogance of it was what had angered Jane. It was one thing to stand up against an injustice; it was quite another to risk your whole family’s social standing to make a point. Really, Jane pondered, how she acted would depend upon how Lizzie acted upon her return. Jane was quite happy to give her a further piece of her mind if necessary, but she hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Not only would it make sharing the room uncomfortable, but she truly wanted Lizzie to see the error of her ways for her own sake.

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Lizzie rounded the familiar last corner, and paused. She had been so deep in thought that her body had simply taken her home out of habit. But now she realised that she would have to talk to Jane….and what on Earth could she say? An apology would be a good start, but would it be enough? More importantly, would Jane even listen to what she had to say? And how could the two of them keep the details of any disagreement from the rest of their family? After all, it wasn’t just the two of them involved in this issue.

Lizzie sighed, then squared her shoulders. Standing here daydreaming wasn’t going to resolve anything. She strode purposefully the rest of the way home, and entered the front door. It was the usual pandemonium, which Lizzie was grateful for, in a way. Lydia and Kitty were squabbling over something, and Mary was loudly playing the piano, trying to ensure it made more noise than her sisters did.
As a result, Lizzie headed straight upstairs to the bedroom they shared.

Jane was quietly reading a book, but put it down and looked Lizzie squarely in the eye. Then she smiled tightly. “Suppose you tell me what you think happened last night, and why you think I am upset at you.”

Lizzie started, and quailed – that look in Jane’s eyes from last night was back, and they sent chills down her spine again. In any other situation, Lizzie might have laughed at her own reaction, but she caught herself in time, and realised what she said next would have real consequences for their relationship. She paused, and looked at the floor while she gathered her thoughts. “Jane, I am so deeply sorry. What I did last night showed a complete lack of respect for propriety across the board. And while I thought I had done it with the best of intentions, I can now see that I acted as I did out of pride. And the consequences might be really catastrophic for us” Lizzie sobbed…. “I am really, really sorry, Jane!”

This genuine show of contrition was enough to melt Jane’s heart. She crossed the room, and gave her sister a hug. “Alright, Lizzie, I believe you. Now, please calm down, because there is more we have to talk about, and I need you to pay attention.” It took a little while, but Lizzie’s breath gradually slowed, and she lifted her head from Jane’s shoulder. To her immense relief, her sister smiled at her. It wasn’t her most loving smile, but it was something.

Jane led Lizzie over to one of the beds, and sat her down. “Lizzie, even if you have apologised, and repent for your behaviour, we are still in a difficult situation on two fronts. Mr. Darcy would be well within his rights to sue us. However, I have talked to him early this morning, and he has given me an undertaking that he will not do so.

Lizzie gasped “So that’s where you were! Jane, that’s so dangerous. Were you chaperoned – was Mr. Bingley there?”

Jane’s face hardened again. “Lizzie, what choice did your actions leave me? No, Mr. Bingley and I arranged this last night – after I had gone looking for Charlotte in the woods. It turns out that Mr. Bingley is just as disappointed in his friend’s behaviour as I am in yours. No, be quiet, Lizzie – you will hear this. I am not excusing what Mr. Darcy said – it was rude, thoughtless, and hurtful. But we have all said things we have regretted as soon as they left our mouths, and Mr. Darcy assures me that he was simply lashing out because Mr. Bingley insisted that he dance with people. He was horrified to learn about Charlotte’s broken engagement, and how his unkind words made a bad situation so much worse. He is desperate to make amends to Charlotte, to Bingley, and even to you.”

Of all the things Lizzie thought Jane would say, that certainly wasn’t one of them. Could that proud, arrogant man actually be capable of apologising?

Jane caught the mutinous look flash across her sister’s face, and her voice rose. “Yes, Lizzie, he even wished to apologise in person. I advised him against it for two reasons – firstly, because I wished to talk to you, and secondly, because he is afraid that you are indeed determined to “make him wish he had never been born if he ever comes near your family or friends again”. And from what I can see on your face, you’re not truly sorry yet. It seems to me that you and Mr. Darcy are two peas in a pod in terms of behaviour, but at least he has reflected and apologised to me with every appearance of true contrition".

Jane paused to let that sink in, and then continued “When I met Mr. Darcy, I also set him a challenge. While he can write an apology to Charlotte, the damage done to her self-regard could well be permanent. So, I have asked him to think about what he could do to alleviate her situation over the long term.”

Lizzie was shocked for a second time “Jane, how could you think of asking such a favour of the man – we have only just met him!”

The cold steel returned to Jane’s gaze “How could I NOT take such a chance, Lizzie? Has it ever occurred to you just how precarious Charlotte’s situation is? What possible good is a letter of apology going to be to her a month from now? A year? A decade? Can she eat it? No, Lizzie, I saw the opportunity, and I took it. If I had done nothing, then Charlotte’s life would narrow even further. Mr. Darcy is in a position to assist her, and even if he cannot, I had to at least ask. I would never forgive myself if I hadn’t at least tried to help.

And beyond that, I was looking to safeguard our interests. Had I not talked to Mr. Bingley last night, and approached Mr. Darcy this morning, what sort of things do you think he would say about us? How would he explain the large purple bruise on his face to people – even to the servants? We’d have a reputation of having an annoying mother, a disinterested father, badly-behaved and ill-disciplined siblings, and then there would be you and me. You would be the village harridan known for her smart mouth and bad temper, and I would be the uncomprehending dimwit. Likewise, can you imagine our parents getting involved in this situation? I couldn’t leave things as they were last night, Lizzie. We have few enough opportunities to meet men in our small village, and we cannot just assume, as Charlotte did, that one day the right man to marry will just magically appear for us.”

Lizzie nodded slowly, astounded at her sister’s perspicacity. “Jane, I did come to apologise, I promise. I did a lot of thinking as I walked this morning, and I recognise that I need to change. But I can see that there is more to this situation than I realised, and I’m somewhat amazed at how much thought you have given this. I am sorry for thinking unkindly about Mr. Darcy, even though I find it hard to believe he wants to apologise. As you say, though, we all say things in the heat of the moment, and it’s such a habit of mine that I don’t always realise I’m doing it.” Lizzie sighed. “Actions speak louder than words, don’t they? I can’t promise to be as calm and measured as you are all the time, but I will try to watch my tongue. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Yes, there is. I need you to write an apology to Mr. Darcy, and one to Charlotte. None of that will be easy, but that’s exactly why you need to do it, Lizzie – it needs to sting, and sting hard, in order for you to really understand how it feels to be on the receiving end of your insults”.

Jane rose to her feet. “You should do Mr. Darcy’s apology first, as I believe he will leave in a week’s time. As for Charlotte’s apology, that’s between you and her, and I have no idea if she will even read it. She’d be perfectly entitled to throw it in the fire, and to ignore you. If I’m not happy with you, imagine how she’s feeling about your behaviour.” She then turned, and left the room.

Chapter Text

Darcy had been out for much of the day. He had initially gone for a walk to clear his head, returned for lunch, and then sat down at the desk in his room to try to write a letter of apology to Miss Lucas. Sadly, he hadn’t got very far, not least because he barely knew the woman in question. So, while he thought the formal apology words were reasonable, he had no idea how to segue that across into “and now I am going to make you an offer you cannot refuse”. Not least was it difficult because he wasn’t sure exactly what he could offer on that front.

While he was sorry for what he’d said, and the woman’s situation, he wasn’t going to just hand over a large amount of money and say “good luck to you”. If he did, word would get out and he’d be a target for every fortune hunter in England. To be fair, however, he didn’t think that was what Miss Bennet was actually asking for, and Miss Lucas was certainly not asking for his help herself. But it was still quite a quandary. If she was not a gentlewoman, he could simply take her on as a chambermaid, or a cook, or something similar. However, her status meant that she couldn’t be seen to work, which left what? Concubine? No, that would be unfair, and in any case, not only was he not attracted to her, but that would leave him open to blackmail. Could she do his accounts? It was possible she had the skill, but that was a real position of trust. At least, however, she could do that out of sight of others.

Darcy sighed. He really wasn’t getting far with this, so he turned his mind to the other letter he had to write. This, he reflected wryly, was difficult to write because he wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about it. Had he acted badly? Yes, but in a different set of circumstances, he was certain that nothing would have happened. And yet this harpy had seen fit to march him outside, give him a dressing-down, and then to assault his person and threaten him. And he was supposed to apologise?

Enough of this living in my head, he thought. I need to talk this through with someone else, preferably Bingley. He found his friend in the drawing room. “Bingley, do you have some time to discuss the issues at hand?” Bingley looked at his friend, and smiled. He seemed to be taking things seriously, and – thank goodness! – the purple bruise on his face seemed to be slowly fading. “Yes, of course, Darcy – let’s repair to the library for privacy”.

Once inside, Darcy turned to his friend and said “I have been endeavouring to write those letters of apology as you asked me to. The one to Miss Lucas is about half-completed, and I will return to that topic later. It is the one to Miss Bennet I am having trouble with, and so I came to hear your point of view on it.”

Bingley smiled wryly. “I wonder, my friend, if the Miss Bennets are having a similar conversation over at Longbourn?” and the two men shared an amused grin.

“Quite possibly, Bingley. But are you suggesting that I can expect a letter of apology from the younger Miss Bennet?”

“I am indeed, Darcy. But that doesn’t absolve you of the task. I grant you that her reaction was way out of proportion with what you had said. So, let’s look at the other facts of the situation. If you had not said such words, you would not have a bruised face, would you agree?” Darcy nodded – “Yes, that is demonstrably true”. Bingley continued “Secondly, Miss Elisabeth Bennet and Miss Lucas are friends of long standing – yes?” Darcy nodded his assent, not sure where the conversation was going.

“If Miss Bennet’s reaction had been less severe; for example, if she had simply told you in confidence about her concerns for Miss Lucas, and the rejected proposal, would you have been ashamed of your words?” Darcy thought for a moment, and then nodded his head. “I am still deeply ashamed of what I said”. “Then I think you have your answer, Darcy. While you have been wronged, that is a separate issue to owning up to your own failings in this matter. If Miss Bennet does not write a letter, or she writes one that you do not feel is adequate, then you are free to think of her as you wish. But how she responds is up to her. You are a member of the Ton, Darcy. Your behaviour should stem from being noble in action, as well as in name, not because someone else tells you how to behave”.

Darcy exhaled, knowing that Bingley was right. “You have made your point, Bingley, and made it well. I think I can now see my way clear to writing Miss Bennet an apology without reservations or caveats. However, I need your assistance with the letter to Miss Lucas. In truth, I am far sorrier for my behaviour towards her than I am towards her friend. But I am still stuck as to what I can offer her. I do not intend to simply grant her some monies and be done with her, and in truth, I don’t think that’s what Miss Jane Bennet has asked me to do”. Bingley nodded his agreement at this. “But if she cannot work; if being a governess is out, if being a lady’s companion is not long-term enough, then what can Miss Lucas do that gives mutual satisfaction? After all, while I am sorry, and I want to help her, I am under no actual obligations. I did not compromise her, or offer my hand in marriage.”

Bingley smiled at his friend. “I have been thinking on the topic, and I believe I might have something useful. You may not remember, Darcy, but during the ball, I discovered that the Lucas family has only become gentry in the last few years – prior to that, they were in trade. That means, ironically, that Miss Lucas likely has more practical skills than most of the women we know. She has had some schooling, and is both literate and numerate. Do you remember that you and I had heard about the Luddite riots? And we talked about the fact that some of our tenants have been moving to the cities? Then you said to me that it would be good to know what invention was going to happen next, or to find out who needed capital before it was advertised in the newspapers?”

Darcy nodded, although he was not at all sure what point Bingley was making. “Well, Darcy, could you make use of Miss Lucas in that regard? Could she become your “eyes and ears”, reporting back upon what she found? And consider too, that as a woman, she has access to circles that you don’t. I am not exactly how you could make it work, and there will be challenges, but I am sure you could sort things out. What do you think?”

Darcy was dumbfounded, and he looked at Bingley with his mouth open. He wasn’t sure if it was the stupidest idea he had ever heard, or the most brilliant, but it was – most certainly – different. After a full 30 seconds, he eventually found his voice. “Well, Bingley, that idea was certainly not what I was expecting to hear. Forgive me, I am a bit shocked by the novelty of it, and I will need time to think it through. But a thought occurs to me – if you can come up with such an idea, could we not see what Miss Bennet thinks of it? She strikes me as a sensible woman, and she may see both pluses and minuses that haven’t occurred to us.”

Bingley’s smile stretched from ear to ear, and he replied “That’s the smartest thing you’ve said in days, Darcy! Yes, I agree, it would be a capital idea, and I’ll make sure to get things rolling. For now, however, you need to return to Miss Bennet’s apology. If Miss Jane Bennet is coming to visit, then you can give it to her for her sister”.

Darcy groaned, but nodded his consent, and made his way back to his bedroom to undertake the task. Once there, he paced up and down for a little while, and he remembered something that his father had once told him as a boy “Remember, Darcy, an apology with qualifications is no apology. Make it clear, make it specific, and make the other person feel respected. If you can’t do that, then any apology is not worth the paper it’s written upon”. It took a while, but Darcy’s final letter held these words:

Dear Miss Bennet

I apologise unreservedly for my behaviour at the Netherfield Ball last night. What I said in public about Miss Lucas was completely unkind, thoughtless, and incredibly hurtful. I feel awful, but I have said the words, and I must now live with the consequences of my actions. I will be writing a separate letter to Miss Lucas expressing my deep and sincere contrition, and my disgust at my abominable behaviour.

I also wish to apologise to you personally. My friend Charles Bingley informs me that you and Miss Lucas are very close friends, and that you felt duty-bound to stand up for her reputation and her feelings. I respect that depth of friendship highly, and it speaks well of your character, even if I might wish it had been expressed more gently.

I have also had the pleasure to meet your older sister, Miss Bennet. She is a woman of fine character, and she has convinced me not to take any legal actions against you or your family in regards to our conversations last night. I have had time to reflect, and I have come to realise that your reaction stemmed more from love of your friend than any real desire to hurt me.

On my side, you may be assured that Mr. Bingley has made sure that I know he is as disgusted by my actions as I am. Having said that, as a good friend, he has also realised that I said what I did out of discomfort with the situation. I am not a very social person, and given my station in life, I am often faced with a lot of attentions I do not wish for, and do not seek out. None of this explanation excuses my behaviour, but I hope it sheds some light on why I acted as I did. In any case, I do hope that you can forgive me, and forget my disgrace.

Yours very respectfully

Fitzwilliam Darcy

Chapter Text

Lizzie sat at her desk and stared into space, deep in thought. She couldn’t remember the last time Jane had been so cold to her, but then, she also realised that she hadn’t behaved quite this badly in quite a long time, either. Jane’s description of her as the village harridan had really stung, not least because it held a kernel of truth to it. Lizzie also realised that Jane had been forced into a set of actions that were well beyond what she’d usually feel comfortable doing.

Jane had risen to the challenge of the moment, and done a pretty good job of smoothing things over. In all honesty, Lizzie was a little taken aback at her sister’s actions; she hadn’t realised that Jane had such behaviour within her character. Along with being surprised, Lizzie was also rather proud of her sister. But when Jane had tried to reason with her, Lizzie’s pride had gotten in the way again, making her apology a waste of time. Lizzie sighed - no wonder her sister was still angry. The contrast between them was stark at the moment, and Lizzie did feel it – keenly.

So she tried to imagine what would have happened if Mr. Darcy had said something similar to her. She thought that she’d probably laugh it off; after all, what did she care for the opinion of a rich man she would likely never meet again? Chances are, she’d even have told Charlotte about it, and they would have giggled over it together. Lizzie winced at the realisation that such a thing was unlikely to happen again for quite some time. She considered that such an outcome would have been possible last week, but not after her argument with Charlotte yesterday. And in hindsight, it was her guilt and churning emotions that had made her overreact to Mr. Darcy’s unkind words.

The man, even if she did not like him, or his poorly thought-out opinions, did not deserve to be slapped and threatened. Lizzie’s face reddened as she imagined what would have happened if she’d overheard his words while she was inside the dance hall. She could picture herself giving him the same resounding slap in front of all of her neighbours and friends. What would have followed was nightmarish to even contemplate, and Lizzie shook her head vigorously to dispel the very idea of it.

Very well, then. If she was her normal self, if she hadn’t had a fight with Charlotte, she’d be horrified to hear of someone else acting in such a way, and she’d feel deeply ashamed. That, Lizzie thought, was more like it – a good place to start, with an appropriately humble and considered tone to her words. It took her quite some time, and several sheets of paper, but she eventually produced the following missive:

Dear Mr. Darcy

I write this letter to humbly beg your absolution and forgiveness for my horrendously bad behaviour last night. It was so far beyond the realm of polite behaviour that my words are a poor substitute to make up for it. I do hope that you are not too badly bruised and that any mark is not too obvious, but I suspect that is a rather forlorn hope.

While I was not impressed with the words you directed at my friend, I completely overreacted in a way that does me absolutely no credit whatsoever. You must think of me as the most disagreeable, opinionated female you have ever had the misfortune to cross paths with, and upon reflection, I cannot say that I have shown you anything of my character to deny such an awful first impression. I would like to assure you that it is definitely not my usual behaviour when meeting young men in public settings. I also thank you from the bottom of my heart for promising Jane that you would not sue me or my family for my unprovoked assault upon your person. It is such a relief to hear that, and a very magnanimous thing for you to do, as you would be entirely within your rights to seek satisfaction. It may please you to know that my sister Jane is entirely disgusted with my behaviour towards you. Knowing this deeply hurts me as we are usually very close, but my behaviour has forced Jane to undertake tasks she is very uncomfortable doing for the benefit of myself, and indeed, my entire family.

I realise too that I owe you, however poorly I word it, an explanation for my behaviour. You may remember that I mentioned my friend Charlotte Lucas last night, and that I was worried about her state of mind after she had been rejected in a marriage proposal yesterday morning. You could not possibly have known that when you made your comments last night, and Jane assures me that you are horrified by the impact of your behaviour. What you are likely not party to is that Charlotte and I had an argument yesterday that again portrays me in a very bad light. I won’t go into the details of it, but suffice to say that my arrogance and pride meant that I had no idea of how Charlotte was feeling, or how different her situation is to mine.

I felt angry, frustrated, and guilty over our argument, and I had been stewing upon the issue all day long. In truth, it was probably myself who should not have attended the ball last night, but I was looking for distraction from the thoughts chasing each other around in my head. When Jane had mentioned rather subtly to me the words you had said in passing, everything combined to form an outlet for my anger – and you therefore were the target for my misdirected rage.

The rage truly lies within myself. The past 24 hours has shown me a flash of my true self in the mirror, and it does not paint a remotely flattering portrait. My actions speak louder than my words, and they show me to be a young woman with an inflated sense of her own importance, intelligence, and – particularly – a very poor understanding of other people and their challenges in life. It appears I have a lot of thinking to do, and much time needed to make amends to Jane, and to Charlotte. I already miss my best friend, and I fear that things between us will never be the same again, which breaks my heart.

Finally, Mr. Darcy, Jane has advised me that she has asked you to try to assist Charlotte in terms of her future. It is likely true that she reacted so badly to your words precisely because they hold a lot of truth. Again, without going into detail, if there is any way I can assist you in such a task, do please feel free to contact me. I know Charlotte better than Jane does, although, on reflection, perhaps this is no longer true. In any case, I want Charlotte to have the best chance possible in life, and I wish for her to be happy – even if this means that she does so without ever talking to me again.

Yours in deep regret and shame

Elizabeth Bennet

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Charlotte sat on a simple footstool, all that the humble hut had to offer by way of seating. She didn’t mind, it was comfortable enough, and the warm tea was delicious. She reflected briefly that perhaps it wasn’t so much the tea, as the fact she had been made to feel welcome in a stranger’s home at a time when she needed sanctuary.

Judith glanced at the young woman in front of her closely, and tried to remember what she had heard of the family. About a decade ago, they’d moved to Lucas Lodge, and it was widely known that while Mr. Lucas had been knighted, that the family previously came from trade. All grist to the mill for the gossips, but in Judith’s experience, it meant that such a family would be very anxious to be seen as “proper” and “correct”. And that, in turn, would put pressure on this girl to be married appropriately. A real mess was occurring, if Judith didn’t miss her guess.

She asked Charlotte “How is your tea, Miss Lucas?”, and was horrified when the young woman burst into tears. Judith didn’t hesitate; she was across the room in a second, and lifted Charlotte off the stool and into her arms. Protocol be damned; this child was in pain, and if Judith could help, she would.

Charlotte cried freely for some time, and then, with shock, remembered where she was and tore herself free. With a scarlet face, she hiccuped “Oh, you – must – think – I am – so – disgraceful…”, and then she fell down with a thud. Judith picked her up, and sat her back on the stool. She stroked Charlotte’s face and hair gently, and used the voice she had used on generations of village children. “Hush, dearie – stop speaking rubbish. There is no-one to hear you but me, and I don’t care how you look. What I do care about is what has got you so upset. But I’ll need you to calm down before I can listen to what ails you, so try to catch your breath.” Charlotte gurgled once more, and pulled a handkerchief from her dress. She blew her nose, and gave Judith a watery smile. “Thank you for your kindness”. “Think nothing of it, dear”.

Judith then changed her tone to something much more matter-of-fact. “Right then, let’s be having you. My Tom will be home in about two hours, and I’ll need to be ready for him. So, young Charlotte, tell me what ails you.” Much to her surprise, Charlotte told her everything – about how she’d felt when they first moved to Meryton, her coming out at age 17, her meeting the Bennet family next door, and her friendships with both Jane and Lizzie. Her growing fear as she aged that no man would ever want her, and then (with more tears, hiccups and cuddles from Judith) the events of the past week. When she was done, Judith said “Well, that’s a lot of pain you’ve been holding inside for a long time, girl, isn’t it?”, and Charlotte nodded. Oddly enough, she didn’t mind being called girl, as Judith made her feel much younger than her 27 years. Judith continued “And so you’ve crossed my path today, and I hope you’re feeling somewhat better”. Charlotte smiled “I am, thank you”.

“Good” Judith replied, “but your situation remains difficult. Charlotte, I was thinking about what you said regarding practical skills. You can read and write, but as a gentlewoman, you cannot be seen to work. You need a husband, but they are difficult buggers to catch…” - Charlotte gasped, and then giggled in delight at Judith’s turn of phrase. Judith winked at her, and then continued: “So you fear that if you don’t marry, all that remains for you is to become an old maid, with the fearsome prospect of living in the hedgerows if you annoy your brothers too much down the line some time. Does that about sum it all up?”

Charlotte said “You forgot about the being the object of pity, and the wretchedness of feeling I have let my family down. Not to mention that all of this waiting around is getting to me – how do I live life, instead of merely existing within the roles assigned to me?” Judith gave her an appraising look “Ah, so there is a sharp brain underneath all that self-pity” – and she held up a hand as Charlotte started to protest. “Now, listen to me, girlie. How do you think women at my level of society make a living if we don’t have husbands? After all, a lot of our men come home from the slate mines injured – and sometimes, they die from accidents, or from breathing in too much dust. So at my social level, we have to work together, and we have to broaden our skills. When we get old, we’re only as strong as our relationships with the people around us. Unlike you, we don’t have the luxury of waiting for Prince Charming to show up – and it seems to me you’re starting to work that out for yourself”.

Charlotte nodded “Yes, it occurred to me this morning. If I am going to make my own way, then it’s high time I learned skills that are useful to other people. How I do that without losing my status, I don’t know – but at least it gives me something to work towards”.

Judith nodded approvingly. “You know, there’s nothing to stop you doing both; I mean, learning skills and having a family. Life is full of surprises, as this meeting should make abundantly clear to you. And I think I have a partial solution to your dilemma. The children here are brats, but they’re our brats. However, you might have noticed how hungry they are, and that depends upon how the mines are going. When slate prices are good, our wages go up, and we do alright. When the prices are down, the whole village suffers. But as you can see, there’s nothing else here beyond our farms. I can read and write – a little. But we’re too far from the main roads to support much, and so the only choices our children have are to work in the mines, to work as servants – or to emigrate.

So, here’s what I’m thinking. You could teach our kids how to read and write. We won’t pay you - we cannot – but I can teach you some of those practical skills you want to learn. You’d have to hide this from your family. I know we’re not well thought of over in Meryton – and so there’s danger to you in this idea. But maybe you could pretend you were “visiting the poor” as a gentlewoman does.”

Charlotte was momentarily lost for words. She opened her mouth, then shut it again, while Judith smirked. “For goodness’ sake, child, you look like a trout!”, and when she laughed, so did Charlotte. When they had both recovered, Charlotte said “that’s a really interesting – and challenging – idea, Judith. Can I have some time to think through the implications of it?” Judith’s eyes twinkled. “Well, I’m not going anywhere, my girl. And I don’t want you to feel any pressure; I appreciate it’s a lot to take in. If you decide against it, there’s no harm done, it was just an idea.

Now, I’m afraid that’s all the time I have to talk today. My Tom won’t be far away, and if you are still here when the men return, they might make you feel rather uncomfortable, and vice-versa. So, I suggest you walk back home while there’s still enough light to do so".

She paused, and stood up. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Charlotte. Even if you don’t follow through on my idea, you’d be very welcome to come and visit me again”. Charlotte took the hint. She finished her tea, stood up, and said “Thank you, Judith, for your kindness. This wasn’t what I expected to find today, but I’m glad I did. You are likewise welcome to visit my house, and I will think upon what you have offered.”

The two women clasped hands, and then walked towards the door. Charlotte walked a little further, and then turned and waved at Judith. The older woman smiled, and said “Have courage, Charlotte – life will get better”, then turned and closed her door. Charlotte smiled, and looked at the door, then around at the village. Suddenly, despite its shabbiness, it seemed a lot friendlier than it had earlier. She started to walk, and, feeling lighter of heart than she had in a long time, picked up her pace and headed for home.

Chapter Text

The following day dawned clear and bright. Lizzie had shown Jane her letter to Mr. Darcy. Jane had read it carefully and thoughtfully, then went for a walk to think it through. Lizzie was a bit mystified by this – surely it was easy enough to work out whether it was sufficiently apologetic enough, or not (and she didn’t see how she could make it more so). But she was coming to recognise a new side to her sister, and given she had indeed caused enough trouble, she decided not to push things. In any case, Lizzie reasoned, Jane had to be the go-between among the parties, and so she had the right to decide the timing of it all.

Lizzie was correct in her assumptions. Jane spent her walk thinking about what to do next. Should she now take the letter to Mr. Bingley’s house, and show it to Mr. Darcy immediately, or should she pretend it had not been written as yet, and await Mr. Darcy’s letter to Lizzie first? She had seen Lizzie’s letter, which thankfully had shown enough genuine contrition that she thought it would be accepted. But what if Mr. Darcy’s letter was less so – or, even worse, if he had gone back on his word and decided to sue them after all? In such a scenario, could Lizzie’s frank admission actually hurt their cause?

And then there was Charlotte. Much of Lizzie’s letter actually talked about Charlotte; how much Lizzie missed her, how much she recognised she had badly misunderstood and hurt her friend, and her best wishes for her future. Should Jane take the risk of showing Charlotte the letter first? Would doing so be a breach of Lizzie’s confidence? But if she didn’t show Charlotte the letter, would Charlotte ever deign to see Lizzie again? She sighed. There were so many options, but none of them seemed to be a clear right answer. Maybe there wasn’t one, but just various shades of bad and worse? In any case, doing nothing wasn’t an option. If nothing else, she should, at the very least, check to see how Charlotte was. She did not have to mention anything else at this stage, and at least gaining knowledge of Charlotte’s state of mind could fill in some of the gaps.

Yes, that was a sensible course of action. Jane suddenly realised how much this situation was like playing a game of cards. In most of those games she was quite hopeless because her face gave her thoughts away. Yet here she was, holding her cards close to her chest, and not showing her hand too early. She smiled wanly. While it was not a position she had ever wanted to be in, she thought she was doing a reasonable job of calming things down so far.

As she walked back into the Bennet household, Lizzie stood up, and Jane advised their mother that the two of them would take a turn outside. “But you’ve only just been for a walk!” Mrs. Bennet squawked. “It won’t take long”, Jane soothed, and in any case, to forestall further argument, simply turned around and walked back out the front door. Lizzie wasn’t far behind, and the two of them walked in silence some distance from the house. Jane stopped, and looked at Lizzie. “Well?” said Lizzie. Jane smirked. Lizzie might write beautiful letters, but her sister was never going to be a subtle soul, even when on her best behaviour. “Well, you’ve passed the test” Jane said. “Your letter sounds truly apologetic and humble, and you have given some reasons that explain why you behaved as you did.” She smiled properly at her sister for the first time in days. “In fact, Lizzie, it was such a good letter that I wanted to ask you something. Have you started on your letter to Charlotte yet?”

Lizzie looked at the ground, her face growing red. “I have started, but I keep stopping. I truly do not know what to say, or how to say it. None of it seems enough….” and her voice trailed away into silence.

When she looked up, she saw Jane looking at her with a curious intensity. “Good” said Jane. “I think you are finally understanding how Charlotte is feeling, and that it hurts. But putting that to one side, Lizzie, I have an idea that might help to reconcile you.”

Lizzie wasn’t expecting this, and she looked quizzically at Jane “What manner of witchcraft is this?”, and both sisters giggled. It was a phrase Lizzie had invented as a child, and they had both used it often since. When they stopped, Jane responded “It’s not witchcraft. Your words in Mr. Darcy’s letter mention Charlotte a lot, and they express your love for her, how much you miss her, what you have done to her, and your desire to help her to make a better life – even if it’s one without you. In short, Lizzie, it’s a powerful message, straight from the heart, with none of your usual artifice or sarcasm.”

Lizzie looked confused “And so…what? Are you suggesting that you want to show my letter to Mr. Darcy to Charlotte instead?” Jane nodded, and spoke quietly. “Yes, but only if you agree to it.”

Both sisters turned, and kept walking. After about five minutes, it was Lizzie’s turn to stop. “Jane, I can see what you are saying. But if you show Charlotte the letter, then she will know what I did to Mr. Darcy. And I am mortified enough by my behaviour as it is”.

Jane nodded. “I agree, Lizzie, that such a disclosure would be painful. But from where I stand, there are other angles to this situation. First of all, I am actually acting as the go-between between Mr. Darcy and Charlotte. He is, as I have mentioned previously, writing her a letter of apology. But as I said, while Charlotte will likely accept that, none of it will change her situation. And it is on that front that we need Mr. Darcy’s help. If all we get out of him is an apology letter, and then he goes home, then the man has every right to simply wish to leave this unpleasant situation behind him.

Your letter, though, mentions that you want to help Charlotte, and that you wish the best for her – even though she may never want to talk to you again. You even go so far as to offer to contact the man you slapped in her defence. I think that Charlotte would not fail to be moved by the strength of such sentiments. Being who she is, she will need time to feel comfortable to meet you, and it will take a very long time for her to really trust you again. But reading words like that, which are aimed at a third party, really shows your love and respect for your friend.”

Lizzie shut her eyes and groaned. “I take your point, Jane – but only up to a point. If I am writing an apology to Charlotte – however badly – then why does she need to find out about my behaviour with Mr. Darcy?” Jane shook her head in frustration “Because I suspect that Mr. Darcy may well refer to it in his letter to her. And in any case, when you do talk to Charlotte, at some point, she is going to ask what you were doing on the night of the ball. Did you continue to dance with all of the young men, and to have a good time, while your friend was out in the darkness? Despite your argument, did you not go out and look for her like I did? I can tell her that you sent me because you were busy with Lydia, but she is still going to ask. And if not me, then she may well ask Mr. Darcy his version of the night’s events – IF I can get them to talk to each other.”

Lizzie’s face paled as she realised how much worse the story would sound to Charlotte if she heard it from Mr. Darcy first. She winced. “Aaargh! Is there no way out of this scenario that doesn’t make me not only feel awful, but appear awful too?”

