Chapter Ten Back to Previous Chapter Excerpt from letter to Miss Catherine Morland from the Rev. Mr. Henry Tilney, dated 4 December. As you can see, my sweet, I am back at Woodston, I think for the winter. While I truly enjoyed the company of my friends, I confess that all the traveling back and forth to Hertfordshire has been tiring, and that it is good to be home. It would only be better if you were here. The drawing-room is still cold and empty and waits for its mistress to fit it up. I know you will do so charmingly, my love. Perhaps by spring, when the apple-trees are in bloom, you will be here to see them. I miss you and think of you constantly, as I hope you think of me. Your letters are my joy and my consolation. Excerpt from letter to Miss Jane Bennet from Miss Caroline Bingley, dated 15 December. We are settled here very comfortably at Mr. Hurst's house in Grosvenor-street and mean to stay here through the winter. My brother Charles remains in town as well, although he is an inmate at Mr. Darcy's very elegant town house, along with Miss Darcy. She is such a delightful girl! If you were to meet her, Jane, you would love her as Louisa and I do. And so accomplished! She plays the pianoforte so beautifully, and her voice is so sweet! We have been much at Mr. Darcy's house, as you can imagine, and have spent a great deal of time with her. I believe my brother is growing quite attached to her as well, and Mr. Darcy looks upon the match with great approbation. Louisa and I greatly look forward to a time when we shall call Miss Darcy our sister, and I venture to predict that time is not far off. I have rarely seen Charles so happy as he is now. But who would not be happy, an inmate in Mr. Darcy's home? It is in the first style of elegance, and his plans to order new furniture for the drawing-room have me in raptures. However, Charles directs me to express his regret at not having had time to pay his respects to his friends in Hertfordshire before he left the country. Louisa sends her best love. Excerpt from letter to Miss Elizabeth Bennet from Miss Jane Bennet, dated 10 January. I cannot account for Caroline's silence! You know I wrote to her from Longbourn to tell her I was coming to town. I have now been here a week and have not heard from her. It is all so very strange! But I suppose it is possible that the letter was lost by some mischance. My aunt is going to-morrow into that part of town, and I shall take the opportunity of calling in Grosvenor-street. Excerpt from letter to Miss Elizabeth Bennet from Miss Jane Bennet, dated 11 January. I called in Grosvenor-street yesterday as I planned, and was fortunate enough to find my friend at home. I did not think Caroline in spirits, but she was very glad to see me, and reproached me for giving her no notice of my coming to London. I was right, therefore; my last letter had never reached her. I enquired after their brother, of course. He was well, but so much engaged with Mr. Darcy, that they scarcely ever saw him. I found that Miss Darcy was expected to dinner. I wish I could see her. My visit was not long, as Caroline and Mrs. Hurst were going out. I dare say I shall soon see them here. Excerpt from letter to the Rev. Mr. Henry Tilney from Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, dated 20 January. We continue here in town as comfortably as ever. The only thing missing in our felicity is the presence of our old friend Tilney. I understand that your nice sense of duty dictated your presence in your parish at the Christmas season, but surely now you may join us? We are engaged nearly every evening. Can I tempt you with the promise of balls and the theatre and musical evenings? If not, I confess I quite despair of you. Bingley, as you might guess, is enraptured by the beauties of London, and I speak not of parks and edifices. Nay, despite your concern for his heart, I am confident that Miss Jane Bennet has not made a permanent mark upon it. He speaks of returning to Netherfield, but I have so far been successful in discouraging such schemes. The longer he stays away from Longbourn, the better it is for him. You know how it is with Bingley -- out of sight, out of mind. Jane Bennet will soon be forgotten, like the endless parade of beauties before her who captured his affections. Your kind inquiries after my own heart are much appreciated but misplaced. Like Bingley, I suffered no permanent injury from my acquaintance with Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Indeed I rarely spare her a thought. Excerpt from letter to Miss Elizabeth Bennet from Miss Jane Bennet, dated 1 February. My dearest Lizzy