Chapter 15
November 16th, 1811
Jane, Elizabeth and Mary, had made it down the long driveway and Netherfield, and onto the road, back to Longbourn, when Lizzy spoke up.
"Mary, I know you've missed us, but what was so important that it could not wait until, we returned?"
"Its father," replied Mary
"Is he all right?" asked Jane
"I do not know, he is melancholy and is letting Aunt Bennet, wreak havoc and not even attempting to rein her in and I suspect she is hiding something."
"We shall have a talk with father to see what is wrong. He may just be downcast because we have been gone for so long." Jane replied
"I do not think so, Kitty is still reserved, but Lydia is as wild as ever, he needs to rein her in especially with the militia coming to town." Mary said
"The militia and Lydia together, can only be trouble." Lizzy said "Do not worry I will speak with father."
"Yes, but that still doesn't explain, our aunt suspicious activity." Mary thought out loud
"What has she done?" asked Jane
"She is trying to order fish for a three course meal." Mary replied
"Three courses!? Who is coming to dinner?" Elizabeth exclaimed
"I have no idea! Father says we have no pending guests." Mary replied
"Well our aunt apparently does." stated Lizzy
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Meanwhile at Netherfield Bingley had requested Darcy's assistance in the study.
"Darcy, she is an angel. I love her"
"I take it you mean Miss Bennet."
Bingley scowled at Darcy "Yes, I wish I spent more time with her, but I could not be in her chambers."
"Bingley, are you sure? You have only known her for a month and her mother and youngest sisters are horrid, though the next to youngest wasn't as rude or improper, during the call here, as she was at the Lucases."
"Yes, I am sure I've never been in love with anyone like her, she is so beautiful." Bingley said
Darcy rolled his eyes at his friend's response. "What are her likes and dislikes?"
"She likes me, and uhh…" Bingley struggled to respond "It does not matter she likes me and that is all that matters," replied Bingley.
"Are you sure she has any regard for you? Have you ever thought maybe she is just nice to you and everyone else?"
"She likes me!" Bingley shouted.
"Charles, why are you shouting at poor Mr. Darcy." Miss Bingley said sauntering into her brother's study.
"We are agreeing to disagree." Bingley said to Caroline, through clenched teeth.
"Regarding what?" questioned Caroline
Bingley did not want his sister involved in their conversation, because she made it obvious of how she felt about Jane Bennet and her family. He sent a glare across the room to Darcy warning him off from replying.
Darcy ignored the look and replied "Miss Bennet," knowing without a doubt Caroline Bingley would agree with him.
"Miss Bennet is a dear girl, but you cannot be serious about her Charles, her family is completely unsuitable and barbaric, they were raised in the backwoods of nowhere, her mother insulted Mr. Darcy for disagreeing with her and Miss Eliza walked here and arrived knee deep covered in mud, and tracked mud all over the house, they are wholly unsuitable to be in polite society." Miss Bingley replied smugly
"Darcy, do you agree?" Bingley smiled and paused waiting to enact revenge.
Darcy nodded in agreeance.
"You were born at Pemberley which is surrounding by nothing for miles, which is the backwoods of nowhere and after our excursion yesterday, you tracked mud all over the house. I believe this makes YOU, unfit to be in polite society. " Bingley replied to his friend to enact his revenge.
Darcy scowled at Bingley and Miss Bingley stuttered and tried to retract her statements.
"I-I never meant YOU, Mr. Darcy, I was just referring to the choice made by Miss Eliza, to run rampant around the countryside, not the accident that happened, with YOUR horse."
"Are you blaming my horse for you obstructing my lane?" Darcy replied in annoyance
"N-n-no, Mr. Darcy, I could not hear you over the wind sir and made a grave error, Forgive me."
Miss Bingley stammered.
Bingley started to laugh at this situation in front of him. Darcy glowered at his friend, along with Miss Bingley. Darcy excused himself from their presence.
