Chapter Six
The next morning, Jane woke slightly sore, but another long hot soak helped to relieve her aches.
She had retired before dinner the night before, when a piercing pain in her head overtook her while she was in the music room with Miss Darcy and her companion.
She took her breakfast in her room, then was visited by Mr Jones, who assured them that the lingering soreness and returning megrims were to be expected after such injuries, and that Miss Jane was recovering splendidly.
It was after the noon hour before Jane descended the stairs on the arm of a footman. She made her way into the living room where Jane and Elizabeth were having tea with Mrs Bingley’s callers, who were introduced as Mrs Bennet, Lady Lucas, Mary Bennet, and Miss Lucas.
Mrs Bingley and Elizabeth spent several minutes attempting to direct the ladies to polite conversation, but Mrs Bennet was having none of it, eyeing Jane and tapping her teacup.
“Miss… Jane, you say? How is it that you appeared as if by magic on my husband’s property with no recollection of your origins? What sort of gentlewoman travels with absolutely nothing? No letters of introduction on your person? No chaperone or companion?”
Jane cleared her throat politely. “I regret that I cannot account for myself, ma’am.
I only recall waking up out of doors to find Miss Bennet tending me.
What lovely daughters you have, too, might I add, Mrs Bennet.
I have not had the opportunity to get to know Miss Mary or Miss Lydia yet, but I hope to do so soon. You must be very proud of them.”
Mrs Bennet narrowed her eyes, not taking the bait to change the subject. “Hmm. And yet you speak quite well for a woman without any memories! A little too well, if you should ask me.”
“I regret that I am not inclined to attempt a less coherent manner of speech in order to convince you, madam.” Jane simply could not help herself.
She had gone days without a caustic remark, and she bristled at Mrs Bennet’s manner.
It was true that she did not have amnesia, and that Mrs Bennet’s mistrust was perhaps merited.
But it was also true that the truth could not be revealed.
One simply could not tell a person that they were a fiction.
She could only imagine how poorly they might take the news.
She did not wish to wind up in her story’s version of Bedlam.
Comforted by the knowledge that she meant no one any harm, and would certainly return home at the earliest opportunity, she had made peace with whatever she must say while she was here.
The younger ladies gasped at her reply, and Lady Lucas snapped, “Impertinence!”
“Mock me if you will, madam, but that is the sort of boldness one expects from an adventuress who might bring disrepute to the house of my daughter!” Mrs Bennet replied, as if Jane’s reply had confirmed all of her suspicions.
“I comprehend your concerns entirely, Mrs Bennet,” Jane answered. “ I shall endeavour to regain my senses quickly, lest I be accused of corrupting your family.”
“See that you do,” Mrs Bennet harrumphed.
Mrs Bingley did her best to distract her mother, and Jane heard Miss Lucas say to Miss Mary, “I can see why Kitty says that Lizzy likes her. They are rather similar, are they not?”
Mrs Bingley was unsuccessful in turning her mother’s attention, and as she spoke to her mother in a low tone, Mrs Bennet suddenly burst out, “I never thought I would see the day when my own daughter–Mrs Bingley of Netherfield Park–should entertain an unknown woman of questionable origin! Particularly with her younger, unmarried sisters in and out of the house!”
“Mama, Miss Jane is recovering from a terrible ordeal. It is only right to extend kindness. And she has remembered a few small things. The other day, she recalled that her sister’s name is Cassandra, and this morning, she told me and Lizzy that she is certain that she has at least as many brothers as there are Bennet sisters, though she cannot tell us their names yet.
Mr Jones says her progress is encouraging. ”
“Kindness indeed! So many brothers, and yet no one is searching for her? Does that sound right to you, Jane Bingley?”
“Mama, Jane is the mistress of Netherfield, and you must resolve yourself to the notion that she and her husband will invite whomever they please to stay without reference to their parents, or anyone else so wholly unconnected with the matter!” Elizabeth chided.
