Disclaimer: As usual. Not mine, no profit, etc...
Summary: See Previous Chapters
Chapter Eight
If Mama had gone to Netherfield and found Jane made very ill by her mechanisms, she would have been distraught indeed.
As Fate would have it, Jane woke far better than she had gone to sleep, other than her usual impatience with illness, and Elizabeth prevailed upon their mother to come and ascertain Jane's state of well-being for herself. A post-script noted that she had given the same good news to a very early inquiry by the Housekeeper, on Mr Bingley's behalf. Such welcome news had Mama hurrying her daughters through breakfast and upstairs into their best day dresses.
Lydia preened a little when Mama complimented her on thinking to send one or two of Jane's nicer dresses to Netherfield the previous day, then teamed up with Kitty to strong-arm Mary into a more flattering hairstyle, while Mama arranged for the carriage to be hitched.
There was a sense of wariness about Netherfield, though whether that was to do with Jane and Lizzy's presence and the Estate deciding whether or not to risk attacking them, or Mrs Nicholls grumbling about Miss Bingley changing her mind on the menus a half-dozen times before lunch, was difficult to determine.
Being satisfied on the matter of Jane's health - though still appearing very tired, Jane had been able to dress and come downstairs for tea - and recovery did not mean Mama wished her eldest daughters home too quickly. The apocathary did not think it advisable to move Jane too soon, either, and Mr Bingley would not for the world hear of Jane leaving sooner than she must. "Removed? No, indeed, it must not be thought of! My sister, I am sure, would not think of Miss Bennet being removed."
Miss Bingley was less enthusiastic, at least to Mary's perceptive eye (and her sisters were quite practiced at reading her minute expressions) but put on a good appearance of being all that was solicitous and expected in a good hostess. Mr Darcy, oddly enough, did not appear so very reluctant to continue tolerating Lizzy's continued presence, either, though Miss Bingley came very close to scowling.
Perhaps it was time to change the subject, a task that often fell to Lydia due to the indulgence offered her youth and the virtue of her own confidence. "Mr Bingley, I remember you said that you had planned to host a Ball while you were here?"
Mr Bingley was quick to assure her that he had not forgotten. "I am perfectly ready to keep my engagement, as soon as Miss Bennet is well enough to attend. You would not, I am sure, wish to be dancing while she is ill, and I would regret having to forego the pleasure of whichever sets Miss Bennet might wish."
Jane blushed happily. "Once I am well enough to dance again, which I think will not be too long, you may have any two sets of your choosing."
Two sets was the most any couple could dance without an engagement in place, but Jane's offer to keep her dance card free for him, when it was usually filled before a Ball or Assembly even began, was a significant indication of her favor.
Mr Bingley smiled, handing Jane the cup of tea that Lizzy had just poured, Miss Bingley having lapsed in the office. "Then I shall reserve the first and the supper set, if it pleases you."
In other circumstances, Mr Darcy and Mr Hurst should have supported their friend and brother by also securing dances with someone in the room. However, doing so might have put Mama in danger of bursting with pleasure, so they refrained. Besides, Mrs Hurst was elsewhere, and Mr Hurst had shown a preference for dancing with his wife, when he danced at all, and they had worn out the polite amount of time for a visit, so the younger sisters contented themselves with promises to send anything that was needed from Longborn as soon as it was requested.
Letter-writing, in Darcy's opinion, would be an easier task completed far sooner, were it not for Miss Bingley's frequent interruptions.
He owed Georgiana a letter in any case, and if Fitzwilliam was ignoring his increasingly urgent summons, perhaps he would pay the younger Darcy more attention. Unfortunately, Miss Bingley had no sooner observed the subject of his letter, before planting herself beside him and offering frequent suggestions and entreaties to include her warmest affections. Since Georgiana had little more tolerance for Miss Bingley than Darcy did (and rather less patience for anyone trying to coddle her injuries), Darcy had no intention of doing any such thing.
Miss Elizabeth, employed in needlework while her sister had retired early after dinner, appeared entirely too amused by his discomfort. Hopefully, she would soon be amused enough to remark upon it, distracting Miss Bingley and putting Darcy out of his misery. He would pay for the reprieve later, likely in the form of renewed witticisms, but the respite would be worth it.