Miss Bingley turned to her brother and hit him. "Charles, Why would you make me look like a buffoon in front of Mr. Darcy? I am trying to get him to see that I am the right woman for him, and you have just lessened my chances."
"Caroline, if Darcy had any regard for you he would have made you an offer by now." replied Bingley
"He will make me an offer by the end of this season, mark my words." Miss Bingley retorted as she turned and left the room.
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Elizabeth, Jane and Mary arrive back at Longbourn, where to their surprise Kitty is waiting for their arrival. They exit the carriage and Kitty hugged each her cousins.
"I am glad you have arrived back safely and to see you looking so well, Jane." Kitty said to her cousin
"I thank you, Kitty."
"Kitty, I am surprised that you came to greet us." Elizabeth said bluntly
"Yes well, I must confess, I have missed you both, dearly, I find that Lydia and I do not have much in common these days." Kitty responded
"Speaking of where are Lydia and your mother? And Papa?" asked Mary
"They have gone to town to see the officers, but I declined to stay here with Mrs. Govern and working on improving myself. As for your father, he had to attend to a tenant issue, which he said will probably take a few hours."
"That is a wise decision Kitty." Elizabeth said looking at her cousin proudly.
Kitty beamed at her cousin's compliment. And was going to thank her when, Mrs. Govern came to the door and said. "Kitty, you still have to work on your French, come inside along with your cousins, before you catch your death."
Kitty groaned and walked inside followed by her cousins. When Mary spoke up. "Mrs.Govern we can help Kitty with her French, right ladies?"
"Oui, bien sûr"2 replied Jane
"Suivez-moi"3 added Elizabeth
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The girls spent the next few hours happily conversing in French and getting along with their cousin. Lizzy saw a dramatic change in her cousin, she was still lively, but not vulgar, she hoped her change would last. Still she was bothered by her actions from earlier in the week "The only way to get answers would be to ask." Lizzy thought to herself
"Kitty, why did you come to Netherfield with your mother and Kitty if you do not agree with their actions?" Lizzy inquired
"I did not want to go, but my mother was insistent and I gave in." Kitty responded
Lizzy and Jane exchanged a knowing look, their cousin wanted to reform her behaviour, but their aunt would be a threat to the progress their cousin made.
Moments later Lydia and Mrs. Bennett returned; Mrs. Bennett was agitated and speaking loudly, "Oh that horrid butcher, Who does he think he is telling me, I do not have access to Longbourn's accounts? I am mistress of the estate for my brother!" They walked into the drawing room, where, Mrs. Bennett saw Kitty sitting with her cousins. "Why are you tarrying with THEM?" Mrs. Bennett directed at Kitty.
"They were helping me with my French." Kitty responded nervously
"French?, You think it is all right to waste time on such a useless skill, when I am trying to keep us out of the hedgerows. Your cousins, do not care in fact they would be glad to see you there."
Mrs. Bennett said smugly "They won't even, let me run the estate, Lydia knows they had me locked out of the household accounts, they do not want us here and my dear brother will listen to them and get rid of us! They are just like their mother, especially you Elizabeth, you think you're so clever, trying to turn my daughter against me"
"Mrs. Bennett, enough!" Mr. Bennet said from the doorway of the drawing room. "I will not let you disparage my children and yours any longer, you do not have access to my accounts because I DECIDED that.
"Mr. Bennet, I need access to the accounts, we have a guest coming Monday and I need to show him how fine a table I can set!"
"Mrs.Bennett, who did you invite into MY household?"
"Our cousin Mr. Collins, I saw the letter he sent you and you ignored it! He is your heir! He can throw all of us out into the hedgerows once you are gone! Then who will take care of your precious daughters, then?"
Jane, Lizzy and Mary looked astonished at their aunt's remarks while, Mr. Bennet, looked amused, instead of furious at his sister. He then replied "On Monday morning, you may take Mary or Jane to the butcher with you to order for our pending guest, THEY have access to the accounts, Oh and dear sister make sure the maids have a room prepared for him." and with that Mr. Bennet left the room.
