Chapter 16

Jane related to Elizabeth what had passed at their card table between Lydia and Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth listened with astonishment and concern.

'Oh, Lydia! Silly, silly girl!' she exclaimed. 'How did she take it all?' Jane told her that she went to check on her and after she did not get what she wanted from their mother, she was greatly distressed, so much so that only playing lottery tickets helped her spirits. They chuckled. 'Let us hope that the shock will last. Maybe, just maybe it will open her eyes.'

'We have to milk the situation. Let's build on her newly learnt reality.'

'Maybe then Kitty will follow.'

'I have to say that I was very pleased with Mr. Bingley. He was very attractive to me just then.' Jane said nonchalantly.

'Indeed?'

'Aye. You should have seen it, Lizzy. The way he kept calm and spoke to Lydia as if she had known all that. He just kept on going, one thing after another. By the end of it, Lydia's mouth was trembling.'

'I wish I had seen it. So, you liked Mr. Bingley. Are warming up to him?'

Well, it was fascinating to see how quickly he was thinking and the fact that he did it because he saw me getting upset.'

'He said so?'

She nodded with a dreamy expression on her face.

Then they talked about Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth related to Jane what she saw with Miss Bingley and then the conversation with their father.

'It was embarrassing. I simply could not help blushing. I think Father noticed.' Jane really felt for her sister. It upset her that when she found someone she could love; society and its dictates would cruelly step in. The worst of it all was that all she could do was watch. This was not something anybody could be helped with.

'I am so very sorry, Lizzy.' Elizabeth looked up at her in resignation.

'Do not be; it cannot be helped… You know I understand in theory that men like Mr. Darcy do not marry girls like me. I truly understand. But in practice, it hurts, Jane. It hurts very much. The worst of it all is that I think he sees the possibility of us as well.' They walked on in the shrubbery. 'I imagine him coming to me and telling me that it does not matter; that he will go against the world to have me.' She stopped walking. She looked away. Jane could not say anything to that. 'I never thought I would end up in Emily's shoes. Only her story ended with a happy ending.
How will I go on?'

Just then the Netherfield party's carriage was seen to arrive through the gate.

'You go. I do not wish for company just now.'

'What if he came?'

'I do not think so. Mr. Bingley mentioned they would stop by to invite us to the ball. Go, see if you can warm to him more.' She smiled. With a big sigh, Jane went to greet the guests.

...

Mr. Bingley and his sisters came to give their personal invitation for the long-expected ball at Netherfield, which was fixed for the following Tuesday. It was ceremoniously done.

'Well, Lydia, you can be proud of yourself. Your facilitation has borne fruit.' Mrs. Bennet indulged her daughter. She had been not herself since they came home from the card party. Her mother almost missed her loud voice. Lydia smiled and sat next to her elder sister, Jane. With a quiet voice, she thanked Mr. Bingley that he would hold a ball.

Mrs. Hurst gravitated toward Mrs. Bennet. Soon they were deep in conversation. Miss Bingley, first taken aback by her sister's abandonment, on the other hand, tried to carry on the conversation not letting her brother or Jane speak. Mr. Bingley noticed that Miss Bennet started to wonder what she was about. Their eyes met. This situation was different, however. He always had difficulty reining in his sister. She, if nothing else, always played the age card, the fact that she was a year older than Charles. He knew that she was on a mission now because in the carriage he let it slip that he was seriously considering Miss Bennet. That was a big mistake, he reflected. She was outraged. She brought up any and every possible negative thing about the Bennets and the neighbourhood. It was quite hypocritical just after listening to Mrs. Bennet in awe about all the things they did not know about the previous day. Especially, as their goal was to become landowners. When Caroline took a breath, he spoke.

'Miss Bennet, shall we join your sister on her walk? I feel such energy to be outside. And today is just a beautiful day. You, Caroline, would you mind joining your sister and Mrs. Bennet? See if you can learn more from the lady.' He pointedly said. With that, he offered Jane his arm. She stood with him without thinking.

'Mama, we will be with Elizabeth outside for a short while.' Mrs. Bennet never even stopped talking; she just nodded to them with a smile. Miss Bingley could do nothing but follow her brother's edict.

...

As she was putting on her gloves, Jane asked cheekily, 'Did you just save me from listening to your sister's never-ending performance?' He grinned. 'That is the second time now.' He bowed to her. When she was ready, he let her go first. They stepped outside. They both looked around them. Jane took a deep breath.

'These crisp November mornings are strangely some of my favourite times of the year. Everything is preparing for sleep. Sunshine reminds us that it is still here, and will come back with full force in the spring.'

'That is a novel notion, Miss Bennet. I would have thought your favourite to be spring or summer.'

'I like them all. They all have their purposes.'

'Which direction is your sister?'

