Bonus chapter!


Chapter Twenty


Elizabeth sat by a window in the drawing room working on a list of decorative changes to be made in each room when she heard the distinct sound of horse hooves on gravel. Nudging the curtain aside, she peeked out to see two older gentlemen on horseback approaching the house. For a moment she watched them and noted that they were laughing.

They must be friends, she thought. Perhaps that bodes well for us.

Setting aside her list, she rose and went to the bellpull. To the footman that answered, she said, "Go to the master suite and alert Mr. Bingley that we have callers approaching."

The young man, whose name she believed was Daniel, bowed respectfully and departed to carry out his task. Charles had gone to his room after breakfast to change his shirt and waistcoat after dribbling marmalade onto them and had yet to come back down.

As she was turning back into the drawing room, Elizabeth saw Mrs. Nicholls appear on the first-floor landing. Calling out to the housekeeper, she asked her to go to the kitchen to have Mrs. Martin send tea and biscuits for four to the drawing room.

Returning to the drawing room, Elizabeth tidied up her workspace and smoothed her skirts and hair in preparation for receiving the first of what might be many callers at Netherfield. She and Charles had arrived two days before in order to see to the final preparations for the guests that would be arriving over the next few days, and word had apparently got out in Meryton.

They had speculated over breakfast when the local fathers would begin paying their first visits.

Charles hurried into the drawing room just as the knocker sounded on the front door. "Our first callers, Lizzy!" he said with excitement.

Elizabeth smiled at him. "Indeed, brother," said she as the door was answered by a servant.

The two turned their attention toward the open drawing room door as they heard the low tone of Mrs. Nicholls' greeting. Moments later, the older woman entered the drawing room with two calling cards on the salver and presented them to Charles.

He took the cards and read the names. "Oh, Lizzy, what a pleasure this ought to be—our first callers are the fathers, I am sure, of those two young ladies we met in the tea shop, Sir William Lucas and Mr. Thomas Bennet."

"How wonderful! Then I shall be able to call on Miss Lucas and Miss Bennet that much sooner," she replied. "Mrs. Nicholls, do show the gentlemen in."

Mrs. Nicholls acknowledged and turned away to depart. She reappeared in only a minute with the two men, announcing their names as they crossed the threshold. Each man bowed as his name was given.

"Sir William, Mr. Bennet, how do you do?" said Charles. "I am Charles Bingley, and this is my sister Elizabeth."

Sir William smiled. "I am quite well, Mr. Bingley, thank you. And it is a great pleasure to make the acquaintance of you both."

"Indeed, it is," echoed Mr. Bennet. "I understand from my daughter Jane that you have met already."

"Quite by accident, it was, at the tea shop in Meryton, sir," Charles said. "Won't you come in and sit down?"

"Please do," added Elizabeth. "I've ordered tea and biscuits for us to enjoy while we speak."

The visitors moved further into the room, and after she had taken her own seat on one settee with Charles, they sat on the other side of the low table on another. Charles immediately asked them to tell him about Meryton.

"Oh, it is a wonderful little market town, Mr. Bingley, I assure you," said Sir William. "I was mayor of Meryton some time back—ten years, I believe it was—and it was during my tenure that I made an address to His Majesty King George, and for that I received my knighthood and a presentation at St. James's Court."

"There are five-and-twenty principal families in Meryton and Longbourn combined, including both of ours," said Mr. Bennet. "Sir William and I have been good friends these twenty years, at least. Then, of course, there are the tenants at our estates, those here at Netherfield, and all the families of the shopkeepers."

Elizabeth and Charles looked at one another. "Well, we look forward to meeting them all, in time," said the former.

"You certainly will, if Mr. Bingley is unmarried," observed Mr. Bennet.

Charles grinned. "I am, sir, and I come among you quite ready to admire all the eligible young ladies in Meryton. I cannot promise anything beyond that at present, but God moves in mysterious ways."

Mrs. Nicholls appeared with the tea service then, and while Elizabeth set about the task of serving everyone, she smiled as she recalled that Charles had seemed to admire the intelligent conversation of Miss Lucas—which she had found quite interesting, given that between the two ladies, Miss Bennet was the comelier. Which was not to say that Miss Lucas was unattractive; however, she was what society would describe as "plain."

"…seven children," Sir William was saying, "Three of which are girls. My eldest, Charlotte, you met at Tupper's. Then there is William, John, Maria, Thomas, Peter, and Lucy."

