Chapter Eight
Jane Bennet was by no means an ignorant or unfeeling person. Her friendship with Mr. Bingley's sisters had begun out of a real interest in getting to know them better, having found them women of fashion and pleasant manners. She even felt the warmth of gratitude for their kindness towards her following her (somewhat foolishly, upon reflection) arrival on their doorstep, sopping wet and with a lame foot to boot. So it was with genuine regret that she realized her acquaintance with them and, by extension, their agreeable brother must come to an end, on the charge of their most uncharitable behavior towards her dearest sister and beloved Mama. No, the sooner they left Netherfield, the better for all. She resolved on leaving the day after her mother's visit and informed Elizabeth of her intention.
"I confess that is exactly what I wish," Elizabeth said, relieved. "Only, I don't want to relocate you so soon if you are not truly strong enough. If I must endure another day or two of the superior sisters and odious Mr. Darcy, I must.
"I am quite set upon leaving today," Jane said. "You have told me too much for me to deceive myself into ignoring their unwarranted disdain for our family. To continue this friendship would be injury to my loved ones, and that I cannot abide."
So the matter was settled, and to Elizabeth fell the burden of informing their hosts. She did so that same morning, after breakfast.
"I thank you all for your gracious care towards my sister and your persevering hospitality towards me, but I am afraid we have overstayed our welcome. If not inconvenient to you, we will head out as soon as the carriage from Longbourn has arrived."
"So soon!" Cried Mr. Bingley, distressed. "I'd rather hoped you'd stay until Miss Bennet's foot was repaired. Is it not dangerous to travel in such a condition? Do stay at least until the end of the week."
"You are too kind, Mr. Bingley," Elizabeth said, "but my sister and I are quite resolved on leaving as soon as possible. She's having the servants pack our things now."
"You will be greatly missed, I'm sure," said Miss Bingley, devoid of feeling.
"No more than I shall miss your company," Elizabeth said sweetly, and the former was left to reckon with the insult she had been paid.
"I do hope we will be honored with another visit soon, Miss Bennet–maybe under better circumstances, of course."
"Perhaps," said Elizabeth. "Though I am afraid we will be much engaged through the whole of the winter."
"Surely you can spare a visit to your neighbors? I am thinking of holding a ball here myself, you know," said Bingley.
"Our engagements are of such a nature," she said, "that make it hard to guarantee our attendance at any party of yours."
The whole party caught her meaning, save for two (Hurst was asleep, and Bingley oblivious). The effect was immediate: the sisters treated her with more warmth than usual throughout the whole of the morning (the carriage had yet to arrive).
Elizabeth withdrew to her room to put away a few books she had borrowed from Mr. Bingley. She was in the back of the library reshelving the volumes when she heard the door open and the padding of feet toward her. The steps faltered, and then sped up, growing louder.
"I had thought you prized frankness of character, Miss Bennet."
She looked around. Mr. Darcy stood at the end of the long shelf, arms crossed. She placed the book back in its home and turned slowly to face him.
"I do," She said. "Though any evaluations of my display of frankness must be left to my acquaintances."
"I speak of your recent performance."
"Well, Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth said drily, "Given my preference for blunt candor, you can hardly be surprised when I ask you to speak plainly."
"Very well, Miss Bennet. Do you often insult your host after having imposed on him in such an odd manner, or do you take care to do so only to those you see as being beneath your notice?"
"I wonder at the irony of saying that I meant to insult Mr. Bingley for all the kindness he has paid to my dear sister and myself and my considering him beneath me. Nay, I leave the office of being supercilious and offensive to his friends."
"You agree, then? That there are times when want of propriety or even the natural state a genteel birth induces can oblige one to distance themselves from their relations? That in doing so is to the credit of both parties?" Mr. Darcy asked eagerly.
Elizabeth blinked. "I think the greatest credit to either would be to stand by a relation in such cases as you have described. My uncle and aunt–the best people I've ever known–are of trade, and I would not think of cutting them from my life solely on account of that."
Darcy said nothing more but examined her earnestly. Elizabeth could only assume that her answer had been the wrong one, but feeling no angst over that, made a curtsy and returned to Jane. The latter informed her the carriage was there to take them home.
Elizabeth helped Jane with a cane down the stairs to the front hall, where Mr. Bingley and his sisters had assembled. Though her heart gave a thud at the sight of Mr. Bingley, Jane merely smiled and bobbed in an awkward curtsy, still unbalanced from her foot.
"I am indebted to you, sir, for the kindness you have bestowed on me and letting me recover in your house."
Mr. Bingley stared at her hopefully in a way that made her stomach drop, but she said nothing more. Leaning on her cane, Jane turned to the sisters as Elizabeth made her goodbyes to the brother.
"Miss Bingley, Mrs. Hurst. Your friendship has been invaluable to my sister and me in my time of need. Thank you."
"You are always welcome at Netherfield, Miss Bennet," Miss Bingley said, to which Jane nodded but did not respond.
"I hope your travel home is a pleasant one," Mrs. Hurst added. "Ah! Miss Eliza–how entertained we all were by your lively conversation these past few nights."
"So interesting and interestingly accomplished," Miss Bingley said in a soft voice. "Your mother must be delighted with you."
"Jane is the perpetual favorite, I believe, and for good reason too," Elizabeth said cheerfully, "She never encourages her sisters to walk through rainstorms to dine with friends. Goodbye, Miss Bingley, Mrs. Hurst."