“Oh! As if I should listen to you, Elizabeth Bennet, you will be taking up space in your sister’s house until you are old and grey.
Space that could have been better used for a younger sister for whom it might actually benefit, for it is certain you have done nothing to deserve it.
” Fanny Bennet turned away from her second daughter and Jane, and began instructing Mrs Bingley on what she ought to do with her poultry.
Two hours later, Jane had met Mrs Long, Mrs Phillips, and Mrs Goulding.
They were all estimable ladies, but quite obviously present only to learn whatever there was to know about herself.
What shocked her was that Mrs Bennet remained present for the entire afternoon!
Certainly, the polite rules of an afternoon call might be overlooked for one’s own mother.
But for a married lady to feel as if her mother was supervising her calls and her household management was beyond the pale!
Mrs Bennet spent the entire afternoon dominating all conversation, and when she was not making barbs at Jane herself, she was lecturing Mrs Bingley about the correct way to inventory her silver, which days were the best to order what cuts from the butcher, and the number of courses a woman of her daughter’s rank must serve on any given occasion in order to show her husband the proper respect that was his due.
Jane felt as if she had spent the day with Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
Finally, Jane could take no more, and feigned a headache in order to escape.
She assured Elizabeth that she needed no assistance finding a footman to accompany her on the stairs, then instead of the stairs, she made for the music room, where she found Miss Darcy and her companion Mrs Annesley.
The young lady was exceedingly shy, but she was Jane’s equal on the pianoforte.
The two of them played duets for nearly two hours.
Colonel Fitzwilliam joined them when he returned from shooting with the men, the four of them made merry, and a great deal of fun was had.
Later that evening, after she had laid down to rest for an hour, she dressed in a charming evening gown loaned by Mrs Bingley, and allowed Daisy to do her hair.
She felt quite content with her appearance, and her progress at least on finding out what happened to Elizabeth and Darcy, even if not being any closer to learning how to get home.
When she entered the drawing room she found the entire company present, including the Bennets, who had been invited to dine.
Mrs Bennet was still obviously mistrustful of her, but Jane was thrilled when Mr Bennet brought her attention to a small stack of volumes that he had brought with him for her to inspect.
“You must already be quite bored of my son-in-law’s library,” Mr Bennet joked as he escorted her to the dining room a short while later, earning him a glare from his wife as he seated her by his side.
“So I brought a small selection, for your perusal. You may leave them with Lizzy; she will return them. She is the only one with permission to enter my library.”
“Not Miss Mary or your younger daughters?” Jane asked sharply.
“I am not quite certain where I came by this notion, Mr Bennet, but I was just overcome with a thought that my father always felt that the house’s library belonged to the entire family, and existed for everyone’s edification and entertainment.
How sad that your family is not allowed. ”
“You remember your father?” Mr Bennet asked eagerly. “Do you know his name?”
“I cannot say.” Jane shook her head.
“You cannot say, or you cannot remember?” Miss Bingley snapped.
“What is the difference?” Elizabeth sneered at Miss Bingley.
Oh dear, I fear I never intended such fierce rancor. Jane wished she could do something to fix that situation as well, but she feared Miss Bingley was irredeemable.
“The difference is a person who openly admits what they can or cannot remember, rather than instead seemingly putting forth a great effort not to lie, resorting to such answers as: I cannot say, or, I have never been to Meryton in my life.” Darcy said from the other end of the table.
“I am not calling you a liar, Miss Jane, I only wish to caution my friend and his wife to take careful consideration before placing their blind trust in a complete stranger that appeared out of thin air.”
“I say, you are all going to owe a tremendous apology for having been so horrid to this poor lady when we finally locate her family. Darcy, I am surprised at you,” Bingley interrupted irritably.
“Of course Jane and I have discussed and considered carefully all of the risks involved in opening our home to a stranger, and our decisions are our own. Miss Jane, I cannot apologise enough for the abominable behaviour of some of our other guests.”