Longbourn

November 12th 1811

A few days after the dinner party at the Lucases, the Bennet/Bennett family was at home settled into their daily routine. Lizzy, after her morning walk, was playing the pianoforte with Mary. Jane was sketching. Lydia was in the nursery getting etiquette lessons. Kitty, who was allowed out of the nursery for a few hours for good behaviour, was embroidering. Mrs. Bennet had called for the carriage. She was getting ready to make her morning calls and go to the milliners to do some shopping for Lydia and Kitty, since they both had limited activities. A footman showed up from Netherfield; a letter was presented to Jane, but before she could read it Mrs. Bennett took it and read it.

My Dear Friend,

If you are not so compassionate as to dine to-day with Louisa and me, we shall be in danger of hating each other for the rest of our lives, for a whole day's téte-a-téte between two women can never end without a quarrel. Come at five o'clock for tea and stay for dinner. My brother and the gentlemen are to dine with the officers.

Yours ever,

Caroline Bingley

"Ha, I had half a mind to send Lydia with you, but seeing as Mr. Bingley won't even be there it would be a waste of time," said Mrs. Bennett.

"May I have the carriage? It looks like it will likely rain later," Jane asked her aunt eagerly.

"You may take the other carriage," Mrs. Bennett answered, knowing fully well Mr. Bennet had the second carriage and they did not have enough horses to use the third carriage.

"The horses are on the farm and cannot be spared. And Father has the other carriage," Lizzy replied, knowing her aunt was purposely being obtuse.

"You have four hours until you need to be there. You may have the carriage upon my return," Mrs Bennet replied with a hint of satisfaction, turning towards the carriage.

"She'll need the carriage by half past four to make it to Netherfield on time," Lizzy explained to her aunt, who waved her hand as she got into the carriage.

A few hours later, Jane was dressed and ready to go to Netherfield, but her Aunt was still not back. "It's only quarter after four. She will be here soon," Jane said to herself. By quarter till five, Lizzy had prepared a horse for Jane to go on horseback.

Lizzy turned to her sister and said, "I wrote a note to the Bingleys to please send you home in their carriage."

"Lizzy, I do not think I should go," replied Jane.

"Jane, you are going. I will not let our scheming aunt get in the way of your happiness."

"He is not even going to be there, Lizzy," Jane replied.

"He may have decided to stay home... anyways, his sisters invited you and -- even though they think are superior to everyone -- no one can dislike you, dear Jane."

Jane hugged her sister and mounted her horse, starting off towards Netherfield. Fifteen minutes later, the gray sky opened up and a downpour of rain fell from the sky.

"I hope she got there before the rain," said Mary.

"I hope so too," replied Lizzy.

Just then, the doors opened for the entrance of their aunt, who said, "Oh, no, this weather is horrid. It looks like Jane will have to miss dinner with her friends; the carriage cannot possibly travel in this weather," Aunt Bennett said smugly.

"It is a good thing Jane went on horseback," Lizzy responded, smiling at her aunt's scowl.

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Longbourn

November, 13th 1811

Mary and Lizzy were the only two that had risen for breakfast. They broke their fast discussing the new piece of music Mary was learning. Immediately after breakfast, Lizzy was approached by a footman from Netherfield with a note from Jane, which she read out loud:

My dearest Lizzy,

I find myself very unwell this morning, which, I suppose, is to be imputed to my getting wet through yesterday. My kind friends will not hear of my returning till I am better. They insist also on my seeing Mr. Jones—therefore do not be alarmed if you should hear of his having been to me—and, excepting a sore throat and headache, there is not much the matter with me.

Yours,

Jane

"Oh dear, I'll write to father immediately," Mary said, excusing herself.

Lizzy walked outside and asked a stable boy, "Are the road conditions well enough to take the carriage?"

"Nay ma'am, the ground be much too soft," replied the stable boy.

Lizzy sighed. She couldn't ride on horseback because she only knew how to ride astride, and that would surely scandalize the Netherfield party.

She went back inside and changed into her boots and grabbed the herbs she used to make infusions.

As she was walking through the foyer to leave, Mary handed her a letter from their Aunt Gardiner. Lizzy took it from Mary and hugged her sister goodbye.

"I am going to see Jane at Netherfield. I shall be back at dinner. Can you over see the ploughing of the fields today?"

"Certainly," replied Mary.

"I shall send you a note if I am delayed," replied Lizzy.

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Netherfield Park

November 13th 1811

Elizabeth had walked though Meryton and had crossed field after field and splashed through a few puddles before arrive at the front door of Netherfield. After letting her dress down she knocked on the door with weary ankles, dirty stockings, and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise. She was shown into the breakfast parlor immediately, where she met the critical eyes of Miss Bingley, Mrs. Hurst, and finally Mr. Darcy. She curtseyed to the room and the gentlemen stood up and bowed. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst stayed seated.

