Chapter Twenty-Nine
Longbourn,
Dear Mrs Bingley (how well that looks, I never tire of writing it out),
Please return one or two of your sisters to Longbourn, at the demand of your young cousins who so looked forward to their company, and have been understandably abandoned in favour of the delightful Miss Darcy.
Justine has made the case that the children, as a group, are owed a number of games with each of their cousins, and she beseeches my daughters to make good on their debts at once.
Tell Miss Jane I shall come for her at one o’clock for the matron's charitable boxing event at the church.
Your Mama
“Oh, our poor cousins!” Elizabeth tutted as she read the note Mrs Bingley handed to her at the breakfast table. “They are absolutely right, we have all abandoned them! Though of course it is not dear Georgie’s fault.”
“I could not bear to be the cause of your young cousins’ disappointment,” Georgiana worried. “What shall you do?”
“Why do we not all go at once?” Jane suggested.
“I have two lovely rolls of gold and silver paper that I purchased in the village. Me and my siblings and their children have always enjoyed making ornaments with it to enhance the greenery of our festive decor. We could do it together with the children; it is my experience that most little ones adore such activities.”
“Do you like children, Miss Jane?” asked Kitty curiously.
“One thing I am certain of is that I myself have many nieces and nephews.” Jane spread marmalade on her toast. “They are sometimes very noisy, and not under such order as they ought and easily might, but I cannot help liking them, and even loving them.”
“One certainly must have a great number of nieces and nephews when one has so many brothers.” Elizabeth returned the note to her sister. “I certainly look forward to the day that I can boast of a dozen nieces named Lizzy.”
“Your idea is a superior one, Miss Jane,” Mrs Bingley said thoughtfully. “We could all go. I certainly enjoy the company of my young cousins. I am a bit mortified that my newly married state has made me forget my duty to them. You are certain you do not mind sharing your paper?”
“No, indeed, Mrs Bingley, I purchased it with an activity for the young ladies in mind,” Jane assured her host. “You must not be too hard on yourself. You are a very new young wife. You will soon organise all of your duties and pleasures with ease.”
“Will you join us, Georgie?” Elizabeth asked.
“Are you certain it would not be too large of a party for an afternoon call?” Miss Darcy asked. “I would not like to inconvenience your mother.”
“Do not fear, Georgie, Longbourn is used to large groups of guests. My mother, as well as most of my sisters, has always been keenly social, as you well know.” Elizabeth grinned.
“Would you care to join us, Louisa?” Mrs Bingley offered her sister-in-law.
“Why would I wish to join you, Jane?” Mrs Hurst snapped.
“A better question would be to what purpose, in your sister’s absence, you seem to have taken up the torch of spreading her special blend of unkindness. I cannot imagine why you view it as such a necessary part of our conversation each day.” Elizabeth frowned at Mrs Hurst.
“That is an excellent question, Lizzy, and one I should like the answer for as well,” Bingley said irritably.
“We all understand that you wish to assist in the plans for Caroline’s wedding, but Caroline is not to marry until June, Lulu.
There will be plenty of time for you to see Caroline after the festive season, when we all go to town. ”
“Are we going to town?” Mrs Hurst looked suspiciously at her brother.
“Mr Rupert is to return to his parish immediately after the New Year, I understand. Jane and I have received an invitation for us and our household to attend Lady Macclesfield’s Twelfth Night Ball, so we shall bolt for London before Epiphany.
I assume you and Hurst will be our guests for the season, though we shall depart in the spring for Pemberley. ”
“Of course; damned good of you to ask us, Bingley.” Hurst paused between shoveling food heavily into his mouth. “Louisa would never turn down an invitation from Lady Macclesfield, would you, my dear?”
Elizabeth looked as if she were about to say something insulting, or cry from the effort not to.
Jane sensed that Lizzy was about to point out that Mrs Hurst probably never had an invitation of her own from Lady Macclesfield to decline, but thankfully her attention was claimed by Kitty, who also saw her sister’s predicament, and sought to distract her with a query for recommended reading material.
When Mrs Bingley had collected all of the scissors and string in the house, she sent a servant to Meryton for glue and bade him to deliver it to Longbourn with all haste, then the ladies set forth in the carriage.
Mrs Bennet and Mrs Gardiner were well pleased to see them all, and the children soon had the table in the dining room covered with old newspapers purloined from Mr Bennet’s library by Lizzy.
Making ornaments for the family’s festive season was not a foreign activity for the Bennet ladies.
Jane was gratified to learn a few new designs she had never seen before, and taught the Bennets and Gardiner children some that they did not know as well.
An hour after their arrival, Jane watched as Mrs Bingley carefully folded a piece of gold paper into a fan shaped ornament.
The children were well entertained by their selected activity.
Even three-year-old Madeleine enjoyed kneeling up on a chair and drawing on several blank sheets of paper with a pencil, assisted by Mary and Georgiana.
The eldest of Mrs Bingley’s cousins–eight-year-old Justine–approached her with an enormous silver star that impressed even Jane. “Is this star fine enough for the mantel at Netherfield, Cousin Jane?” Justine asked.
“Oh Justine, how lovely!” Mrs Bingley admired the star, followed by the agreement of all the others at the table. “I believe this star is fine enough for even the mantel at Buckingham House!”
