Page 15 of Love Among the Shadows
Jane smiled at this, her thoughts clearly turning to their father’s usual straightforwardness.
“Papa said, and I quote, ‘I would have doubted if you were truly my daughter had you accepted such a man.’”
Jane paused for a moment, her lips curving into a small, affectionate smile. “Papa is always so... so direct.”
“Indeed,” Elizabeth replied, a fondness in her voice. “But I do believe he speaks the truth.”
“But what of Mr Collins?” Jane asked, still incredulous. “How did he take it?”
“How did he take it?” Elizabeth repeated, raising an eyebrow. “He walked out, and he hasn’t returned since. Iimagine when he does, he’ll go straight to Mother, and I shall hear from her exactly how he feels. But I am quite certain he was not pleased.”
Jane’s gaze softened with a mixture of sympathy and concern. “Oh, Lizzy,” she began, her voice trailing off, but Elizabeth, quick with a reply, smiled and interrupted.
“Oh, Jane,” she said, eyes twinkling with mischief. “I am quite certain Mr Collins would make a better match for you than for me. You are the more agreeable one.”
“Me?” Jane looked stunned. “But Lizzy, he does seem to have some admiration for you! You could have been the first Bennet daughter to be engaged.”
Elizabeth’s smile widened as she shook her head. “Not in this lifetime would I ever consent to marry Mr Collins. A man who has no thoughts of his own and only parrots the words of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. As if her advice is the final decree of wisdom.”
“Lady Catherine!” Jane laughed softly, though her brow remained slightly furrowed. “Yes, he does that, but you do have a way of making things sound quite... alarming.”
Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled, the teasing in her voice clear. “Alarming, Jane? I should think it more alarming if I ever married such a timid man. And as for engagements, fear not. Mr Bingley will not take long before he proposes to you.” She grinned knowingly. “After all, he has been quite—how shall I put it?—taken with you. You two have been promenading together for weeks.”
Jane’s cheeks flushed an unmistakable shade of pink. “Lizzy, that’s not fair,” she whispered, her gaze darting away. “We have simply enjoyed the company of each other. There is no need for you to think—”
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, cutting her off. “Oh, don’t deny it, Jane. You’ve even been to Netherfield under the guiseof visiting his sisters. But we both know it’s not simply sisterly affection you’ve been sharing.”
She smirked playfully. “Isn’t it obvious? Mr Bingley is in love with you.”
Jane hesitated, her expression softening as if caught in some tender thought. “I do care for him, Lizzy,” she confessed quietly. “But sometimes… sometimes he seems to admire me, but does not quite love me. He is so kind, but there are moments when I wonder…”
“That’s impossible. If he doesn’t love you, then he is blind indeed. You, Jane Bennet, are the most beautiful and kind-hearted woman in Hertfordshire. Any man who fails to see that is simply not worth your consideration. Mr Bingley will come around—of that, I am certain.”
Jane looked away, her lips trembling slightly, the hint of a smile on them. “I hope so,” she murmured, more to herself than to her sister.
They spoke for a while on the subject, but the conversation soon shifted, as it often did, to another subject of Elizabeth’s concern. Mr Darcy.
“Forget Mr Collins’s offer,” Elizabeth said, “I ran into Mr Darcy today. We had a brief conversation.”
Jane looked up at her, eyes wide with concern. “What was it about? What did you say to him?”
Elizabeth’s face darkened as the memory came rushing back. “I told him exactly what I thought. I believe he’s the key, Jane. If I can find the proof, I will expose him. He must be involved in these deaths. It’s far too much of a coincidence otherwise.”
Jane’s hand stilled, her expression turning serious. “Lizzy, you cannot be serious. You said those words to Mr Darcy?”
“Not does exact words. But I told him I didn’t believe in curses and that if there was a killer, I’d play my community role of helping in finding the killer.”
Jane studied her face for a while, as if she had seen a mad person. “You know I have told you not to jump to conclusions without proof. You mustn’t make accusations without evidence. What if it’s just a coincidence? What if—”
“No, Jane,” Elizabeth interrupted, her voice firm with conviction. “It is not. I am certain of it. The deaths are connected to him. He—” She stopped, looking down at her hands, her words choking off as the weight of her certainty settled over her. “But I must find the proof.”
Jane sat up straighter, a look of genuine concern clouding her features. “Elizabeth, I implore you to be careful. If Mr Darcy is involved in something terrible like murder – and I am not saying that he is -, then I promise you, he would not be the kind of man to let someone pry into his affairs. The killer wouldn’t want you to. If you push too far, he will not show mercy.”
Elizabeth’s lips curled into a slight, bitter smile. “You sound just like him,” she muttered, eyes flashing. “That is exactly what he said.”
“Lizzy, I am not trying to sound like Mr Darcy. I just... I don’t want you to get hurt. I don’t know what is true about him, but please, do not be hasty. You are not an investigator, and this could be dangerous.”
Elizabeth crossed her arms, leaning back. “I’m not a naïve girl, Jane. I will be careful. But I…we must find the truth.”
