A/N: i am posting two chapters again because they both describe the first day at Netherfield. Thanks for reading. Please review. Tell me what you like and don't like.
Chapter 14: Lizzy the inventor
By the time they arrived, the winds had substantially died down, but the rain had increased in intensity. Once admitted into the house, Elizabeth took off the rubber-cloth cloak and found that her cloak did a very adequate job keeping her dry. She was pleased about that.
When she was shown into the dining room, the ladies were very surprised. Jane immediately got up from the table, excusing herself first of course, and hurried up to grasp Elizabeth's hands.
"Are you well, dearest? Were you caught in the storm? I was so worried about you!" said Jane with an anxious frown.
"I am quite well, Jane. Just my hair got mussed and the bottom of my dress got a little splattered with mud. The wind and rain were ferocious and were blowing sideways. My rain cloak was protecting me quite well otherwise."
"How did you get here? Where is the rig?"
"Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley came upon me right before I was attempting to cross the bridge. Nelly was unwilling to approach a roiling stream. They persuaded me to come back with them to wait out the storm and sent a footman to inform my parents of the detour. I rode in the carriage while Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley drove the rig back to the stable yard. It was less than a mile from the house. My reputation is safe."
"I am sure of it as well. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy are true gentlemen."
When the Bennet sisters were about to sit down at the dinner table after greeting Miss Bingley and the Hursts, the gentlemen in dry clothes arrived in the dining room. Miss Bingley immediately left her seat at the head of the table to greet them and inquired, "You are home early. You could not have already dined with the officers. You could all join us and share what we have until your dinner is ready. We are almost family here, are we not, Mr. Darcy?"
Mr. Bingley replied instead, "Thank you, Caroline. Our dinner appointment had to be curtailed on account of a severe flash flood report just five miles north of Meryton. There was substantial damage to property and even reports of lost lives. Some parts of the Great North Road were impassable because of downed trees. The militia was mobilized to help restore order. All the guests decided we should rush back to our estates to make certain all was well. Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, we saw Mr. Bennet at the gathering, and he left when we left as well."
When all had sat down for dinner, Mr. Bingley sat at the other end of the table and Mr. Darcy chose to sit beside Miss Elizabeth. Elizabeth asked, "Mr. Darcy, did the cover of the rig protect you well enough from the storm?"
Mr. Darcy replied pleasantly, "Yes, Miss Elizabeth. It did its job admirably. The flap across the front of the rig and the shields on the sides that were movable were genius. We turned the shield slightly against the sweeping wind and rain and remained quite dry through the journey. I must inquire where you procured such a handy rig cover as I would like to have one myself."
Elizabeth cheeks flamed at such a compliment, and said, "Unfortunately is not available in the open market yet. It is but a prototype. Your good report on it, however, will no doubt accelerate its arrival to carriage-makers everywhere."
Jane, who was sitting across from Mr. Darcy, added, "The shields were designed by Elizabeth and that was why she was anxious to try them out and offered to drive me here this afternoon on account of the possibility of rain."
Mr. Darcy marveled, "Indeed! Well, Miss Elizabeth, I hope I will be able to obtain a prototype to try out myself since I am friends with the inventor."
The Bingleys seldom, if ever, saw Mr. Darcy so animated while speaking at the table. Miss Bingley, especially, was piqued that Miss Elizabeth grabbed so much attention for herself from the gentlemen, or one particular gentleman.
Miss Bingley felt that she had to interrupt this tête à têt, "Miss Eliza, what a notion that a lady should be working with tradesmen! I wonder your parents should allow this."
"Miss Bingley, Mr. Hancock is not an ordinary tradesman. He is an inventor and a man with a vision to better people's lives through things that are not yet in existence, but through his ingenuity and hard work to bring them about. Without men like him we would still be living in the dark ages. I am honoured that he should deign to listen to my none-too-sophisticated ideas. Of course, I could not talk to him directly, and did not truly design the rig cover as Mr. Hancock made the final decisions. My father was the one who conveyed my suggestions to him."
Mr. Bingley interjected at this point, "How interesting! Does Mr. Hancock take in investors? I should think such a useful article will have a large market."
Elizabeth looked over to Miss Bingley briefly and noticed her thunderous countenance. She replied, "I am sure the ladies at the table do not appreciate talks about inventions and investments. My father should be able to tell you all you want to know about Mr. Hancock's situation. "Then she turned to Miss Bingley, "Miss Bingley, I apologize for not having yet thanked you properly for allowing me to stay at your home. This storm was quite unusually fierce. I heard that you are from the north. Did you have sudden storms like this up north?"
Miss Bingley was not happy about this inquiry. She considered herself to be from town, having resided there for most of the last six years, since her come-out. She answered haughtily, "I have not been up north for any appreciable length of time for many years. I stay mainly in town during the season, and only leave to visit the estates of dear friends." She glanced over to Mr. Darcy who was staring at Miss Elizabeth, and continued with a huff, "I am sure I do not know what it is like up north any more than you do, Miss Eliza."
Mr. Bingley chimed in and said, "Miss Elizabeth, we are from Scarborough. We have storms up there of course, but the storm we just had, so sudden, brief yet devastating, was rare indeed. I am sure that I had never seen the likes of it anywhere."
Mr. Darcy added, "That is true, I am the oldest at this table except for Hurst, and I have also not encountered a storm like that in Derbyshire."
To change the subject, Miss Elizabeth inquired about Derbyshire and the Peak District, and the rest of dinner was spent talking about traveling and places of interest.
While they were so engaged, Baker Footman was shown in. He reported that he was picked up by Mr. Bennet himself on his way to Longbourn because Mr. Bennet recognized the rain cloak which Miss Elizabeth insisted on his wearing and was anxious to know what happened. He was conveyed to Longbourn so that he could carry some clothes for the two Miss Bennets as Mr. Bennet feared that the roads would become impassable soon. He was then transported back in Mr. Bennet's carriage by Mr. Bennet himself who wanted to see the state of the bridge. Seeing that it was not safe for the carriage to cross, he left a note for the footman to give to Mr. Bingley asking him to put up his daughters for the night on account of the poor road conditions. Baker had less than a mile to walk and came immediately to report back to the master.
"How were the roads, Baker?" asked Mr. Bingley.
"They're in bad shape. Mr. Bennet left a note for you, sir." Baker handed the note from Mr. Bennet to Mr. Bingley.
"Thank you, Baker, you may go and send in a maid to see to the Miss Bennets' things," said Mr. Bingley.
He then asked his sister to have two rooms prepared for the Miss Bennets for the night, and turned to address Miss Bennet.
"How fortunate that we shall have the pleasure of having you and Miss Elizabeth stay with us during this devastating storm for so many. Darcy and Hurst, what say you if we forgo the separation after dinner and remove to the drawing room as a group so that we may have more time to get to know one another better?"
Mr. Hurst was not quite willing to forgo his smoke and his port but did not want to object, seeing the enthusiasm on his brother face.
