Chapter Six
The next morning, as the residents of Longbourn were enjoying their breakfast, a footman arrived from Netherfield with a note for Jane. Upon learning of the dinner invitation issued to her eldest step-daughter, Mrs Bennet immediately started to concoct a reason to deny Jane's spending time with Mr Bingley but relented when she learnt that the men would be dining out.
Mrs Bennet was also keen for Jane to appear in the least favourable light to Mr Bingley's sisters as possible. The woman determined that the carriage would not be available for Jane's use; she would have to go on horseback. Mrs Bennet was hoping that if Jane appeared at the front door to Netherfield covered in road dust, with her dress crumpled and her hair out of place, she would not be invited to remain long after dinner. Jane would therefore be on her way home before the gentlemen could possibly have returned.
The spiteful matriarch had still been congratulating herself on her scheme thirty minutes after Jane's departure when the heavens opened and heavy rain started to lash at the windows. Elizabeth and Mary both voiced their concern for their sister, but Mrs Bennet was not troubled. She was almost gleeful. Now Jane would also make her entrance whilst wet through; she would not make a flattering impression on the pretentious sisters that evening.
Mrs Bennet's glee turned to do annoyance when notes started to arrive from Netherfield. First from Miss Bingley informing them that Jane had become ill during dinner and would be staying the night and then the following morning when Jane herself wrote to inform them of the apothecary's impending visit, her sore head, and prolonged stay.
At the latest information Elizabeth rose from the breakfast table and informed her family she would be going to visit with her sister that morning to check on her. Mrs Bennet, not being the smartest occupant at the table, floundered in her response as she tried to deny Lizzy her outing but she could not stop the vexing girl before she set out on foot.
Elizabeth arrived at Netherfield flushed from her three mile walk. She was shown into a grand hexagonal breakfasting room to find most of the house's residents within; Mr Hurst and her sister were the only ones not present. After enduring a stony stare from Mr Darcy and barbed remarks from the two women in the room, Lizzy was offered, with genuine concern, the wish that Miss Bennet be soon recovered by Mr Bingley and directed to her room so she may discover for herself Jane's condition.
Elizabeth reached the door of the bed chamber just as Mr Jones, the apothecary, was exiting the room. The kindly older man was familiar with the Bennet sisters, having worked in the area for many years. He was particularly well acquainted with Miss Elizabeth, for she had often found herself in need to healing salves and balms for scraped knees and cuts when she was younger.
Mr Jones reassured Lizzy that, whilst Jane's condition was precarious, if they were able to keep her fever down and she got plenty of rest, Jane should make a full recovery within the week. After seeing Lizzy sag with relief, Mr Jones added, "Though I would recommend, if Mr Bingley is amenable to the idea, that Miss Bennet remain here for her recovery. She definitely should not be moved before her fever breaks and I believe she will find more peace here than at Longbourn." At Mr Jones' knowing look Lizzy smiled and nodded.
"Thank you, sir. If you could make the request of Mr Bingley I would greatly appreciate it. I would hate for him to believe I was trying to impose my sister upon his hospitality."
"Of course, Miss. You may go in and see your sister now if you wish. I have left some sleeping drafts to be administered to help her get her rest, but I shall be by to check on her in a day or two."
With that, Mr Jones departed and Lizzy knocked lightly on the chamber door. In reply she heard the faint voice of her sister call out and she entered to find Jane looking far worse than she anticipated. Immediately, anger at Mrs Bennet's cold-hearted actions bubbled within her chest, though Lizzy did her best to hide her emotions from her dear sister.
Elizabeth diligently cared for her sister for several hours before a maid knocked and was bid to enter the room. Lizzy found herself surprised (though she later reminisced that she ought not to have been so) when the maid informed her that Miss Mary Bennet was below stairs with the Bingley family and had requested her sisters ready themselves to come away back to Longbourn.
Having barely touched the lunch tray which had appeared at some earlier time, Lizzy had little energy for sensible thinking but managed to control the outburst which was on the tip of her tongue. It would not do to shoot that particular messenger, though she was tempted to argue with the one downstairs. With a shaky breath Lizzy stood and asked to be shown to the room where her sister was.
When Elizabeth entered the drawing room she found Mr and Miss Bingley sat opposite a clearly anxious Mary. The poor girl was wringing her hands and fumbling for conversation; Lizzy suspected she has been given instructions by Mrs Bennet to charm the unsuspecting gentleman.
Looking relieved at her entrance Mary immediately rose and began to question her elder sister, "Ah Lizzy, is Jane on her way also?"