The expression on his countenance was one of unabashed pride, which Elizabeth could not but smile at.

"And your family, Mr. Bennet?" Charles queried.

"My dear Mrs. Bennet bore me five children altogether, sir—Jane, Thomas, Mary, Catherine, and Lydia," said Mr. Bennet, after which his expression flickered to one of sorrow. "Sadly, our son Thomas died of scarlet fever when he was five."

Elizabeth's heart constricted in her chest. "My dear sir, I am so terribly sorry for your loss," she said softly.

"As am I, sir," said Charles.

Mr. Bennet drew a breath and lifted his teacup with a hand that visibly shook, pulling at Elizabeth's heartstrings even more. After he drank, he forced a small smile to his lips and said, "Thank you both for your kindness. It has been fifteen years, but … it is a wound that has never fully healed."

"Then let us speak of something eminently more cheerful," suggested Charles.

This was agreed upon with alacrity, and Sir William asked if it would be just the two of them at Netherfield. Charles shook his head and explained that they were, in fact, expecting their sister and her husband as well as four friends by the end of the week.

Elizabeth grinned. "Your wives and daughters will be especially pleased when you bring back the report that not only is my brother a single young man of large fortune, but so are two of our friends," she said teasingly. "One other young man joining us is a second son, but his father is an earl."

Both gentlemen chuckled. "Not just one, but a total of four single young men of good fortune?" said Sir William. "For surely the earl's son will have something!"

"All of whom must be in want of a wife, as Mrs. Bennet would say," added Mr. Bennet.

Elizabeth laughed, then offered her own anecdote. "And however little known the feelings or views of such men may be on their first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that they are considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters."

The two visitors laughed again. "How right you are, Miss Bingley," said Mr. Bennet. "My wife knows only of your brother and already she is expecting him to fall in love with our daughter Jane."

Sir William grinned. "Well, Bennet, your dear Jane is the most beautiful girl in the neighbourhood," said he.

"Again, as Mrs. Bennet would say," quipped Mr. Bennet.

"Are there many young people hereabout?" asked Elizabeth.

The visitors each drew a breath, and Mr. Bennet spoke first. "There are certainly a lot of children, especially among the tenantry and shopkeepers."

"As to young people your own age," added Sir William, "there are regrettably more young women than young men. 'Tis why the arrival of four eligible young men will be looked upon with great hope by all the mammas with daughters in need of husbands."

"Including my wife and his," said Mr. Bennet.

Sir William and Mr. Bennet stayed long enough to consume two cups of tea each, and many of Mrs. Martin's shortbread biscuits. Elizabeth and Charles discussed the visit and judged that they would return the courtesy to both the following day.

"I think we should call on the Lucases first," said Charles. "After all, I know you are wanting to meet Miss Lucas again."

Though he had spoken casually, Elizabeth noticed a tone of hopefulness in his voice—her brother was looking forward to meeting Miss Lucas again as well.

How very intriguing, she thought.

Half an hour after the first visitors had gone, another appeared, a Mr. Long. He spoke of his wife and how they had no children of their own, but were bringing up the lady's two nieces following the unfortunate deaths of her brother and his wife, both of whom had died of the same scarlet fever epidemic that had taken little Thomas Bennet.

"A terrible time, it was," said Mr. Long. "Such a terrible time. Too many little lives taken up to Jesus, and more adults than one would expect."

"I know the feeling all too well, sir," said Elizabeth. "We lost our parents to a fire just five years ago, and little more than two months ago, my aunt and many soldiers in her husband's regiment were lost to a fever the doctors said was very much like scarlet fever, though not exactly the same."

"I am sorry for your loss," said Mr. Long. "If I may be so bold, have you lately been travelling, Miss Bingley? Forgive me, but you are not as fair of skin as your brother."

Elizabeth smiled, knowing people were going to be curious about her tanned skin. "Not travelling in the manner you are thinking, sir," said she. "After our parents died, my Aunt Halsey tended us through our year of mourning, and when it was ended, she decided to join her husband in Spain. I went along as her companion and was under the care and protection of my uncle, General George Halsey, until the death of my aunt. Without her to serve as chaperone, my uncle thought it best that I return home to my brother's care."

After Mr. Long had left them, Elizabeth mused aloud, "I wonder how long it will take for it to get around Meryton that I spent four years in a military camp?"