"'La! Mamma I see you have Uncle Bennet listening to you now, maybe you can get me a new dress?"
"We shall see Lydia, I would give you the dress we got for Kitty, but I need her to make a good impression on her future husband, Mr.Collins."
"Mamma, we have yet to meet the man, how do you know he is single and looking for a wife?" Kitty asked trying to get her mother to see reason.
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife, Kitty. Since my father and brother never broke the entail, he will inherit Longbourn, and you dear Kitty will be mistress of it all, while Lydia will be mistress of Netherfield!" Mrs. Bennett exclaimed
Lizzy looked diverted at her aunt's declaration
While, Jane was aggravated and said "YOU have no say in Mr. Bingley's affairs, the mistress of Netherfield is not a position YOU can determined."
Lydia and Mrs. Bennett looked shocked that Jane spoke to her in that manner. Kitty looked amused that her cousin put her aunt in her place.
Lizzy noticed her sweet sister turning red and tapped Mary for assistance. Mary then grabbed Jane's left arm while Lizzy grabbed her right. Lizzy whispered "Take a deep breath" to Jane and escorted her out of the room. They traveled to their father's study where he was reading a book."
Jane yelled "She is insufferable! How dare she presume about a gentleman wholly unconnected to her!"
Mary tried to calm down Jane. While Elizabeth, talked to their Father.
"Papa, why are you no longer correcting our Aunt and Lydia? They exposing themselves." Lizzy asked
"I have tried, my father did not do his duty towards my sister and I am stuck trying to fix it, I have finally come to the conclusion that they will never change and continuing to try is futile, in 2 months, you and your sisters will be having your season and when you return, I will have moved them into their own establishment."
"What of Kitty, she is making great improvements?" asked Mary
"Has she?" Mr. Bennet said in surprise
"Yes, have you talked to Mrs. Govern, since your return?" asked Jane
"I confess, I did not, I just told them that they may do whatever they please as long as they leave me in peace. I was going to let Mrs.Govern go this week."
"Papa you cannot, Kitty is much improved and I fear without Mrs. Govern she will revert back to her old habits."
"I shall take your advice, except I am done trying with your Aunt and cousin, they may do whatever they please as long as I have peace." Mr. Bennet said in an authoritative voice that his daughters knew not to challenge.
"Papa I do have one more question." Mary asked
"What is it child?" Mr. Bennet asked irritated
"Why does Aunt Bennett think Mr. Collins is your heir and not our brother?"
"Your Aunt doesn't know your brother exists." Mr. Bennet said laughing
"How?"
"Fanny was recently married when, your mother gave birth and sadly passed away, I wrote your Aunt of her death and her husband replied that they were unable to attend the funeral. We did not exchange any letters after that, "Married women have never much time for writing." he said mocking his sister. I believe she assumed your brother died along with your mother. Alexander was attending Harrow School, the year she arrived and resides with your grandparents during the summer, at Thornridge Hall. Since he did not come home for Christmas last year, because your grandmother was sick, I am certain your aunt has never laid eyes on him."
"I thought you and grandfather broke the entail, whoever thought, that stupid thing was a good idea?" Elizabeth questioned
"Your grandfather inherited Longbourn via entail, because his uncle had one daughter, who married a wastrel, He sold land off to pay their debts and knew they would lose Longbourn; My great-uncle refused to let them inherit Longbourn and had the entail placed on Longbourn for three generations. If your grandfather and I had not already broken the entail, Alex would break it once he reaches his majority."
"Why even bother letting, Mr. Collins visit?" Mary asked exasperated at her father
"His father is an idiot, who I told would never inherit Longbourn, most certainly raised an idiot son, who he told Longbourn was his, having him here shall be a great source of entertainment." Mr. Bennet said sprightly.
"Have you finished with your inquiry?"
Mary nodded.
"Good, now out with all of you." Mr. Bennet replied, pushing his daughters out of his study
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I used google translate for this because I don't speak any french. Sorry if the translation is a bit off.
2- Yes, of course.
3-Follow me.