Mr. Bingley said, "Your sister is resting; I can have Sally show you to her room."

Lizzy replied, "That is not necessary; which room is Jane in?"

Bingley replied, "She is in the west wing, in the blue-"

"Thank you, sir," Lizzy said, cutting off Bingley in her haste to see her sister. Lizzy went into the west wing of Netherfield to the blue room with white flowers, where the best view of the park was. Knowing Bingley, he had Jane placed there so she could see the view without having to leave her room. Lizzy wondered why Mr. Darcy wasn't occupying this room. It was the best guest room in the house and she was quite certain the gentleman would have taken advantage.

As Lizzy approached the room, she knocked on the door and a young maid opened the door.

"Ma'am," the maid said, curtsying to Lizzy. Lizzy immediately walked over to her sister, who was sleeping. Lizzy touched her forehead and felt she had a fever.

"What has Jane been given to help with her cold?" Lizzy inquired.

"I gave her chamomile infusion, which I prepared," replied the maid.

"Chamomile will not help with a cold; I brought thyme and basil to make an infusion," Lizzy said, frowning. She looked at the maid -- she was young, which meant she was not experienced and probably had never made infusions before, and did not know what to use. She also looked very much like she had stayed up all night taking care of Jane.

"I did not know ma'am," said the maid as she hung her head down.

"Can you show me where I can start preparing the infusion? I can teach you so you will know," replied Lizzy, smiling to the maid.

"Yes ma'am," replied the maid, returning the smile.

"What is your name?"

"Jenny."

"Thank you, Jenny, for taking care of my sister last night. After we make the infusion, I demand you get some rest," Lizzy said with a twinkle in her eye.

After Lizzy and Jenny had finished making the infusions, Lizzy went to Jane's room to check on her sister, who was awake.

"Lizzy -- I am quite glad to see you," Jane said in a weak voice.

"Shh, darling, you need to rest. Drink this." Lizzy held the infusion for Jane to drink. Jane made a face and drank the infusion. A short while later the apothecary Mr. Jones came and examined Jane. He declared she had a cold and was too sick to be moved.

A short while later, Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst came to check on their dear guest and showed genuine concern; Elizabeth thought maybe she was wrong in her judgment of the sisters. The sister stayed until Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst had to check on the plans for dinner.

Lizzy then pulled out the letter from her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. "I have a letter from our Aunt and Uncle," said Lizzy.

"Oh, Lizzy, I have been desperate for news of them," Jane replied.

"Well, let us delay no longer."

Dear girls,

We have reached the Cape of Good Hope and shall be going to the Cape Verde islands next. I hope we will be back in England around the New Year. It is truly beautiful here and so warm and dry, unlike England, yet I miss home even more now.

I have received a letter from our cousin John Harrington about a man named Bingley interested in letting Netherfield. John says he is a member of his club Brooks. He thinks he will make a wonderful neighbour and thinks he will sign the lease. Our letters are quite delayed, as you know. Assuming the gentleman has taken the lease, what is your opinion of him? I look forward to Lizzy's illuminating description of the gentlemen. What is the news of Longbourn and Meryton?

Have heard from your cousins that a trip to Longbourn for the holidays is likely. I have told Lucinda and Julia to mind what they say in front of our tenants for the visit -- I hope you all will remind them. I look forward to hearing all the details. My dear Emily informed me that she is preparing you all for your curtsey for the Queen. How did you like the fittings? I hope you are not too disappointed that shewill be picking most of your wardrobe along with Aunt Elizabeth and Cecilia. I miss you all terribly and have wonderful stories to share about our trip. Please give my brother my love.

Yours,

Aunt Gardiner

Jane said, "I miss them terribly, but it sounds like they have enjoyed their journey."

Elizabeth replied, "Indeed, I shall respond to our aunt once I return to Longbourn."

Miss Bingley returned to check on Jane. When she did, Lizzy could sense that the woman kept staring at the clock on the mantle. Once the clock reached three, Lizzy knew that even though her sister was sick she was overstaying her welcome. She took the hint and started to depart. "I must return to Longbourn for dinner; I will return tomorrow to check on you again."

Miss Bingley said, "Oh, please use our carriage for your journey. I could not fathom you walking such a distance when we have a perfectly good carriage." She grinned as she spoke.

Jane said, "Oh, Lizzy being here brings me great comfort; I do not wish to part with her."

Miss Bingley grimaced and said, "Miss Eliza you are welcomed to stay and care for dear Jane as long as you need."

Lizzy knew the invitation was insincere, but she needed to stay to take care of Jane. "Thank you, Miss Bingley. I will need to pen a note to Longbourn."

