"Now, Mary, lightly with the Meadow Queen - do not waste it, I had to walk miles to find it."
Mrs Bennet instructed her daughter in the fine art of potion making. She had learned it from her mother, and had taught it to the one daughter she thought would need "a little help" in catching a husband. The two were in the Still Room with the door firmly closed
"'Rose to love the ladies, Meadow Queen to find the lady, Cinnamon to warm the blood, Goats Head to bring only the man' - did I remember aright, Mamma?" asked Mary.
"Very good, child, thats exactly right. Do you remember what each line means?"
Mary hesitated, "I think so , Mamma. Rose to teach the gentleman what loving is, Meadow Queen to make him love the lady he is thinking of. Cinnamon to warm his loins," Mary blushed, "and goats head so the ladies drinking are unaffected"
"Just right, child. Its always wise to understand what you are making" replied Mrs Bennet, with more common sense than her daughter normally saw. "We'll serve that in a nice Chamomile brew to make it tasty", she added.
Mrs Bennet thought about her previous use of the herbs she and her daughter were in the still room to bring together. Her mother had taught her to make this love philtre and she had used it herself to catch her husband. She may have been a great enough beauty to catch her husband's eye, but as she was just the daughter of an attorney, her beauty had not been enough to bring him to the point, not without assistance. Not until he had come to call one too many times and she had managed to get enough potion into him! Maybe she shouldn't have? She sighed. But wasn't every girl entitled to aspire to something more than she had? Well, after 25 years of marriage, it was too late to go back on it now.
She had always thought that her daughters, with beauty and status, would have no trouble managing to catch a husband without that "little bit of help" but… Jane was 22 and still no husband. Now that Mr. Bingley had come back, Mrs Bennet wasn't going to take any chances with him! Even if Jane didn't know what she was doing for her.
"And remember, Mary - the gentleman must drink 3 cups for the effect to be fixed. Otherwise we must have them call another day and drink more. Once the third cup is in them, they are hooked for the lady on whom their focus has been fixed while drinking. Its very important not to let their attention drift from the correct lady while drinking!"
"But, mamma!" cried Mary, "Mr. Darcy always comes with Mr. Bingley and will also drink the tea! No one even likes him, it would not do if he fell for one of us - or worse if both gentlemen fell for Jane!"
"No, child," replied her mother, "there has to be some basic liking for the gentleman to be affected. Thank goodness, or this potion could be put to terrible use! But Mr. Darcy despises all of us, mores the pity for such a rich gentleman, so he is at no danger from our drink."
Mary nodded in understanding.
They finished grinding and mixing the various leaves and stalks, and Mrs Bennet said "Let us take this to the kitchen, ready for when the the gentleman arrive to call. I will ensure Hill knows it is a special brew that is only to be offered when called for, which will only be 'for very special visitors'!". The two ladies left the Still Room.
Later that afternoon, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy arrived to call on the Bennet ladies. Hill showed them into the drawing room.
"Oh Mr. Bingley!", cried Mrs Bennet! "We are so glad to see you! Please, sit down and I will call for tea." She nodded to Hill and said, more softly than her daughters often heard her, "the special brew, if you please, Hill." The housekeeper nodded and left the room.
Mrs Bennet turned her attention back to the room.
"Well, Mr. Bingley, how have you found the shooting on your estate?" She had a lot of toadying to do and she didn't want to waste any of it until the tea arrived and she could get some of it into the man. She contemplated the weather out the window beyond Bingley's shoulder, giving the occasional "Mmm" and "Really?" until Hill returned with the tea. Mrs Bennet had no interest at all in talk of shooting where she didn't have to plan the meals to come from the result.
Once the tea arrived, Mrs Bennet sat up, all business. "Jane, pour for these good gentlemen, please" and she prepared herself for the process of fixing Mr. Bingley's attention on Jane.
Jane turned the pot three times. By then the smell had reached her nose and she poured cups for all, except Kitty, who she knew did not like the flavour and passed a cup to each. Kitty raised an eyebrow at the omission and Jane mouthed "Chamomile" at her at which Kitty nodded in comprehension and returned to her embroidery. Jane sat back in her chair to sip her tea, her task done.
Mrs Bennet sipped her own tea while she watched for Mr. Bingley to take his first sip, then she began, "Mr. Bingley, we are so pleased you have called today. Its always a delight to have a caller for my Jane. She is the most wonderful girl, and she is the perfect hostess, well trained in all aspects of being mistress of an estate and is going to make someone a fine wife." She paused to take a breath. Bingley seemed to hesitate between answering and drinking his tea. Mrs Bennet smiled gently at him and said "Do drink your tea before it gets cold." He looked down at the cup then up at her and then smiled tentatively and finished the cup.
"Oh, Jane," cried Mrs Bennet, "more tea for the gentleman!" Jane moved around the room to pour the tea in cups that had been emptied. Bingley seemed to hesitate but let her fill his cup.
As Mr. Bingley took another sip, Mrs Bennet continued, "Yes, my Jane is a delightful girl. She will truly be the perfect wife for the right man, an adornment for his arm. Don't let your tea get cold, Mr. Bingley" He again looked at her, looked at the cup and, looking a little squeamish, finished the cup.
While he drank, Mrs Bennet continued "yes, we will be sorry when Jane leaves us for her husband, but it will be a happy day when she is married to the right man!" By now Jane's face was frozen with mortification and even Bingley, who was generally impervious to even the worst Mrs Bennet could say, looked a little embarrassed too.
"Jane, the gentlemen's cups are empty, do pour more tea" continued her mother.
"Ah, no, thank you," said Bingley, putting his hand over his cup, "chamomile is not my favourite, 2 cups is enough for me, I shall just enjoy a biscuit" and helped himself to one while Jane refilled all the other cups.
Darcy rose after drinking and took himself to gaze out the window.
Mrs Bennet face closed up a little, but bravely continued on "Are you sure Mr. Bingley? It is our special brew, made right here at Longbourn. Can I not entice you to have just one more cup."
But Bingley was sure he had done his duty to his hostess and would not be drawn, "Thank you, but no ma'am, I have had two cups and I am sure that is sufficient"
Darcy looked up from gazing out the window, where had had seemed to be lost in thought, "Perhaps it is time we were going, Bingley?" he asked.
Bingley looked up at him in some relief and rose "Yes, the afternoon is wending on and we have… things to do at Netherfield. Estate things. Yes."
"Oh Mr. Bingley, now that I know your preference, I will not serve you Chamomile again! Please, tell me your favourite tea?" Mrs Bennet was not happy. Two cups was not enough and she needed to get that third cup in him next time he called!
"Black tea is fine, Mrs Bennet, whatever you have. Quite strong, I am from the north after all" he laughed. Mrs Bennet smiled in response without comprehension.
As Bingley and Darcy prepared to leave the room, and the ladies following the gentlemen out of the room, Mrs Bennet and Mary going last. "One more cup in black tea!" muttered Mrs Bennet to Mary in disgust as they followed, "I hope we have enough Meadow Queen left to make a batch!"
As they reached the outside of the house, Darcy was eager to get moving. With three cups of tea in him, he really needed to get back to Netherfield to use the necessary!