“I made it for you, Cousin.” The girl threw her arms about Mrs Bingley’s neck.
“Oh, you are a darling! I adore it.” Mrs Bingley returned the girl’s embrace.
“I will wrap it in paper and save it to bring out every year, and we shall always treasure it as our first Christmas star since Mr Bingley and I married! I do hope you will forgive me and my sisters for abandoning you all here without any of the fun you expected! I fear that me being married and living at Netherfield is still quite new for us.”
“We shall forgive you if you tell us a story at tea time like you used to.” Four-year-old Edward was solemn.
“Of course I will, and you must all come to Netherfield tomorrow for a special day,” Mrs Bingley invited her cousins.
“What will be special about it?” asked Nicholas, age seven.
“I have not decided yet, but there will be something very nice to eat at tea, and we shall think of something lovely to do!” Mrs Bingley promised.
“What if we practised a Christmas pageant?” Jane suggested. “I assure you, there are plenty of old clothes in the attics to make costumes with.”
“A nativity play!” Justine cried. “We never get to be in the nativity, because the children who live in Meryton always practise for it before we arrive, and since we always spend Christmas here, we only get to watch.”
“Truthfully, the Christmas Pageant is usually reserved for the tenant and worker children, it is a very important contribution to the parish for them each year.” Elizabeth reached across Lydia for a pair of scissors.
“Henry and Franklin Lucas and the Goulding children might enjoy the opportunity to join us as well, and would give us enough players.”
“Mrs Goulding’s sister is visiting, perhaps we could borrow her baby!” Kitty exclaimed.
“Well, perhaps we would not ask to borrow her child, but I am certain that if the parents were invited in the afternoon to see the production, she might consent to allow her babe to occupy the manger for a short time.” Elizabeth laughed.
“How much time would we need? The children would need to arrive at dawn to get in enough practise.”
“That would be far too long, in my experience,” Jane advised.
When the ladies turned to her, she continued.
“Children tire quickly, and they need variety in their day. If we make them practise all day, they will become fatigued and cross, and by the time the afternoon arrives, it will be a disaster. More than two hours of practise would weary them to the endeavour. It will be better to have someone standing by to remind them of their line if they have one before they enter the scene to deliver it. Though two hours of practise is hardly enough, it will have to do. The audience will be indulgent, and all that is important is for the children to have fun. Perhaps have the children arrive at ten in the morning. They can spend two hours practising. Then feed them a small meal, and give them an hour of quiet storytime, allowing any of them who need naps to fall asleep and take a short one then. Then an hour or so to prepare for the actual show. Maybe ask any parents who will be invited to watch to arrive just before three, and start the production at three.”
“We could have a lovely afternoon tea for everyone just after the play!” Kitty suggested enthusiastically.
“Will our sister have enough time to plan such an event? Jane, can the kitchens at Netherfield manage on such short notice?” asked Mary worriedly.
Mrs Bingley looked up into the air, thinking and counting on her fingers. “We might need to order some things from the village, and quickly, but I believe we could manage something quite nice. Charles will consider it a fine idea, of course.”
“You should send a note to Mrs Nicholls and the cook right away,” Elizabeth advised.
“I rather think I ought to go home and begin to find what is needed. I should help Mrs Nicholls and cook immediately, and send invitations, if we are to be successful.” Mrs Bingley looked disappointed.
“Though I hate to leave you all when we are having such a lovely time. I just promised to tell a story at tea.”
“Go and make us a play, Cousin Jane.” Edward went to his cousin and tried to pull her from her seat.
“I would be glad to stand in and tell a story at tea time,” volunteered Miss Darcy. “Perhaps I might know one you all have not heard.”
“That sounds like a fine idea.” Lydia was exuberant. “And I shall stay at Longbourn for the night, and tell you all a story at bedtime. Perhaps one of my sisters will take a turn tomorrow.”
“I think I will.” Elizabeth assisted Nicholas in the creation of a paper chain. “It may be my last opportunity to do so for some time, considering that I am to marry so soon.”
“I can come with you and help you if you like, Cousin Jane,” Justine offered hopefully.
Mrs Bingley looked at Elizabeth wryly. They could hardly leave the girl behind when she so wished for the distinction of her eldest cousins’ undivided attention.
“Very well. Get your pelisse and gloves, and I shall tell your mother. Elizabeth must come and help as well, you will learn as you get older, that when you must accomplish a thing, you can never prosper without the help of your sister.” Mrs Bingley looked about the table. “Will you all manage without us?”
“We can, Sister. You must plan for tomorrow’s delights, we will manage quite well here,” Mary promised, followed by the agreement of Kitty, Lydia, Miss Darcy, Mrs Annesley, and the children.
Less than an hour later, Mrs Bingley, Elizabeth, and Miss Justine Gardiner travelled to Netherfield in Mrs Bingley’s carriage, and Jane left for the parish charitable boxing event in the company of Mrs Bennet and Mrs Gardiner, leaving the children in the care of their nurse and cousins.
Jane enjoyed the church event greatly, and thought all of the items in the boxes, both the practical and the indulgent, were all excellent choices for families in need.
She would have to discuss the idea with Edward, he might like the idea for the squatters’ village near Godmersham.