A number of people have been writing stories about Jane returning to Longbourn while she was sick.

They reminded me of an idea that has been in the back of my mind for some time.

Warning… it is not nice…

~O~

A Trifling Cold

Mrs Bennet was in high spirits.

Her most beautiful daughter Jane had been invited to tea by Miss Bingley at Netherfield.

Ever since the arrival of Mr Bingley, together with his family and friend, in the neighbourhood, when he had met Jane, the gentleman had paid the utmost attention to her daughter. As a result, Mrs Bennet had high hopes of a match between the two.

Since Longbourn, Mr Bennet's estate, was entailed to the male line and Mrs Bennet had only five daughters, all of them unmarried, the lady had become ever more nervous about their future, particularly since there was a dearth of eligible gentlemen in their area.

Despite being the most beautiful young lady of Meryton and its environs, Jane Bennet had reached the age of two and twenty and was still single. No matter how hard Mrs Bennet sang the praises of her eldest daughter to any gentleman who would listen, none of them had seen fit to propose.

Every time a gentleman showed an interest in Jane, it never lasted beyond four calls at Longbourn. In recent times, despite Mrs Bennet's exhortations, the number of calls any gentleman had made had dropped to two or even just one. Mrs Bennet wondered if there was a curse on her family which drove the men away.

But now Mr Bingley was leasing Netherfield, the estate neighbouring Longbourn, and he was a single man of large fortune, and he must surely be in want of a wife.

When the invitation to tea arrived for Jane, Mrs Bennet was in heaven. She could already hear wedding bells for her favourite daughter. That was until she found out that the gentlemen would not be at Netherfield while Jane was visiting, as they were to dine with the officers of the militia, who were stationed at Meryton.

As soon as Jane agreed to the visit, a quick look out the window assured Mrs Bennet that rain was already threatening. As a consequence, she insisted that Jane must go on horseback.

Elizabeth, her second daughter protested, 'You cannot make Jane ride. She will get drenched and could catch a bad cold.'

Mrs Bennet waved away Elizabeth's concern. 'Oh, nonsense. And even if she should catch a cold, people do not die of little trifling colds.'

'Well, my dear,' said Mr. Bennet, 'if your daughter should have a dangerous fit of illness—if she should die—it would be a comfort to you to know that it was all in pursuit of Mr. Bingley, and under your orders.'

'I had much rather go in the coach,' Jane hesitantly agreed with her sister.

'But, my dear, your father cannot spare the horses, I am sure. They are wanted in the farm, Mr. Bennet, are not they?' Mrs Bennet asked her husband's support.

'They are wanted in the farm much oftener than I can get them,' the gentleman agreed with a cynical smirk.

After some discussion, Mrs Bennet carried the day. Mr Bennet acknowledged that the horses were engaged, Jane was therefore obliged to go on horseback. Mrs Bennet attended her to the door with many cheerful prognostics of a bad day.

Her hopes were answered. Jane had not been gone long before it rained hard. Her sisters were uneasy for her, but her mother was delighted. The rain continued the whole evening without intermission. Jane certainly could not come back.

~O~

By morning, the rain had abated to a fine drizzle.

The family was just finishing their morning meal when Elizabeth noticed a fine carriage, drawn by four horses, approaching the manor.

When she alerted the rest of the family, Mrs Bennet took notice of the vehicle and exclaimed, 'That must be Mr Bingley escorting my dear girl home. How very considerate of him. Particularly since his fine carriage is getting very dirty in all this mud.

They lost sight of it as it pulled up in front of the house.

Mrs Bennet bustled towards the parlour to receive their guest, who was sure to stope for refreshments after so solicitously escorting dear Jane. She was about to enter the drawing room when the front door was opened unceremoniously and a large footman entered, carrying a large, well-wrapped bundle.

He was immediately followed by Mr Jones, the apothecary, a maid and Mr Darcy.

