Chapter 4 #2
As she crossed the hall, she could hear the querulous tones of Miss Bingley, no doubt complaining about the escape of her prey.
Refusing to be daunted and quite out of patience with that lady, Elizabeth sailed into the drawing room, head held high, and had the satisfaction of reducing her hostess to red-faced silence.
Captain Darcy brought her a cup of coffee and sat beside her. “Is my sister quite well?” he asked.
“Just a little tired.”
At the other end of the room, Miss Bingley was engaged in a furious whispered conversation with her sister while they searched through the available sheet music.
“You and Miss Bennet have both been very kind. I wonder whether I might trespass further on your good nature.”
Elizabeth nodded.
“You have seen the state of my sister’s clothing.
Would it be possible for you to accompany her to Hatfield or some other local town and help her repair the deficiencies in her wardrobe?
I fear she needs almost everything—a full rig.
I shall of course repay your father, perhaps when the bills are submitted? ”
Elizabeth smiled sadly. “Sir, you are inviting a lady to go shopping with someone else’s money, and under normal circumstances I would be happy to oblige.
However”—here she blushed and lowered her voice—“my father’s illness has led to at least one of the local tradespeople withdrawing credit, fearing, I suppose, that they might not be paid.
I regret that any shopping we did would have to be…
what is the expression? Paid on the nail? ”
Despite her mortification, Elizabeth could see that his expression did not alter from one of polite interest, and while she was glad that neither Miss Bingley nor Mrs Hurst had heard, she felt that the captain at least could be trusted with her confidences.
“Then I shall accompany you all and draw on my London bank. Perhaps Miss Bennet would feel able to accompany you, and we would not have to take a maid along too. My sister is, as you have seen, exceedingly shy, and I fear she has enjoyed too few such frivolous outings.”
“Then, sir, I should be delighted to take your sister shopping, although I fear you may have to resign yourself to several dull hours at the King’s Head while we three enjoy ourselves at your expense.”
Captain Darcy smiled, a most becoming expression, and they sat in companionable silence while Mr Bingley’s sisters attempted to outdo each other in execution on the pianoforte.
Indeed, in view of the heaviness of Mrs Hurst’s hands and right foot, Elizabeth thought that ‘execution’ was very probably the right word.
In a brief pause between pieces, the captain took the opportunity to ask about Mr Bennet’s illness. There was nothing intrusive about his questioning, merely a genuine and compassionate enquiry.
Elizabeth looked at her hands. “He first took ill in July. I do not know whether you were in England, but the weather in this part of the world was extremely wet. He was caught in a downpour, took cold, and from there grew worse. The doctor says it is pneumonia and there is very little we can do except pray.” As her eyes filled with tears, she felt the sofa rock as the captain rose and strode to where the two ladies were preparing for a duet.
“I really must come a little closer,” he said. “It is not often we sailors get to hear such first-rate music.”
More than a little surprised, Elizabeth placed her hand on the sofa, preparatory to rising and leaving the room in haste, but as she did so, her fingers touched a small bundle of cloth.
It was a gentleman’s silk handkerchief. As she hurriedly wiped her eyes, she looked up and saw the broad, dark blue back of the captain, standing precisely in the spot that hid Elizabeth from the gaze of everyone else in the room.
The expedition to Hatfield was planned at breakfast the following day, and Elizabeth resigned herself to staying another day and night at Netherfield, a decision rendered easier by the recognition that Jane had not yet quite recovered and would prefer to spend the day quietly.
Captain Darcy set off in a curricle with a groom the moment everything was decided and Elizabeth, Miss Darcy, and a maid followed in the carriage, having first ascertained that Mrs Darcy, too, preferred to remain indoors.
It was a cold, overcast day, but they were warmly wrapped and well equipped with heated bricks and rugs and passed the time pleasantly, deciding where they would go and what they would purchase.
Elizabeth was pleased to find her companion a modest young lady with modest requirements.
She shuddered to think what Lydia and Kitty would have demanded had they been in Miss Darcy’s position.
They arrived at the King’s Head and found Captain Darcy and a room he had ordered for them with hot tea and buttered toast to revive them after their journey.