"Now, Lizzy," said Charles as he gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Do not think the worst of our new neighbours. Even if Mrs. Long turns out to be a gossip, I am sure there will be more curiosity about Spain than the fact that you were surrounded by soldiers for four years."

Elizabeth huffed. "You believe that if it makes you feel better, Charles, but remember how our own sister treated me upon my return. Remember that many of the guests at Mr. Hiddleston's birthday ball talked of it and stared at me and whispered after she spread her lies."

At this, Charles drew her to him and wrapped his arms around her. "My dearest sister, do not allow the foolish jealousy of Caroline to make you assume the worst of people. I am certain you will make many friends here."

"In any case, it is well that there are fewer young men than there are young women," said Elizbeth. "There are then fewer men to scorn me and refuse to entertain the idea of courting me because I might be ruined."

"Elizabeth, serving King and country is as respectable an endeavour for women as it is for men," Charles said. "Besides, I thought you weren't interested in getting married?"

She stood back and looked up at him. "Charles, just because I have no thoughts of matrimony at present does not mean I am not aware that should a respectable young man take an interest, I ought to consider him."

Charles grinned widely. "Is that so? Then should I be expecting Hiddleston to request a private audience with you upon his arrival?"

Elizabeth swatted playfully at his chest as she laughed. "Do not be ridiculous, Charles! Mr. Hiddleston is a fine young man and I enjoy his company a great deal, but… He does not intrigue me. I am not … drawn to him."

Charles blew out a breath. "I thought as much, after observing the two of you together," he said slowly. "I think, Lizzy, that when he does arrive after escorting his mother and sisters to Bath, you ought to make your feelings known to him. But let him down gently, will you? You're the first girl he's been serious about, at least in the time I've known him."

Nodding, Elizabeth said, "I will be kind to him, I assure you. I still hope we shall be friends—I did, after all, purchase three horses from him!"

"Which he will be bringing to you here on his way back from Bath," her brother reminded her. "And as my own mount was one of his, I can tell you that you will take great pleasure in yours, Lizzy. Hiddleston's people take marvelous care of the horses they breed—even the carriage horses."

"I should hope so—two of the three I bought will be for my chaise!"

They sat then on the settee, each with a soft sigh. After a moment, Charles asked, "Is there any gentleman you've met since your return that does intrigue you? That you are drawn to?"

Elizabeth immediately saw Darcy's handsome countenance in her mind's eye. She felt her breath hitch slightly as she pictured him smiling at her, and when she recalled his lifting her hand to kiss it on the night she had met Georgiana.

Hoping she did not blush—and that her tone was as casual as it sounded in her head—she replied, "I do not know that I should answer that question. If I say no, you will tease me for being particular, and if I say yes, you will want to know his name."

"Naturally I should like to know the name of the man my sister admires, that I may be assured of his being worthy of her," said Charles. "Is there someone? Is Colonel Fitzwilliam no longer just a brother to you? Or have you developed a tendre for Darcy?"

Elizabeth pushed to her feet as heat rushed into her face. "Do not tease me, Charles. It is not fair."

She heard him stand. "Upon my word… It is Darcy," Charles said.

Lifting a shoulder, Elizabeth said, "It hardly signifies whether I admire the man or not. His only interest in me is in my usefulness to his sister."

"I am quite sure you are wrong, Lizzy," said her brother, who then put a hand on her shoulder and gently pulled until she turned to face him. "I have seen him look at you often."

Elizabeth scoffed. "I am sure he looks at me only to find fault. I am very tan."

Charles shook his head. "Sister, do not speak so meanly of yourself. You are a beautiful girl—Hiddleston has said so, remember? I cannot speak with full certainty, but if I am not mistaken, there is admiration in Darcy's gaze when he looks at you."

If only it were true, Elizabeth thought. If only he could see past the origins of my fortune and the lack of connexions

"Well," said she as nonchalantly as possible, "if you are right, the gentleman will make his admiration known soon enough, I am sure. But I think you ought to prepare yourself, Charles, to be disappointed. Our family is not high enough in society for someone like Darcy—we are not even high enough for Hiddleston."

"Hiddles does not care about that, Elizabeth," Charles reminded her.

She crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow. "Can you say the same of Darcy?"

When her brother remained silent, Elizabeth sighed and turned her lips up in a resigned smile. "Do not distress yourself, Charles. Your dream of a match with Mr. Darcy is a lovely one… but it is just a dream."

