Chapter 10
Jane!” Kitty exclaimed as they packed up the china Caroline had chosen when the Bingleys had first taken Netherfield.
Luckily, Jane thought it was lovely, at least for a formal party; she had ordered beautiful everyday dishes from Minton which were much less ornate.
“Lizzy has written me and invited me to Pemberley and Papa has said that I might go if only you will allow me to accompany you North! Do say that I may for I shall surely die of boredom here all by myself with you and Mary gone and Lydia in Newcastle! She claims that she is having such fun there, but I do not believe half of her claims for if she is having so much fun then why does she complain so much and demand that I send her my pin money?”
“That is most kind of Lizzy,” Jane smiled, allowing herself to be swung about by her exuberant sister. “I shall speak with Charles as soon as he arrives.”
“Then I shall pack directly for he is so complying that he will surely do anything that you ask! You are so lucky, Jane! I should be terrified to have a husband like Lizzy’s Mr. Darcy; he is so stern and staid and— and boring!”
“There is something to be said for a man who is staid, as you call it. For they are entirely reliable,” Jane replied, her exhaustion getting the better of her discretion.
“You shall see when you arrive at Pemberley. Lizzy’s Mr. Darcy is just as complying to his wife’s wishes as you could dream of, for he loves her to distraction, and she is never forgotten or left to fend for herself against the displeasure of others. ”
“Jane?” Kitty asked, concerned. “Are you well?”
“Yes, indeed,” Jane hurried to reassure her, regretting her lapse. “I am in a strange mood, Kitty dear. Moving and such while I am increasing is more strenuous than I imagined.”
Kitty watched her with wary misgiving, but Mary’s repressive look kept her from pursuing the subject further and Jane began to describe her ideas for Ivy Well, soon distracting them all.
When it was time for them to return to Longbourne, Jane sent with them an invitation for her parents to join them all for dinner the next evening to bid farewell to her husband as they were to arrive the next afternoon.
∞∞∞
The next morning, just before luncheon, Jane happily greeted her husband as he jumped from a new shining white carriage with childlike excitement. He swung his wife up in his arms, surprising her into a laugh.
“Really, Charles!” Caroline barked, as the footman assisted her down from the carriage. “You are being unseemly!”
“I am just pleased, Caroline!” he cried, pulling Jane toward the carriage. “Is she not a fine coach? It is finally finished! I ordered it for you just before the wedding but with the war…”
“It is lovely, Charles,” Jane replied earnestly.
“It is quite comfortable, I shall enjoy traveling further,” Caroline smirked. “Charles was certain that you would not mind us taking the maiden trip. You would want us to be comfortable, of that I was certain.”
Not caring in the least who rode in it first, Jane was able to assure them with complete sincerity that she was pleased they were able to enjoy the comfort of the newest luxuries in suspension and squabs.
The comfortable squabs were done in a lovely sky-blue leather with matching velvet cushions and curtains.
The wood interior, a natural beech, was polished to a mirror shine and Jane dutifully ooh’d and aah’d over every compartment and comfort which Bingley gleefully pointed out.
Caroline abandoned them within moments although her brother did not notice.
Jane was only relieved that she had not said anything about the servants she had fired, though perhaps she had not been informed by the servants, and they had disappeared into the teaming streets of London to try their luck elsewhere.
When Bingley finally had received enough praise from her, he offered his arm and began to lead her into the house.
“Charles,” she declared, stiffening her spine to, for the first time in their marriage, declare that she had desires of her own.
“I have invited Mary to join us to help me with things as I enter my confinement. And Elizabeth has offered for Kitty to come to her at Pemberley…” she took a breath and her bravery began to faulter.
“Would you be pleased to have them join us?”
“Of course! Of course!” he cried, still floating from the satisfaction of his surprise. “That will give you someone devoted to your entertainment while Caroline is busy assisting with setting up house.”
Jane’s spirits plummeted to the depths of despair, but she chose to ignore the intimation for now, as it would do no one any good to raise her intentions and be forced to stand up to Caroline’s displeasure for the entirety of their trip north when it mattered not at all until they arrived.
It was only when he left her to clean up that she realized that he had not asked even once how she or their child were.
The pain in her heart stabbed deep, for just a moment, but she stroked her waistline which hid her entire world and silently promised the little one that she would always watch over him.
Bingley appeared dressed for dinner with Caroline on his arm, her sneer of superiority obvious to all.
Jane silently berated herself for her previously willful blindness.
She had honestly thought that Caroline was a friend and was acting in the best interest of that friendship, or at least out of concern for her brother’s happiness but in the last hour, Jane had called herself all manner of stupid.
“My dearest son!” Mrs. Bennet screeched as she entered the sitting room, making Jane jerk in surprise. “What shall I do without you and my beautiful Jane! How will she possibly manage her confinement without her dear mother?” She wiped away a phantom tear.
“I shall be well, Mama,” Jane assured her as she kissed her cheek in greeting. “And Mary has agreed to accompany me. Charles feels that it is a good plan and Kitty will be going to Pemberley and so will be nearby with Elizabeth.”
“But who will assist in the birth!” Her words caused blushes on more than one cheek.
“You know that you do not travel well, Mama,” Mary interrupted, when she began to pout. “Remember how ill you got when last you visited London? And Ivy Well is several days travel from Hertfordshire.”
Mrs. Bennet shuddered at the very thought of sleeping in a noisy, filthy inn full of unwashed strangers. “Yes, well… But they could simply stay at Netherfield and—”
“We must see to our new estate, Mama.” Jane declared with such assurance that everyone in the room turned to look at her in surprise. Caroline’s sour look when she learned of her plans further solidified Jane’s resolve and she turned to her father.
His eyes were still wide from surprise, and he stepped into the breech. “Longbourne cannot do without you, Mrs. Bennet. Let us speak of something else.”
“I cannot wait to see Lizzy and Georgie!” Kitty exclaimed.
Caroline bristled at her easy use of Miss Darcy’s name but before she could berate her, Jane agreed and said that their new sister was most pleased with the friendships she had formed via correspondence with them all.
Caroline’s face said it all; she had never been invited to use Georgiana’s familiar name, nor had the younger girl written back to her attempts to force a correspondence. She ground her teeth in impotence.
Bingley cleared his throat for their attention as he drew a jewelry case from under his coat.
“I wished to present my wife with a token of my affection and gratitude for providing me with an heir. Caroline helped to pick them out!” With a flourish, he opened the case and revealed a necklace of ostentatious emeralds set in a heavy gold setting.
Jane blinked in surprise. “I— thank you, Charles. They certainly look expensive.” She did not wish to prevaricate, but she did not care for emeralds and never wore such ornate jewelry.
“Charles!” Caroline gasped at the same time. “I said that I admired them! Not that they were for Jane!”
“Oh! Well, I knew that she did not have any emeralds, I just thought,” he pulled at his cravat to loosen its tight hold.
“They are lovely, Charles,” Jane assured him, bringing back his smile.
“Let me help you put them on,” Caroline growled through gritted teeth.
She snatched the case from her brother and stepped behind Jane.
She settled the jewels around her neck and then with a vicious yank, which nearly upended Jane, ripped them off again.
“Oh dear,” she simpered. “The lace on my sleeve caught on the clasp and now it is broken. We shall have to have it repaired. How unfortunate.”
Jane winced as she felt along her porcelain skin, hoping that there was no bleeding. She could not see it but a long red welt had appeared. Her family stared at her in horror.
“Well,” Bingley cried with false excitement, “shall we go in to dine?”
∞∞∞