Chapter 8
In the Bennet Carriage
On the Way Back to Longbourn
Many years previously, Mr. Bennet had purchased a carriage of capacious size to bear the growing Bennet family hither and yon.
Elizabeth was grateful for her stepfather’s foresight, for all the Bennet ladies fit comfortably within the roomy interior of the carriage, with no squishing necessary.
She sat beside her mother, who habitually chose the middle of the seat, with Jane on Mrs. Bennet’s far side.
Across from them and riding backwards, Lydia and Kitty and Mary sat elbow to elbow, the younger two girls still squirming themselves into place.
“Mr. Bingley seems very nice,” Mary observed.
Jane, who had been staring out the window, turned and said, “He is wonderful, is he not? So gracious and kind, with such good humor!”
“He is also handsome,” Lydia said with a giggle.
“Not as handsome as Mr. Darcy,” Kitty argued.
“Mr. Bingley has a much cheerier demeanor, though,” Lydia said.
“I suppose that is true,” Kitty said, and Elizabeth turned to look out of the window and allowed her mind to wander.
She had little interest in comparing the charms of Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, as she found the familiar, beautiful scenery more interesting than either gentleman.
The autumn foliage had arrived at last, clothing the trees majestically in gold and deep crimson and orange, like pumpkins.
It was an inviting sight, and Elizabeth made up her mind to go out and walk after they returned home.
Her thoughts drifted to the house and people receding behind them.
The visit had, overall, gone more pleasantly than she had expected.
Though she was confirmed in her poor opinion of Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst, that they were enamored of their own importance and wealth, the Misses Darcy seemed to be entirely congenial young ladies, if markedly shy.
Miss Darcy especially interested Elizabeth.
It was remarkable to see a book such as The American Practical Navigator in the hands of another lady Elizabeth’s own age.
She could imagine studying it herself if faced with a dearth of more interesting reading material.
On the other hand, she could not imagine Lydia, for instance, reaching for it should the youngest Miss Bennet find herself without a novel to hold her attention.
Elizabeth dearly loved her sisters and enjoyed their company, but she was cognizant that none of them shared her deep love of books.
They enjoyed an occasional novel and had been diligent when assigned books as part of their schoolwork, but they all had other hobbies of greater interest to them.
Oddly enough, the love of reading was a trait she shared with her stepfather, despite sharing no blood.
His library was impressive for a country gentleman, and he had generously granted her free use of it, though Elizabeth found it necessary to browse the lending library in Meryton on a regular basis.
Miss Darcy’s passion for books appeared to match Elizabeth’s own, and the library at Netherfield was truly in a disgraceful state. Given that the Darcys were wealthy, Elizabeth suspected that they would make a visit to the bookstore in Meryton in short order.
It would be nice, Elizabeth thought, to see Miss Darcy again, and soon.
How wonderful it would be to have another good friend in the area!
Miss Georgiana also seemed very sweet, if rather shy, and Elizabeth looked forward to knowing the younger girl better as well.
With Netherfield as Longbourn’s closest neighbor, it would be well indeed if a genuine amity grew between the families of both estates.
***
Mrs. Hurst’s Dressing Room
Longbourn
11 O’clock in the Evening
“Louisa! I must speak to you!”
Mrs. Hurst, who had been sitting somnolently by the fire, turned and watched with a frown as her sister, sporting an outraged expression, entered the room in haste. She was tired and had no desire to deal with an irritable Caroline, but it did not seem as if she had much of a choice.
“Sit down, Caroline,” she directed and then, when her sister obeyed, said, “I am going to bed shortly.”
Caroline waved an impatient hand and said, “This cannot wait. Louisa, we simply must do something about Charles and Miss Bennet!”
Louisa was not surprised at her sister’s words, but she was annoyed.
“Caroline, please,” she said, “You know how Charles is. He falls in love quickly, and he falls out of love just as quickly. Of course he is enamored with Miss Bennet’s good looks and sweet nature now, but it will pass as it always does.”
“Perhaps,” her sister said. “Indeed, it is quite likely, but you must see that we cannot wait. This is the perfect time for Charles to charm Miss Georgiana, with both under the same roof, and if our brother is chasing Miss Bennet, well, even dear Georgiana will presumably be displeased by it.”
Louisa turned her gaze on the gyrating flames in the fire and contemplated this.