will, I am sure, be incapable of triumphing in her better judgment, at my expence, when I confess myself to have been entirely deceived in Miss Bingley's regard for me. But, my dear sister, though the event has proved you right, do not think me obstinate if I still assert that, considering what her behaviour was, my confidence was as natural as your suspicion. I do not at all comprehend her reason for wishing to be intimate with me, but if the same circumstances were to happen again, I am sure I should be deceived again. Caroline did not return my visit till yesterday; and not a note, not a line, did I receive in the mean time. When she did come, it was very evident that she had no pleasure in it; she made a slight, formal, apology for not calling before, said not a word of wishing to see me again, and was in every respect so altered a creature, that when she went away I was perfectly resolved to continue the acquaintance no longer. I pity, though I cannot help blaming her. She was very wrong in singling me out as she did; I can safely say, that every advance to intimacy began on her side. But I pity her, because she must feel that she has been acting wrong, and because I am very sure that anxiety for her brother is the cause of it, I need not explain myself farther; and though we know this anxiety to be quite needless, yet if she feels it, it will easily account for her behaviour to me; and so deservedly dear as he is to his sister, whatever anxiety she may feel on his behalf is natural and amiable. I cannot but wonder, however, at her having any such fears now, because, if he had at all cared about me, we must have met long, long ago. He knows of my being in town, I am certain, from something she said herself; and yet it should seem by her manner of talking, as if she wanted to persuade herself that he is really partial to Miss Darcy. I cannot understand it. If I were not afraid of judging harshly, I should be almost tempted to say that there is a strong appearance of duplicity in all this. But I will endeavour to banish every painful thought, and think only of what will make me happy: your affection, and the invariable kindness of my dear uncle and aunt. Let me hear from you very soon. Miss Bingley said something of his never returning to Netherfield again, of giving up the house, but not with any certainty. We had better not mention it. I am extremely glad that you have such pleasant accounts from our friends at Hunsford. Pray go to see them, with Sir William and Maria. I am sure you will be very comfortable there. Excerpt from letter to the Rev. Mr. Henry Tilney from Mr. Charles Bingley, dated 15 February. My hasty remove Netherfield necessary but regrettable. My business town needed my attention and I must stay. Only regret my acquaintance Miss Bennet cut short. She such a (blot) young lady. I have not known any girl like her before. Did not you (blot) her the loveliest lady ever beheld? She danced with such grace and elegance. And her figure--well, one can only say was (blot). Suppose not compare to Miss M. but must allow my partiality. I think about her often--Miss B., not Miss M.--and the way her hair (blot) in candlelight. No ladies in town with (blot) like hers! Hope you come to town. Would like to talk about Miss B. with you. Darcy good friend but such a (blot) that when I speak of Miss B. he changes the subject. Do not pretend to understand. Excerpt from letter to Miss Catherine Morland from the Rev. Mr. Henry Tilney, dated 1 March. I have had letters from both Darcy and Bingley. Darcy assures me that Bingley has suffered no hurt by his sudden removal from Hertfordshire, but Bingley's epistle can only be termed wistful. Well, I suppose it could also be termed ungrammatical, blotted, and careless, but those negatives serve only to contribute to the charms of Bingley's correspondence. I can hear you now, my sweet one, protesting that I grant my friend indulgences that I censure in your sex. But I said to you once before that I hold it as a truth that ladies write letters no better than gentlemen. I will, however, allow that ladies are more dependable correspondents. Darcy writes letters that I once heard described as "long and charming" but I am afraid they serve only to concern me. Darcy has been privy to our circumstances--has been a sympathetic listener when I have described my unhappiness at being separated from you--yet he can inflict this same pain on Bingley by keeping him away from his own beloved. His behaviour is quite beyond my understanding. Darcy tells me that Bingley thinks not of Jane Bennet but I question his confidence. I confess I am in a