She turned away and quit the room then, lest the tears that rose unbidden to sting the back of her eyes begin to fall. She could not allow him to see how disappointed she was at the thought of Darcy not liking her well enough to marry her.

-...-

"Mr. Bingley, Miss Bingley! Welcome to Lucas Lodge."

"Thank you, Sir William," said Charles.

Elizabeth smiled. "Yes, thank you for receiving us both, sir."

"You are more than welcome here, more than welcome," said the knight genially. "Pray, allow me to introduce my wife, Lady Lucas. Our eldest daughter Charlotte, you have met already."

Elizabeth smiled and glanced surreptitiously at her brother. Charles' gaze was fixed on Charlotte Lucas, who was as plainly dressed as she had been when they met her at the tea shop. However, this time, she had a good deal more color in her cheeks, and Elizabeth did not think it was rouge.

She admires Charles as well!

This thought made Elizabeth smile more as Sir William introduced his younger children and informed them that the two eldest boys were away, as William, his heir, was a blacksmith in Meryton, and John was in the Navy. Maria Lucas, the next eldest girl, was about sixteen, a pretty young thing with blonde curls, and Elizabeth had to admit the more likely to attract a husband when she was a little older. She pitied poor Charlotte, who had to be older than five-and-twenty and was nearly on the shelf.

Then again, she reminded herself, Charles and Miss Lucas were already attracted to one another. And as the visit progressed, the latter proved to be sensible and lively, with excellent manners and a ready smile—a smile that made her less plain the more she did it. This, Elizabeth thought, boded well for their burgeoning friendship as well as the possibility of a match with her brother, whom she thought would do very well with such a woman at his side.

As they were departing near half an hour later, Elizabeth invited Miss Lucas to call on her at Netherfield, saying, "If you do not mind, I must ask your assistance in deciding on what changes to make to the rooms—there are so many, I am sure I cannot redecorate every one of them alone!"

Miss Lucas, who had walked with them to the door, smiled. "I should be delighted to assist you, Miss Bingley."

"Oh, please, do call me Miss Elizabeth—or just Elizabeth, as I prefer," Elizabeth replied. "I do not believe in standing on ceremony between good friends—and I am certain that you and I shall be that." And possibly more, she added silently.

The other girl's smile widened. "Then you must call me Charlotte," she said. "And I believe we shall be good friends as well. I like you very much already—we need more sense and good manners in Meryton."

She glanced worriedly at Charles before quickly adding, "Which is not to say, of course, that my neighbours are not well-mannered."

Charles grinned. "I believe we understand you, Miss Lucas. Every place can always do with good sense, I say."

Relief washed over Charlotte's features, as well as a blush. Elizabeth and Charles departed then, to make their way to Longbourn.

At the estate of Mr. Bennet, they were greeted by a housekeeper who asked them to wait a moment in the wide entry hall. Elizabeth had noticed that Longbourn was clearly an old house—though only about half the size of Netherfield—and wondered how long the Bennets had been landed gentry in the area. They could hear the sounds of a pianoforte being played—though not very well, regrettably—somewhere in the house.

Moments after she had entered a door to the left of the entry, the housekeeper emerged with Mr. Bennet close on her heels.

"Ah, Mr. and Miss Bingley, how do you do?" said he. "Hill, if Mrs. Bennet is not already in the drawing room, will you inform her that we have callers? And do tell Mary she must stop playing and join us."

"I believe the mistress is in the drawing room, sir, with Miss Jane, though I can't say for certain where the other young misses are," said Hill.

"Be a dear and go and find them," said Mr. Bennet instructed her. "You know that Kitty and Lydia are as eager to meet our new neighbours as their mother is."

The housekeeper smiled. "Yes, Mr. Bennet," said she, before dipping into a curtsey and turning away to seek out her master's children.

"Come, allow me to introduce you to my family," said Mr. Bennet then, gesturing for Charles and Elizabeth to follow him.

He led them to the second door on the left, down a very short hallway that ended in another door leading further into the house. To the right was an open stairway and yet another door, one which Elizabeth suspected led to a closet, given its position under the stairs.

"My dear Mrs. Bennet," said her husband as he entered the drawing room. "I believe you will be delighted to know that our newest neighbors have come to call."