Jane gave her sister a level gaze. “Do you think I am doing any of this for the joy of it? No, Lizzie, I am simply trying as best as I can to repair the damage you have caused. I am going to leave the decision with you, as I do not wish to embarrass you. But I want you to think on something. You said in the letter that losing your friendship with Charlotte would break your heart. What about her heart, Lizzie? Are you more concerned about the fact that Charlotte has lost her best friend, or is it all about you? Is it just that it’s good to have a friend next door that you can escape to when things annoy you at home? Or to laugh at your jokes about the people around us? To have a planet orbiting you as the sun?”

“Of course not! Lizzie protested hotly. “You read the letter – and I meant every word of it.”

“Really?” retorted Jane. “You mentioned before that actions speak louder than words. So far, I have had to force you to write a letter to both Mr. Darcy and to Charlotte. What actions have you taken, on your own initiative, to heal the rift with either of them? Hmm?”

Lizzie snarled “I’d have gone to visit Charlotte by now, but you told me not to. I would deliver the letter to Netherfield myself, but you have told me that you will do so. Pray tell, Jane, what actions does that leave me to do?”

“You can put your friendship on the line by letting me take that letter to Charlotte. Let her see that you are willing to wear the pain and the embarrassment of her knowing about your bad behaviour because you value your friendship with her more than you do your own pride. THAT is the act of a true friend – to put her feelings ahead of your own.”

“Enough, Jane. Yes, I made a mistake, and it’s a bad one. But I am doing my best to make amends, and I am even mostly following what you tell me to do. I am getting really sick of you being holier-than-thou with me –“

“Oh, are you just? Has it ever occurred to you, Lizzie, that I am really uncomfortable doing this? What would happen if I told you to go and deliver the letter to Mr. Darcy yourself?”

Lizzie looked taken aback “Well, I didn’t mean that, Jane…and I don’t think he’d want to see me…”

Jane glared at her “Correct. So while I don’t want to be, I am currently the only person who saw everything happen, and the only person trusted by everyone involved. So I don’t have any choice about being caught up in this mess, do I?”

“No, you don’t” mumbled Lizzie. Jane turned away for a few minutes, unwilling to show her sister the tears of frustration that were threatening to spill from her eyes. When she felt calmer, she turned back. “Lizzie, I am sorry I yelled at you. I am not going to force you to do anything. But I have thought about this for hours. If you have a better solution – especially one that takes me out of the middle of it – I’d love to hear it. For now, though, I need some space – I’m going home.” And with that, Jane started to walk back towards Longbourn.

Lizzie stared after her with tears in her own eyes. Oh, what an unholy mess! She hadn’t meant to upset Jane, who was doing her best to fix things. And while it was true that Jane’s tone was getting to her, sadly Lizzie realised that her sister had a point. If she turned up to see Mr. Darcy after what she’d last said to him – assuming he’d even bother to admit her – what would she do? Hand him the letter, and wait there, watching his face as he read it? Make small talk with Mr. Bingley, who was no doubt as angry at her as his friend was?

And even if she managed that, how could any of that help Charlotte? How would her friend feel if she discovered that Lizzie had been talking about her behind her back, to “help” her? Wouldn’t such behaviour count as an even worse betrayal of their friendship than she’d already managed? It was not as though Charlotte wanted to see her, either. And her parents – had Charlotte told them anything? If she had, would they shun her – and her family? Or simply set the dogs on her?

Lizzie sat down, and cried openly. For her lost innocence, for her damaged friendship, for the rift with her sister, and for her pride.

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Bingley and Darcy had enjoyed their morning. They had gone for a ride before breakfast, then undertaken fencing each other, and now they were in the billiards room having a quiet game.

“You’re quiet, Darcy. Is anything wrong?”

“I was wondering when Miss Bennet might show up to see us. I am anxious to put this business behind us, but I am finding it hard to write to Miss Lucas until I hear more about her. And I am also keen to both send and receive the letters in regards to her sister. I do not wish to leave you with neighbours who hate you, my friend.”

“That’s good to hear, and I understand what you mean. I haven’t heard from Miss Bennet as yet, but I am not inclined to rush her. Having had older sisters myself, I have learned not to get involved if they are having a tiff if I can possibly help it.”

“You suspect that they are at loggerheads?”

“Yes, Darcy, think about it. One sister, in the space of 24 hours, has an argument with her best friend – not something likely to put anyone in the best of moods. That night, the same sister performs badly in a social setting, but not before asking her sibling to chase her best friend through the darkness. If the request was isolated, then maybe sisterly love and forbearance win out. But after hearing what the original sister has done while you are out risking life and limb because your sister has done something stupid is not likely to be popular. Returning from such a wild goose chase to discover that she has dramatically worsened the situation would try the patience of a saint! As much as I want to help, I feel it’s better to wait for Miss Bennet to come to us when she is ready to do so. She knows the people involved far better than I do, so I am unlikely to improve the situation.”

“I see. What you say does make sense, and it occurs to me that there are in fact five Bennet sisters. It must be hard for any of the girls to find any peace and quiet whatsoever! I didn’t speak to him, but I now feel rather sorry for Mr. Bennet if he must battle this scenario on a daily basis” said Darcy.

“Yes, that may all be true, but keep in mind what we have seen of Miss Jane Bennet. She has handled this situation with grace, patience and finesse. So perhaps she has developed her social skills and intelligence because of her family situation, or despite it”.

“If I may say, Bingley, you seem rather taken with her.”

“I must admit, Darcy, I am. Yes, she is beautiful, I am not denying that, but for the first time in my life, I think I am actually more excited by discovering someone’s true nature as well. You and I usually pussyfoot around making small talk with various women, and it’s hard to tell what is artifice, what is merely polite conversation, and what is a genuinely held belief. I don’t know any of this for sure, of course, but I am impressed with what I have seen so far.”

Darcy walked across the room to hide a smirk, and looked out the window. He was quiet for a little while, and then he said “You raise an interesting point with what you say about the women we meet. I get really sick of making small talk for all of the reasons you raise, not least because I am pretty sure that for many of these women, there is not actually much to them beyond polite conversation. And yet I have recently met a woman- or at least my face has – who left me in absolutely no doubt of what she values, thinks, and feels. If I wasn’t terrified by what she might do to me next, she might have served to be a breath of fresh air!”

Both men laughed heartily at this observation, but for different reasons. Darcy because he still wondered if Miss Elisabeth was actually able to hold a civil conversation without holding a grudge, and Bingley because it occurred to him that he had accomplished his initial mission of getting Darcy to think differently. The irony was that it had happened in an entirely different way than Bingley had planned it to occur.

Chapter Text

Charlotte woke up after a deep sleep, and felt a little bit sore. It stood to reason, she supposed; she had walked a lot further yesterday than what she was used to doing. Maybe she should go for a walk with Lizzie, and then she involuntarily shuddered. For the first time since their argument, she thought about Lizzie – why hadn’t she come to visit? She frowned. More to the point, why hadn’t she come to apologise?

What was Lizzie thinking about at the moment? Was she still angry at the thought that Charlotte would have had them thrown into the hedgerows at a moment’s notice? It wasn’t true, but now that she was feeling calmer, and better about herself, she could see why her friend had flown off the handle. Charlotte knew all too well that her young friend often spoke before she really thought things through. She was still angry, and she had a right to be. But that didn’t mean she wanted to lose the friendship, although she wasn’t sure how they could ever go back to how they were.

Then she thought about Jane. Dear, sweet Jane, who had come to her aid when things seemed really dark. Charlotte felt somewhat ashamed of herself; in the past, despite being closer in age to Jane, she had never really seen Jane as anything much more than Lizzie’s sister. Beautiful, yes, but so kind and placid that she really didn’t make much impression alongside her witty and vivacious sibling. But it was Jane who had stood up when it counted; not Lizzie. Charlotte resolved there and then to make more effort to build an actual friendship with Jane. It also occurred to her that maybe there were other people around whose talents she had never noticed. It was definitely worth thinking about.

Her thoughts drifted unbidden back to Lizzie. At some stage, she’d have to see her, and things could either be awful, which would put a strain on both the Bennet and Lucas families - or somewhat better, if both of them made an effort. But Charlotte didn’t feel it was up to her to make the first move- it was up to Lizzie to apologise, and then they could maybe feel their way through to some sort of détente.

Could Jane work as some sort of go-between? Charlotte wondered. At the moment, she didn’t feel ready to talk to Lizzie at all, and certainly not without causing a scene. But that really wasn’t fair on Jane. Either way, Charlotte thought, sooner or later things would have to come to a head, and she would deal with them as best she could when that time came.

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The two eldest sisters studiously ignored each other overnight. Sisterly huffs were nothing new, and that morning, Lydia tried to work out what was going on. That is, until Jane simply glared directly at her without speaking for a full minute. Lydia had never seen that look on Jane before, and, like Lizzie before her, felt a chill run down her back and fell quiet.

After lunch, both elder sisters repaired to their bedroom; Jane to do some sewing, and Lizzie to read a book. They kept at their work in silence until Lizzie said “Alright, Jane, you can show Charlotte the letter.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to tell me later that I forced you, or that I wanted to embarrass you”.

“Yes, I’m sure. When you left, much of what you said made me cry, because I realised it was true. I don’t know if I have ever really seen Charlotte independently of how I see myself, because she’s been there as my friend for so long. And I am so used to having her there that it has never occurred to me to ask what life would be like if she wasn’t there one day, or even what life would be like if she had never arrived at all. And I don’t like any of the alternatives, but I’m not sure what I don’t like about them more. Is it because, as you say, I am so used to having a captive audience in Charlotte that I cannot imagine not being the sun to her moon? Or is it that I am scared that other people won’t like me to the extent that Charlotte does?

On my way home, I realised that regardless of whether either, or both, of these ideas is true, it’s something I have to work through on my own account. But more than that, I miss my friend. I miss her smiles, I miss her wry observations, I miss her being far more practical than I am." Lizzie paused. "I don’t know how to make it up to her, but I have to try. She may never wish to see me again, but I need to do this in order to become a better friend to anyone in the future.”

Jane stood up, and gave her sister a hug. “Well done – you are now understanding better what I was trying to say. I’m proud of you, Lizzie – it’s not an easy thing to learn.” Then Jane let go. “However, there’s no time like the present. If you have the letter ready, I will take it to Charlotte now, and then onto Mr. Darcy. I will let you know how things go when I return.”

Lizzie nodded in understanding, and passed Jane the letter after putting it into an envelope. She held her sister’s hand for a minute, and said “Jane, thank you for what you are doing. I know it’s difficult for you – for everyone – and I really appreciate it.”

Jane nodded and smiled at Lizzie. Then she turned and left the room, already thinking about what she would say when she arrived at Lucas Lodge, and not sure what sort of reception she would get.

Chapter Text

Jane was met by Mrs. Lucas at the front door. “Hello, Mrs. Lucas. I came to see Charlotte, if she is receiving visitors?” Mrs Lucas smiled and said “Hello, Jane. Please come in while I go and check”. Jane surmised from this greeting that Mrs Lucas was aware of the situation between Charlotte and Lizzie, and breathed a little sigh of relief – that was one less hurdle to overcome.

Charlotte was seeing visitors, and suggested to Jane that they talk in the garden. Jane agreed to this, and they made their way outside to a small bench.

“How are you feeling, Charlotte? – you look much improved.” began Jane. “I am, thank you. Not necessarily about my situation, mind you, but in terms of my mood, I am much better”. Both of them fell silent, not sure what to say next, or how to say it. Charlotte looked at Jane and said quietly “I can never thank you enough for what you did the other night. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I just had to be away from people.” She faltered. “How did you know I was gone, and where?”

Jane tensed, not sure how Charlotte would react to hearing Lizzie’s name. “After you left the building, Lizzie saw you. She was busy remonstrating with Lydia at the time, but she heard your footsteps and turned enough to recognise that it was you. And our coachman Matthew saw which way you went, too.”

Charlotte nodded, and whispered “Did anybody else see me?” “No, I don’t believe so. There are only six people who know about this at all; you, me, Lizzie, Matthew, Mr. Bingley, and Mr. Darcy.”

Charlotte’s eyes widened in horror “How did Mr. Bingley react?” “He was wonderful….and sadly, he had to be.”

“What do you mean, Jane?” “Well, after asking me to go after you, Lizzie took it upon herself to have words with Mr. Darcy – and she slapped him…hard…”

Charlotte was absolutely horrified, and put her hand up to her mouth to cover the gasp that slipped out. “What did she think she was doing? He’s a member of the Ton – he will crucify her…and the rest of you Bennets!” “No, he won’t- at least, he has given me his word that he will not. And we can thank Mr. Bingley for that outcome. He was as angry with Mr. Darcy for what he’d said to you as I was, and as angry as I was with Lizzie.” Charlotte gaped some more. “But…how?”

Jane quietly said “Charlotte, I have quite a lot to tell you, but I need you to listen carefully. Take a few minutes to regain your composure, and I’ll meet you back here. I need to use the necessary”. Charlotte vaguely waved her hand, and Jane disappeared for a few minutes.

On her return, she found Charlotte pacing up and down, and wondered if she had shared enough information for the day. “Charlotte, if you want me to go…” “No, please don’t go, Jane. I need to know what else is going on, even if I do suddenly feel like a character in a novel”. Jane laughed lightly at this, and so did Charlotte, who then said “All these years when nothing has happened, and suddenly it feels as though years have happened in the space of days!”

“Yes, indeed” agreed Jane. “Are you ready to hear more?”, and at Charlotte’s nod, explained how she had arranged with Mr. Bingley to meet Mr. Darcy the following morning. “But Jane, you had barely met the man – you could have been ostracised by him!” “I know, Charlotte, but after Lizzie’s actions, what choice did I have? My parents hadn’t seen it, and they would only have made things worse if they had. They still have no idea what Lizzie did, and I intend to keep it that way. They just think that we are having a sisterly tiff, which is nothing new.” Both women shared a grin, knowing the eternal truth behind that statement.

“So I took a gamble, and visited Mr. Bingley’s house at 8am the next morning. Oh, Charlotte, you should have seen Mr. Darcy’s face – all purple and puffy. He looked like he’d been in the boxing ring! But he did deserve some sort of punishment after what he said to you, and I suspect that Mr. Bingley had softened him up ahead of my visit. I was expecting a proud and angry Mr. Darcy; what I found instead was a quiet and thoughtful one. So I took full advantage of his mood to extract a promise that he wouldn’t talk about this to anyone, or to sue us, and he agreed. He said that Bingley had advised him not to make any more of a fool of himself, or words to that effect.”

Charlotte looked at Jane steadily, seeing her with new eyes. They’d never been close, in large part because of their extroverted mutual acquaintance. But for Jane to have done what she did, for both her family, and for Charlotte herself, spoke volumes about Jane’s character. And if Jane could be that brave, then so could she – even if it hurt to do so.

“And Lizzie – what is she doing now?” “Suffering, mainly. I have been quite nasty to her, because I want her to really see what her lack of forethought and her inflated self-importance have led to. And she’s trying, Charlotte, but it won’t be easy.”

“No, I expect not. And given what she said to me, she has a very long way to go.” Charlotte bristled. “Can I expect an apology any time soon?”

Jane said softly “Charlotte, what Lizzie said to you the other day was awful, and I am truly sorry for it. But please remember that she was standing up for you with Mr. Darcy, Charlotte, even if she overdid it. She was the one who sent me after you, remember? And yes, she is writing an apology to you.”

Charlotte snarled - “I don’t need anyone – least of all Lizzie – deciding to “rescue me”. What arrogance! How does she expect us to maintain a friendship if she merely expects me to do as she tells me, or to simply be her audience?” Jane nodded “I made exactly the same points to her myself, Charlotte. I am disgusted by her behaviour to you, to Mr. Darcy, and to myself. Yes, to myself too, Charlotte. It doesn’t seem to occur to Lizzie that her witticisms are often very hurtful to others, and that I don’t enjoy having to beg others to forgive her!”

Charlotte looked at Jane in surprise, then slowly nodded. “That makes sense, Jane. Please forgive me. Until today, I don’t think I had ever really seen you for yourself – at least, not completely – and I am ashamed to say that. I will try to be more attentive in future’ and she reached out to grab and gently squeeze Jane’s hand. Jane smiled and squeezed back “Thank you, Charlotte.” Then she sighed “This is a sorry mess, and there’s more to come. I can only hope you still like me after what I say next.”

Charlotte smiled. “Jane, you have been so kind, and so brave through all of this, that I hope I can take courage from your example. And in any case, I am now intrigued – how can there possibly be more?”

Jane said “Well, you can soon expect a letter of apology from Mr. Darcy himself.” Charlotte gasped out loud – “You didn’t – Jane, please tell me you didn’t ask him to apologise to me!” Jane laughed out loud at Charlotte’s reaction. “I did, indeed. I was in full big sister mode, and I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Besides, Mr. Bingley suggested it first, so even I hadn’t, it would have happened anyway.”

“But – but – what am I supposed to do in response to such a letter? Do I have to host the man? I am sure I can be civil, if I try, but I have no reason to expect any further contact with him, surely?” At this, Jane looked at the ground and went quiet. “Jane?” said Charlotte. “What did you do next?”

Jane looked up and said “Charlotte, this is what I meant when I said I hoped you will still like me. I asked Mr. Darcy if he could use his connections to find you something to do in life, something that you would enjoy…”

Charlotte exploded in anger, and shouted “You’re as bad as Lizzie is! How dare you assume to do me such a favour! May heaven save me from having Bennets as friends!” and stomped off into the house.

Jane sat there, shaking in shame and despair. She had not foreseen how that would play out; she had thought Charlotte would be pleased. It took some minutes before she rose, and made her way towards the front gate, only to find Mrs. Lucas quietly waiting there.

“Jane, child, are you alright?” Mrs. Lucas said. “I think so” replied Jane, making an effort to stand taller and to control the wobble in her voice.

“And what is going between you, Lizzie and my Charlotte, Jane? She’s been out of sorts for days.”

Jane said “It’s a long story, Mrs. Lucas, and I think it’s better you hear it from Charlotte herself.” Then inspiration struck. “Mrs. Lucas, can I ask you to deliver this letter to Charlotte? It’s not a letter for Charlotte, but I want her to see Lizzie’s words within it. After she has read it, can you please ensure that it gets to Mr. Darcy? And…and…Mrs. Lucas, could you please be discreet, not read the letter yourself, and not tell anyone about this?”

Mrs. Lucas took in the young woman opposite her. She had sisters of her own, and her mind flashed back to those times in her own life she had had secrets, and had asked for an adult’s help. Jane was a kind, sensible girl with a good head on her shoulders. It wasn’t like her to get involved with secretive behaviours, but if she was doing so, then it was likely because she was stuck between Charlotte and Elizabeth. And at some point as a parent, you have to step back and let young people learn from their own mistakes.

“Alright, Jane, you have my word. It may take a little time for Charlotte to calm down, but I promise you I will do this. In return, I ask that you don’t tell your own mother about – about whatever this letter contains. Are we agreed?”

“Yes, Mrs. Lucas, we are. Thank you!” Jane smiled in relief. “I think I have outstayed my welcome today in any case”

Mrs. Lucas smiled wryly. “It would appear so. Is anyone in danger from what’s in this letter – or the broader situation?”

“No, I think we are mostly dealing with bruised pride.” Jane was about to say “at this stage”, before realising that doing so would only worsen the situation. “Goodbye, Mrs. Lucas” “Goodbye, Jane. Take good care.” And with that, Mrs. Lucas turned and went inside, to ponder what was in the letter, and to wait for the right time to talk to Charlotte.

Chapter Text

Jane returned, and explained to Lizzie that it hadn’t gone well. There was a part of Lizzie that wanted to rejoice in the fact that her sister wasn’t so perfect after all, but then Jane wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for Lizzie, and doing so certainly wouldn’t help the situation. In any case, it gave Lizzie more time to write her apology to Charlotte. She had made a start on the letter, but the shifting situation made it unclear how she should finish it.

Another night passed. In the morning, a servant boy arrived from Lucas Lodge with a message for Jane. It read “I over-reacted yesterday, and I am sorry. Could you please come and see me at your convenience? Also, please give Lizzie my regards, but I am not ready to see her yet. Your friend, Charlotte”.

Jane didn’t take long to get ready, although she did ask Lizzie before she left “What do you think I should say?” “I am not sure, Jane” admitted Lizzie. “If this was two weeks ago, I would have had an answer for you, but now I suspect I would give you a wrong answer. Maybe just play it by ear; the ball is in Charlotte’s court now. Either she can see that there are potential benefits to your suggestion, or she can’t face the idea yet. In any case, just accept what she has to say. As I am gradually learning, Charlotte needs to make her own decisions, no matter how much we might want to help. And please tell her I say hello too.” Jane nodded slowly. She hadn’t really thought there was an easier way to do this; she’d just hoped so. At least Charlotte was willing to talk.

She walked over to Lucas Lodge at a leisurely pace. With luck, she thought, she’d be able to then visit Netherfield and deal with that side of things today, or at least get the ball rolling. To her surprise, when she got there, Charlotte was already waiting. Both women looked at each other and smiled nervously. Then they both started to speak at once, but Charlotte held up a hand. “Jane, would you mind if I went first? I promise not to shout at you.” Jane smiled and nodded.

Charlotte said “The last few days have been very unsettling, but I want to follow your example and be brave. It’s one thing to talk about it, it’s quite another to actually do it. I think I was quite shocked yesterday, both by your courage in asking Mr. Darcy what you did, and by your presumption in acting on my behalf.”

Jane looked pained at this, but Charlotte continued. “But after my mother gave me the letter, I could see just how much effort you had gone to. You have, essentially, been running around, trying to soothe everyone, and make things better, when you don’t actually have any direct involvement in the issue. Lizzie does, but I can see from the letter that she, too, is genuinely sorry. I am pleased to know that. But in any case, it’s not only Lizzie who has some growing up to do….so do I. Jane, I behaved really badly yesterday, and I am truly sorry for it. I was feeling immensely frustrated that everyone seems to think I am helpless, and I lashed out at you for that reason. After I calmed down, I came to realise that your efforts stemmed from a deep sense of compassion for me and my situation.”

Jane replied “Well, I want to apologise too, Charlotte. I honestly did not mean to make you feel incompetent or helpless. I really wanted to do something to help, and Mr. Darcy struck me as someone who is in a position to do so. But I have overstepped the mark, and I am sorry. Please forgive me.”

Charlotte smiled broadly at Jane.“Of course I will. I do hope you can do the same for me?” Jane smiled in return, and said “Yes, without reservation, Charlotte”

They were quiet for a little while, then Charlotte spoke. “Do you know what I did the day after the ball, Jane? I walked all the way across to Bilham.”

Jane gasped “But Bilham is a mining village, isn’t it? I have been told that it is unsafe – and you went alone?”

“Yes, I went alone. The village was rather shabby, but the men were away at the mines, so it was rather quiet and peaceful while I was there. And do you know what, Jane? I made a friend over there, an older woman called Judith. I was still pretty upset from the night before, so she invited me into her house for tea. She was so kind to me, Jane, and she made me realise just how limited our view of the world is here in Meryton. I’ve never been to Bilham before; my parents also warned me not to go there for exactly the reasons you mentioned. If I hadn’t gone, though, Jane, I wouldn’t have met Judith, and she taught me some things I hadn’t thought about before. She’s not of our social class, and we would usually never speak to other on equal terms. But because I was in her house, she treated me like an equal, even though we both know that’s not possible over here. She spoke directly to me, and challenged me to develop skills that are useful to other people.”

Jane was somewhat astounded by this. “Charlotte, are you sure that was wise advice? You are a gentlewoman, after all is said and done.”

“Are you sure about that assumption you are making, Jane, and all that flows from it? I am a gentlewoman, yes, but only by family connection. And where is it getting me? Alright, I don’t have to do the housework, but sitting around doing needlework each day gets dreadfully dull. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to run off and be a governess. But surely there must be more to life than what I have been doing for years. If there is a silver lining to what Mr. Darcy has said, it is that it has woken me up. He’s right – if I am not likely to get married, then what am I going to do with my life? It is up to me to make that happen, not sit around and expect it to fall from the sky.”

“And so…I am open to meeting with Mr. Darcy. It cannot hurt, surely, provided he is genuine about wanting to help me. And if we cannot find something mutually suitable, well, at least we tried.” Jane was excited now “Yes, he really was very apologetic, and he did promise to give it some thought. Have you any idea what you would like to do, Charlotte? And forgive me – I’ve never given it a moment’s thought – what can you actually do?”

Charlotte laughed. “I have been thinking through that topic myself. My needlework is fairly good; heaven knows, I’ve had enough practice. As you know, I can play the piano moderately well, but not enough to teach anyone else. I did enjoy helping Mrs. Cape in the kitchen as a teenager, so I can cook some basic meals, and prepare the vegetables and meats. As we came from trade, I also know how to keep accounts, and my mental arithmetic is pretty good. I can read and write. I haven’t really had much schooling – there wasn’t the money for it when I was growing up. Beyond that, though, I don’t think I’m skilled at anything much, although I am happy to learn.”

“That’s more than me, Charlotte. I can do needlework, basic cooking, and write letters. I can also separate my squabbling sisters, and in recent days, I have learned how to intimidate Lizzie.” Both women giggled at this statement, and then Jane finished “Otherwise, I am good at being dainty, quiet and appearing beautiful – or so I am told.”

“I think that you sell yourself short, Jane. You are kind, and – as the last few days have shown me – courageous. You are also a calming presence in many situations, whether with children or adults.”

“Well, if we are going to throw compliments around, Miss Lucas, here are some for you. You are also usually calm, patient, and measured in your actions, unlike someone I could mention. More than that, though, you are observant – you pick up details and connections between things and people that I don’t notice until it’s pointed out to me” ….her voice trailed off…

“Jane, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong, Charlotte, but it just occurred to me that maybe your powers of observation could be more valuable to Mr. Darcy than your more obvious skills.” “You could well be right, but I’m not sure how.”

“Neither do I, but do you mind if I mention it to him? I have a gut feeling that this is somehow important.” “Yes, by all means. After you have gone to all of this trouble, I want you to sing my praises – provided they are based on truth. Otherwise, you would be setting me up for failure”

“I agree. Actually, Charlotte, do you still have Lizzie’s letter?” “Yes, although my mother had planned to send it onto Mr. Darcy. She said you had requested her to do so once I was finished with it. But I wanted to read it again.” “Good, that’s fine.” Jane looked worried, and Charlotte filled in the gap for her after seeing the look on her face. “Jane, my mother did not read the letter. She said she gave you her word on that.” “Oh, thank goodness” replied Jane. “This situation is messy enough as it is.”

“Indeed. I had a strange conversation with my mother, where she essentially asked if I was alright, and when I replied that I was, she said “What about Jane?” I explained that you and I were sorting things out. She didn’t mention Lizzie, although she’s aware that we are not talking at the moment.”

Jane looked pained at this. “Charlotte, I forgot to give you Lizzie’s regards. She misses you dreadfully, you know. Do you think you can ever forgive her?” Charlotte looked at Jane, and sighed. “I don’t know. Eventually, maybe. But I don’t know if things can ever go back to the way they were, Jane. She has hurt me immensely, but beyond that, I think we are now different people to what we were. It's possible that this shake-up has been due for quite a while.”

“What do you mean, Charlotte?” asked Jane.

“Well, for years, we have lived in the same village. We have shared each other’s ups and downs, and one year has been much like the next. But nothing lasts forever. Sooner or later, Lizzie will get married, you will get married, and me…well, who knows? But the point I am making is that it is not actually healthy for the three of us to still be doing the same things 10 years from now. It just so happens that the outside world has brought change to us that we weren’t expecting, and it’s hit each of us hard. But we’ve reacted in line with our characters, and our strengths and weaknesses. In doing so, we’ve exposed how little we really know each other if we step outside the roles we are used to filling for each other. And that’s what I mean by saying that we can’t go back…we’ve seen each other in a different light…and we have to move forward on that basis, not the one we had before.”

Jane shook her head in wonderment. “That’s quite a profound idea, Charlotte, and a wise one. You’ve given me plenty to think about. But for now, I need to go and visit Netherfield. Are you sure you are happy for me to arrange a meeting with Mr. Darcy?”

“Yes, that’s fine, so long as you come with me, Jane. I will try to give Mr. Darcy the benefit of the doubt.” “Fair enough. Well, I should go, then. Please take care, Charlotte.”

“You too, Jane. And thank you – for everything you are trying to do for me.” Jane smiled “What are friends for?”, and then she took her leave.

Chapter Text

The servant knocked upon the door of the billiards room. “My apologies, sirs, but Miss Bennet is in the sitting room. Are you free to see her?” “Thank you, Mr. Blake. Yes, we will go to her immediately. Both men left the game as it was, and hastened towards the sitting room.

As they arrived, Miss Bennet rose and curtsied, while both men bowed. “Miss Bennet, what a pleasure to see you. We have been expecting you, so this is somewhat of a relief” gushed Mr. Bingley. “What my friend means to say, Miss Bennet, is that we are delighted that you could visit us today” retorted Darcy with a smirk.

Jane blushed under all of this attention “I thank you both for making me feel so welcome. However, Mr. Bingley, I would prefer if we left the social part of the visit until later, if that is alright by you?” “Yes, yes, by all means” said Bingley. He had not realised how much he missed this woman until he saw her in front of him.

“Thank you. Mr. Darcy, I have a letter for you. Could I ask you to read it elsewhere, and to take some time to reflect upon it? Just so that you know, I have read it myself, and I hope you will agree that my sister is truly sorry for the injury she has caused you.” Mr. Darcy took the letter, and said “I will read it in the library, as I have a letter for your sister in return. In fact, I would appreciate it if you could read it first, and to check it for tone. Bingley, Miss Bennet, would you please excuse me.” And with their nods of assent, he left the room.

Bingley rang the bell for tea; it would not do for the servants to think that anything untoward was going on. He and Jane smiled at each other, neither being quite sure how to break the ice. Eventually, Bingley asked “How are you holding up, Miss Bennet? I can only imagine that the past few days have been both busy and stressful.” Jane smiled wryly at this, and responded “You might say so, Mr. Bingley. However, progress is being made. Despite my having had several arguments with my sister and Miss Lucas, I believe that we are well on our way to some sort of positive resolution.”

He looked at her with admiration “In no small way due to your own efforts, I have no doubt. Are you able to fill me in with any details, or are things too delicately poised at this juncture?” “It’s not so much that, sir, as that I am trying to ensure that the various pieces have some sort of sequence to them. What I can tell you is that I fear this experience has changed all of us permanently – especially the friendship between Lizzie and Miss Lucas. We are so used to living in such a slow and predictable manner that this week’s events have broken the usual ways that we perceive and relate to one another.”

Bingley replied “How do you mean?”

Jane sighed, and said “Things will change; that is part of life, is it not? But usually, such change is gradual. What happened to Charlotte was in fact a big shock to the three of us, but we have reacted to it differently. In Charlotte’s case, she has decided not to wait for something to happen, but to make it happen, although she is not yet sure how. Her first step is in agreeing to meet with Mr. Darcy. For Lizzie, what awaits her if she does not curb her behaviour, and rein in her self-regard is crystal clear to her now. Despite her youth and beauty, if her kind, patient and calm friend can end up in this position, she now realises the same thing can happen to her – and indeed to me.”

Bingley paused, blinked, and then said gently “And what have you learned from the experience, Miss Bennet?”

“Me? I do not know yet; I have had little time to reflect upon it. I had always assumed that I would get married, and have children. Yet I am closer in age to Charlotte than Lizzie is, and it still has not happened. So, watching Charlotte change before my very eyes is both interesting – and alarming – to me. After all, what will happen to me if I end up in her position? I live in the same village, and none of the local men has yet offered for me, either.”

Bingley, as much as he felt like proposing to her on the spot, managed to master himself, and replied “Yes, I can see what you mean.”

They were disturbed from further conversation by the return of Mr. Darcy. “I am sorry to interrupt you both; did you wish me to leave?” Jane assured him “Not on my account, Mr. Darcy. Mr. Bingley and I were talking in generalities, weren’t we?” and she gave Bingley her most radiant smile as she said this, hoping he would get the hint. “Yes, yes, that’s right. No need to leave, Darcy. Now, how did the letter go?”