"Of course, I will send a maid to attend to your needs. Excuse me," Miss Bingley replied as she left the room.

A maid came in a short while later and gave Lizzy writing supplies, and Lizzy penned a note to Longbourn for Mary. Having a few hours before dinner, Elizabeth decided to respond to Aunt Gardiner's letter.

"Jane, shall I let you tell Aunt Gardiner the description of Mr. Bingley? He has spent more time with you and you would be able to give a better assessment," Lizzy said teasingly to Jane. When Lizzy got no response she looked over at her sister who was fast asleep. She checked her sister's forehead and it was slightly warm. She rang for a maid to give her a cool towel and water and applied it to her sister's forehead, several times. Satisfied that the fever had broken, Lizzy completed the letter. Soon after completing the letter, Lizzy was summoned to dinner. Lizzy took the letter and handed it to Mrs. White, the housekeeper, and asked her to send it out with the post in the morning.

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At dinner Elizabeth was ignored by everyone except for two people. One who inquired about her sister incessantly, the other who said nothing but stared at her most of the night.

"Miss Elizabeth, how is Miss Bennet fairing?" Bingley asked.

"She is feverish, but the fever had broken before dinner, so that is good news."

"I hope Miss Bennet gets well soon."

"I thank you."

"Do you think we should call a doctor?"

"No, Mr. Bingley, I don't think that will be necessary."

"If you think it will help or be necessary please let me know."

"I will."

"She just did not look so well yesterday."

"I suppose she did not, but I hope she recovers very quickly."

"Oh, you and Miss Bennet are welcome to stay here as long as necessary."

"Thank you Mr. Bingley."

At that moment she felt someone staring at her and look over to see none other than Mr. Darcy glaring in her and Mr. Bingley's direction.

She continued eating and Mrs. Hurst engaged her brother in conversation. Mr. Hurst silently ate, while Miss Bingley had Mr. Darcy engaged in a conversation.

"Mr. Darcy, how do you like the mutton?"

"It is good; my compliments to the chef."

Miss Bingley then loudly stated, "This is our family recipe that I let my good friend Miss Grantley use for dinner. Lady Matlock complimented it her dinner." She looked at Elizabeth smugly. "Dear Georgiana must be excited to come out, especially with the help of Lady Matlock, and who knows, possibly the new Mrs. Darcy." Batting her eyelashes, she turned her gaze to Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Darcy glared at Miss Bingley. "I do not recall my sister giving you permission to address her so informally, and details of her coming out will remain among family."

Miss Bingley stuttered, "Of course, it is just hard to remember among such close friends."

Miss Bingley tried to keep the conversation going, but Mr. Darcy kept giving curt polite responses to all of her inquires, and soon she ran out of things to say and began conversing with Mrs. Hurst.

After a painfully long, awkward dinner Lizzy retired immediately to tend to Jane. As soon as she left the room, she became the topic of conversation.

"She has nothing to recommend her but being an excellent walker. I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She really looked almost wild," said Mrs. Hurst.

"She did, indeed, Louisa. I could hardly keep my countenance. Very nonsensical to come at all! Why must she be scampering about the country because her sister had a cold? Her hair, so untidy, no bonnet -- so wild indeed!" replied Miss Bingley.

"Yes, and her petticoat; I hope you saw her petticoat! Six inches deep in mud, I am absolutely certain, and the gown which had been let down to hide it not doing its office."

"Your picture may be very exact, Louisa," said Bingley, "but this was all lost upon me. I thought Miss Elizabeth Bennet looked remarkably well when she came into the room this morning. Her dirty petticoat quite escaped my notice."

"You observed it, Mr. Darcy, I am sure," said Miss Bingley, "and I am inclined to think that you would not wish to see your sister make such an exhibition."

"Certainly not; She is fifteen, has access to a great many carriages and has a companion to accompany her."

"To walk many miles, above her ankles in dirt, and alone, quite alone! What could she mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum."

"It shows affection for her sister and that is very pleasing," said Bingley.

"I am afraid, Mr. Darcy," observed Miss Bingley in a half whisper, "that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes."

"Not at all," he replied. "They were brightened by the exercise."

Miss Bingley scowled. She was sure that she needed to just keep mentioning how unsuitable Miss Eliza was and Mr. Darcy would give her no notice, and she would do the same for her brother regarding Miss Bennet.

Just then Elizabeth returned to the party stating that her sister was worse and she would like the assistance of the maid, Jenny. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst looked at her in shock and disgust that she would know the name of a lowly maid. Miss Bingley deferred her to Mrs. White who told Lizzy she would send the maid along. When Lizzy was gone again Mrs. Hurst started their previous conversation again.