Elizabeth, who had followed her mother, took one look at the newcomers and took charge. 'Come with me,' she ordered the footman and led him up to Jane's room.

The maid had trailed behind, and as soon as the footman had placed his burden onto the bed and quit the room, Elizabeth rushed to Jane's side. Feeling his sister's head, she cried, 'Oh, Jane. You are burning up. You should have stayed at Netherfield.'

Jane opened bleary eyes and croaked, 'Wanted to come home.' She coughed and swallowed painfully and emphasised, 'I needed to come home.'

'Well, you are in the right place to get proper care,' Elizabeth reassured Jane. With the help of the maid, she was able to undress her sister and get her into bed.

A moment later, Mr Jones and Mrs Hill arrived. The apothecary only briefly examined Jane, as her condition was rather obvious. He extracted several medications from his bag and gave instructions on the treatment. After promising to look in on his patient later in the day, he went downstairs.

Leaving Mrs Hill in charge of Jane for a few minutes, Elizabeth and the maid followed him and walked into pandemonium.

~O~

When the footman carried her most beautiful daughter up the stairs, Mrs Bennet could only stare in stupefaction.

When Jones made to follow, she grabbed his arm. 'What is happening?' she demanded.

'I do not yet know. I received a message from Mr Darcy that he would collect me on his way to Longbourn and that I was needed for Miss Bennet. I did not have a chance to examine her in the carriage other than to establish that your daughter has a raging fever,' the apothecary replied impatiently. 'Now, if you will excuse me, I have a patient to attend.'

Jones rushed up the stairs, leaving Mrs Bennet seemingly alone with Mr Darcy.

Seeing her plans fall apart, she turned on the gentleman who was standing just inside the front door. 'How could you drag an ill woman across country in such weather. Have you no compassion? Are you truly so arrogant that you have to separate my daughter from Mr Bingley by any and all means?' she spat, standing with arms akimbo.

Darcy pulled himself up to his full height as he answered the accusation. 'Mrs Bennet, Miss Bennet threatened to walk all the way to Longbourn if someone did not convey her to her home. I was only able to stop her at the front door by promising to bring her in my carriage. At least in this way, I was able to see to it that she was bundled warmly in blankets. And before you raise any other objections, she was at all times attended by a maid, who ensured that she rested as comfortably as could be in my carriage. You also heard Mr Jones that I sent a footman ahead of us while the coach was made ready to convey your daughter.'

'Surely, Jane could have been attended at Netherfield,' whined Mrs Bennet. She focused on the failure of her plans to have Jane spending time with Mr Bingley. It would be too painful to consider that her machinations had caused her beloved daughter to become ill. She pushed that thought away and kept consoling herself with the thought it is just a trifling cold.

'If Miss Bennet could have been prevailed upon to remain at Netherfield, she would have received every care possible. But she was insistent on returning,' said Darcy. He took a deep breath and briefly closed his eyes as if in pain. 'I have only once before seen a case as severe as this, and the lad so afflicted only lasted another two days. When I heard that Miss Bennet insisted on coming home, I could not refuse what I believed to be her dying wish.'

'DYING WISH?' screamed Mrs Benned. 'How dare you say my beautiful Jane is dying! But if it is true, then it is your fault for removing her from Netherfield.'

'NO,' thundered Jones, who was coming down the stairs and heard the tail-end of the conversation. 'Mr Darcy has done nothing but help your daughter. If it does come to pass that Miss Bennet does not survive, it is because her fate was sealed while she was out, riding in the rain.'

Now Mrs Bennet rounded on the apothecary. 'You are lying. A bit of rain never hurts anyone.' She took a deep breath to continue her tirade but was cut off by Mr Jones.

'Madam, travelling in a dry carriage wrapped in warm blankets for half an hour does not hurt anyone, regardless of their state of health. Being forced to ride in cold rain without adequate protection will cause someone to get sick. What madness was it that induced Miss Bennet to act in such a foolish and reckless fashion.'