“I suppose it is possible that Miss Georgiana will be unhappy at watching our brother’s pursuit of another woman, but she is a sensible creature, and when his pursuit ends …
well, you know as well as I do that Georgiana is not quite old enough to marry yet.
Indeed, it is a great pity that Miss Darcy is not the more appropriate bride for our brother, as she is almost nineteen! ”
Caroline grimaced. “Yes, I agree entirely, but one must be practical. Miss Darcy is, I suppose, intelligent, but she is far too tall and not at all accomplished, not like a real lady, and not like her younger sister! Indeed, I truly do not know how she managed to leave school in such a state! It is a great pity.”
“She is definitely an oddity,” Louisa agreed with a sigh. “Caroline, I do not think there is anything we can do except let our brother’s pursuit run its natural course.”
“Nonsense, one can always do something! The reality is that the Bennets are not worthy of Charles, and we need to make that extremely obvious. Indeed, I daresay we can get Mr. Darcy on our side. He knows of our hopes for our family name, and he cares about Charles sufficiently to discourage him from chasing after a woman of such low position in Society. Mrs. Nicholls tells me that the first Mrs. Bennet was the daughter of a mere solicitor. It is not to be borne!”
Louisa, not for the first time, found herself bending to her sister’s stronger will. “Oh, very well, Caroline. Now can I go to bed?”
***
Jane’s Bedchamber
Longbourn
Midnight
Mrs. Bennet hesitated for a moment, rapped the door of Jane’s bedchamber, and then opened the door at the sound of her stepdaughter’s welcoming voice.
She stepped within and halted in surprise to observe not only Jane, but Elizabeth, seated side by side on a small couch near the fire.
“Lizzy!” she said. “I had thought you likely asleep already.”
“Jane and I were talking about our visit to Netherfield Hall today,” Elizabeth explained, rising gracefully to her feet, “but I will go to bed now.”
Mrs. Bennet made a sudden decision and lifted a staying hand. “Please stay, my dear. I too wish to speak of our new neighbors.”
Jane’s usually smooth forehead puckered slightly. “Mamma, is something wrong? You look worried.”
Mrs. Bennet walked over to sit down across from her older daughters, both of whom were already dressed warmly in their night attire.
“I am worried,” she confessed. “I have been hesitant to speak to you about my concerns, but I decided I had best … and having Lizzy here is good. She may provide a different perspective.”
Jane looked at Elizabeth and then back at her stepmother. “Different perspective on what?”
Mrs. Bennet sat up straight, heaved out a breath, and said, “On Mr. Bingley, in particular, but in order to do so sensibly, I need to tell you about my first marriage, Jane.”
Jane frowned. “Your first marriage? To Mr. Harper?”
“Yes.”
Mrs. Bennet proceeded to explain the situation in detail, about her father’s debts, and her father-in-law’s vast wealth, and the marriage which was transactional, and her husband’s gambling and drinking, and then death when he fell down the stairs in a drunken stupor.
By the end of this recitation, Jane was obviously horrified. “Oh Mamma, how dreadfully difficult for you! I am so sorry!”
“It was difficult, yes, but Mr. Harper gave me my dear Lizzy,” Mrs. Bennet replied, casting a warm smile on Elizabeth, who was sitting very straight-backed, her expression solemn, “and then I was blessed to find a truly compatible husband in your father. But the reason I am speaking to you on this matter is that you are an exceptionally handsome young lady, and Mr. Bingley, like Mr. Harper, earned his fortune from trade.”
Jane stared at her, her blue eyes a whirl of confusion. “Mr. Bingley … what are you saying, Mamma? Do you think that Mr. Bingley is like your first husband? A gambler? A drinker? A…”
“No, not necessarily,” Mrs. Bennet said.
“I have no idea what Mr. Bingley is truly like, and he seems a most estimable gentleman, while frankly Mr. Harper did not bother to put a good face to the world. I have been concerned for you, though. Mr. Bingley is lower in Society than you are, and I suspect that he and his sisters are eager to raise their position in Society, and marrying you would do exactly that.”
Jane stared at her for a long moment and then turned a bewildered look on Elizabeth. “What do you think, Sister? Do you think that Mr. Bingley is interested in me only because I am the daughter of a gentleman?”
Mrs. Bennet also turned her attention to Elizabeth, whose intelligence she greatly respected.