“It was – impressive, actually. Miss Bennet, please tell your sister that she has nothing to fear from me in terms of discretion or legal action. Could you also tell her that I can see from her words how much she loves Miss Lucas? And I am glad to hear of her offer to help me with our plans to assist Miss Lucas; there may come a time when I need to speak, or at least write, to her of it.” “I will be delighted to do so, Mr. Darcy. Lizzie has had to do a lot of maturing, and much of that is reflected in her letter, I hope. Now, you mentioned having a letter for her in return?” “Yes, it is here. It seems a rather poor effort after your sister’s letter, but I hope it will suffice.” He handed it across to Jane, who rose, and said “Thank you, Mr. Darcy. It is now my turn to be discreet”. She curtsied, and left the room.

Bingley sighed. “Is she not the most angelic woman to have ever walked the Earth?” he said to his friend sotto voce. Darcy laughed “I do believe you have gone from mere admiration straight through to adoration, Bingley!" He then sobered at the hurt look in his friend’s eyes. “You’re serious, aren’t you? This is not another one of your usual infatuations?”

Bingley shook his head in wonder “No, it’s not. And I think it’s because of how she’s handling this whole situation. I said to you before that you and I don’t really get much indication of a woman’s character because of the delicate game of social charades we all have to play. Well, consider how Miss Bennet has reacted to this situation. She hasn’t offended anyone; indeed, this is not her fight. But despite her discomfort, she has shown no little courage or resourcefulness. She is here now, acting as a messenger between wounded parties, even though she doesn’t have to be. And she is doing this because of her compassion, and her love for friends and family. What man would not be attracted to such a woman?”

Darcy nodded his head “I take your point, Bingley. And I will take you seriously from now on. Do you think that she has any similar feelings towards you?” “As yet, I do not know…” – and the conversation stopped as Jane knocked on the door. Both men stood up, and Bingley said “Enter”. Jane came in, and after they had all sat down, she said “Mr. Darcy, your letter passes with flying colours. I thank you for your kindness in writing it, and I think my sister will think much more highly of you upon receiving it.”

“Thank you, Miss Bennet, that is a relief. I thought that I might need to add to it in reply to Miss Elizabeth’s letter, however.” “That is not necessary, Mr. Darcy – in fact, I think doing so may muddy the waters. Your apology is concise, heartfelt, and gives reasons for your actions. Anything else is a separate topic.”

Darcy nodded, and then thought for a moment of the conversation he had just had with Bingley. “Actually, Miss Bennet, I am ashamed to say that I was not initially inclined to write such a letter. However, my friend over here not only insisted that I do so, but that he would check it over himself before you saw it. And so, both he and I are glad to hear that it has passed muster with you”. Bingley felt his cheeks heat at such praise from Darcy – and shot him a quick look. Then he turned to Jane. “Miss Bennet, while your sister did behave badly, I pointed out to Darcy that none of this would have happened without his rudeness to Miss Lucas. As such, regardless of how your sister responded, he needed to take responsibility for his part in this debacle.”

Jane demurely lowered her eyes to hide the smile in them – men were such simple creatures! - and then recovered. She smiled at both men in turn “Well, thank you to both of you for acting with honour. Now, however, we get to the difficult part. Mr. Darcy, have you completed a letter of apology to Miss Lucas?” Darcy winced. “I have written something, but I wanted your feedback first, Miss Bennet. I have it here with me”, and with that, he pulled it from his pocket. “I have done the apology section, but I am not sure how to word the part where I offer her some sort of position, not least because I am not sure yet what that would be.”

Jane smiled, to reassure him that she understood his position. “Mr. Darcy, I have some good news on that front. I have been to visit Miss Lucas, and – after an initially poor reaction yesterday – she has agreed to meet with you regarding this idea. As she phrases it, what has she got to lose? But she does insist that I am present during the discussion, because as you might imagine, she doesn’t think all that highly of you at present.”

“I can understand that, of course” said Mr. Darcy. “I would appreciate having you there too, Miss Bennet, so that there can be no misunderstandings or questions of impropriety. Would you be open to that?” “Yes, of course. If nothing else, if I am going to be brave enough to ask a member of the Ton for such assistance, I want to see my efforts come to something. But before we get onto the specifics of that, can I read the letter, please?”

Darcy handed it over, and Jane, as she had done previously, left the room to read it.

Chapter Text

Mr. Darcy's letter to Charlotte read as follows:

“Dear Miss Lucas

I would understand entirely if you simply wished to throw this letter onto the fire without reading it at all. I also think you would be entirely within your rights to do so. In all honesty, I have no idea where to start, so if you do keep reading, it may not be the most organised missive you have ever received.

My father had once told me as a boy “Remember, Darcy, an apology with qualifications is no apology. Make it clear, make it specific, and make the other person feel respected. If you can’t do that, then any apology is not worth the paper it’s written upon”. I do hope that you feel I have achieved this when you have finished reading it.

First of all, please accept my deepest possible apologies without reservation. My behaviour was abominably poor, and I am thoroughly ashamed both of what I said to you, and how it reflects upon me as a human being. This last is important, because it is only from reflecting upon my behaviour that I can ever hope to improve it.

As your friend Miss Elisabeth Bennet said to me, I had no right to say such things about ANY woman. Being of noble birth does not absolve me from common respect and good manners. I have since realised that, if anything, my manners should in fact lead by example. Not because of my social position, however, but simply because it is the right thing to do.

Miss Lucas, I also now appreciate that I have very little idea of how people beyond my own social circle live. I am so used to having people at my beck and call, that to my shame, it has rarely occurred to me to consider what a situation may look like through their eyes. As such, I did not think about how you must have felt when I uttered those hateful, despicable and thoroughly mean-spirited words. Instead, I was so caught up in my own annoyance at a separate issue that I simply lashed out, and you were the first thing my eyes recognised as a target. This makes me a bully, a coward, and – now that I have had time to think upon it further – a person whose parents would be ashamed of him. I hope that she never hears of it, but my younger sister Georgiana would also be horrified by my actions.

All of this hurts, but I do not doubt for a second that I am hurting anywhere near as much as what you have been. I was wrong to comment in the blithe manner I did, only just having met you, and thus not having any idea what sort of person you are, what challenges your life holds, or what dreams you may have.

Miss Elisabeth Bennet informed me of a delicate situation which had occurred on the morning before the ball was held, and how the outcome of that situation was deleterious to your future happiness. While I could not possibly have known about this, that doesn’t matter – if anything, it further reinforces to me the need to act with kindness and compassion precisely because I don’t know what other people are facing in their lives.

You may be pleased to know that your friend Elisabeth has an incredibly powerful right hook, which I was introduced to after she scolded me for my words to you. She then proceeded to warn me that I should be glad she was not holding a weapon, and that if I came near you, your family, or her family, I would be sorry that I was ever born. I do not doubt any of this whatsoever.

My friend Bingley has almost made it abundantly clear to me that he was also horrified and disgusted by my behaviour to you, and he insisted I write you this apology. I would have done so anyway, but he is determined that I am to meet his neighbours in Meryton again, and this time around, I am to make an effort to show an interest in them. It is not something I relish, as I am quite private by nature, but I feel about Bingley as Miss Elisabeth does about you. I am immensely sorry to have hurt my best friend, and will walk through fire if need be to regain his esteem.

There is one other person I need to mention, and that is Miss Jane Bennet. Out of all of us in this messy situation, she stands like a lighthouse on a dark and rugged shore in her compassion, kindness, and courage. Her behaviour has been exemplary, and it has all been done out of a desire to heal the harm done to all parties.

I believe she has told you this, but she politely demanded more from me than just an apology to you when we met the morning after the wedding. Miss Bennet made the point to me that perhaps my words stung you more than they otherwise would have, and that any apology I make, while welcome, has no actual use to you once I leave the district. She suggested that I use my social connections and status to assist you in finding a way forward from your predicament over the long term.

I would like to assure you, Miss Lucas, that while this may have been Miss Bennet’s idea to start with, I agree with it wholeheartedly, and I stand willing to help in any way I can. However, because I have only met you once, I do not know what you might aspire to, or how I can assist you in a more practical manner. I agree with Miss Bennet that simply handing across monetary compensation, or offering you a temporary advantage would not be of real use to you, because neither will provide purpose or the ability to grow in terms of skills or experience.

If you are open to the possibility of my assistance, please let Miss Bennet know. I feel that it would help to discuss such matters here at Netherfield, so as to allow for maximum privacy and discretion. Miss Bennet would no doubt be happy to act as chaperone. You are, however, under no obligation to either meet with me, or to agree with anything I suggest. I appreciate that I am likely the last person you want to converse with, and I could not blame you if you do not trust me. I have, after all, given you precious little reason to do so.

But I would ask that you at least consider the possibility. It would put my mind at ease to know that I have done what I can to offer penance for my dreadful behaviour, and that I am capable of being a better man. I am also curious to learn more about how to become a better friend, and I suspect I could learn a lot from the friendship between you and Miss Elisabeth Bennet. If your friend cares so strongly for you that she is willing to break every social rule in existence in your defence, then you must be a friend worth having – and such friends are rare in life.

Please accept my olive branch in the spirit in which it is intended.

Yours in hope and abject apology

Fitzwilliam Darcy

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Jane released a breath that she hadn’t realised she was holding. She didn’t think that the letter could have been improved. Mr. Darcy was clearly deeply sorry, and his tone was spot on. Jane was also delighted to see that he had written a parallel between Charlotte’s friendship with Lizzie and his own friendship with Bingley. He had not done so on purpose, but the very fact that it was inadvertent might help to heal the rift between the two women.

So, reflected Jane, as she put the letter down. All that remained – not that it was a small thing – was to set up a meeting between Charlotte and Mr. Darcy at Netherfield. She suspected that Mr. Bingley would want to stay for such a meeting, but she wasn’t sure if Charlotte would feel comfortable with it. Maybe she and Mr. Bingley could function not only as chaperones, but also as sounding boards. They could allow the two principals to talk, but step in if it was necessary, or offer further ideas as suggestions. Yes, that could well be a good balance, considering that the initial conversation was likely to be rather...stilted.

Jane walked back to the sitting room. The men were quiet, but stood upon her return.

“Mr. Darcy, your letter is excellent, and I will be happy to take it to Miss Lucas upon your behalf. As I mentioned earlier, Miss Lucas is content to meet with you here at Netherfield, Mr. Darcy, to discuss potential options. However, can I suggest that both myself and Mr. Bingley are nearby? I suspect that you may both need our assistance to help establishment a feeling of trust, and once that is established, we can retire to the other side of the room. Mr. Bingley, would you agree to that?”

“A capital idea, Miss Bennet. Would the library be an appropriate room? It is of a reasonable size”

“I think the library would serve perfectly well. Mr. Darcy, do you perceive any problems with this plan?”

“No, Miss Bennet, I think it’s a sensible way forward. My only concern is around timing. I can only stay until the end of the week, when business will take me away. While I am happy to initiate conversations, I do not know if I will be in a position to offer something to Miss Lucas on the spot, so to speak.”

“Mr. Darcy, I very much doubt that Miss Lucas is in the frame of mind to accept any such offer that was made on the spot in the first place. First of all, she barely knows you, and it stands to reason that she will need time to think through any opportunities that you do offer her. If anything, I suspect that you may need to correspond, or, at the very least, to return to Netherfield for further discussions in future. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it is more important that we get this right than to rush things in order to wash our hands of the problem.”

Darcy winced. He hadn’t meant it to sound like that, and one look at Miss Bennet’s face indicated that while she was giving him the benefit of the doubt, she was likely not going to tolerate any backsliding. “I apologise, Miss Bennet. I did not mean to give the impression that I simply wanted this over and done with.” “That’s good, Mr. Darcy. I understand you didn’t mean it the way it sounded, but let’s just take one step at a time. Now, would 10am tomorrow work for you both?”

The two men looked at each other. Neither of them reacted for a moment, then Darcy shrugged, and Bingley grinned. “Miss Bennet, 10am tomorrow will be fine. Now, can we talk about something else for a while? Darcy, could you please tell Miss Bennet about Georgiana? You have mentioned her in passing, but Miss Bennet has asked me for more information about her.”

Darcy didn’t need any further prompting, and he didn’t notice Bingley’s wink to Jane as he moved to ring the bell for more tea. Jane, for her part, smirked ever so slightly at Bingley’s subterfuge, and glanced up once to reward him with a brilliant smile, then proceeded to asking Darcy questions about his beloved sister.

Chapter Text

Later that day, Jane smiled at Charlotte as they sat in the garden at Lucas Lodge. Charlotte smiled back, somewhat nervously.
“Charlotte, Mr. Darcy is happy to meet with you at 10am tomorrow. He insists that both Mr. Bingley and I are there, both to act as chaperones, and also because he suspects that talking to you might be somewhat awkward to start with. Would that be alright with you?”

“I see. I agree, I think that having you and Mr. Bingley there would be a good idea. After all, it will be quite an unusual conversation, so it would possibly feel uncomfortable even if there hadn’t been the same events leading up to it. But Jane, what should I wear? If I am to make a good impression on Mr. Darcy, I want to show that I can dress appropriately.”

“Charlotte, please don’t worry about that. I asked Mr. Darcy about this, and he simply replied that he wanted you to dress in whatever you felt comfortable in – whatever you would usually wear. He is not expecting you to turn up in a ballgown or the like.” Charlotte nodded slowly. “Yes, alright. I can see his point. This is not really a social occasion, and he is not courting me. Did he suggest anything else?”

“Simply that you write down what you are interested in, and what you are good at. He thought that it might be easier if he could read through such a list, and see if it matched what he could potentially offer.” Jane paused. “Charlotte, he also gave me this letter. I don’t know how you are going to feel after you read it, so I am going to talk to your mother for a little while. Is that alright with you?”

She held the letter out. Charlotte took it, and nodded wordlessly at Jane’s question. Once her friend had left, Charlotte read through the letter. She breathed in sharply when she read what Lizzie had initially said to Darcy, and cringed when she read the section about her “delicate situation”. Charlotte gasped involuntarily when she read of Lizzie’s actions, and then – she could not help herself – the tears ran down her face. She missed her friend desperately, and she had to pause for a little while, and gather her composure before she returned her eyes to the letter.

She read about Mr. Bingley, and her opinion of that man rose sharply. She found herself nodding in agreement about Jane’s character, and sobered as she read the last few paragraphs. Well, she thought, Mr. Darcy is correct that it wasn’t the most organised letter she had ever read. And – she read the last section again – “you must be a friend worth having – and such friends are rare in life.” Was Mr. Darcy actually wanting to make friends – with her? Or was he merely making an observation about her friendship with Lizzie? Regardless, she thought, it was a proper apology. Mr. Darcy showed every sign of true contrition, and as a result, she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt now that her initial anger and pain were in the past. As for trusting him, though – that was harder, and was going to take time. But at least having a conversation tomorrow would be a start.

Charlotte turned the idea over in her head. Even assuming that they could agree upon some sort of plan, would he just expect her to drop everything and go with him to Pemberley…or somewhere else? But if he did expect this, and she disagreed with doing it, then there was no point in talking to him, was there? And as such, if this chance slipped away, the likelihood of something else occurring for her was vanishingly small.

She rubbed her eyes, and tried to think straight. She was going to be entirely in this man’s power once she left her home, and all that she had to go on was his letter of apology, Mr. Bingley’s goodwill, and Jane’s courage in trying to make something happen for her. What if Mr. Darcy turned out to be cruel, or violent, or simply failed to live up to his end of the bargain?

A thought trickled through from her subconscious – it was Lizzie saying “My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me”. Despite herself, Charlotte giggled. Then she sobered, and wondered to herself – how long had Lizzie functioned as her conscience? When had her own brand of courage disappeared? And that thought, of course, triggered an avalanche of thoughts about Lizzie. If Charlotte was going to move away, did she need to talk to Lizzie ever again? It would be easier, she thought, but it would also be the coward’s way out. And it would make every future homecoming difficult and stressful. More than that, it would be a very selfish act, and a poor way to treat Jane after all she had done for her.

And there was now no doubt that Lizzie was truly sorry. Yes, she had overreacted to both the Collins proposal, and to Mr. Darcy’s insult. But, reflected Charlotte, Lizzie was a much a victim of Meryton’s size and isolation as Charlotte herself was; she just wasn’t old enough to realise that things were unlikely to change for her either. That wasn’t Lizzie’s fault; after all, it’s not as though either of her parents had done anything to remedy the situation.

In terms of everything else, though, Lizzie had worn her heart on her sleeve – and had been incredibly brave - in defence and support of her friend. Charlotte felt ashamed that she hadn’t thought through the situation from that angle previously. Yes, Lizzie had hurt her…but now that she felt calmer, how much was her silence hurting Lizzie? It was up to herself to make the first move, she realised. Lizzie was being held in check by Jane, and she had been punished enough. But Charlotte wanted to get the meeting with Mr. Darcy out of the way first.

***************************************************************************************************************************************

Jane sat awkwardly with her hands clasped in front of her. Mrs Lucas smiled encouragingly, but said nothing. The silence between them stretched.

Jane started “Mrs. Lucas, I have some information I wish to share with you, as I expect that you must have many questions.”
“Yes, I do, but I trust you, Jane. All in good time. Just tell me what you are ready to share, when you are ready to share it.”

Jane smiled, and released a breath that she hadn’t consciously realised she had been holding. “Thank you. Charlotte is outside at present, reading a letter of apology from a gentleman who insulted her on the night of the ball. It is a proper apology, and I know this because he had to clear it through me before I brought it to her.” Mrs Lucas raised her eyebrows at this, but then simply nodded. Poor Jane, she thought – she is carrying a lot of weight in this situation. Isn’t it interesting to see what people are capable of when courage is needed?

Jane continued “Some of what this gentleman said, though, had a kernel of truth, which is probably why it hurt Charlotte so badly. It had brought her attention to some aspects of life she hadn’t previously faced up to, and their existence came as quite a shock. At this stage, I cannot say much more, but I do have a question for you. If Charlotte was offered a position befitting her station somewhere else beyond Meryton, would you allow her to go to it?”

Mrs. Lucas closed her eyes, and then opened them again after thinking for a while. “I would not be against the idea in principle. You and I both know, Jane, that it is unlikely Charlotte will receive an offer of marriage. Mr. Lucas and I have been concerned about this for some time, but we could not afford to give Charlotte a season in London, as much as we have wished to do so. So, if there is some other opportunity open to my eldest daughter, I would certainly consider it. But I would need to talk to Charlotte herself, to Sir Lucas, and to whoever it is that is offering whatever opportunity this is. One cannot be too careful, and I must admit to wondering what type of “opportunity” this is, and why it is being offered to Charlotte.”

“All of this is entirely fair, Mrs. Lucas, and it gives you credit. My reason for raising this is to tell you that I will be visiting this gentleman with Charlotte tomorrow in order to determine exactly what it is he has to offer. Please do not worry. I am determined that she will not be taken advantage of, or her reputation damaged. But by the same token, I want her to at least investigate this opportunity while it exists. Would you allow her to attend such a meeting?”

Mrs. Lucas smiled “You are full of surprises this week, Jane!”, and she laughed when Jane blushed. “Yes, I do not see any problems in you having a conversation along the lines of what you are describing. However "– and here she paused to ensure that Jane was paying attention – “anything beyond an initial conversation will be held under my roof, with both myself and Sir Lucas in attendance. If the gentleman in question is not willing to agree to this condition, then any deal is off the table. Do you find this acceptable, Miss Bennet?”

Jane did not miss the change in tone, nor the message implicit within it, in Mrs. Lucas’s words. “I think that is entirely reasonable, and I doubt that the gentleman in question would have any problems with such a condition. I will ensure that he understands when we visit him tomorrow.” “Good. Well, unless there is anything else, perhaps you might wish to see how Charlotte is faring outside?”

Jane recognised a dismissal when she heard one. “Yes, Mrs. Lucas, that’s a good idea. By the way, thank you for trusting me in these matters. The whole situation has been rather….delicate…”

Mrs Lucas gave her a broad smile “Yes, I can well imagine that. I thank you in turn for trying to help Charlotte, Jane. You are a good friend to her, and to our family.”

Jane blushed, and then walked slowly towards the garden.

Chapter Text

Jane smiled as she approached Charlotte. “So, what did you think of the letter?”

“It’s a genuine apology, and I am pleased to receive it. I am still unsure about what happens next, though – if anything happens at all. Mr. Darcy has already shown himself to be capable of being flippantly cruel; what happens if he can act that way on purpose if I annoy him in some manner?” Jane started. This wasn’t something she had considered, and Charlotte made a very good point. After all, they barely knew the man, and who exactly was he within his own domestic set-up? Did he treat his staff and servants badly?

“Maybe it would be a good idea to ask for a trial period. That way, you can both see if the situation is viable. To be fair, Charlotte, I suspect that he is as nervous about this as you are. I don’t imagine he’d usually have all that much to do with the people working under him, although I might be wrong. I must confess, I am starting to wonder if I have created a monster out of this situation, though I meant well.”

She looked at Charlotte with a weak smile, and Charlotte, to her surprise, giggled. “Oh Jane, the look on your face! Don’t worry too much. Either this works out, or it doesn’t. I suspect I am letting my imagination run away with me somewhat, and if this doesn’t work out, then I just come home again.” She fixed Jane with a quizzical look. “I suspect you have told my mother something of the sort?”

“Yes, but only in broad generalities. She is supportive of the idea, Charlotte, but wishes for herself and your father to be satisfied of Mr. Darcy’s bona fides. She insists that any formal meeting is to be held here at Lucas Lodge before they let you go anywhere with him.”

Both women went quiet for a while after that, until Jane said “You don’t have to go anywhere, Charlotte, if you don’t want to. I am sorry to have put you into this position. After all, you mentioned your plan to help people over in Bilham, and if that is what you want to do, then you should feel free to do it.”

Charlotte smiled wistfully, and replied softly. “Jane, I appreciate what you are saying, but I think that I should take the chance offered to me, whatever form it comes in. Do you remember what I said yesterday about how we all reacted to change? Well, it occurred to me that one reason we are all finding this hard is that life doesn’t change much around here, and so it’s as if our ability to cope with change is quite weak as a result. As if we have “change muscles” in our heads, but we don’t exercise them much.”

Jane nodded slowly “That’s an interesting concept, Charlotte. So, are you saying that you want to meet Mr. Darcy as a way of exercising that muscle?” “Yes, that’s it exactly. If I don’t see where this takes me, I will spend the rest of my life wondering why I didn’t try. And as much as I love my family, and my friends, that visit I made to Bilham made me wonder what else is out there in the world. If I don’t take this opportunity, then not only does my world shrink, but I may never get to see what I am capable of.”

Jane looked at her friend in surprise. What she had just said rang true for Jane herself, in a way that she hadn’t recognised. If Darcy hadn’t been rude to Charlotte, and Lizzy hadn’t slapped him, then Jane would not be having this conversation at all. Which meant what, exactly? That Jane would have continued living life as she always had, waiting for something to happen. She gasped as the implications of that sunk in.

It was Charlotte’s turn to be surprised. “Jane, are you alright? I didn’t mean to upset you!” “No, you haven’t, I promise, Charlotte. But what you said has just touched me deeply. If none of this had happened, then I would still be blissfully ignorant, Charlotte. I have come to realise that I have been waiting passively for something to happen in my own life too. It’s quite disturbing to realise just how passive I have been.”

“Yes, I take your point. It’s…. rather unsettling, isn’t it? We are not encouraged to think for ourselves, and yet this is where it has got us to. On the other hand, look on the bright side…if nothing had happened, as you say, then what would the future look like? Maybe this is a wake-up call we have needed for a while.” Charlotte continued “I don’t honestly know what the future holds, Jane, but for the first time in ages, I feel a flutter of excitement at what could happen. You may laugh at me a year from now, and remind me when I complain of being bored at whatever I am doing then. But at least it might be a different boredom than the type I am all too familiar with here!”

At this, both women laughed out loud, and then surveyed each other with a grin. Jane advised “Well, indeed, I’ll have to hold you to that. Charlotte, you will write to me, won’t you, if you do go away? I will miss you badly, now that I have come to know you a little better.” Charlotte blushed. “Yes, of course I will, and Lizzie too. I meant to say, Jane, that I am almost ready to talk to Lizzie. While she did hurt me badly, I can see now that she acted out of love for me, and on that basis alone, I should give her another chance. But I want to get the conversation with Mr. Darcy out of the way first.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful to hear, Charlotte. Thank you. And I agree, Lizzie might be sorry, but I don’t know if she would be terribly helpful in the situation with Mr. Darcy. Or, at least, not yet.” Charlotte smirked “Yes, I think it’s best we keep this under wraps for now. Does Lizzie know about Mr. Darcy’s offer?” Jane replied “Yes, but only in the most general of terms. I don’t think that she has yet thought through what it might mean for you, or indeed for your friendship.”

“So much the better, then” said Charlotte. “Lizzie can learn that I am able to make my own decisions without reference to her.” Jane looked sadly at Charlotte. Things had moved so far between Lizzie and her friend from where they had been a week ago. But there was no way back to that state of innocence, and Charlotte had every right to her own point of view.

Charlotte recognised the look on Jane’s face, and softened her tone “I am sorry, Jane, that came out sounding far harsher than I intended it to. All I meant was that I am pleased to be making my own decisions for a change.” She sighed. “And it appears that I am still feeling somewhat bruised by what has happened. I hope that one day Lizzie and I can express different points of view, and accept that we see the world through different eyes, without getting upset with one another.” “I do understand what you mean. Lizzie will get there, Charlotte, but it will take time. It may be that Lizzie is the one who needs to use her “change muscles” the most of all of us. She is so used to being the centre of attention, though, that I think the idea that other people exist happily beyond her orbit, and beyond what she thinks is right, is quite a shock to her”

Inspiration hit Jane then. “Charlotte, why don’t we leave meeting Lizzie until she has sent you her apology letter? That way, she will have to really think about things more broadly, and it will give you some time to digest whatever comes out of tomorrow’s meeting with Mr. Darcy?”

“Yes, I think that’s a good idea, Jane. Whatever happens tomorrow, I need some time to get used to it, and to plan for it, if need be. Dealing with Lizzie at the same time would just complicate matters. But please tell her I am looking forward to her letter.”

“I will. Now, I intend to return home, Charlotte. I need time to think things through too.” “Of course. I will see you tomorrow morning. And thank you, Jane. I know none of this has been easy on you.”

“No, it hasn’t, but it has been….interesting. Until tomorrow, then.” Jane stood up, gave a little wave, and then walked out the garden gate, back towards Longbourn.

Chapter Text

Jane met with Lizzie as soon as she got home, and both of them went for a walk out of earshot of their sisters. Knowing that her sister was bursting with impatience, but was trying not to show it, Jane got in first.

“Well, Lizzie, I will tell you all, but please let me go through it first. It is hard enough to keep track of everything that’s going on without interruptions. Are we in agreement?” Lizzie nodded. While she didn’t like Jane’s tone, rubbing her sister up the wrong way was not going to get her the answers she wanted any faster.

“Good. Mr. Darcy has apologised to Charlotte in a letter, and he extended the olive branch that I mentioned earlier around trying to help her in the long term. For her part, Charlotte has accepted his apology, and has agreed to meet with him at 10am tomorrow. Neither of them knows what to say, and both of them suspect that the initial conversation will be somewhat awkward. As such, Mr. Bingley and I will be present as chaperones.

Mr. Darcy has made clear both in writing and in person that Charlotte is under no obligation to accept any offer he makes, and both of them recognise that they may not find common ground. Charlotte, for her part, is understandably nervous about what type of person Mr. Darcy may be on his own territory, and I share her concern. This is why I have asked Mr. Darcy to meet with her parents before any formal agreement is made, and he has agreed to this condition. I have also ensured that Mrs. Lucas is aware of the situation."

Jane looked at her sister, who was looking thoughtful. Pleased with this reaction, Jane continued. “Mr. Darcy also thanks you for your letter, and he accepts your apology. He has also written you one in return, and hopes that it meets with your satisfaction. I assured him that it will meet with your satisfaction” – and at this, Jane glared at her sister, who nodded in resignation – “and he thanks you for your offer to help in Charlotte’s situation. So it would seem that at least part of this mess is resolved, which is a great relief.

But now we get to the hard bit. Lizzie, your actions have had a greater impact than either of us realised at the time. Charlotte actually wept at reading your kind words about her to Mr. Darcy, but she still harbours a lot of anger towards you – and towards herself. She’s had to do a lot of maturing in a very quick amount of time, and I suspect that there is more to come. Lizzie, do you remember what I said about Charlotte being the moon to your sun?”

Lizzie replied softly “Yes, I do.”

“Well, Charlotte has come to realise that while things here in Meryton were slow, and change came only very slowly, neither of you had to think about how you perceived each other. But now that change has come, she is somewhat horrified at herself for having been willing to let someone else define who she is. This week’s events have suddenly woken her up to the fact that she needs to aim at something in life, not just wait for things to happen to her. And she has already started acting on that impulse. The other day, she walked over to Bilham all by herself.”

Lizzie gasped “But isn’t that incredibly dangerous?” “Well, so you and I have been led to believe. However, Lizzie, not only did she return safely, but she made a friend over there as well – and she is considering visiting over there again.” Jane looked at her sister’s pale face, and found herself unable to suppress a tight smile. Good – she thought – the lesson is really getting home at last.

“Lizzie, this week has changed Charlotte for good. She understands why you did what you did, and she misses you. However, she does not want to see you until she has concluded her conversations with Mr. Darcy. She was also clear that whatever friendship you have in the future needs to start from a different place. In essence, Lizzie, she can forgive you, but she won’t forget what you have done – and I’m sorry, but it’s likely to be a bumpy ride back.”

Lizzie nodded, but could not help the tears rolling down her cheeks.

Jane softened, and reached out to hold Lizzie’s hand. “I’m sorry, Lizzie, this is a lot to take in, but there is more. It’s quite possible that Charlotte will leave Meryton in the not-too-distant future. Regardless of what Mr. Darcy offers, I think that Charlotte will now not be happy living the life she has – she cannot mentally return to the person she was a month ago. Charlotte has thought things through deeply, and she mentioned an idea she called “change muscles”. She said that she thought none of us had used such muscles in our heads for quite a while, simply because there was no immediate need to do so. But she was aware that it wasn’t healthy for us to stay the same forever – to stagnate, in other words.

I haven’t had time to process this idea in any depth yet, Lizzie – but it is one I plan to think about myself. This whole situation has changed me irrevocably as well. After all, I had always assumed that I would get married and have children – yet none of the local men has shown any sign of proposing to me. And so I ask myself – what happens to me when I get to Charlotte’s age, if I just assume that a solution will just fall from the sky? If I don’t proactively change on purpose, will I be able to deal with it when it is thrust upon me one day? Even worse, what if that day never comes, and I remain as ignorant – and as mentally weak – as I have been up until now?”

Jane stopped speaking, and looked out at the garden. She’d said more than she had intended to, but the words were out now, and maybe, she reflected, they were words she had needed to express to help herself make sense of how she felt.

Both sisters stayed quiet for a good ten minutes. Lizzie looked at her older sister, and wondered how she had become so wise. She spoke up, quietly. “Jane, thank you for telling me where things are up to. I hardly know what to feel, as there’s so much to take in.”

She paused, gathering her thoughts, and Jane watched her patiently. Lizzie continued “I can definitely understand where Charlotte is coming from, but it hurts like nothing else on Earth to know that things will never be the same between us as they once were.” With a supreme effort, Lizzie regained her composure, and gave a weak, watery smile. “This is the getting of wisdom, is it not? I have to say, I find it very overrated!” Both sisters shared a laugh at this, then fell quiet again.

“As for you, Jane, I am truly sorry for what I have put you through. Your words show me just how far I have to come in terms of adapting to change. I must admit I have been shocked at some of your behaviour in the past week. Not that I haven’t deserved it, but because I have not realised what you were capable of. And that realisation– as uncomfortable as it is to face up to – shows that Charlotte is right about her “change muscles”. I look down on our younger sisters for their behaviour, without realising that perhaps I am more damaging because more is expected of me. And to think that I was so proud of myself – well, now I am thoroughly ashamed. Could you ever forgive me, Jane?”

