Chapter 4 #3
“Yes! Longbourn has not had anything larger than a card party since Mr Bennet died,” her mother said. “Mr Collins, you ought to consider the idea. If Mary does not wish to do the honours, I would be willing.”
“Mamma, I will not sacrifice my time, my reason, and my duties to fashion and folly, and you ought to follow my example.”
This conversation went on, with Lydia trying to persuade Mary and Mr Collins to host a ball, and her mother trying to persuade them to hire another footman, and woven throughout it all were threads of disdain for having to pay for the upkeep of an unmarried sister who had now reached the age of twenty-one.
Other than Lydia laughingly wishing for her to live another twenty-one years, and her mother wishing her joy, her birthday had been unremarkable for Elizabeth.
“Lizzy, you have said very little and look cross.” Mary called her attention. “If you sit with us, you must contribute to what is going forward. Faults in a lady’s discourse and behaviour render one’s company tedious rather than amusing.”
“Our conversations are about what sort of servant such a one is, or what a strain it is to support a spinster. What can be more uninteresting! Am I obliged to set upon the occasion as curious a face as if I were delighted with the subjects?”
“Cousin Elizabeth, your temper!” Mr Collins looked as though he had never laid eyes upon such an unworthy woman before giving her a condescending smile.
“However, fear not that you are destined to remain so unfeminine a creature. Even the worst temper may be reformed through discipline and attention, provided the lady in question has a governable disposition.”
Elizabeth claimed to be feeling unwell and went to her own chamber.
No one needed to know about the building pressure and heart palpitations in her chest. Another dreadful day, and my birthday, no less.
She could not waste the entire day isolated in this tiresome place.
Later that afternoon, after she had recovered, Lydia passed her on the stairs on her way to some other amusement.
“Can you distract Mary for me?” Elizabeth asked in a low voice. “I want to get sheet music from the instrument.”
“She will not let you play, even if young William is awake.”
“I do not want to play.” Elizabeth gave her sister a wink. “I want to borrow some music.”
“You appear better today than on my other visits, Miss Darcy. I suspect you have the sense not to waste your breath praising that performance unless you had breath to spare.”
“I passed a good night. And you do play well, if I may say so. Fitzwilliam said you performed that Schobert sonata at Lucas Lodge last week.”
“Did he? He has a good memory. Where has Mr Darcy gone? He has been away nearly a week.”
“I could not say.”
“You were not in on the secret? Perhaps he travels to bring you a grand present? Having never had a brother, I imagined absent brothers to be constantly sending trinkets to their sisters.” Her playful smile was met with silence.
“I did not mean to offend you. Even if he does not bring you a gift, I am sure you are in Mr Darcy’s thoughts. ”
“Whatever can be done for my comfort or happiness, he readily provides. Fitzwilliam had the instrument sent down for me when he first let the house.” Miss Darcy turned pink.
“I only meant, I do not think his business at…his business will allow him time to think of his buying me a token of his affection.”
Did or did not Miss Darcy know where her brother was? And how does a man who cannot keep a carriage afford a grand pianoforte? It stood out against the modest furnishings and must have cost ninety pounds. Mr Darcy must indeed love his sister very much.
“Mr Darcy appears to be a gentlemanlike man,” Elizabeth led. When Miss Darcy returned no answer, she asked, “Has your brother any profession?”
“He is a gen—” Miss Darcy coughed. Elizabeth rang the bell to ask the cook to make more of what she was taking for her cough, and decided Miss Darcy had done enough speaking for the present. She would do most of the talking and divert her new acquaintance.
“Shall I tell you about my sisters? One married a stockjobber on the Exchange when she was fifteen, one married the heir to my father’s estate when she was seventeen, one married a commander on the Bellerophon when she was seventeen, and the youngest has made it her mission to be wed before the year is out. ”
“I would rather learn of you. What was your education?”
“My mother made sure that French and music masters were brought in, but did not care enough to ensure that we attended to the lessons. Jane took to French and Mary to music, and I have some competency in both, but the others had no interest. My father taught us history and arithmetic until he found it tiresome. Were your parents as well intentionally negligent to your education?”
“I once had a governess, and then attended seminary until last year.”
“You must mean a school, of course, not a seminary. You could not have attended one of those establishments in town where wealthy young ladies from grand families for enormous pay are twisted out of health and into vanity with a lot of refined nonsense.”
Miss Darcy now looked mortified. What did I say?
Elizabeth could not get a word of explanation from her, and although Miss Darcy claimed all of Elizabeth’s apologies were unneeded, Elizabeth wondered how she had transgressed.
Perhaps there was a fall from fortune if she had a governess but then had to attend a school rather than a fine London seminary?
She had best change the subject and distract Miss Darcy from her disappointment.
“More ornamental accomplishments I dare not speak for beyond an interest in music. My drawing will make you laugh.” Elizabeth described how, for a brief time, she and Jane thought they had a talent for transparencies despite their not being able to sketch or paint with watercolour.
“We foolishly thought we could execute them in a stylish manner. Over the course of one autumn, every lantern, lampshade, and fire screen in the house was covered with hideous drawings!”
“Did your parents admire them, for the sake of your feelings?”
“Oh, no. My father slowly and steadily pushed every one closer and closer to the flames that illuminated them in the hopes to be rid of them!”
Miss Darcy’s smiles and sincere laughter stayed with Elizabeth all her walk home.