Page 10 of Elizabeth and Caroline
Marrythisman?
What was she going to do?
“I KNOW Isaid I would sort it on my own,” said Caroline. “And I shall, but I cannot but hope you might have some thought on the matter now.”
It was the following day after Mr. Collins’s arrival, in the mid-morning. Elizabeth was out on the road that ranbetween Netherfield and Longbourn, rather closer to Netherfield than Longbourn, in fact, owing to the fact that Caroline suddenly seemed to think walking long distances was beneath women of a certain status.
It was more of that London snobbery within her, Elizabeth thought.
“Well, as I see it, you have sent a letter from your brother to Mr. Darcy, inviting him to come,” said Elizabeth. “And then not shown your brother the response in the affirmative because you were worried about his wrath, and now Mr. Darcy is even now arriving, this very day, and you wish to know how to break this news to your brother?”
“Yes, as I have said,” said Caroline, sighing.
The way it had gone was that, this morning, there had been a letter delivered by a servant from Netherfield, begging Elizabeth to meet Caroline after breakfast, and Elizabeth had sent back a note that she would not come all the way to Netherfield, that Caroline could quite meet her halfway, and then another note had come back that Caroline would be near the large oak tree on the road, which was really not halfway, but it was too late to negotiate, and now Elizabeth was here.
“Well, I have no thought, none at all,” said Elizabeth.
“Oh, that cannot be true, for I well know how your mind works, and you have had nothing else to think on recently, so I am sure that you have come up with some sort of scheme to fix it all and you are simply not telling me because you disapprove of my behavior.”
“In truth, I have been a bit distracted,” said Elizabeth.
“No, nothing is happening,” said Caroline. “What could possibly have distracted you?”
Elizabeth explained about Mr. Collins, and Caroline listened with an expression of growing horror.
“Oh, no, Eliza, that will not do,” she finally said, when Elizabeth was done speaking. “You can’t marry him. If I am married to Mr. Darcy, then that will mean that you and I are not of the same social circle. We could be friends. We could associate. But we can certainly not spend our summerstogether and raise our children together, and I shan’t have it!”
Elizabeth looked at her in a state of utter gratitude. “You don’t think I have to do it?”
“I forbid it, in fact. You cannot marry him, you simply cannot.”
Elizabeth let out a noisy sigh of relief. “Oh, but Caroline, I must. It is my duty, don’t you see? What becomes of all of my sisters if I don’t secure Longbourn? What becomes of my mother?” She, of course, relished the idea of living with her mother forever and ever less than the idea of being married to Mr. Collins. However, both were very bad. Both made her feel dizzy with distress.
“I shall find you someone else,” said Caroline, lifting her chin. “Am I not quite good at that?”
Elizabeth nodded slowly. Yes, she had just thought to herself that she didn’t want a match like that, but now, considering the alternative, she could quite see why she might, in fact, want Caroline’s help.
“And if you are worried about your mother or your sisters, you must know that everyone will be better served if you match with the man of the right caliber.”
“True,” said Elizabeth, nodding rapidly. “True.”
“All right, well…” Caroline hugged herself, shaking her head, drawing her brows tightly together. “We must simply marry him to someone else, then.”
“Oh,” said Elizabeth, liking this less, because she didn’t think anyone should be saddled with Mr. Collins. “Who?”
“I have no idea,” said Caroline. “But you refuse him if he asks, and do your best to put him off, so that if he has it in his head to propose, you delay. Let me think about it.”
Elizabeth swallowed. “All right.”
“Now, about Mr. Darcy, who is coming to Netherfield today, and my brother is unaware? What can I say?”
Elizabeth had no idea what Caroline could say. She was in a state right now, and she could not think, and there was no way at all that she could find any remedy for such a grievous— “You must confess it to Jane, and she will tell Mr.Bingley.”
Caroline stroked her chin. “Well, all right. I suppose that might work.”
“Mind you,” said Elizabeth, “when you are telling my sister this, you explain that your motivation is because you are very desperately in love with Mr. Darcy.”
“I am!”