Jane took both of Lizzie’s hands, and said “Of course I can. Nothing is irredeemable, Lizzie, and I am only harsh with you because I love you dearly. And I am nowhere near perfect myself, so I apologise for my words if they hurt you.” Jane herself was now teary, and she and Lizzie gave each other a hug. When they separated, Jane said “If it’s alright with you, Lizzie, I want to go home. I have had a very busy day, and I need a rest from all of this drama.”

Lizzie nodded. “I can understand that. I am going to walk to Oakham Mount to try to clear my head.” “Fair enough. See you back at the house”. And with those words, the Bennet sisters went their separate ways.

Chapter Text

Jane and Charlotte arrived at Netherfield just before 10am. Charlotte had done her homework, writing down both what she could do, and what she would like to do. When they were admitted to the sitting room, both gentlemen rose to their feet, and greetings were exchanged. Once they were seated in the library, no-one quite knew what to say, so Charlotte made a start.

“Mr. Darcy, I wanted to thank you for your letter. It was honest and thoughtful, and I wanted to tell you I appreciate you writing it.”

Darcy was a little taken aback by this opening sentence, but he recovered enough to say “Thank you, Miss Lucas. I am sorry in what I said to you, and I do sincerely wish to help you if I can. I see that you have a paper of some sort, would you mind if I looked at it?” Charlotte replied “Of course, please do” and handed it to him. Darcy read through it with intense concentration. It saddened him greatly to think that Miss Lucas had nothing here that really stood out, but then he hadn’t expected anything to. After all, it was not as though women were given the same level of education as men, and it was hardly Miss Lucas’s fault that she didn’t floor him with knowledge of chemistry, or lithographic printing, or some other unlikely skill.

Jane and Bingley made small talk with Charlotte, in a bid to make her feel calmer, while Mr. Darcy continued to read. The second half of Charlotte’s list interested him far more than the first half had. It read as follows:

“Mr. Darcy, I have given your request a great deal of thought in the past few days, and I am going to ask for the moon, because after all, I am very unlikely to get another chance anything like this one, and I fear I will regret it for the remainder of my days if I do not show the type of courage I so admire in my friend Jane for approaching you on this topic in the first place.

I have spent most of my life in the environs of Meryton, watching either the occurrence of trade, or the interactions of my neighbours. On the surface, neither situation appears to hold much promise, but something Jane said to me has made me aware of a skill set I hadn’t realised that I possessed. Years of being overlooked for romantic purposes has meant that I have gone through several stages of reaction to my situation. As a young woman, I was initially very frustrated by my situation, then depressed, until finally I came to accept it, but also to wonder what it was that people were looking for in each other, and how that initial spark occurred between two individuals. So, I started to watch other people interacting, and to really focus in upon small details in their gestures, tone of voice, etc. I found this only mildly diverting until I broadened my field of vision to notice how other people reacted to any such attractions, and to try to imagine what was going on in their heads. As far as the trade side of things goes, I can do basic accounts, but I was always curious as to why particular goods sold well, and others didn’t. Allied with my observations about my neighbours, I began wondering where things came from, and how various goods were invented and developed.

Ironically, your comments at the ball have in fact done me a favour, despite the pain that they initially caused. For a long time, I think that I simply expected that my life would somehow miraculously change, in large part because women are not expected to be proactive in such matters.

After I overcame the initial shock, I went for a walk to the nearby village of Bilham. It is known locally for slate mining, but we have been warned against it since we were young girls, as the inhabitants were said to be “rough” and “dangerous”. Such things may well be true to some degree, but I had a different experience. For the first time in my life, Mr. Darcy, I had a real conversation with a woman called Judith from a class well below my own, and the experience changed me. To my shame, it had never occurred to me previously to think about where our domestic staff came from, or what they might want out of life. Judith was kind, compassionate, and practical in her help to me. She explained that women at her level have to develop both strong relationships with each other, but also to think about how they can be helpful to others in terms of skills. And despite my status as a gentlewoman, her words rang true with me. If something was to happen with my family, and I suddenly had to fend for myself, I would be at quite a loss.

Judith suggested that I could teach the children of the village how to read and write, as a way out of the poverty and lack of other options so many of them face. In the absence of your offer, sir, the idea appealed to me, at least in terms of being of service to others. But there would be risk to me, even if (as Judith suggested) I was to pretend that I was simply visiting the poor as a gentlewoman should. In return, she offered to teach me some more practical skills beyond the bounds of polite society. However, I cannot be seen teaching commoners anywhere, especially in exchange for remuneration. And yet, I think it’s important. I can see that various changes are happening in regards to animal husbandry, crop rotation, and the like with our own tenants at Lucas Lodge. What happens to villagers like those in Bilham if the market prices fall too far, or a new machine puts them out of work? If they cannot read or write, they will really struggle to survive.

In essence, I think that I can apply my attention to detail in both trade and social settings to your advantage. Being a woman, I can also potentially get access to places and conversations that you cannot. So, I am wondering if I could somehow function as your eyes and ears, Mr. Darcy, in a subtle way that perhaps does not connect to your everyday life? If I was to stay at Pemberley itself, I think that uncomfortable questions might be raised for both of us. If, however, I was to live in a village nearby, then provided we invented a decent cover story, I could potentially have a reason to visit you on occasion, and to provide you with useful information.

This sounds both trite and rather ridiculous to my ears as I write it, and I long for more excitement than simply exchanging one country village for another. If that was all I could do, I would prefer to stay here. But if my role involved some measure of travel, then I believe I could be much more useful to you in observing how things differ from one location to another.

I apologise if none of this is very clear or coherent. It is hard to express what I think might be possible when I have so far led such a sheltered life. And while I enjoy reading, imagination can only take one so far. But it is this aspect of my character, rather than my doing the things other gentlewomen can do either as well or better than me, which I think offers the best hope for our mutual advantage.

Yours in hope, Charlotte Lucas"

Darcy looked up at Charlotte. “Miss Lucas, this is just – extraordinary! I must admit, I am not quite sure what to make of it. I take it you have read the document, Miss Bennet?”

Jane replied evenly “I have, Mr. Darcy. And I concur with its sentiments.” She paused, not sure whether to say more, or if doing so would upset him. Darcy nodded in seeming approval. “I see. Miss Lucas, would you be comfortable for Mr. Bingley to read what you have written down?”

Charlotte smiled. “Of course. Mr Bingley has been kind enough to host this meeting, and it may be that he has different ideas that haven’t occurred to us so far.” To her amazement, Mr Darcy smiled back at her, the first time she had ever seen him do so. Charlotte wasn’t immune to his good looks, but the change in his manner made her feel much calmer. “My thoughts exactly, Miss Lucas.” He handed the document to Bingley, and Bingley took it with great care after looking at Mr Darcy curiously.

Jane suggested to Charlotte that they go for a walk about the room, and Charlotte readily agreed to this. They conversed quietly, not wanting to disturb Mr. Bingley, until they were surprised to hear the man laugh, and Mr. Darcy followed. Both women hurried back to where the men were seated, and Jane said rather sharply “Gentlemen, there is nothing of humour in that letter. Would you like to inform Charlotte and I exactly what is so funny?”

With a great effort, Bingley said “Because this is very much in line with a conversation that Darcy and I were having last night. It appears that great minds think alike!” Still mystified, Charlotte asked “Do you mean to say that Mr. Darcy has been looking for a set of eyes and ears of some sort?” Darcy, still breathing heavily, smiled broadly, and said “Exactly”. Taking care not to meet Bingley’s eyes, in case they set each other off again, he smiled at both women and said “Please take a seat, ladies, and I will clarify matters”. Charlotte, feeling somewhere between miffed and amused, looked at Jane. Jane shrugged, and raised an eyebrow, which only set Bingley off again until Jane’s glare pulled him back into shape. Once he was calm, both women sat down.

“Miss Lucas, Bingley and I were talking about exactly the types of things you mentioned before, such as crop rotation. While I find that I can now get greater yields out of each field, I no longer need as many tenants to do it. But the other problem is that the returns are falling as well, possibly because most other farmers are becoming more efficient at the same time. As the landowner, I have the responsibility to care for my tenants, yet over time, my returns are falling. My friend over here, though, knows more about the industrial side of things than I do. And as much as it pains me to say it, he’s a better investor than I am. But we are both aware that the world is changing, and none of us have the time to keep up with everything that is happening. So, while we were relaxing last night, we were joking about how nice it would be to have someone able to travel around and to “go undercover” for us, so that we could become aware of potential investments before they became commonplace.

At that time, we realised sadly, that we couldn’t see how it was possible. Any men of our own status are already known, and many are looking for the same advantages that we are. And people know who our existing staff members are, so either they would guess what we were up to, or they would try to lure them away from us. Yet neither Bingley nor I could see that a potential solution was right in front of our faces the entire time. And so we are now laughing at our own immense stupidity! I do hope you can forgive us?”

Charlotte and Jane looked at each other, and likewise got the giggles, and the men joined in. It took a good while for everyone to calm down, and eventually Charlotte said “So, let me check that I have understood you, Mr. Darcy. You want me to travel around incognito as some sort of industrial spy, discover what I can, and report the information back to you?”

“Essentially, Miss Lucas, that’s correct. I don’t have any more idea about how to go about this than you do, but I am hoping that over time, maybe via trial and error, we can find a method that works. Does the idea itself appeal to you?” “Yes, it does, oddly enough. I think we would need to think it through more carefully, but I am keen to at least attempt to make it work. How would you see me starting in the role?”

“Well, as you said, I think that you have gaps in your knowledge at present. So, at the very least, you would need to come to Pemberley, and to gain an understanding of what is involved in running a large property. Then I think you would need to learn some of the industrial side, which I hope Mr. Bingley can help us with in terms of contacts."

Jane interrupted “Mr. Darcy, are you expecting Miss Lucas to travel unchaperoned to all of these places?” Darcy sobered. “To be honest, Miss Bennet, I had not thought that far ahead. It is one of those details we are going to need to think through as part of the larger picture. After all, for this to work, Miss Lucas’s cover needs to be absolute.”

Jane nodded, thinking. After a moment, she said “Mr. Darcy, I have relatives in trade in London, a Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. Could they be of assistance?” Darcy looked at Bingley, who said “I have heard of Gardiner, but haven’t met him yet. However, by all accounts, he is a decent and honest man.” Jane beamed at him, and Bingley smiled back. Darcy, meanwhile looked at Charlotte, who raised an eyebrow and nodded imperceptibly to indicate she knew what Mr. Darcy was asking about the other two. Hiding a smirk, Darcy went on to say “Yes, Miss Bennet, they may prove to be useful, but at a slightly later stage.”

“How so?” asked Jane. “Well, I am not entirely sure, but if Miss Lucas was to visit them with yourself or Miss Elisabeth as a friend of the family, then no questions would be asked about her presence there, as it would seem entirely in keeping with her existing way of life. But what she chose to do beyond that would be at Miss Lucas’s sole discretion.”

The rest of the morning was spent in avid discussion on how this idea could be made to work, including agreement upon a trial period, and both Jane and Charlotte were happy to accept the invitation extended for luncheon.

Chapter Text

Lizzie sat at the bedroom table, and pondered what she had written. It had taken much of the morning, and she’d had to take several breaks to compose herself, as the subject matter upset her.

Lizzie had reworked her original missive to reflect what Jane had said, and that took her further from her original understanding of both Charlotte, herself, and their friendship. It had come as a shock to realise that Charlotte was both rattled enough – and brave enough – to visit Bilham alone. Lizzie had never thought that Charlotte was brave, but then, she reflected, society didn’t exactly encourage women to be brave in all sorts of ways. And neither, she thought, did I encourage my friend to do anything. I didn’t allow her any space to express what she might feel, and it never occurred to me to ask. Jane had been right; Lizzie was used to seeing her friend only as an admiring planet to her sun. And now, Lizzie was bereft – but she had to adapt to how things were.

How did one start a friendship anew? Lizzie had no idea. It was one thing to apologise for bad behaviour, and to wish a friend well in future, but then what did one say? While it was encouraging to hear that Charlotte missed her too, it hurt that Charlotte didn’t trust Lizzie enough to be involved in decisions around her future. And if that future took Charlotte away, where did that leave Lizzie?

She looked down again at the letter she had written, which went like this:

“My dear Charlotte

As you well know, my mouth has often landed me in trouble in times past. As the Bible says “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” But I am no longer a child, and I can no longer act like one. My actions have consequences, as the past week has made abundantly, blindingly clear to me.

I have re-written this letter half a dozen times, feeling it could not convey accurately what I wanted to say. This morning, I realised that there is not likely to be any perfect way to do so, but I must try regardless. So, in the profoundest way possible, I say sorry to you.

How am I sorry? I am sorry that I reacted so badly to the news of your rejection by Mr. Collins. At a time where you were looking for my support, I turned on you, and accused you of looking to do something which I know in my heart of hearts you would fight tooth and nail against happening. In doing so, I unwittingly made clear what I truly thought of you, and what my own deepest fears were.

I am sorry to have made your embarrassment at the hands of Mr. Darcy so much worse than it had to be, and put both yours and my family at real risk of danger. I am sorry that I sent Jane out to look for you in the dark instead of going myself. I am sorry that I put Jane in a situation where she had to intercede on my behalf, and that she felt compelled to act in a way that worsened your embarrassment and shame.

More than all of that, I am sorry for taking you for granted. I am sorry for not thinking about how the world may look through your eyes. I am sorry for taking advantage of your calm and patient nature. I am sorry for always wanting to be the centre of attention. I am sorry that I lacked the maturity to recognise any of this before my actions caused such damage to so many people.

And most of all, I am sorry that I do not deserve to be called friend by you. My actions have been incredibly self-centred, proud, and arrogant. While you can be assured that Jane has been fearsome to me in your defence, you can be even more certain that I will carry the guilt and regret over my actions until the day I die.

But this letter is not about me – I want it to be about you, Charlotte. Jane has told me that you walked to Bilham by yourself, against all of the advice we have received for years, and that you even made a friend over there. I am astounded by your courage in the light of what you have been through. I was also astounded by Jane’s audacity on your behalf in asking Mr. Darcy to assist you, and by your courage again in accepting it. You may not wish to hear it from me, but I hope that something wonderful comes of it, whatever that may be. To my eternal shame, Charlotte, apart from us giggling about our neighbours and friends, I never thought to ask what you might want out of life – I just assumed that I already knew, and that it was directly in line with my own desires.

Jane has made me very much aware how much this whole experience has changed how you view the world, and your place in it; that you have questioned your own assumptions about how life would work, and that in doing so, you have found direction of a sort. She also mentioned that your conversations have instigated Jane herself to question her own life choices. I am doing so too, but I have to reflect upon how to behave as an adult first and foremost.

I wanted to say that I am proud of you, Charlotte. Proud of your calm and stoic dignity in the face of a world that often seeks to belittle you. Proud of your steady and patient nature in the face of my family’s wild and uncouth behaviour. Proud of your hard work in supporting your family. Proud of your ability to find humour in the most absurd of situations. And proud that you have been able to tolerate me and my selfishness for all these years.

Now I have new reasons to be proud of you. You may well be moving somewhere else, and I am proud of the courage you are showing in taking that risk. I am proud that you have decided to take life by the horns, and to chart your own course. Most of all, I am proud of our friendship. If that is to end, I will understand, but please be assured that I wish only the best for you, wherever life takes you, and whatever you do. If I can ever be of help, you only need to ask, and I will drop everything to be there.

With much love
Lizzie

Lizzie hoped that Jane would be home soon. Now that she had written the letter, she wanted it in Charlotte’s hands as soon as possible. She itched to take the letter over to Charlotte herself, but she had convinced herself that this was a test of her resolve. She would show patience, she would put her friend’s feelings head of her own desires, no matter how hard it was.

Chapter Text

Jane returned, but needed a few hours rest, and to consider what had been discussed, before talking to Lizzie. Lizzie found this very difficult to bear, but, in line with what she wanted to prove to herself she could do, she merely nodded, and went for a walk to Oakham Mount. When she got there, she sat on her favourite rock. She wondered how Charlotte would respond to her letter, and how their next conversation was going to go. She hoped that there would be a next conversation – that Charlotte would at least talk to her before heading off into her new life. And if she does, thought Lizzie sadly, what do I do with myself?

She mentally kicked herself yet again for not realising that such a thing was bound to happen one day with Jane as well; indeed, given Jane’s beauty and kindness, why it hadn’t happened already. While Jane would likely not move too far away, the idea of not having her around on a daily basis filled her with sadness.

How was she to fill her days? With a pang, Lizzie realised that she did nothing much of value herself. As a young gentlewoman, she visited poor tenant families for the allotted 15 minutes each, but she didn’t really know much about them beyond pleasantries and names. She marvelled at Charlotte having gone over to Bilham, and wanted to ask her about it.

What does one talk about with housemaids or stable boys? Well, first of all, a little voice of conscience said inside her head, you come down off your high horse. Lizzie was amazed to feel herself blush, and felt a rush of relief that nobody was here to see her do so. She reflected that her Aunt Gardiner had servants, but that she spoke to them very differently to what she’d seen her own mother do. Mrs. Bennet wasn’t rude, exactly, but she was blustery, and she remembered rolling her eyes at her mother’s behaviour to both Cook and Mrs. Hill over the years, to catch a twinkle or smirk in their expressions.

Should she ask her father for advice? No, she thought – he’s part of the reason things are the way they are – and he has no doubt barely noticed that anything is amiss. Besides, it’s high time I thought for myself, rather than seeing him as the fount of all wisdom. He might be learned, but book learning was of little use when it came to interpersonal issues. In any case, he had married her mother, and that act in itself spoke volumes about his judgement on these issues.

Lizzie thought some more. Maybe it would be a good time to visit the Gardiners in London. It had been a while, and she thought it might give Jane and herself some clarity. She had another thought – maybe it was time to bring Mary along too. Her younger sister was suffering from the same lack of direction that Lizzie and Jane had received, even though she manifested it in a different way. While Mary was not pretty, like Charlotte, she was kind, and practical, and she deserved better. Lizzie did not know how to help Mary, but she thought maybe her aunt would. In any case, even if Mary just read books for the whole time they were in London, at least she could do so in peace for a change. And with that thought, Lizzie turned for home.

She came into the bedroom she shared with Jane, and her sister smiled at her. “Thank you for being patient, Lizzie. I know it hasn’t been easy.”

“No, it hasn’t. First of all, how is Charlotte?”

“She is coping. The meeting went well, and she is considering Mr. Darcy’s offer. It’s quite…unusual, and not what either she or I were expecting.”

“Oh? How do you mean, unusual?”

“Lizzie, don’t look at me like that. It was nothing untoward, I promise you. What Mr. Darcy wants Charlotte to be is a sort of industrial spy – to travel and to unobtrusively examine what is going on with different industries. As a woman, especially if she poses as a servant, she can gain information that Mr. Darcy cannot. And doing so will help him to invest in up-and-coming firms and industries.”

Lizzie’s eyes nearly fell out of her head. “That’s just…astonishing! How…? When…?" She gathered herself visibly, and tried again. “How does Charlotte feel about this…offer?”

“Well, I’d say she is equal parts excited and nervous. There is, of course, a lot of detail to be worked through, and she needs an effective cover story. And she will not be going anywhere unless Mr. Darcy can convince the Lucases that this is all above board.”

“Do you trust him, Jane?”

“Yes, Lizzie, oddly enough, I do. Mr. Bingley was there as well, and it turns out that he and Mr. Bingley had independently come up with the idea the night before. Charlotte wrote a letter to Mr. Darcy, advising that she wanted to be brave, as she was aware that such a chance may never come again. She told him she was good at noticing details, and that she wished to travel if it was possible. It turned out that her desires in the letter met his needs in terms of what he could offer her.”

Lizzie sat on the bed abruptly, and looked down at her feet. Then she spoke quietly “So, I really am going to lose my best friend…”

Jane was about to reply, when she realised how pale her sister had gone. She sat down gently, and grabbed Lizzie’s hand. She replied, in a gentle, calm voice “Not immediately, Lizzie, but yes, it’s likely.” Lizzie's tears started to flow then, silently, and she shuddered, then let out a moan, before the sobs really took over. Jane cuddled her sister as best she could, muttering soothing words, and rubbing her back. It took 15 full minutes before Lizzie was able to control her breathing and when she did, she looked at her sister and said in a low voice “Never in my wildest dreams did I think any of my actions could do so much damage. Never have I known what it’s like to feel so bereft.” Jane could only nod in response. She had intended to ask Lizzie for her letter to Charlotte, but now was not the time. Leaving Lizzie to lie quietly on her bed looking up at the ceiling, Jane went downstairs to join the family, and to pretend that everything was normal.

An hour or so later, Jane came back up the stairs, gently knocked on the bedroom door, and came to sit next to Lizzie. Lizzie smiled weakly at her, and Jane smiled back. “What do you think of all this, Jane?” Lizzie asked.

“Honestly?” said Jane, and Lizzie nodded. “I’m still trying to make sense of it myself. I am amazed what a little courage and work on my part, and a lot more of both on Charlotte’s behalf, has brought into being. Part of me is a little bit jealous, as her new role sounds exciting. Another part of me is saying “and what about you, Jane – what are your plans?” – and I don’t have any answers to that question. The other thing is, I wouldn’t have even had the question itself this time last week. So much has changed in so short a time. Does all that suffice as an answer?”

Lizzie grinned for the first time in days “I am glad to see that you are as confused as what I am – it feels less lonely now that I know that!”, and both sisters laughed. Then Lizzie said “I have the letter ready for Charlotte. Could you read it now, Jane – I want to make sure that I have the tone right.”

“No, Lizzie, this time I will not read it. I have been thinking about this; you are going to have to use your own words, and to take responsibility for them. I have confidence that you are truly sorry, and that you are smart enough to use the right tone. So I will deliver your letter, but I have had enough of being everyone’s confidante.”

Lizzie was surprised at the hard tone in Jane’s voice, despite the fact she was speaking gently, and looked at her sister. The strain of the past few days was showing in Jane’s eyes, and Lizzie nodded slowly, in sudden clarity. It hurt to realise that her actions towards Charlotte had permanently changed her relationship with her sister as well, but she could understand what Jane was saying.

“Alright, Jane, that is fair enough. I have worked long and hard on the letter, and I don’t think I can improve it. In any case, it’s up to Charlotte now. Either she wants to be friends, regardless of what she thinks of my words – or she doesn’t. Either way, I’m going to have to respond to whatever comes next.”

Jane smiled sadly at her sister. “Yes, I’m afraid that’s true, Lizzie. But thank you for understanding. I will take your letter over to Charlotte tomorrow; it’s too late to do so today. Please trust me to act in the best interests of both of you in terms of timing, though.”

Lizzie smiled “Of course, my dear sister. I will leave it in your capable hands.”

Chapter Text

Charlotte had spent much of the afternoon in her room, and now she approached the sitting room. “Mother, could I talk to you?”

Mrs. Lucas, who had been knitting, looked up and smiled. “Of course, Charlotte” – and when she noticed the look on her daughter’s face, she continued “and we can meet in the library, would that work?” Charlotte nodded, and they proceeded through, then sat down. Then mother and daughter looked at each other for a while. Charlotte smiled nervously, and Mrs Lucas said gently “I have an inkling of what you might be about to say; Jane mentioned it in passing, as she thought it might come as less of a shock to us with some level of advanced warning.”

Charlotte let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding, and then said quietly “That’s good, I suppose. Mother, this morning I met with Mr. Darcy. He has offered me a rather unusual opportunity, and I would love to hear your – and Father’s – thoughts upon it. Before you ask, there’s nothing untoward about it, and indeed he has agreed to a trial period. And nothing about it should bring any disgrace to our family. But it is something very new, and very different…”

Mrs. Lucas said calmly “Well, that sounds promising, Charlotte, although at this stage, you will forgive me for reserving judgement. After all, just because Mr. Darcy is a member of the Ton doesn’t automatically mean that he is above reproach. Charlotte, I am going to ask you a direct question, and I want an honest answer. Was Mr. Darcy the man who upset you?”

“Yes, Mother, he was – but he has apologised fulsomely, and I have accepted his apology. It was actually Jane who encouraged him to think about my long-term future, as she thought that he might be in a position to assist me.”

“Well, in that case, I will leave things as they are, but I am still somewhat wary of the man, and of his intentions. Does he intend for you to live under his roof?”

“No, Mother, he plans for me to live separately, at least in the medium term, although I will need to spend some time at Pemberley…”

Mrs. Lucas jumped to entirely the wrong conclusion, and raised her voice, horrified – “You don’t mean he wants you to become his concubine?”

Charlotte, equally horrified, said “No, certainly not! Mother, he wants me to become what he has called an “industrial spy”. He wished for me to go undercover in various businesses, and to report back upon what I discover in terms of new technologies, what the workforce thinks about their work, and the like. It will involve a lot of travel, but he has promised me a decent living, and he wants me to do this for him because it is not something he can do for himself. As a woman, I can go places that he cannot.”

Mrs Lucas looked at Charlotte thoughtfully. “So, he has offered you something rather open-ended, without having direct oversight of you, and he proposes to send you wandering around the countryside poking your nose into other people’s businesses. I must say, Charlotte, it all sounds rather dubious. However, what do you think about it?”

Charlotte looked at her mother directly. “I share some of your concerns, Mother, and so does Mr. Darcy himself. He is well aware, as am I, that this is most unusual, and that there may be some measure of risk involved. He is most anxious that we think through every eventuality before I go out in the field, and has proposed that we try some sort of training first at Pemberley. But I do want to try this, Mother. Let’s be honest; I am not getting any younger, and I am not likely to marry. Until a week ago, I had just been floating along, hoping for something to happen. With everything that has occurred, though, I am unwilling to just float any longer. This is likely to be the best chance I may ever have, and even if it fails, well, at least I will have tried. I will regret it for the rest of my life if I don’t try to act now.”

“I take your point, Charlotte, but are you sure about this? If this job does work out, then you will have to move away from Meryton, and we will not see much of you. Are you certain you want to do this long-term?”

Charlotte responded “No, I am not sure, which is why I asked for a trial period. Mr. Darcy advised that he does not wish to keep me employed against my will; as he put it, this is just a situation that can hopefully lead to mutual benefit. I know there are risks, Mother. I know that I may end up very lonely at times. But I am lonely now, despite the love my family shows me. Our friends and neighbours are polite enough to me, but it’s politeness – they do not seek me out for company.”

“And Lizzie, won’t you miss her?” Charlotte’s face darkened, but Mrs. Lucas drove the point home. “I am led to understand that you and Lizzie have had a falling out, Charlotte. Have you made up with each other as yet?”

“That is up to Lizzie, Mother. Jane advised me that she is writing me an apology, but her behaviour has been such that I don’t think our friendship will ever be the same again.” Mrs. Lucas regarded her daughter sadly. “And so you think that there is no point in staying in Meryton as a result?”

Charlotte looked mulish, and said in a frustrated tone “Mother, a lot has happened in the past week. I cannot honestly tell you if I would be looking forward to this opportunity if I hadn’t argued with Lizzie. But even if that argument hadn’t happened, what was going to change for me around here?”

Mrs. Lucas had no answer to this, and, after giving it some thought, nodded slowly. “I take your point, Charlotte. At some point, your father and I will pass on, and you will be at the mercy of your brothers. I can understand that such an outcome is not one you would relish.”

“That’s exactly the point, Mother. And I understand your point of view, too. I am suddenly being offered something none of us expected to happen, from a man we barely know. If I accept this offer, I will be leaving behind everything that is familiar to me, and all of my social supports. It sounds like madness. But the alternative – as you well know – is stagnation. And I want to learn what I am capable of beyond merely being an eldest daughter and a spinster”.

Mrs. Lucas smiled at her daughter. “Well, I do admire your courage, daughter. Let me talk to your father tonight. I cannot make any promises, but I will give an honest account to him of how you feel. Would you trust me with this?”

Charlotte nodded, and smiled. “Thank you, Mother. Actually, Mr. Darcy must leave tomorrow, but he did want to have a brief conversation with you both in the morning to try to allay your concerns before he left. Would that be possible?”

Mrs. Lucas smiled “All I can say, my girl, is that I will do my best. I am sure your father will make the time if I encourage him to do so for his eldest daughter. Now, however, can I ask you to think about how you are going to make peace with Lizzie, please? I don’t expect you to be best friends if she has badly hurt you, Charlotte, but the Bennets are our closest neighbours. So I need you both to at least be on speaking terms with each other before you go and live elsewhere. Is that fair enough?”

Charlotte nodded, and said gravely “Yes, I understand what you mean, and I will try. But I suspect that neither of us are going to find it easy.”

Mrs Lucas rose, and gave her daughter a hug. She then held Charlotte’s face in her hands, and said “Nothing worth doing ever comes easy, my darling girl. I wish you all the best with your efforts.” Charlotte smiled in return, and gasped “Thank you, Mother”, before burying her face in her mother’s shoulder. Mrs. Lucas just smiled as she gently stroked Charlotte’s back, and sensed, rather than felt, the tears in her daughter’s eyes.

Chapter Text

The Lucas family finished dinner, and Mrs. Lucas (having warned the servants previously) said to her husband “Darling, Charlotte and I would like to talk to you in the library, please.” “Certainly, my love. Lead the way”, and they walked through to that room. Once seated, Sir Lucas turned to his daughter and said “So, Charlotte, I believe you have some news to share with us?”

“Yes, Father. I met with Mr. Darcy, together with Jane and Mr. Bingley, and he has offered me an interesting position in his business dealings. He calls it an “industrial spy” role.”

“How….singular…” commented her father. “Does he intend for you to live under his roof?”

“No, Father, although he suggests that there will be training at Pemberley to start with – and it also means that I would be moving away from Meryton….”

Sir Lucas looked into Charlotte’s eyes, and saw the conflicting emotions within them. He closed his eyes, and let out a sigh, then opened them again. “Charlotte, you are of enough age and experience to make your own decisions. But I’m sure you are aware of the risks involved here. Mr. Darcy is a member of the Ton, which sounds fine, but it also means that should he decide to break his word, there would be very little I could do to assist you. None of us know much about him, and he could well be an absolute tyrant in his own sphere. Have you truly thought this through?”

“I have, Father, and I still wish to proceed. I agree with you about the risks, which is why I asked Jane and Mr. Bingley to join me at the meeting, and also why I have negotiated a trial period. Mr. Darcy would also like to meet with you at 9am tomorrow to talk this matter through with you both. He says that he sees this as something which may lead to mutual benefit, but he does not intend to place me into bondage.”

“Well, that’s a start, I suppose.” said her father. “What exactly does he see this role involving?”

“He said that the rents from his properties are falling, and it is getting harder to keep tenants from leaving. He is also aware that there are businesses out there that he could invest in, but if he shows up himself, not only does he lose the element of surprise, but the price of whatever is on offer goes up because everyone is aware of his wealth. What he wants me to do is simply to travel with a chaperone and a cover story, and to keep my eyes open for details. As a woman, I can access places and conversations that he cannot.”

Sir Lucas rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. While he was no longer in trade, he could certainly see the merits of the idea in its own right. “Charlotte, it’s an intriguing idea. But how can your safety be guaranteed?”

“To be honest, Father, Mr. Darcy was straightforward enough to say that he could not guarantee my safety, which is why the wages he plans to offer me are high. He said that he wants me to put my safety first; that an injured or revealed spy is not useful. He said that he thought of me as a sensible woman, one able to sum up a situation and act accordingly.”

“Well, he would say that, of course – it’s not him potentially at risk. Would you be expected to actually work in this situation, Charlotte? After all, you are a gentlewoman”

“I think that it might be required on occasion, Father, but only on my own initiative, as way of penetrating a location I wanted access to. Once that occurred, I could vanish as quickly as I arrived – or at least, that was the assumption…”

“I suspect it’s quite a dangerous assumption to hold – and it only needs to go wrong once. Not everyone in business is as trustworthy as us or the Gardiners, Charlotte.”

“I’m well aware of that, Father. But despite the risks, I ask you to think of what I am to do with myself if you turned this offer down on my behalf? I have been out for 10 years, and it is getting increasingly unlikely that any man will ask for my hand in marriage. Being only a spinster aunt for my nieces and nephews is not something I dream of.”

“I can understand that, Charlotte, and I sympathise. But what kind of a father would I be if I just let you go out from my door without ensuring your happiness as best I could? I am not saying no, my girl, it’s just going to take me some time to think it through from many different angles.”