A slightly plump woman wearing a gown that was several years out of fashion stood and grinned excitedly as a dark-haired girl came into the room and moved to stand next to Jane Bennet. Mr. Bennet introduced Mrs. Bennet and his daughter Mary.

"Oh, how do you do, Mr. Bingley?" cooed Mrs. Bennet. "Netherfield is a very fine house, is it not, sir? I was so very happy to hear it had been let at last."

Elizabeth glanced at Jane and noted a knowing smile on her face. She could not help grinning as she recalled the other girl using almost the same words when they had met.

"My sister and I like Netherfield very well," Charles replied.

"It really is a lovely house," said Elizabeth. "Almost seems bigger than when we toured it a fortnight ago."

Mr. Bennet invited them to sit, he and Charles waiting for all the ladies to do so before they did the same, though Charles sprung up again at the appearance of two other girls who were introduced as Catherine—whom the family called Kitty—and Lydia.

Elizabeth could tell from the first moment of setting her eyes on them that these two girls were less disciplined than either Jane or Mary. They sat off to the side of the room, giggling behind their hands more often than they were silent, as well as talking over their sisters and even their mother whenever a topic of interest to them arose.

Mrs. Bennet asked a great many questions, mostly directed at Charles and nearly every one of them impertinent. It was clear she was attempting to discover the amount of his income and that of the other gentlemen Mr. Bennet had mentioned were to join them at Netherfield—and their willingness to marry in the near future. All the while she continuously peppered the conversation with comments about Jane's beauty, Mary's accomplishments, Kitty's skill at dancing, and Lydia's liveliness.

Mr. Bennet was right, Elizabeth mused. His wife is determined that Jane should have my brotherand that her other daughters should have the other single gentlemen in the house.

When their visit reached the half-hour point and Mrs. Bennet still had not ceased talking, Elizabeth laid her hand on Charles's and leaned close to whisper in his ear that they should go.

He glanced at the clock on the Bennets' mantle and his eyes widened. "Dear me, I must beg your pardon, for we have overstayed our welcome," he said.

"Oh, my dear Mr. Bingley, you could never do that, I am sure," Mrs. Bennet twittered. "You are more than welcome to call anytime; Mr. Bennet will be more than happy to receive you—"

This assertion earned an amused scoff from Mr. Bennet.

"—and dear Jane will be happy to entertain Miss Bingley," Mrs. Bennet continued.

"I mean to organize a shooting party when all my friends have arrived, Mr. Bennet," said Charles as he stood. "Should you care to join us, you would be welcome."

"Perhaps I will take you up on that, sir," said Mr. Bennet as he also rose. "It has been some time since I have taken out a gun."

"Oh, Miss Bennet, I have been meaning to ask you—are you free tomorrow?" asked Elizabeth.

Jane Bennet nodded. "I am, Miss Bingley."

Elizabeth smiled. "Capital! I am having Miss Lucas call on me as well to help settle on decoration plans for the manor—do say you will join us."

"Oh, I am sure Jane would be delighted to be of assistance in whatever way she can, Miss Bingley," said Mrs. Bennet. "You will go to Netherfield tomorrow, Jane, and help Miss Bingley, won't you?"

Miss Bennet's cheeks became a rosy shade of pink, though her features remained serene. "I should be delighted to be of assistance," said she in a soft voice.

"Then it is settled," said Elizabeth. "I will send my brother's carriage for you after breakfast, if that is agreeable."

As Miss Bennet opened her mouth to speak, Mrs. Bennet squealed and clapped her hands in delight. "Oh, Jane, do you hear that, my dear? She will send their carriage—and it is a fine carriage, I do not doubt. You will pay your call in style."

Charles chuckled. "I am afraid it is a rather plain carriage, much to the dismay of my sister."

Elizabeth knew he did not refer to her, so she smiled as she added, "As it is I who issued the invitation, I feel it is my obligation to offer transportation, that Mr. Bennet is not put to the trouble."

"It is most kind of you, Miss Bingley," said Miss Mary, "for our carriage horses are often needed on the estate farm."

"Unfortunate, but true," said Mr. Bennet. "Now, my dears, allow me to show our visitors out."

Farewells were exchanged and then Elizabeth and Charles dutifully trailed behind Mr. Bennet into the entry hall. The three said goodbye and in moments, the Bingley carriage was rolling away from Longbourn.

"Well now," said Elizabeth. "Quite a different visit from Lucas Lodge, would not you say?"

Charles chuckled. "I would indeed."