quandary, my love. I must trust that Darcy, being on hand, can judge Bingley's circumstances better than I, who remain at such a great distance. Excerpt from letter to the Rev. Mr. Henry Tilney from Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, dated 15 March. Your concerns about our friend can only do credit to your strong affections, but fear not for him, no matter what he writes. I assure you that he has not mentioned Miss Bennet to me these four weeks. Perhaps he fancied himself in love with her while he was in Hertfordshire but that is all over. We must congratulate our friend on the safety of his affections and his fortune. Tilney, you saw Miss Bennet yourself. She showed no symptoms of particular regard toward Bingley. She welcomed his attentions, naturally--what young lady would not?--but I saw no more true regard in her mien than did you. Is this not true? You, whose heart has been captured, are eager to confer the same felicity upon your friends. We must be grateful for such kindness, but do not credit an attachment where there is none. Knowing his warm heart, would you have Bingley forced by honour into a loveless marriage with a woman who is cold to him? I know you could not be so cruel. -- I leave in a few days for Kent to make my annual visit to my aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Naturally I shall pass your compliments to her toad-eating parson as I know you are such old friends. Direct correspondence to me at Rosings Park for the nonce. I hope to make the stay as short as possible. My cousin Fitzwilliam accompanies me so all the company shall not be uncongenial. Excerpt from letter to the Rev. Mr. Henry Tilney from Miss Eleanor Tilney, dated 10 April. I have a piece of news for you that I am sure you will find surprising. I am to be married. I know what you are thinking, dearest Henry--how could your sister marry anyone other than John White, whom she has declared to be the only man she could love? Let me explain. I marry John, who is no longer a mere Mr. White but has become Viscount Whiting through the premature death of a second cousin. The title brought with it a large fortune and an estate, Windlestrae, which is only twenty miles from Woodston. His first action after learning of his accession was to visit my father and ask for my hand in marriage. Oh, Henry, could my felicity be any greater? -- to be John's wife, and to be so near you? We are to marry the fifth day of May. I know you will forgive the nature of this letter, dearest, dearest Henry. My thoughts fly in a thousand directions--but the foremost was that I must share my joy with you. Excerpt from letter to Miss Jane Bennet from Miss Elizabeth Bennet, dated 12 April. Less than a week and I shall be with my dearest Jane. I have enjoyed visiting Charlotte here in Hunsford, and seeing her content, but how I have missed you! I hope we shall have a chance to talk together--but I suppose my aunt will have many engagements planned for us. She is always so kind that way. What news I have to impart can wait until we are at Longbourn. I am sure that London will provide us with many other diversions before we are to go home. Expect Maria and me in Gracechurch-street in time for dinner Saturday. Excerpt from letter to Miss Catherine Morland from the Rev. Mr. Henry Tilney, dated 20 April. Eleanor is to be married, to Viscount Whiting of Windlestrae. I know you must be surprised, but I hasten to add that her partiality to his lordship is not of recent origin. He is a friend of mine from Oxford, though when I knew him he was simply John White, a son of the untitled branch of the Whitings. He met Eleanor when I invited him to pay a visit to Northanger one summer while I was a fellow. A law student, however fine his connexions, did not satisfy the General's nice requirements for Eleanor's prospective husband as to situation and fortune; thus he was unable to secure her hand, though he won her heart. However, the untimely death of a cousin has elevated him to the peerage and a fortune. My sweet, we must rejoice for Eleanor. My only regret is that I shall not be present at their joining. The old vicar died a few months ago, and the General has not named his successor, so Mr. Taylor shall perform the ceremony in his capacity as a long-time friend of the family. Despite Eleanor's warning, I think I shall ride over to the church on the appointed day. The General cannot bar me from the church. Continued in Next Chapter ~ Table of Contents By A Lady Comment on this story Home ~ Site Map ~ Contact Original Images and Content Copyright © 2002 by Margaret C. Sullivan. All Rights Reserved.