Charlotte nodded in understanding. “I take your point. If it’s any help, Mr. Darcy said that he needs time to think upon it too – he does not expect me to start for some weeks at least, so we will all have time to consider it.”

“Good. For now, I suppose that will have to do, and I am quite happy to meet Mr. Darcy at 9am tomorrow. He doesn’t expect a full English breakfast from us, does he?”

“No, Father. In fact, I believe he and Mr. Bingley are due back in London tomorrow, but he didn’t want to leave you and Mother high and dry after making such a radical proposal.”

“I see. Well, Charlotte, I will give the matter some thought, and I would like to talk it through further with your mother now. If you could leave us to it?”

Charlotte smiled, taking the hint, and left.

Sir Lucas turned to his wife and said “Well, Amanda, what do you think of all this? It's a bit rum, to say the least!”

“Yes, darling, it certainly is. But I think we should let her do it, regardless of any risks or reservations we might have. William, do you know that Charlotte and Lizzie have had a major falling out?”

“I had noticed that Charlotte was quite mopey this week, but yes, now you mention it, we haven’t seen Lizzie infest us as often as usual. No wonder it has seemed quiet!” he joked.

Lady Lucas rolled her eyes “Darling, as funny as that might be usually, this is serious. I have been thinking about what might have happened. Remember Mr. Collins came to visit the Bennets last week? Mrs. Bennet said that he proposed to Lizzie, but that she turned him down. But our Charlotte spent much of the weekend talking to him, and then he left on the Monday morning without having married anyone. And while I don’t know what happened between them, it’s been that long since I saw the two girls talking to one another.”

“Do you suspect foul play?” Sir Lucas was immediately on alert. “No, not in that way. What I suspect has happened – and Jane has hinted at it – is that the two girls have discovered that they do not know each other, or see the world alike, anywhere near as much as they previously thought they did.”

Sir Lucas looked at his wife, somewhat puzzled “And this connects to Mr. Darcy’s offer…how?” “I am not sure, but I think that the two things are connected somehow. I spoke to Charlotte earlier today, and she is now feeling immensely frustrated with her life the way it stands currently. And I can’t say I blame her. We haven’t had the resources to give her a formal Season at any stage, and so while she is a gentlewoman, it’s really in name only. In essence, William, without meaning to, we have put her onto a social island. And as such, unless she makes an effort, she will be stuck there for the rest of her life.”

“Surely it’s not that bad that she feels the need to latch onto the first rather dubious offer that comes along? Her brothers would look after her when we are gone.”

“Yes, William, they will, but that’s not the point. We have brought up our daughter to be curious, to be measured, and to not make assumptions about other people. Would you not agree?” Sir Lucas nodded. “Well, that means that Charlotte is very much aware of how she is perceived by others – and even though we try to shield her from the worst of it, there is no hiding her situation. She has her pride, William, and she does not wish to rely upon the charity of others for the rest of her days.”

He still looked somewhat obstinate at this, so she spoke more gently. “William, have you seen how she has acted this week?” “Yes, she has been most out of sorts”. “Well, Charlotte cried on my shoulder this afternoon, and it broke my heart. Our girl hasn’t done that since she was about 12 years of age!” Mrs Lucas’s voice caught at the memory. “Darling, I am terrified of what will happen if we refuse this chance for her. I think she might stumble into a depression she will never come out of again – a catatonic state.”

“Surely you exaggerate!”

“I do not, sadly. William, I have not asked her many questions about all of this precisely because I have been watching her carefully. If I push her too hard, I will shake her trust in us, and in her own judgement. She no longer has the same relationship with Lizzie, whatever happened between them, and you know she doesn’t have many other friends – certainly not to the same depth. Which leaves her on that island I mentioned before.”

She put her hands up to his cheeks, and looked directly into his eyes. “I share your concerns about this strange opportunity, but it could be good for her, and I am inclined to let her take the chance on it. If it doesn’t work out, she can always come home to us again. So, can we look at how we can help to make this chance happen for her, rather than just look for reasons to say no? Please, William, trust me on this – our daughter needs to do this!”

He looked squarely at his wife’s pleading expression, and thought about what they had been through together over the years. She had been his rock, had saved him from some bad decisions, and much of it stemmed from her greater knowledge of human nature. Which, he reflected, his daughter had in spades as well. His resolve buckled under a wave of love and respect for his wife, and he smiled. “Alright, my love, I will try. I am just wanting to make sure that Charlotte doesn’t get hurt. But at some stage I have to let go, don’t I?”

Lady Lucas smiled wanly “We both do, darling. Nobody ever said it would be easy, but I thank you.” And she leaned forward to peck him on the lips.

Chapter Text

“So, Mr. Darcy, what is this role you have planned for Charlotte?”

Darcy was somewhat taken aback by the directness of the question, but he supposed he should not have been. After the usual pleasantries, he was sitting at the dining room table in Lucas Lodge, and Sir William had wasted no time. “Well, sir, I am hoping that the role is something that Charlotte can grow into over time. What has she told you about it?”

“She has mentioned that you want her to be some sort of industrial spy. I don’t have any concerns around that aspect of things, in fact I think it’s rather ingenious. However, I do have major concerns about her safety. I have been in trade, Mr. Darcy. Even if it’s not something spoken about in polite company, trade is necessary. But some of the men I have met are not averse to some ruthless – and even violent – tactics to ensure things run to their advantage. What do you have to say to that?”

“I say that you are correct in your concerns, Sir William. I likewise do not want Charlotte – or any of my other staff – being exposed to such danger. But I have talked to Charlotte about this, and I trust her judgement as to knowing what types of situations are safe, and which are not. I certainly will not force her to do anything she doesn’t feel comfortable with.”

“They are fine words, Mr. Darcy, but they run counter to your own interests. I mean no offence, but what happens a decade from now, when Charlotte is sick of galloping around the countryside, and she has brought you nothing new? Will you simply terminate her employment, and leave her destitute?”

“Father!” exclaimed Charlotte, embarrassed beyond measure at this line of questioning. Her mother put a warning hand on her arm, and subtly shook her head. Charlotte, somewhat confused, relented.

Mr. Darcy smiled at Charlotte. “You have a decent man for a father, Charlotte.” He turned back to Sir William, and said “No, sir. I would not do such a thing, and let me explain why. First of all, I am offering Charlotte an open-ended contract – she is as free to walk away from it as I am, given two months’ notice. Secondly, can you imagine how much power Charlotte would have in terms of my financial and other dealings, which she could then sell to others wishing to damage me? So, it would be most markedly in my interests to retain her in some capacity, and to ensure that she was happy. Thirdly, if I was to dismiss Charlotte, I would lose most of the knowledge and connections she had been able to make, and I would need to start all over again. Would you agree with my reasoning?”

Sir William replied “Yes, I can concede those points. But why would you not use one of your existing staff members to perform this role?”

“To be honest, Sir William, it had never occurred to me, but when it did, the real value to me in the idea became apparent. If I was to train, for example, a stable boy in this position, I would need to keep him separate from my household, so that he was not suspected as having any connection to me. But a young stable boy does not have any reason to be anywhere beyond the stables, and his voice and manner are going to show him up the moment he tries to go beyond what he is familiar with. By contrast, a female staff member has access to tasks and conversations that a stable boy does not. If she is low-born, however, she will run into the same types of problems that the stable boy does the moment she moves beyond her expected role. But a gentlewoman – especially one with intelligence – can potentially move up and down the social scale in a convincing manner. Charlotte has good table manners, can read social cues, can make pleasant conversation, and can read between the lines. It is these skills that are of value to me, Sir William.”

Sir William stroked his chin thoughtfully. “That all makes good sense. But I still don’t understand why this idea seems to have suddenly occurred to you, and why you wish Charlotte, specifically, to take up such a role. After all, Mr. Darcy, we barely know you, nor do you know us. We are not your social equals, and for a member of the Ton to suddenly take such an interest is…somewhat eccentric, to say the least…”

Darcy looked at Charlotte, unsure of what to say. He hadn’t thought through this side of the situation, and was at a loss. He didn’t wish to relive the shame he had felt, and nor did he want to embarrass Charlotte. She rose to the challenge. “Actually, Father, it was my idea, together with Mr. Bingley. You are aware that I am not talking to Lizzie at present? Well, Jane had come over to see me, as she and Mr. Bingley are courting, or at least, they soon will be. And because she wanted to visit Mr. Bingley, she needed company to go to Netherfield with. Lizzie would usually be her first choice, but Jane is also having issues with her. And so, she asked me to accompany her.

Mr. Darcy is here to visit his friend, and to help Mr. Bingley consider if he wishes to lease Netherfield. He has been nothing but gracious, and so we have got to talking while we chaperone the other two. I was curious about the world beyond Meryton, as I have seen so little of it, and Mr. Darcy was kind enough to answer my questions. We have found that we are both of an inquiring mind, and during the course of these conversations, Mr. Darcy spoke to Mr. Bingley about how he wishes he knew of advances in technology or farming techniques ahead of others, so that he could make his estate more productive. Mr. Bingley then joked that he should employ a spy who has retired from the fight against Boney. We all laughed at that, but it got me to thinking. I talked it over with Jane. She was very surprised, but thought that it sounded intriguing, and that she thought I would be good at it. So, I wrote Mr. Darcy a letter, explaining that I would be interested in becoming an “industrial spy”, if ever he was serious about creating the position. And so, here we are…”

Sir William simply gaped. He didn’t what was more unsettling; the idea itself, the conversations that had occurred, that his daughter had seized the initiative and brazenly approached a member of the Ton, or the fact that she had just, in arguing her case, proven just how good she would be at the role.

Lady Lucas, hiding a smile that showed just how proud she was of her daughter’s subterfuge, took the initiative. “It does sound interesting, Charlotte. I am more interested in practicalities, however. Where would you be based, and how would you report back to Mr. Darcy? What would your cover story be?”

Darcy responded “I was thinking that Charlotte could live in the village of Lambton, which is not far from my estate of Pemberley, and she could visit under the guise of being a friend of my sister, Georgina. That would give Charlotte a reason to come and go, but also the independence to live her day-to-day life as she sees fit. As for the cover story, I think that Charlotte and I are going to have to develop a different one for every separate task I set her. It may mean that sometimes she will pretend to be a washerwoman, or a maid, and at other times, she’s going to be a long-lost family friend. There may be long periods when she has to keep a low profile, so that people do not connect her presence back to other times or locations.

I will not pretend to either of you that I have all of the answers here. This is something entirely new to me, and there will be times when Charlotte is beyond my help. But I also think that we will get better at this activity with practice. As Charlotte also knows, I have suggested that we have a trial period, and that as part of that, she will stay at Pemberley for training – so that she knows the scope of my activities. Then Mr. Bingley has offered to show her through some locations in terms of different industries, although she will need cover stories for that too. And I was thinking she could start about one month from today, if the idea meets with your approval, although there is no hurry. I would rather you all felt completely comfortable with the idea. Sir William, I have no desire to compel Charlotte to do anything, and I will accept your decision regardless.”

Sir William nodded. “I thank you for explaining, Mr. Darcy. I am not going to make a decision right now; I need time to reflect upon it. Could I ask if you are due to come back through this way again soon?”

Mr. Darcy smiled “I am pleased that you are not rushing the decision, sir. My reason for suggesting a month is that I will be back in Meryton at roughly that time frame. Perhaps you would be good enough to write to me of your decision?”

“I see. Yes, I will write to you. If I do agree to this…. idea…is there anything Charlotte will be needing to take with her?”

“Nothing beyond her personal effects, Sir William. I will be happy to cover any costs that Charlotte may have once we leave for Derbyshire. And now, I regret I must leave, or we will not get to London at a reasonable hour.”

Darcy turned to Charlotte, and bowed. “Miss Lucas – Charlotte – I thank you giving me this idea, and it has been a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Charlotte, somewhat surprised at this, curtseyed and said “I appreciate your thoughtfulness in offering me this opportunity, Mr. Darcy. Thank you for making time to visit and discuss it with us”.

After Mr. Darcy had left, Sir William turned back to his daughter. “Well, Charlotte…. that was certainly not our usual morning conversation, was it?” He laughed, and Charlotte warmed to see her father regaining his equanimity.

“No, indeed it wasn’t. But perhaps that speaks to my own failings, Father. I have been hanging around for many years waiting for something – anything – to happen, and now it has.”

Mr Lucas frowned. He remembered what his wife had said the night before about trying to facilitate this for Charlotte, and his promise to do so. He sighed heavily. “Charlotte, please give me some time to think upon this without pushing me. I am more comfortable with the idea than I was previously, but I am not going to be rushed into a decision. Is that fair enough?”

“Yes, Father.” On impulse, she leant forward, and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for at least considering it, and not ruling it out of hand immediately. I know it’s rather different, and comes as a shock.” With that, Charlotte smiled at him, then turned and left the room.

Sir William stared after her. He pondered about how much of this was really about his concerns, and how much of it was about the fact that his beloved eldest daughter would be living elsewhere – and the fact he would miss her badly? He didn’t have the answers, but hopefully a few days’ thought might help to clarify things.

Chapter Text

Charlotte and Jane sat outside in the garden at Lucas Lodge again, and looked at each other. Jane started the conversation “How did the conversation with Mr. Darcy and your parents go?”

“As well as could be expected, I think, given how unusual the subject matter was. My father is taking some time to make a decision about it, and he has requested some time to do so without pressing him. I do hope he decides in my favour, and it’s frustrating to wait, but I also know that pushing him will not help my cause.”

Jane replied “Yes, I agree entirely. How are you feeling otherwise?”

“Quite well, I think. I wonder if much of my reaction was due to the realisation that I have not had much to look forward to in many years” She paused, blinked to gather her thoughts, and then continued “Even if this plan does not come off, I should be aiming at something, Jane. For the first time in a long time, I feel excited about possibilities, and I am finding joy in that excitement.”

“And how do you think you will feel if your father says no?”

“To be honest, I have not really considered that, even though I should. It’s a funny thing, actually – am I really calm and sensible due to my basic nature, or am I calm and sensible because there has never been anything in my life to get excited about?”

Both women laughed, and then Charlotte said “I suspect it might be roughly half-and-half. I will be immensely disappointed if Father says no to this idea, but then, I was reminded of Judith. Maybe there is more than one opportunity here to make my own path in life, although at present it’s not clear exactly how I would do so. But at least having a purpose, or a project, is of value in itself…”

Jane nodded vigorously, and replied “Charlotte, I think you have hit the nail on the head. I have not been immune to such thoughts myself in recent days, although I am not sure what to do with them. And I must admit that I am feeling somewhat restless myself.”

Charlotte smiled wanly. “It’s been quite a week, hasn’t it?”

“Yes, it certainly has. Did Mr. Darcy say anything about a potential time frame for you to begin this position? Assuming your father agrees, of course.”

“He mentioned it being desirable that he would like me to start in a month. He’ll be back in Meryton at that time, and then he intends to go north to Pemberley.”

Both women fell silent at that, neither quite knowing what to say next. Jane wanted to ask if Charlotte knew whether Mr. Bingley would be returning with Mr. Darcy, but such a direct question would be beyond the pale. Charlotte, while aware of Jane’s interest, did not wish to give her false hope, or to embarrass her friend on that front, so she stayed quiet. Their friendship was too new, and too shallow, to know what else to talk about.

Jane took the bull by the horns, realising that there was nothing to be gained by putting off her real reason for visiting any longer. “Charlotte, I have here a letter of apology to you from Lizzie. I have not read it, and it’s up to you how you choose to respond to it.” She looked at Charlotte directly, and spoke plainly “I have had enough of being a go-between. If you want a friendship with Lizzie, you and she will need to work it out between you. Having said that, Charlotte, I want you to consider a few things. I enjoy your company, and I hope we can become genuine friends. You have taught me an awful lot in the past week, and I esteem and respect you. But Lizzie is my sister, and she will always come first with me – even when she is badly behaved. I hope you can understand that.”

Charlotte returned Jane’s look with equanimity. “I would expect nothing less, Jane. You forget I am also the eldest daughter, and I would likewise look out for my siblings. I do not wish to make things awkward for any of us, and ideally, it would be wonderful if the three of us could meet as equals in future. But being equals is mandatory to me. I do not need to be pitied, or looked down upon. And until Lizzie is able to prove she can do that, well, I am likely to be civil to her at best.”

Jane grimaced, but nothing Charlotte had said was unfair. “I can see your point of view, Charlotte. I have said much the same to Lizzie myself. But I would request that you do at least try to make amends with each other. It would be a real shame if such a long friendship proved to be irretrievable.”

Charlotte closed her eyes for a moment, exhaled, and then said quietly “I will try, Jane. That’s all I can promise at this point in time.”

Jane smiled more broadly. “That’s all anyone could reasonably ask, Charlotte. I will take my leave now. Please know that the ball is in your court.”

Charlotte stood up, walked over, and took Jane’s hands. “I do know, Jane, and thank you for everything you have done for me. Regardless of what happens with Lizzie or Mr. Darcy, I want you to know that I will never forget your kindness over this past week.”

Jane blushed. “It was my pleasure, Charlotte. Was it not you who said that women have to support each other? Anyhow, I think it’s time for you to read that letter – and I hope it’s worth your while.” Then she stood, and hugged her friend. “Whatever comes next, I wish you all the best”.

“Thank you, Jane.” And with that, Charlotte went inside, while Jane turned towards the garden gate, and her walk back to Longbourn.

Charlotte took the letter up to her bedroom. If this was going to hurt, she wanted privacy to react as she saw fit. She opened the letter, and read through it slowly. She read it again, more slowly, and tears ran down her face. It appeared as though Lizzie was indeed truly sorry, and had a good understanding of what it was she had done to Charlotte and others around her. The parts that made her cry the most were what Lizzie said she was proud of Charlotte for, and the tears running down her face turned into a flood. Charlotte put the letter aside, and sobbed into her pillows. For the first time in her adult life, Charlotte felt truly seen, and truly appreciated. But it had taken a crisis for she and her best friend not to take one another for granted.

That idea made Charlotte sit up, take a deep breath, and think. Had she taken Lizzie for granted in much the same way, both for her own sake, and because it was just easy to do so? Her friend was, after all, very good company, and she often made Charlotte laugh. But would she be as close to Lizzie if the Bennets did not live next door? Somehow, Charlotte doubted it, and this realisation made her conscious of something else. If Lizzie had not been next door, then Charlotte would have had to have made more effort to make friends with other women. But because Lizzie had always been there, Charlotte had never needed to do so. And the outcome was that Charlotte had accepted her role as planet to Lizzie’s sun in much the same way as Lizzie had assumed that Charlotte existed to revolve around her.

That did indeed put a different complexion on the situation. Yes, Lizzie had spoken without thinking. Yes, Lizzie had behaved badly, and stepped well beyond the social rules. Yes, Lizzie had taken Charlotte for granted. But she had done the first act out of fear, and the second (partially, at least) out of a passionate defence of her friend’s reputation and happiness. More than that, would Lizzie have needed to act in such a way had Charlotte actually been leading a less passive life? Charlotte cringed inwardly. No, she would not. If she had been more self-confident and purposeful, she likely would not have needed to either embarrass herself in front of Mr. Collins, or to run away into the darkness like a schoolgirl after a strange man insulted her.

Charlotte felt rather ashamed of her own behaviour. Was it worth throwing away a decade of friendship because of two mistakes made in the heat of the moment? Was the rift really that big, or had she blown it out of all proportion because her own failings in life had finally caught up with her?

She wasn’t sure, but she needed more time to process all of these thoughts. She would have lunch, and think through how she wanted to respond.

Chapter Text

Charlotte walked towards Longbourn. After much thought, she realised that there was no point putting off the conversation that she and Lizzie needed to have. Her friend had apologised, and it was genuine. And that was good, as far as it went, but what would be left of their friendship, now that they knew they viewed the world so very differently? She felt somewhat anxious, but Charlotte was determined to take the lead on this. Lizzie could either take Charlotte as she was – or not at all. By the same token, Charlotte wasn’t looking for a fight. She was determined to keep their rift under wraps, as she’d never hear the end of it if Mrs. Bennet found out – and none of them deserved that outcome.

She approached the front door, and was greeted by Lydia. “Hello, Lydia” Charlotte greeted – “is Lizzie home?” “LIZZIE, IT’S CHARLOTTE!” yelled Lydia, and then said back at Charlotte “Are you coming in?” “No, that’s fine, I’ll wait for her here.”

Lizzie came down the stairs, and to Charlotte’s surprise, she looked wan and drawn – as though she hadn’t slept for days. She smiled at Charlotte, and then scolded Lydia “Do you think, Lydia, that you could come and get me quietly next time? They would have heard that yell over in Bilham!” Lydia huffed “So? She’s your friend, and she’s here. What’s the big deal?”

Charlotte could not help but smile at this, and caught Lizzie’s eye. “Lizzie, let’s go for a walk, and let Lydia get on with her day.” Lizzie caught the undercurrent in Charlotte’s voice, and with an exasperated sigh, agreed that would be a good idea. She fastened her bonnet, and the two friends walked for some time without speaking. Charlotte, taking the lead, had led them some way along the road to Bilham.

Then she sat down on a log, and said “So, where do we start?”

Lizzie blanched. “I was hoping you would know what to do. For a change, I don’t have anything to say, except that I am disgusted with myself.”

Charlotte suddenly found that she couldn’t let this go easily. Now that they were alone, face-to-face, a surge of anger welled up inside her. “Oh, is that right? And what exactly are you disgusted with, Elisabeth?”

Lizzie cringed. She hadn’t thought this conversation was going to be easy, but nor did she think it was going to be like this, either. “I put all of this in the letter, Charlotte, but I am happy to spell it out again. I am sorry, Charlotte, for treating you as though you had no opinions of your own. I am sorry for having misjudged you so badly. I am sorry that I embarrassed you in the eyes of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. And I am sorry for having taken you for granted.”

“Anything else?”

“I am sorry for having been so arrogant and prideful. I am sorry that I am not anywhere near the judge of human character I had thought I was. And most of all, I am sorry that I have ruptured our friendship, and made you feel so insignificant, Charlotte.”

Lizzie looked down at her feet after this, not knowing what else to say.

Charlotte went very quiet for a long time. “Alright – I accept your apology, Lizzie. But I don’t feel about you the way I used to, because you hurt me very badly. So, from now on, you will accept me on my own terms. If you don’t like those terms, then that’s your problem, not mine. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Charlotte, I understand.”

“Good. See that you do.” And with that, Charlotte got up, and kept walking – but it was towards Bilham, not back towards Longbourn.

Lizzie stared after her in disbelief. This was not at all what she’d been expecting of this conversation…she thought they would talk, maybe raise their voices and yell at each other, then collapse in tears and hug each other, saying how much they had missed one another. But Jane had been right – Charlotte was profoundly changed from who she’d been a week earlier. Lizzie wasn’t sure what was more unsettling – the fact that Charlotte didn’t seem to want anything much to do with Lizzie, or that Lizzie now wasn’t sure she actually wanted much to do with this new version of Charlotte, either.

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Charlotte was not quite sure how she ended up there, or why, but she found herself at Judith’s door again. Judith had left the door open, and was sweeping some dirt out of the back. When she heard noise behind her, she turned around, and smiled when she saw the young gentlewoman. “Charlotte! What a lovely surprise!”, and then, taking one look at her guest’s face, opened her arms wide. Charlotte burst into tears, and ran into Judith’s arms. Judith just rubbed her back, and let the flood go on. Five minutes later, Charlotte was seated on a stool, and Judith was seated opposite her, as they waited for the kettle to boil for some tea.

“Start at the beginning, my love.” coaxed Judith. Charlotte nodded through watery eyes, and asked “Do you remember what I told you last time?”

“Hmm, maybe not all of it, but I think you told me that you’d been rejected by one man, insulted by another, and had a nasty tiff with your best friend. Is that about right?”

“Yes, that about sums it up. But a lot has happened since. The man who insulted me has come back, apologised to me in writing, and offered me a position in his employment. He has even gone so far as to meet my parents to allay their concerns.”

“Well, that all sounds promising, my dear. What does he want you to do for him?”

Charlotte hesitated. She had promised Mr. Darcy she would keep this information quiet. If Judith was a gossip, then it would find its way through the grapevine to both Lucas Lodge and to Longbourn. And once Mrs. Bennet heard about it, then it would become common knowledge. She looked into the shining blue eyes opposite her. They weren’t greedy, or jealous, just keenly interested in what she was saying. And as for trust, Charlotte looked around at the humble hut. This was where she had come to, instinctively, when she was hurting. Of course she could trust Judith.

“Judith, can you keep a secret? My position will rely upon you doing so.”

“Yes, dearie, I can. Cross my heart”. Judith did something Charlotte hadn’t seen before – she crossed her right hand over her heart, and then crossed Charlotte’s palm with the same hand, looking her right in the eye as she did so. Reassured, Charlotte explained the whole deal. Judith grinned, and then looked thoughtful. Charlotte only then remembered what Judith had wanted earlier, and cringed with embarrassment. “Oh, Judith, I cannot teach the children here if I take this job!” she stammered “You must think me so immensely rude. I am mortified!”

Judith shrugged. “No, Charlotte, I don’t think you’re rude, although I must admit to being disappointed. Having said that, it really was only an idea, and it’s not as though I am not used to things changing due to the whims of those higher up the tree.” Seeing Charlotte’s embarrassment, she patted her friend’s hand. “Sorry, Charlotte, that last bit was a little unfair. I didn’t mean you personally. In any case, all of this sounds like good news. So, I am going to take a guess that what’s got you so upset is the argument you’ve had with your best friend. Is that it?”

Charlotte nodded dully, and said “Yes, that’s it exactly. Two weeks ago, Judith, Lizzie and I would have been excited to be invited to a ball. There were never many young men to choose from, but we’d enjoy comparing them, and making gentle fun of our neighbours. Then we’d daydream about what sort of husband we’d really like, and where we’d live, and all of the usual things young women do.”

Judith smiled indulgently, and said “Yes, I understand, dear – my friends and I did that too. Go on.”

“But when I was rejected that morning, and I was looking for support from Lizzie, she turned on me, accusing me of putting my own needs ahead of her family, and implying that I was going to throw them out into the hedgerows. I was so shocked – how could my friend of 10 years think I would do that to them? And how dare she think so poorly of me – and of my situation!” Charlotte paused to collect herself. “And it gets worse, Judith. At the ball that night, while I was wandering around in the dark, Lizzie decided it would help matters to talk to Mr. Darcy outside, and to slap him across the face for good measure!”

To Charlotte’s immense surprise, Judith let out a giant whoop of laughter at this, and bent double with mirth. The feeling was contagious, and Charlotte couldn’t help but join in. The next few minutes, it was all either of them could do not to set each other off again- the idea of a member of the Ton getting a slap he wasn’t expecting, at a ball he hadn’t wanted to attend in the first place, was delicious in and of itself.

Eventually, though, they sobered, and Charlotte told the rest of her story. Judith said “Your friend Lizzie sounds like quite a character. But it also seems to me that she loves you dearly, Charlotte – she risked everything to stand up for you.”

“I know, Judith, I know.” Charlotte replied quietly, and looked towards the front door. “But I’ve changed, and Jane’s changed – and Lizzie needs to accept that she has broken my trust. We can’t go back to the way things were before.”

Judith sighed. “Yes, it’s one of the hardest things about growing up – the realisation that things change beyond our control, and we cannot return to the innocence of childhood. I can see why you’re upset, Charlotte, and I think you have done the right thing by letting Lizzie know that you are your own woman.

Your next step, though, is to work out what you can find to have in common – to have something else to talk about, or this situation will turn you into strangers, especially if you go away with this role. I have seen it happen, Charlotte, and holding onto bitterness does nobody any good. It hurts the person who carries it, and it hurts the other person, who does everything they can to make up for their mistakes, but eventually gives up. Both people carry a hole in their hearts where their friends used to exist.

Think long and hard about it, Charlotte. What could Lizzie do together with you, maybe to prepare for your new job? Or what could she do for your family while you are away? What would make you glad to hear from her, or to see her again?”

Charlotte stared at Judith. What, indeed, did she want to do with her viper of a friend?, and then she gasped at having had such a thought. Judith smirked. “It appears to me you aren’t quite at the stage of forgiveness just yet, Charlotte. That’s fine, but don’t hold onto it too long – life is too short for such things.”

Charlotte closed her mouth in shock. What Judith said was right, but she wasn’t ready to think about it just yet. Instead, she said “I think you are correct, Judith, and now I desire to change the subject. Pray, tell me, how go things for you here?”

“Well, funny you should ask that. You’d be aware that a new family has decided to let the Netherfield Estate? Yes, the Bingleys. Some of our local girls were keen to see if they could get service work over there, but there’s been some sort of hold-up. Mr. Bingley is said to be very kind, but also very disorganised, and allegedly his sisters will be visiting this week to help take things in hand. The trouble is, how do we convince some fancy lady from London to hire our girls, instead of bringing staff out with her, especially when our girls will need to be trained?’

Charlotte listened intently, her mind whirring. She didn’t know how to fix this problem, but fix it she would. And…. with any luck…dragging her viper of a friend into doing it with her….

Chapter Text

Lizzie walked home in a daze. She had apologised on paper, and now in person…and it had gotten her nowhere. Lizzie was not at all sure what to do now, but the more she thought about it, the more she realised that it wasn’t really up to her. Charlotte now perceived her in a very different light, and it wasn’t a positive one. And if Charlotte was to go away on this mysterious adventure, well, that would likely be how things stayed between them. Charlotte might come home from time to time, and they would make polite, stilted conversation…. the way Lizzie did with most of her other neighbours.

That particular thought made Lizzie stop in her tracks. Had she really treated everyone else like that? And the answer, she realised, was largely that she had. While she had been lucky with Charlotte, and they had hit if off immediately, she had barely bothered to make any effort at all with anyone else her own age. She hadn’t needed to, and to her shame, she realised that she hadn’t cared to. She had simply assumed that the other young women were rather simple creatures, happy to do as they were told, and to either giggle at trifles like her younger sisters did, or to gossip like her mother.

If Charlotte was going to leave, then it behoved Lizzie to make an effort with other women in Meryton beyond simply observing the social niceties. Jane was good at that, and she had local friends that Lizzie didn’t share. Not that Lizzie was nasty to them, however she didn’t often go calling on them together with Jane. Part of it was that she didn’t want to tread on her sister’s toes, but it was more than that. Lizzie had seen them as below her notice, and now she was going to have to come down off her high horse, and really talk to them.

Lizzie considered the way Charlotte had reacted. It was well and truly out of character, which did reflect how deeply hurt she was feeling. All the apologies in the world couldn’t make up for the original damage she had done to their friendship. Maybe she simply needed a little time, and Lizzie could give her that. She wondered if she could do something kind for Charlotte before she left, as a sign of goodwill. Even if she couldn’t resuscitate their friendship, she could at least show her old friend that she still cared about her.

Without realising it, she’d walked all the way home and up the stairs. Jane looked up from a book she’d been reading, and looked at her sister. “How did it go with Charlotte?” she asked.

“In a word, badly.” Lizzie responded, with a grimace. “She asked me what I was sorry for, and I repeated some of what I had put in the letter. She said that she accepted my apology, but then basically said I had hurt her badly, and that she didn’t trust me anymore, or words to that effect. And then she demanded I accept her the way she is, which I agreed to, and she got up and walked away from me, towards Bilham.”

“Oh” said Jane quietly.

“Oh, indeed, Jane. I think even you can’t fix this one. What I have decided Charlotte needs is some time. I have hurt her very badly, as you have said, and I just have to hope that she comes back to me. If she doesn’t, well, I have to live with the consequences of it.”

Jane said “Do you want a hug?” and Lizzie nodded. The older girl came and wrapped her arms around her sibling. Jane had expected some tears, but they didn’t come, and it worried her. She released Lizzie, and looked into her sister’s eyes. “Lizzie, are you truly coping with this? I’m sure it is very painful for you.”