Really, one could almost set a clock by Miss Bingley's interjections! "How delighted Miss Darcy will be to receive such a letter!"
Darcy made no reply, but Miss Elizabeth covered a smile. Miss Bingley tried again. "You write uncommonly fast."
Darcy did have a quick hand, when he was left to his own devices and did not have to re-collect his thoughts every other minute. "You are mistaken, I am writing rather slowly."
Miss Elizabeth made a sound that was very nearly a giggle, but avoided catching his eye as he failed to deter his hostess. "How many letters you must have occasion to write in the course of a year. Letters of business, too! How odious I should think them."
Really, how did Miss Bingley think all Gentry maintained their fortunes? A single flood, fire or bad harvest could see an estate lose a year's income, with little to replace it if a Gentleman did not diversify his interests. "How fortunate, then, that they fall to my lot instead of yours."
"Pray tell your sister that I long to see her again."
"I have already told her once, by your repeated desire."
Miss Elizabeth smiled broadly, and gave up the pretence of paying attention to her embroidery. While angle and distance made the pattern unclear, it appeared to be a sword, twined about with roses. How odd.
That contemplation was also interrupted. "I am afraid you do not like your pen. Let me mend it for you; I mend pens remarkably well!"
If only Miss Bingley could be so observant as to the state of Darcy's waning patience! "Thank you, but I always mend my own."
She cast about for another subject that she had not already repeated - and by now even Bingley was casting something very close to a judgemental stare at his sister. "How can you contrive to write so even?"
Miss Elizabeth coughed suddenly, and blamed the tea that she had finished half an hour ago. Miss Bingley cast a suspicious look in her direction. "Pray tell your sister that I am delighted to hear of her improvement on the harp; and pray let her know that I am quite in raptures over her beautiful little design for a table. I think it infinitely superior to Miss Grantley's."
Miss Grantley had little patience for pre-designing anything according to another's idea, , but created works of art worthy of their own exhibition when allowed free rein over her own work. Miss Grantley's depiction of a sinking ship had been highly unsettling in its realism, but Darcy considered that the Master's own fault for not specifying the tone of the design before he started. Georgiana preferred music to painting, anyway.
Of course, he said none of this to Miss Bingley. She did not need the encouragement. "Perhaps you will give me leave to defer your raptures until my next letter? At present I do not have the room to do them justice."
Further conversation was thankfully forestalled as Miss Bennet descended the stairs, pale and gripping the bannister, but well enough to do without the assistance of a footman. Miss Elizabeth immediately abandoned her sewing. "Is everything well, Jane?"
Darcy took the opportunity to finish and close his letter while Miss Bingley was distracted by ensuring Miss Bennet's comfort. Miss Bennet's smile was not as bright as it normally was. "A restless feeling. I felt that I might do better in company this evening."
Now that she mentioned it, there was the subtle feeling of Darkness stirring. Bingley, of course, was oblivious, but the oppressive feeling eased as he abandoned his game to sit near near Miss Bennet, dedicating his attention to her every comfort. It vanished entirely as Miss Elizabeth's posture shifted, just a little, into that of someone preparing for a fight.
Could it be possible? The Bureau in London had made no mention of a team in Hertfordshire, but it was a well-known fact that it was almost impossible to record each and every person so affected, unless they were one of the well-connected families for whom magical powers were a hereditary fact - the Earl of Dartmoor and some of the Scottish Lords sprung to mind - or those who exposed themselves in some particularly public fashion.
So, Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth, at least, possessed some knowledge and awareness of whatever plagued Netherfield. Miss Elizabeth's desire for her sister to recover at home, three miles distant, made far more sense now. Darcy had paid little attention to the younger sisters, other than to notice that Miss Mary was studious and the younger two uncommonly bold. Far more acceptable traits among those who fought Evil than in the average young gentlewoman.
Miss Elizabeth felt his eyes on then, and hers narrowed in response, as if assessing him as a threat. Perhaps it would be better to discontinue their rather pleasant attempts to antagonise each other for the evening. In a corner, Bingley was speaking quietly to Miss Bennet, who glanced at Miss Elizabeth, shook her head, and smiled with uncharacteristic warmth. Perhaps she was not as indifferent to Bingley as he had first believed.
