For all his assurances that he would soon return to Gracechurch Street, Mary had not expected to see Mr Ryder for a while. Surely even his easy temper must have been a little lowered by her refusal? But only a single day elapsed before his arrival was again announced, and this time to a drawing room in which Mary sat accompanied by her mother and aunt. When he came in, Mary saw that his bearing was quite different from his usual demeanour; he was formal, even a little grave. He did not sit down, but stood before her mother and aunt, and asked if he might be allowed to speak to Mary alone.
Mrs Bennet could not hide her excitement and leapt up eagerly from the sofa.
‘Of course, just as you wish! Come, sister, let us leave the young people to themselves.’
Mrs Gardiner, however, was not to be hurried away.
‘I should like to know first if that is what Mary wishes. Do you want us to go, Mary?’
Mr Ryder stared at Mary with a silent, beseeching appeal. She knew she could not refuse. It would be too cruel, too public a humiliation.
‘Thank you, aunt. I am happy to speak to Mr Ryder alone.’
Delighted, her mother beckoned to Mrs Gardiner, who rose to join her without enthusiasm. Mrs Bennet bustled over to Mary, and under a great show of embracing her, whispered loudly into her ear.
‘This is the moment, Mary! He means to declare himself, I am sure of it!’
When the door closed, and Mrs Gardiner could be heard ushering Mrs Bennet away from the door and swiftly downstairs, Mr Ryder unbent a little.
‘I must begin by thanking you for your kindness in seeing me at all. Not many ladies would been so generous after what I suggested yesterday. I am here, in part at least, to ask your forgiveness.’
‘I have to admit, sir, that it was not until after you had gone that I understood exactly what your proposal implied. If I had grasped it at the time you made it, I might not have been so considerate in my reply.’
He had the grace to look uncomfortable.
‘I am truly mortified. But I want you to understand that my intentions were not what they must have appeared. I did not have in mind something cheap and sordid. My head was full of ideals, not low, disreputable arrangements.’
‘Yes, that was what I imagined. But I must tell you, Mr Ryder, that for the woman in the case, I am not sure there is as much distance between the two as you like to think. The world in general will not make the distinction that you do.’
‘I am afraid you are right. The gulf between the world as we would like to it to be, and the world as it is remains as vast and unbridgeable as ever.’ He attempted an apologetic smile. ‘I know I do not deserve your indulgence, but I hope I might beg it anyway? May we sit down and speak like rational people for a moment?’
Mary agreed – the earnestness of his request would have made it difficult to refuse – and settled herself once more on the sofa. Mr Ryder stationed himself opposite her. It was obvious now that he had come to do more than deliver an apology.
‘I shall not, as they say, beat about the bush,’ he began, ‘but will go straight to it. I spent most of last night turning matters over in my mind. And I have concluded I shall do what I should have done yesterday, and make you an offer which cannot be misconstrued. I would be very honoured, Miss Bennet, if you would accept my hand in marriage.’
Mary could not conceal her surprise; and Mr Ryder looked across at her sadly.
‘Your astonishment does not do me much credit, I feel. But perhaps that is no more than I deserve.’
‘I’m sorry – but I am – that is, I never imagined – that this was what you intended.’
‘And now that you know, may I ask what you think?’
‘I’m afraid my answer must be the same I made to you yesterday. I am very sensible of the honour you do me by asking, and for understanding that marriage – and not what you suggested before – is the only offer I could seriously consider accepting. But I do not love you, Mr Ryder. And I cannot think it would be fair to either of us for me to accept you unless I did.’
He left his chair and moved to join her on the sofa. He began to speak in a serious, confiding tone Mary had not heard before.
‘I knew you would say that. But I beg you to think again. We are good friends, are we not? And, I ask you, Miss Bennet, might not friendship be a firmer foundation for matrimony than love, which burns itself out in the end?’
Mary clasped her hands together. That was indeed what her books had told her. Dr Fordyce had insisted upon it. She had thought herself prepared to marry Mr Collins on exactly such terms. But now, called on to apply the theory to the most momentous decision she had yet made in her life, she found she could not do it.
‘Yes, we do very well as friends. But as husband and wife – I’m not sure our tempers would ever agree.’
‘You think me too frivolous? Not thoughtful enough for you?’
‘That would be presumptuous of me. I do not mean to give myself airs I’m sure I don’t deserve. I only meant that our characters are so different, we should not find much common ground between us.’
He sat quite still, considering how to reply.
‘Do you know why I wish to marry you, Miss Bennet?’
‘No, Mr Ryder, I confess I am a little puzzled to understand it.’
‘There are all the usual reasons, of course. I enjoy your company. I find you kind, unaffected, modest, and charming. Yes, don’t look away, that is what I feel. But I must tell you, there is a more selfish dimension to my preference. I think you would improve me. You are serious where I am flighty. You work hard where I am lazy. You think deeply where I am shallow. Think what a good deed you would do in marrying me. Imagine how your influence would change me for the better. Perhaps, for those reasons, if for no other, you are obliged to accept me?’
He stood up, as composed as she had ever seen him.
‘I won’t ask for your final answer now. I will leave you with that thought. But I would be grateful if you would think it over and favour me with a reply as soon as you have decided?’
Mary’s voice shook a little.
‘Of course, sir.’
He bowed and was gone. Mary saw her hands were trembling. She had never heard him speak so sincerely before. What was she to think of it?
She had no time to consider further before her mother bustled excitedly into the room.
‘Was I right? Did you make you an offer?’
‘Yes, Mama. He did.’
‘I knew it! I knew it! Did I not say so?’ She was almost beside herself with joy. ‘Imagine! I shall see you married, after all. And to such a respectable, good-looking man! Who would have thought it!?’
She leaned down and kissed Mary on both cheeks, a gesture she had never made before. When Mrs Gardiner entered the room, Mrs Bennet rushed over and took her hand, bursting with the good news she had to impart.
‘Mary is to be married! To Mr Ryder! He has just this minute asked her.’
Mrs Gardiner started, taken aback.
‘Really, Mary? Is this so? Are you really engaged to him?’
Mary looked from her mother to her aunt, taking in the joy of one and the astonishment of the other, steeling herself to say what had to be said.
‘Not exactly. He has made me an offer, but I have not accepted. He has asked me to give him a final answer as soon as I can.’
Mrs Bennet grasped at Mrs Gardiner’s arm as if to steady herself. When she had caught her breath, she lowered herself into a chair, from where she stared at Mary with appalled incomprehension.
‘What can you mean? Why on earth did you not accept him? What if he thinks better of it?’
‘If he were to behave so basely,’ declared Mrs Gardiner, ‘then he is hardly the sort of man we could wish Mary to marry.’
‘You must write to him, this minute!’ Mrs Bennet cried. ‘Tell him it was girlish silliness – you were overcome – your head was turned – but you are delighted to say yes now – nothing would make you happier. Let me get a pen and some paper –’
‘Please, Mama. I want to please you – really, I do – but I don’t love him.’
‘What do your feelings have to do with it? He is a decent enough man and he wants to give you a home. You would have been pleased enough to take Mr Collins on those terms.’
‘You have mentioned that before. But since then – I can’t explain it, exactly – I have changed.’
‘Is that so? Well, if there has been a change, it has definitely been for the worse. You used to pride yourself on your rationality. Now, it seems, you have lost all sense of where your real interest lies.’
Mrs Gardiner placed her hand soothingly on Mrs Bennet’s sleeve, attempting to calm her anger; but Mrs Bennet shook it off.
‘Take care, Mary. You are about to make the biggest mistake of your life.’