“It is, Jane, but I brought it upon myself, and besides, the next step is up to Charlotte. And in a funny way, Jane, it has brought me some wisdom, and some clarity. I’d never needed to pay attention to anyone else around me, beyond the basics of good manners, because I always had Charlotte to talk to. And I now realise that’s done me – and indeed, them – a great disservice.” Jane nodded slowly, and smiled at Lizzie, encouraging her to continue. “And Charlotte may well soon be heading off on her grand adventure, which I am dying to talk to her about – but she’s not talking to me. However, whether she and I make it up or not, I should broaden my social circle, as painful as that may prove to be.”

“How can I help?” asked Jane, softly. “I’m not sure” echoed Lizzie. “After a decade of ignoring your friends, Jane, I don’t think they – or you – would take kindly to me turning up simply because my best friend is no longer around. It would be insulting, surely?” “I agree, Lizzie, but only to a point. Yes, if you suddenly follow me everywhere, I think that some people will put two and two together, and the most that you will get out of them is politeness. Some of them may gossip about you, and why Charlotte had to leave in a hurry.”

“They wouldn’t!” This possibility – that Charlotte’s leaving Meryton might be seen as indicating a scandal of some sort – hadn’t occurred to Lizzie.

“They likely will, regardless. But you and I won’t say a word about the truth, and sooner or later, they will find something else to talk about. However, Lizzie, do you think that I would willingly spend time with such women?” and, to prove her point, Jane stuck her nose high in the air, and looked down it at Lizzie. Both women laughed out loud at this ridiculous bit of theatrics, and Jane was pleased to see that her sister wasn’t all that far from her usual self. Jane continued “In all seriousness, though, Lizzie, do you think that all of the young women here are going to judge you for years to come?”

Lizzie blushed “No, but” …she struggled for words. “No, however, I have given them every right to do so. Why would they not wish to give me a taste of the sarcasm I have been dishing out to all and sundry for quite some time now? After all, I have it on good authority from my own sister that I have a mouth the size of Brighton harbour!” With this, Lizzie feigned distress and put her hand across her forehead.

Jane simply rolled her eyes at this, and said softly “Lizzie, has it not yet occurred to you that maybe other women are facing their own challenges in life? We are not the only family with an entailed estate. There are others who have married badly, or who are looking after infirm siblings, and so on. As young girls, we all gossip about each other. In adulthood, though, I have come to realise that we need each other. Our families do the best they can, but life is not going to change much for most of us. At least we can offer each other support in our various struggles.”

Lizzie looked at Jane with affection. “When did you get so wise?”

“I don’t know if I am really all that wise, Lizzie. For example, I am actually feeling rather jealous about Charlotte’s opportunity – part of me wishes I could hide in her baggage and I could go away and have adventures too. The other part of me is both terrified, and in awe at the courage Charlotte is showing. So, I must admit to feeling rather unsettled myself recently.”

“I am surprised to hear that, Jane” – Lizzie paused as she realised how surprised she was, and then she shrugged – “but given how much change has occurred in the past week or so, maybe I shouldn’t be. I had always assumed that you would just follow the usual pattern of marriage and children, but assuming hasn’t served me well, has it? In which case, Jane, please tell me what you would like to do with your life?

Jane laughed. “I don’t think your assumption is altogether wrong, Lizzie; it’s more that I never realised that I had made the same assumption for myself, not knowing that there were maybe other options available. I still don’t think I am necessarily looking for wild adventures on pirate ships or the like, but seeing and knowing more of the world would be nice. Speaking of assumptions, I want to return to what I was saying earlier. I think that some of my friends might be far more understanding of your situation vis-à-vis Charlotte than you might think. They don’t need to know why you had a falling out, or even that you did, just that you are willing to meet them where they are up to in life, without being sarcastic or cruel. If you honestly try to engage with them, I am sure that they will come to esteem and trust you over time.”

“Do you really think so?” asked Lizzie, suddenly feeling shy.

“Yes, provided we don’t rush it. Why don’t we start with visiting the Long family after church this coming Sunday? I will make the arrangements.”

“Alright, Jane, that’s as good a place to start as any. And…. thank you, Jane. I’m a bit confused at the moment.”

“I don’t blame you, Lizzie. For now, though, why don’t we go down and see what sort of trouble our younger siblings are causing?”. She said this with a wry grin as matching shrieks from Lydia and Kitty rent the air.

Chapter Text

Charlotte is restless that night. Judith’s words held the ring of truth; and even though they were delivered with a genuine smile, they still stung. Didn’t she have the right to stand up for herself, and to let Lizzie know how she felt? Yes, she did. So why did she feel so uncomfortable? Because, a little voice whispered, you could have done that far more gently, and you have made no effort to repair the friendship as yet….

Charlotte didn’t want to think about that, so instead she tried to focus upon the idea she had had that afternoon to help Judith. She would have to tread very, very carefully, as she had not met the Bingley sisters. And on reflection, she thought, Jane would be of more help in this situation than Lizzie would. Despite the sentiments in Lizzie’s letter, Charlotte was worried that Lizzie would mouth off at exactly the wrong time, and would antagonise the newcomers. So, Charlotte decided, she would ask for Jane’s help.

But would that not (again) put Jane into a difficult position on two fronts? Charlotte had not given it much thought at the time, given that she was concentrating upon her own issues, but she suddenly realised how much Jane and Bingley had engineered together. Between them, they had manoeuvred Darcy into not only apologising, but also into offering her this position. Did that mean they had a tendresse for one another? It could, she supposed – Jane was a beauty, and Mr. Bingley, so far at least, had proven to be amiable and sensible.

The second front, of course, came back to Lizzie. Charlotte frowned. Even if Jane would be excited to meet Bingley again, would she blithely go calling with Charlotte when her sister was nursing hurt feelings – that Charlotte had caused? Probably not – which put the plan back at square one. What if she convinced both women to visit with her? For a start, there was safety in numbers, and it was true that she and Lizzie had developed a kind of visual shorthand over the years. Could they find a better solution together than she could by herself?

Eventually, Charlotte fell into an exhausted sleep.

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She woke late the following morning, and was feeling decidedly grumpy. Her mother noticed the dark circles under Charlotte’s eyes, and her behaviour was also very out of character. After breakfast had been cleared away, Lady Lucas surprised her daughter by suggesting that they go for a walk. They ambled along the lane away from Lucas Lodge and Meryton for a few minutes. Charlotte looked distracted, and her mother thought it wise to give her time. Eventually, she asked “How are you feeling, Charlotte? It’s been a challenging time.”

Charlotte looked at her mother, trying to decipher any malice or resentment. Not finding any, she sighed. “Yes, Mother, it has. Waiting for Father to make a decision is rather taxing.” Her mother raised her eyebrows. “That is true, no doubt. However, I suspect that is not entirely what accounts for your moodiness today. Would you like to tell me what is really bothering you, my girl?”

Charlotte snorted. There really was no getting anything past her mother when she was paying attention, and of late, Charlotte supposed, she had provided plenty of things to pay attention to. She sighed, then looked her mother in the eye. “It’s Lizzie. She sent me a letter of apology, and it was genuine. I arranged to meet her, and she apologised in person. But I was – and here Charlotte steadied herself – I was still angry at her when I saw her in person. And now I am confused. I have the right to assert myself, surely? And the right to be angry when someone hurts me badly? And I keep telling myself this. But if I don’t let go of this feeling, then I will potentially take this position, far away from home, and that will be where Lizzie and I leave things.

More than that, Mother, I need help from Jane – but I don’t want to put her into the middle of yet another ridiculous situation that has nothing to do with her. She has been so kind and helpful through this entire time, and I would be a terrible friend to her if I only get in touch with her because she can help me with something. And in any case, she’s unlikely to help if I have upset her sister….and…..aaargh – it’s just a big mess!”

Mrs Lucas nodded slowly, and then stayed quiet. Charlotte was beyond frustrated at this reaction, and snarled “Don’t you have some sort of words of wisdom to offer me?" Her mother walked across, and, reaching for her daughter’s hands, said quietly “Yes, I do. You need to look into the mirror, Charlotte, for a long time. It doesn’t talk, but it also never lies, and it will reveal what you need to do.”

“What sort of advice is that?”

“It is all I have to offer you, my darling child. I can appreciate you are hurting, and with good reason. But Lizzie is hurting too, and so is Jane. Charlotte, I can tell you what to do, but you need to work this out for yourself. This, after all, is why Mr. Darcy is looking to hire you. He perceives you as calm, and rational, and able to build and maintain relationships. So, I suggest you go for a walk, or whatever you need to do to feel calmer.” Her mother gave her a brief hug, then placed her hands gently on her daughter’s face, and said “I am proud of you, daughter, and I am sure you will find a way through this.” With a smile, she started back towards Lucas Lodge.

Charlotte, feeling more frustrated than ever, stomped off in the opposite direction. After 15 minutes of this, she was somewhat calmer, and she saw a pond about 50 paces away beyond a stile. Charlotte climbed through the stile, and walked over to sit on a rock next to it. She removed her shoes and socks, which made her feel somewhat better, and swirled her feet around in the water for a while. Her mind wandered through various topics, but in a calmer, more gradual style than she previously managed. Suddenly, Charlotte was struck to do exactly what her mother had suggested about the mirror. She lifted her feet out, and rearranged herself to look into the water, which would make a perfectly suitable substitute for a mirror.

She wondered what it was she was meant to be looking for. She examined, with a critical mien, her eyes, nose, mouth, ears, neck and hair in turn. With a little growl of frustration, she looked up and saw the rolling hills off in the distance. She ran her eyes along the horizon, realising that this might be one of her last chances to see this landscape she was so familiar with….

“Last chance” …. her brain whispered, and Charlotte dropped her eyes back to the water. “Last chance” she thought again, and shivered, even though the day was mild. She looked at her reflection again, and let her brain wander a second time. This time, it made more sense. Yes, she had a right to be angry. Yes, she had a right to assert what she wanted. But she was not comfortable looking at her own face in the water when the next thought drifted into her head… “but you don’t have the right to be nasty…or to throw Lizzie’s apology back at her the way you did…”

Charlotte gasped, and looked up as this realisation hit her. swallowed. If she couldn’t look at herself in the mirror calmly, then it meant she wasn’t at ease with who she was…and this was a new feeling for Charlotte. She didn’t lose her temper much at all, and she wondered why not. Was this connected to not thinking much of herself, and of just accepting what life gave her? She didn’t know the answer to that, although she suspected it was connected to how she was feeling. It would explain why she felt so angry, though. But being angry wasn’t getting her very far, was it?

What if she was to apologise to Lizzie in turn for her behaviour? It wouldn’t magically take things back to how they were before, but it would at least allow them to start again.

Charlotte looked back at her reflection in the water again. This time, she could feel tension melt away, and she tried a small smile, then a larger one. Then she laughed - her mother was right; the mirror didn’t lie. It was amazing how something so deceptively simple could be so powerful.

She sat there on the rock for an hour, thinking and swishing her feet around in the water. Eventually, feeling a lot better, she put her shoes and socks back on, and walked home. All she had to do now was to work out what to say to Lizzie, and how. She thought that a letter might be a good way to express herself, but writing it proved to be much harder than she thought, and she tried all afternoon. After six attempts, she came down for dinner.

To her surprise, the meal was fairly quiet, which was unusual. To her shock, her siblings were eating calmly, and her parents were making general conversation. Both of them looked at her and smiled, then returned to their topics. Charlotte thought about how she had acted at the breakfast table. She had been very surly, barking at her brother to show some table manners, and at Maria for giggling at something inane. She looked at her siblings, who looked back at her, then dropped their heads. With a rising amount of shame, Charlotte realised that she had really scared them, and worse, she hadn’t even recognised she had done it at the time. She closed her eyes, and after opening them, gently tapped her spoon against her glass. The noise caught everyone’s attention, and Charlotte spoke into the silence that followed. “I wanted to say to all of you how sorry I am for my awful behaviour this morning. I had a lot on my mind, and it overcame my good manners. Please forgive me, I did not mean to be so nasty.”

Her family murmured acceptance, and to Charlotte’s relief, normal programming returned to a degree, although her siblings, she noticed, were only half as boisterous as they would usually be. She smirked at the idea that she could, in fact, be terrifying, and wondered if that would be a useful skill to have as a spy.

She slept a lot better that night.

Chapter Text

It took her much of the next morning, but Charlotte was eventually satisfied with her letter to Lizzie. It read as follows:

“Lizzie, you and I have always been frank with each other. It is something I think that both of us have always valued in our friendship, especially because we find ourselves having to be circumspect with our words and actions around most other people.

However, the way I treated you the other day went well beyond being frank, and crossed over into immensely rude. I am very sorry for how I behaved, and ashamed of myself. You wrote me a genuine and loving letter yourself, and I spurned your olive branch. I have no doubt you are feeling very hard done by and confused. Please accept my humblest apologies – I lashed out at you without thinking.

If it is any consolation, this is my seventh attempt at writing a letter to you, and the process of writing it has helped to clarify my thinking. I think I reacted badly the other day for a few different reasons, and they all came to a head when I saw you in person. I do not – yet – trust myself to act in a civilised fashion near you, and so I have sent this letter on ahead of me. Please give me some time to clear my head, and I will come over to visit you and Jane.

As for where we go from here, I think it would help both of us if I explained why I felt so badly hurt, and why things will have to operate differently between us from this time onwards.

When you expressed your opinion about Mr. Collins rejecting my suit last week, you put no thought into how I might feel before you opened your mouth. I am used to your sharp wit, but it had never occurred to me how it might feel to be on the receiving end of it. Lizzie, I felt absolutely degraded and worthless in your eyes. Your words around me looking to throw your family out of Longbourn horrified me – is that truly what you think of me? That I would happily become someone’s wife, and sacrifice all friendship and self-respect to do so?

Lizzie, I made a mistake, and so perhaps part of why your reaction hurt so badly is that you were at least partially right. Not about the throwing your family out – I reject that premise absolutely – but the fact that I was so desperate in my situation as to chase a man in such a way. In hindsight, I am quite relieved that Mr. Collins rejected me out of hand. While I suspect I could have eventually trained him into becoming a better man, the real question for me is why I should think that was a worthwhile thing to do with my one and precious life.

The thing that hurt more than anything else, though, was how your reaction proved how you really perceived me – and in turn, how I perceived myself. But the fact that you simply launched into your own opinion without even considering how I might feel showed that you saw me as being beneath you. My role in your life, based upon your behaviour, was simply to be the unquestioning audience to your brilliance. How dare I deign to have ideas of my own that did not conform to yours!

This is how I was feeling after we parted that morning. Then we got to the evening, and, while Mr. Darcy’s comment was cruel and harsh, he is a stranger, and a member of the Ton. While this does not give him licence to be rude, in practice he would not have faced any real consequences for what he said. Your behaviour, on the other hand, however well-intentioned (I do appreciate that you were trying to look out for me), made things infinitely worse.

I am glad that you sent Jane after me that night rather than coming yourself. I think, in the heat of the moment, that we may both have said some incredibly nasty things to each other that would have made us, and our families, lifelong enemies rather than friends who have had an estrangement.

I am ashamed to say that I did not really know Jane very well before now, having not spent all that much time with her. I can now see why you love her so dearly, and speak so highly of her. I am immensely thankful she was there on that dark night, and I am proud to call such a woman of character my friend. I also hope to deepen my friendship with her in future. While I do not wish this to be at the expense of our friendship, as I mentioned previously, I will life my life on my own terms. I am sure you understand the subtext here.

Lizzie, this whole experience has been a huge shock for all three of us. I feel as though I have aged 20 years in the space of a week. And I should point out that the broader situation is as much my fault as it is yours. For years, I have acted as we women are all socialised to do – show restraint, act with decorum, and silence my own needs. I played that role so well that I have forgotten how to exist beyond such behaviours. If you did not recognise how bad it was for yourself to have an unquestioning audience, for years now, it never occurred to me how bad it was for me to never perceive a different role for myself beyond being that unquestioning audience.

So part of me thinks that perhaps this rupture has actually been coming for quite some time, and is indeed overdue. It is not a problem that we have different ideas and values, or that we choose different ways to express ourselves. Indeed, in a healthy, respectful friendship, this is to be celebrated. However, it is a dreadful truth that neither you or I have ever questioned why we have ended up like a badly married couple. It is clear that you see my situation as identical to yours, and doing so gives you comfort.

Lizzie, in case it is not yet clear to you, my situation is vastly different to yours. I was attending balls and the like for years before you did, back when I had some measure of youth. But I am not blessed with your beauty, let alone Jane’s, and once you both came on the scene, any chance I had for marriage dropped off dramatically. I recognised this, and initially I resented it. Did you ever wonder why it took me a while to warm up to you both? Eventually, I realised that neither of you was doing it on purpose, and that indeed you had your own challenges to face in terms of attracting suitors. I did enjoy your company, and so I thought I might as well at least enjoy your company if all of the available men were going to ignore me anyhow. It did at least make some of those boring occasions far more amusing.

Now, though, two things have become starkly clear to me. Firstly, that I have been wasting my life waiting for something to happen, rather than proactively taking steps to set my own direction. It is time to face the truth – I am now very unlikely to marry, which makes my future rather bleak. Or at least, it was, before Mr. Darcy made his offer. I am still awaiting my father’s approval, but I am confident that he will give it. However, if he does not give it, I have been investigating other opportunities.

The second truth is that neither I, or my best friend, are who we previously thought we were. Both of us are confused by the change, as we have no idea how to act if our previous assumptions about each other no longer hold. If we are to have a friendship – and I want us to try – then we need to start by gently asking each other who we are becoming. We also – me particularly – need to broaden who we are friends with. If I take Mr. Darcy’s role, this will be required of me regardless, but it is better I remain aware of the need to do so proactively for my own benefit and wisdom.

Jane has advised me that she came down on you like a tonne of bricks, and that you are truly sorry. I believe that to be true, and I wanted to say that your letter of apology made me cry. I also want to believe that you are proud of me, but actions speak louder than words. I told my mother of our disagreement, and she gave me some sage advice. She explained that all three of us (including Jane) are hurting from what has happened, and that I need to find a way to bridge the gap with you by giving you a way to show that you are sorry. She also said that it would be a real shame to throw away a decade of friendship because we are both maturing into our adult selves, and losing our innocence in the process. It took me quite a while, but I can see the wisdom in this. It’s not as though I have been enjoying feeling angry and frustrated with you or with myself.

I have had an idea about how we could do this, but I want, in a spirit of reconciliation and respect, to give you time to absorb what I say in this letter, and to reflect upon it. I also want to be able for you and I to talk without Jane. She has been magnificent through all of this, but it’s been a real strain for her. So, even if you and I are never quite the same as we were, I want us to be able to spend time together in a friendly manner where Jane is not forced to take sides. I am sure you would agree that she deserves much better than that from both of us.

I will leave the ball in your court, Lizzie. If you don’t wish to speak to me ever again, I will understand. I will be immensely sad, and it will make things difficult for both of our families (hint hint), but I will truly understand. If you want us to work towards rebuilding our friendship, I stand ready to try.

Yours with respect and esteem
Charlotte"

She then sealed the letter, and asked one of the servants to deliver it to Longbourn.

Chapter Text

Lizzie sat on Oakham Mount with Charlotte’s letter in her hand. She had read it over twice now; once upon receipt, and once more up here, where she felt safe. There was a lot to take in. On the plus side, Charlotte didn’t despise her, and wanted to try to salvage their friendship. That was a relief, and something to hold onto. But beyond that, so much between them had changed irrevocably. Part of Lizzie wanted things to go back to how they had been two weeks earlier, but she recognised not only was that impossible, but also unproductive. If her friendship with Charlotte had this many holes in it, then it was likely only a matter of time before it fell apart regardless. All it had needed was a catalyst….

Lizzie blushed with shame as she thought about how true many of Charlotte’s words were. Even when they weren’t entirely accurate, they had made Charlotte feel worthless, and so in the end, that was the point that mattered. The perception Charlotte had ascribed to her actions had been just as powerful as the objective truth.

She had looked down upon Charlotte, even if it hadn’t been conscious. Lizzie had enjoyed the admiration and attention of her devoted friend, and had come to take her for granted. In hindsight, Charlotte had had every right to be ferociously angry with her, for Lizzie had completely broken her trust, and her fragile self-confidence. And why had she done it? She was not the perceptive, socially adept woman she had assumed herself to be, but had acted like an older version of Lydia.

And both of them had taken the easy path of becoming friends with each other to the almost complete exclusion of any other young women. It had been kind of Jane to offer her help in that regard, because Lizzie imagined how difficult it would be to start from scratch with people she had never bothered to call on before. But it wasn’t about herself now, thought Lizzie sadly, it was about Charlotte. Her friend was possibly about to undertake a huge adventure, and to move away from everything that was familiar. If Lizzie herself felt it hard to imagine making friends with other young women in the village, how much more nervous must Charlotte be feeling?

And yet, her friend was going to do it. Lizzie realised, to her surprise, that she was amazed at her Charlotte’s courage, and not a little jealous. Then she sobered. The truth was that Charlotte had been in so much mental pain that she would rather take a massive gamble with a stranger than to spend any more time in the village she had grown up in. Yet her alleged best friend had never asked, nor even thought about, how she had been feeling all these years. And even though Charlotte, to her great credit, was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, how could anything ever be even remotely the same again? The tears ran down Lizzie’s cheeks as complete comprehension of her behaviour dawned upon her.

Without realising it, she stayed on Oakham Mount for 2 hours, and was only roused when Jane called her name. Lizzie, embarrassed, tried to wipe her eyes, but her sister was not fooled by this. Seeing the letter on Lizzie’s lap, Jane simply held her hand out for it. And Lizzie, not knowing what else to do, handed it over. Jane sat down on the rock, and read quietly for a few minutes. Then she looked over at Lizzie, and said “This is painful to read.” “Yes, it is” replied Lizzie. “And what did you think of it – are her accusations fair?” “Yes, they are, for the most part.”

Lizzie hesitated, then continued “But fair or not misses the point. The fact is that this is how bad I made Charlotte feel. I would give anything not to have done so, but I have, and so we must start again from a very low place.” Jane didn’t push, she just reached around Lizzie and gave her a hug. Lizzie gave her a watery smile, and shrugged. After all, what else was there to say?

They started walking home soon after that, and about halfway back, Lizzie said “Charlotte has suggested that the ball is in my court. I have wanted to do something kind for her beyond merely writing letters, but I don’t know what such a thing would be. And how do I approach her now – on what basis?”

Jane thought for a minute, and said “Why don’t we leave it until after Sunday. As Charlotte suggested, she wants you to take time to reflect before you meet, and maybe she needs time too. Then I suggest that you and I walk over there together. I can always disappear if Charlotte wants me to, but she does mention wanting both of us to help her with something. If it’s not too extravagant, then that will start things rolling, and maybe while talking, you might get other ideas about what you can do for her.” Lizzie looked at Jane and smiled. “That actually sounds workable. It might help if it’s not the only thing I am thinking about, either.”

The conversation then turned to other matters, including Jane confirming that the Longs would be delighted to host them both after church on Sunday.

************************************************************************************************************************************

Charlotte sat quietly at the table, staring into space. She had sent Lizzie the letter, and no response had yet been forthcoming. She had thought that what she had written was, on balance, reasonable. She had apologised, she had explained herself, and she had offered an olive branch. But despite all of this, she now wondered if she had gone too far.

She barely noticed when her mother sat down beside her. Mrs. Lucas had been watching her daughter carefully for days now, and was relieved to see the dark circles under Charlotte’s eyes receding, as well as her behaviour being much calmer. And yet, something was still troubling her.

“A penny for them?” she asked gently, and smiled. “Oh, various things. If Father says yes, then I have come to realise I will be saying goodbye to an awful lot of things I am familiar with. I am still keen to undertake the role, I think it’s just that I hadn’t previously really thought about what I would be giving up.”

“Including Lizzie?” her mother probed gently, with a concerned look. Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Must you always be quite so perspicacious, Mother?” and then submitted to the raised eyebrows and smirk facing her. “Yes, alright, including Lizzie – and Jane.”

Mrs Lucas was heartened to hear this. She had always been delighted that Charlotte had found appropriate company right next door, and, while she considered that Lizzie had quite a sharp tongue at times, she had also helped to bring Charlotte out of her shell. And of course, it didn’t hurt to keep good relations with her neighbours – any neighbours. But she knew she had to tread very carefully here, and so she did not push, merely nodded, and waited. She knew only too well how mulish Charlotte could be if she felt like it.

The words took a little longer, but they came, as Mrs. Lucas had hoped. “I – I took your advice, and looked in the mirror. Or, in fact, into a pond, but it had the same effect. I came to realise that me going away was my last chance on many fronts – including making things better with Lizzie. So, I wrote her a letter yesterday and sent it across to Longbourn. I haven’t heard back from her yet. Mother, I didn’t tell you this, because I was ashamed, but I repudiated Lizzie’s apology. In short, I was as nasty to her as she’d been to me.” She looked at her mother, expecting to see censure in her eyes. To Charlotte’s surprise, Mrs. Lucas did not gasp, but merely sighed. “My darling girl, don’t look so surprised. Do you not think it’s possible that I may have had disagreements with my friends across the years too? I have not always acted in ways I have been proud of, and when I was younger, this sort of thing was not unknown to me, or indeed to your aunties or uncles. It is, in fact, part of growing up. But enough about that. What did you say in your letter to Lizzie?”

“Well, I apologised for having been so nasty. I explained how her behaviour had made me feel, and suggested that both of us are not who we thought we were. I said that I wished to try to be friends again, but that I wanted her to take some time to reflect, and finally, I said that the ball was in her court.”

“And so now you are waiting to hear from her. What is that you want Lizzie to do from now on, if you are to be friends?” “I don’t know, exactly, because I am not sure who I am in the process of becoming. I haven’t given it much thought, I have just been hoping that she will know what to do.”

Mrs. Lucas, to her chagrin, snorted with suppressed laughter. She did not wish to hurt her daughter’s feelings, but Charlotte merely made a quizzical face, and waited. Mrs. Lucas pulled herself together, and said “I apologise, Charlotte. What I found funny was the idea that you hope Lizzie will know what to do, and yet I have little doubt that Lizzie is feeling exactly the same as you are. Indeed, she is probably pestering Jane with much the same topic as we speak!” To her credit, Charlotte did recognise the irony in the situation, and, catching the look in her mother’s eyes, both of them had a good laugh at her expense.

When they were calmer again, Mrs. Lucas said “For what it’s worth, I think you are both on the right track. Neither of you is blameless in this situation, but your actions show that both of you are willing to draw a line and to move beyond what has happened. That is a credit to both of you, and is not something all people can manage. And I have to tell, you, Charlotte – the strongest friendships often come after you have had a big fight with each other. Doing so allows the friendship to grow and mature as your lives change, rather than getting stuck into set patterns.” Charlotte blinked. That possibility hadn’t occurred to her previously, and it seemed somewhat counterintuitive. After all, if you smashed a dinner plate, and tried to glue it back together, it was weaker, not stronger.

Mrs. Lucas smiled wanly. “That might be enough for today, I think. But rather than waiting for Lizzie’s response, I think you need to concentrate upon your own goals for a while. If your father says yes to Mr. Darcy's proposal, then you are going to need to think about what you will need in going so far from home. Not the basics – Mr. Darcy will supply those – but which things you would like to bring with you. What do you say?”

Charlotte replied “Yes, you have a distinct point there. And Mother – thank you for putting up with me recently. I know I have been out of sorts, and I didn’t intend for any of this to happen.” Mrs Lucas reached out to hold Charlotte’s hands. “Darling, I know you didn’t. But life is often like this, and maybe your father and I haven’t done you any favours by trying to protect you from much of it. But I am pleased to see this opportunity arise, as Heaven knows I wasn’t sure what else we could do for you. So, let’s concentrate on looking forward, and focusing on what we can control, rather than what we can’t.”

Charlotte nodded, and together they headed up the stairs to think through what she might need in her new life.

Chapter Text

Lizzie waited nervously as their arrival was announced at the Long’s house was announced by a servant. Mrs. Long had two nieces who lived with her, and while she was anxious to get them married, their situation was less dire than that of the Bennets. The two girls, named Martha and Rebecca, had a dowry of 2000 pounds each.

The Longs occupied a rather strange position within Meryton society. While they were tolerated, it was with some manner of reserve, because they did not have any male relatives, and they were considered competition because of their relative wealth. However, as Jane had discovered, the nieces were not arrogant or haughty, merely rather reserved and shy after having lost both of their parents at a young age. They did not push their claims into society, and only rarely hosted guests. It was a mark of how much they trusted Jane (and her essential goodness) that they had agreed to host her more extroverted sister. What Lizzie did not know is that they were as nervous about receiving her as she was to visit them.

The servant returned, and the Bennet sisters were shown into the drawing room. It was tastefully decorated, understated and yet boosted by the large southern picture window that created a bright and pleasant ambience. Tea was served, and some small talk was made. To everyone’s surprise, Lizzie was much quieter than usual, although she smiled, and responded to questions well enough.

Eventually, Martha, the eldest niece, decided to take the bull by the horns. “Miss Elisabeth, I wanted to tell you what a pleasure it is to receive you in our house. We have always wanted to know more about you, but there never seemed to be an appropriate time.” Lizzie looked at Martha’s face carefully, trying to work out if this was meant as an insult, or just an opening gambit. Seeing nothing but a smile, and a gentle look in the woman’s eyes, she realised it was the second, and she smiled in return.

“Thank you, Miss Martha. I must admit that I have likewise been curious. I am sorry that I have not hitherto made the effort to visit, but usually Jane will share any appropriate news of your household.”

“It is of no bother, Miss Elisabeth” replied Miss Rebecca, hoping to put their new guest at their ease. “As you are such a popular person in the village, we are merely delighted it has happened today.”

Jane stepped in at this juncture, aware of how the conversation could potentially veer into dangerous territory. “Indeed, and I love having my sister with me when I visit friends – it doubles the joy I feel from connecting people.” Lizzie flashed her sister a grateful smile, and gradually things improved. She and Rebecca discovered a mutual love of some piano pieces, and Martha turned out to enjoy some of the same authors. The initial visit stretched to two hours, at which point a return invitation was extended by the Bennet sisters to the Long nieces – but not without dramatic warnings that the Bennet household was often rather loud and unruly. To Lizzie’s immense pleasure, her new friends merely laughed, and said that they looked forward to such an adventure.

Once safely back in their bedroom, Jane turned to Lizzie and winked. Lizzie poked her tongue out, and threw a pillow at her sister. As usual, their mental telepathy was instant, and Lizzie said “Yes, alright, Jane, I enjoyed the experience. It took us all a little time to warm up, but it wasn’t anywhere near as painful as it feared it might have been.” Jane laughed, and leaned forward. “When do you think we should host them?” “That’s easy – whenever our siblings are away elsewhere. Do you think we could bribe them?” Both sisters sighed – if only it was that easy. Lydia in particular was likely to take what was on offer and then hang around regardless, not wanting to miss out on whatever action she assumed her older sisters were up to without her.

Jane put her chin in her hands, and thought, then said “Why don’t we simply invite them over after church next week? That gives us hope that they will still be thinking Christian thoughts about compassion and grace when they see Lydia and Kitty up close!” Lizzie chuckled. “It’s as good a time as any, I expect”. Then she sighed. Jane’s face softened, and she murmured “Charlotte?” Lizzie nodded. “Yes, it just occurred to me that one of the benefits to having old friends is that they take us just as they find us. Charlotte never complained about how wild we are, just rolled her eyes along with us, and calmly spoke as if there was no noise at all.”

To their surprise, Mary knocked quietly on the door, and said “Lizzie, Jane, Charlotte is downstairs. She says she would like to see you both.” They looked at each other, and then at Mary. “Thank you, Mary, please tell her we will be down right away.” Mary smiled, and said “I hope you can patch things up with her”. Lizzie gasped “How did you know?” “Oh, Lizzie, do give me some credit for intelligence. I do have eyes in my head, and Charlotte hasn’t visited in almost a fortnight. That hasn’t happened in a decade. And in recent days, you have either been holed up here writing letters, or out on long walks, but even when you are with us, you seem to be somewhere else in your head. It doesn’t take the wisdom of Job to put the pieces together.”

Lizzie looked at her younger sister with new eyes. “I see what you mean. God bless you, Mary, for caring about me – and yes, I hope Charlotte and I can fix things too.” Mary nodded, and then headed back down the stairs. Jane raised her eyebrows at Lizzie with amusement, and Lizzie grinned sheepishly, then replied. “Yes, Jane, that was a surprise. It seems this growing up business is rather contagious! But let’s go, we’re keeping Charlotte waiting.”