Now, how to confirm his suspicions and invite their confidence without appearing to be a candidate for Bedlam?
In the end, Lizzy and Jane stayed at Netherfield for five days, returning just before Lunch on the sixth. Surprisingly, little appeared to come from their sojourn there, at least in the Supernatural sense. Jane returned more besotted with Mr Bingley than ever, and Lizzy spent the entire day able to speak of little but how infuriating Mr Darcy was.
Lydia was well aware off how such protestations of dislike generally went in Gothic Novels, but Lizzy did not seem in a mood to entertain such suggestions at the moment.
Distraction presented itself the next day at breakfast, with Papa's casual remark that he hoped Mama had planned a good dinner, "Because I have reason to suspect an addition to our family party."
It was a point of pride to Mama that she always laid a good table. "Whatever can you mean, my dear? I know of nobody who is coming - unless Charlotte Lucas may happen to step by, and I am sure our dinners are good enough for her!"
Papa's eyes twinkled with mischief. "The person I speak of is a gentleman, and a stranger."
Oh! A hint to solve the mystery! "Not Mr Bingley, then. While a newcomer to the neighbourhood, he is far from a stranger by now, after six weeks in the area."
Lydia felt like she had perhaps spoiled some of Papa's fun, for he continued more directly than was his wont. "It is a cousin, Mr Collins. He wrote to me a month ago, and I answered a fortnight ago, it being a matter of some delicacy. He is my heir who, when I am dead, may turn you out of this house as soon as he pleases."
Jane and Lizzy exchanged a hasty glance as Mama drew a deep breath, a sure sign of a coming tirade on the unfairness of inheritance. "Does he come to break the entail, Papa? I know you said his father would not countenance the idea, but is Mr Collins the Younger more agreeable?"
They received a gentle smile, and Mama merely huffed in discontent. "He does not say so directly, but he speaks of wishing to heal the breach in our family. Here, I shall read the letter to you..."
There was a brief opening paragraph about having wished to meet before now, but being unable to go against his father. Then there was a significantly longer paragraph about having recently taken the Living at Rosings Park, and a great deal about his noble Patroness, the Honourable Lady Catherine de Bough. Finally, there was a line or two about his intent to visit on the 18th of November, and stay for a sen'night.
Really, Papa could have given a little more notice, if they were to have a guest. A room could be made ready in time, but a proper welcome dinner took at least two days to plan and prepare for! It was unfortunate that there was no way to determine what Mr Collins's favourite dishes were, but at least that provided an acceptable excuse for not serving them.
Mama, upon determining that the gentleman would be arriving at four o'clock, immediately rang for Mrs Hill. Papa retreated to his study - he always did the account books on Monday - and their daughters took the opportunity to retreat upstairs. Lydia rather wanted to kick something, "Yet another personality to manage. Did they all have to come at once?"
Lizzy did not look like she disagreed, but refrained from saying so. "The heir of Longborn. I suppose Mama will wish for him to marry one of us, as he apparently designs to. I inferred that much among the self-important paragraphs."
Jane wore the gently chiding expression that warned both of them to be polite, but it was Mary who did so directly. "We should at least meet him before dismissing the prospect entirely. I could not stand a stupid husband, but a man of the Church must have some learning, should he not?"
From the letter, it was clear that Mr Collins had attended a Seminary, but Lydia doubted how much he had retained after leaving. "Someone may be learned and yet still stupid. His letter does not give me much hope."
Kitty shrugged, pulling out her work-basket and selecting a chemisette. "We shall know soon enough, I am sure. Meanwhile, Mrs Black says that the portents are increasing, and someone in the Militia is stirring up trouble. Colonel Forster is to marry, so it may be his wife, but there were also several new recruits, and the Privates have settled down since one of them was flogged for dishonourable conduct."
Mary hummed, diverted for the meantime. "Don't rule out one of the known ones being shielded by an outside source, but yes, a newcomer is more likely. I will see what I can scry in the meantime."
Hopefully, Mr Collins would not be as absurd as his letter suggested.
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A/N: Had a few hours of panic when my computer updated mid-save and I thought I'd lost the chapter, but someone up there was smiling on me and the laptop didn't;t do a full restart, so my work was still there later.
I look forward to hearing your speculations...
Thanks
Nat
