Chapter Thirty-Three
Jane wanted to cry when she woke in her bed at Netherfield the next morning, listening to Lydia and Georgiana singing Christmas carols loudly from the hallway.
She dragged herself from her bed, blinked, and scowled at the bright light from the window.
I want to hear Cassy and Fanny singing. How could the well magic let me down?
Perhaps it was not well magic at all, and it was only her whimsy and a terrible injury keeping her here. How hard did I hit my head?
She dressed quickly, and met the family downstairs.
The Yule Log was still burning behind a screen in the drawing room, a hall boy having been assigned to watch it in the night.
In the breakfast room there was a sideboard of muffins, preserves, black butter, boiled eggs, and ham.
A coffee pot and tea pot were kept warm on small burners.
A second sideboard held yet another tray of mince pies–by Epiphany, no one will want to see another mince pie for a year–fruit, gingerbread, and more fruitcakes and plum cakes.
She served herself and quietly consumed her small repast. The younger girls had thankfully already eaten and moved their noise into the drawing room.
The older household guests, and their hosts, had all drunk a great deal more wassail and were quietly, though good-naturedly, breaking their fasts.
Jane, like the rest, had little to say, though for different reasons.
She was still deeply disappointed not to have woken up at home.
After breakfast, the family walked to church, and thankfully, Mr Abbot was merciful.
The Christmas sermon lasted only forty-five minutes, accompanied by a quarter hour of singing, followed by the Eucharist. It was a lovely service, and Jane felt her resentment fall away as she listened.
She could not be discontent in the bosom of the church, and she bowed her head and offered up a silent prayer.
Give me a thankful sense, Almighty Father, of the blessings in which I live, of the many comforts of my lot, that I may not deserve to lose them by discontent or indifference.
Be gracious of my necessities, and guard me, and all I love, from evil.
Give me grace to endeavour after a Christian spirit, to seek to attain that temper and forbearance of which Our Blessed Saviour has set us the highest example; and which, while it prepares me for the spiritual happiness of life to come, will secure to me the best enjoyment of what this world can give; Amen.
Feeling relieved of the heavy bitterness she had felt all morning, Jane exchanged greetings in front of the church with the others. Suddenly, Mr and Mrs Hurst approached Mr and Mrs Bingley.
“Charles, Hurst and Rupert and I have accepted an invitation to spend the day at the home of Mr King,” Mr Bingley’s sister informed him. “He will send us home in his carriage tonight when we are ready.”
Mr Bingley’s confusion was apparent, but Mrs Bingley, not caring what had warmed Mrs Hurst to Mr King, who was openly in trade, wished the Hursts a lovely afternoon, and hurried the rest of her family and guests along.
Jane walked slowly back to Netherfield with the others.
When they reached Netherfield, everyone went to change into more comfortable clothes.
The walk to church and back in the melting snow from days before had left everyone six inches deep in mud, and, anticipating this, everyone in the family, from the Bennets, to the Gardiners, to the Phillipses, had brought and left behind their clothes for the day–and for the lavish dinner Mrs Bingley had planned for later–when they visited the night before.
Mrs Bingley had rooms prepared upstairs for everyone to change in or rest between festivities, if it suited them.
Mr Bingley’s and Mr Darcy’s carriages would return everyone to their homes late that evening.
Once back in the drawing room, the party instantly continued the same activities as the previous night. Mr Bingley was thrilled to show Jane that the house slippers she made for him were the perfect fit, and said they were more comfortable than any he had ever worn.
There was food everywhere. One could not enter a room without encountering trays of mince pies, pork pies, steak and kidney pies, chicken and mushroom pies, venison pies, as well as sweeter pies such as apple and pumpkin tart, apple dumplings and nuts, fruits, confections, and sweetmeats.
Bowls of wassail were in every room, and the family spent the day around the pianoforte singing carols, playing with the children, and engaging in party games.
Jane enjoyed it all in good cheer, trying not to wish too often that she were at Godmersham. At length, Colonel Fitzwilliam collapsed onto the settee beside her after diligently evading a sprig of mistletoe.
“Heavens. One moment you are a decorated and distinguished officer, the next, you are dodging Lydia Bennet under the mistletoe like cannon fire. I do not believe she is entirely redeemed of her fascination for a red coat.” He looked over his shoulder as he spoke.
Elizabeth joined them. “I daresay the mistletoe has never seen such evasive maneuvers.”
“Lizzy, I have fought the French, crossed mountains, survived winters in tents…but your youngest sister is one of the most formidable forces I have ever met.” Fitzwilliam laughed. “Besides your dear mother, of course.”
“Yes, we have all been afflicted by Lydia’s devoted resolve for some years, but it seems to have turned to a more productive direction recently.
” Elizabeth turned to Darcy. “I do hope it lasts. We have not spoken again about which of my sisters should accompany yours, and to where, but we ought to decide soon.”
“Particularly since my family arrives tomorrow.” The colonel nodded his head. “That way you can allow my mother to render the invitation to visit her with Georgie.”
“What do you think?” Darcy asked Elizabeth.
“Mary is going to travel to Derbyshire in the summer with my aunt and uncle and she will visit us then, so she has that to look forward to,” Elizabeth reasoned.
“I think that Kitty will be the most desirous of pleasing your aunt and behaving in the manner expected of her. So perhaps Kitty could spend the time with Georgie in London when we marry, and then Lydia could travel north with her later. And in the meantime, perhaps Lydia could spend some time with Jane, as Mama wishes; though that time would have to be spent in London, in which case, she would need a companion, at least temporarily. I would have to speak with Jane about it. I believe that after the last month, she deserves to enjoy a month in London without any of her sisters.”
“I beg your pardon, but Mr and Mrs Hurst will be with them in London, and Miss Lydia can hardly be more unpleasant than that lady,” Darcy pointed out sensibly.
“Well I must agree with you that she has indeed improved enough for me to be quite hopeful. And if she continues with her insistence on improving her education, I believe she will surprise us all, in the end.” Elizabeth peered into her empty glass of punch.
“Oh dear, I believe I have run dry,” she giggled.
Mrs Bingley called her from the other side of the room, and Elizabeth and Darcy rose to go to her.
After several hours of family frivolity, everyone retired upstairs to dress for yet another Christmas feast. They all met in the drawing room in their finery, awaiting the announcement by Mr Nicholls.
After two days of eating, drinking, and making merry, Mr and Mrs Bingley’s guests now talked and laughed through the night at a table of never ending courses, including turtle soup, turkey, boar’s head, more roast beef and venison, pheasant, capon, more pies and tarts, vegetables, sauces, and gravies of every sort imaginable.
The guests were groaning, but murmured in pleasure when the Christmas pudding, topped with holly leaves, was brought out.
Mr Bingley removed the holly and doused the pudding, then set it ablaze.
Neither the Bennet nor the Bingley family participated in the tradition of putting Christmas charms in their pudding, but they did add a silver sixpence, and whoever found it on Christmas Day was to receive wealth and good luck in the New Year. This year, the sixpence was found by Jane.
A coin! Perhaps that is what was missing from my wish at the well!
Jane determined that she would return to the well and make her wish again without delay, just as soon as the weather was dry enough.
She had not felt comfortable asking anyone, even Lizzy, for actual money.
A shop account paid for by Mr Bingley, that she only used to buy gifts for his family was one thing.
Begging her characters for coins was beneath her.
Jane smiled and thanked all who congratulated her on finding the sixpence. As the numerous desserts were passed around the table and Jane accepted a glass of syllabub, her friends all expressed the hope that the resultant good luck would conclude with her finding her home and family.