Charlotte rose to her feet when both women came down the stairs, and smiled uneasily. She wasn’t sure she had made the right decision to come over to Longbourn, but she was sick of waiting. If her friendship with Lizzie was over, then she wanted to know. So, after 20 minutes of looking in the mirror, and thinking about what a woman of action and character would do in this situation, she had screwed her courage to the sticking point. “Hello, Lizzie” she said softly. “Hello, Charlotte” replied Lizzie. They looked at each other for a long time, trying to read what the other was thinking. After 30 seconds of this, Jane could no longer bear the tension, and she suggested “Why don’t we go for a walk?”

Thankfully, Lydia, Kitty and Mrs. Bennet had paid them only passing attention, more interested in gossiping about something to do with bonnets and soldiers. They had greeted Charlotte upon her arrival, but as they were so used to her visiting, had only made desultory conversation with her. To Charlotte’s surprise, it was Mary who had left her piano and made a halting effort to ask after her family. Charlotte had been deeply touched, and a little bit ashamed that she had never bothered to make much effort with the awkward and shy Bennet sister. As they left, she didn’t notice Mary give Lizzie a quiet smile….

Once outside, Jane took the initiative. She didn’t know how to end this impasse, and she got the impression that neither of these two women did either. They had essentially fought each other to a standstill, and if they were not careful, their pride would not allow them to heal the rift. So, she chose to take the bull by the horns.

“So, Charlotte – has your father made his decision yet?” Charlotte hadn’t been expecting the question, but she rallied gamely. “Yes, he has - and he has agreed to it!” “That’s wonderful, Charlotte – isn’t it, Lizzie?”

Lizzie felt as though the ground wanted to eat her – her legs felt weak and shaky. She had thought of this outcome as something fictional, a remote possibility. But it was actually happening – her best friend was going to move away permanently. She tried desperately to put on a brave face, and to push her turbulent feelings down. “Yes, it’s good to hear that your father agreed to your plan, Charlotte. Congratulations.” She started speaking the sentence in a high voice, but the emotion she was feeling couldn’t be denied, and the last word was said in a dull, lifeless tone.

Charlotte could not bear to see the pain in her friend’s eyes. She ran to Lizzie, and hugged her fiercely. “I am SO sorry, Lizzie. I have been a terrible friend” ….and then she found that she couldn’t say any more, because she was convulsing with sobs. Lizzie replied “Oh, Charlotte – I’ve missed you so much”, and the two of them sobbed together in each other’s arms.

Jane quietly walked some distance away, and left them to it. It had been a close-run thing, but they had done it. She wiped the tears from her own face, and smiled in satisfaction. Five minutes and much handkerchief work later, both of them were somewhat restored to normality, although Lizzie had the hiccups. This brought laughter from the three of them, and Charlotte took the opportunity to raise her request. She explained having met Judith, and the idea she had had to ensure that the young people of Bilham had a chance to be employed at Netherfield.

Both Bennet sisters expressed initial surprise, but to Charlotte’s surprise, it was Jane, rather than Lizzie, who raised concerns. Thankfully, her rapprochement with Lizzie had left her feeling much calmer than she had in weeks, and so her usual common sense had returned. She had thought this plan through in detail, explaining that she would need both Lizzie and Jane to walk over to Bilham with her. They had limited time to meet with Judith and the villagers, and in any case, they needed to give them some basic training to make an impression on the Bingley women when they arrived.

For the time being, there was an unspoken agreement between them all not to talk about what had caused the rift in the first place, nor Charlotte’s future role. One thing at a time, and at least this project gave them a chance to simply be together. They agreed to meet again at Longbourn at 8am the following morning, and to bring a picnic lunch with them.

Chapter Text

After Lizzie and Jane greeted Charlotte at the front gate, they took the path over to Bilham. They had told Mrs Hill where they were going, and she nodded approvingly. In fact, Charlotte had sent word ahead the day before to Judith that they would be visiting her early at around 9am. As they walked, conversation was rather strained. Lizzie was much quieter than she would usually be, as she was not sure what might provoke another furious response out of her friend. Charlotte was concentrating upon the task ahead, while Jane, who was usually quiet, was simply taking in her surroundings, and pondering about the fact that she had lived in the area all her life, but had never walked along this path.

Eventually they reached Judith’s door. Charlotte called out a hello, and the door swung open to reveal a small older lady with a large smile and piercing blue eyes. “Come in, please” she said. It appeared to Charlotte that Judith had borrowed some chairs and a table from somewhere in order to make her guests feel at home. It was somewhat cramped as a result, but they managed.

Charlotte then said “Judith, these are my best friends, Miss Elizabeth and Miss Jane Bennet. Lizzie, Jane, this is my friend Mrs Judith Hayes.” It surprised Charlotte to think of having said that about Judith, but it somehow absurdly pleased her. Why should she not count Judith as a friend? After all, she had been nothing but kind.

To her surprise, Jane spoke first “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Hayes, and thank you for having us in your home.” Judith nodded, and Lizzie concurred “I agree. It’s lovely and warm in here.” Judith smiled more broadly. They might be young ladies, but they were also well-mannered, and showed no obvious sign of discomfort with their humble surroundings. Some small talk over tea ensued, and included Charlotte admitting that her father had agreed to her serving Mr. Darcy. Judith rose to give Charlotte a congratulatory hug. She was smart enough to leave it at that, as one look at Lizzie’s face told her that not everything was healed between the two friends as yet.

Charlotte then brought things to a head in order to change the subject. “So, I think it’s time we came to the purpose for our visit. Mrs Hayes, you mentioned last time I visited here that you were keen for some of the local youth to gain employment at Netherfield. How many people did you have in mind?”

“Altogether, there are seven of them – four girls, and three boys. They range in age from 20 down to 15. One of the boys is good at arithmetic; he has more or less taught himself. The girls have fairly good domestic skills for their ages, although they wouldn’t know how things worked in a manor house.”

“I see. What is it, then, that we can assist with?”

“Well, as you and your friends are young ladies, and you live with servants around you, I was hoping that we could pretend to wait upon you as a way to practice the skills required.”

“You mean that we should play ourselves?” asked Lizzie.

“Essentially, yes” agreed Judith, “but I want you to make suggestions about how to make a good impression, and what you would be looking for if you yourselves were looking to hire household staff. Would that be something you are comfortable doing?”

Lizzie looked at Jane, who looked back with an uncertain smile. Neither sister had ever had a hand in choosing their household staff, so it was uncharted territory for them. Lizzie then looked at Charlotte, who nodded. “I don’t see any real problem in doing that, Mrs Hayes. Except that – except that none of us has ever actually hired anyone before. So, we are happy to give what assistance we can, on the proviso that you are not expecting us to be expert at it.”

To her huge surprise, Judith laughed, and the feeling was contagious. When they had all caught their breath, Judith said “That’s not a problem, dear. I well understand that you are not yet in charge of your own households. And I daresay that you don’t really pay all that much attention to what your house staff do, because they are just there all the time.” Jane smiled and nodded, while Lizzie looked thoughtful. “Yes, that’s likely somewhat true” she admitted. She looked up into the face of the lady opposite her “But how do you know that?” Judith gave a broad grin. “Oh, I only spent 20 years serving a noble family elsewhere as a young girl. They had three daughters and two sons, but then I married my John and moved here. Either way, though, the children really weren’t all that aware of what happened to make the household flow. Not their fault, they were fairly young – and in any case, it wasn’t my place to draw their attention to it.”

To their surprise, Judith then rose to her feet. “Right, ladies, shall we go? The young people are waiting for us in the church.” Without waiting for them, Judith swept outside. Lizzie looked at Charlotte, who smirked, and shrugged. Jane had already followed Judith out. When the others joined them, Judith led them about 300 metres away to a stone church. It wasn’t large, and it was simple, but it was also the largest building in the village.

They entered through a side door, and seven mouths stopped talking. Seven pairs of eyes examined them closely, until Judith said “Cat got your tongue, youngsters? Remember what I told you!” At this barked command, one by one, the children forgot to stare at the newcomers. They came forward and bashfully introduced themselves. The three friends responded with smiles and words of encouragement. With that out of the way, Judith explained that they were going to pretend to go through an entire day of what tasks would be required. She had laid out many of the tools and implements required on one of the pews off to the side of the main nave.

Jane volunteered to go first, pretending to be asleep. A shy young girl called out her name, but Jane winked at her and told her to try again – she was being too quiet. Lizzie murmured to Charlotte “Do you think I should tell the truth – that Jane and I are usually awakened by our squabbling younger siblings?” Charlotte giggled, and said “No more than I should explain my siblings at that time of day!” The young girl did better the second time, and with infinite patience, Jane talked the girls through how to do her hair, and prepare her clothes, and provide water for washing, etc. Lizzie was by then helping some of the children to understand what needed to be done downstairs before the household woke up, in terms of preparing wood, lighting fires, gathering water, etc. Charlotte was with the young man, Robin, who had shown promise in arithmetic. Following an idea, she asked Judith to bring her a set of accounts, and she showed him what they meant, and how they worked. To her gratification, he grasped the concept quickly, so she took the conversation up a level, talking about how to plan ahead with numbers.

The morning passed rapidly in this fashion, and it was decided that everyone should eat in the hall attached to the church. Charlotte had thought ahead, and together, the three friends had brought much more food than what was needed for themselves. The young people looked amazed as pies, fruit, and carefully prepared sandwiches appeared on the table in front of them. Judith – who these children loved dearly, but didn’t dare cross – ensured that grace was proclaimed, and that everyone was served politely. Regardless, however, the food disappeared in record time, much to the astonishment of Jane and Lizzie. Judith and Charlotte, who’d seen merchant families at the table, laughed at their reaction. At Lizzie’s quizzical look, Charlotte explained “This is far more exciting than their usual fare, and in any case, if they don’t eat quickly at home, they miss out to whoever is faster.” Upon reflection, Lizzie thought, that made perfect sense.

More activities followed after lunch, and by 2pm, Judith called a halt. “Well, ladies, my husband will be returning soon, as will these children’s parents. They all have chores to get to, but I am sure they have appreciated what you have shown them today. Children, please give a cheer on the count of three – one, two, three!" The village children gave them three large “Huzzahs!”, then lined up to either shake hands or to curtsey to their guests.

When they had all vanished, after lots of waving, Judith said quietly “What do you think – are they up to scratch?”

Jane, of course, was quietly positive. “I think they have a lot of potential". Lizzie agreed “Yes, with training, I think they would be a pleasure to have in the house.” “And your view, Miss Lucas?” Judith asked bluntly, noting the thoughtful expression on the woman’s face. “It was a charming beginning, Mrs. Hayes, and I am glad we have given them some exposure to the work. But the three of us are from fairly small households, and we are fairly sensible people. I cannot speak for the ladies of the Ton, however. They run much larger estates, and I expect some of them would be much less forgiving of novices. I am happy to put the children forward for employment at Netherfield, but it may take time before it happens.” She looked at her friend, who seemed crestfallen. “I am truly sorry, Judith. But I would rather - gently – tell you what I really felt, rather than to give you false hope. For a start, while I have met Mr. Bingley, I cannot yet claim any relationship at all with his sisters. And given that I am going away soon, I am not sure how much influence I can bring to bear on the situation going forward, either.”

Charlotte smiled at her two friends. “I thank you both for your assistance today. I wanted to do something for Mrs Hayes to repay her many kindnesses to me, and because I wanted to see what I could achieve as a result of my own efforts. And regardless of what comes next, I am well pleased with today. Together, we have given these children a sense of the wider world beyond their village, and filled their stomachs. What I am now sure of, though, is that these children face a rather limited life if their only choice is to work the land, or to follow their parents into the slate mines. I would particularly disappointed if young Robin had no chance to use his mathematical skills. However, I did not bring you here to put you under any obligation, and I am sure Mrs. Hayes would agree with me.” A quick glance showed Judith nodding, and she said “I would like to add my thanks to Charlotte’s. I mentioned to her some days ago that women at my level are only as good as the relationships they have built around them, and that we depend upon each other for our different skills. When I mentioned this idea to Charlotte, I had no real expectation that it would lead anywhere, but I am very glad that it did. It was very kind of both of you to give up your day to try to help us.”

Lizzie was pensive at this point, so Jane quietly took the lead. The point being made here implicitly was obvious – either one, or both, of the Bennet sisters could choose to make a difference to the situation here, or they could choose to ignore it.
She turned to Judith, and said with gravity “It was our pleasure to assist today. I can speak for both of us when I say that we thoroughly enjoyed it, and that we appreciate meeting you. As for any future assistance, however, would you mind if we think upon it? I see the issue, but it is not a simple thing for us to agree to.”

Judith nodded. “Of course, Miss Bennet. I will understand if you cannot, as I appreciate the social and other complexities involved. You are both welcome to return and to visit me regardless, as I have enjoyed meeting you both too.”

Lizzie spoke up at this point, having recovered her equilibrium. “Mrs Hayes, I second my sister’s opinion on this matter. It has been a most interesting experience, and I confess that it has made me realise all sorts of things I hadn’t thought about before.” She lowered her voice, and looked at the floor. “A good friend has recently told me that I need to learn to think before I act, and especially before I speak. I am doing my best to learn this lesson.” She looked up at Charlotte, who gave her hand a warm squeeze, and an even warmer smile. They weren’t back to where they had been – and it may not ever happen – but it was progress in that direction, nonetheless.

Judith noted this byplay, and merely added “I see. Well, thank you again for coming today. Miss Lucas, I wish you all of the luck in the known world. I will miss you; please come and visit me when you get a chance, and please write to me.” And with that, she moved across and gave Charlotte a long hug. “I’m proud of you, Charlotte” she whispered. Charlotte hugged her back, and said “I will, Judith. Thank you for everything.”

And with that, the three friends started walking back towards Longbourn. At the edge of the village, they turned and waved, and Judith waved back at them.

Chapter Text

After church, Lizzie and Jane walked over to greet the Lucases. As they had been doing this for years, nobody else batted an eyelid. Except, of course, that Mrs. Lucas was very much aware of what had been going on, and wanted to ensure that all was well between the three of them. “Good morning Lizzie, good morning Jane” she said with a broad smile. Both of them responded in kind, and curtsied. “Good morning, Charlotte” said Lizzie shyly. “Good morning, Lizzie” replied her friend with a slight smile.

After yesterday’s excursion, none of the girls quite knew what to say to each other. Part of this is that they had all stepped out of what they’d usually be allowed to do, and another part was their surroundings - they couldn’t really talk openly with most of Meryton around them. Mrs. Lucas was concerned by this reaction between the three of them, so she decided to grab the bull by the horns. “Lizzie, has Charlotte told you her news?” Lizzie wasn’t quite sure which news this was referring to, so she asked quietly “Do you mean about her new position, Mrs. Lucas?” “The very same.” “Yes, she has mentioned it in passing. I am very pleased for her.” and gave her friend the best smile she could muster, although it hurt her to do so.

Charlotte glanced at her mother after returning Lizzie’s smile. “Mother, this is not the time and place to talk about such things.” Her mother just grinned broadly at her daughter, and replied “Oh, I quite agree. Which is why I would like to invite both Lizzie and Jane for lunch tomorrow, if you are both free?”

This was news to Charlotte, who looked at Mrs. Lucas in exasperation. Now she knew what was going on – her mother wanted them all to bury the hatchet, and to do so in a controlled setting. And the fact that neither she or Lizzie had really talked things through yet – they had danced around them – meant that her mother had decided to force the issue. Charlotte wasn’t pleased at being manipulated in such a way, but then, from her mother’s perspective, people may well notice that the usual banter between these three wasn’t occurring. She blushed with suppressed feeling, but after blinking, steeled her face, and said to Lizzie and Jane “It appears that we intend to invite you both to lunch tomorrow. Please say that you can come – it would make me – and my mother (at this, Charlotte injected a note of sarcasm into her voice) SO happy to have you.”

Lizzie and Jane, not entirely sure what was going on between mother and daughter, definitely caught the change in Charlotte’s tone, and laughed. “How can we resist such a compelling invitation?” said Lizzie, and then sobered. “But only if you truly desire it, Charlotte.” She looked into her friend’s eyes, and saw frustration, then resignation, and finally love. “Yes, Lizzie, I want you to come. We have a lot to talk about.”

“Are you sure you want me to attend, Charlotte?” said Jane. “Yes, Jane, please do. I think your calmness may be useful to both Lizzie and myself.” “In that case, I will come. Thank you for the invitation, Mrs. Lucas.” Jane smiled at the older woman, who smiled back at her. Jane had an inkling about what was behind this invitation, and she agreed with its purpose. “Wonderful, we will see you at 11.30 then. Now, please excuse us, but Charlotte and I are visiting the King family for lunch today.”

The two parties took their leave of one another, and the Bennet sisters made their way back to Longbourn with their family. In their bedroom, Jane broached the topic with Lizzie. “What did you think of our lunch invitation?” “I thought Charlotte would die of embarrassment. Mrs. Lucas forced her hand, didn’t she?”

“Yes, I suspect as much. What I wonder, though, is why she did it – could it be that Charlotte is leaving earlier than we all expected?”

“That hadn’t occurred to me, although it’s possible, I suppose. But I suspect that our reaction to each other this morning didn’t help matters. Mrs. Lucas could immediately tell that things are somewhat different between us, and it worries her.” Lizzie grinned and continued. “Now that I think about it, she’s done that before, when we were much younger.”

Jane laughed “I remember. We had all tried to hide those apples, but when Charlotte didn’t get the one she wanted, you and she had a fight. It didn’t take a genius to work out what we’d been up to, though, especially when Mr. Smith arrived and asked Mr. Lucas if “any of his apples were to be found in the vicinity?” Lizzie smiled fondly in remembrance. “Actually, he was pretty good about it, all things considered. And Mrs. Lucas was actually more concerned with the fact that Charlotte and I weren’t talking.” She sighed. “This time, though, it really matters.”

Jane murmured agreement. “She’s worried, I think, that you and Charlotte will be estranged if you don’t patch things up, and that will make it awkward every time Charlotte comes home for a visit. For a start, where will Charlotte have to go when her own siblings annoy her?” The two siblings shared a grin at that idea, then Jane continued “You two are the linchpins that hold our two families together. Beyond myself, the Lucases are our family’s only true friends in the village. They are the only ones who really tolerate our mother’s nerves and our father’s standoffishness - everyone else just goes through the motions. And in turn, we accept them as our equals, even though they bought their way into the gentry. Our families need each other.”

“So she is forcing the issue? What else does she know about this situation, Jane?”

“Most of it, I imagine. I had to ask her to give Charlotte your letter to Darcy – don’t worry, she hasn’t read it – and then to ensure it got to Mr. Darcy itself. And she insisted upon meeting Mr. Darcy after the initial conversation Charlotte had had with him. Beyond that, don’t you think that she’s helped Charlotte to win her father’s approval of this very unexpected plan?”

“Now that you say that, yes, it wouldn’t happen without her consent. But why the rush?” “Because when Charlotte leaves, any chance you will both have to work out the contours of your friendship will be incomplete. Lizzie, Charlotte is going to come back to us as quite a different woman. She may well see and experience some amazing, and also some horrible things. She can already do the inscrutable thing with her face; but she may learn to do so with her mind, as well. But she won’t come back often if the only thing here for her is nostalgia. So, Mrs. Lucas wants you to rebuild your friendship in the time Charlotte has left in Meryton.”

“Oh” said Lizzie. Now that Jane had spelt it out, it all made sense. But how were they going to get there in the time they had left? Lizzie shook her head. They were going to have to talk quite a lot, and some of it was going to hurt. Beyond that, though, was the hope of an ongoing friendship, and Lizzie realised that she hadn’t really asked Charlotte about what she would be doing. She felt ashamed at this, and resolved to show more interest in her friend’s life.

Lizzie wondered quietly what their conversation after Charlotte returned home the first time would look like. Charlotte would (possibly) talk of what she’d done, or she might not. Either way, though, what would Lizzie herself have to contribute against her friend’s tales of travel and adventure? Nothing much, she realised. Life would otherwise go on here as it had for years. She and Jane would wait for potential husbands to turn up, and that would be that.

Except – what if it wasn’t? If the last fortnight had shown her anything, it was that change was possible - and possibly even healthy. So, she speculated – what if Jane married? That would lift the entail over Longbourn, and doing so would calm her mother down. But it would also mean her beloved sister moving away, and that idea saddened Lizzie greatly. Beyond that, though, Lizzie thought, what would her days consist of? She would be here with her younger siblings, and her parents, without either Jane or Charlotte around for support. She might eventually make other friends, but they lived further away, and in any case, it would take time.

An idea struck her suddenly. If both Jane and Charlotte were living elsewhere, she could go and stay with them. That could mean she was introduced to men beyond their existing circles, and maybe she could get married too! But the thought faded as quickly as it came. Would Charlotte welcome her visiting? indeed, would doing so blow her cover? It could very well do so. And as for Jane, after the last time they’d been in public together, would Jane be keen to introduce her to anyone new? Not for a while, she suspected, until she had shown she could control her behaviour and emotions.

All of which left – what? Mrs. Hayes’ idea? It was outlandish, but it was something. She turned it over in her mind. On the plus side, it would definitely help people who needed it. On the down side, there were definitely risks involved. But it was not as if her family was not considered rather eccentric already. In fact, she mused, it may not cause as much of a shock as it otherwise would have done. If she was going to ruffle feathers socially, should she not do so in a good cause?

“Jane, what did you think about helping Mrs. Hayes?”

“I am still thinking that over, Lizzie. I’m not really worried about what our immediate neighbours would think, but I am concerned about how any future husbands might react to hearing about us doing such work. We have little enough chance of meeting men as it is, and while Charlotte has landed on her feet, I don’t think that you and I can expect lightning to strike twice in the same way.”

“I was thinking about that too. Do you think it is possible that Charlotte may introduce us to men in her circles over time?”

“Well, it’s certainly possible, but we have to remember that Charlotte doesn’t even know where she’s going to be living in three months’ time, let alone beyond that. Beyond that, I don’t know if she will be allowed to be seen with us. So, relying upon her to be our entrée into different circles is problematic, I think. Are you considering helping Mrs. Hayes, Lizzie? Or is it just that you don’t know what else to do, and this situation just appears to solve the problem?”

“About half of each, Jane. I was just thinking about what I would do with my time once Charlotte leaves. And it occurred to me that if she can vanish so quickly, then it’s possible that you can, too.”

“Leaving you alone with the pleasures of the remaining Bennet family, you mean?” questioned Jane with a giggle. “Amazing how that concentrates the mind, doesn’t it?” Lizzie took the dig in good humour. “Well, you must admit it’s not the most thrilling of prospects, Jane! Having said that, though, people can change. If you were not here, I would spend more time with Mary. Did you notice how supportive she’s been through this last week?”

“Yes, I have. It’s a credit to her, and I suspect she would be more to us if we let her be, Lizzie. To my immense shame, you and I are so close that until recently, I hadn’t given Mary much thought. She was just – there. But we have never made space for her to join us.” Lizzie said quietly “I know. We didn’t do it on purpose, but we did it all the same. It makes me wonder who else we have been taking for granted.” Jane sat up, and said, with a straight face “The cat?” and both sisters collapsed into giggles.

When they had both recovered, Jane said “Lizzie, I am not telling you not to help Mrs. Hayes. But I think we should wait until Charlotte has left with Mr. Darcy. That way, whatever we decide, it’s on our own terms, and she doesn’t get tangled up with it.” Lizzie thought about that observation, and then nodded. “But perhaps I could visit Mrs. Hayes in the meantime, and let her know where things are up to?”

“Yes, I suppose that would be alright. You might consider taking Mary along with you, Lizzie. If we want to broaden our own horizons, we need to help Mary to do the same thing.”

Jane stood up, and extended her hand to her sister. “For now, though, it’s time for lunch.”

Chapter Text

Lunch was a low-key affair, but there was an undercurrent of nervousness. Neither Lizzie or Charlotte was willing to disrupt the tenuous peace between them, and Jane didn’t want to interfere. So, it passed peacefully, if rather quietly. Mrs. Lucas, however, knew that the boil had to be lanced, and so she gave her husband a significant look, and he rose from the table and made his excuses. He did want to make clear that he valued the friendship of these two guests, however. It had only occurred to him that morning that this may very well be the last time that these three young ladies would dine under his roof – and it saddened him immensely. So, he merely said “Ladies, thank you for coming to lunch. I have enjoyed your company, as I usually do. You are both welcome to come and visit any time you like, even once Charlotte has left on her grand adventure.” They both thanked him for his sentiments, and assured him that they would visit. He smiled wanly, and then left the room.

Mrs Lucas didn’t waste a second. “Lizzie, it’s been lovely to see you again. I understand that you and Charlotte have been at loggerheads recently, but after so many years of friendship, I want you both to patch it up before she leaves.” Lizzie gasped, and Charlotte groaned. Jane held her breath. Lizzie then exclaimed angrily “Are you saying it’s all my fault, Mrs. Lucas?” “No, I am not. I am sure there is plenty of blame to go around, but maybe you should both talk about how the situation has made you feel.” And with that, she left the room.

Jane looked at both of her friends. Lizzie was somewhat mollified by what Mrs. Lucas had said, but she now glared across the table at Charlotte. Charlotte, for her part, looked back at Lizzie with a level stare. “Go on then, Charlotte. You’re the injured party here.” Jane winced – that wasn’t the tone she would have chosen.

Charlotte, however angry she was feeling, didn’t raise her voice. “Fine. Lizzie, we’ve been through some of this before. You have written to me, and I have written to you. We have both talked through Jane. But what we haven’t done is to talk to each other, not really.”

They both went quiet for a moment, and then Charlotte continued quietly. “I apologise for my mother pushing the issue. It’s like the apples all over again” – and at this, she was pleased to see a smirk cross Lizzie’s lips. Jane said quietly “We were talking about the apples just yesterday along the same lines”.

Charlotte smiled, then continued. “Maybe that’s why we’re finding this so hard, Lizzie. We have so much history together that it’s hard to separate you from me, and me from you. But that innocent world is gone now. Would you not agree?”

Lizzie nodded slowly. She thought about apologising again, then stopped herself. Charlotte hadn’t appreciated it last time, and maybe it was time to let Charlotte express herself. So, she just said softly “Continue, Charlotte.”

Charlotte went on. “So, I spoke to Judith about you and our fight when we first met, and again after you apologised to me. It wasn’t discreet, but at that stage, I didn’t expect that you would ever cross paths with her. She advised that we have to work out what we will have in common beyond our shared past. Judith also suggested I think about what would make me glad to see you again. That’s why I asked you and Jane to help me the other day. I was trying to find something we could talk about that was after we had snapped at each other. But once I leave? I don’t know. I am equal parts excited and terrified about my contract, Lizzie…but you still haven’t mentioned it, beyond the broadest generalities.”

Lizzie opened her mouth to reply, but Jane beat her to it. “Charlotte, you haven’t been exactly welcoming to Lizzie recently.”

Charlotte had the grace to blush at that. Then she grinned “I know that you haven’t either, Jane!” Charlotte looked over the table at Lizzie. “I am sorry, Lizzie, Jane’s right. I have been about as friendly as a thunderstorm, but all I can say in my defence is that I’m still in shock. I didn’t ask for any of this – none of us did. For so long, I have been waiting for something to happen, because I had lost hope. Part of me wants to go back to being innocent, but I can’t. We all can’t. I am trying to move forward, but I don’t know what I’m doing, or where I’m going. But it’s hard to trust you as the person who brought about all of this change.”

Lizzie closed her eyes, and let tears roll slowly down her face. She took time to calm her breathing, and said “Charlotte, I didn’t intend for any of this to happen either. If I could turn back time, believe me, I would, but I can’t. I appreciate that you are trying to reach out to me, and I enjoyed our trip to Bilham together.” She took a deep breath, and continued. “We have both apologised to each other, and I understand it’s going to take time to heal. But I’m in shock too, Charlotte. I never expected that I could act in such a way as to lose my best friend, and now that you are leaving, I am left to reflect upon my own choices. Much of what I held – or have been encouraged to believe –as true has been exposed as false. I had thought I was the centre of the world, only to realise that nobody else cares what I think. My self-confidence is shattered, and I don’t know what to do, or where I’m going either.”

Jane didn’t like where this conversation was heading, so she said softly. “Maybe this is where your idea of change muscles come in, Charlotte. None of us – me included – have ever really had to face much change before. It’s a very unsettling feeling, isn’t it? It’s not only you two that are impacted by this, it’s me too. I have had to do things in the past fortnight I never dreamed of. But the other side of doing them is that, to my amazement – I could do them. And now that I have had some time to reflect upon the situation, it makes me wonder what else I could do if I put my mind to it. I am not sure what that would be, but I no longer just wish to float along in life. Even though it goes against what’s expected of us.”

Charlotte said “Well, it has brought you and I closer together, Jane, so that’s a plus. And I expect that you, Lizzie, are just as surprised by the changes in Jane as I am!”

Lizzie rubbed her eyes, and gave a watery smile. “Yes, I am astounded. I never realised that you had such courage, Jane - or the ability to be as frightening as you have shown me!”

Jane said “I have an idea. Lizzie, please ask Charlotte all about her new position. Charlotte, do not bite Lizzie, or I will use my glare on you.” Jane made a ferocious face, growled, and pretended to be like a cat flexing its paw. All three women laughed, and it broke the lingering mood of sadness.

Lizzie reached out, and held Charlotte’s hand. “Charlotte, I have never encouraged you to do anything that I didn’t organise myself. I never thought to ask you what you are thinking or feeling, or what your plans are. And so, I want to know about your new position, and to ask what I can do to help you.”

Charlotte squeezed her friend’s hand in return, and Lizzie saw that Charlotte likewise had tears running down her cheeks. “Thank you, Lizzie. That would mean a lot to me.” And she proceeded to do just that for the next hour or so. Mrs Lucas, who’d thought that there might have been some raised voices, returned, and was pleased to see the three friends talking animatedly about what Charlotte's new role might involve.

Chapter Text

Jane sat in the library at Netherfield with Mr. Bingley and Charlotte. One of the things they had discussed the day before was how they could advance Judith’s wishes. They had invited Lizzie along, but to their surprise, she had suggested that they would do better without her presence. Despite their protests, she made the point that they were trying to come across as ladylike and delicate, and that doing so was more likely to appeal to Mr. Bingley than muddying the waters with her presence. The logic of this eventually won them over.

“Miss Bennet, Miss Lucas. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Mr Bingley began. He was both mystified and delighted to see Jane again, and also pleased to see Charlotte as a sensible chaperone. They looked around the room, and Mr. Bingley, understanding their concern, asked the servants to leave the room. Once they had filed out, Jane smiled, and said “We understand that your sisters are due to arrive any day now, Mr. Bingley. As such, Charlotte and I wanted to meet them, and to invite them over for luncheon in order to get to know them better. As you may imagine, it is always a pleasure to meet new people when living in the countryside.”

“That’s very kind of you, Miss Bennet. But I am a little confused; did you mean that you wanted us to visit you at Longbourn, or at Lucas Lodge?” Charlotte jumped in at this point to save Jane some embarrassment. “We were thinking of Lucas Lodge, Mr. Bingley. My family wanted to thank you for your assistance in helping to find this opportunity for me.”

“Oh, I did nothing much” protested Bingley. Jane spoke up at this point. “I believe you sell yourself short, Mr. Bingley. I could not have managed to work my way through this situation without your support.” Bingley looked at Jane, and found himself blushing. “It was my pleasure to help where I could, Miss Bennet.” The pair of them looked at each other wordlessly until Charlotte coughed softly. “Mr. Bingley, we do have another reason to visit today, and while I hope it doesn’t sound too mercenary, we’d like to request your assistance again.”

To his credit, Bingley merely smiled. He wasn’t sure exactly what was wanted, but he did recognise the modus operandi at work – he hadn’t had two sisters for nothing! They had used to flatter him, speak softly, and smile at him a lot, before the hook revealed itself in what came next. He didn’t really think these two women were being devious per se, just that they wanted something. “I see. What can I do for you both?” He noticed Jane and Charlotte look at each other, and Charlotte give a very slight, almost imperceptible nod. Jane said, in a gentle tone “Well, Mr. Bingley, when your sisters arrive, we presume that they plan to stay a while, and as such, they will need staff to run the household. Is this not correct?”