"As I was just informing Miss Mary, Miss Elizabeth, the apothecary has been quite clear in his instructions that Miss Bennet remain a bed during the worst of her illness. I have confirmed it will be a pleasure to have her here as she recovers. Well not a pleasure, per say, for of course Caroline and myself would much rather Miss Bennet was not ill." Mr Bingley stumbled over his words and he attempted to correct himself, "It is only to say, that I, that we are pleased –"
"I understand entirely, Mr Bingley. I appreciate the sentiment and I am sure my sister will also." Elizabeth smiled and turned to her sister, "Mary, Jane cannot be moved. Not today at least, maybe not for a few days."
"Mama has insisted that the two of you return home this afternoon. She says she will be much better able to help Jane recover than strangers." Mary gave Elizabeth a pleading look. They both knew that Mrs Bennet would not do any of the nursing should Jane return to Longbourn in her current state of ill health.
"Miss Bennet need not be cared for by strangers, Miss Mary." Mr Bingley replied before Lizzy had the chance, "We would never wish to hamper her recuperation in any way. Miss Elizabeth, I have heard you have been such a comfort to your sister already today. You are more than welcome to stay with us also, until your sister is well again. I am sure Caroline will be happy to have the adjoining room made up for you."
All heads turned in Miss Bingley's direction, who until that point had been doing her best to stay out of the tiresome conversation. Although she looked anything but happy at the invitation issued by her brother she tipped her head demurely and replied, "But of course."
"I still do not believe Mama will be persuaded that yours and Jane's both staying here is in her best interest, I really do think you should both come back with me." Mary knew that whilst the 'her' in that sentence would be interpreted by the Bingley's as referring to Jane, Lizzy would know it to actually mean Mrs Bennet.
"Perhaps you should come up and see Jane for yourself, Mary. You will then be able to relay to Mrs Bennet how you have seen with your own eyes that she is unable to leave her bed and return home." 'Or entrap unsuspecting young men whilst an unwilling guest in their home' she added to herself.
With that, the sisters headed upstairs together so that Mary could inspect Jane's malady. Mary was immediately convinced of the need for Jane to stay put, though she feared having to communicate this to her mother upon her return to Longbourn. She said as much to the one conscious sister in the room.
"I understand, Mary, I do. But you can tell her quite honestly that Jane will not be fit to socialise during her convalescence here. Our being here is no additional threat to her plan to catch Mr Bingley as a husband for you." Lizzy knew her voice had a bitter tone to it, but was too worn down to care to correct it.
"That is not what I want, Lizzy. You know I do not."
"I know that, sister. I am just outraged at her scheming behaviour and her lack of concern for its consequences. Jane would never have caught this fever had Mrs Bennet only permitted her use of the carriage last evening"
Mary who had, since her come out, observed how well respected both of her sisters were and had subsequently tried to emulate their behaviour, thought briefly on what Jane would do to comfort Lizzy when she was feeling agitated. Deciding that actions rather than words were her serene sister's usual choice, Mary walked over to where Lizzy was perched on the edge of the bed and pulled her into an embrace.
After several minutes sat in such a way Mary insisted that Lizzy should get some rest before she had to return home. "I can sit with Jane for a little while longer." When Elizabeth started to protest, Mary, in a rare bout of confidence, spoke over her, "Sleep Lizzy. Our sister is in good hands, I promise."
When the hour began to get late and Mary was satisfied to see improved colour on Lizzie's face, she prepared to depart and said to her sister, "I shall ask Hill to pack some things for each of you and get them sent over with a footman as soon as I return."
"Thank you, Mary. And mayhap you should ask Papa to join you when you tell Mrs Bennet that we shall be staying here for a few days. You may find her nerves better able to handle such news with additional support around." The advice was greatly appreciated by the middle Bennet sister when, a little while later, she conveyed the details of her visit and the apothecary's advice to both of her parents simultaneously. Mrs Bennet had just launched into a tirade at the ungratefulness of Jane and Elizabeth when Mr Bennet had interrupted her and told her that her nerves, at such a trying time, would probably benefit from her taking a tray in her room that evening, instead of joining the family for dinner.
Elizabeth was summoned to dinner at half past six, at which time she reluctantly left Jane and went to endure a rich meal filled with heavy foods and little conversation – at least on her part. Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley were determined to converse only with Mr Darcy, much to his visible displeasure. Mr Bingley, once he had satisfied himself of Jane's comfort, had little else to say to her as he tried in vain to distract his sisters, and Mr Hurst, whom she was set next to, had little time for anything between his inhales of breath, wine and food.
Lizzy escaped, as quickly as was politely possible, back to Jane once the meal was over. The door had barely closed behind her before Miss Bingley began abusing her. Her manners, conversation and beauty were all judged to be ill-favoured and the exhibition she had made of herself that morning when she appeared before them, covered in mud, was deemed wild and uncivilized.
