Page 67 of To Go Against Her Heart
“We have troubled you enough with our unexpected visit and must be taking leave,” he said and stood.
Miss Bingley surprised everyone by holding Jane’s hand and expressing her sincere desire to continue their friendship.
As they walked out, Mr. Bingley paused for a second and looked at Jane.
“I would wish to call upon you while you remain here, unless you would prefer otherwise. I request you to speak plainly regarding your feelings in this matter,” he said.
“Of course, I shall be happy to receive you,” Jane said, finally feeling relieved that despite everything she had done to distance him from her, he was unwilling to give up on her. She smiled at him reassuringly, and at that moment, Mr. Bingley knew that he still had hope.
Elizabeth and Jane heaved a sigh of relief as the carriage departed, then hurried indoors. Just as Jane was about to head for the stairs, Elizabeth caught her hand and stopped her.
“Do you believe her words?” she asked.
“No!” Jane replied without doubt, much to Elizabeth’s astonishment.
***
The same day, a letter arrived from Longbourn, and it was from their father. Elizabeth knew that he was impatient for them to return, and the letter conveyed the exact details.
“Is your father pressing for you to return, Lizzy?” her aunt asked.
“Indeed he is, and I do miss him exceedingly.”
“Do you wish to leave then? I was hoping you could stay for a few more weeks,” her aunt pressed. Elizabeth looked at Jane and could very well sense that she was not willing to leave soon. Their uncle urged them to stay and promised to write to Mr. Bennet on their behalf.
The Gardiners were also equally surprised to learn about Miss Bingley’s unexpected visit that morning. Elizabeth explained the nature of her apology and openly acknowledged to her aunt that it sounded forceful and fake.
“It seems quite evident that Miss Bingley made the effort for her brother’s sake. Whatever her true sentiments could be it is hardly worth discussing, Lizzy. We must be glad that there are no more obstacles between Jane and Mr. Bingley now,” her aunt said to her in private.
“You do not know Miss Bingley as I do. There is no rational explanation for her behavior today unless she had some ulterior motive. Her pride would never allow her to apologize to anyone, least of all to Jane. I worry she may still cause trouble in the future. Honestly, I expected Jane to believe her, but I can see she shares my doubts.”
“Well, we may only trust that she will refrain from meddling in their affairs.”
“I sincerely doubt it, but I do see that Mr. Bingley has finally understood how easy it was for her to manipulate him, and from the past experience, he should know better than to trust his sister completely.”
That night, Jane and Elizabeth lay awake for a long time, discussing Miss Bingley and the nature of her apology.
“I do not wish to dwell any longer on her intentions, Lizzy. I am grateful that Mr. Bingley has not given up on me. It pained me to hear him apologize once more, and I cannot help but wonder what difficulties he endured to bring her here.”
“I believe Mr. Bingley has finally understood that he must earn your trust again. Perhaps tomorrow it shall be my turn to play chaperone for the two of you,” she said, and Jane smiled.
***
The next morning, however, Georgiana arrived visibly excited. She brought news that her aunt, Lady Matlock, intended to invite Elizabeth and Jane to accompany her to a ball at the end of the week.
“She wants you to be her guests for the ball hosted at Mr. Ashford’s. You should receive the invitation from Mrs. Ashford soon; will you be able to attend it?” she asked with excitement.
“Well, this is a surprise indeed, and we are honored,” Elizabeth said, looking at her aunt and Jane. Mrs. Gardiner smiled and nodded in agreement.
“I will have a word with their uncle, Miss Darcy, but I assure you they would be delighted to accompany your aunt, and I thank you for the invitation,” Mrs. Gardiner said.
Georgiana left with excitement, and the moment she returned home, she could see her brother waiting impatiently for her.
“What happened? Did she accept the invitation?”
“Yes, Mrs. Gardiner assured me that they would be able to join us,” she replied, beaming with happiness. Darcy felt just as excited as Georgiana and eagerly looked forward to the ball. In his heart, he no longer wished to hesitate—he was ready to express his feelings to Elizabeth.
He doubted her no longer and was determined that she should not return to Hertfordshire without him finally taking the step he had long contemplated—declaring hisloveand seeking her hand.