So it was a state of bemused contempt that Elizabeth and Jane left the sisters in. Bingley was no less confused and feeling as though he had lost out on something. Mr. Hurst had slept through midday and had missed the farewells, but to Darcy must go the credit for feeling as though he comprehended the younger Miss Bennet's mind perfectly, indeed. Miss Bingley, shrewd as she was, suspected him and hated Elizabeth all the more for it.
At dinner following the Bennets' escape from Netherfield, Miss Bingley had started in on her favorite pastime: abusing Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
"-And really, I don't think I've met someone as high and mighty as she. Trying to snub us! As though it wasn't onerous being in company with someone of her low breeding–she is unquestionably her mother's daughter."
"Miss Elizabeth Bennet," Mr. Darcy, to whom this remark was chiefly addressed, replied, "is a lady. Her father might not be of the peerage or even of the first circles, but he is of genteel birth, and so is she. Whatever the mother might be, Miss Bennet's genteel status is quite fixed."
This answer did not wholly satisfy Miss Bingley, who said in a falsely bright tone: "I had no idea Miss Eliza was such a favorite of yours Mr. Darcy! Pray, when am I to wish you joy?"
"A lady's imagination moves very rapidly from acknowledgment to admiration, admiration to affection, and affection to matrimony. No, I meant only that no gentleman could or should dismiss Miss Elizabeth Bennet or any of her sisters on account of their less fashionable relations–their fortune, education, and genteel breeding would all recommend them to any man. They at least have that advantage."
Miss Bingley could not ignore the insult directed at her in these words, so wisely said nothing more. The rest of the dinner passed wordlessly, with only the clinking of silverware to fill the silence.
The evening meal at Longbourn was much more lively. The whole house had felt the absence of the two eldest daughters, and even Mrs. Bennet could not help but smile at their return, her anger mostly forgotten.
It was the next day when Elizabeth had resolved to inform her mother of the updated standing with the family in the house they had returned from.
"-and so Jane has agreed to drop the acquaintance entirely, on pain of their arrogance towards her relations' situations."
"Hmph. Well, this whole business has been very poorly managed, Elizabeth–I am severely disappointed in the lack of judgment you demonstrated in sending your sister off on some hare-brained scheme only to fall injured and ill. And all for a meal with women who are so far beneath you in every way!"
Elizabeth sighed. "They are not wholly bad, Mama. I believe some of their haughtiness to be derived from their insecurity around their own connections to trade. They are wealthy both in their own right and have had the benefit of attendance at one of the finest seminaries in the North, I understand. Nonetheless, want of stability is no excuse for their capricious nature in interacting with our family and must be looked upon with trepidation. You need not fear that Jane will pursue a friendship with them going forward."
"And what of the brother? What are her intentions in that quarter?"
"She has resigned herself to believe that a connection with him is impossible on account of his sisters and friends."
"All the better, I say. Don't give me that look, Miss Lizzy; you know it will all be as I say. I have some news from your Aunt Gardiner that will cheer her up."
The news was divulged the next day at breakfast in the following manner:
"Jane dear, I've had a letter from Aunt Gardiner. She writes to invite you to stay with her family in London for the winter season."
"Oh, London! I'm sure I'd love to go to London. Mama, why can't I go too?"
"Hush, Lydia, London is not for you. Well, Jane, what do you say to that?"
Jane replied quietly, "If my aunt is kind enough to invite me, I should be happy to stay with her and Uncle Gardiner."
"Wonderful! They will take you back with them from Longbourn after the Michaelmas holiday."
So it was arranged. Jane's ankle had nearly healed, and Jane was almost returned to her good spirits by Monday when Mr. Bennet made an announcement to his family.
"I hope, Mrs. Bennet, you've ordered a good dinner today because I have reason to suspect an addition to our family party."
"Who can you mean? I am sure my meals are good enough for Charlotte Lucas if she should be stopping by," said his wife.
"The person I refer to is a gentleman and a stranger–the man, who when I am dead, may turn you out of the house if he so pleases–my cousin, Mr. Collins." Mr. Bennet said all this very calmly.
"Oh! But why must he come here? I'm sure no one wants him here: why can't he just wait until you're dead?"
"And on that happy thought," Said Mr. Bennet drily, "Let me continue. Mr. Collins, it seems, seeks to extend an olive branch to 'heal the breach' that has long subsisted between his 'late honored father' and me. In his letter, he stated his intention to make amends to our daughters–there, Mrs. Bennet–and intends to call upon us this evening and stay for the following fortnight."
To the speaker of this pronouncement went the joy of throwing the table into chaos as his family exploded in an uproar and peppered him with questions, to which he had the satisfaction of answering as little as possible. Without a doubt, however, Mr. Collins was coming to Longbourn.
Author's Note (April 14, 2022)
We heard more from Jane in this chapter! It was rewarding to explore how Jane might have reacted if she hadn't been so willfully ignorant of how her "dear friends" treat her family, but she might come across as OOC for the purists out there. The Bennet sisters shortened their stay at Netherfield (in canon they stayed six days) and Jane is no longer interested in maintaining a friendship with the Bingley sisters. How will this affect her attachment to Bingley? We'll have to wait and see. There will be more Elizabeth (and Mr. Collins!) next chapter. As always, I love reading your feedback and thoughts!
BCM