A new voice, coming from the stairs answered, 'If Jane dies, then her death warrant was signed by Mrs Bennet, who insisted that Jane must ride to Netherfield rather than take the carriage. It was co-signed by Mr Bennet who allowed this madness.' Elizabeth was looking at her mother with eyes full of pain and righteous anger.

~O~

When Elizabeth had seen her sister being carried into the house, she felt that her worst fears had come true.

Her first concern had been for Jane's comfort, but seeing the grave demeanour of Mr Jones when he examined her sister, had made her suspicious. With the intention of demanding answers from him, she had followed him downstairs, only to witness that most distressing scene.

Curiously enough the one thing which made the greatest impression on her was the look of pain on Mr Darcy's countenance, when he spoke of what he called Jane's dying wish. How could a man as cold and arrogant as he appeared to be, feel so strongly about someone so completely unconnected to him. Perhaps there was more to his character than she had assumed.

But that was a concern for another day. Her mother's accusations to everyone, trying to shift the blame from her own shoulders made Elizabeth furious. She was in danger of losing the person she loved most in all the world, because she had been unable to prevail against her parents to make them see reason.

Elizabeth was uncertain whether she was more angry with her mother for her scheme or her father for not stopping her.

Unable to restrain herself, she answered the apothecary's question.

When all attention was on her, she queried, 'I did not wish to ask where Jane could hear, but what is your prognosis?'

Mr Jones answered her with a look of sympathy. 'Miss Bennet is very ill. There is a slight chance that she will recover, but I am afraid you had better prepare for the worst.'

That blunt statement was too much for Mrs Bennet. She hurled herself at Mr Jones, beating his chest with her fists, screaming, 'NO. you TAKE THAT BACK. MY JANE CANNOT DIE. YOU ARE LYING.'

Mrs Bennet's cries had alerted the rest of the house, and even Mr Bennet arrived on the scene. Taking hold of his wife, gave the apothecary a chance to prepare a sedative which they encouraged the lady to drink.

When peace reigned again at Longbourn, Elizabeth turned to Darcy who was still quietly and patiently waiting near the front door for Mr Jones. 'Thank you, Mr Darcy, for returning Jane to us.'

'I hope that Miss Bennet recovers,' he responded quietly. 'If there is anything I can do to assist, just send to Netherfield and I will do all that I can.'

'Thank you, but I have a feeling that there is nothing any of us can do, other than pray.'

~O~

Sadly, Elizabeth was proven correct. Two days later, Jane slipped away, leaving her sisters utterly bereft.

Mrs Bennet hovered on the brink of madness, trying to deny her own culpability in the death of her most beloved daughter. She railed against everyone, blaming them for Jane's death.

A few days after the funeral, Mrs Bennet went to the cemetery to admire the headstone newly place on her daughter's grave.

Her mind lost the last grip on reality when she read, 'People do die of trifling colds'.

That phrase haunted her disturbed mind for the rest of her short life.

~O~

Jane's sacrifice to her mother's matrimonial ambitions had one good outcome.

Seeing that his indolence and giving in to his wife to keep the peace had resulted in the death of his beloved Jane, gave Mr Bennet the jolt he needed to turn his back on his indolence.

After removing his wife to an institution where she would be cared for, without upsetting her daughters, he took an interest in his family and became an attentive father. The mourning period also gave Bennet enough time to modify the behaviour of his youngest daughters so that when the time was right, each of them found the right kind of husband.

The events during Jane's illness and in the aftermath of her death, brought Elizabeth closer to Mr Darcy. Once the Bennet's mourning period was over, Darcy courted Elizabeth and in the late summer they married.

When Elizabeth asked Darcy what made him fall in love with her, he answered, 'I wanted someone who could love me as fiercely as you loved your sister.'

'Just do not go riding in the rain.'