"And such low connections!" Cried Caroline, "The only information I have been able to gather on their real mother is that she had relations in Cheapside whom they visit with fairly often. It is looking, to me, more and more likely that the eldest Miss Bennet's are natural born children. No wonder none of the local men have lowered themselves to ask for their hands. It would not do to align one's self to a family with such questionable morals."
"Oh I agree, most unacceptable." Louisa Hurst concurred.
Appearing not to have heard her sister, for she barely took a breath, Caroline continued, "And Mrs Bennet is from a family of attorney's in Meryton. Though they do not share the association by blood, Jane and Eliza are still tainted by such a connection."
To Darcy, it appeared that neither Miss Bingley nor Mrs Hurst would soon run out of criticisms to aim at the Bennet's and he was in no mind to hear such bitterness. Instead, he excused himself for a while and retired to the library, where he managed to find a decanter of brandy and a book. To find a book in a library would not usually be considered much of a challenge. In the instances which made up the 'usual' however, the seeker had not been looking for reading material in Bingley's library. Whilst Darcy could see plenty of books on the shelves, when he looked closer he noticed many collections were missing at least one of the volumes in their sets, some had notes scribbled in margins blocking out printed words and others he dared not touch in case they crumpled into dust.
Good breeding dictated that Darcy eventually return to his hosts and when he did he was pleasantly surprised to find Miss Elizabeth had also re-joined the group, though she was sat off to the side reading as the others played at cards. A part of him was satisfied that she clearly enjoyed reading as much as he did himself, it would provide him with talking point should he find himself in need of one, as he had started to notice he often did around her.
As Darcy started to make his way toward Miss Elizabeth, his progress was stopped by the greetings of Miss Bingley, "Mr Darcy, how thrilled we are that you have come back to our little group. Would you care to join in the round?"
"We are halfway through a game Caroline; that is not practical." Hurst grumbled.
Darcy declined the invitation and proceeded to make his way towards Miss Bennet, but once again was halted by a question from Miss Bingley, "Were you writing to dear Georgiana whilst you were separated from us, Mr Darcy? Oh, how I long to see her again."
Realising he would not be given the opportunity to fulfil his wish for an intelligent conversation, Mr Darcy confessed he had not and should do so immediately. At such a declaration he ceased his attempted progression towards Miss Bennet and headed towards the writing desk in the opposite corner of the room. Caroline was satisfied with such an outcome that kept Mr Darcy closer to her than her perceived, though oblivious, rival.
Over the course of the evening Elizabeth began to realise that both Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy were ignorant of her connection to the Fitzwilliam family. She thought she knew enough of Mr Bingley to believe that whilst he may have been able to hold his tongue in public, if he knew of their mutual acquaintances then he would have mentioned then in the privacy of his own home.
This surprised Lizzy for she had often heard the two gentlemen being described as Richard's closest friends. Despite them all having agreed the relationship must remain secret for the time being, she had not expected it to extend to her cousin's most valued confidants. However, she was glad for the obliviousness now. Not only did it reduced the risk of her father finding out whilst they stayed in the neighbourhood, but it also meant that she did not have to falsify a friendship with Mr Darcy after his offensive treatment of her.
The following day passed in a similar fashion. Lizzy spent as much time tending to her sister as she could, resting sporadically in a chair by the bed - for she had made little use over night of the adjoining guest room which had been set up for her. She also spent only the necessary amount of time with her hosts as would satisfy civility, even had she not been anxious to return to her sister, she knew there was little chance of friendship blooming between herself and Miss Bingley and preferred to avoid the thinly veiled insults as much as she could. Though when she was in their company she endeavoured to be as engaging as possible; she would not give Mr Darcy or Miss Bingley further reasons to find fault with her than they already had.
When she woke the next morning Elizabeth found herself restless for exercise. She was used to walking every day that the weather allowed for it (and even some of the days when it did not), but had forfeited the activity the day before due to her concern for Jane's wellbeing. Once she had dressed for the morning, satisfied herself that her sister was resting comfortably and donned her half boots, Lizzy went down to the breakfast room, grabbed a warm bread roll and headed out the nearest exit into the gardens. From there Elizabeth walked in the direction of a wooded area she had spied from Jane's bedroom window and spent the next two hours in peaceful isolation.
To both her surprise and suspicion, when Lizzy arrived back at the manor house there was a footman waiting to greet her who informed her that Miss Bingley had invited her to join both herself and Mrs Hurst for tea at her earliest convenience. After refreshing herself, Lizzy walked as calmly as she could into one of Netherfield's drawing rooms where the ladies were said to be expecting her.