'I think she went that way.' She gestured to the right.

'In that case, would you mind taking the opposite direction just now?' Jane's eyes grew wide. He looked at her beseechingly. She hesitated; then she shook her head in response. They took the other direction.

'Why was she behaving in such a manner? Your sister. It felt like she did not want you and me to have any say at all.' He cleared his throat.

'Caroline has a very… exact picture of our future.' Jane looked at Mr. Bingley in confusion first. Then, slowly she spoke.

'And acquaintances from Meryton and Longbourn are not on her list. Is that it?' Bingley looked at her and chagrined nodded.

'I see. Actually no, I do not see. We are a gentleman's daughters!'

'You are not one of the ton.'

'Uh, well, that is true… But neither is she.'

'That is just it. Her goal is to become part of it.'

'Elizabeth observed that Miss Bingley seems… obsessed with Mr. Darcy.' Bingley chuckled at that.

'I feel for her then. Her interest is not returned.'

'No, it is not. She would not listen.'

'Nevertheless, you must try, Mr. Bingley, to make her see sense. It will only end in embarrassment and wasted time. I imagine years. And do not forget. Your friend is the prey here. Imagine his situation.'

'I have not considered that. Maybe I should talk to him.' She looked at him perplexed. 'And Caroline.' He quickly added.

'Is that your goal, too? Becoming part of the ton?' Jane wondered after a minute of just walking. There was a big pause; she looked up at Mr. Bingley.

'I heard you. I am just trying to put my thoughts together... My parents were very successful people in their circles. As a consequence, we were brought up with the goal of stepping up in society. I do not think my father meant to become part of the top few hundred families in the country. It was my mother who instilled it in my sisters and gave them the idea that their place was among the richest. As you see, reality hit when my elder sister could only secure Mr. Hurst. Unfortunately, that made Caroline even more desperate.

The only reason we have any connections to the ton is through Mr. Darcy. When I made his acquaintance, I never thought he would be generous enough to help me to enter his world, including my family. Now I have a few friends of my own among them.

To answer your question, I do want to establish myself as a gentleman and landowner. I just never thought that it would entail so much knowledge and work. I have to realize that all the schools I went to did not prepare me for it. As I did not grow up on an estate but around a factory, I have not the slightest clue about it. I will learn however, and I hope to be successful.

The ton is a different matter. No matter how successful I will be in managing an estate, I will never really be a part of them. First generation. There is always something. To be honest, seeing enough of them, having experienced their lifestyle, I do not really mind.' Seeing Jane's question in her eyes, he added, 'Not everybody is noble like Darcy there. There are a lot of unscrupulous, indolent individuals, many with no morals.

She looked at him expectantly. 'I assume you asked to go the other way because you wanted to talk to me about something?'

'Uh, yes. It is a delicate subject. I was not sure how to bring it up or if I should at all.' He looked agitated. Then he seemed to make a decision. 'Miss Bennet, I am sure you have noticed that I have been showing you some, well a lot of attention.' She was a bit taken aback but nodded. 'Truth be told, I did not realize that it has been noticed, especially by others. The thing is that is just me. I guess I am quite an enthusiastic fellow. In London, they know me and not many ladies take me seriously.'

'Are you trying to say to me that I should not either?' He looked her in the eye.

'I do like you very much, Miss Bennet. There is something about you. You are beautiful of course, but I like talking to you as well. I find that rare. But I never wished to put you in an untenable situation. We hardly know each other.'

'Yes, Mr. Bingley.'

'That is to say, I would like to get to know you better… without the pressure… Is that something you would welcome?' He stopped and looked at her. She deeply blushed.

'Mr. Bingley, thank you for your candid words.' Jane was reeling again. This conversation she did not imagine. How mature of him! She liked that he considered how his behaviour affected her. She felt gratified by his interest, but his caution as well. 'Yes, I think, I would like to get to know you, too. This is a small community. How can we avoid being labelled though?'

'Well, I will have to be more circumspect. At the coming ball, as much as I would like to spend time with you, I will be the best host and share my attention more evenly. I will have to go to London for business after the ball, maybe that will cool down expectations as well. Then when I am back, we could take things slowly. It would also help if you could convince your mother not to spread that we are courting.'

'You do realize that this whole conversation is quite inappropriate.'

'Well, you are still here.'

'True. What am I thinking?'

'Indeed.'

'We have already talked to my mother about her faux pas. She thought she was saving me from Mr. Collins. He chose me to be his bride, in less than a day.'

'Pardon?'

'Yes, then in a few minutes, he changed his interests to Lizzy.'

'What a sad excuse of a man!' He shook his head. 'So back to us. How does it all sound?'

'Us?' She teased him. 'It sounds just right.' They both beamed at each other.

…

Some lines are verbatim from Pride and Prejudice