This wasn’t what Bingley had expected, so he answered cautiously. “Yes, my sister Caroline will act as hostess while we are living here. But she will be bringing some of the staff with her, and it would be her prerogative to hire more.” He looked confused. “If you are looking to be invited for dinner, or the like, you need not worry on that account…I would be delighted to introduce you to my sisters…”

Jane persisted. “Thank you, sir, that would be delightful, but that’s not what we are asking for. We were wondering if you would be open to the idea of hiring some of the local people as household staff.”

Bingley looked from Jane to Charlotte in astonishment. They looked back at him in friendly manner, but there was no hint of ridicule or mischief in their expressions. “Your question is genuine?” he asked, gently.

Charlotte spoke first “Yes, I assure you it is, Mr. Bingley. If you have time, I would like to tell you why. Have you any pressing engagements?” “No, nothing urgent. Please, Miss Lucas, pray tell me how you come to be asking such an unusual request of me. You have me intrigued!” Charlotte took a deep breath. “Well, last Wednesday morning, as you might imagine, I woke up feeling very depressed. I hadn’t slept well, and I was wondering what to do with my life. So, I went for a long walk along the river, and found myself in a small village called Bilham. I was preoccupied, and as I hadn’t really set out with a destination in mind, I was a bit shocked to come across it. We had actually been warned against going there as young girls, because it’s a mining village, and the men are considered a bit rough and potentially dangerous.”

Mr. Bingley simply nodded, although he did wear a shocked expression.

“However, when I arrived, all of the men were off at the slate mines. There were some children playing, but it seemed otherwise more or less deserted. So, I sat down to rest and look over the river for a while. I don’t know how long I sat there, but I heard a gentle voice ask me if I was lost. The old woman speaking was called Judith Hayes. Then she invited me into her house for tea, and she was so kind to me. She listened as I poured out my troubles to her, and we talked about what I could do. To my great shame, Mr. Bingley, I had never really shown much interest in people below me in social rank before, and yet this woman took time out of her day to comfort me. And so later, when I asked her what I could do to help her in return, she asked if I could assist in finding work for some of the village children.” Charlotte looked at him briefly with a shy smile, but when he did not respond, she looked at the floor. She feared that she had said too much, had pushed a fledgling friendship too far.

Jane reached over and gave Charlotte’s hand a gentle squeeze. Charlotte looked up, and the two women looked at each other intently. Charlotte desperately wished that she knew Jane better; that she had developed the sort of mental telepathy that she had long known with Lizzie. Jane, however, had often needed such shorthand with Lizzie to communicate without words amongst the chaos of the Bennet household. She knew immediately what Charlotte wanted her to say to Mr. Bingley, and the risks implicit in doing it.

Jane thought rapidly. If she let it be known that she’d been visiting such a place unchaperoned, and Mr. Bingley disapproved, then that would likely be the end of any friendship with him. On the other hand, if he only wanted a simpering nobody, Jane thought, would she actually respect him? After all she’d been through in the past week, Jane was surprised to realise that she wouldn’t. So, she leaned forward in her chair, and said: “Mr. Bingley, do you remember how I asked for your complete discretion the first night we met? I am going to ask for it again. Do I have your word, sir?”

Bingley nodded dumbly, not trusting himself to say anything. Miss Lucas’s story had touched his heart, but more than that, Miss Bennet was asking him to trust her again. She didn’t know he would willingly walk to the moon and back for her as his heart sprinted inside his ribcage. Jane didn’t notice his reaction, but Charlotte certainly did, and had to work hard not to laugh. To help things along, she said “I’m sure you can trust Mr. Bingley, Jane.”

So Jane began her tale. “Mr. Bingley, as you know, I have been acting as the go-between many people over the past fortnight. Thankfully, Charlotte and Lizzie have now reconciled with each other, though it wasn’t without its challenges. As part of moving on from what has happened, Charlotte invited Lizzie and I to walk to Bilham with her, and to meet Mrs. Hayes. She was as kind and lovely as Charlotte had described her to be, but she and Charlotte had devised a test for Lizzie – and I was along for support, I suppose. Mrs. Hayes wanted us, as young gentlewomen, to show the children of the village what it was like to serve in a manor house. So, we spent half a day taking the children through the various tasks required, and then we walked home afterwards. As you would be aware, as gentlewomen, we cannot work, and we cannot be seen to work. Nobody knows where we went that day – or what we did over there.

Charlotte’s courage has opened the door to me seeing the world very differently than I did previously. When she goes, I will be thinking very hard about what to do with my own life. But I want to help those children, Mr. Bingley.” She looked at him with a curious intensity, hoping that he could pick up on her feelings the way Lizzie could, and wondering why her stomach was flip-flopping all over the place. “So, if you would consider hiring some of them, it would make all of us – and Mrs. Hayes – very happy indeed.”

Bingley went to open his mouth, and found that nothing came out. Jane tilted her head, looking confused, and hoped that she hadn’t said too much. Charlotte took pity upon the pair of them, and said in a clear voice “Mr. Bingley, we have taken up enough of your time. We do not require an immediate answer; all we ask is that you consider our request.”

Upon hearing Charlotte’s voice, and seeing her calm, friendly demeanour, the spell over Bingley finally broke, and he replied “Well, I can certainly do that. I like the idea as a concept, but I will need to convince my sister that hiring local people would be a good idea.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bingley, we appreciate your willingness to at least consider such a thing. Come, Jane, we must be going.”

Jane rose out of her chair with reluctance, and so did Bingley. “Are you sure that you wouldn’t rather stay for luncheon?” he asked suddenly. “It would be no trouble.” “I’m sorry, but Lizzie is waiting for us” said Charlotte, shooting a quick glare at Jane.

“Ah yes, of course.” said a crestfallen Bingley. He thought rapidly, then rallied – “Please make sure that you bring Lizzie with you next time you visit, won’t you?”  

“We will, and please be sure to let us know when your sisters arrive, Mr. Bingley. We look forward to meeting them.” said Jane, with a radiant smile. Bingley responded with an equally large grin, and eventually, the two women took their leave of Netherfield.

Chapter Text

It was all most irregular, thought Caroline Bingley. It was bad enough that Charles was considering moving them all to this godforsaken property, but now he had insisted on parading a bunch of local yokels in front of her as potential household staff! Did he have no idea that they had a position and standards to maintain? But she could not say anything to him, at least not yet. So, she smiled tightly and pretended to be encouraging of these children as they bowed and curtsied ineptly. It would not do to be honest about her feelings given that Mr. Darcy was seated alongside her as part of this…this charade.

Another 15 minutes later, and it was finally over. The last of the household staff were asked to leave, and then Bingley said “Well, weren’t they fantastic! Not bad at all for a bunch of kids who have never served at table before!” Caroline retorted sharply, and with more volume than she had intended “You must be joking, Charles – they were terrible! Surely you don’t intend to hire them – you’ll make us a laughing stock!”

Charles Bingley was taken aback by his sister’s vehemence. “Whatever do you mean, Caroline. They’re new at it, of course they are going to make mistakes. But their enthusiasm was obvious!” “Oh, I agree – so obvious that we lost half a bottle of good claret, and now we have to hope that the tablecloth will not be stained as a result. Charles, we cannot have any guests of any consequence whatsoever with household staff like that who don’t know what they are doing!”

Bingley frowned. He was aware Caroline would likely have been surprised by his idea, but he didn’t think she’d immediately dismiss it out of hand so abruptly. “But that is the point of training them, Caroline. If we let them practice, then by the time we do host guests, they will be much improved.”

Caroline groaned, and rubbed her face in her hands. “Charles, if you expect me to wait for weeks before appropriate company arrives in this backwater, while your orphans or whoever these children are get anywhere near useful, then I will not be happy.”

Bingley looked confused “But – but you are the one who wanted me to take a country property, Caroline. Darcy tells me that this is a good one, and so I have decided that Netherfield will do. I don’t see what the problem is.”

“Then let me spell it out for you, Charles, although I am astounded you cannot see it for yourself. I wanted a country property that is fit for a gentleman, so that our family is elevated away from our origins in trade. To do that, both the property and its staff must be top-notch. That way, you can invite members of the Ton to visit – and I can assist you in presenting our family to best effect. But this property is nowhere near anyone of any significance, and you’ve only mentioned two families of any social standing whatsoever – the Bennets, and the Lucases, was it?  I haven’t heard of either of them, so they cannot be people of the first rank.”

“Darcy, old man, what did you think of our potential staff?” said Bingley, keen to enlist an ally in this debate.

Darcy, who’d hoped to stay out of this, grimaced, and then said slowly “I think that both of you are looking at this situation from differing perspectives.” He turned to Caroline. “Miss Bingley, I understand your concerns about having untried staff serving important guests. You could indeed hire all of them from London, and some of them might even be experienced at doing this type of work. However, only a handful of them are actually going to be dealing with guests directly. Chambermaids, laundrymaids, cooks, stable hands, and the like, will not have much to do with your guests. Butlers, footmen and valets will.

In my experience at Pemberley, hiring staff from far away has not generally worked out well. Despite the fact that I pay reasonable wages, far too many Londoners get homesick, especially the younger staff, and those with more experience tend to move on regardless, as some of my guests recognise their experience and poach them. By contrast, I have not yet lost any of my staff that I have hired locally.”

Darcy turned to Bingley “My friend, I appreciate what you are trying to do here, but Miss Bingley is largely correct. I would not have my guests served by novices such as these. I thought they did tolerably well, but I am your friend, and so I am willing to humour you. If I turned up at another gentleman’s house, however, I would be horrified to receive such service.”  

“So, what would you have me do?” said Bingley. Neither he nor Darcy had let on that he had been put up to this idea by two local women – they both knew that they’d never hear the end of it from Caroline and Louisa if they did. So Caroline was under the impression that all of this was Charles’ very own hairbrained idea. “Move somewhere else!” spat Caroline. It was all very well for Mr. Darcy to pontificate – he was already served by excellent staff, and while Pemberley was remote, his position in the Ton was secure.

His insouciance around this idea annoyed her – surely he could understand the importance of getting this right? But then, much about Mr. Darcy annoyed her, particularly the fact that he was never anything beyond remotely polite to her, no matter how much she tried to engage his interest. And if Mr. Darcy wasn’t going to make her an offer, then she had damn well better live somewhere that had access to other eligible men.

Before Bingley could answer, Mr Darcy said “I have a solution to suggest. Are you both willing to hear it?” Brother and sister looked at each other, equally confused. They nodded at Darcy, and Bingley said “Go on, sir.”

“Well, I think that you, Miss Bingley, should return to London and hire some of the staff I mentioned before – footmen, butlers, and valets. That way, you can be assured of their quality, and you know that they will not embarrass you when you do invite important guests- whether that be here or elsewhere. I am even happy to give you entrée to some of my acquaintances who have previously poached staff from Pemberley – as it would give me great pleasure to return the favour! On the other hand, Bingley, you should be hiring the other staff locally. You will need to drill them hard, and I am happy to assist with that while I am here. It will be important to learn about being the master of an estate, and to learn together with your staff is an excellent way to build loyalty and trust. What do you both think of that idea?”   

Bingley beamed at his friend. It wasn’t what he had expected, but he thought Darcy had done well – he’d given everyone some of what they wanted, without anyone losing face. “Capital idea, my friend – I support it. What do you think , Caroline?”

Caroline wasn’t sure what to think. She felt as though she’d been sold a pup, but she couldn’t work out why. Still, it did get her away from here, and far better that she was in charge of hiring the most important household staff rather than her dim-witted, easily led brother. But she wasn’t going to let him off that easily. “I agree – in principle. But you do realise, Charles, that hiring people in London won’t come cheap, don’t you? As Mr. Darcy says, may people will jump ship for higher wages. So, I will have to offer money over the odds to get them to move up here – and that means you will need to cover my expenses.”

“Fine, provided you itemise what each cost is for.”

Darcy spoke up again, unwilling to let this descend into the sort of argument these two specialised in. “Miss Bingley, given the importance of this task, can I suggest that you leave early tomorrow? You might also want to ask the Hursts if they would like to go with you. They are welcome to stay, of course, but I thought Mrs Hurst might like to help you with the task.”

“An excellent idea, Mr. Darcy. Yes, I will leave first thing tomorrow morning. And if that’s to happen, I had best let Louisa know immediately.” “And your staff too.” prodded Mr Darcy. Caroline felt like rolling her eyes, but she contented herself with replying “Yes, them too.” Honestly, why would one bother with telling the staff ahead of time? - she was their mistress, and they would just have to deal with it. “I will go and see to it now. Good day, Mr. Darcy, Charles.” They both replied and bowed as Caroline curtsied, and then she left the room.

Both of them waited until they could hear her footsteps no more. Charles walked across the room, and closed the door. Then both men grinned at each other inanely. “If I hadn’t seen it happen with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it, Darce! How the hell did you come up with that idea on the spot?”

Darcy smirked. “Well, I must admit to my own self-interest in this, Bingley. You and I both know that I’m not interested in marrying your sister, no matter how much she tries to endear herself to me. So the idea of appealing to her vanity – and removing her from my presence in the process – was somewhat irresistible to me!” “Only somewhat?” joked Bingley. “Oh, alright – completely irresistible!” chuckled Darcy. “But of course, you do realise I had nobler aims as well.”

“Nobler aims? Oh, you mean that we are able to help the local people?” “Well, yes – but also to put you in the best possible light in regards to a certain young lady. Does the name Jane Bennet ring any bells?”

Bingley spluttered in embarrassment “But I – I wasn’t doing it for that reason, I swear!”

Darcy laughed at seeing his friend so transparently discomfited, and decided to take pity on him “I know, Bingley, I know. But in this case, virtue is its own reward, is it not?” He continued “And, given that Caroline – and possibly Louisa – are out of the way, there is nothing to stop you getting to know Miss Bennet better, now is there?”

Bingley smiled hugely as he realised it was true, and he wagged his finger at Darcy. “We both read Machiavelli at University – are you sure you are not he reincarnated?”, which made them both laugh out loud. When they’d finished, Darcy said “All we have to do now is wait for Caroline to go, and then we can invite both Miss Bennet, and Miss Lucas, for lunch tomorrow.”

Bingley looked thoughtful at this. “Darcy, it’s funny you should mention that. Miss Bennet mentioned that Miss Lucas and her sister – Miss Elizabeth – are now fully reconciled. Would you mind if we invited her along with the others? I give you my word she won’t slap you again!”

Darcy looked thoughtful. While he was pleased with the apology letter Miss Elisabeth had written him, he hadn’t expected he’d need to cross paths with her again so soon. On the other hand, she’d also taught him an important lesson. And if Bingley was serious about Jane Bennet, it was likely he would have to meet her sister on a regular basis. No time like the present to start trying to build some sort of connection. In any case, he was curious to again meet this woman who thought friendship was important enough to break all the social rules for.  

“Yes, that will be fine, Bingley. I imagine it might be a little tense, but I imagine both her sister and best friend should be able to temper her somewhat. Besides, it will actually be a good way to test how Miss Lucas handles a potentially difficult situation.”

Bingley looked at his friend closely. “And do you promise to be friendly, rather than forbidding – to make some effort at showing interest in other people? You will remember that this is part of your penance for embarrassing me at the ball.”

Darcy smiled. “Yes, my friend, and I am indeed truly sorry. I cannot promise to be the court jester tomorrow, but I will do all I can to make your guests feel welcome and respected, including Miss Elizabeth.”

“Good enough, then” said Bingley. “For now, though, let’s go and get dressed for lunch.”

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 43 - (Day 20 – Friday)

Lizzie looked at Jane, and then at Charlotte. “And you are both certain that Mr. Bingley invited me too? Even though Mr. Darcy will be here?” Charlotte smiled encouragingly. “Yes, Lizzie. I am not so dastardly that I would invite you along merely for the purpose of embarrassing you.”

Jane nodded encouragingly. “Lizzie, remember that Mr. Darcy wrote both you and Charlotte a letter of apology – he didn’t have to, but he did.” She grinned. “Anyway, what happened to my sister whose courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate her?” Lizzie muttered under her breath as the other two chuckled at this observation. “Fine” she replied “Let’s get this over with.” She reached forward and rang the bell to indicate that they had arrived.

A few minutes later, they were shown into the dining room and announced. Mr Bingley and Mr. Darcy rose to receive them. “Miss Lucas, Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, thank you for coming. We are delighted that you could make it for lunch at such short notice.  Aren’t we, Darcy?”

“Yes, of course” agreed Darcy. “It is a pleasure to meet you again, Miss Lucas, Miss Bennet.” He nodded to both of them. “And Miss Elizabeth, you are especially welcome today.”

Lizzie was not sure what to make of this, as Mr. Darcy was smiling – smiling! - at her. She realised with a shock that he was quite handsome, and was somewhat tongue-tied by that realisation as she stared at him. Then she realised that she hadn’t responded yet, so she blushed scarlet, then remembered to curtsey. “Thank you, Mr. Darcy. I have promised to behave myself today.”

“I am delighted to hear it” replied Mr. Darcy with a laugh everyone else joined in with. “Now, putting that behind us, how have you been, Miss Elizabeth?” Lizzie wondered who this man was she was speaking to - he was giving every indication of being a normal human being who could make conversation. But it was so far from what she had expected of him that she stumbled over her reply. “I have been – somewhat muddled recently, Mr. Darcy. I am anxious to hear what you have planned for Charlotte, as I will miss her dreadfully when she goes.”

“I can understand that, and asking about it does you much credit. Could I suggest, however, that we leave that topic until after lunch has been eaten?”

Charlotte spoke up then. “That would be fine, Mr. Darcy” and gave Lizzie a meaningful look.

**************************************************************************************************************************************

The meal passed uneventfully, with Jane and Bingley alternating between ensuring that everyone was included in the conversation, and giving each other shy smiles. Lizzie, not having known about this before, gave Charlotte an inquisitive raised eyebrow, and Charlotte gave the slightest grin and a wink in return. Lizzie smiled broadly. Jane had clearly not been telling her the whole story, and Lizzie was delighted to see how comfortable she was in Mr. Bingley’s company. Then she paused. If Jane was to be courted by Mr. Bingley, then she may well may move away too. Lizzie frowned at this idea.

“Miss Elizabeth, are you alright?” asked Mr. Darcy “You look as though something has upset you.” Lizzie was surprised that he would notice it, but she responded “I am well, thank you. I am just reflecting upon how much change has occurred in the past few weeks. And I am going to miss Charlotte quite badly.”

Mr. Darcy nodded solemnly. “Yes, I see what you mean. I would be quite lost without Bingley’s friendship were he to go far away. I believe that this situation has put some pressure on everyone involved, and for that I apologise.”

Lizzie was impressed with his response, but also wanted to reassure him that he’d done nothing wrong. “Oh, there’s no need to apologise, Mr. Darcy. To be perfectly honest, I am slightly jealous of Charlotte’s opportunity. She will get to travel to various places, and to use her brain. Whereas I – well, at present, I am not remotely sure what my future holds.” Jane said softly “Lizzie, if this situation shows us anything at all, it is that we don’t know what is possible, or even likely, to happen. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, by virtue of being men, do get to see more than women do, but I would suspect that neither of them expected this scenario a month ago, either.”

“That is very true, Miss Bennet” agreed Bingley. “Having said that, however, one advantage to having connections to trade is that it teaches you to think about various outcomes, and to plan and prepare for them. Wouldn’t you agree, Darcy?”

“Yes, Bingley, I do – but only up to a point. In my position, I do have to think ahead about how to best grow crops, but also to think about what to do if those crops fail. I am responsible for those people under my care, and that will include you, Miss Lucas, from now on.” He smiled at her, and Charlotte smiled back. “However, I think that we are all used to change in a rather narrow range – for me, it relates to weather and farming. But if you ask me about changing ocean currents, or who is the vicar at the church in the next valley along, I confess I have no idea. So I can understand how this situation may feel unsettling to anyone who is facing something well beyond their usual sphere.”

Charlotte herself spoke up at this point. “I must admit, Mr. Darcy, that I am somewhat anxious about what lies ahead. However, that is outweighed by a feeling of excitement!” She paused before she spoke next. “I will miss Lizzie and Jane too, but it is nice to feel the wind of change in my life after so long without it. I hope, however, that you do not mind me writing letters to both of them, and to return to visit occasionally?” Mr. Darcy smiled broadly. “No, of course not. We may not always agree on the timing of such visits, but I am not an ogre. We all need to spend time with family and friends, and provided you are discreet, I do not see any issues with you either visiting Meryton or writing letters to friends. In fact, I think it will help with your cover story if you are seen to have a “home” to return to.

Lizzie could not help herself at this point, and asked “Mr. Darcy, Charlotte has only mentioned what she will be doing in brief. Could you tell me more about what you have in mind?”

“Miss Elisabeth, what I wish is that Miss Lucas will essentially go undercover for me in different industries and locations. I want her to subtly overhear conversations or build rapport with people, and then to report back to me about what she has discovered. Much of the time, the information may seem rather trivial in and of itself, but over time, it may reveal a more complete picture. In doing so, it gives me a better understanding of how various industries and locations are changing, and I can thus invest accordingly. I cannot do this myself; I am too well known, and given my wealth, whenever I show an interest in something, the price will skyrocket as a result. So, I needed someone to do this on my behalf.”

Lizzie thought for a moment, and then nodded. “That makes sense, yes. But why Charlotte specifically?”

“Well, to be honest, it was serendipity. I happened to be here assisting Bingley with choosing an appropriate estate. As you know, I needed to make amends to Miss Lucas, and by pure coincidence, Bingley and I were talking about how we could find someone who was able to do this sort of industrial spy role. I will admit that I did not have a woman in mind initially, and I was wondering how exactly I would go about finding a person with the right skill set. Bingley and I were, of course, trying to work out what we could offer Miss Lucas, and your sister arranged a meeting between the four of us. Incredibly, what Miss Lucas suggested in a list of her skills made for a perfect fit with the duties of this position.”

“With all due respect, Mr. Darcy, that all sounds a little too pat – “

Charlotte spoke in a low, determined voice full of menace – “Lizzie, that’s enough.”

The two women glared at one another, before Charlotte turned to Mr. Darcy with a smile. “What I think my friend is trying to get at, Mr. Darcy, is that from her point of view, it sounds as though you bumped across a desperate woman at a loose end and thought that would give you an opportunity to try this idea on the cheap. Could you kindly disabuse her of this mistaken idea?”

Mr. Darcy smiled back at Charlotte. “With pleasure, Miss Lucas. Miss Elizabeth, as I said in my letter, your care for your friend is evident, and admirable. Honestly, I am not sure how long it would have otherwise taken me to stumble across the right way to find a person for this position had our collective situation not occurred. So, I can certainly see why it looks convenient to you. However, Miss Lucas has just now demonstrated most effectively why she is such a good choice for the role. She has managed to shift this conversation towards one focused upon solutions – and the sharing of information – rather than being about a contest between two different points of view.

Further to that, Miss Lucas has expressed a willingness to travel, and to put up with a fair bit of uncertainty in agreeing to this arrangement. We are both aware that this is something new, and we will need to work it out as we go along. Finally, I am very much aware of what he is giving up in moving away from everything that is familiar to her. And so, I am paying her what I think is a good wage for the risks she is taking. Does that satisfy your curiousity?”

Lizzie looked across the table at Jane – she couldn’t look at Charlotte, because she feared what she would see on her friend’s face. Her sister’s face was rather odd – caught between sympathy for what Lizzie was feeling, and anger at her sister’s outburst. Jane nodded her head once, and met Lizzie’s gaze once more. Jane could easily speak for her at this point, she knew, but she wasn’t going to – Lizzie had to take responsibility for her actions. Lizzie expelled a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding. “Yes, Mr. Darcy, it does. Thank you.” Darcy smiled. “Good.” He turned to Charlotte. “Miss Lucas, I have permission from your father for this position to go ahead. For the benefit of everyone here, are you certain that this is what you want to do?”

Charlotte nodded. “Yes, Mr. Darcy, it is. I have given it a lot of thought, and I want to thank you once again for the opportunity. I am looking forward to whatever comes next.” “Could you be ready to go by around 7am on Monday morning? I will come and pick you up then in the carriage. I trust that you have a maid to chaperone you?” “Yes, I do, and I will be ready to go at 7am on Monday.” “Good. Well, can I suggest we change the topic now? The five of us have only limited time to get to know each other, and I will admit, I would rather we enjoyed this time together.”

“A good idea!” said Jane firmly, with a smile at Charlotte, and then at Lizzie. “However, Mr Bingley, I would like us to have a walk after lunch. Would you be kind enough to show us your gardens?”, and she stood and held out her arm to him. Bingley was once again impressed by Jane’s diplomacy. He stood with alacrity, and asked Mr. Darcy to join them. Lizzie and Charlotte fell in behind as they left the house.

Charlotte deliberately left some space between themselves and the three walkers in the first grouping. She looked at Lizzie, and grinned. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?” Lizzie had been very quiet since she had responded to Mr. Darcy’s question. “It appears not. I’m sorry, Charlotte – it’s a bad habit of mine to think I have to fight your battles for you. I think – no, I know – that I’m going to miss you desperately – and I’m struggling to come to terms with it.”

They walked along in silence for a little while. “What are you going to do, Lizzie?”

“I don’t know, Charlotte. I was thinking of taking Mary to stay with the Gardiners.”

Charlotte beamed. “I think that would be a great idea! Do you know, Mary was the only one of your sisters to actually ask me how I was last time I came to visit? I think it would be really good for her to be exposed to some new things in life, and of course the Gardiners – especially your aunt – are both perceptive and kind.”

“Yes, they are” replied Lizzie with a smile. “It was your taking us over to Bilham that gave me the idea. Jane and I have always been close, but that closeness precluded Mary joining us, and we both feel bad about it. And as you say, she notices more than we realise. When you came to visit, she expressed hope that you and I could patch things up with each other.” The two women shared a smile at that. Charlotte said, very gently “It occurs to me that Mary may have things to teach you, Lizzie, if you are open to the idea of that happening.”

“Yes, I think you’re right, Charlotte. And at least going to the Gardiners will give me some time to think. I suspect it won’t be long until Jane leaves us”, and she indicated with a look what she meant. Jane and Bingley were laughing at something, and while Darcy was too, they only had eyes for one another. “No doubt about it” agreed Charlotte. “Let’s catch them up, or he will propose before we get back to the house – and then I’ll miss the wedding!”

Lizzie laughed. “Yes, we can’t have that!” and held her arm out. Charlotte took it, and with a fond smile at each other, they picked up the pace.    

Chapter Text

 
CHAPTER 44 - (Day 23 – Monday)

6.30am – Lucas Lodge was a hive of activity. Charlotte’s boxes and other belongings were stacked near the front door, ready to be transferred to Darcy’s coach when it arrived.

Charlotte herself was at sixes and sevens. She’d been awake for an hour, but aside from putting her clothes on, doing her toilette, and eating breakfast, there really wasn’t much to do. Lizzie and Jane had stayed in the guest bedroom overnight, and the three friends had talked until 11pm the night before. While things with Lizzie were much better than they had been, everyone was feeling nervous. After so many years living next door to one another, it was a shock to realise that this was really happening – Charlotte was off on a big adventure, and it wasn’t clear how long it would be until they saw each other again.

Lizzie herself hadn’t slept well. She felt better about things than she had done, and Charlotte had pretended everything was fine, but she was embarrassed about how she had acted on Friday. Lizzie desperately wanted to be her rock this morning, to make her friend feel calm – and to prove to herself that she didn’t have to run at the mouth every time her emotions were raised.

So, she asked Charlotte for a quick turn in the garden, which was agreed to. Both women sat down on the bench and smiled shyly at each other. “How are you feeling, Charlotte?” “As if I had swallowed a jar of butterflies. I’m both terrified and excited all at once! You must think me rather ridiculous, Lizzie; after all, I did choose to do this.”

Lizzie grinned at her friend fondly “Ah yes, Charlotte Lucas. Known all over Meryton for her wild surmises and her unpredictable and scandalous behaviour!” They both laughed at this, then fell quiet. “I can’t quite believe this is happening” said Charlotte “You know, we talked for years about what life would hold for us – and among everything else, we never considered that either of us would move away.” “We did – replied Lizzie softly – but we chose to ignore it.”

She looked at her friend “But it is happening, and it’s a good thing, Charlotte. Far better this than some of the alternatives…” Charlotte nodded. “Yes, it is.” She muttered in a low voice “I’m going to miss you, Lizzie…” …and then she could say no more as her throat constricted. Lizzie reached across and held Charlotte’s hands in her own “No more than I will miss you, Charlie. But enough of being sad – otherwise you will embarrass Mr. Darcy, and I will flood the brook you need to cross on the way out of Meryton!”

She took a deep breath, and continued “I hope this is everything you dream it will be, Charlotte. And I think it might be the making of you. In any case, I want to hear about everything – where you are staying, who you meet, what you learn about yourself, about political economy – all of it! So please do write to me when you get settled, Charlotte. Heaven knows, it will be far more interesting than the usual letters I get!”

Charlotte smiled at her friend. “Thank you, Lizzie. I needed to hear all of that, and of course I will write to you and Jane. I cannot promise any time frames at this stage, and” – here, she paused for thought – “until I have my own address, you are both going to have to enclose any letters to me via Mr. Darcy” Lizzie nodded her assent, and then she stood up. “It’s time we went inside, it can’t be long now.”

Once inside, Charlotte took time to give her siblings a hug, and a few brief words. Mr Lucas was next. “Well, Charlotte, go well, my dear” he said. “I am immensely proud of the woman you have become.” Charlotte blushed, and she said quietly “Thank you, Father. I will do my level best.”

She turned to Jane next. “Jane, thank you for everything you have done to make this possible. I am honoured to call you my friend.” Jane, to Lizzie’s surprise, did not burst into tears. Instead, she gave a large grin, and said “I am likewise honoured to be your friend, Charlotte. Your courage inspires me. Please take good care, and write to us often!” And with that, she crossed the room, and gave Charlotte a hug.

Finally, Charlotte turned to her mother. “Mother, I don’t know what to say. Thank you – for who you are, and for all that you have taught me. I will remember what you have said, and I promise to avoid danger where I can.” Mrs Lucas smiled serenely, although her heart was breaking. “Charlotte, you will be fine. Have courage, my darling daughter, and remember we are all thinking of you.” Mother and daughter hugged for a long time, and kissed each other on the cheek.

While they were doing this, the sound of hoofbeats indicated the Darcy carriage arriving. Everyone headed outside, and watched the large carriage approach. Once it had stopped, Mr. Darcy opened the door and alighted.

“Good morning, Sir William. A fine day, is it not?” “Good morning, Mr. Darcy. Yes, fine indeed, and let us hope it stays that way for you all the way to Pemberley!”  

After salutations were exchanged on all sides, Darcy smiled at Charlotte. “How are you feeling, Miss Lucas?” Charlotte smiled back “I am feeling rather – everything, Mr. Darcy! How are you, sir?”

“I am much the same as you, Miss Lucas. Somewhat nervous, but also excited. Of course, I am also pleased to be heading home.” “Yes, of course you are. I am looking forward to seeing Pemberley – and having adventures!”

Everyone laughed at this, and when things went quiet again, Mr. Darcy asked “Have you got everything you need?” “Yes, it’s all packed, thank you.” “Is there anything I can do to make you feel more comfortable before we leave, Miss Lucas?”

“No, Mr. Darcy, but thank you for your kindness in asking. Shall we go?”

“Whenever you are ready.”

After a last round of hugs, and some tears on both sides, Charlotte was handed into the carriage by Mr. Darcy. She waved at everyone until she could no longer see them, and then turned to Mr. Darcy.

“Now, Mr. Darcy, I need you to distract me, or I will flood your carriage with tears.” Darcy laughed. “Heaven forbid that should happen! What type of distraction are you looking for, Miss Lucas?” Charlotte smiled slyly. “Tell me about the cotton trade.”

And the two of them conversed happily on a range of topics for the rest of that day’s travel.

FINIS – THE END.