"I have an excessive regard for Miss Jane Bennet; she is really a very sweet girl, and I wish with all my heart she were well settled. But with such a mother, such low connections, and £1,000 dowry, I am afraid there is no chance of it."

"I heard the youngest sister say that their uncle is an attorney in Meryton and they have another, who is in trade; Jane said he was abroad somewhere right before she needed to lie down yesterday. My ladies maid said that when she summoned Miss Eliza for dinner she was writing a letter to her aunt in Cheapside," replied Miss Bingley.

"That is capital," added her sister, mocking Sir William, and they both laughed heartily.

"If they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside," cried Bingley, "it would not make them one jot less agreeable."

"But it must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world," replied Darcy.

With Darcy's last comment Miss Bingley was satisfied that Miss Eliza was completely unsuitable.

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Later that evening after Lizzy got Jane's fever down and she was resting comfortably, Lizzy went back downstairs to rejoin the party. A response note from Mary was waiting for her in the drawing room; her items from Longbourn had already been sent to her room. Everyone was at the cards table except Mr. Darcy, who was reading. Lizzy opened the note from her younger sister and read it.

Lizzy,

I bought you and Jane some time, but our Aunt Bennett will be visiting tomorrow morning to bring you and Jane home. I have caused her a delay today by letting the piglets loose in the house. No one was harmed and all the piglets are safe. I will try to delay her again. Give Jane my love.

Ever yours,

Mary

Lizzy smiled after reading Mary's note. Needing a new occupation for her time, Lizzy picked up a book and started to skim through it.

"Do you prefer reading to cards? That is rather singular," said Mr. Hurst.

"Miss Eliza Bennet despises cards. She is a great reader, and has no pleasure in anything else," replied Miss Bingley.

"I have a great pleasure in many things, not just reading," Lizzy replied.

"In nursing your sister I am sure you have pleasure, and I hope it will be soon increased by seeing her quite well," responded Bingley.

"I thank you, Mr. Bingley." Lizzy got up and went through the books in lying in the drawing room.

"And I wish my collection were larger for your benefit and my own credit; but I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many, I have more than I ever looked into."

"I assure you, sir, that I can find something that will suit me here," Lizzy said.

While she was perusing, Miss Bingley commented, "I am astonished that my father should have left so small a collection of books. What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!"

"It ought to be good; it has been the work of many generations."

"And then you have added so much to it yourself -- you are always buying books."

Finally one of them caught her eye. She picked it up, and Mr. Darcy was staring at her choice.

It was the Greek version of The Odyssey and she began reading and ignoring her present company.

"I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these," replied Darcy, staring at Elizabeth

"Neglect! I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties of that noble place. Charles, when you build your house, I wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley," said Miss Bingley.

"I wish it may."

"But I would really advise you to make your purchase in that neighbourhood, and take Pemberley for a kind of model. There is not a finer county in England than Derbyshire."

"With all my heart; I will buy Pemberley itself if Darcy will sell it."

"Is Miss Darcy much grown since the spring?" said Miss Bingley. "Will she be as tall as I am?"

"I think she will. She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennet's height, or rather taller."

Hearing her name mentioned brought Elizabeth's attention back to present company.

"How I long to see her again! I never met with anybody who delighted me so much. Such a countenance, such manners! And so extremely accomplished for her age! Her performance on the pianoforte is exquisite."

"It is amazing to me," said Bingley, "how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished as they all are."

"All young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do you mean?"

"Yes, all of them, I think. They all paint tables, cover screens, and net purses. I scarcely know anyone who cannot do all this, and I am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time, without being informed that she was very accomplished."

"Your list of the common extent of accomplishments has too much truth. The word is applied to many a woman too freely," Darcy said.

"I cannot boast of knowing more than half-a-dozen women in my acquaintance."

"Nor I, I am sure," said Miss Bingley.

"Then, you must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman. Pray tell, what qualities does a woman need for you to consider her accomplished?" Elizabeth inquired.

Darcy stared at Elizabeth and responded, "Yes, I do comprehend a great deal in it. She must improve her mind by extensive reading--"

"A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved," Miss Bingley added, interrupting Mr. Darcy.

"I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any," Lizzy said to Darcy, arching her eyebrow as if to challenge him.

"Are you so severe upon your own sex as to doubt the possibility of all this?" Darcy challenged back.

"I never saw such a woman," Elizabeth replied. Darcy stared at her and she stared back at him. Jenny soon requested the assistance of Elizabeth and she left the room.

Once the door was closed Miss Bingley said, "Elizabeth Bennet is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own, but, in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art."

"Undoubtedly, along with the art that women use to recommend themselves to a gentleman, over another lady is despicable," Darcy said referring to Miss Bingley's treatment of Elizabeth. Darcy decided to retire and the rest of the party followed.