Unintended Consequences by Jann Rowland

Author:Jann Rowland [Rowland, Jann]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: One Good Sonnet Publishing
Published: 2022-05-11T04:00:00+00:00

Darcy had expected this last question. It was fortunate he had already navigated the worst of the shoals that might sink his ship long before it reached its destination, that of a successful proposal. Success was by no means guaranteed, but the conversation they had exchanged had taught him that all was not yet lost. It was with this in mind that he bent his thoughts to responding to her question.

“You must suspect by now that I had a hand in his return.”

“I do,” confirmed she. “Nothing else makes much sense at this late date, and Jane informed me of it herself. Yet I do not know why you did it, for everything that motivated you was still in force when Mr. Bingley visited my sister in London. If that was so, then how did you come to encourage him to return?”

“The fallacy in your thinking is the notion that those motivations were still in force.”

Miss Elizabeth regarded him curiously. “Then how did they change?”

“Do you remember meeting my cousin Fitzwilliam in the woods of Rosings the day we departed from Kent?”

“He informed you of our conversation!” exclaimed she.

“Not at once,” replied Darcy. He paused and gave her a shamefaced look. “Fitzwilliam made more of my account than I intended, for I never mentioned it to suggest boasting. Regardless, when we discussed the matter and I learned how upset you became, it was easy to deduce I was in error.”

“How could you have known? I might have been angry for no other reason than the loss of a prospective mark for my sister.”

“That was a possible interpretation, yes,” agreed Darcy. “But only if one did not know you, Miss Elizabeth.”

“How so?” asked she with a frown.

“Your cousin’s actions the night of the ball were not obscure. I could see that he wished to have you for a wife by the time the first dance ended.”

Miss Elizabeth gaped at him. “But you watched with amusement! It was my firm opinion that you and Miss Bingley considered Mr. Collins nothing more than my due.”

“What Miss Bingley thought I cannot say, for she has vouchsafed no opinion on the subject. For my part, my initial entertainment was for the parson’s ineptitude. It was not long before I became disgusted with him, in part because of your discomfort, and also because he did not attempt to improve himself. It was obvious he was not aware he was causing you any distress.

“When I arrived in Kent, I expected to be introduced to you as the wife of the parson—it was a welcome surprise to learn you had not married the man. Thus, when I learned of your distress upon learning of my interference in the matter of your sister, it was easy to connect that with what I suspected was your refusal of Mr. Collins. If you refused a proposal because you did not favor the suitor, I judged Miss Bennet to be of the same moral fiber. When I had that information, I reflected

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