While the maid was fixing Miss Darcy’s hair, which had a tendency to escape its pins, the captain took Elizabeth to one side and pressed a purse into her hands.
“If this is not enough, pray have word sent to me and I will come and find you.” He glanced over at his sister who was giggling with the maid as they both struggled to contain her hair.
“Whatever she needs, Miss Elizabeth, and no expense spared. That coat cannot be warm enough, and surely she needs new boots and…” He smiled ruefully.
“I am sure you know better than I what is needed, but please let me press upon you that this is one occasion where economy would be false indeed.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened as she peered into the purse. “I assure you, Captain Darcy, there is more than enough here to outfit your sister from top to toe.”
“And if she sees any books or music or…or…” He was obviously struggling now. “Paper and pencils for drawing, or anything to divert her during the day, please lay them in too.”
Elizabeth, greatly daring, placed a hand on his arm. “Do not worry. I will see she has all the most affectionate brother could wish.” He looked a little self-conscious at this and turned away to kiss his sister and wish her joy of the outing.
Luckily it had not come on to rain, as Elizabeth had half-suspected it would, and they bustled along the main street to the draper, Mr Stevenson, who could usually be relied upon to have some ready-made items in stock in addition to all the fabrics, ribbons, and other makings they would require.
Once he realised the nature and extent of the purchases they required, Mr Stevenson and his wife devoted themselves entirely to Miss Darcy, who appeared to be shyly enjoying the attention although it was some time before Elizabeth could induce her to express an opinion.
They only managed to find a single dress for day wear suitable for a young lady of Miss Darcy’s age and height, but it was very becoming, a cream-coloured muslin embroidered with little sprigs of violets.
Where fabric was concerned, they were more fortunate and, despite Miss Darcy’s protests that they would not need half of their purchases, bought enough for three more day-dresses and two for evening.
Mr Hitchens, the mercer, produced cloth for a fine warm coat in a handsome, almost naval blue. The boot maker had shoes for indoor use and took the measurements for some half boots, undertaking to call at Netherfield for a final fitting.
Word got around the shopkeepers, and everywhere they went, they were met with eager attention. Stockings, bonnets, gloves, under things, and a fine, warm fur muff. They went back to the King’s Head for more tea and some hot soup before venturing out again.
“We will go to Mrs Cottam to have the fabric made up. She is slightly more expensive than Mrs Finch in Meryton, but having her nieces with her, she is in a larger way of business and we will get the dresses sooner. We can have the coat made in Meryton, which will ensure we do not cause too much ill feeling, for you can have no idea how easily people in small villages are offended, my dear.”
Miss Darcy nodded breathlessly as she trotted beside Elizabeth’s determined stride.
“Oh, Miss Elizabeth,” she said. “Will you not let me pay for anything? I do have a little money, you know.” She was about to say something more when she realised they were passing the bookshop and stationers and stopped dead.
Recognising a fellow reader in the look of ardent curiosity, Elizabeth allowed herself to be persuaded to enter, and they did not come out again for quite half an hour, followed by the shop boy with another parcel for the King’s Head.
Mrs Cottam’s house was warm and a little stuffy, and by the time the measuring, fitting, and consulting of pattern books was quite finished, Elizabeth was tired and Miss Darcy was positively exhausted.
“So, shall we say Monday at Netherfield for the first fitting?” said Elizabeth. Mrs Cottam, enraptured by the arrival of so much hard cash, would probably have agreed to anything Elizabeth suggested.
Once in the cold afternoon air, Miss Darcy revived somewhat and did her best to express her gratitude for all that Elizabeth had done.
In her anxiety that Elizabeth understand, she became quite animated, and this, with the colour whipped into her cheeks by the autumnal air, made such a pretty picture that Elizabeth could see how struck the captain was when they bustled into the room at the King’s Head.
He smiled at Elizabeth as they both watched Georgiana run to thank him, only to stop short when she realised there was another gentleman present.
“Georgiana, Miss Bennet, you must allow me to introduce an old friend and shipmate. Lieutenant Grace, this is my sister Georgiana and her friend Miss Bennet.”