The little Gardiners, attracted by the sight of a chaise, were standing on the steps of the house as they entered the paddock;and, when the carriage drove up to the door, the joyful surprise that lighted up their faces,and displayed itself over their whole bodies,in a variety of capers and frisks, was the first pleasing earnest of their welcome.
“But you―how are you?”cried Elizabeth.“You look pale.How much you must have gone through!”
They all exclaimed against such terrific ideas;and Mr.Gardiner, after general assurances of his affection for her and all her family, told her that he meant to be in London the very next day, and would assist Mr.Bennet in every endeavour for recovering Lydia.
“Oh, yes!―that, that is the worst of all.Till I was in Kent, and saw so much both of Mr. Darcy and his relation Colonel Fitzwilliam, I was ignorant of the truth myself. And when I returned home, the―shire was to leave Meryton in a week or fortnight's time.As that was the case, neither Jane, to whom I related the whole, nor I, thought it necessary to make our knowledge public;for of what use could it apparently be to any one,that the good opinion which all the neighbourhood had of him should then be overthrown?And even when it was settled that Lydia should go with Mrs.Forster,the necessity of opening her eyes to his character never occurred to me.That she could be in any danger from the deception never entered my head.That such a consequence as this could ensue, you may easily believe, was far enough from my thoughts.”